Sir Roger is generally a jovial fellow when not contemplating the tragic, terrifying farce that is politics both national and global. But he was bemused and then tickled with annoyance by a somewhat acquaintance who seems on the one hand to be a decent and committed man dedicated to and driven by service to others and on the other hand to be a self-congratulatory cock-a-doodle-do-gooder.

However, on closer inspection, and with the assistance of his slav servants “assistants” Sir Roger is willing to allow that Graham Giblin’s self-diminishment – an exceptional weightloss of 30kg – was an achievement through which others can learn and that Giblin has done a noble thing by sharing his weightloss secret in a book for others who may wish to benefit from it also.

But what of his blatant self-promotion as “Graham Giblin – Trainer“? Again, Sir Roger’s drudges point out that his website appears to authentically express humility, gratitude and a passion to make a difference. “He must,” say Sir Roger’s peons, “explain to those who might wish to use his skills why they would make a fine choice, else his skills would go unused and his potential students would go un-made-a-difference-to.” (Sir Roger’s vassals never were quite the masters of the language.)

Sir Roger requires me to express that he thinks this:

“Humility is fine. It is modesty I object to so hotly. Modesty is saying “I am not very good” while knowing that one is. That is, modesty is a filthy, spineless yellow lie. And not only that, it is a lie that steals one’s skills and contribution from the world. It is simpering, deceitful, foul theft.

Humility is saying “I am good at this, it is true. I believe I am better at this than others are. And yet this fact and these skills, by which I contribute to the world what I can, do not make me, as a human being, superior to any other human being. And I am grateful for these skills and for my life and for the opportunity to make my contribution.”

So, says Sir Roger, if this is who you are, go well Mr Giblin. Help people by all means to lose weight (I may be the first to purchase your tome); may they live longer and better lives. And train your training if it helps others to live the lives they dream of.