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Xceptionalize Yourself!

Kevin Kelly — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:35:51 +0000

‘Xceptionalise’ is a unique book written by former Longford resident Kevin Kelly. It aims to teach teenagers and those in their early twenties, important life skills through a new and enticing format. This book, which was developed in conjunction with cartoonist Rebecca Burgess, depicts the life of Nathan and the road he must travel in order to learn seven key skills. This story is told through the use of Manga illustrations.
“There is a generally accepted need for emotional intelligence but getting young people to read a personal development book is next to impossible – unless they are very driven,” said Kevin who used to work in Harrison’s of Longford. “This book delivers tuition on key life skills in a different format.”
According to Kevin, it is “incredibly difficult” to engage people at the moment.
“We live in an attention deficit society,” said the best-selling author and international motivational speaker.
Following his graduation from university, Kevin got his first job with Harrison’s in Longford in 1986 before moving to the United Kingdom for three years. Upon his return he decided to set up his own company in Galway called Advance Marketing.
“People were talking to me about my energy and enthusiasm. Eventually I decided that my passion was obviously the motivational field,” said Kevin who went on to publish a number of best-selling books in this field.
Although Xceptionalise is aimed at students from the age of 12 to early twenties, it is a simple book that offers life lessons to all readers. These lessons include; perseverance, persuasion, benchmarking winners, living in the now, life’s purpose and how to unleash your potential.
The graphic novel is fun, pacy and inspirational. In the novel Nathan travels through three mythical lands” Tir na n-Og, Tir na mBeo and Tir na Tairngire– in each land he is presented with different challenges; each with an appropriate learning point attached.
The book has been previewed by many people that work with the target audience and the feedback has been superb. Among those who have praised its format and content are Michael O Leary Head of Transition Year Support and Dr Dermot Stokes Head of Youthreach. In addition Longford County Enterprise Board have bought a consignment for their enterprise students. The RRP is €14.99.
“I believe it is the ideal gift for 12-20’s this Christmas – it allows what has often been described as a vulnerable demographic to learn key life skills in a format they enjoy (manga cartoons),” said Kevin. For further information contact 091 867969.

Review by Majella Reid – The Leader

Kevin knows the secret of success for students

Kevin Kelly — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:06:07 +0000

A NEW personal development book in an exciting and original format has just been published by a Roscommon author.
Kevin Kelly is an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker and author and his latest offering is sure to follow in the successes of previous published successes.
One of the key messages that Kevin promotes is the vast array of talents within each person. His latest offering is aimed at teenagers and young adults, but those who read it, regardless of age will be able to take plenty from what is an innovative means of delivering a tried and tested personal development tips.
Kevin’s new book, ‘Xceptionalize – Success Secrets for Students’ is a new departure in delivery and is set in a reader friendly cartoon format with pithy and snappy dialogue, which has already proven very popular with the teen readership.
The book demonstrates the key interpersonal skills necessary to develop in the modern world and explores the reluctance that people sometimes have in overcoming the fears that they are laden down with.
The main character Nathan is a teenage university student lacking in ambition and believes that getting to university an achievement in itself. Kevin believes that Nathan is typical of the ‘Celtic Tiger cub’ generation with a sense of entitlement, lacking focus and expecting everything to be given to them with little effort or work. Nathan’s lack of motivation is central to the theme of the book and undergoes his journey of enlightenment leading to a development of key interpersonal skills.
Kevin Kelly is well aware of the issues facing young people, having addressed students in more than 150 schools across Ireland.
“This is a market that I am very familiar with, and the new book to people involved with teenagers and also to young adults themselves and I am thrilled with the feedback. These Celtic Tiger Cubs were brought up on a diet of instant gratification and it is this sense of entitlement that I explore through the message of positivity and personal development. We must accept that failure is all part of the process,” he explained.
The author knows his ideas and strategies work, because they have worked for him in the past and the new method of delivery should enhance the lives of the young people it is aimed at.
Through the character of Nathan, Kevin demonstrates the importance of accepting personal responsibility and also provides key tips on successful interviews, which is of course a very topical subject.
Accepting that one of the biggest challenges facing people in Ireland at the minute is the high rate of unemployment. However, he sees the people have the ability to turn their own life around.
“The internet is an amazing tool and people, who now have time on their hands, through now fault of their own can use it to showcase their talents to the world. With so much information at the click of a button, people can nurture and develop their talents by becoming experts in their field. I would encourage people who find themselves in difficult situations, where the job they want me not be on the horizon, to upskill, use the net to set up a website and relatively little money, the world can be on their doorstep. Talented people can set out their stalls at a minimal cost,” he said.
The book itself offers a new perspective for a generation, with messages of the importance of personal responsibility that will resonate with both young and old. The author’s ability to capture the indifference of the teenage boy and offer the skills necessary to succeed in the modern world is both inspiring and thought-provoking and an understanding of the subjects discussed is evident.
“These ideas are universal and my hope is that readers will see bits of themselves, that perhaps they didn’t think were there. This isn’t a change in theme, but a change in style. We have carried out market research in various forms and seen that this has been very effective. What I have achieved here is producing a book to communicate with the target audience in something they will read and hopefully enjoy,” concluded Kevin.
‘Xceptionalize – Success Secrets for Students’ is priced at €14.99 and is available in Eason’s bookstore and online at www.kevinkellyunlimited.com with free delivery.
Written by Ciara McCaughley – The Herald

