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Hey friends,
I hope you've had a lovely weekend.
Here are your actionable tactics, routines, and habits for a rich, happy, and healthy life.
Please enjoy our latest edition of the Elixir.
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I Queued for Wimbledon at 4 am, but the Tennis Wasn’t the Best Part
Yesterday, I did something very British.
I queued for Wimbledon.
My partner and I set the alarm for 4 am, dragged ourselves out of bed, and joined the famous queue for public tickets.
Strawberries, cream, sunshine, and world-class tennis were the obvious reasons we were there.
But by the end of the day, I realised something else had stolen the show.
Not Centre Court.
Not the players.
Not even the strawberries and cream.
The staff.
Because you can have the most beautiful restaurant, the most luxurious hotel, the most iconic sporting event in the world…
But if the people serving you do not make you feel good, something is missing.
And Wimbledon understands this better than almost anywhere I have been.
That is the secret.
People remember how you make them feel.
We all work hard for our money.
When we pay a premium for something, we naturally arrive with expectations.
But when the experience goes beyond those expectations, something changes.
There is magic.
And Wimbledon had it everywhere.
We were standing in 30-degree heat, with very little shade, surrounded by thousands of people all wanting something.
Where do I go?
What do I do next?
Can you help me?
What happens now?
The staff could have easily become tired, sharp, or transactional.
Nobody would have blamed them.
But they didn’t.
Every single person we spoke to was calm, kind, helpful, and present.
And I kept wondering: how?
How are they all this good?
How are they all this patient?
How are they all still smiling?
Then I realised what it was.
They did not just answer the question.
They answered the question, then went one step further.
That was the pattern.
Most service is transactional.
You ask for something.
Someone gives you the answer.
The interaction ends.
But at Wimbledon, it felt different.
It was not just, “Here is the information.”
It was, “Here is the information, and here is how I can make your day easier.”
I saw it again and again.
At one point, a gentleman near us asked a member of staff how he might get tickets for Centre Court later in the day.
The easy answer would have been:
“You need to go to the ticket resale service.”
That would have been correct.
That would have been enough.
But instead, the response was something like:
“You can try the ticket resale service. And actually, if you like, I am happy to check for you on my lunch break while you enjoy the tennis.”
That stopped me.
Because that is not just service.
That is care.
That is someone choosing to go beyond the job description.
That is someone creating a moment the person will probably remember long after they have forgotten the score.
And that same spirit played out all day.
Small gestures. Extra help.
It reminded me of my university motto:
“Serve, don’t be served”.
I have always loved that.
Because whenever you want to make someone feel special, the formula is actually very simple.
Give them what they need.
Then give them a little more.
That “little more” is where loyalty is built.
That “little more” is where people feel seen.
That “little more” is what turns a good experience into an unforgettable one.
And perhaps that is why Wimbledon feels so iconic.
Yes, it has the history.
Yes, it has the tennis.
Yes, it has the tradition.
But underneath all of that is something more powerful.
It makes people feel looked after.
And when people feel looked after, they remember.
They talk about it.
They come back.
They tell the story.
That is the lesson I took from Wimbledon.
Whether you are running a business, serving a customer, leading a team, hosting a guest, or simply trying to be better with people…
Do not just give the answer.
Give the answer, then go one more.
Because that is where the magic is.
And yesterday, in the heat, in the queue, with strawberries, cream, tennis, and thousands of people chasing a perfect British day…
Wimbledon reminded me that the best experiences are not just built on what people see.
They are built on how people are made to feel.
Have a great week ahead.
And if watching the tennis, enjoy!
Kia kaha & Love
Chris
Oh - let's go England! :)
Xx
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