Grimbarians Blog

Something that many of our Grimbarians have in common is their passion for bringing what they have learned throughout their lives back to the area, helping to change perceptions and inspire people within the community. Richard Askam, a motivational speaker, grew his family’s business into the largest of its kind in the UK, and travels the world speaking about his business and personal journey. In recent years, his work has brought him back to his hometown, sharing his experience and wisdom with the people of Grimsby.

Just so you know….I am a Grimbarian. My Father was a Grimbarian. My Grandfather was a Grimbarian and his Grandfather was Danish….possibly a Viking? So what I’m saying here is my roots are a long way down in the Lincolnshire clay and like a lot of people – I love this area, this is home for me.

I was once told that the only benefit of getting older is wisdom, that’s it! So if you don’t use what you have learned then what’s the point of getting old? And when I turned 50 a couple of years ago, I didn’t feel as though I could describe myself as young anymore, well maybe for a bit longer. So if I analyse my wisdom to date from all the various working experiences I have had then I come to one conclusion – I am a Tidal Optimist. What does that mean I hear you cry? Well, I will do my best to explain;

Business and life, in general, is a series of phases and pivots but you need to take a moment to view these from a Google Earth perspective to see how, when and why those course corrections have occurred. The various mind shifts that have taken place and the decisions that have come from them all form part of everyone’s storybook. Of course some people never feel the need to study these details about themselves and as a result, lack an element of mindfulness to those around them. But if you get the opportunity then my advice to you is, have a look. Have a think. Take some time to understand who you are, where you have been and more importantly where you are going.

During the last three years of my freelance working life, my own confidence has ebbed and flowed like the tide and this is quite normal. Relentless optimism or pessimism is not a natural state of mind and constantly questioning your goals and re-positioning your thinking will often allow negative thoughts to creep in to even the most positive mind. Creative people are born not made and with that ability comes imagination and of course, an imaginative mind almost always strays to the negative.

It’s one of the main reasons that I am now pursuing more freelance work in the Grimsby area, simply because I get it now and I think I can help other Grimsby people get it too. And of course, this great place we call home lives and breathes by the sea. And for the last few years, in fact if we are honest for the last two generations, it’s been on a downward spiral. But like any tide, it turns and what starts as a negative thought can soon flip to a fantastic positive thought, and away you go again. Accept and embrace the ebb and flow so what was once a problem is now a solution.

It’s time for change for our wonderful town and the good news is… it’s already begun but as yet it’s not visible. But if you are struggling to adjust to the new tide then I suggest you just leap and a net will appear…