We've had two examples in the last week of why it's so hard to predict the deficit, which may end up knocking almost £2.8bn off the figure, writes Anthony Reuben.

The public sector deficit is the amount that the government spends minus the amount that it receives in taxes, after you've taken into account investment.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast of whether the deficit will go up or down in the current financial year will be a big focus in the Autumn Statement on 3 December.
At the end of last week, it looked as if this year's deficit would be going up by £1.7bn as a result of a backdated bill for UK contributions to the EU Budget.
But then, as a result of Chancellor George Osborne's negotiations, it turned out that we would have nothing to add to this year's deficit and "only" £850m to add to next year's, which would be after the general election.
On Wednesday, the Treasury discovered it would be receiving an extra £1.1bn (minus costs) as a result of the fines imposed on banks by the Financial Conduct Authority for traders' attempted manipulation of foreign exchange rates.
Mr Osborne said that the fines would be used "for the wider public good", which could mean they go towards reducing the deficit. Alternatively, as was the case with the Libor fines, some of the money could go towards other good causes.
The point is, the deficit could go up or down by a billion pounds or so for unexpected reasons, which could make all the difference between a rising deficit and falling one.
In the first six months of the current financial year, the deficit excluding public sector banks was £45.7bn, up from £44.8bn in the first six months of last year, but down from £50.6bn in the same period the year before. £2.8bn would have reversed that rise.
We've also recently had a warning from the OBR that it expects to lower its forecast for the amount of tax the government will collect this year.
All this makes it likely that the OBR will predict that this year's deficit will end up higher than last year's, despite government cost-cutting and a growing economy.
And you have to feel the OBR's pain when it attempts to make these forecasts. It has been very wrong with some of its forecasting since it was created in 2010, although admittedly not much more wrong than other forecasters.
Even so, how are you supposed to make forecasts when you never know where an extra billion pounds or two could come from?


In its first transparency report, ride-sharing firm Uber has revealed that it provided information on more than 12 million passengers and drivers between July and December last year.

The vast majority of this was shared with US regulators such as the California Public Utilities Commission.
Such requests ranged in scope - from data about number of trips to specific GPS co-ordinates for drops-offs.
It received 613 requests from law enforcement agencies.
Four hundred and eight of these were for riders and 205 for drivers, with many of the requests related to fraud or credit card theft.
Lots of technology companies, including Google, Twitter and Facebook, release transparency reports but most concentrate on what they share with law enforcement agencies.
Uber, which has had a controversial relationship with US regulators, was keen to point out the amount of data requested from such agencies.
"The report shows the scale of the regulatory requests Uber received: 33 in the last six months of 2015 involving trip data for more than 12 million drivers and riders," it said in an introduction to the report
"Of course regulators will always need some amount of data to be effective, just like law enforcement. But in many cases they send blanket requests without explaining why the information is needed, or how it will be used," it added.
It negotiated the amount of information it shared in 42% of the cases.
It also received 34 requests from airport authorities, it said.
Uber, which is valued at $62.5bn, said that it had received no National Security letters or Fisa (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) court orders, which relate to national security or foreign intelligence.


The chancellor has admitted for the first time that the government is prepared to sell its stake in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) at a loss.

The Treasury bailed out the bank by buying a 72% stake for £45bn, at 502p a share, at the height of the financial crisis in 2008.
Shares in the loss-making lender are now trading at less than half that price at 223p.
Philip Hammond told MPs on Tuesday: "We have to live in the real world."
He added: "Our policy remains to return the bank to private hands as soon as we can achieve fair value for the shares, recognising that fair value could well be below what the previous government paid for them.
"We have to live in the real world and make decisions on the future of our holding in RBS in the best interests of taxpayers."
Simon Jack: Why is RBS still losing money?
Mr Hammond has previously said the government did not expect to offload its stake in RBS until after 2020.
He added: "We are making real progress in realising our holdings in the banking sector.
"We continue the programme sale of our shareholding in Lloyds, which is now down from 43% to less than 2%, and just last month we sold £12bn worth of Bradford & Bingley mortgages in a highly competitive process."
It is understood that the Treasury will only start to sell its shares in RBS when "legacy" issues have been resolved.
Those issues include a potentially huge fine by the US Department of Justice, which is pursuing the bank over the sale of mortgage-backed securities before the financial crisis.
In February, RBS posted its ninth consecutive annual loss, with much of the £7bn accounted for by setting aside £5.9bn for fines and legal costs.
The bank has racked up losses of more than £50bn since the government bailout.
Chief executive Ross McEwan said in Feburary he expected RBS to return to profit by the end of 2018.
When one-off charges were stripped out, the core business of the bank was making money, he added.
The European Commission is examining government proposals that aim to spare RBS from being forced to sell off the Williams & Glyn branch network.


Forty-two years after it was released, classic family film The Railway Children has prompted its first complaint to the British Board of Film Classification.

"The correspondent was concerned that children may be encouraged to play on railway tracks as a result of seeing the film," the BBFC's annual report reveals.
The tear-jerking drama, directed by Lionel Jeffries, starred Bernard Cribbins, Dinah Sheridan, Jenny Agutter and Sally Thomsett.
The report, published on Thursday, said the BBFC judged that it was "very unlikely" that The Railway Children would promote "such dangerous activity".
"The Railway Children is set in the Edwardian period and trains and access to railway property are very different today," the censor said.
"The film also demonstrates the potential harm to children if proper care is not taken."
Based on the E Nesbit novel, it was filmed on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and chronicles the adventures of three children forced to move from London to Yorkshire when their father is imprisoned after being falsely accused of selling state secrets.
Senior examiner Craig Lapper said the film had always been rated U - meaning suitable for all - but that the BBFC website now drew attention to the fact that the "playing on railway lines was in an archaic context".
Hammer chiller The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe, generated the most public feedback to the censor in 2012.
A total of 134 cinema-goers complained to the BBFC that the film was "too dark and unsettling" for a 12A certificate.
The film generated Â£21m in UK cinemas in 2012, making it the second most popular British film of 2012 after Skyfall.
The Hunger Games, in which children and teenagers are forced to fight to the death on TV, generated 43 complaints about its violence and theme.
The BBFC had classified the film 12A following edits to remove some violent detail.
There were a "small number of complaints" criticising the decision to cut the film.
The BBFC said: "These were mostly from young fans of the books who believed the film should remain intact and that any cuts to the violence would sanitise its impact."
Men in Black 3 received 50 complaints for its language, violence, horror and sexual innuendo. The film was classified PG, as were the earlier two films in the franchise.
In 2013, the most complaints have been about the violence in 12A-rated Tom Cruise action movie Jack Reacher.
In 2012, the BBFC classified 850 films - the highest number since 1965. No film or video works were refused a classification.
Other trends in 2012 included a 40% rise in the number of classifications of online-only material.
BBFC director David Cooke said that while the internet downloads did not fall under BBFC's remit - but could be submitted voluntarily - it was "becoming clearer that both politicians and the public want us to play a role".
The BBFC also backed government plans to change the rules on videos that are exempt from classification - such as music videos, documentaries and extreme fighting videos.
"It's become apparent that some of those exemptions have enabled some very strong material," Mr Cooke said.


Protests to demand the removal of Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore turned violent in the capital Ouagadougou on Thursday.


Tottenham's England midfielder Andros Townsend returned from injury in a pre-season friendly against Seattle Sounders - Spurs' first outing under manager Mauricio Pochettino.

An ankle injury forced Townsend, 23, to miss the World Cup but he played the first 45 minutes of the 3-3 draw.
Penalties from Roberto Soldado and Iago Falque helped Spurs come from behind twice in the second half.
New boss Pochettino moved to White Hart Lane from Southampton in May.
Townsend was ruled out for up to 10 weeks when he damaged ankle ligaments against Stoke City on 30 April.
He completed 45 minutes against the leaders of Major League Soccer's Western Conference before being replaced by Erik Lamela.
Midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, linked with a return to former club Swansea City that could see full-back Ben Davies, 21, move to Spurs, was initially named in the starting 11 but withdrawn before kick-off.
American goalkeeper Brad Friedel was one of three Spurs players, along with Ezekiel Fryers and Tom Carroll, to play the full 90 minutes in Seattle.
"We've been working extremely hard. Pre-season has been very demanding under the new boss and I think that showed," Friedel said.


A character in a new Philip Pullman book is to be named after a teenager feared dead in the Grenfell Tower fire, following an auction bid of £32,400.

Pullman offered the right to name a character in his new book as a lot in the Authors For Grenfell Tower auction, which raised money for victims.
Teacher James Clements had originally bid £1,500 to name the character after his ex-pupil Nur Huda El-Wahab, 15.
Organisers say 448 people eventually added bids to his to secure the lot.
Mr Clements said he used to teach Nur Huda, who lived on the 21st floor of the west London tower block, where 79 people are feared to have died in the fire on 14 June.
Reacting to the news, Mr Clements said he had made a "speculative bid" to win the lot and that "what has happened since has been truly amazing".
"A huge thanks to everyone who has championed, shared or contributed to our team total," he tweeted.
He also praised Pullman for "offering such a wonderful prize and being such a gentleman throughout".
Pullman - best known for his fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials - said it was "great news", adding: "I look forward to writing about Nur."
He said her character would feature in the second novel of Pullman's Book of Dust series to be published next year.
The first part in the series, La Belle Sauvage, is published in October.
Pullman said he could not guarantee whether the character would be "good, bad, beautiful or otherwise", but it would be "a speaking role with a part to play in the plot".
One of the organisers of the auction, Molly Ker Hawn, praised bidders who won the name for Nur Huda, saying: "I love every one of you."
Organisers said more than £150,000 had been pledged in total in the auction when bidding closed.
More than 700 lots featured on the charity site, including signed books from authors Malorie Blackman and Caitlin Moran, and afternoon tea and a book reading with TV personality and children's author David Walliams at Claridges.
Money from the Authors For Grenfell Tower site will go to the British Red Cross London Fire Relief Fund.


