As part of my Stoic practice, I occasionally engage in visualising something dear to me being unexpectedly taken. I find this difficult. For the obvious reason that when I ‘get it right’ I experience an almost tangible sense of loss, which challenges my emotional resilience (which is, of course, the point). Perhaps less obviously though, it’s because I feel that whatever happens I will adjust … Continue reading Negative visualisation is difficult for me.

I was chatting with a friend today about what the future holds for his three delightful girls. That caused me to reflect on my own daughter, who is now 27 and has been through a heck of a lot – as have I. Things don’t turn often out quite the way we plan. In so far as we make preparations, that in itself doesn’t guarantee … Continue reading Improving the odds.

In many ways I see it as my enemy, but perhaps that language is too strong. I’ve just had a quick look on t’web to see if other folks have issues with infinite scroll and certainly some do. Technical quibbles, bookmarking, locating footer information – but very little mention of why I’m not a fan. Primarily, I see it as a device for capturing and … Continue reading Infinite scroll is not my friend!

More and more communication tools are vying for our attention. At work I contend with Outlook, Lync, Teams, Slack and the phone. At home (and wherever I go, with a mobile) there’s a good few email clients, messaging, WhatsApp, Signal, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more. All of these want to show notifications. All of these want their slice of my time. But should I be … Continue reading Does it deserve your attention?

I’m a practising (and still needing much practice) Stoic. The joyful philosopher kind, not the indifferent interpretation one most often thinks of. This means, among other things, that I accept the moment as it presents itself and I’m not controlled by a desire for pleasure or a fear of pain. Emotion is experienced but rational thinking and discipline allow the stoic to put emotion to … Continue reading The little things matter.

After reading The Goal, I feel I understand this quite clearly. Before then though, it might have struck me as an odd thing to say. Businesses must operate with efficiency in mind in order to make money. Individuals should efficiently work their way through tasks efficiency in order to achieve more. This received wisdom felt like axioms on which to build and grow, but actually … Continue reading Efficient isn’t always the point. Be effective.

Not least because I subscribe to ‘A Learning a Day’ which has been developing my thinking for some time now. Indeed, Rohan’s blog is one of the key influences in starting this series of my own notes! Today was a whole bunch of lessons about the underpinnings of the industrial age, while I was at the Elsecar Heritage Centre. Once a thriving location in the … Continue reading Learning. Every day.

Not that they’re mutually exclusive, but there really is a difference. I popped into a coffee shop a little while ago and their card machine was down, which I didn’t learn until after they’d started brewing and the (delicious) flapjack was placed in front of me. I offered to go get cash and instead I was offered some trust. Some days later I dropped by … Continue reading Transaction or relationship?

I caught up with an old friend and former colleague yesterday. He’s about to be my new boss having got in touch to see if I’d like to join him in crafting something awesome! After talking through life’s ups and downs and looking at software I wrote ten years ago – that, to our mutual surprise, is still in use – I reflected on things … Continue reading Are you going where I’m going?

This seems, to me, and especially when writing about me, to be a bold statement. I draw from the tail-end of a popular quote: To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. Ralph Waldo Emerson Two people I love dearly are finding their lives easier because I’m around. I’m not lavishing gifts on them, they don’t … Continue reading I am succeeding.