How a Pool Man Changed My Life - And Inspired OneLife

It’s a shade after the millennium on a baking June afternoon...

I’ve got my feet up, cold beer in my hand, watching a yacht anchored in the azure waters of Cala en Porter.

I’m listening to the pool man gently whistling the chords to Chan Chan . . . and my back-to-work blues are kicking in big style.

Two weeks in the clifftop villa have flown by.

You know what it’s like, the first week on holiday is dreamy, you unwind as everything slows down and moves at half speed.

The beer tastes better, the food is sublime, and the evenings go on forever to the sounds of the cicadas.

But by day 8, time starts disappearing quicker than those Cervezas.

What I would give to stay right here, forever.

Ohh, to not have to fly home tomorrow, back to work the next day, making small talk about how good my holiday was.

Pfffft!

Pete the Pool Man has moved on to ‘Dos gardenias’ and he’s sounding way too happy.

It’s time for a chat…

As I wander up poolside, the man who’s browner than a berry greets me with a big grin.

I haven’t really spoken with Pete; we've just nodded and said hello, so it's time to find out his story.

After the pleasantries, I ask him, “How the hell did you end up living out here?”.

“Not much to it. Came out here on holiday, loved it, went back home, sold up and came back.”

Along with his wife of 15 years, they ran a small Pool and villa maintenance business.

They rented a cracking little apartment two streets away overlooking the Cala, and right next door to what has become my favourite bar/restaurant.

“Been out here for 10 years now and it’s the best thing we ever did”, he tells me.

Back ‘home’ he’d had a big job at the council and his wife had worked as a nurse. Mortgaged up to the hilt, everything on tick, they were fed up with the long hours, crappy weather and as he put it, ‘Shite politics’.

So they sold everything, moved to Menorca and burned the boat.

“Weren’t you scared about giving it all up?” I ask.

“What’s the worse that could happen? We don’t need much, so we’ll never go hungry or want for a roof over our head - cheap as chips out here, lad.”

Don't I know it.

With a sly wink, he packed up his gear and stepped back into his flip-flops.

“See you next year, Andy?”

Boy, that stung! Next year?

He's right though, that’s how long I’d be waiting until the next summer holiday.

Last night of the holiday can be bittersweet.

You know the gig, you either party your brains out and fall onto the flight the next day like a zombie.

Or you find yourself a nice spot with some chilled vibes, grab a cold one and contemplate your next move.

Option 2 it was.

Pete the Pool Man has a lot (of good) to answer for.

After that last conversation with him, I decided that come hell or high water, I was jacking in the day job and moving out to the sun.

I didn’t know what it looked like or how I would do it. After all, I was going back to my shiny shoes, boring suit and naff BMW, which needed paying off.

But Pete had done it, he’d made it happen and was happier than a pig in the mucky stuff.

That man inspired me to make a huge change in my life. I hope I did him some justice by emulating him.

Granted, I went to live in Australia first, which hadn’t been part of the plan. But eventually I found my place, in Spain.

Okay, so I’m not a pool man, I run a different type of business or two, but I reckon I’m as happy as Pete.

And who knows, maybe one day I’ll get a chance to see him again, shake his hand and buy him one or two of those ice-cold beers.

I’m a great believer that opportunities happen at intersections.

Had I not met Pete and taken the initiative to chat with him (most people wouldn’t speak to the ‘pool guy’), I might still be stuck in my crappy job.

Certain people come along in our lives to inspire us; our job is to recognise them and do something with them.

When I met the pool man, he had the simplest yet most rewarding life. Yet at the time, it seemed impossible to achieve for myself.

But all it needs is committing to the vision and taking the first step towards it.

The thing is today, it’s never been easier to create a mobile lifestyle.

Back then, things weren’t really online yet, whereas today it’s an open market for those who want to turn their idea or passion into a thriving online business.

The barrier to disrupting your ordinary, busting out the day job and living life on your terms has never been lower.

So tell me…

Who or what is your inspiration, and what are you going to do about it?

Tell me while I get the round in. What can I get you?

PS. If you're over 40 and feel like something’s got to give, but you're not sure what, you might find this useful.

I've built a free tool called the ONE LIFE Reboot Coach.

No fluff, just a set of questions to help you pause, reflect, and figure out your next step.

🟡  Try it here, you'll need ChatGPT Pro:

And if anything sparks, feel free to drop me a message. Always happy to chat. Especially over a cold one.