South Africa condemned Australia to their first 5-0 one-day international series whitewash with a 31-run victory in the final match in Cape Town.

Man of the series Rilee Rossouw hit 122 from 118 balls in a 178-run partnership with JP Duminy to help the Proteas to a commanding 327-8 at Newlands.
Australia's David Warner struck a brilliant 173 from 136 balls as the visitors were dismissed for 296.
Australia last ODI whitewash was a 4-0 loss to England in 2012.
They had never lost a five-match series to nil.
South Africa had been struggling at 52-3 when Rossouw and Duminy came together and took advantage of the visitors' inexperienced bowling attack to score freely.
Duminy was bowled by Joe Mennie for 73, while Rossouw - having reached his century off 100 balls - eventually fell with five overs to go.
David Miller then marshalled the tail to take 46 off the final five overs and set Australia an imposing target.
The highest successful ODI chase at the ground is 258, but opener Warner's magnificent effort brought an improbable victory within reach.
Lacking meaningful support, the 29-year-old held his side together as wickets fell around him - hitting 24 fours in his innings - before being run out in the 48th over attempting a second run to Imran Tahir.
"I thought he was outstanding," Australia captain Steve Smith said of Warner. "The rest of us just didn't stand up. This has been a tough series. We have been outplayed."


The BBC Trust has rejected complaints over Top Gear's Patagonia special, in which a car number plate which appeared to refer to the 1982 Falklands war.

The production team fled Argentina following protests over the use of the registration number H982 FKL.
Complainants doubted that the number plate was randomly allocated. Their concerns were rejected by the BBC but were passed to the trust on appeal.
It found there was no evidence of "a deliberate reference" to the war.
The initial complaints, received prior to the programme's broadcast, said the connection with the Falklands War would have been clear to the producers and the plates should have been changed.
Two complainants also wanted the BBC to apologise to Argentina for any offence. They said the decision to air the programme as a Christmas special was particularly offensive.
A response from the BBC Complaints Management and Editorial Standards Adviser included a blog written by the executive producer of Top Gear Andy Willman, denying allegations the number plate had been deliberately chosen by the production team.
The complaints were subsequently investigated by the controller of entertainment commissioning who said: "To date, there is nothing that we have seen or read since the team returned which supports the view that the number plates in question were deliberately employed, which is in-keeping with what production staff and the presenters have said."
As such, the complaints were not upheld before being escalated to the BBC Trust, which is the corporation's governing body.
Reviewing the appeals, the trust's Head of Editorial Standards said they did not have a reasonable prospect of success and proposed not to put them before trustees.
This decision was rejected by the complainants, who asked for a review.
Regarding the complaint about the lack of a BBC apology, trustees said "â€¦in the absence of any evidence that the choice of number plate was deliberate it was a matter for the Executive as to whether they wished to apologise."
They agreed the BBC had been open about its investigation into the complaints and that amounted to an explanation of why the BBC would not be apologising.
Trustees said they did not consider that it was appropriate or proportionate to take this matter on appeal because the complaint did not raise a matter of substance and therefore was not a matter in which the Trust would get involved.
The Top Gear special saw presenter Jeremy Clarkson and co-stars Richard Hammond and James May drive the famous Patagonian highway - Route 40 - to the southern city of Ushuaia.
All three have now left the programme, following Clarkson's altercation with a producer, which prompted the BBC not to renew his contract.
Producer Andy Willman has also stepped down.


Police investigating the murder of James McDonagh in Toomebridge last weekend have arrested a woman.

Mr McDonagh, who was 28 and from Castledawson, was assaulted outside a bar last Sunday morning.
The 33-year-woman was detained in Banbridge on Saturday morning and is being questioned on suspicion of withholding information.
A 24-year-old man appeared in court on Thursday charged with murder.


A black and white issue. In or out? Stick or twist. A straightforward "yes" or "no". Or rather, "remain" or "leave", after that tactical readjustment of the question itself.
If it is to be the latter, it would certainly be a long goodbye.
At least two years, probably more, would have to pass between a vote to "leave" and the negotiated exit.
Indeed, there is every sign that the severance arrangements would be even harder to broker than the terms David Cameron is struggling to negotiate for staying in - and we may not know what deal he comes back with until the year after next.
Equally, some observers think it could be early next year.
They reckon that the first European Council of 2016 could be the moment when the prime minister decides he cannot improve on the terms already on offer so he may as well cut his losses and make his move.
The UKIP leader Nigel Farage told me recently he thought the referendum could be as early as next March.
That simple monochrome picture acquires so many more shades and nuances when you factor in the vagaries of the terms and the timing.
And then you have to take account of the internal differences within and between our various business, political and social groupings.
Nigel Farage also told me there was now "a real debate" among Midlands business leaders he had been talking to.
They have traditionally been seen as broadly supportive of Britain's place within the EU, but a poll commissioned by the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce earlier this year indicates business opinion was more finely balanced than you might think.
The Chamber's Business Barometer reported that 47% of firms thought staying in the EU with a power transfer to the UK would be positive for the region, while the remaining 53% thought withdrawing from the EU would have a negative impact here.
Renowned Eurosceptics, headed by the former cabinet minister and Conservative MP for Shropshire North Owen Paterson and the indefatigable Bill Cash, Conservative MP for Stone, support Conservatives for Britain.
David Cameron said last week it was unlikely any renegotiation he could come back with would satisfy the likes of them.
They, along with Business for Britain and some UKIP supporters, including their only MP Douglas Carswell, are linking up with the Vote Leave campaign.
It is also backed by Labour's anti-EU group called Labour Leave. But others in UKIP, including Mr Farage himself, are backing the rival Leave.EU, founded by the UKIP donor Arron Banks.
On the other side of the argument, Britain Stronger in Europe is headed by the former boss of Marks and Spencer Lord (Stuart) Rose, who is leading the case for remaining in the EU, assisted by Lady {Karren} Brady, late of this parish.
At its launch event, he described a British exit, or Brexit, as "a leap in the dark, a risk which was not worth taking".
Some observers are already detecting signs that this campaign may be about to repeat the mistakes of Better Together during the run-up to the Scottish Referendum by placing too much emphasis on "scaremongering" about the consequences of leaving and not enough on the benefits of staying where we are.
But unlike the Scottish Referendum, the ambiguities surrounding the renegotiated terms allow ministers much more wriggle room than they had then.
The Business Secretary and Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid certainly enjoyed his opportunity to flex his Euro-sceptic muscles when he talked about "standing up to Brussels" during his recent party conference speech.
The biggest casualty in all this could well be the objective evidence.
I remember wasting three weeks of my life, and that of a BBC researcher, in an unavailing attempt to establish whether the Midlands was a net beneficiary of EU membership or not, setting incoming European funding and the wider benefits of the internal market against our share of the UK's outgoing EU budget contributions.
Answer came there none. It all depended on how you interpreted any number of statistical variables.
Lord Rose says the ratio of incoming to outgoing is in real terms about 10 to one in the UK's favour.
Nigel Farage accuses him of "inverting the truth". We can see already how detailed analysis is likely to be drowned out by overblown claims and counterclaims, with reliable information playing second fiddle to rhetoric, emotion and symbolism.
In the hope of generating light as well as heat, our BBC Black Country Political Reporter Rob Mayor has been gauging opinions among in the local business community.
We'll see his report in this week's Sunday Politics Midlands, when I'll be taking up these questions with the Conservative MP for  Halesowen and Rowley Regis James Morris, who is now the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Europe Minister David Liddington; and to the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley Jess Phillips, whose party has divisions of its own to contend with on this European issue.
We're back in our usual slot this weekend: 11:00 on BBC One Midlands this Sunday 18 October 2015.


In his first policy act as new mayor of London, Sadiq Khan is introducing a one-hour "hopper-fare" for bus users as promised in his election manifesto.

The fare system allows bus passengers to make an extra journey within an hour of touching in when using an Oyster card or contactless payment.
Previously, customers were obliged to pay £1.50 each time they boarded a bus.
The hopper-fare will "help ensure everyone will be able to afford to travel around the city," Mr Khan said.
It is scheduled to be introduced in September.
Mr Khan said: "My dad drove the number 44 bus and transport in London has always been a big part of my life.
"The cost of a fare in London has risen for eight years in a row and now that I'm mayor I am determined to prevent the cost of travel from becoming a barrier to work."
Transport for London said it did not have the technology to allow passengers to enjoy unlimited bus transfers within one hour but it was hoping to upgrade its ticketing technology in 2017 and possibly introduce unlimited timed fares by the end of 2018.
A single journey costs £1.50. London buses stopped accepting cash payments for fares in 2014 and it is only possible to buy a single ticket - or use a travelcard which covers multiple journeys in the same day.
2.5bn
bus journeys made in the capital
600m
were pay as you go fares
86m people estimated to have made more than one trip per hour
Fare rises increased eight years in a row under Boris Johnson
by Tom Edwards, BBC London Transport correspondent
"It's Mayor Sadiq Khan's first big transport policy announcement and perhaps there is little surprise - that from the son of a bus driver - it involves buses.
From September, bus passengers who use Oyster and contactless will be able to change buses within one hour and only pay one fare.
Bus passengers - unlike tube passengers - at the moment have to pay every time they use a bus. With tube passengers the fare is decided by the zones. Many have said that is unfair.
The idea of a one hour "hopper" has been around for some time, it was part of the Liberal Democrats Mayoral manifesto in 2012 and Transport for London (Tfl) previously said a one-hour bus ticket will cost £50m a year.
There is also a statement of intent here from Tfl who have a new boss to impress and that is - it will deliver whatever the mayor wants. "


One of the biggest and most important technology shows in the world is kicking off in Las Vegas in the US this week.

