It is funny how nostalgia can file off the rough the edges of the good old days. I often think back to when I was I used to work for a pharmaceutical company supporting commercial IT. I supported a bunch of different teams, all of them were nice people and occasionally you would see someContinue reading “Koi carp on Cialis and the secret fax”
Author Archives: NCS
Be Storyworthy
I’m reading a book called ‘Storyworthy’ and there’s a daily reflection exercise the author recommends called Homework for Life. The idea he proposes is that at the end of every day, you spend a few minutes thinking “What’s the most story-worthy thing that happened today?” Then you should make a spreadsheet of each of yourContinue reading “Be Storyworthy”
No grit
We had some snow this weekend and local news outlets were complaining about why didn’t they grit/salt the roads. Not that many cars need to be on roads at the moment. Years ago my daughter asked me the question. “Dad, what happens to the homeless on weekends like these when it snows and is veryContinue reading “No grit”
Our Brother Will and a famous sandwich
My youngest brother called Will is the best Barber in Burgess hill. He is highly sought out, with people waiting for ages to get in his chair. He is my youngest brother but a giant of a man well over 6ft. Customers love to talk with him because he is a great listener. He isContinue reading “Our Brother Will and a famous sandwich”
A quick fun way to improve your memory
I had the pleasure over Chrimbo Limbo (if you don’t know what that is click the link), anyway I had the pleasure to read a cracking new novel. A Crime novel by Richard Osman called “The Thursday Murder club”. It is truly a charming and delightful cosy crime debut about four amateur sleuths in aContinue reading “A quick fun way to improve your memory”
When the jerk in first class got his come uppance
Author’s note: This post is an extract of a diary entry from 2009, I have written about a side of A4 a day for 20 years and as I was reading back through them I saw an entry which made me smile. It is a little longer than my normal post. I hope that isContinue reading “When the jerk in first class got his come uppance”
You are your choices, make them good ones
Happy Inauguration Day, is that a salutation? I don’t really think so but for some of you, for most of you it is a very happy day so enjoy it. The swearing in of the most powerful person in the world is a big deal for the world whether you are an American or not.Continue reading “You are your choices, make them good ones”
Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd
We can get caught up in the action, execution mindset and not see the joys of doubt, the moments for thought which we all need. If you’re not having any second thoughts at all, it’s probably because you’re not thinking it through enough. The hallmark of the true believer is that there’s no room forContinue reading “Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd”
Destination Addiction
The grass is always greener my Mother used to tell me. She was always wary of my ambition. Not because she wanted to stymie me but she wanted to make sure my happiness was sustainable. She was concerned about destination addiction: The idea that happiness is in the next place, the next job, or evenContinue reading “Destination Addiction”
Story
Storytelling is more important than you might think and it effects you more than you might realise. This is my ‘Personal goal for 2021’ learn as much about story telling, how it can improve my life, my relationships, How can it help my business goals. When and why is story more effective in persuasion? IContinue reading “Story”
Two Canadians and one dollar bill
I was once late getting off a plane in New York as I was behind two Canadians in an argument. The argument was over a dollar that had been picked up off the floor. Both of them were insistent the other had dropped it. In what appeared to be a never ending game of ‘noContinue reading “Two Canadians and one dollar bill”
For the love of Reading and readers
I am not a doctor, I have no medicinal training. No way I should be looked to for professional psychological well being advice. however I can recommend you a book for your illness or Malady. There is a novel for every condition that a person may face. Reading is a particularly focussed activity, reading requiresContinue reading “For the love of Reading and readers”
Email is fake work
We have all felt the compulsion to monitor our inbox for incoming high priority messages or actions. You can kid yourself that this is work but it is not. Not efficient impactful work anyway. It doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t require too much thought. You get that dopamine hit of doing something. But it isn’tContinue reading “Email is fake work”
Ace life advice to follow
I am somewhat of a ‘Self improvement addict’. That has to be contradiction of terms. Several of the podcasts and books I read recently kept mentioning this book called ‘Extraordinary Tennis for the Ordinary Player’ by Simon Ramo. So I gave it a read over the Christmas break. It was worth it even though IContinue reading “Ace life advice to follow”
The curse of expectation
I was watching an interview with Stephen King he said the following quote: “You know what talent is? The curse of expectation” it got me thinking about the kids I coached in football and the young consultants I have mentored in the last 20 years. I have learned to abhor the word ‘potential’ it isContinue reading “The curse of expectation”
People can face anything but reality
Watching the news there is a clearly a big gap between what people think and what they do; They are doing things despite knowing it to be immoral, wrong or stupid. Why? I ask. My psychologist daughter tells me this is called ‘cognitive dissonance’. This is when a persons actions are inconsistent with their beliefs.Continue reading “People can face anything but reality”
Know your market and flex
The story I am going to tell today is about understanding your market dynamics and flexing when necessary. The story begins 25 years ago. I was living in Croydon, South East London and commuted daily to my University in South West London Kingston. There was one bus that went from Croydon to London Heathrow andContinue reading “Know your market and flex”
Thinking on Democracy
I touched briefly on democracy in Friday’s post when I wrote Hate leads to fear I finished with a conclusion that democracy is a fragile political commitment. Winston Churchill is attributed for saying “democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried.” Democracy is fragile because itContinue reading “Thinking on Democracy”
An ordinary life is in the living
In a previous job we had an employee, he worked in the post room. This guy had been at the company for a longer than anyone could remember. I dropped by his retirement drinks. We had a small gathering of colleagues to see him off with his gold watch. During the send off he toldContinue reading “An ordinary life is in the living”
Hate leads to few, anger and jealousy
Hatred is a sentiment that leads to the extinction of values Ortega Y Gassey I am somewhat of an Americanophile, I have always been enamoured with ‘the bold experiment in democracy’, I have read everything written by the founding fathers and the giants of politics compared to almost all politicians today. I have travelled toContinue reading “Hate leads to few, anger and jealousy”
