Jeremy Soul – July 26

Dear Project Rockstar participants, coaches, mentors and fans,

As I flew back from Stockholm to London yesterday, I reflected on the past six weeks, and indeed, the past six months of my life.

When I first took on Project Rockstar in January, I was full of Hope. What would this year’s Rockstar bring?

I started working hard to design what I envisaged to be the best Rockstar ever. I spread the word, rallied the troops, rigorously screened, intervied and tested participants, pitched mentors and contacts to coach, and coordinated logistics for people to fly to London and Stockholm from Dubai, Sydney, Bangkok, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Arizona, Montreal and Ottawa.

Soon after, life started throwing me curveballs. My father had a heart attack and a subsequent stroke left him hospital-bound for the next four months.

The lifestyle I had designed for myself, travelling around the world teaching Dating Workshops to men, suddenly seemed less important, and became an obstacle that prevented me from being with my family.

My world turned upside down; emotionally, logistically and financially. Trying to be in London to look after my family and our household, maintaining my workshop schedule, and setting up and maintaining Project Rockstar had me at breaking point over and over again.

Perhaps the ultimate low was when I was stranded in Sydney, the day after a workshop. An Icelandic volcano had erupted and meant I was stuck in Australia for another two weeks while my father was in hospital. The day I was supposed to be there just before he went into surgery, I received a text message from him: “Jeremy – I love you.”

It was the first time my father had ever told me that. I read and re-read that text message as I cried on a bed 10,000 miles away from where I wanted to be.

Words cannot convey to you the extremes of emotion I have been through in these past six months. When I woke up the morning after the Café Opera Rockstar party in the arms of a woman I love, my body, mind and soul ached.

I was hungover. Hungover from the stress, pain, fatigue, frustration and tears of the past six months.

During Project Rockstar, at the times when my father was most ill and I was most absent, and when it seemed like I was simply trying to juggle too much, I doubted myself and my choices. Had I taken on more than I could handle? Was Project Rockstar really worth all the effort I had put in?

I was in my own Dip, that period of Insight. I considered cancelling Project Rockstar when my father first went into hospital, but I hated the thought of letting so many people down.

So I kept going; I didn’t know where the hell I would find the energy and the willpower to do everything, but I knew I could not let you all down.

Last night, at the final Rockstar party, which also served as my Stockholm Leaving party – where I said goodbye to a fantastic one-year adventure in Sweden – I knew where I had found the energy from: from each and every one of you.

Your insights into life, your comfort when I was down, your companionship when I needed it, and your solidarity by my side will not be forgotten. It has been an honor to serve as your mentor and your friend in these past six weeks.

As each of your grow into future leaders of the world, socially, financially, emotionally, remember that we could not have done it without each other.

To you, gentlemen. From the bottom of my heart and the crest of my soul, thank you.

Kind regards,

Jeremy Soul