Hester is a unique case, he is head of a bank that is largely owned by the UK taxpayer. However, he's done well in his role to stabilise the bank  and make it more secure and less prone to excessive/risky lending and casino-style investment tactics.

However, we've since learned that one of the traders at RBS is in line to receive a bonus of around £4m. And many folks will wonder what he (or she) did to warrant that kind of pay packet.

The fact of the matter is that most bank traders are paid on performance, they get a basic salary and then a bonus depending on how much profit they've made for the bank. In all honesty, most traders in banks earn less than £100,000 a year (which for some readers will still seem like too much).

However, if the high flying traders bring in millions of pounds worth of income to the bank, the profits of which are then passed to shareholders, is it so bad if they get a hefty bonus?

I'm not sure it is, and here's why:

You see, most traders are salespeople. They go out on behalf of the bank and peddle financial products to other financial and investment institutions.

In many ways they're very similar to almost any salesperson. If they don't sell they don't earn.

I used to work for a well known home improvements company. I was given a small basic salary and then very generous commissions on what I sold. The scope for earning a considerable income was definitely there. But if I didn't sell I didn't earn.

As it turns out I didn't sell and didn't earn and didn't last long in the job (I since realise that I was a little too honest to close the deal on the day).

So, if a bank trader brings fifteen million pounds of profit into the bank, is it unreasonable to give him/her a bonus of over a million? I don't think so, and I'm not sure the shareholders would be all that bothered either.

If owned a business and my top salesman brought in millions of pounds worth of sales and profits I'd not be shy in giving her a hefty bonus.

So, if someone is bringing in the profits for a business then bonuses aren't necessarily a bad thing.

Disagree? Feel free to tell me why by making a comment below:

But what if that's you and you're stuck for ideas on what business to enter?

Well the obvious answer would be to start in business doing what you're doing in employment. This demands that you have some kind of saleable skill (such as accountancy or web design). If that's you I strongly suggest you read E-myth Revisited by Michael Gerber

But what if you have no particular skill or knowledge to bring to the business world?

In that case you're going to have to do some research into what you could possibly sell, (because it's all about selling at the end of the day). Or, put another way, what people will possibly buy (there's no point in selling something that nobody wants to buy).

So here's a thought that might just help:

Last night, during a discussion at a networking event, a comment sparked my memory of an interview given by Anita Roddick, the founder of Body Shop. She was never one to shy away from being blunt and often controversial and she said (and I'm paraphrasing here):

"If you want a business idea then find something that really pisses you off. Find a solution to it and sell that solution to others. Because if it pisses you off the chances are good that others will feel the same way".

So there you go, if you're thinking of starting a business and are stuck for ideas just bear in mind what Anita said.

The Monkey is the sign of the inventor, the improviser and the motivator in the Chinese Zodiac. They are clever, flexible and innovative. They can master anything under the sun and they usually have an aptitude for being good linguists.

No challenge is too great for them and the Monkey will be successful at whatever s/he chooses to do. They like to help and advise people. They can make for successful businessmen, politician and business figures.

They are a bit lazy by nature and sometimes neglect the major issues of life. On the negative side, they have an inborn superiority complex!

Famous people born under the sign: Walter Matthau, Edward Kennedy, Mick Jagger, the Duchess of Windsor, Nelson Rockfeller

2012 for the Monkey: Innovative in spirit, Monkeys get a helping hand in 2012 from the Year of the Dragon. Opportunities for growth are many and doing things for the general good of those around is recommended.

Research/study and taking on activities to push their own personal growth will be on the anvil and prove exciting. With a taste for adventure and their love of partying, Monkeys will be wearing their social hats, throwing many a swanky do or taking trips around the world.

Love for the single Monkeys will be fast, exciting and culminate in relationships towards the year-end. For those in relationships, it might be imperative to keep their channels of communication open as they decide to share personal visions with their mates and re-evaluate long term goals.

In 2012, Monkeys are advised to contain their impatience and their tongues, not interfere with other people or gossip, as they will end up ruining friendships.

