SUMO (Shut Up, Move On): The Straight-Talking Guide to Creating and Enjoying a Brilliant Life

By Paul McGee and Fiona Griffiths

S.U.M.O. stands for Shut Up, Move On. It's a phrase to say to ourselves (and sometimes others) when we are acting or thinking in a way that is hindering our ability to succeed. It doesn't necessarily mean 'get over it' or 'pull yourself together' (although there may be occasions when both responses are necessary). 'Shut Up' means stop what you're doing, take time out to reflect, let go of baggage and beliefs that hinder your potential. 'Move On' means tomorrow can be different from today, look for new possibilities, don't just think about it, take action.

There are six S.U.M.O. principles that are designed to help you create and enjoy a brilliant life. If you are wrestling with life's challenges, these principles will help you do so more successfully.

1. Change Your T-Shirt - take responsibility for your own life and don't be a victim.
2. Develop Fruity Thinking - change your thinking and change your results.
3. Hippo Time is OK - understand how setbacks affect you and how to recover from them.
4. Remember the Beachball - increase your understanding and awareness of other people's world.
5. Learn Latin - change comes through action not intention. Overcome the tendency to put things off.
6. Ditch Doris Day - create your own future rather than leave it to chance. Forget the attitude 'que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be.'

"A superb book. It combines honesty, humour and inspiration to help people move ahead in life."
—Allan and Barbara Pease, authors of Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps

"Powerful, simple and effective. A highly engaging and thought provoking book. Anyone who reads it is sure to look at themselves and the world differently as a result."
—Octavius Black and Sebastian Bailey, The Mind Gym

The S.U.M.O. guy is Paul McGee, an international speaker and author. He has been developing the S.U.M.O. principles over the last five years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wiley
• Release date: Feb 4, 2010
• ISBN: 9781907293689

Book preview

Introduction

003

‘You don’t have to be ill to get better’

Eric Berne

I spent 13 years at school. I learnt a lot. I learnt about algebra, how to use a Bunsen burner, how bad I am at woodwork, a few things about dinosaurs and the joys of life under the Romans. On reflection though, I don’t feel I learnt much about life and how to make the most of it. I explored the inner workings of a frog, but I never learnt about how to understand myself and other people. I learnt to stand up when a teacher came into the room and to hand in my homework on time if I wanted to avoid detention, but I wasn’t taught how to set goals, manage my emotions or how to handle conflict. For me, school prepared me for exams. It didn’t prepare me for life. I appreciate a lot has probably changed in education now, but that was my experience.

If you asked me 12 years ago, ‘would you like your life to be a brilliant and wonderful experience both for you and those around you?’, I would have answered a resounding ‘yes’. However, if you then asked me how I intended to make this happen, I would probably have waffled on for several minutes before coming to the conclusion ‘I’m not so sure’. But I’ve learnt a lot over the last few years. My answer now would be very different.

Over these next six chapters, you will get to hear what my answers are. They are based on over ten years studying psychology, running my own business and more importantly based on my observations and conversations with tens of thousands of people. My job as a professional speaker and my experience of running workshops on subjects related to ‘people, motivation and communication’ has given me a fascinating insight into what does and doesn’t work in people’s lives. My work has taken me from Tanzania to Todmorden, from Hong Kong to Halifax, from India to Islington and from Malaysia to Manchester. Whatever the country, whatever the culture, I learnt this - people are basically the same. They have similar hopes, dreams and challenges. They want to improve their lives, be happy and create a better future for their children. Of course there are differences, but if you dig beneath the surface, you find overwhelming

Reviews for SUMO (Shut Up, Move On)

[phillipthomas-2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A particular take on the life coaching process by a coach and motivational speaker/trainer, Paul McGee.McGee identifies six key points to creating and enjoying a brilliant life.1. Change Your T-Shirt (take responsibility for your life)2. Develop Fruity Thinking (take charge of your thinking)3. Hippo Time Is OK (it's OK to do a little wallowing)4. Remember The Beachball (look at things from other people's perspective too)5. Learn Latin (carpe diem)6. Ditch Doris Day (ditch the laissez faire attitude)The book was a straight-forward read with some interesting twists on old self-help content.