The Consumer Electronics Show - known as CES - will start on Thursday and finish on Sunday.
At the show, companies will show off some of their latest exciting gadgets.
It is extra special as it's the event's 50th anniversary this year.
The first ever CES was originally held in New York back in 1967 and more than 17,000 people attended.
CES fact
People come to CES from around four in every five of the world's countries
According to the Consumer Technology Association, there will be 1,745 companies from the UK going along to the show this year and around 177,000 people are expected to head to the show.
Here's some of the bits of technology to look out for at this year's event...
One gadget being shown at CES is an interactive speaker called Lunii, which lets you make up your own bedtime stories.
The user chooses where the story takes place, who's in it and what they do - and then the speaker reads the story out.
VR headsets are still hugely popular and lots of new ones are currently being developed and shown off at CES.
One company called Fove has made a headset which allows you to control a game using just your eyes, as it can track where you are looking.
CES fact
One month after CES 1969, the first man walked on the moon, meaning more people became interested in science and technology
There's lots of new tech at CES which use voice and movement control instead of pressing buttons.
A French company called Bixi will be showing off a device that lets a person control their tablet or smartphone by waving their hand.
For example, you could use it to change the volume of your music by waving your hand down.
Many people like to use technology to help them to stay healthy and lots of these gadgets are expected to be on show at CES.
One company from Israel will be displaying its device called the TytoHome which works a bit like Baymax from Big Hero 6.
This gadget allows families to take health measurements, like heart rate and breathing patterns, and send the information to the doctors.
The idea is that it could mean fewer people would need to make the trip to see the doctor in person.
One company from London will be launching a robot called Olly, who you can talk to and ask questions.
The interesting thing about it is it behaves differently depending on who it's with!
This is just some of the technology that will be on display at CES.
We'll have more updates on what other exciting gadgets will be at the show later this week.


The boss of a Teesside steel plant employing more than 1,000 people has said its future is at risk because of plummeting world prices.

Thai-based SSI took over the former Tata Steel complex in Redcar after it was mothballed in 2010.
But chief operating officer Cornelius Louwrens has warned that losses due to falling worldwide demand for the slab steel it produces cannot be sustained.
The company has invested about Â£1bn in reopening the Teesside blast furnace.
At full capacity the Redcar plant produces up to 400 slabs of steel a day, each weighing up to 33 tonnes.
Mr Louwrens said the price paid for slab steel had plummeted from $500 (Â£318) a tonne to below $300 (Â£191) over the past year.
He declined to put a figure on the plant's losses, but described them as "significant and substantial".
He said the long-term future of the Redcar site was in doubt, adding: "You cannot make this size of losses continuously, without, at some point, saying this cannot work any longer.
"What I cannot say is how long we have for the market to turn around. But my message to everyone is to focus on their jobs, do them as good as possible, because this is what we can control."
Mr Louwrens blamed a slump in demand for steel in China and Russia for the company's problems.
He added: "Throughout our rebirth, since SSI bought this, all the evidence is that the parent company in Thailand have been willing to invest.
"But this is really tough on them at the moment and they are continuing to stick with us and we can only hope and trust that will continue."


Bournemouth and Australia goalkeeper Adam Federici has been ruled out for the rest of the season following surgery on damaged knee cartilage.

Federici, 32, who has made five appearances for the Cherries this term, suffered the injury in training.
"It's a real blow for us to lose Adam," said manager Eddie Howe, whose team host Manchester City on Monday.
"But knowing his character, he will dig deep and work hard to get back to fitness."


A lot of people thought Raheem Sterling made the wrong career move when he joined Manchester City for £49m from Liverpool in the summer, but I'm pleased to see he has slotted straight in.

There were question marks over the game time he would get at City, but only two other players aged under 21 have played more Premier League minutes than him this season.
Sterling is not just playing, he is playing well too. He has not made the same impact at City as another of their recent big-money signings, Kevin de Bruyne, in terms of goals and assists but he has made a very steady start.
I think the only thing Raheem will be disappointed about is that he has been substituted in nine of the 10 league games he has started for City so far.
But that should just make him realise he is still a young player who has got to work a little bit harder on his weaknesses as well as his strengths.
He is only 20 and there is a lot more to come from him. He has the potential to be one of the greats but he will not fulfil his promise without a lot of hard work.
It is obvious Sterling has to add more goals to his game, but I think he needs to improve his end product generally.
Yes, he put in the cross to the back post for Wayne Rooney's volleyed goal in England's friendly with France this week.
Media playback is not supported on this device
But I was at Wembley working as a pundit and sitting next to Paul Scholes, who made me laugh when he said Raheem was actually aiming for Harry Kane, who was running in at the near post.
I don't know if that comment was just down to Scholesy's Manchester United allegiance, but it is true that Sterling's crossing has been extremely poor for City this season - he has a success rate of less than 6% from open play.
Whether it is his finishing or his crossing we are talking about, it clearly needs to be much better to make the most of his ability to get behind opposition defences.
My old Arsenal team-mate Marc Overmars is exactly the kind of player I think he should aspire to be.
Overmars was a winger but when he got into the box I always backed him to score. His goals-to-game ratio for the Gunners was incredible.
Part of that was down to the quality of his finishing - he almost always seemed to hit the target, and was capable of placing his shots - but he would get himself in the right positions to be able to score too.
Sterling has been used centrally as well as on the left by City but, if he is out wide, I want to see him get to the back post when crosses come in from the opposite flank to pick up anything that comes through to him, which is the sort of thing Overmars always looked to do.
Sterling's finishing has been questioned, and maybe he also makes the wrong decision sometimes when he is through in one-on-one situations - I have seen him shoot straight at the goalkeeper quite a lot.
But even if you are not a natural finisher you can get both of those things right with experience and practice, so it is good to hear he has been working on them in training.
Even the best strikers work on their technique and he should be using those sessions as an opportunity to miss and work out what he should do differently next time.
I would look back at chances I missed and think maybe I should have had a cleaner strike there or, if the goalkeeper committed himself early, I should have slotted it past him rather than striking the ball hard.
But sometimes there is no definite right answer as to what you do when you are in front of goal - as long as you put the ball in the net.
It comes down to the individual and what he believes he has to do. The more times you are in those situations, the more you get used to it and have the composure to get it right.
I think Sterling is getting there, slowly. Since his move to City, he is getting more clear-cut chances in front of goal, is having more shots and his shooting accuracy is better than last season too.
No wonder he is already scoring more goals - he got seven in the league last season but already has four for City - but he needs to keep on working on that aspect of his game.
From watching Sterling I can see he is full of confidence at the moment - he believes he is good enough to be in the City team with players of the calibre of Yaya Toure and David Silva, and he is right.
It is great to see, because I know only too well what it is like when a young player has his self-belief absolutely blasted out of him after a big-money transfer.
When my son Shaun Wright-Phillips joined Chelsea for £21m in 2005, it looked like the dream move for him.
He was 23 and had been absolutely flying for City, who wanted to sell him to the highest bidder because they were £62m in debt. Their fans didn't know it at the time, but it wasn't up to him whether he stayed or not.
I was delighted when Arsenal came in but they pulled out when the bidding got to £12m. Then Chelsea blew everyone else out of the water.
They were the champions and, at the time, Jose Mourinho played with wingers so it seemed like the perfect fit.
Arjen Robben and Damien Duff were there so I knew Shaun was going to Chelsea to contend with world-class players but, just like with Raheem at City, I expected them to help him improve too.
Sadly it did not work out like that. I went to watch him a few times when he first joined and, no matter how well he played, he would always get taken off. Eventually he lost his starting place altogether.
It was heart-breaking to watch but he has got a very placid demeanour so he just got on with it - he never told me it bothered him.
But my observation of the whole situation was that it must have affected his confidence because he stopped playing like he had at City, and it had an adverse effect on him for the rest of his career.
When he was at City he was like a little rubber man, who would get kicked, get up and take a few men on. He scored a lot of goals that way and City fans loved him because he had come through the youth team and epitomised what they wanted to see.
At Chelsea he turned into a player that played safe. He did not take risks and he stopped taking people on.
It is easy to say now that it was the wrong move but I look back at it now and still think he was right to go - there was no way he could have turned that opportunity down, and it is just a shame the way things turned out.
He could not have tried any harder - nobody who has worked with Shaun would question his work ethic - and it is just a shame the way things turned out.
Other players have had the same experience too - a move that looks like being a fairytale does not pan out that way.
It happened to Scott Sinclair and Jack Rodwell when they joined Manchester City. Of course we know now what happened and that they hardly played but, when they signed, they would not have been thinking that a year down the line they would be regretting this - they would have been thinking that a great team is willing to pay a lot of money for me.
That is how you go into those deals. You won't move to the next level otherwise and, when you sign, you are thinking you are going to be the player where they can say 'it did work out for him'.
Whatever Sterling achieves in his career, two things are certain: he will always be known for his £49m price tag, and he will always get stick from Liverpool fans when he plays his former team.
Sterling faces the Reds on Saturday for the first time since his controversial departure from Anfield, and I am sure he knows what sort of reception he will get from their travelling fans.
I expect he will take it in his stride - from meeting him a couple of times I know he is quite a cool and calm character, and he can cope with being in the spotlight.
His transfer should definitely have been handled differently but he was right to leave Liverpool if he thought he could better himself - now he owes it to himself to be as good as he can be to prove his decision was right.
Ian Wright was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.


