You don’t become better by accident

One of the best things about my job is interviewing highly successful people. And I love to weave in a question or two about how they did it. After 30+ years no one has claimed ‘It just happened’ or occurred ‘by accident’. It’s invariably about intention, focused effort and the magic ingredient… Learning from others. […][...]

Why some lists are bad

I love lists. But not all lists. Most lists are good. But some lists are bad.  Here’s my list of bad lists.   To-Do Lists   That contain too many items and equal cognitive overload.   Guest Lists   Especially if you’re not on. ‘If your name’s not down, you’re not getting in’.   Play […][...]

I’m blue

I could say I’m a procrastinator. Or Good things come to those who wait. Either way, I’m two years behind schedule with something important. BUT, I’ve fixed it. You see, almost three years ago I published a book called 17. It was a limited-edition hardback. Only 1,000 copies were printed and each one was numbered […][...]

Stressed or Blessed?

Every week I have to think of a new subject to write for you. 300 witty words of how to’s and inspiration. I’m never stressed. Even when my assistant is screaming for the copy. I’m relaxed.   But find me five minutes late for a meeting… Cue: frantic fidgeting, increased heart rate and I’m sure […][...]

Are you filling potholes?

I live in the country, a place where there’s more sheep than people. Our house is situated at the end of a single-track lane. Not much traffic – nice. Every year, the local county council arrives with a truck full of tarmac and fills the many potholes. The quality of the repairs, and their subsequent […][...]

If you care… share

Last Saturday I hosted a very special event. DAY17 featured 17 amazing speakers who freely shared their incredible knowledge and expertise with 50 guests in the room and a further 75 online. Patrick Kielty, who would normally have his audience shedding tears of laughter, found another way to make us cry with his beautiful presentation […][...]

Standing on the scales… twice

I’ve been travelling recently – for work and fun. Which also means I hadn’t seen the bathroom scales in a while. Oh no. Isn’t it amazing what you’ll justify eating and drinking because you’re not at home?   Back to the scales.   I stepped on. Breathed in. (Why the heck would that make a […][...]

Slow Puncture

When the warning light flashes, the alarm pings and the message reads ‘Check Tyre Pressure’ your heart drops. The idea of struggling by the roadside, lugging wheels and fixing the fault doesn’t fill me with joy. But then… Nothing changes. There’s only been a tiny pressure drop, in just one tyre and with a puff […][...]

Who was the last interesting person you met?

You meet people every day. Dozens probably. But how many of those people would you describe as genuinely interesting? Would you like to meet more? There’s a knack to meeting them. Most of what I’ve written below is ridiculously obvious, the best methods usually are, but do you know them or do them?   Environment […][...]

Learning is boring

The challenge with a lot of learning is the lessons are just too long, too impractical and too boring. There’s a whole bunch of research that shows how tired brains start to switch off long before teachers realise they’ve lost their class. That’s why short, powerful, exciting messages are much better. And I can prove […][...]

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