Personal Development
New Beginnings
I’ve got a new job. As of next month I’m going to be a productivity trainer. Just like David Allen. In fact almost exactly like David Allen. That excites me very much.
It’s a huge change of direction in my career. I’m giving up the warmth and security of the civil [...]
Addiction, Substitution and Withdrawal
Have you ever given something up? Alcohol? Chocolate? Smoking? Cookies? I have, and one of the effects I experienced was substitution. I had to find something to fill the void left by my abstinence. I was suffering from withdrawal.
What is addiction? Dictionary.com offers:
The state of being enslaved to [...]
The Movie of Your Life
Movies are generally split into three acts: the setup, which ends with a major plot development; the main part of the story where the characters try to reach their objectives, usually encountering one more major plot development; and the conclusion, where all the loose ends are tied up before the credits roll. Beginning, middle [...]
How You Conspire to Beat the Procrastination Busters
photo credit: atconc
I have plenty of personal projects and goals I want to pursue in addition to my paid employment, but the time I can spend on them is relatively scant and must be shared with my other non-work activities.
Sound familiar?
At the end of the day or at the weekend when I turn my [...]
How to Benefit from Your Finite Capacity for Worry
photo credit: javiekitela
Do you find that you’ve always got something on your mind or something to worry about? Have you ever noticed that the fewer worries you have, the more time you devote to each?
I seem to have a finite capacity for worrying or debating things with myself. If there are lots [...]
You, Inc., or Reasons to Think of Yourself as a Company
photo credit: Lawl
Many businesses have a number of advantages over individuals: strong brands, an expectation they’ll invest, a marketing department, market power and more. You can tap some of those advantages by thinking of yourself as a company: there’s you, and then there’s You, Inc.
Why would you want to do this? I [...]
Write Your Own Core Script and Q&A
photo credit: Fruitanimal
Do you know who you are? Do you know where you’re going? If the answer to those questions is yes, great! But can you explain it effectively to others to show yourself off to your best advantage? If you’re not sure, you need a core script. If [...]
Cut Your Self-Imposed Taxes
photo credit: Phillip
Whether a tightwad or a spendthrift, everybody faces the same reality: we all have to pay tax. And nobody enjoys paying tax. Some complain loudly. Others try to dodge it. Most grumble but are reconciled to this fact of life.
Ever the optimist, I try to think about the [...]
Turning Good Intentions into Results
photo credit: B Tal
You know the problem; so many projects you want to pursue, maybe writing, maybe music, maybe just reading some of those books up there on the shelf, and yet so little progress.
When you’re lying in bed or staring out of the train window you can promise really to make time [...]
Get Competitive to Kick that Habit
photo credit: joeltelling
Have you tried and failed to break a bad habit? Is it that no matter what you try, or how many strategies you find on the internet, you just can’t stop repeating that same pattern of behaviour?
Time to try something new. Let me ask: are you competitive by nature? [...]