So now he is Barcelona-bound, and, for the next few years at least, there will be no more Neymar in domestic Brazilian football.

The timing of the move comes as something of a blow to the national championship, which kicked off at the weekend, and must now kick on without its biggest star.
See Tim's full archive
I well recall the first time I saw Neymar in the flesh - 24 May 2009, when he came on for Santos against Fluminense in the last 10 minutes with the game in the balance. He set up two goals, drew a red card for the opposing right-back and gave a giant hint that he was going to be something special.
This, of course, is one of the great pleasures served up by the Brazilian championship. Every time I go to a game I am buoyed by the delightful thought that I might get a sneak preview of a young player on his way to global stardom.
Year in, year out, a new crop comes through. Last year my favourites were a couple of left-footers - Botafogo's teenage centre-back Doria, and Fred of Internacional, a quick, busy, talented midfielder.
Fred was the star of the show on Saturday in the game that got this year's championship under way, making one and scoring one as his side came back from two down to draw 2-2 away to Vitoria. The sides ran out of steam in the last 20 minutes. Until then, though, it was an excellent match, and a fine advert for one of the most interesting leagues in the world.
In addition to the production line of young players, the Brazilian championship provides a pleasing air of unpredictability.
True, it is not as wide open as it was a decade ago, when relatively small clubs on a roll could dream of glory. Then the playing field was levelled down, because no-one had any money. Now, though, revenues are booming - Brazil's clubs have doubled their income in the last four years.
This means gaps are opening up, especially because the TV rights are sold on an individual basis. The giant clubs are earning much more than the chasing pack. But there are so many big clubs that there seems little chance of the championship ever turning into a permanent two- or three-horse race for the title.
Santos
Campenato Paulista: 2010, 2011, 2012
Copa do Brasil: 2010
Copa Libertadores: 2011
Recopa Sudamericana: 2012
Brazil
South America Youth Championship: 2011
Superclasico de las Americas: 2011, 2012
Olympic silver medal: 2012
And soon there could be some more giant clubs to contest the honours. The traditional heartland of the Brazilian game lies in the big cities of the south east, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, backed up by the nearby Belo Horizonte and, further south, Porto Alegre.
Clubs from the poorer north east have rarely been contenders, despite their relatively high average crowds. But the region is receiving plenty of investment - it will stage half of this year's Confederations Cup and a third of next year's World Cup - and the hope is that this will help transform the clubs from Salvador and Recife into genuinely national players.
Salvador's rebuilt Fonte Nova stadium certainly looked impressive on Saturday when it played host to the game between Vitoria and Internacional - though the fact the crowd was below 10,000 is somewhat disappointing. The first round of a league campaign is when the 'sold out' signs should be hanging up.
This is in an indication that although the Brazilian championship is good, it could be so much better. Progress is being made - in the stadiums, in a curious new generation of coaches. The clubs are becoming more professional but they continue to exist in a context that is totally amateur.
Power in the Brazilian game lies not with the clubs, but with the 27 state federations - one for every state that makes up this giant country. And power inside these federations lies with those who control the small clubs. The calendar of the Brazilian game is thus dictated by people who essentially represent no-one but themselves. An insignificant tail wags a huge dog.
This helps explain why the national championship kicked off on the very day that the final of Europe's Champions League was taking place - a blunder of monumental ineptitude for a competition crying out for more global attention.
First, from late January to mid-May, there are the state championships, where the giant clubs waste their time taking on tiny teams. Once upon a time, before Brazil had the infrastructure for a national competition, these were important. These days I know hardly anyone in the Brazilian game who does not believe they are well past their sell by date - though in many cases they are happier saying this off the record.
Born: 5 February 1992, Brazil
Brazil caps: 32
Brazil goals: 20
What he said in November 2012: "I don't know when I'm leaving for Europe - I'm happy here in Brazil. I have a dream of playing in Europe, but in my opinion it is still not the right moment."
Did you know? More than 14,000 Brazil fans signed a petition demanding that Neymar be called up for the 2010 World Cup finals.
The existence of the state championships forces Brazilian football to try to fit two pints into a one-pint bottle. The national competition is crammed into available space - kicking off without the pause beforehand that is such a vital part of a long league campaign, and this year having to shut down for a month to accommodate the Confederations Cup.
It is an object lesson in how not to organise a calendar. Why Brazil's big clubs continue to put up with an arrangement so clearly harmful to their interests is one of the biggest mysteries in sport.
And with the clubs operating so far below their potential, the departure of the stars is inevitable.
"Neymar is leaving," wrote Juca Kfouri, one of the country's most respected journalists, "because he grew too big for Brazilian football, with its state championships, its terrible pitches and its calendar that is out of sync with the football world."
He concluded his piece by sadly trotting out one of his favourite sayings: "God gave us the best players and, to even things up, the worst directors."
Questions on South American football to vickerycolumn@hotmail.com, and I'll pick out a couple for next week.
From last week's postbag;
I live in Columbus, Ohio and like many in the area I have a soft spot for former Boca Juniors and Columbus Crew player Guillermo Barros Schelotto. How is he doing in his first managerial position at Lanus? I saw that Lanus is undefeated thus far in Argentina, just a point off leaders Newell's Old Boys, having only conceded six goals from 14 games. Do Lanus have a chance of overtaking Newell's?
Jacob Mercer
He's not undefeated any more! Form was starting to wobble a bit, and a 3-1 defeat on Sunday means Lanus are now four points behind Newell's and have also been overtaken by River Plate. With just four rounds remaining, the chances are not looking good.
In general, though, Schelotto has made an excellent start to his coaching career. His original plan was to impose an orthodox 4-4-2 on the team, but the players convinced him otherwise - so he has shown the key virtue of being able to listen.


The world's leading oil exporters could be finally about to take action following the fall in prices.

Members of the exporters' group Opec, together with some other oil producers, are meeting in Qatar on Sunday to discuss freezing output.
They want to push up the price of crude oil, which is less than half what it was in June 2014
In previous episodes of falling prices, Opec has been much quicker to respond, often cutting output.
The agenda for the meeting in Doha, the capital of Qatar, is a freeze in production. No cuts in other words, just a commitment to no more increases.
But even that possibility has given some support in recent weeks to the price of oil. The low it reached earlier this year was about $27 a barrel for Brent crude oil, one of the leading international market prices.
This week it has been very close to $45. That is to a large extent due to traders considering the possibility that some oil producers are close to taking some sort of action to push prices higher.
It's worth emphasising that even at current levels the price of oil is far below where it was as recently as June 2014 - when it reached $115.
The fall has hurt many oil producing countries. Earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund said it had damaged financial stability and the government finances in many of them.
The meeting is not formally an Opec event, though all or very nearly all the group's members will be represented.  There will also be some non-members, notably Russia.
The decision to hold this meeting, with a rather unusual group of attendees, reflects the oil exporters' persistent concerns about the level of prices and a feeling that any action needs to involve more than just the members of Opec.
Two of the world's leading producers are not going to be there: the US and China.  Both countries have large oil production industries, but they use nearly all of it themselves, and have to import extra to meet their own needs. Their economies overall tend to benefit from cheaper oil so they don't have a shared interest with those who will be turning up in Doha.
Still, there is more than enough oil production that will be represented there to make a substantial difference to the global market if the participants chose to take strong action.
What many oil analysts say, however, is that they aren't talking about action that is going to achieve much. In the past, Opec has often managed to agree and deliver cuts in production. This time all that's on the table is a potential agreement to refrain from further increases.
Among the countries attending there is certainly a good deal of support for the idea. But one important player, an Opec member, is determined to increase its production: Iran.
As the country emerges from western sanctions, the Iranian government wants to regain the share of the market that it lost as a result of those restrictions on its international sales.
Iran is not even sending its oil minister Bijan Zanganeh to the meeting, although another senior official is expected to attend.
Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince has said that a freeze could only happen if Iran takes part. But there are doubts about whether this really is the Kingdom's last word.
Saudi concerns are the key reason why countries outside Opec are involved.  Whenever Opec has cut production in the past, Saudi Arabia has tended to make the biggest contribution. But this time, they were reluctant to take the loss of market share that would involve.  But it's less of a sacrifice if some other countries take part. The US never would, so Russia is the biggest producer that could be involved.
So if they can agree a freeze, would it make much difference? London consultancy Capital Economics said in a note to clients: "Freezing output at current high levels would simply maintain the excess supply that is now in place and as such would not be a game changer."
Perhaps what would make more difference is the much anticipated decline in American shale oil production which appears to be finally gathering pace, according to the International Energy Agency, an official organisation which monitors the energy situation for its member countries.
In fact one reason for Saudi Arabia's reluctance to take action sooner is widely thought to have been a desire to keep the pressure on its competitors in the US shale business.
It's worth remembering that the rise of shale oil in the US has transformed the global market. The increased US supply is one of the key factors that have been bearing down on international oil prices, along with weakness of demand which in turn reflects China's economic slowdown and the failure of the global economy to generate robust growth.
Having said all that, this meeting might turn out to have some symbolic significance. Opec has been very slow to respond to what is a serious problem for its members.  Most recently when the group met in December last year, their final statement surprised many observers when it did not even mention a production ceiling, something they nearly always set out at their regular meetings. .
Analysts at Barclays Research said ahead of the Doha event: "Opec's December meeting was a failure, but Doha gives the organisation the opportunity to reassert its relevance."


