The question shotgun! While your answering they're locking and loading, using the time to prepare the next question. This isn't their first conversation and they'll be damned if there's going to be a lull in the conversation. Being in the moment and active listening are luxuries this amateur interviewer can't afford! As long as everyone … Continue reading Allergic to awkwardness →

I think as long you live in fear of the social faux pas you'll forever be timid in your small talk and conservative in your conversation. I think those who flourish in chatty situations have found a way to elevate themselves above the mistake obsession. They don't eternally beat themselves up concerning questionable comments and … Continue reading Charisma constraint →

I think being in the Christmas mood is akin to deja vu. Seeing as so much of the holiday is upholding traditions, you might not feel like Christmas is right around the corner if you're creating new rituals in a new environment with new people. But if you were to do the same things you've … Continue reading The Christmas mood →

Is it better to leave a fantasy, as a fantasy? On the one hand you don't want to die with any regrets and all that. But on the other hand, in your head it's perfect idyllic and surreal so to bring it into reality is to add the limitations of reality. Life as a famous … Continue reading Leave it as a fantasy →

'Where do you buy confidence? Or charisma?' I'm no psychologist but I reckon a good portion of the Christmas shopping will be to buy confidence. No one will come outright and say it, that would be ludicrous and you'd earn yourself a good ridiculing! Instead it'll come in the form of jackets or shoes or … Continue reading Buying confidence →

One of the annoying things about worrying is that there's no respite, it's an eternal pest. For example, you can't get to sleep because you're so worried you and your family are going to miss your flight tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning comes and you yell, clap and shepherd as much as you can to get … Continue reading Eternally worrying →

When you're juggling more than you can handle it's only a matter of time before a ball drops. So I think an essential skill to juggling outside your comfort zone is being ok with dropped balls. That you don't lose your cool when a ball hits the floor or when someone points out your mistake. … Continue reading Juggling more than you can handle →

It's funny how convenience has inadvertently led to more frustration. Take for example online v offline shopping. With 99% of websites these days you can adjust the filters to find out in mere minutes if they have the size, style and colour that you want. In a shop you have to figure out their floorplan, … Continue reading Convenience leading to frustration →

Whenever Hercules successfully decapitated a head of the Lernaean Hydra he was rewarded with two more heads to decapitate. It's like the untold secret of productivity. The trap that inevitably follows. If you show yourself to be an efficient worker, someone who can crank out a quality product in record time, you'll inadvertently attract requests … Continue reading Productivity trap →

It's been no secret that Man United have not been doing well since Sir Alex left. After Ferguson departed, 8 years ago, there has been 5 different managers put in charge. If you were a Man United player you might think: Here is a ready made gift wrapped excuse. I could use this to my … Continue reading A gift wrapped excuse →