Tip of the year: Avoid taking stupid risks as speculation is unwise this year.

But the point of the faith discussion is that we all, ultimately, have some faith in something. We all believe.

So I got to thinking about what level of belief we have and whether we realise it. The strange thing about belief is that many people seem to think that they have no faith or don't believe in anything.

So here's a quick rundown of some beliefs, how many could you tick as applying to you?

• Many people believe in God (I do)
• Others believe there is no God
• Some believe that belief in God is actually a bad thing
• Some folks believe that aliens abducted Elvis
• Too many people believe in the politicians
• Some people believe that everything they read in the newspapers must be true (others don't care as long as the bird on page 3 looks good)
• Far too many people believe they are a victim (and live their lives accordingly)
• Some believe that the world owes them a living
• I actually know people who believe that if you believe in something strongly enough then it will come to pass, no matter what it is
• A few people believe in karma (you get what you give etc)
• Some believe that the world will end in 2012
• An increasing number of people believe that there is no real justice
• Many people believe that you can make your own luck
• Many single people believe that their 'soul mate' or 'the one' is out there waiting them
• A few people believe that the UK is being taken over by immigrants
• I met a guy in the summer who believes that there really is a Jewish world conspiracy
• Many young people believe that to be successful you have to win X Factor or be the next David Beckham
• A lot of folks believe that having more money will bring them more happiness
• A commonly held belief is that getting a better job (or a promotion) will bring better opportunities
• Most people believe that others will keep their promises
• Large chunks of our population believe that bankers are evil and greedy
• That we evolved from primordial soup is a commonly held belief
• "I believe that children are our future, treat them well and let them lead the way..."
• Most people believe that if you work for someone they will be honest enough to pay you
• Some people believe that cosmetic surgery will make them feel happier about who they are
• A lot of people believe that property is the safest investment
• We all believe (in varying degrees) that things can only get better

Whatever your view, we all have to put faith in something and/or someone.

To deny that we, as a species, are ultimately rational and logical and thus have no faith is to deny a fundamental facet of humankind.

We all believe.

So have a think about these few quotes on belief and feel free to add your own at the bottom.

"If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. The thing is to get the work done."
Dale Carnegie

"There are some ideas so wrong that only a very intelligent person could believe in them."
George Orwell

"Man can believe the impossible, but man can never believe the improbable."
Oscar Wilde

"To believe in God is impossible not to believe in Him is absurd."
Voltaire

In all honesty this comes as little surprise to many people since racism is still endemic in our society and, in my opinion, it'll never go away as long as we have different skin colours and speak different languages. Ideally racism would be a non-concept. But, like it or not, racism is here to stay. I don't like it or want it, but that's the way it is here in the real world. It's naive to think it'll ever be completely eradicated.

But the most galling thing about racism is not that it happens but the reaction to it in the media and some sections of society.

But the Diane Abbott situation is worthy of note. Ms Abbott, who has a degree in history from Cambridge, wrote a sweeping generalisation that white people like to divide and rule. And I take offence at that because I don't divide or rule.

On the day that the 'Diane Abbott is a racist' Twitter scandal broke there was a black guy from a black representative group being interviewed on Sky News (can't remember who he was now). And he quite specifically said that black people can't be racist. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and seeing. It made me wonder what planet he was living on because it certainly didn't seem like this one.

Thankfully , other black commentators were a little more level-headed in saying that what Diane Abbott wrote was stupid and that she should have known better considering her position and her obvious intelligence.

Even more maddening is the fact that she only apologised for offence caused, not for being a racist or making making racist comments. And I wonder whether she would have apologised had she not been told to.

She did her best to make out that she was referring to British rule during the Empire and that the comment had been taken out of context. But she hadn't actually put the tweet into such context during the Twitter discussion. A poor attempt at covering up her own racist attitude.

Even worse is that she kept her job. And that is simply because she is black. If a white front bench politician had made similar remarks he or she would have been fired within the hour.

