Today I'm taking part in my first Thanksgiving in the USA and it's got me thinking of those people and things I'm thankful for. I wrote a while ago about being grateful but in this post I wanted to single out a couple of people I'd like to give thanks to publicly:
I'm grateful to my grandfather Bill who instilled in me a lifelong hunger for learning.
I'm grateful to my father Martin for showing me that you can be the best in your field and still be a kind, honest and good person.
I'm grateful to my mother Liz for her energy and no-nonsense attitude to life.
I'm grateful to my brother Stewart for making Carpe Diem real and having me stop and reassess what's important.
I'm grateful to my wife Alison for allowing me to follow my dreams and being there in good times and bad.
I'm grateful for my first drum teacher Dougie MacDonald for instilling in me a love of rudiments and Buddy Rich and giving me lessons for free.
I'm grateful to my school art teacher Ian Deuchar for teaching me to open up my mind and not be afraid to be different.
I'm grateful to Anthony Robbins for giving me the confidence and a positive outlook to life.
I'm grateful for my best man Malcolm for providing true friendship and laughter.
I'm grateful to Ricky Ross for what he taught me and showing me what kind of person I don't want to be.
I'm grateful to Ajahn Sumedho for showing me what kind of person I do want to be.
I'm grateful to Marcus Aurelius for writing down his Meditations and therefore providing a guide to living.
I'm grateful to Tim Ferriss for re-igniting my entrepreneurial passions and deciding what the rules of the game will be.
I'm grateful to Kevin Rose for introducing me to Silicon Valley, startups and tea and making me travel to the other side of the world to do so.
I'm grateful to Derek Sivers for just being Derek Sivers.
I'm grateful to David & Patricia Butler for believing in me and allowing me to work with others to build something great.
I'm grateful to Billy Cobham for teaching me about music, drumming and Swiss history.
I'm grateful to Thomas Lang for showing me that excellence is a habit, not a virtue.
I'm grateful to John Stuart Mill for providing me with the underpinnings of my political beliefs.
I'm grateful to my enemies and competitors for forcing me to constantly up my game.
I'm grateful for my friends...you know who you are.
Happy Thanksgiving
