The Game of Inches

RESTART HERE: Make it happen

Early one morning in April 2013 I finished strapping my duffle bag on the back of my motorcycle, kissed and hugged my wife (the kids were still asleep), and set off on an adventure. That first day I headed west into the NSW hinterland, riding from the crowded city suburbs through the picturesque Blue Mountains west of Sydney, and as the hours passed I watched the vegetation and landscape became sparser and flatter. Eight hours later I stopped in the outback town of Cobar. That evening I had no idea what adventures the road ahead would hold. Sure, I had set up some meetings with some interesting people, but I had no idea what I would discover and learn. I wanted to help persuade a nation that they are smarter than they give themselves credit for, that they don't need to be Steve Jobs or Richard Branson to be successful or to do something worthwhile. The idea behind the Ingenious Oz Project was that by capturing and telling the stories of everyday people who have done amazing things, I could inspire and influence others to pursue their ideas and their dreams. What I found was bigger than this.

Adding these discoveries to the practical advice gleaned from interviewing many top entrepreneurs for Start Up Australia unearthed a goldmine of insights and practical wisdom, much of which I've endeavoured to share with you in this book.

I learned that people who have achieved something of value share a remarkable number of attributes, which I have encapsulated ...