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.
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.
When Giants Stumble
Have you ever wondered why even seemingly invincible brands sometimes stumble and fail?
This article will examine key reasons, including ten case studies, to crystallise the lessons.
The thread that runs through all of them is not a single villain like “technology” or “the economy,” but a cluster of reinforcing mistakes: strategic inertia, business-model lock-in, heavy debt, warped incentives, a culture that slows honest learning, and late or timid responses to platform shifts.
When those errors compound, even icons fall.
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?
Maximise Yor Impact
There’s a simple reason some leaders seem to move mountains while others are forever stuck rearranging pebbles.
The best leaders consistently do the right work at the right level. It remains one of the most powerful leadership lessons I have learnt.
Originally published in November 2000, Stephen Drotter co-authored The Leadership Pipeline, which HR Professionals quickly embraced as a means of approaching leadership development.
However, whilst working with Stephen Drotter for a short while during the implementation of the Leadership Pipeline at the organisation I was working for, I soon discovered that it was a robust framework for understanding how to structure work in a business to optimise results.
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.
Beat the Odds in a World of Failing Projects
In a world where ambition often outpaces excellent execution, large-scale projects such as bridges, airports, rail systems, or digital platforms can be challenging to get right.
In “How Big Things Get Done”, Oxford professor Bent Flyvbjerg and journalist Dan Gardner dive into why so many megaprojects fail and what separates the rare successes from the overwhelming number of failures.
The numbers are sobering: 92% of megaprojects are over budget, late, or both.
Even more alarming, a mere 0.5% are delivered on time, on budget, and with the promised benefits.
But Flyvbjerg and Gardner aren’t just critical voices. They offer clear, research-backed strategies for doing things differently and more effectively.
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?
Global Debt and Trade Wars
Debt used to be something most people only worried about when it came time to pay off their mortgage or student loans.
But is global debt emerging as a global crisis in our modern world?
Governments, companies, and households worldwide are swimming in red ink, and the water is rising. From Washington to Beijing to Brussels, the world’s biggest economies are shouldering record-breaking debt loads.
Add a revived tariff war sparked by Donald Trump’s return to the political scene, and you’ve got a world economy teetering between resilience and recklessness.
In this article, we’ll unpack the state of global debt today. We’ll dig into the specifics of the U.S., China, and Europe (the three heavyweight economies) and explore what their rising obligations mean for your wallet, the markets, and the future of global cooperation.
Puzzles vs Mysteries
The concept of puzzles vs mysteries can serve as a valuable strategic lens for modern businesses.
Why?
In today’s fast-paced and unpredictable world, business leaders face many diverse problems.
Some come neatly packaged with data and frameworks. Others arrive murky, tangled in uncertainty, and impossible to pin down.
In his widely acclaimed book The Wisdom of Crowds, James Surowiecki offers a compelling lens for viewing these problems, namely the distinction between puzzles and mysteries.
He argues that understanding the difference between a puzzle and a mystery can fundamentally change how we think, plan, and lead.
Successful Choices in a World of Risk
Let’s be honest; we all want to make good choices.
Whether deciding on a career path, launching a new product, or simply figuring out if we should trust the weather app for that weekend hike—we crave clarity.
Yet, we live in a world filled with uncertainty, randomness, and incomplete information. So, how can we consistently make successful choices in a world of risk?
In his brilliant book “The Art of Uncertainty”, David Spiegelhalter offers a refreshing reminder: “Success isn’t about eliminating uncertainty—it’s about learning to live with it better.”
Let’s take a closer look.
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.
Building Circles of Influence
Ever heard the phrase, "It's not what you know, it's who you know"? There is a measure of truth in this.
Essentially, it refers to circles of influence; a network of relationships and connections that can open doors, provide support, and help you achieve your goals.
There is a limit to what we can achieve by ourselves. So, building circles of influence is key to success, whether you're trying to advance your career, launch a new business, or make a difference in your community.
Imagine throwing a pebble into a pond.
The pebble creates ripples that expand outward in concentric circles. Each circle represents a layer of influence, starting from your immediate family and closest friends and then extending further to acquaintances, colleagues, and beyond.
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.
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.
Think Like a Genius
In a world of complexity, how do some individuals consistently make brilliant decisions, solve challenging problems, and uncover insights others miss?
In this chaotic reality, some people seem to rise above it all. They see patterns others miss, solve problems elegantly, and make decisions that seem almost prescient.
Are they geniuses? Maybe.
But more often, they are people who have mastered the use of mental models.
Mental models are the tools of the mind, allowing us to “see the forest from the trees.” They help us zoom out, connect disparate ideas, and avoid cognitive traps.
They’re not rigid formulas but tools to help you simplify complexity, avoid common cognitive pitfalls, and think clearly. By learning and applying them, you can approach life’s challenges with the same clarity as the great thinkers of our time.
On the Edge of Chaos
We live in a world where change is the only constant. Each day seems to bring a new development, a fresh crisis, or an unexpected breakthrough, often leaving us teetering on the edge of chaos.
This is not hyperbole but an increasingly accurate reflection of our global reality. Climate change, political instability, economic turbulence, and technological disruption are converging to create a unique and highly precarious moment for humanity.
It feels as though we are standing at a crossroads that, depending on our decisions today, could lead to vastly different futures.
There are arguably many actors contributing to the colourful global stage we inhabit. But in this essay, we’ll explore six critical global events driving us toward this precipice.
Each represents a source of both danger and opportunity and together, they illustrate how humankind is inching toward an uncertain future.
Sometimes You Are The Problem
Employees quit their jobs for many reasons, but the root of the problem is often found within a company’s culture, leadership, and management practices.
When employees leave, it’s easy for employers to point fingers or blame external factors such as market trends or the employees themselves.
But the uncomfortable truth is that, in many cases, the company itself is the problem.
Here are 12 hidden reasons why employees leave a company.
So … You Want To Be A Leader?
Popular culture often romanticises leadership as a noble pursuit that comes with prestige, accolades, and widespread admiration.
However, the reality of leadership is far more complex and fraught with challenges.
To become a successful leader, one must confront uncomfortable truths.
These truths, though daunting, are essential for anyone aspiring to lead effectively.
Let’s explore these hard truths, demonstrating their significance through the experiences of well-known leaders and public figures.
Fortune Favours The Brave
Courage is a word that often evokes images of knights charging into battle, explorers venturing into uncharted territories, and everyday heroes standing up for what they believe in.
But what does it mean to be brave, and how does courage lead to financial or otherwise fortune?
In this article, we'll explore the concept of courage through the lens of Dr. Jordan Peterson, a Canadian psychologist, author, and media commentator.
We'll also examine how taking bold risks has led to fortune for some of history's most well-known figures.
Dr. Peterson says you must "look where you least want to".
It reminds us that growth and opportunity often lie outside our comfort zones.
A World Without Ethics
Imagine you're faced with a dilemma.
It could be as simple as deciding whether or not to cheat on a test or as complex as making a corporate decision that could impact thousands of lives.
Ordinarily, your decisions should be based on a combination of factors like your rational thought processes and the values and ethics you subscribe to.
But what happens if this fails?
Let us look at examples of companies who have got things wrong and the devastating consequences that can result when ethical considerations are sidelined in favour of short-term gains or competitive advantage.