I was reading a book by Professor Richard Wiseman (nice name for a professor) where he quotes a study by Ellen Langer of Harvard University. Half of the residents in a nursing home were given a houseplant and asked to look after it. The other half were given an identical plant but told that the … Read more
Most days are much the same. However, great changes in our world don’t come from normal days – they are driven by the extreme events, the outliers. Something like 70% of all the drops in the US stock exchanges are due to 6 particular days of extreme share price drops. The course of my own … Read more
6 Reasons to Start Blogging Now “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret” Jim Rohn Clarity of Thinking – It will force you to become a better thinker and get clear on your beliefs. It will force you to read to gather material. It will … Read more
I read Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres when I was 23 years old. It changed an idea I had about life. This scared me. My Summary of the Book’s Story The book tells the story of an lieutenant that is stationed on a Greek Island as part of the Italian occupation during the second … Read more
This week we decided where my daughter will go to school – potentially for the next 15 years. I have spent a lot of time thinking about what criteria are important in selecting a school and this blog is a summary of 3-4 months of that reflection. To Prepare One for Living How do you … Read more
I have a monthly tradition of meeting for a 9:30am brioche and coffee in the best brioche place in Barcelona (cannot reveal the secret location) with my french-hungarian friend and entrepreneur Andre Vanyi-Robin (of Bestv and Entrepreneurs’Organisation). We met yesterday. The brioche was good. Andre told me a great story about the 90 10 rule. … Read more
I have been teaching MBAs for 12 years and I am often asked over a coffee a question on the general theme of “what should I do with my life?” or “how can I be a success?” to which I feel hugely under-qualified to provide answers. I have spent time reflecting on my own life … Read more
I just heard Mario Alonso Puig speak at the Entrepreneur’s Organisation University at the Hotel Arts in Barcelona. Mario Alonso Puig is a brain surgeon who has spent 30 years looking at the changes in the brain caused by stress, negativity, depression and the role of the “little voice”. Our 3 Inner Critics There are … Read more
An old traveller has seen the world. He is restless and keeps moving. One day he is in the distant mountains in an area not known to him. On this particular day, after a long walk through a mountain valley, he sees a shady tree and what looks like a good place to rest on … Read more