Constance Briscoe, a highly respected black female barrister and judge, went further on BBC's Any Questions by saying that she is also a hypocrite in that she has one rule for Diane Abbot and something else for others.

Now I'm not condoning racism at all. Racism may still be rife but it's still wrong and shouldn't be acceptable to anyone. Least of all of from someone who sits on the Shadow Cabinet. Diane Abbott has an excellent track record of supporting and promoting race relations. And that's why it saddens me that one of the most intelligent people in the Parliamentary Labour Party has shown herself to be something of a racist herself.

The 'New Year Resolutions' have become something of a cliche with many people (including me) having become a little cynical when folks give off a list of things that they're going to change.

I wrote about making changes here: http://www.craig-west.co.uk/2011/09/you-have-to-make-change-happen-not-just-hope-for-it/ but there is one important thing that most  folks overlook when making changes in their lives.

That one thing is 'PERSISTENCE'.

You see, without persistence (or tenacity) you'll start to flag when your commitment to your resolution is tested.

What do I mean? Well, let's work through an example:

Imagine that you've decided to get fitter in 2012 by going for a run several times a week (this is very common).

So, on January 2nd (when the hangover has subsided) you go out for a short run. A great start. Yesterday was a nice day, was a bit cold but it was nice and dry and somewhat sunny (at least here in Leicester).

But how about today (January 3rd 2012) when it's cold and windy and raining? Would you go out running today? I have to admit that the idea doesn't appeal to me.

But what are you going to do if the weather outside is bad for the next two weeks? Will you invest in some waterproof running gear and go out anyway? Or will you wait until it clears up and then consider it?

Also, imagine that you normally go for a run in the evening after work. But one day, on your scheduled running day, you come home exhausted from a stressful day in the office. The last thing you feel like doing is putting on the trainers and going for a run.

What will you do, go out anyway or just veg in front of the telly?

You can probably understand that the above scenario is very common. We make resolutions with the best will in the world and then question (or even ignore) that resolution when things aren't so favourable.

So, what can you do about it to improve your chances of success?

Well, in my view, the best thing you can do is to make the effort anyway.

And the reason for this is because if you get into the habit of persisting with your commitment to change, even if it's only a small change, the psychological and emotional benefits are huge. This is when you prove to yourself that you can do it.

The key is to make regular decisions to stick with it, to the point that this new way of thinking becomes the norm.  And if you do this often enough then change becomes that much easier in the long term.

So, hang in there, stick with it and ultimately you will make your New Year resolutions so much easier to achieve.

The thing about it is that I'd got into the habit of doing it on Wednesday evening and, even though this will sound a little nerdy, I've even put it into my calendar as a recurring event at 8pm. So every Wednesday, at 7pm, I'd get a text and an email reminding me that I'm scheduled to write.

Now this may sound a little excessive but scheduling things that need to be done, even though they could be done at almost any time, gives you a much better chance if getting stuff done.

If it wasn't in my calendar and if I hadn't received the reminders then it's quite likely that I would have forgotten about writing on a weekly basis. Now that I'm in the habit of writing (and I still get the regular reminders) it means that I don't forget and even start to get a little frustrated if I've not written anything for that week.

Even better is that, because I know that I've scheduled the time to write weekly, it makes me start to think more about writing and I have begun to think about different stuff I can write about.

So if you want to get regular stuff done, why not use a calendar or reminder system to give you a better chance of not only remembering but also actually getting it done?

For the last few years I've built a number of websites on a variety of topics with a view to testing various online marketing techniques and subject niches.

One such site was a forum for those involved in spread betting (a form of trading on the movement of stock and currency markets).

The site was doing OK with regular visitors and regular contributors.

Then one day, out of the blue, I received a phone call from a man who said he worked for a company called 'Paddy Power' and that they'd like to discuss the possibility of advertising on the website.

My first reaction was to ask myself "Why would an Irish energy company want to advertise on a spread betting website?"

My second reaction was to think that this was some kind of wind-up.

