I think there's two kinds of self help books. Ones that list 101 tips for a better life and ones that spend 300 pages trying to sell you on a single concept. I think when you consider the retention rate from reading then the latter proves to be more effective. For example I just read … Continue reading 101 tips v 1 concept →

It was fascinating. We did something really nice for someone we know and their first reply was - why? It wasn't their birthday, it wasn't Christmas, it wasn't a favour returned. It was a random act of kindness and they were struggling to come to terms with it. Which I believe spoke to a worldview … Continue reading But why? →

Cyril knew how this played out. He had seen this scenario before. That person wants to have a chat, they want to confront him and make a complaint. That means he's going to spend the rest of the day worrying about it. 'No!' Said a defiant internal voice 'we're not writing off another day sitting … Continue reading Chat avoided →

I think reward, punishment, and fairness runs deep. We want to believe we live in a meritocratic society. So if we see someone being rewarded without deserving it (in our opinion) we get annoyed. Then if it happens repeatedly I believe you see the frustration manifest itself into action. "No they can't just keep getting … Continue reading Deny them →

The bins need to be taken out. That suit has to go to the dry cleaners. I need to put on a wash. I should load the dishwasher. ... You could overdose on admin if you struggled to enjoy life.

I thought Jerry was schizophrenic but then he told me in an admirably honest way that he's just whipped. After that hilariously frank admission I could start to distinguish what were his opinions and what he was forced to say. The candid confession made it all the funnier and easier to take when he delivered … Continue reading Schizophrenic Jerry →

It's funny this time thing. It never ends! It just keeps going on forever. Additionally you're only able to join the dots looking backwards. Therefore you don't know how bad this bad news is. Give it enough time and it might be the best thing to ever happen to you. Yes that relationship was horrendous … Continue reading Best bad thing →

The top 5 moments of your life are... I found this exercise quite interesting because one theme dominated the top 5. So, I thought, deep down, that theme must be my idea of a quality life. Now that I know this, I can align my future accordingly.

It's funny I think the majority of people are actually quite content with their lot. Their needs are met and their desires are modest or simple. And this majority only want more money in their salaries not out of greed but simply to afford a small plot of land in this ever increasingly expensive world.

Watching 'first dates' you can quickly spot those who have absolutely no idea how to be on a date. Dates are like board games. There are certain rules to follow, certain norms expected and you can shine by being creative within these guidelines. And it's a tragedy to see someone naively blundering around throwing up … Continue reading No idea →