My aim is to inspire people around the world one blog post at a time.
This is the place to nourish your mind, heart, body and soul.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch your own business. Maybe you want to escape the rat race and find peace in simple living. Maybe you want to improve your health. Whatever your dream is, it is valid!
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Dreams without action are just dreams. But taking action doesn’t necessarily mean quitting your job and burning the ocean. Small steps matter. It is the ability to plug away consistently at something over time that is the key. Small steps add up. You’ll get there!
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If you keep building slowly and consistently with passion each day, adding value that matters to you, then the growth will take care of itself. The keys to achieving success are patience and avoiding complacency.
The New Gold
Walk into any boardroom in 2025 and you will hear three familiar words pop up again and again: data, energy and water.
These three simple words are likely the new gold of the 21st century because they share four features with historical gold rushes:
1. They are scarce in the places that need them most.
2. They are unevenly distributed.
3. They carry outsized geopolitical leverage, and
4. They can compound value across the rest of the economy.
So, suppose you are planning a strategy for a country, a company, or your own career. In that case, it is essential to understand why these resources have moved to the centre of power, who stands to win, who may lose, how quickly the shift is unfolding, and where the proverbial new seams will be found.
Oxygen
If you’re a leader, understand this: Recognition isn’t a perk. It’s oxygen. Without it, people suffocate.
If you have seen a capable person slowly disengage at work, you may know how quietly suffocation happens. They start showing up a little later, speaking less, and volunteering less often. It's nothing dramatic; just the creeping absence of air.
The uncomfortable truth for leaders is that recognition is not a perk for good times; it is the oxygen people breathe at work. When it is present, you barely notice it. When it is absent, everything begins to fail.
This article unpacks why recognition matters, how to do it well, what to avoid, and which real-world examples show the idea in action.
Our Tendency to Misjudge
Humans pride themselves on being rational creatures, capable of weighing evidence and making sound decisions. Yet, as history and experience keep reminding us, we are prone to repeated errors of judgment.
No one explained this better than Charlie Munger, vice-chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and long-time business partner of Warren Buffett.
Munger argued that most mistakes in judgment come not from ignorance of facts but from psychological tendencies that subtly distort how we interpret the world.
He identified 25 psychological biases and tendencies, compiled in his book "Poor Charlie's Almanack," to understand and avoid common patterns of human misjudgment.
In his famous talk, “The Psychology of Human Misjudgment”, he explains several of these “misjudgments.”
By understanding them, we can become more aware of our blind spots, improve our decisions, and avoid traps that have cost individuals and organisations dearly.
This Is Me (Pty) Ltd
There is a simple equation for individual success. Build something genuinely good, then make sure the right people know it exists.
For professionals, the “product” is their capability and character. The “marketing” is their personal brand, the way others understand what they do, the results they deliver, and the values they stand for.
Tom Peters captured this many years ago with a rallying cry that still rings true: “You are the chief marketer for the brand called You”.
A strong personal brand is not a vanity project. It is a practical system for earning trust, creating opportunity, and compounding the value of your work over time.
You’re Not Just Light … You’re Shadows Too
At some point in our lives, we’ve all been told to “focus on the positive,” “be the light,” or “choose kindness.”
And while those sentiments carry value, they can sometimes paint an incomplete picture of what it means to be fully human.
The truth is, you are not just light. You are shadows, too.
Embracing both sides, the light and the dark, is necessary for self-understanding and authentic connection with others.
So, let’s explore some practical examples, dig deeper into this idea, and use the lens of personality (in this case, the somewhat simplistic but well-known Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) to appreciate the full spectrum of who we are as humans.
The Subtle Art of Quiet Quitting
In today’s workplace, you may have heard the buzzword “Quiet Quitting.”
It’s been circulating in conversations about work culture, employee satisfaction, and mental health, but what does it mean?
“Quiet Quitting” isn’t about physically quitting your job; it’s about mentally and emotionally disengaging from it while still being present.
It’s a subtle form of protest where employees, feeling undervalued, overwhelmed, or unmotivated, decide to do the bare minimum required to stay employed.
This phenomenon raises an important question: Why are so many employees adopting this mindset? Is it a reflection of laziness, a cry for help, or an indictment of today’s work culture?