Down have suffered a blow with the news that brothers Ryan and Jerome Johnston have been ruled out of their county's Ulster SFC opener against Monaghan.

The Kilcoo pair both underwent surgery on dislocated shoulders in March and are out of the provincial quarter-final with the champions at Clones on 5 June.
No indication has yet been given of a return date for the injured pair.
Meanwhile Niall Madine has informed Down boss Eamonn Burns that he is opting out of the Mourne panel.
Madine, who has been a Championship regular for Down in recent seasons, has decided to travel to America in June.
The Saval forward only made two substitute appearances, against Donegal and Roscommon, in the Mournemen's Football League campaign, which saw them lose every game in being relegated from Division One.
Last month, Rostrevor's Caolan Mooney informed Burns that he was quitting the county panel.
In a boost to his defensive options, Burns is soon expected to be able to call upon the experienced Benny McArdle, who has been sidelined since rupturing his Achilles tendon last summer.


The government should reorientate the UK economy towards exports, which could add £20bn to the UK economy by 2020, business group the CBI has said.

It urged the UK to combat the UK's "lacklustre" trading performance.
The CBI wants Britain to match the EU average of one in four small-to-medium-sized enterprises exporting by 2020.
Director general John Cridland said access to finance to aid exports needed to be made easier, especially for medium-sized and small firms.
The government said increasing exports was "a challenge for all of us".
The report - written with the help of Ernst & Young - comes ahead of the CBI's annual conference, in which exports will be a major theme.
The government should aim to increase net exports from -2.4% in 2010 to 2.5% by 2016, the report said.
The CBI wants exports to rise from 29% of the UK's GDP last year to 36% by 2016.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have some of the most growth potential, it said - so therefore It urged the UK to aim to match the EU average of one in four small to medium-sized enterprises exporting by 2020, compared with the current one in five.
Sectors with high export growth potential are construction services, communication services, electrical goods, optical and high-tech goods, creative industries, and financial services.
Emerging markets
UK exporters have failed to exploit the full potential of the "BRIC" nations of Brazil, Russia, India and China, plus many other emerging markets such as Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea and Turkey, the report said.
Who needs the CBI?CBI warns economy in 'bad place'
John Cridland, CBI director general, said: "The UK has a proud history as a great trading nation, but in recent years our performance has been lacklustre.
"Export success will be one of the key drivers of growth, but for too long we have been over-dependent on advanced economies for our trade.
"The continued crisis in the eurozone underlines just how important it is for the UK to diversify its export efforts to high-growth countries.
"The new middle classes in emerging economies will have needs that our niche, high-end producers are more than able to fulfil," Mr Cridland said.
The CBI chief is an admirer of Germany's Mittelstand, the country's economic backbone of medium-sized businesses which have pursued export markets aggressively.
The UK's share of global exports has fallen over the last decade, from 5.3% in 2000 to 4.1% in 2010. During this period Germany's share increased from 8.9% to 9.3%.
'Gazelles'
The UK's largest export market is the United States, at 17% of the total, followed by countries in Western Europe.
The BRIC countries account for only 4% of UK exports, but a focused strategy could take this to more than 11% in value terms by 2020, the report said.
If the sectors identified as having good growth potential step up export activity, then GDP could be boosted by 1.5%, or £20bn, by 2020, it said.
But to achieve this, it would be essential for the business community and the government's export department, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), to work more closely together, something that has not always been done successfully.
Mr Cridland said: "Too often businesses are finding that the government's public rhetoric does not match with the reality of their experience on the ground, so we're calling on the government to set out a credible exports strategy with achievable performance targets.
"UKTI appears to have a 'marmite effect' among businesses and it must become more commercially focused in its activity.
Some of the UK's mid-sized companies, "the gazelles", had the most potential to export and grow, he said.
One positive sign, the report says, is that the UK is a net services exporter, with an average annual growth of 4.6% since 2000.
Services are likely to be in even more demand in the future as living standards in developing economies rise.
In the coming decade, consumer spending growth in the BRICs is expected to average 13.5% per year, Mr Cridland said.
Minister for trade and investment Lord Green said: ""The report by CBI and Ernst & Young is broadly welcomed.
"We have a national challenge to increase exports. This is a challenge for all of us - for government, for business and for business organisations.
"Trade has been a drag on growth for far too long. We need more companies to start selling overseas and moving out of their comfort zones into high-growth markets."


The parents of murdered seven-year-old Katie Rough have praised the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, for helping them to cope after her death.

Katie was found with serious injuries on a playing field in Woodthorpe, in the city, on 9 January and died later in hospital.
A 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with her murder.
Paul and Alison Rough said Dr Sentamu had been "their rock".
Speaking to the BBC about the death of their daughter, the couple said they were living "day-by-day, sometimes minute-by-minute".
However, they said they had met the archbishop several times, and he had helped them come to terms with what happened.
"He's been great - he has kept in touch to make sure we are OK, and even invited us for a cup of tea and a cooked breakfast," Mrs Rough said.
Her husband said he had experienced some very dark times, but the archbishop had "made things a little bit better".
"It didn't feel awkward meeting the archbishop, he knew exactly what to say," he added.
The couple also praised the community for their support, and said they were holding a family fun day to say thank you to all the people in York.
They said people they had never met had come up to them and introduced themselves.
"Some had sad stories themselves - and some just gave us a cuddle," Mr Rough said.
In February, more than 300 people attended a public funeral for Katie held at York Minster, led by Dr Sentamu.
Katie's coffin rested overnight at the Archbishop of York's official residence, Bishopthorpe Palace, on the outskirts of the city.
Speaking at the time, Dr Sentamu said he sat with her overnight in his chapel so she would not be alone.
The family fun day will be held at York Acorn Rugby Club on 9 June.


A police sergeant head-butted a woman while wearing a motorcycle helmet in a "road rage" attack.

David Sanderson was off duty when he confronted two women in the car ahead of him at a petrol station in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, on 6 June.
He believed the motorist had been driving while using a mobile phone, Worthing Magistrates' Court heard.
Sanderson had denied assault by beating but was found guilty following a trial last month. He was fined Â£828.
Magistrates heard the car driver was using the phone hands free while driving.
However, Sanderson, 45, from Portsmouth, revved his motorcycle engine and tried to undertake the car as it moved off the forecourt, the court was told.
Passenger Donya Bryant got out and Sanderson head-butted her, leaving her with a "red mark the size of a 50p piece and a swollen lump" on her forehead, prosecutor Gaynor Byng said.
She added the situation escalated after Miss Bryant, who was upset after the death of a friend, swore at the defendant and threatened to kill him.
In a victim impact statement, Miss Bryant said: "I feel extremely let down by someone who, as a serving police officer, should have been protecting the public."
Chairwoman of the bench, Marley Isaac, said Sanderson had a "previous good character and 23-year exemplary service".
"However, this does appear to be an ongoing road-rage incident that began at the pumps and continued off the forecourt," she said.
She added it was "disappointing you didn't behave more appropriately".
Paul Fairley, defending, said Sanderson continued to deny he deliberately assaulted Miss Bryant and the case was set to go to the crown court for appeal.
He added Sanderson continued to work full-time for Hampshire Constabulary, but faced dismissal from the force and had been taken off front-line duties pending the conclusion of the appeal.


The former Argentine President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, has refused to testify at a court hearing into fraud allegations.

Outside the court in the capital Buenos Aires, she told supporters she was being persecuted.
The judge is looking into why the Central Bank decided to sell dollars at an artificially low price in the months before she left office.
He has ten days to decide whether to charge her.
He says the move cost the state billions of dollars and allowed buyers to make a lot of money on the transaction.
Emerging from the courthouse, Ms Fernandez gave a stirring hour-long speech to the crowds.  She suggested she and other leftist leaders in the region had been unfairly accused of corruption by a "media, political and judicial matrix".
She said she had refused to testify and had given the judge a written statement that said the case against her rested on "an abuse of judicial power".
Ms Fernandez said she had nothing to hide: "They can call me [to testify] 20 times. They can lock me up but they won't make me stop saying what I think."
Her former Economy minister, Axel Kicillof, was questioned about the case on Tuesday morning.
He defended the political and economic decisions made during the administration of Cristina Kirchner.
"All central banks in the world carry out control practices," he said. "It is a normal and regular operation in foreign exchange policy."
Cristina Fernandez, who was in power between 2007 and 2015, does not have parliamentary immunity.
Her supporters say she is innocent of many allegations that have dogged her and her administration for years.
Ms Fernandez is also a suspect in an investigation into money-laundering during her administration involving a close friend and business associate of both herself and her late husband Nestor Kirchner, who was president from 2003 to 2007.


Promotion from the Conference Premier could start Luton Town's resurgence to the Premier League, says managing director Gary Sweet.

