Today marks exactly 12 months since I started cycling from Musina to Cape Town. People have often asked what I took from that Journey. Perhaps for the first time I can say something about it.

In the final analysis, will you be able to say you lived life your way? This question seems simple but sometimes forces one to make difficult choices that make us question our values and character. Nevertheless, let's examine it in today's newsletter.

Most of us assume that we have free will. But upon closer examination, we might be like machines who make choices because of prevailing circumstances. In other words, our choices are not free, they are influenced by other things. This makes us no different from animals who are also hard-wired to respond to the world by instinct. What do you believe? Let's explore this topic.

Rock Bottom is a place I know well —I've lost homes, resorted to selling furniture to a neighbour for petrol money to drive back home with my pregnant wife and two-year-old. Nevertheless, I bounced back each time. Today's newsletter reflects on the principles learned from facing rock bottom, and how to claw your way out.

My original intention was to reflect on my cycling journey and share lessons learned and principles discovered. Naturally, the newsletter has moved in other directions, but I think we are a bit too far from home. Therefore, today’s instalment aims to get back into sync by attempting to refine the purpose of this newsletter.

There's a book I read a few years ago, written by the legendary Gary Halbert. Most people have never heard of him, but his name keeps coming up in marketing circles. In 1975 he wrote a letter estimated to have grossed $2 billion by 2003. Yes, the revenue was generated over 28 years but who will give you $2 billion for writing a one-page letter?