Impossible is just a word
When I was young, I was often told that certain things were impossible and not worth trying. It wasn’t great advice.
I grew up in an unsupportive environment, which made me cautious and risk-averse. Life felt like a constant uphill battle, and pursuing dreams seemed futile.
But deep down, I knew I wanted more. With no mentor or clear path, I turned to reading about successful people. They preached the power of a positive attitude, which I initially dismissed.
Over time, I learned the value of surrounding myself with positivity and cutting out negativity. It was tough, but essential. I realised that failure is just part of the journey, and it’s okay as long as you learn and grow from it.
The low point
One of my earliest pivotal moments was discovering the dawn of computing. I quickly became fascinated and dove into learning Z80 and 6502 assembly code.
But there was a roadblock—everyone around me assumed I was just playing games, dismissing my efforts as beyond my skill level. They were wrong.
Unfortunately, this misunderstanding led to a missed opportunity, and I ended up on a different path. From that experience, I learned the importance of speaking up and advocating for yourself. Don’t let others’ ignorance steer your life—make sure you follow your passion and speak your mind.
Some inspiration
A while later, I picked up a book called *Beat the Dealer* by Ed Thorp. The idea that someone had cracked the code to beat the Casino at Blackjack fascinated me, not just because of the lure of winning, but because Thorp had achieved something seemingly impossible. That inspired me.
Combining my interest in sports with what I learned from Thorp, I started modelling football matches and tried my luck at the football pools. Everyone told me it was pointless—if it were possible to win, someone would’ve done it already.
But I had a plan. Using a pricing model to identify likely draws and an optimal covering strategy, I targeted weeks when the pool was skewed. After winning several minor prizes, I finally hit the big one: the first dividend on Littlewoods pools.
Despite my success, everyone dismissed it as luck, ignoring the countless hours I had put into making it happen.
Learning to do the impossible
A key lesson I learned is that nothing is truly impossible—just sometimes very difficult.
If you lack natural skills, you need the drive to close those gaps. And yes, sometimes you need a bit of luck.
But even luck has a lesson: it’s where opportunity meets ability.
Negative thinkers miss or dismiss opportunities, but those with a positive outlook are more likely to spot them. That’s why maintaining a positive mindset is so important—it opens the door to new opportunities.
The path to my dream
After settling into a career, I began climbing the ladder, but I still had a strong desire to do something on my own. I knew I wouldn’t feel fulfilled until I did.
When I was made redundant from my first job, I took the leap and started a business in Southampton. Although the idea was good and the effort was there, my lack of experience and poor timing meant it didn’t succeed. But I learned a lot from that experience.
During this time, I rekindled my interest in sports, this time from a betting perspective, and started experimenting with optimal covering in traditional betting. When bookmakers blocked my progress, I turned to financial markets.
This journey eventually led me to meet Warren Buffet, and I even landed a weekly column in a financial investment magazine. I proudly showed my children my face on two magazines at WH Smith.
Returning to my regular career during the dot-com boom, I was eager to find opportunities in the tech space. Although the company I chose didn’t make it, the experience connected me to networks that exposed me to new ideas—one of which was betting exchanges.
Taking risk
So what is the best thing to do when you are settled into a career, have a wife, three children and a mortgage?
Yep, you leave your normal career, remortgage your house and start afresh. When I quit my job all those years ago with a wife and three toddlers, despite what I had already learned, I was a bit worried about what could go wrong.
In fact, I should have been worried about what I was missing out on. Within about six months I realised I’d made the right move. Not that things were going well, but for the first time my eyes were open and opportunities were popping up all over the place.
I’ve learnt that through my involvement with Bet Angel as well. I’ve seen so many people take trading as the start point to much bigger things. That’s been hugely satisfying to watch and probably the most rewarding thing about what I have done in the last twenty years.
Lose that fear
When I speak to people now, I hope you understand that my recommendations come from a wealth of experience.
Everyone’s journey is different, but having seen both sides of the coin, I know what advice I give my children, and I share that with others too.
My mantra has always been to focus on the positive. I know this can annoy some people, but that reaction reveals a lot about their mindset. To progress in life, you must overcome the inbuilt negativity and the barriers others place in front of you.
Always remember, people are driven by loss aversion. Whether it’s someone cutting you off on the motorway, belittling you, or a football team defending a lead, it’s all about avoiding loss.
It’s a powerful force, but if you truly want to achieve something, you need to let go of that fear.
Pushing ahead
There are few moments when you can truly call yourself an expert or feel like you’ve “made it,” but even then, don’t expect special treatment.
As you reach major milestones, don’t look for fanfare or validation—if that’s your motivation, you’ll be disappointed. Your drive must come from within, for your own reasons, not others’. Often, others can be obstacles to your progress.
I’ve invested immense energy and effort into my trading, achieving more than I ever imagined. I’ve pushed boundaries, solved problems I once thought unsolvable, and found deep satisfaction in the process.
Ultimately, a key to success is to genuinely enjoy what you do.
Pushing ahead
There are few moments when you can truly call yourself an expert or feel like you’ve “made it,” but even then, don’t expect special treatment.
As you reach major milestones, don’t look for fanfare or validation—if that’s your motivation, you’ll be disappointed. Your drive must come from within, for your own reasons, not others’. Often, others can be obstacles to your progress.
I’ve invested immense energy and effort into my trading, achieving more than I ever imagined. I’ve pushed boundaries, solved problems I once thought unsolvable, and found deep satisfaction in the process.
Ultimately, a key to success is to genuinely enjoy what you do.
A lifetime of impossible
It’s been over 20 years since I opened my Betfair account, and these have been the best two decades of my life. I’ve accomplished more than I ever imagined, sometimes wondering if I should have aimed even higher. My journey has been so long that my children are now old enough to trade, and I’ve taught them to do so.
But trading has been more than just a career; it’s enabled me to achieve so much in my personal life. I’ve expanded my horizons, achieved dreams I once thought impossible, and created wonderful memories. I’m steadily ticking off items on my bucket list and fully intend to complete it.
Interestingly, money hasn’t been my primary objective for a long time. What drives me now is the sense of achievement, pushing boundaries, and discovering new aspects of myself.
Above all, I’ve found immense satisfaction in proving that “impossible” is just a word.