Xceptionalize-success secrets for students – Book review

Kevin Kelly — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:06:02 +0000

Kevin Kelly has carved out a successful career as a renowned Motivational Speaker. Kevin, son of Kevin & Mary Kelly of Ballintubber, Co. Roscommon, is internationally acclaimed for his motivational speaking and throughout his career he has also written a number of books which invariably carry his message of positivity and personal development.
Kevin’s latest book – ‘Xceptionalize – Success Secrets For Students’ – is a very original addition to his published work, presented, as it is, in cartoon form. (Kevin created the ‘Xceptionalize’ concept which, he explains, challenges individuals and organisations to focus on exceptional execution of their duties on an ongoing basis).
The new book (or ‘graphic’ novel) tells the story of ‘Nathan’, a teenage boy who is set in his ways – parents might say lazy! Nathan is going to University but he lacks ambition and seems to think that the very fact that he is attending ‘Uni’ is the achievement of a goal in itself. Certainly he has no clear focus, no particular desire to get a job, and he exudes a sense of entitlement. He’s a teenage boy who spends far too long on his mobile phone and on the internet. He lacks motivation; worse still perhaps, he doesn’t realise this and would wonder what all the fuss is about if that point is made to him.
Nathan’s and the entire book is presented in cartoon/graphic form with a short, snappy dialogue (the dialogue by Kevin Kelly, the artwork by Rebecca Burgess, a UK-based artist). This obviously makes the book particularly ‘reader-friendly’ for young people, and clearly the author’s belief is that the use of the visual approach will result in far more of his target audience reading – and being influenced by – the book than would otherwise have been the case. Undoubtedly he is right in so thinking.
So, what happens to Nathan and what is the book about? The book is essentially conveying to teenagers (and to adult readers) some very worthy tips on personal development. On a wider level the book is arguably a condemnation of the social media culture that seems to be so prevalent with young people today – at the very least it casts a disapproving glance at the extent to which engagement with or indeed virtual reliance on social media influences young people. Of course the book is not dismissive of social media itself but instead somewhat disapproving of teenagers’ sense of entitlement, something which is crystallised at times in their engagement with social media/mobile phones, etc.
The image of the teenager who spends too long on facebook or their phone is just that, an image; Kelly’s wider point is that (many of) the teenage generation has a sense of entitlement, perhaps quite unique to his particular generation – and directly linked to the economic prosperity that prevailed in Ireland for most of the past fifteen years or so.
So, back to Nathan: Nathan is dragged (reluctantly) from his lazy existence after he meets a talking cat who leads him into the whimsical world of the Aos Si, where he embarks on a magical journey, meeting spirits, witches and others who teach him some home truths and provide tips on how to leave his lethargy behind and instead acquire the skills required to succeed in the real world.
Nathan learns about personal responsibility – “I am the problem, I am the solution” – and about perseverance. “That’s the problem with your generation, you are so used to getting what you want right away” he is bluntly told, before a series of episodes in the magical world show him the value of peseverance. “There is no such thing as failure, only the failure to learn from failure” the author advises.
Chapter three (‘Persuade’) includes some invaluable tips for anyone sitting job interviews – not to mention for anyone who wants to succeed in their general interpersonal relations with others – and as Nathan’s journey continues, he learns further how to make the right decisions in life, and indeed about how to enjoy life now – to live ‘in the now.’ ‘Purpose’ and ‘Potential’ are the crucial closing chapters and suffice to say that by the end of his journey Nathan is transformed. Most importantly, he has made the transformation, having realised the value of his own life and the creative possibilities that exist and which are within himself.
I will let readers draw their own conclusions, but certainly I think ‘Xceptionalize – Success Secrets For Students’ is an impressive, delightfully simple (intentionally so, and all the better for it) guide to personal development possibilities for its target audience (teenagers/students).
This accomplished Roscommon man has certainly achieved a new career high himself and the likelihood is that this original, thought-provoking and educational book will have a deserved following.
Review by Paul Healy, Roscommon People