The Hatters, a top-flight side 22 years ago, are 14 points clear at the top of the Conference Premier, a league they have been in since 2009 after 89 years in the Football League.
Sweet told Late Kick Off East: "If you compare us to clubs that have been at a low level but are now in the Premier League and Championship - there are no boundaries for what we can achieve."
Late Kick Off East will be assessing the impact of dropping out of the Football League and the difficulty of getting back up.
The team will take a close look at Luton and Cambridge United, as well as the difficulties facing Northampton Town should they fail in their bid to survive in League Two.
Watch Late Kick Off in the East of England on BBC One on Monday, 10 March at 23:20 GMT or on the iPlayer for seven days after
Championship clubs Yeovil and Doncaster were playing non-league football as recently as 2002-03, while Premier League sides Swansea and Hull have played in League Two in the past decade.
The Hatters have been a prime example of how difficult it is to come straight back up after dropping into the Conference.
Their Football League status ended five seasons ago, brought on by a 30-point deduction for paying agents through a third party and failing to come out of administration.
It was a third relegation in as many seasons for the stricken club.
A consortium, fronted by TV presenter Nick Owen, who is now Hatters chairman, and with Sweet on board, took over the club in 2008 and have eradicated the mismanagement that exacerbated the team's swift decline.
But while progress has been made in off-field affairs, four managers have tried and failed to win that elusive promotion.
The Hatters are playing down the near-inevitability of succeeding this time around, but boss John Still would have to surrender a 14-point lead at the top of the table if the Bedfordshire club are not to go up automatically.
"It means an awful lot more than just one league to us," said Sweet.
"We feel it is the beginning of a resurgence.
"We've done everything we possibly can, all the preparation is there, we just want to keep winning matches and for that green light to go. We think we can actually spin on a bit.
"League Two is not the destiny of course, without appearing to be arrogant.
"We took over the club in 2008 with the vision that we had 12 years to put it back into a position where we would be comfortable, where we feel our natural position in the pyramid would be.
"That's not League Two - and that's no disrespect to League Two. We've served our time and I just think when we get back into League Two it will give us a bit more of an ambition."
Late Kick Off will be on every Monday until the end of the season, covering the teams in your region. Get involved on Twitter @latekickoffeast


Hillary Clinton will not be the only American who has gone to work this week with an illness that should have kept her at home.

By showing up for a 9/11 commemoration ceremony on Sunday, despite being diagnosed with pneumonia, the Democratic presidential hopeful was doing what millions of Americans do every day - ignoring her symptoms and attempting to "power through" a day's work.
"No one's allowed to be sick. Sickness is weakness," says LeaAnne DeRigne, associate professor of social work at Florida Atlantic University.
"The attitude is 'I'm irreplaceable - if I don't show up, my job won't get done.' Some of it is also concern about how you are going to be viewed as an employee - whether you can be counted on or not. Whether by having too many sick days, too many absences, you are not seen as reliable."
She adds: "At the very core of being American is the idea of being a hard worker."
Not that most Americans have a choice in the matter.
America is one of the few developed industrial nations that does not guarantee paid sick leave by law.
Eligible workers are allowed to take up to 12 weeks off for illnesses or a new baby without fear of losing their job - under the Family and Medical Leave Act, signed into law by Bill Clinton in 1993 - and many companies will allow their staff a few days' sick leave as part of their employee benefits package.
But for millions of low-paid workers, the rule is simple - if you don't show up for work you lose a day's pay.
Sick leave and pay are most generous in the Netherlands, where workers can be absent for up to two years, while receiving 70% of their salary, according to a report in February for employment agency Glassdoor.
The least generous sick leave in the EU is in the UK, where workers are paid a flat rate of about Â£88 a week for 28 weeks.
EU countries also guarantee 20 paid vacation days a year, plus public holidays. Some EU countries go further.
Sweden, France and Denmark all offer 25 days' paid leave a year as minimum. Spain is the best place for public holidays with 14.
There is no statutory minimum for paid holiday in the US, although the average is about 10 days in practice, plus public holidays. Polls suggest unused vacation is at an all-time high.
The UK government is facing calls from trade unions and the Labour opposition to protect paid leave and workers' rights when the country negotiates its exit from the EU.
America's national vacation problem
Nearly a quarter of US adults have been fired or threatened with the sack for taking time off to recover from illness or to care for a sick loved one, according to Family Values at Work, which campaigns for paid leave.
This climate is particularly tough for women, who are still the main caregivers for young children and elderly relatives, says Leanne DeRigne, whose research suggests some families could be spending more on medical bills because they are delaying treatment rather than taking time off.
It can also have serious repercussions for public health.
In February, Mexican fast-food chain Chipotle partly blamed a 2015 outbreak of the norovirus vomiting bug on employees who had come to work sick at branches in Boston and Simi Valley, California.
The company, which employs 50,000 people across the US, now requires employees to stay home from work on paid sick leave for five days after their symptoms have disappeared.
But even when they are entitled to sick leave, many Americans don't take it. More than a quarter of workers surveyed in 2014 by public health agency NSF said they always go to work when they are ill.
The hard-driving, long hours culture of the American workplace is no place to risk being seen as a slacker.
"Any real business venture, besides government employment, when you say you have a 'nine-to-five' it's more like you have an 'eight-to-seven', at least in DC, and especially in New York City," says Nicholas Scheeberger, a 30-year-old technology sales executive, from Washington DC.
"It's like an unspoken understanding. Your boss isn't going to tell you you need to stay and work extra, but if you are the guy that gets in at nine and goes home at five every day, you are probably not going to last."
Scheeberger says he had no problem with the lack of paid leave when he worked as a bartender - casual employment suits those marking time between "real jobs", who make most of their income from tips.
Now that he has an office job, he has two weeks' vacation and "seven to 10 sick days" - but there is pressure not to use the entitlement.
"Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of people who call in when they are hungover. But it's more - even if you are sick and there is something of importance, you absolutely need to be at work."
If there is a big client meeting or seminar, he adds, "unless you are on your deathbed, chances are you are going to work".
Polls suggest the American public are strongly in favour of paid sick leave - but progress towards it has been slow.
Some states, such as California and New York, have passed their own laws. As a result, an estimated 11.3 million American workers now have the right to some form of paid leave.
Hillary Clinton has vowed to introduce 12 weeks' paid family leave and sick leave if she wins the presidential election. Donald Trump has yet to comment on the issue, although he has backed paid maternity leave.
The Obama administration's attempts to introduce paid leave ran into stiff opposition on Capitol Hill.
Republicans argued it would hurt small businesses and lead to job losses - and scoffed at the idea that America could learn lessons from supposedly less hard-working European nations.


Sudden cuts to UK renewables subsidies have spooked investors and could lead to higher energy bills, MPs say.

Ministers said they needed to cut subsidies to force bills as low as possible.
But the Energy and Climate Change Committee says the government's sudden policy shifts on energy have hit investors' confidence.
It warns lenders may respond by putting a risk premium on future investments in clean energy.
This in turn may lead, perversely, to bills increasing not decreasing in the long run.
Angus MacNeil, committee chair, said: "Billions of pounds are needed to replace ageing energy infrastructure, maintain secure energy supplies and meet climate change targets. "The government made a number of sudden and unexpected changes to policy. This has spooked investors.
"In the same way that someone with a poor credit rating will have to pay higher interest rates when they take out a bank loan, so an energy project that is perceived to be higher risk will have to pay a higher risk premium.
"Any increase in the cost of capital will ultimately get passed on to consumers through higher bills."
Schroders Investment Management told the MPs: "In the light of recent changes to support mechanisms, we perceive that there is now increased policy risk and therefore require a higher premium to compensate for this risk."
The committee urged the government to produce a long-term plan to replace the previous subsidy regime, which many experts thought was too complex.
Ministers promised new policies by the end of last year, but these have now been postponed until the end of 2016, leaving many investors confused and wary.
The committee points out that ministers have cut support for solar and onshore wind, ended the "Green Deal" energy efficiency programme and cancelled a project for carbon capture and storage (CCS) - a technology the Prime Minister previously referred to as "crucial".
Siemens pointed in evidence to what they say are contradictory statements from government:
The committee said other factors affecting investor confidence include a lack of transparency in decision-making, and a lack of understanding of the industry's needs by the Treasury.
The MPs say this is all threatening the UK's ability to meet its objectives on energy security and climate change.
Mr MacNeil said: "Two months ago, a historic new global climate agreement was signed in Paris.  But investors have begun questioning how committed the government really is to tackling climate change."
Sources close to the Chancellor say he is focused on energy prices and security, rather than climate change.
Some observers note that he was backed into a political corner by Ed Milliband's pre-election pledge that Labour would freeze energy bills if they were elected. His subsidy cuts are estimated by Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to save the average household 67p a week.
Nick Molho, executive director of the Aldersgate Group, which represents green business, said: "We have to recognise that the government has faced cost pressures leading to some of its recent policy decisions.
"But the committee is right to highlight the recent dip in investor confidence. What has been particularly damaging is the lack of an alternative plan, rather than the changes themselves."
Former CBI chief Lord Turner said: "It's fairly obvious that investors look to politicians for a clear and stable policy framework, especially when they are making investments in large projects that can take years to pay off.
"It's so obvious that one wonders why a select committee has to point this out to the Treasury - but apparently it is necessary, given the continued sense that UK energy policy is drifting aimlessly."
The MPs want Mr Osborne's National Infrastructure Commission to be tasked with investigating the need for new energy infrastructure. They point out that no energy infrastructure is being built in the UK without some sort of government subsidy.
Former Shell UK chairman James Smith told BBC News the government should appoint an "energy tsar" to take the politics out of long-term investment decisions.
A DECC spokesman said: "Our priority is crystal clear - to ensure our families and businesses have access to  secure, affordable and clean energy supplies.
"We have been clear that low-carbon energy sources such as nuclear, offshore wind and shale gas will play a key role in our energy future. At the same time we are  taking action to keep bills as low as possible to protect consumers."
Follow Roger on Twitter.


