Praise, should it be withheld or given freely? I think the cost of being stingy with praise is a growing perception of ungratefulness and along with it blossoming resentment. I think the cost of praising everything means people realize they can lower their standards and still impress. Thirdly I think that if you reward a … Continue reading Flow of praise →

One in five men will get prostate cancer. "Ah that won't be me, there's no need for me to change my lifestyle"There is a one in six million chance of winning the lotto this week. "It's gonna be me, I'm gonna win, I can feel it" The mind eh? Not the best judge of probability … Continue reading Prostate lotto →

Italy beat Scotland at the weekend and it was great to see the celebrations. The Italians were overjoyed as they did a lap of honour, took photos, and clapped the fans. Scotland wouldn't be doing that. Not because they hate joy but because it's not a cause for celebration to them. They're expected to hammer … Continue reading Italian joy →

People talk about focus to break time ratio, or certain tasks for certain times of the day or particular project management tools but I think the best productivity hack is pulling the sleeves and wrestling with that dirty hairy task you keep putting off. As Mark Twain said: "If it's your job to eat a … Continue reading Frog first →

'Ugh why can't it be easier? Every other part of my life is easy' Or 'Isn't it wonderful that so much of my life is favourable to my preferences?' You're either glass half empty bemoaning life's last imperfections. Or glass half full, delighted with so much good in your life right now. Life doesn't care … Continue reading Last imperfections →

Listening to the commentary around the Irish fly halves at the moment. There's a lot of focus on their weaknesses and there's an urgency for them to be fixed immediately. Which sounds like they're saying whatever the players are doing in training now is not enough. They are not developing at the rate the public … Continue reading Obsessed level →

I think one added dimension of loneliness is not just being on your own and wanting social interaction, it's also a craving for a deep meaningful kind of interaction. That's where all these poets and songwriters talk about being surrounded by people and still feeling lonely. Therefore, walking into Woodies and pretending not to know … Continue reading DMCs →

There is serious time pressure in sport. Your instincts, reactions, and reading of the game need to be instant. There's no point waiting for the video footage because by the time you've analysed it all, you've lost the game. That's why I think the best coaches are the ones who bake adaptability into their plans … Continue reading Coaching instincts →

I used to work behind the til in a shop and there would be nothing worse than a customer who was super chatty and want to get to know me. As a teenager I found it super annoying. I would scan quicker in order to get rid of them. Upon reflection I think these types … Continue reading Friendship in a transaction →

It seems to me that men of a certain generation would try to bond by slagging each other. I can understand this when the relationship is years old, and the slagging is the established norm and both parties enjoy it. But when the relationship is new I think it's a terrible approach because on the … Continue reading Slagging others →