Continuing to make my way through ‘Tribe of Mentors’, I’ve particularly enjoyed the entries by Jerzy and Anelia Gregorek – two poets and champion body-builders. Weight-lifting creative writers – not where I expected to find wisdom, and I found myself pleasantly surprised. Later I chided myself that I should even have been surprised. That I was gave an example of unconscious bias and unhelpful stereotyping. … Continue reading Body-building poets
Today I caught a train to Edale, which is easy is a shorter door to door round trip in the car. Catching the train made it a very different experience though. It felt much more of a day out than all the times I’ve driven there. Can you introduce a little difference in your day, that’ll make it feel a bit more special? Maybe just … Continue reading Edale jolly – the same but different
A very dear friend was describing a few years ago how he’d had a gut full and was fed up. ‘Gatvol’ he said, in his distinctive Afrikaans accent. The way he said it and the memory of what he was going through stuck. Very recently a new friend and colleague was telling me some of what they’re experiencing and how they didn’t understand why they … Continue reading Gatvol
While I don’t live Stoic philosophy as well I’d like to, I continue to get better at it. When I feel a poor reaction coming, I try to remember the acronym ‘WIN’ that I encountered on a sports coaching course. WIN – What’s Important Now. This isn’t about winning per se, it’s about doing the right thing in response to events. In line with your … Continue reading Playing to WIN
That’s being a little grandiose – I don’t have a business plan per se, though I do know quite clearly I want to go back into business for myself. As I mull it over and reflect on what the last decade has to teach me, I’m reminded of the Stockdale Paradox. I’ve mentioned it before, though some things bear repeating. If I try to create … Continue reading Stockdale and my business plan
My Aunt sent a nice message yesterday, Remembrance Day in the UK, about soldiering and its impact. Part of the message read: “war must never happen and yet it always does”. It’s true that there’s ongoing conflict around the globe. It’s true that climate change is going to raise global tension and that may lead to further conflict. It’s also true that there are less … Continue reading Not in the news so much
I read an article about pandemic purchases people had made, contrasting those that gave lasting value with those that are now gathering dust. Exercise bikes featured in both camps, highlighting that there isn’t a universal perfect product fit. Improvements to the home, sometimes the very same improvements, were rated differently according to their financial impact. I was reminded of one of my favourite reads, ‘The … Continue reading The psychology of money and things
Dehumanising leads to poor treatment of others, and we can all bring to mind where that might end. Right as our feelings (and biology) work to inflate our perspective and shrink another’s, work harder to find common ground. It’s not always there, but it’s always worth a look. Make the world a better place, at whatever level you can. Kindly, keep going. Continue reading Frustration can dehumanise
When you’re low on hope and with a poor expectation about the outcome, it’s hard to push through uncertainty. Sitting around feeling hopeless and fearing the worst doesn’t improve the chances, though. That’s not to say you can magically feel better and crack on. Regardless of how you feel, the important thing is how you act. Take the next step that’s in line with your … Continue reading Pushing through uncertainty
A friend recently related their thanks at something I’d ‘given’ them – confidence. Over the time I’ve known them, they’ve consistently done well across a range of things, not all of which I was directly involved in. I’ve quietly admired their work, and at a pivotal moment I played their accomplishments back to them. I bolstered their self-belief and in doing so helped them seize … Continue reading The value of attention
Sometimes You Learn 