5.52am and there she is.

Old, dedicated lady - with an ancient Japanese brush broom - relentlessly scratching away the autumn leaves that accumulate daily.

Why does she do it?

I run alongside the Meguro river, and her section of the pathway is pristine. I see no home nearby, no institutions, no reason why she would be so obsessed about keeping her little section clean.

But she does. She is there every day I am there.

Have you ever noticed - just when a student is starting to do best - they decide to leave?

Saying things like:

“Got so much to work on now, so grateful.”

Or

“I am feeling overwhelmed; I need time to digest.”

Or

“It’s getting hard to find time – I think I need a little break. I’ll be back.”

It’s crap. It’s the conscious mind being duped by the mammal inside.

Suddenly my phone is screaming at me…

(Who is calling at this late hour!?)

"Hallo, BodyChance Studio.

I'm sorry, but now we are close—"

"Please can you help me!?"

(I think: shouldn't we at least do names first?)

"Who is this speaking?"

"Oh I'm sorry, my name is Harry."

(I guess he needs to have this conversation now…)

"What's the problem Harry?"

"I am in a lot of pain. I can't stand it."

My first crisis happened within 2 years of my 18 years of living in Japan happened in Kyoto.

Jaldhara had our young daughter Angelica in the pram, and had just said goodbye. I turned, and started heading down the escalator to go to Tokyo…

And I tripped. I tumbled down the stairs.

And - by a remarkable confluence of unexpected factors - dislocated my arm. OUCH!

The worst part was being alone. Speaking no Japanese. Having no idea what to do next.

Many readers have told me that they like my Daily Blog – and hate it. BOTH.

Every day, you just never know.

Which is my point of course.

It’s also why – in ATSuccess these days – I advocate this method to build your own market. It would surprise you to know that it DOESN’T irritate everyone, not when what you are writing about is dear to their hearts. Musicians can't get enough about breathing and embouchure. Yoginis want to explore their heart, body and mind every day, why not your email too? If you write about that, they'll read it.

I've always been trying to run away from Japan.

I feel like Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in the Godfather III* movie, when he growls:

"Every time I think I have left, they keep pulling me back in!"

The first time, I took a 6 month sabbatical from BodyChance, and lived in Australia with my family. I tried to start BodyChance in Sydney, and all I succeeded in doing was losing $40,000, disappointing 5 trainees, ending my marriage, getting another retinal detachment and very nearly destroying a beautiful friendship.

It's teaching a person who doesn't want to be taught.

There are many situations where this might be confronted:

• A music student doing Alexander as part of their degree
• A High School class that being presented with your talk
• Little Tommy dragged along by his Education Mum
• The 2nd friend in BodyChance's "Two For One" workshop
• A corporate gig where the company has mandated attendance

What do you do?

Three things:

How long would it take you to give 24 individual lessons to 20 people?

First off, would you work an 8 hour day?

If so, how many in the morning and afternoon? 8? 12? 16?

In my heyday, I gave 13 on average, 16 on a busy day. Now, I wouldn't dream of it. But 6 in the morning, and 4 in the afternoon, I could do that. 10 a day.

Could you do that?

Then keep reading.

A niche is a community of people - bound together by an activity they love - with an already existing communication system.

Let's break that down.

"A niche is a community of people…"

Dan Kennedy, one of the seminal direct marketing figures – and not a very nice man – complained a long time ago about Professional groups of all kinds.

Dan was influential in the Chiropractic world – being one of the key figures orchestrating their extraordinary ascent into almost equal status with the medical Profession in the public’s eyes.

Chiropractic has become a legitimate medial alternative in a personal health crisis.

That’s called building incredible credibility.