Comedian and actor Sir Lenny Henry has been appointed chancellor of Birmingham City University.

The 57-year-old - who was knighted last year for services to drama and charity - has been a prominent campaigner on increasing diversity in the arts.
He said the role was a "superb opportunity" to promote the West Midlands and help young people.
Dudley-born Sir Lenny first found fame after winning TV talent show New Faces in 1975.
He said the university has facilities that "rival anything in the television industry".
"[It] is right in the centre of a city that has changed beyond recognition in recent years and offers the sort of contemporary education I would have killed for when I was a kid," he said.
Professor Clive Allan, vice-chancellor of the university, said Sir Lenny was "one of the country's most well-known personalities" and his appointment would inspire students.
"He not only encapsulates the university's commitment to both the arts and widening participation, but he is a strong advocate for Birmingham and the region, including his home town of Dudley," he said.


Craig Shakespeare says he expects to be told within days whether he will remain as Leicester manager.

The 53-year-old signed a deal until the end of the season when he replaced Claudio Ranieri in February.
He steered last season's Premier League champions away from relegation danger and also led the Foxes to the Champions League quarter-finals.
"I expect it in the following days after Sunday," he said. "Of course, in my head, I have ideas on that."
Shakespeare's contract as assistant manager - the position he held under Ranieri - runs beyond June and he would revert to that position if nothing is finalised by then. He did, however, attend a meeting about player transfers last week.
Regarding his involvement in summer deals, he said: "That's the head of recruitment and the director of football's job to deal with that and I'm fairly optimistic and pleased with how far they've got."
Shakespeare offered no further update on his future after Thursday's 6-1 defeat at home to Tottenham, saying his only focus was on the Foxes' final game of the season against Bournemouth at the King Power Stadium on Sunday (15:00 BST).
BBC Radio Leicester sports editor Jason Bourne:
No one else is being linked with the job, and Craig Shakespeare has been part of the planning for pre-season and for the recruitment process for next term. He's also popular with the players, with many of them coming out and saying they'd welcome it if he was given the job on a longer-term basis.
Will the owners look to appoint a bigger or more marketable name? That's always at the back of your mind, but why change something that's been working well?


Salford Red Devils forward Gareth Hock has withdrawn his transfer request and committed his future to the club.

Hock, 31, asked to leave the Red Devils at the start of September, a request approved by chairman Marwan Koukash.
The former Wigan and Widnes player has just finished the first season of a four-year contract.
"I realise I upset a fair few people and I can only apologise to them, and say that I firmly intend to make things right next season," Hock said.
"When I signed a long-term deal at the start of 2014 it was never my intention to be seeking a move within 12 months."
Hock was close to a move to Australian National Rugby League side Parramatta Eels before opting to join Salford just over a year ago.
He scored on his Super League debut for the club against Wakefield, the first of six tries from 15 appearances during the campaign, but the Red Devils finished 10th, despite owner MKoukash's large investment in the squad.
Hock's career has been littered with controversy; he was handed a five-game ban for grabbing a referee in 2008, suspended the following year for testing positive for cocaine, given a seven-match ban for making contact with a referee and removed from England's World Cup squad following a breach of discipline last year.
"I had been through what was a frustrating time for me personally," Hock told the Salford website. "When I experienced my recent suspension from the game, I began to feel that I needed a change of environment.
"I did have offers to play elsewhere in Super League, and in rugby union, but I now appreciate what a truly good club the Red Devils are and I'm sure we are going to have a big year next year."


Two Argentine judges are facing calls for their impeachment after reducing the sentence of a paedophile on the grounds that his six-year-old victim had been abused before.

The ruling was made last year but only came to light this week.
Mario Tolosa, a sports club official, was originally given a six-year sentence, but the judges halved it.
Among the arguments they used to justify this was a claim that the boy showed signs of transvestite conduct.
Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo said the ruling was "an embarrassment".
He said: "It's repugnant to say that the presumed sexual orientation of an abused six-year-old boy is a reason to reduce the sentence of the abuser.".
President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's cabinet chief, Anibal Fernandez, said judges Horacio Piombo and Benjamin Sal Llargues should be "hauled before an impeachment hearing".
He said the country was "in the hands of morons" and that it was "one of the biggest disgraces we've ever seen in this country".
Tolosa had been vice-president of a neighbourhood football club in Buenos Aires.
He was convicted of abusing the boy in the club's bathrooms in 2011.
On Monday, Judge Piombo defended the ruling in interviews on TV and radio.
He said that the child had already been abused before Mario Tolosa had attacked him, being initiated by his father into the "worst of worlds, leading him to deprivation".
As a result of that experience with the father, the child had showed "signs of transvestite conduct, of conduct we had to take into account", he added.
Judge Piombo said the ruling had been leaked in a attempt to discredit him and his colleague.
The family of the boy say they will appeal to the Supreme Court.
Speaking to La Nacion newspaper, the boy's aunt said the child's father had been in prison for rape for much of his son's life and his mother had disappeared, leaving her child with relatives.
She said the judges had not understood that, although he had come from a poor and troubled family, he had not previously been abused.
Under Argentine law, "simple abuse" is punishable by three to 20 years in prison.
Harsher sentences are imposed for "aggravated abuse" which Mario Tolosa was originally convicted of.


Myanmar's de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has asked for "enough 'space" to address the Rohingya issue.

She was speaking after meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry, who called on her to promote human rights.
Some 125,000 Rohingya Muslims were displaced after fighting with Myanmar's majority Buddhists erupted in 2012 in Rakhine state and spread further.
Historic elections swept Ms Suu Kyi and her party into office in November, ending half a century of military rule.
Last week, The US lifted a host of financial and trade embargoes on Myanmar, but has kept the backbone of its sanctions.
Mr Kerry said he had discussed the "very sensitive" and "divisive" Rohingya issue with Ms Suu Kyi.
"I know it arouses strong passions here," Mr Kerry said, addressing a joint news conference in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw.
"What is critical is to focus on is solving the problem... which is improving the situation on the ground, to promote development, promote respect for human rights and benefit all of those that live in Rakhine and throughout Myanmar."
There is widespread hostility towards Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, including among some within Ms Suu Kyi's own party.
Rohingya Muslims are seen as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and are referred to by many as Bengalis.
Because of this, Myanmar denies many Rohingya citizenship and basic rights.
Last week, Ms Suu Kyi suggested to the new US ambassador in Myanmar,  Scot Marciel,  that he  refrain from using the term '"Rohingya".
"Emotive terms" made it very difficult to find a peaceful and sensible solution to the problem, she said at the news conference with Mr Kerry.
"All that we are asking is that people should be aware of the difficulties we are facing and to give us enough space to solve all our problems," she said.


Tesco allowed the trust of its millions of customers to be "eroded", Sir Terry Leahy has said in his first detailed comments on the crisis at the retailer.

The former chief executive said it had lost its reputation for low prices.
Sir Terry told BBC Panorama there was a "failure" of leadership under his successor, Philip Clarke.
The programme also found that cosmetics giant L'Oreal threatened legal action over a disputed payment of about £1m demanded by Tesco.
Sir Terry was the man widely credited with building Tesco into one of the world's largest and most successful retailers, presiding over 14 years of growth in profits and sales.
He said losing the reputation for low prices was very damaging for Tesco - Asda is now 6% cheaper.
"Tesco is the biggest, people expect it to have the best prices and know they can trust Tesco to deliver that and not have to shop around and check that they're getting the best deal.
Watch Panorama: Trouble at Tesco on BBC One on 19 January at 20.30 GMT or later on the BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer
"I think that some of that trust has been eroded, which has meant that people have shopped around."
On the failure of Tesco and the departure of Mr Clarke, Sir Terry said: "People tried very hard to do the right thing, it clearly has not worked.
"In the end that's a failure of leadership, not a failure of the business, not a failure of the people who work hard every day in the business.
"When you're the CEO, if it goes well, you get credit, if it doesn't go well, you must take responsibility and Phil Clarke has taken that responsibility and paid the price with his job."
Some allege there was tension at the business as Mr Clarke attempted to reverse the decline in profits and sales.
A number of people who have left the organisation have told the BBC of shouting matches at senior levels as people argued over how to right the listing ship.
A number of senior figures did leave, leading to accusations that the management team was spread too thin and that the culture at the organisation changed.
"I think it lost too much talent," Sir Terry said.
"It's a big company, Tesco, and also very empowered - people were given responsibility and trusted to get on with their job, so there was a big team of experienced leaders.
"And too many of those were allowed to go in too short a period of time and so there was a shortage of experience, the kind of experience you need to carefully navigate a business like Tesco through this very turbulent and difficult period of this long, long recession, with these changes in structure of retailing taking place.
"I think the culture did change under Phil Clarke and not for the better.
"I think if you talked to people who knew Tesco, worked in Tesco when I was there, actually the culture was pretty positive and it has to be because it employs half a million people and you can't make them do things, you have to motivate them to do things, they've got to want to do it."
In his first public statement since leaving the retailer abruptly in June last year, Mr Clarke said that he needed to change the business when he became chief executive in 2011 because of issues "that had been building for some time".
He said his new strategy for a "multi-channel" Tesco had the full backing of the board and was the right direction for the supermarket.
Panorama has discovered that in 2013, as it chased commercial income, Tesco had a major falling out with L'Oreal, one of the world's biggest cosmetics firms, which has a market capitalisation that is actually larger than Tesco's.
L'Oreal disputed almost £1m worth of charges, fees and fines from Tesco over supplier agreements. It threatened legal action over the disputed amounts and said it would take its products off Tesco's shelves.
Tesco said: "L'Oreal is the largest cosmetics company in the world, with a turnover of €29bn, generating profits of €3.9bn in 2013.
"As such, it is a major supplier for Tesco in all our markets and we value our relationship with them. Differences do sometimes occur in the course of commercial relationships and we always aim to resolve them amicably, as we did in this case."
Panorama also found:
Watch Panorama: Trouble at Tesco on BBC One on 19 January at 20.30 GMT or later on the BBC iPlayer.


