If you cook at all and do not yet have a high-quality knife, I do recommend you invest in one. Handling such an object brings…
Ikigai
Can you do what you love?
"Do what you love" The kind of internet meme that can drive working folk mad, their response often being: "I can't do what I love, I have to do work I have to do to get paid". Well, this week I flew overseas to support a client with an annual leadership team meeting....
Purpose, your inner rocket fuel
This week I left home one day at 1pm for a truly intense day and a half of client work, yet when I got home late the next evening I felt great at all levels. The secret? Yes, I make sure I look after myself physically (sleep, exercise, nutrition etc), I am a...
Lessons from Music: Curiosity and Growth
Growth mindset is key to leadership. Curiosity is key to leadership In my youth I learned and played musical instruments, yet somehow got in my mind that I couldn't improve, couldn't grow to a level that would satisfy me. I then lost my curiosity and sense of wonder...
Only enough Structure to allow Flow
"Only enough Structure to allow Flow" This is a personal mantra for me now and is the reason why the two photos above could happen. I used to be known to plan life with great detail, packing the diary days, weeks,...
Is yours, could yours be a Beautiful Business?
Is yours a Beautiful Business? If not, could yours be a Beautiful Business? If the question intrigues you read on, and if you connect to it at the end of this piece, let's talk. Soon. Recently I was introduced to Alan Moore, founder of Beautiful.Business and writer of...
Leadership: Romance, Life in Full Colour and Magical Reality
Today I'll muse on life, art and how what I have learned links to leadership in business. Romantic Idealism. First, I'll look being a romantic and idealism in leadership. Next, I'll explore what I mean by "Life in Full Colour" and then taking risks in leadership....
Create Serendipity
Are you or your business lucky ? do you benefit or suffer from coincidences? I don't believe in luck, I believe in serendipity. Serendipity is not luck, it is not coincidence. Serendipity is something you can choose to create for yourself and in the way you lead and...
Writing I Love – Self-Awareness and Rumi
Up until about a month ago, once a week I posted "Writing I Love", then chose to stop setting a regular schedule for it and simply to allow #Flow, with that last post being one I wrote the day Anthony Bourdain died. More recently I wrote "Leadership – The impact of...
Leadership – The impact of beautiful art
"We’re all lonely for something we don’t know we’re lonely for." ~ David Foster Wallace Early morning, awake and reading a lovely book by Matt Haig called "The Humans". As I read, I am stopped and mesmerised by this beautiful quote in the book from David Foster...
Trust that the dots will connect
“You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” ~ Steve Jobs Yesterday I wrote about "Commitment, Boldness and Magic" from a log cabin under majestic...
What would it take for you to be rich?
What would it take for you to be rich ? (hint.. perhaps not more money)
Ikigai and Bacon Rolls
In the middle of October last year I went for my last bike ride of the season around Richmond Park and after that, I was inspired to write about Ikigai and Bacon rolls. I'm going to simply repeat the core of that post below. Please scroll down and read that first,...
Ben Hogan: Deliberate Practice
The summer I was 15, the weather in the Scottish Borders was beautiful (so my memory tells me!). That year I got the "bug" to play golf. Junior membership was almost free and I rode my bike to the club with an old "half set" of clubs and spent all day there most of...
Ikigai, Presence.. Bucket Lists
Ikigai, Presence.. Bucket Lists, and 2001 A Space Odyssey
Leap and the net will appear
Leap and the net will appear. What are you waiting for ? Sharing a success story to show you don’t need to know what the…
Letting the light shine in for others
The first in series of posts where I seek to find what it is that I do in my work so as to let the…
Writing I Love – The Little Prince
Paint a picture with words and other will follow. Lessons from Saint Ex.
Yūgen
Yūgen, Ikigai, Flow. What do these words mean to you ?
Writing I Love – The Little Book of Ikigai
Ikigai, Flow and Leadership
How do you know if you could be an Entrepreneur?
Are you or could you be an Entrepreneur ? Simply be Entrepreneurial ? Find out from these “acid tests”
Writing I Love – Philosophy from Calvin (and Hobbes!)
Philosophy and Humour from some favourite comic strips
Smashing Paradigms – Do Less, Achieve More
Do Less, Achieve More. Yes, really. A live example of the value of this, then three areas with tips and practices from @MortenTHansen and myself.
Be Brave, Own It! – Keala’s “This is Me” Moment
A story of bravery, owning it, inspiring self and others. #itsyourfault @kealasettle #andtheoscargoesto #thisisme
Purpose, Passion, Makers, Utopias
What links Brunel to the Entrepreneurs who make @SEVENFEETAPART shoes and to New Lanark ? Purpose and Passion perhaps ?
Know Thyself – the story of Yale’s Most Popular Class Ever
Know Thyself – ancient Delphic wisdom for elite leadership, illustrated by this story from Yale
Purpose, work, gifts, sharing
“The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your…
Purpose – the need for meaning is infinite
What brings meaning to your life and work?
Purpose – Clarity, Service, Virtuous circles
Some tips on what I’ve learned around helping people find their Purpose.
A Purpose Story – “I have a dream”
Are you a purpose-driven leader? What is your “I have a dream?”, what drives you and has your people follow you?
Memento Mori
This week a twist, three powerful commencement speeches to share
Storytelling – A Purpose Story
Do you know your Purpose? Here is how I found mine through a peer group. Talk to me about joining our new group in London.
Writing I love – Man’s Search for Meaning
The book I recommend to leaders above all others. Read why
New Year – Your “Why” comes before setting goals
Learn the story of the greek fisherman and then consider your WHY for 2018.
InnSaei – to see from the Inside Out
"We have to be really ready to fail, the failure... to be part of the journey" "To me, going to the unknown is absolutely rule number one" “in order to create something new human beings need to go into the unknown” Marina Abramovic, interviewed in the documentary...
Leadership and Resilience
Give abundantly, and also set boundaries and be resilient. Find the balance