I love posting books to friends. The hardest part is fighting the urge to re-read a book before sending it, because I’d only send a book I feel there’s a lot of value in reading. And yet, it’s not that often that I do actually re-read a book – the urge is strongest right when I’m about to send one somewhere. Every time I’ve re-read … Continue reading Posting and re-reading of books
I’m paying an expensive therapist weekly, to embed me firmly in the process of living by my values and engaging with the present. It’s thoroughly worthwhile and a sound investment for the future. So much so that I’d love to speak with my younger self and encourage learning the ACT framework before any difficulty, to get more out of life and give more to the … Continue reading The Therapist and the Alchemist’s Tales
I had my first experience of being a Dungeon Master today, enjoying facilitating a D&D game for some new friends. It didn’t go smoothly nor particularly in line with the rules, I felt. What it did do was illustrate where I have more to learn, show I can already do some things well, encourage the use of different online tools, point to better ways of … Continue reading Crystallising knowledge
At the day job I had a few things go wrong today and I was speaking to a colleague who said “heyho, I usually learn more when it’s broke”. It’s true, but why? Because when it’s broken, if we really want to fix it, we get look closely at how something works. We follow our noses, weigh up options, carefully consider consequences. We get curious, … Continue reading Learning more when its broken
As I thought about my next career steps today I wasn’t feeling enthusiasm for what seems the obvious next step. Unsure of what to aim for, I pulled back from thinking of paths and asked myself in what areas I most wanted to grow. There, where my curiosity is naturally engaged, seems the best way forward for the long term. Kindly, keep going. Continue reading Where do you want to go
Over the course of my career to date, I’ve come across more technical details than I could hope to remember. When I happen on something unfamiliar, I try to look into it enough to be sure there’s not a complication I need to grasp. I’m not looking to get it totally, merely to absorb the key concepts involved. Thinking this way – in principles and … Continue reading Detail is good, principles are better
Is the world short of profound insight, or merely short of it being applied? What does that mean for you? Continue reading Profound insight
Having established that inquiry is more important than certainty, it’s worth thinking about where to inquire. Be wary of folks whose answers support only their own conclusions. Be pleased when you’re given the scope to probe, interpret and challenge. Be alert when opinion is dressed up as fact. Be content when your answer is a deeper, more meaningful question. Genuine inquiry is a challenge and … Continue reading Where to inquire
Improvement is invariably incremental. An apparent big bang, or overnight success, is built on smaller steps that might seem imperceptible at the time. If you’re not feeling that you’re getting there, remember that you’re putting in another of those steps towards success. Focus on that, one step at a time. Kindly, keep going. Continue reading Getting better at something
When struggling to be motivated, things can seem a real challenge. If there’s opportunity, indulge your curiosity for a while. When you free of responsibility and can enjoy open-ended learning, however briefly, your spirits lift. The deadlock breaks. Motivation returns. You can keep going. Continue reading Following curiosity
Sometimes You Learn 