QUICK FIRE INTERVIEW WITH FRANK COLES

CURATED BY: PRASHANT HARISH HARI

Q1) IN THE CHAPTER "LEARN ANY LANGUAGE" YOU WRITE“, IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE WHY MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE THEY HAVE NO

NATURAL ABILITY. WE ALL DID THE SAME THING, STUDIED FRENCH, SPANISH OR GERMAN AT SCHOOL UNTIL OUR MID TO LATE TEENS AND THEN FOUND THAT IN THE REAL WORLD WE COULDN'T EVEN

ORDER A CUP OF COFFEE IN OUR TARGET LANGUAGE“

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? IS IT SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE WAY LANGUAGES ARE TAUGHT AT SCHOOL OR TEACHING OVERALL? OR DO YOU BELIEVE IT'S THE

WRONG AGE TO BE PERHAPS LEARNING A LANGUAGE? OR SOMETHING ELSE?

A1) In a nutshell, I think it's because most education systems are tailored to one style of learning over another. Say for example, my

uncle, a translator, loves nothing more than a good grammar table and rote learning while for others that would leave them cold, it would be too hard and they would be totally turned off. Another linguist

friend runs a German school for corporates called LernerLeben where he tailors lessons to the

students learning style. Now these two extremes both work, but I think the essential thing that is lost in most learning is a sense of play and

the understanding of what good practice is - always pushing to the

edge of your comfort zone but not going past it.

Kids do it best, they play with different ways of learning languages, repetition, cue cards, audio and song, TV, wordplay,

stories, gobble-de-gook, whatever, and they learn languages easily over time. That's why I recommend Barry Farber's grown-up 'multi-track approach' in Tank as it

uses all sorts of tools to get you learning and having fun with it. For those who need a working knowledge of a language quickly however then I always recommend a book by an ex Green-beret

called AG Hawke, 'The Quick and Dirty Guide to Learning a Language Fast'. It'll get you up and running in double-quick time.

 

Q2) IN THE CHAPTER "BARE ESSENTIALS" YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE RIGHT CLOTHES, FIT, AND

ESSENTIALLY STYLE AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS DEPENDING

ON WHAT A PERSONS INCOME IS. HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK IT IS TO DRESS, LOOK AND FEEL STYLISHLY IN ORDER TO WIN

THE WOMEN OF YOUR DREAMS? IS A CONCENTRATED EFFORT ON OTHER

AREAS LIKE YOUR WARDROBE ESSENTIAL...OR IS A BIT OF HEART ALL YOU NEED? 

A2) Clothes are social engineering. I don't think they are important in the greater scheme of things but they do actually make a difference to the people who meet you and to how they perceive you. For budget you

can have all the money in the world and still look like a fashion victim. Whatever budget you have

buy clothes that fit you properly, in colours that suit you, keep them clean and ironed. Buy the best that you can afford, but don't worry about brand

names.

For winning the woman of yours dreams feeling confident in what you wear is important so that you behave confidently.

That's it. If you look as good as you need to that's good enough. If you spend your

entire time with this dream lady worrying about what you look like, preening yourself in the mirror and so on then you'll be spending less time on having fun with her and reacting to the situations

you are in. So, get it right for the woman, the environment you're in, then forget about it.

For me, back in the days when I was single, my baseline dress code to impress was shirt tailored to fit me, smart jeans and comfy smart-casual shoes. You could add jackets or sandals for cold/heat and if you have to go black tie or jungle practical then you change up for

clothes to suit those environments.

 

Q3) HOW LONG FROM NOW, UNTIL YOU THINK TRAVEL INTO SPACE WILL BE AFFORDABLE TO THE MAINSTREAM AUDIENCE? 

A3) I worked on a show in the 90s on the emerging space tourism market and got to meet many of the leaders in the field and a few astronauts as well. It's an exciting field to be in right now, real barnstorming days. You can already go into space if you have millions to spare (to the ISS and there's a planned

private trip to the moon). And very soon Branson and Burt Rutan over at Virgin Galactic will

have you going into low-earth orbit for a $100k or so. However it will still be decades for it to be affordable

to the mainstream. Hopefully not too many decades. I'm certainly planning on low-earth orbit before I die.

Q4) THE ENTIRE NOTION OF YOUR BOOK IS VERY VERY INSPIRING WITH THE CENTRAL THEME AROUND: "FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS", "DOING ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO IN LIFE", "BELIEVING IN YOURSELF”.  IN TODAYS

ERA OF RECESSION AND TOUGH TIMES, WHAT PRACTICAL ADVICE DO YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE TO DO AS FAR AS DAILY MENTAL EXERCISES ARE CONCERNED?

A4) Thank you, it's great to hear that. There are two heuristics that I like to use that will get you out of any

funk and into an alert attentive state of mind.

A4) Defunk your mind with the gratitude attitude.