Why Teenagers Rebel
We’ve all either lived through it, witnessed it, or felt baffled by it—the infamous teenage rebellion.
It’s the eye rolls at dinner, the dramatic door slams, the dyed hair, the midnight escapades, the loud music with incomprehensible lyrics, or the blunt “you just don’t understand me.”
Teenage rebellion is one of human development's most familiar and misunderstood chapters.
But what if we stopped seeing rebellion as defiance and started viewing it as part of a necessary, even healthy, transformation?
This blog article explores the root causes of teenage rebellion, how it manifests, and how families, educators, and society can compassionately and constructively engage with it.
Underneath the eye-rolling and resistance lies something more meaningful: a young person discovering who they are.
Navigating Office Politics
“In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
If you replace “politics” with “office politics” in the above quote by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the words still ring true.
Whether we like it or not, office politics are everywhere.
They creep into meetings, linger in the hallways and the coffee station, and influence decisions behind closed doors.
Many associate the term with manipulation, favouritism, or backstabbing, but that’s a narrow, often cynical, view.
Office politics are fundamentally about human behaviour, power dynamics, and influence.
They’re about surviving your job and learning how to thrive.
This article, therefore, explores what it means to be politically savvy, why it’s an essential skill in modern workplaces, and how to develop it without compromising your integrity.
Foundations of Success
I have spent over thirty-five years working in human resources and witnessed many careers tank or skyrocket.
In recent years, I have noticed an increasing trend of impatience among younger people who expect to occupy a senior role in an organisation soon after achieving an academic qualification, despite spending little to no time in the proverbial trenches.
However, the brutal truth is that success is not tied solely to academic qualifications or inherent talent. While these attributes may open doors, they are the first step in a much larger journey.
What ultimately defines success is the life skills individuals develop and master along the way, skills that help them navigate challenges, build relationships, and continuously grow.
And these life skills take time to develop.
It is said that the road to failure is often paved with good intent, but those who cultivate a foundation of essential life skills have a better chance of achieving lasting success.
Qualifications may get you a seat at the table, but life skills ensure you will stay there and thrive.
So, let's examine some essential life skills and ask ourselves how long it takes to become exceptional in these areas.
Can all of these be acquired without experience?
What Makes Change Sticky?
Let’s be honest. Change is hard.
If you’ve ever tried to get your team to adopt new software, follow a new process, or shift a long-standing mindset, you know the feeling.
The endless town halls. The flashy PowerPoint decks. The “strategic transformation roadmap” that got rolled out with great enthusiasm… only to fizzle out six months later.
So, the question isn’t how to launch change. That’s easy.
The real question is: What makes change stick?
The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers
Many may wonder if original thinkers are rare and if they are born with a special genius. They imagine people like Steve Jobs or Marie Curie blessed with divine inspiration, producing breakthrough ideas easily, clearly, and boldly.
But what if they’ve got it all wrong? What if original thinking isn’t about being a natural-born visionary or having a high IQ?
What if it’s more about specific habits and ways of thinking — many of which might surprise you?
In his brilliant book Originals, organisational psychologist Adam Grant dismantles the myth that originality belongs to the rebellious few.
Instead, he shows how anyone can learn to champion new ideas and challenge the status quo.
The truth is that original thinkers often behave in counterintuitive, even messy ways. But it’s those exact quirks that make their thinking so powerful.
So, let’s look at some of the surprising traits and habits of original thinkers, understand their impact on the world, and, more importantly, discover how to develop your original mind.
Does Attitude Change Behaviour – Or Is it the Other Way Around?
Let’s start with a story.
Imagine you’ve decided to start going to the gym. You buy new sneakers, download a fitness app, and set your alarm for 6 a.m. Monday rolls around. That alarm screams in your ear, and your first thought isn’t “I love working out!”—it’s more like, “Why am I doing this to myself?”
But you drag yourself out of bed. You go. And the next day, you do it again. Fast-forward two weeks: you’re not only still going—you want to go.
What changed?
It wasn’t your attitude that kicked off the new habit. It was your behaviour. You acted first. And your attitude followed.
So, does attitude change behaviour?
Who Moved My Cheese?
In 1998, Spencer Johnson published a simple, motivational story that helps people deal with change in a positive and proactive way.