My third reaction was to politely tell the chap that I wasn't interested since I wasn't sure it'd be a good demographic match. He, in turn, politely thanked me for my time and hung up.

When I told my other half later in the day she was seriously less than impressed, saying something along the lines of "You turned down Paddy power? What the hell were you thinking? Sometimes you really are an idiot." (I've paraphrased a bit because some of the language she actually used doesn't belong on my blog...)

You see, I didn't know what or who Paddy Power was. I seriously thought that they were something like the Irish equivalent of British Gas, an energy company. I had no idea that they were the fastest growing online bookies in the UK, with a marketing budget in the tens of millions.

It's highly likely that I could have charged Paddy Power hundreds of pounds a month to sponsor my website but I blew it because I didn't stop and think before making a decision.

What I should have done was got the number of the guy and told him that I'd phone him back. It would have given me the time to do some research and then, maybe, make an informed decision.

However, I can assure you that I'll not make this mistake again.

So, the moral of the story is this: 'Just Say No' can be a costly approach to making decisions.

So, now I'm wondering: do I know too much stuff and does that stuff get in the way?

Don't get me wrong; I love helping people (I've been told I'm good at it) and enjoy encouraging and inspiring those around me, especially if they're looking to start a business. But this morning was a good example of where my knowledge (or rather the demand for it) stopped me from networking.

So what should I do? Play dumb or help as many people as I can with what knowledge I have.

I've decided to do the latter: I'm going to do all I can to help people.

But with that comes a risk. If I spend all my time helping people then I won't have time to help myself. So there has to be a balance. I only have so many hours in each day so need to limit the time spent giving my time and knowledge away. I still need to earn a living and spend quality time with loved ones etc.

One of the things I'm going to get started on is to put up a web page so that people considering self-employment can find information. Yes, I know that there is plenty of stuff already out there but it's often very generic and wrapped up in business-speak (which is unhelpful for those who've never been in business before).

With this approach I can point folks to my web page and not have to spend all my time chatting. Even better is that I can include downloads and links to other resources too. I'm a big fan of getting stuff for free so will be looking for help with researching this.

But am I being a little optimistic in thinking that people will look online rather than just want to talk? Probably, but if the information is useful and even just one person benefits then it will have been worthwhile.

So now it's your turn: please make a comment below to give me ideas on what to include on this page of helpful information...

However, the funniest thing is that many folks, most notable the unions, have taken such offence that they've said that they're going to see whether legal action can be taken against Clarkson and/or the BBC.

But what they fail to realise is that they've been had, well and truly.

You see, Clarkson has a new book to promote. And what better way to get loads of free publicity than to say something controversial on national television?

To many people Clarkson is a bigoted, big mouthed, opinionated arse but he plays the game of show business better than many people appreciate. He is, after all, a television entertainer.

And that's what makes this latest episode even more comical: Clarkson just wants publicity for his new book and the unions have handed it to him on a plate. In fact, I personally think that those who have taken offence need to have a real hard think about whether they take things a little too seriously, because it's obvious that they don't understand Clarkson.

A few years ago, when Jeremy Clarkson had launched a new book, he suggested that lorry drivers routinely murder prostitutes, a reference to the Yorkshire Ripper who actually was a lorry driver who murdered prostitutes. But the resulting public outcry, most notably from groups purporting to represent lorry drivers, ended up with greater sales of Clarkson's book.

Clarkson ended up making a half-hearted apology on television but did he really care? Of course he did, all the way to the bank.

But there is a few points (and probably useful lessons) to this situation:

1 – Clarkson is a showman and wants free publicity for his book, which has happened even more than he could have afforded if he'd tried to buy it.
2 – Very people are genuinely offended by what he said. The phrase 'someone might be offended' rarely produces more than handful of people who actually are offended.
3 – The unions take Clarkson far too seriously and have fallen for this ruse; hook, line and sinker.

So, once again, Clarkson props up his book sales with the help of those who could probably do with a little work in the 'sense of humour' department.