Every day for the next seven days choose five things to say thank you for. It doesn't matter

what they are. And this act, if you do it with full intent, will make you

appreciate what you have and see the world in a different more positive light. You will also notice many great things about your life

that you normally overlook because of the noise of advertising, society and politicians. Try it now. As you build

up the practice you will begin to see things very differently and automatically begin to think more positively each and every day.

After your seven days, either keep going, or forget about it and return to the seven day practice every time you hit a low spot.

A4) Respond as if you are really here.

Most of us are on automatic. All the time. How many people go through relationships or jobs and

never really pay attention? Sometimes for years. We are not present as a species more often than not. So try this. In the

next conversation with your partner, your boss, your colleague really listen. Really pay attention and really respond to what they

are telling you.Then keep doing it, you'll find you are awake and it will wake up those around you too.

 

Q5) IN THE CHAPTER "SWINGING DICKS-OFFICE POLITICS AND HOW TO WIN EVERY TIME" YOU MENTION "DON'T WASTE TIME ON NO-HOPERS AND HAS-BEEN". COULD YOU PROVIDE A DEFINITION OF A "NO-

HOPER" OR "HAS BEEN" IN YOUR OWN WORDS? 

A5) Ah, that was a quote from another author. Following his advice would lead you down a very bitter path. I then go on to give the reader

several types of common office-politics scenarios 'dirty tactics' that

everyone will know. With that quote, be careful, a no-hoper may become your boss, a has-been may have a comeback. It's a very

momentary perspective and very limiting.

Q6) YOU MENTION IN THE CHAPTER: IN PRAISE OF IDLENESS "WITHOUT THE LEISURE CLASS MANKIND WOULD NEVER HAVE EMERGED FROM BARBARISM".

HOWEVER ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU'RE SOMETIMES MADE TO FEEL GUILT FOR THINKING BIG AND IMPROVING YOURSELF.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE TO AVOID THAT TRAP? SPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED HARD?

A6) Guilt is a cognitive trap, you're right. Simply forgive yourself for whatever it is you're feeling guilty about. In this

situation two examples of black-and-white thinking are messing with your head. Whether you work hard or are a lazy as hell as long as you give as much as you take,

are good to those around you, then don't worry about other people's approval, or what you think they

might think, then there will be nothing to feel guilty about.

As for thinking big, you sure as hell don't do yourself or the world any favours by

thinking small.

Q7) IN THE CHAPTER "SMILE AT THE DEVIL AND SPIT IN HIS FACE" YOU MENTION A NUMBER OF SYMPTOMS FOR DEPRESSION  UNDER THE TITLE KNOW YOUR SYMPTOMS, WHICH WE ALL GO THROUGH FROM TIME TO

TIME. OF THOSE LISTED, WHICH WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE TOP 5 MOST IMPORTANT ONES IN YOUR VIEW? AND HOW TO BEST OVERCOME THEM?

A7) For me the most common indicators that I've strayed from my path into the land of uber-

moody are:

• Feeling low-spirited for much of the time, every day.

• Being unusually irritable or impatient.

• Getting no pleasure out of life or what you usually enjoy.

• Waking up early, having difficulty sleeping or sleeping more than usual.

• Distancing yourself from others; not asking for support.

A7)

But there are another 15 or so indicators and what applies to me might not apply to others. So check them out for yourself.

 

I think you have to find the strategy that works best for you for all of these things. But the basics are: eat better food (cut down/cut out booze, cigarettes, drugs), set up a sleep routine (stick to it), exercise every day. Studies

have shown that daily exercise (as little as a 30 minute walk a day for three weeks) is equally effective as medication for all but those severely bruised internally.

The gratitude attitude in question four works well also.

Q8) IN THE CHAPTER "RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY" YOU MENTION:

"...SPIRITUALITY IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE CAN EXPERIENCE..". IS YOUR PERSONAL VIEW

THAT SPIRITUALITY AND RELIGION SHOULD BE/ARE TOTALLY SEPARATE?

A8) Again there are no right/wrong answers here. As a

species we've developed mental shortcuts (heuristics) to make life easier for ourselves, when we are living on automatic if we then meet situations in life that contradict what we think/believe we have large amounts of 'What the...?' and 'Smite the unbeliever' - basically we have what is called

cognitive dissonance and it makes our brains hurt. You can be religious and spiritual, sure, but you can also

be spiritual without being religious, and religious without being spiritual. Whatever level of

religion or spirituality you believe yourself to be you need to cut yourself and those around you some slack, you don't have all the answers,

neither does anyone else. You will meet ideas and people that challenge yours. Enjoy it rather than fight it and you will enable

and inspire. Fight it and you will only become entrenched, dogmatic and block others.

Contact Frank Coles

Website: http://www.frankcoles.com

Email: mail@frankcoles.com

Twitter: @FrankColes

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Drive-Tank-Frank-Coles/dp/0349122237

Contact Me

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