As I wrote in my last post, since turning 50 I’ve found myself wrestling more often with those big, existential questions. It’s a real tension: my mission is to help people connect with information and inspire them to reach their potential, yet sometimes the world stage makes it feel like we're heading in the opposite … Continue reading When the world feels heavy, look closer to home
Tag: mindfulness
Navigating faith, doubt, and the second half of life
There’s a phrase that has been knocking around in my thinking for some time now: “the second half of life”. My path toward understanding this transition began, in part, by listening to Fr. Richard Rohr’s book, Falling Upward. The core insight - that wisdom involves embracing doubt and struggle rather than seeking simple answers - … Continue reading Navigating faith, doubt, and the second half of life
Hiut Denim
Last week I visited somewhere I've wanted to go for ages. And I spent more money on a single pair of jeans (again) than I've spent on a whole suit in the past!Why the hell would I do that?1. They are Hiuts. Simply the best quality jeans I have ever owned (this is my second … Continue reading Hiut Denim
The dojo
This is my dojo. Wait a minute... Where are the mats? The punchbags? The people in white suits shouting? Well that's one kind of dojo, yes. One in which I have spent a huge portion of my adult life! But the dojo is not exclusive to martial arts. The word "dojo" means a place of … Continue reading The dojo
Inertia and momentum
Let’s talk about physics. OK please don’t stop reading, because this is one of the best life hacks I ever learned! Inertia and momentum are two powerful physical properties of matter. In very simple language, inertia is the force which must be overcome in order to start a body moving. Momentum, by contrast, is the force … Continue reading Inertia and momentum
Empathy
There's a fact about the human condition which explains a lot about the ways we often interact. When I do something, I understand my reasons for doing it - all of the reasons, emotions and back-story to whatever that act is. When someone else does something though, we have none of that context. All that … Continue reading Empathy
What’s a hedgehog got to do with anything?
K.I.S.S. Not the Prince song, the acronym - Keep It Simple, Stupid. It’s blunt advice, but also very valuable. In many areas of life, the simple strategy is often the best one. In his landmark book Good to Great, Jim Collins and his team came across this same thing in all of the successful companies … Continue reading What’s a hedgehog got to do with anything?
What if?
"What if...?" is a question of possibilities. Future states which have not yet come to pass. But it's a question that cuts two ways which, depend on your predominant outlook in life. It's sometimes a question of risk and worry: "What if you lose your job?" "What if I get ill?" "What if the car … Continue reading What if?
Simple work vs. the cost of living
Back in 2020, while in the middle of a lengthy renovation of our front garden, I wrote a post about monotonous work. I found myself thinking about that again today. You see, in the kind of work that I do (professional services/management consultancy), sometimes I finish a day’s work and wonder what I have actually … Continue reading Simple work vs. the cost of living
On mindfulness – part 1 (at least)
Mindfulness. Some people swear by it, some people swear at it. I’m going to come right out of the blocks declaring that I am a big fan of it. I think that there’s a lot of negativity around mindfulness because of twee internet memes, or the false promise that it’s a quick fix. It’s definitely … Continue reading On mindfulness – part 1 (at least)
That Richard Bloke 