Kim Jong-un took on the mantle of North Korea's supreme leadership with little political or military experience behind him.

Kim Jong-il, North Korea's "Dear Leader", was in the process of grooming Kim Jong-un as his successor when he died on 17 December 2011.
Immediately after his father's death, the younger Kim was hailed as "the great successor". He was named head of the party, state and army within a fortnight of his father's death.
In January 2016, Mr Kim shot to global headlines again when he oversaw what the regime claimed was an underground hydrogen bomb test - its second nuclear test since he came to power.
Previously, his most high-profile act had been to purge and execute his uncle, Chang Song-thaek, who state media said had been plotting a coup, in December 2013.
Little is still known about the elusive young man who is the youngest son of Kim Jong-il and his late third wife Ko Yong-hui.
Born in 1983 or early 1984, he was initially not thought to be in the frame to take up his father's mantle.
Analysts focused their attention on his half-brother Kim Jong-nam and older full brother Kim Jong-chol.
However Kim Jong-nam's deportation from Japan in May 2001 and middle brother Kim Jong-chol's apparent "unmanliness" improved his chances.
Analysts saw him as the coming man after he was awarded a series of high-profile political posts.
Swiss-educated like his brothers, Kim Jong-un avoided Western influences, returning home when not in school and dining out with the North Korean ambassador.
After his return to Pyongyang, he is known to have attended the Kim Il-sung Military University.
His mother was thought to be Kim Jong-il's favourite wife, and she clearly doted on her son, reportedly calling him the "Morning Star King".
In his 2003 book, I Was Kim Jong-il's Chef, a Japanese man writing under the pseudonym Kenji Fujimoto also claimed that Kim Jong-un was his father's favourite.
In August 2010 Kim Jong-il visited China. One South Korean TV station cited a South Korean official as saying Kim Jong-un had accompanied his father on the trip.
Some reports speculated that he had been anointed successor partly because of his resemblance to North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung.
A few North Korea watchers went so far as to say that he may have had plastic surgery to enhance the resemblance, in a country where the deification of the Kim family is at the heart of its grip on power.
Mr Kim made his first public speech as North Korea marked the 100th anniversary of the birthday of Kim Il-sung on 15 April 2012, praising the "military first" doctrine and vowing the time his nation could be threatened was "forever over".
"Superiority in military technology is no longer monopolised by imperialists," he said, adding: "We have to make every effort to reinforce the people's armed forces."
Not much was known of Mr Kim's personal life until television footage of an unidentified woman attending events with him surfaced. In July 2012, state media announced that Mr Kim was married to "Comrade Ri Sol-ju".
Little is know of Ms Ri, but her stylish appearance - short, chic haircut and Western dress - led some analysts to suggest that she was from an upper-class family and that she fits Mr Kim's efforts to project a more relaxed image compared to his predecessors.
Details surrounding the marriage of Mr Kim to Ms Ri remain unclear. Most reports had suggested that Ms Ri may have been a singer who caught Mr Kim's attention during a performance.
Aside from attending official events, the couple's public appearances have included visits to an amusement park and watching a concert featuring Disney characters.
American basketball star Dennis Rodman, who met Mr Kim in 2013 and 2014, told The Guardian newspaper that Mr Kim had a daughter.
In 2012, Mr Kim was appointed marshal - the highest military rank - following a high-level military reshuffle in which army chief Ri Yong-ho was removed.
Since then some of North Korea's actions have elicited condemnation from the international community.
A few months into his leadership, in April 2012, North Korea launched a rocket which it said would put a satellite into orbit. The unsuccessful launch was seen by many as a banned test of long-range missile technology.
This attempt was followed by a successful launch of a satellite into space, using a three-stage rocket, in December 2012. South Korea, Japan and the US said the launch was a disguised missile test, and the UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution condemning the launch and tightening sanctions.
In February 2013, North Korea carried out a third nuclear test, said to be twice as big as the 2009 test. This resulted in fresh sanctions from the UN Security Council.
In April 2013, heightened tension in the peninsula saw North Korea withdraw workers from the Kaesong industrial zone, jointly run with South Korea and the last symbol of inter-Korean co-operation. The zone was reopened in the following September after negotiations.
In January 2016, the regime made an as-yet unproven claim that it had successfully carried out its first underground hydrogen bomb test, triggering a global outcry and fears that the state, which has few allies, had acquired a more advanced nuclear capability than previously known.
The purge of his uncle in late 2013 caused international concern. Mr Chang was vice-chairman of the powerful National Defence Commission who sat at the heart of the country's leadership, and was seen as a major figure in Mr Kim's administration.
In his first public reference to the execution in a message broadcast on 1 January 2014, Mr Kim spoke of the "elimination of factionalist filth".


This week, Newsround is talking all about mental health and mental health problems.

27 March 2017 Last updated at 13:50 BST
When people say mental health, they are talking about how people think and feel, and how they are coping with things that are happening in their life.
It is completely normal to feel sad, angry or worried from time to time. But when those feelings won't go away and they start to really affect day-to-day life, that is when there can be a problem.
Many people can find it difficult to open up when they are struggling with their mental health.
Read this guide to find out more about why it's really important that people feel they can talk about mental health problems, and to get advice if you feel that it is something that's affecting you.


You've seen it at the end of BBC Sport programmes, you've RT or liked a post on social media, you may even have seen one of our features, but what is Get Inspired and, more importantly, what does it have to do with you?

We are a hub of information and resources just waiting to be used. We don't mind who you are, what your fitness level is or where you are in the UK. We don't even mind if you love or hate sport. We're here to give you all the information and motivational tools you need to get moving.
Still unsure? Here are just a couple of ways to use Get Inspired…
Our Activity Finder has a postcode search to help you find local activities that are free or low cost, in a location near you. You will find the Activity Finder on our homepage as well as on many of our features.  The database of activities is growing all the time so make sure you check regularly.
Whether you are looking for ways to get more active or you want to try something new, our activity guides can help you find your way. Most sports and physical activities have different variations of the game that you may not have considered before. Our guides give you an overview of different activities, as well as links to help you find out more.  New activities pop up all the time so we are constantly updating these pages.
Here are the ten most popular activity guides people are looking at on Get Inspired: Cycling,Running,Football,Swimming,Dance,Motorsport,Gymnastics,Boxing,Tennis,Golf
Want to be more active but not sure where to start? Or maybe you have some advice that might be useful to others? Our Twitter and Facebook accounts are an easy way to talk to folk about activity. We're here to put you in touch with the right person for your enquiry about physical activity - if we don't have the answer, we'll know someone who can help. Chat to us, through our social network.
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People everywhere are getting active every day for different reasons - whether it's for mental health, weight control, to commute, to keep up with their kids or because they love it - we've got loads of stories about all kinds of people doing all kinds of different activities. There is bound to be a story that resonates with you.
On our homepage you'll find the latest stories listed and you can  Catch up on what you've missed further down the page.
Here's a list of just some stories that have already inspired others:
"Running saved my Life" - Simon Lamb
The middle-aged champion gymnast;
Ken Bruce gets a lesson in trampoline;
What happens when you speed up golf?;
"Nothing is impossible" - the table tennis star with no arms
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Get Inspired HQ is in the heart of BBC Sport, both physically and metaphorically. Top athletes love their sport, so inspiring people to get active is what a lot of sports personalities are passionate about. This means that when they come to visit the BBC they like to stop by and impart some of their knowledge and experience onto you. Browse the Tips, Hints & Insights section on our homepage where you'll find a wide range of films that could help you.
People get inspired in different ways. For some it's finding out how elite athletes achieved their success, for others its hearing about how people like them find the time and motivation to make a change. Tell us, and everyone else, your story. Email or get in touch over Twitter or Facebook and help motivate someone else.
Throughout the year we find schemes, programmes or campaigns that you can get involved in. Being a part of something bigger than your usual circle can be incredibly rewarding, and the good news is that there are different ways to participate - it could be through social media, playing in a national tournament, or engaging with local schools or communities. Keep an eye out on our homepage for a project that you can sink your teeth into.
If you run a not-for-profit or public service organisation who run activities that involve active participation, why not become a partner? The Activity Finder is a hotline to people who want to find out about physical activity near them. If you match the criteria, sign up to be a partner and we'll have your taster sessions, classes and participation events searchable soon.
We're not here to tell you to get active - you've got enough people telling you to do that. We're not even here to tell you how to get active - we're not the experts. But we do have a load of different resources, stories and features for you to spark some of your own motivational ideas.
We know everyone is different and what inspires you is different to the next person. That's why you'll see all kinds of different stories, links, films & information on our website and social media accounts.
Use us selfishly. We like it.