If you would like to buy the book you can purchase it here – delivery free worldwide.

http://www.kevinkellyunlimited.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=69

Timeless business strategy

Kevin Kelly — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:34:16 +0000

Concentrate on creativity. It is critical for any entrepreneur to maximise creativity and to build an atmosphere that encourages people to have ideas. That means open structures, so that accepted thinking can be challenged.
Be passionate about ideas. Entrepreneurs want to create a livelihood from an idea that has obsessed them; not necessarily a business, but a livelihood. When accumulating money drives out the ideas and the anger behind them, you are no
Make the most of the female element. Companies as we know them were created by men for men, often influenced by the military model, on complicated and hierarchical lines and are both dominated by authoritarian principles and resistant to change. By setting up their own businesses, women can challenge these models and will be welcomed by customers for doing so.
Believe in yourself and your intuition. There is a fine line between entrepreneurship and insanity. Crazy people see and feel things that others do not. But you have to believe that everything is possible. If you believe it, those around you will believe it too.
Have self-knowledge. You do not need to know how to do everything, but you must be honest enough with yourself to know what you cannot provide yourself.

Anita Roddick (founder of Body Shop)

0peration Exceed – challenge

Kevin Kelly — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:01:32 +0000

Contemplate how you can exceed customers expectations at all interaction points with the organisation – contemplate, then act. Remember action precedes excellence.

Attributes of the New Entrepreneur Part 1

Kevin Kelly — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 09:05:18 +0000

Attributes as highlighted in Irish Entrepreneur Magazine January 2009

1. Clarity

A decade ago, research showed that most people were being hit with over 3,000 marketing messages a week. Today, according to Yanklevich research, that figure has increased to 5,000 a day. Add to this that most people make an impression of your people or company within microseconds and the opportunity to impress is very limited.

Bottom line: it is an extreme challenge to get your message across and make a positive impression.

Thus the need for crystal clear clarity. Not only must you know the following, your internal and external customer must also know:

What business are you in……specifically?

What is unique about your service/product?

What is your vision for the organisation?

What are your and the companyâ€™s values?

What is your organisations role in the community?

Kevin Kelly is an Internationally Acclaimed Motivational Speaker and Best Selling Author.