Firstly, I’d like to thank Tony Buzan whose uplifting words of guidance, and encouragement, inspired me to write this book.

Secondly, I’d like to thank Eloise Cook, Lucy Carter, Paul East (and all the amazing Pearson team) for helping me to expand the Genius brand.

Thirdly, as always, I’d like to thank my department of business and management colleagues at Oxford Brookes University for their continued support and friendship. In particular: Richard Beresford, Nicolette Michels, Richard Mohun, Clive Wildish, Dr Karen Handley, Professor Phil James and Dr David Bowen. Added to this, I’d like to thank my external PhD supervisor Professor Fiona Patterson of Cambridge University, all the Warwick executive education team at WBS (especially Paul McCarthy, Kathleen Molan, Nick Barclay, Niki Latham and Elizabeth Bowkett) and Professor Graham Ward of INSEAD.

Finally, I’d also like to extend my gratitude to a rich variety of other people, for a million different reasons. These include: Tom Kenyon-Slaney, Harrienath Pillay (and all my excellent London Speaker Bureau contacts around the world), Don Taylor, Khoi Tu, Olly and Noni Needs, Charlie Beauchamp, Jon Callard, Hugh Griffiths, Julie Hay, John Barron,Tim Jones and Pippa Consadine, Jon and Hillary Stock, Jack and Finn Harries, Tony Henderson, Major-General Jonathan Shaw, Dilli Gurung, Philippa Thomas, Laura Whitworth, Jennifer Shipside, Chris Burton, Paddy Thompson, Letitia Blake, Sahera Chohan, Dom Weatherhead, Julia Lee, Ben Mumby-Croft, Ian and Caroline Dunne, Ian Francis, John Thynne, James Lush, Ali Golds, Paul Sloane, MOK, Jon Black, Simon Jones, Thomas Power, Jane Hooper, Michael Spencer, Dr Mike Bagshaw, Andy Caughey, Joe Wengler, Ian Stevens, Professor John Adair, Professor Albert Bandura, Kristin Kulsavage, Adynah Johson, Oleg Lyubner and Joanna Beazley-Richards, whose far-reaching psychological insights (into why people do what they do) have proved invaluable.

And, of course, to my family and friends for always being there …