Reading
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Earn Your Saturday
My Grandad used to say to me when I was complaining about a hard work week. “stop complaining, get on with good work and earn your Saturday”. I think I have earned this Saturday, I hope you have earned yours too. The part of the phrase he always used “earn your Saturday” always stuck with… Read more
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The Dog, the Porch and a Nail
One morning, a man was walking down a country lane and heard a horrible noise. He looked up and saw a dog on a porch that was just sitting there, whimpering, whining and moaning. The man was curious as to why he was whimpering, so he went and knocked on the door and a guy… Read more
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March 3rd: World Book Day Tomorrow
So it’s world book day tomorrow, a big deal in my household. I love a sense of occasion, so here is how I celebrate this day and my #1 passion Books and reading. In these difficult times with 24 hour news showing depressing horrible news. I have further sought the healing and respite of books… Read more
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Don’t Be Stupid, Stupid!
Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger are are my investor heroes. They are also close to my heart as they read all the time. They are super smart sage old dudes that happen to run a behemoth of a hedge fund. So naturally you would think that they have some smart advice to share. When I… Read more
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Beautiful Messages From the Past
“Dear Cecil, I hope you enjoy your 1st term at school. This book got me through my first term at Prep and I am sure you will love them too. Love always Uncle Charles” That was written in an old 1952 copy of PG Wodehouse I picked up on EBay a few months ago. I… Read more
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Learn Like Vincent
I am so far down this Vincent van Gogh rabbit hole now. I have read many books in the week off I just had. All of them on his life and I also rinsed the hell out of Youtube for learning more on Mr V. van Gogh. It has informed my post today. I wanted… Read more
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Special Extra Post: World Book Day Today
So it’s world book day, a big deal in my household. I love a sense of occasion, so here is how I celebrate this day and my #1 passion Books and reading. My World Book Day Routine I block out that evening to read a classic in literature, it is always a book I go… Read more
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Reading Is Not Slacking
Meetings, team calls and 1:1’s are part of our working day culture and no one questions them on a calendar. What if you saw ‘Read a Book for an hour’ on someone’s calendar what would you think? Reading can change your perspective. This in turn can lead to improved productivity or you and your team… Read more
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Walking to Think
I have a theory, that when we walk we are distracting the part of our brains which are easily distracted and leaving the rest to create, to digest, to process. This works for me at least and so I walk for physical and mental health reasons. Different walk locations give me different stimuli which helps… Read more
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Just One Book
My posts of late have had an air of self help about them. I want to mix things up a little in 2021. So today I was listening to the radio in the car and just caught someone asking a question, I never heard the answer, I switched channels and could not find my way… Read more
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98/100 Books Read, 2 to Go
I am 2 books short of 100 books read in 2020, I will read those last two books in my Christmas break. To realise this annual achievement I almost entirely removed all TV and watching movies. I set this task well before the Covid-19 pandemic was understood. To complete the 100th book I will be… Read more
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Our Bookish Family Christmas Tradition
Many years ago I started a Family tradition, which I learned about from an Icelandic friend. You see Icelandic people celebrate Christmas each year with a book exchange. This tradition is known as Jolabokaflod, which translates roughly to Christmas book flood. Jolabokaflod started during World War II, when paper was one of the few things not rationed in… Read more
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Who cares?
I was enjoying a zoom lunch with a colleague the other day and they asked. “What do you get out of posting a two minute read everyday? Is it worth it?” I like this colleague, I consider them a friend so I gave this question some serious thought. I told them I would write it… Read more
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10 Things That Need 0 Talent
I have been talking with those I mentor about their careers recently and how talented the people are where I work. However I find that the word talent over used and far too simplistic and if anything an excuse to simplify how we differentiate people. I have for over a decade now had a list… Read more
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Worrying Is Exhausting
Do you recall the worry that took your time and attention? The one you were consumed with, the worry which distracted you from quality family time. And now? My guess is you are no longer worried, was it worth the concern? Was it as bad as you feared? Have you now replaced that with another… Read more
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Comfortable Feeling Uncomfortable
If you are thinking about doing something different, don’t let the fear of failure keep you where you are. In order to grow we must be uncomfortable feeling comfortable, discontent being content, if you have been successful in one discipline, role or project its human nature to look to replicate those victories. However ask yourself… Read more
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Avoid Stupid
Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger are are my investor heroes. They are also close to my heart as they read all the time. They are super smart sage old dudes that happen to run a behemoth of a hedge fund. So naturally you would think that they have some smart advice to share. When I… Read more
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Your Name Is Your Currency
Think about your favourite brands, Apple, Range Rover, Patek Philippe. What words or phrases spring to mind? “Luxury” “quality” and “premium?” Those positive associations are called branding. Branding isn’t just for companies, you have a brand too. When people see or hear your name, they make associations also. Building your name is important it deserves… Read more
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Beautiful Prose
My Saturday posts are traditionally where I share a more personal story, something that reveals a bit more than I would on a week day. I have two loves beyond my family. 1. The written Language in all its forms but good old fashioned books are my fave. 2. The ocean, I love being near,… Read more
