Wise Wednesdays

Have you ever experienced inner-conflict around wanting to do something you love and know you’re good at or that could make a big difference but squirming at the idea of networking, self-promotion, selling and marketing? That’s OK. It’s not you, it’s your social conditioning. Yesterday, was the Royal Society of Arts experiential event for Social Entrepreneurs: What keeps you up at night? The reason I wanted to organise this was to support anyone working on projects aligned with RSA values of enlightenment and social progress – values dear to my heart. A recurring theme I see, whether it be with highly skilled professionals like doctors or visionary social entrepreneurs with a big heart, is a reticence around visibility. Aside from group work, we had a powerful live 1-to-1 coaching demonstration which vividly illustrated how negative voices can hold you back from your mission in the world. Legend in the making:  A man called Angus told a moving story at the ...

***************************** Allow me to add a morning shot to your macchiato ☺ I’m doing a 20 minute interview Thursday morning at 8.20am UK at the virtual Strategy Café by leadership consultancy Alembic. I’ll be sharing my personal journey from confused NHS medic to working on sustainable development and health with the UN; and how being alone in Alaska was the key. Register here if you can make it (or you’ll receive the replay). Your support will be much appreciated! http://www.alembicstrategy.com/events/strategy-cafe/ ***************************** “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” Rumi As a personal development geek, I can be found on a weekend absorbed in an obscure psychology thesis from 1980 on the pathological and health-promoting aspects of searching for purpose in life. This week ideas around self-interest versus social interest resonated particularly strongly in the wake ...

Long to do list and not enough time? Too many competing priorities?   If you’re reading this, you’re probably familiar with the basics of time management: set realistic goals, chunk them down and fit them into your calendar at your optimal times.   So if you’re hoping that better time management/“productivity hacks”/sleeping 20 minutes upside down during a full moon are going to solve your problem, you could be disappointed.   Story: I had a powerful conversation with a business leader - Tim - this week. He shared that he’d spent his 20s, 30s and 40s climbing to the top of the success ladder and made it, only to find how lonely it was and how he’d missed out on precious moments with his family. Shortly after he’d finally decided to get off the corporate treadmill and set up his own business, his wife was diagnosed with a terminal illness. He regretted that he’d put achievement and financial security first, and felt that it had cost him a lot more than money.   All t...