They say dogs can sense fear. I think humans can too. I think a group of teenagers can smell it on a substitute teacher. I think the interview panel can feel the confidence of an applicant long before they speak. Sheila might not be able to articulate it so but she gets the vibes that … Continue reading Sensing fear →

Have you ever seen a baby change mood at lightning speed? They're screaming crying and then something is plonked down in front of them and the wailing stops instantly. The change is so rapid we adults chuckle. What I find interesting about this is the baby proves how quickly we can change our moods. No … Continue reading Robbins rule →

Whilst on the surface the fear of others' judgement sounds like a silly reason to not pursue your dreams in your one and only short life but, to be fair, being judged sucks! I think school did a great job of conditioning us to believe others judging us automatically means a few bullies or bitchy … Continue reading Judged by others →

The trick to ice baths is the same as any difficult task. The more you dance around the edges squealing and dipping your toe in and out the more torturous it is. Better to decide whether or not you're going to do it before you change your clothes and if yes, submerge yourself immediately. It's … Continue reading Ice bath tricks →

It looks like Love Island is based on the premise of risk averse individuals. If all the singletons weren't picky and open to committing quickly there would be no drama. But instead we see Tasha agonise over which boy she thinks she likes more. And we sit up and pay attention when it looks like … Continue reading Risk averse islanders →

A leader open to suggestions invites followers to become more invested. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the leader should implement ANY suggestion. In the matter of overarching goals and direction, the leader should stay steadfast and true but in the tiny tactical minutiae along the way it can only increase follower's dedication … Continue reading Open to suggestions →

Stephen King has published 64 novels since 1974. That's 64 novels in 48 years giving us an average of a year and four months per book. And so you might think if I want to write a great novel like Carrie or The Shining or Cujo I just have to spend a year and 4 … Continue reading How long should I spend on it? →

The creative process is disappointing in the realm of certainty. It seems each individual has their own unique process and just when you think surely a divine setting is a guarantee of creative inspiration you stumble across a quote like the one from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: "Unfortunately there is no evidence - and probably there never … Continue reading Creative process guarantees →

Ross cheats on Rachel Saturday night. Ross sees Rachel Sunday morning and doesn't confess to his adultery. Rachel finds out through other friends that Ross cheated on her. Ross says: I was going to tell you myself. Now we'll never know if Ross would have confessed in his own time. The reality is he didn't. … Continue reading The truth delay →

"Stop trying to make 'fetch' happen!" Why do some words catch on and some don't? I think part of it depends on the status level of the suggestor. Shy guy Steve who only gets invited along because he's Paul's younger brother is going to struggle to leave his mark on the group. But leader of … Continue reading Making fetch happen →