The book is set in a simple, imaginary maze where four characters live: two mice named Sniff and Scurry and two tiny human-like beings named Hem and Haw.
They all spend their days searching for “cheese,” which represents whatever makes them happy such as success, love, money, a job, health, or peace of mind.
One day, the cheese they’ve all been enjoying suddenly disappears.
Instinctive and straightforward, the mice quickly accepted the change and set off into the maze to find new cheese.
But Hem and Haw, the little people, struggle.
Is Emotional Commitment the Key to Employee Engagement?
When discussing employee engagement, the conversation often revolves around understanding why some employees go above and beyond while others do the bare minimum.
What differentiates a highly engaged employee from a disengaged one?
According to the Corporate Leadership Council (CLC), the answer lies in understanding two key types of commitment: rational and emotional.
Both types of commitment play essential roles in driving engagement, but emotional commitment is where the magic happens—it’s what fuels the passion, loyalty, and extra effort that are the hallmarks of high-performing teams.
I Agree You Nod - Thinking What a Crock of Sh#t
Have you ever found yourself nodding along in a conversation, even when your inner thoughts scream in disagreement?
Many people experience this phenomenon, often referred to as “social agreeableness. " It refers to our propensity to conform to social norms, often at the expense of our authentic opinions.
So why do people nod in agreement despite their true feelings? Who are the individuals most susceptible to this behaviour, and how can we recognise these patterns in ourselves and others?
What Defines Exceptional CEOs?
When you think about an exceptional CEO, what comes to mind first?
Is it charisma? Ruthless efficiency? Maybe a big personality that dominates every room they walk into?
Those might be common traits we associate with CEOs, but they don’t quite capture what sets the great ones apart.
The truth is that exceptional CEOs share a deeper set of qualities—things that don’t always appear on the surface but make all the difference over time. It’s less about showmanship and more about substance.
So, let’s take a closer look at what truly defines an exceptional CEO, using some real-world examples to see these traits in action.
Conversations With Yourself
Have you ever caught yourself in mid-thought and wondered, “Who exactly am I talking to?”
The voice in your head—sometimes encouraging, sometimes critical—narrates your life, debates your choices, and even argues with itself. But if it’s your mind producing these thoughts, then who is listening?
This strange loop of self-reflection is at the heart of human consciousness.
We are both the speaker and the listener, creating an internal dialogue that defines our identity. This process is not just idle chatter; it’s a psychological mechanism that shapes our perception of reality, influences our decisions, and determines our sense of self.
To better understand this, it is useful to examine Carl Jung’s analytical psychology, Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy, and some of the broader mysteries of the human psyche.
Wisdom from Winnie the Pooh
Winnie the Pooh, a beloved bear created by author A.A. Milne, maybe a children’s character, but his simple yet profound wisdom also has much to offer adults.
The stories about Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood are filled with timeless truths about friendship, love, and the nature of happiness.
In this essay, we will reflect on some of Winnie the Pooh’s most insightful quotes and explore their relevance to adult life.
Nobody Is Thinking About You
Have you ever walked into a room and felt like everyone was staring at you, silently judging your outfit, hair, or that tiny stain on your shirt?
Or maybe you’ve spent hours agonising over something embarrassing you said in a conversation, convinced that everyone is replaying it in their minds, shaking their heads at your awkwardness.
Here’s the truth: nobody is thinking of you, at least not in the way you imagine.
People are too busy thinking about themselves, their worries, mistakes, hopes, and dreams.
This realisation might feel humbling at first, but if you let it sink in, it can be one of the most freeing ideas you ever embrace.
Billionaire to Bust?
Success often breeds ambition, which can lead to overreach when left unchecked.
The idea that pushing too far eventually catches up with individuals and businesses has been repeated throughout history.
Overreach can manifest in different ways: expanding a business too quickly, entering industries without sufficient expertise, or misusing power, which alienates supporters.
Over time, what starts as bold ambition can turn into a self-destructive force.
In modern times, a prime example is Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur who has built some of the most transformative companies of the 21st century.
Yet, despite his achievements, Musk has also become a polarising figure.
His tendency to overextend himself in business and his use of personal influence has created a significant backlash that threatens his empire.