Align options with intent
Before you put yourself in a position where your decisions won’t align with your intent, do all you can to create structures around you so this alignment is closer. Heighten your awareness of penalties and rewards with particular actions so your options in the moment feel limited. As an example, there is no better deterrent […]
Stages of your journey
It’s better to consider a journey one stage at a time rather than planning the whole journey at the start. This is because it’s very challenging to know precisely how your journey will go, and setting a strict path may limit you if reality plays out differently. But you may be wondering how to define […]
Socialise with colleagues
I used to work with a graduate who was very eager to impress in their role. So much so that they would decline to attend lunches with the office in favour of getting more work done. You may think that this would be an ideal situation for the manager. But after these invitations were declined […]
Unlearning
Sometimes making a change in life isn’t about learning something new, it’s about unlearning something that’s established. This extends across everything in life. It can be applied to a behaviour, a belief, a response, an assumption. It’s hard to unlearn something that’s established. Maybe that’s why we are drawn to doing things that are new […]
Avoid using flattering measurements
To make meaningful progress, you need to identify measurements that will clearly show if you’re moving towards or away from your intended target. Don’t get tempted with measurements that sound impressive but tell you nothing about the progress you’re supposed to be making. As an example, sales for a business tells you nothing about how […]
Non-alcoholic drinks
The quality of non-alcoholic drinks has increased a lot in recent years. Alcohol companies are investing heavily in providing a full range of options to consumers, and there’s lots of micro and boutique breweries popping up with great selections. So much so that there are some bottle shops that exclusively stock non-alcoholic drinks. I personally […]
Choosing a feeling word
Labelling emotions is helpful to express how we’re feeling to others and to ourselves. The problem though is it’s hard to describe our emotions when we’re feeling them, especially when they’re strong. So rather than trying to find a word, why not choose a word? There are many lists of emotions you can find online, […]
You’ll wish you had started now
Did you start the year with a goal? How are you going with it? Were you keen to pursue it but decided not to because it felt too far in the future to achieve? Well it’s now 30 days later. Would you have achieved your goal by now if you had started then? Time is […]
The mask
Always a maskHeld in the slim hand whitelyAlways she had a mask before herface- Truly the wristHolding it lightlyFitted the task:Sometimes howeverWas there a shiver,Fingertip quiver,Ever so slightly-Holding the mask? For years and years and years IwonderedBut dared not askAnd then-I blundered,Looked behind the mask,To findNothing- She had no face.She had becomeMerely a handHolding a […]
Giving feedback when asked
When someone asks you for feedback, it’s good to first ask them what feedback they’d like. Even though you have been invited for feedback, it’s unlikely that the person is keen to receive your unfiltered opinion. If you do so, you risk sharing something that’s not relevant to what they’re really looking for. Worse still, […]