Category: Success

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Choice Money Success

Do We Value Money Differenly In A Digital Age?

I wrote a pretty long Newsletter article last week (which many people enjoyed, so check it out), so this week I will keep it shorter. 

I am also on holidays in Australia catching up with family, which actually inspired today’s conversation.

The other night I was having a conversation with my sister, who has been teaching children for a handful of decades, plus has done studies in Positive Psychology, so also loves to get into the phycology of the underlying motivations for different behaviours. 

She was telling a story about some kids (good kids), who while in another classroom, trashed some fabric furniture with a bunch of glue. 

She found it a bit odd, but she also said she had a bit of an epiphany. 

One I also thought was pretty interesting. 

The question was whether we (and kids especially) have a lower understanding of the monetary value of stuff, since many (or most) financial transitions are just a bunch of 0’s and 1’s on a digital screen? 

A child may rarely see “physical” money during a financial transaction, so perhaps they don’t link a physical monetary value to physical items in their life. 

It is certainly an interesting subject of contemplation; so I figured I might also riff on this, as it pertains to us big grown-ups. 

Continue reading “Do We Value Money Differenly In A Digital Age?”
Categories
Belief Choice Growth Perspective Success

What I Learned from Gordon Ramsay

And right from the get go, let me make it clear what I did not learn. 

I did not learn how to cook. 

So, sorry, but there will be no kitchen hacks or fab recipes in this article. 

You see, I do know my place (it is not in the kitchen). 

Ferry is the foodie, who LOVES cooking, and even loves cooking for me. 

So, why would I waste time and energy on something, which someone else loves, and also makes them happy? 

Instead, I put my energy into trying to understand the psychology and “why” of things. 

Why does A + B = G? 

In this article, I decided to share my psychoanalyzing of Gordon Ramsay, from his Netflix show “Being Gordon Ramsay“. 

It was not only entertaining, but deeply informative for me, as I asked myself the question, “I wonder why he does that?“.

So, let me share with you what I learned.

But, before I go on, I am going to assume that you know who Gordon Ramsay is. 

But, just in case you are a hermit, he is one of the most prolific and successful chefs on the planet with multiple restaurants (over 90), a bunch of Michelin Stars along the way, numerous successful television series and documentaries, a prolific impact and following on Social Media platforms, and a worldwide recognizable and impactful brand identity. 

I am also VERY clear that Gordon Ramsay is no saint, has had a very colorful and checkered life and career, is obnoxious and abrasive at times, swears like a trooper, and rubs a lot of people up the wrong way.

This is not about promoting him, but trying to understand what drove him, and also what stabilized him, so he did not take a wrecking ball to his whole life (as many others on the pursuit of fame and fortune have). 

Continue reading “What I Learned from Gordon Ramsay”
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Choice Confidence Decision Making Growth Perspective Self Esteem Success

The Power of Strategic and Mindful Transitioning  

I recently got off a Podcast interview (Sandcast), with a client of mine who is transitioning out of a professional Beach Volleyball career. 

The conversation was extremely insightful. 

(I will share it with you once he posts it) 

We talked about him transitioning out of elite sport into “what’s next?“. 

However, when it comes to “transitioning” (and doing it well), it applies to us all. 

Some transitions are more monumental. 

And some transitions are at the very basic daily level. 

For instance, I have worked with a lot of clients over the years who have been REALLY BAD at switching off from work when they get home. 

Essentially transitioning from “work mode” to “family mode“. 

Often it just doesn’t happen at all. 

Actually, you need to actively and consciously do something (let’s call it a mindful transition), to adapt most effectively to a new environment. 

How are you at “switching off” after work? 

The more monumental transitions might be – using a personal example – transitioning from being an Olympic Games bomb management expert and security consultant (working for the man, literally ;-)); to being a Life Coach in Bali, working for myself, and not really having much of an idea how to go about it. 

Regardless of the size or complexity of the transition, the way you do it matters. 

Even in yoga, there is conscious attention given to how you transition from one pose to another, because the yogis realised its importance.  

Which takes me to the key point of this conversation. 

Continue reading “The Power of Strategic and Mindful Transitioning  “
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Choice Perspective Success

How to Set Yourself Up to WIN Big in 2026

Once a month I will record a short 3-5 min video with a practical Tip, Tool, or Strategy. Today is the first edition, and is one of the most important (and simple) STRATEGIES that I teach all my private Coaching clients. It will improve your decision-making “RESULTS” by about 200%!

Enjoy. 

Continue reading “How to Set Yourself Up to WIN Big in 2026”
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Choice Decision Making Goal Setting Tips Growth Success Uncategorized

The hidden power of an Impossible Goal

It’s question time.

Who reading this likes reading “business” books? 

There might be a few hands up, but chances are most people would lean towards some good quality fiction before they buried their nose, and used up their precious time, on a business book. 

However, recently I read a (business) book, which I even prioritized over the very well-written and suspenseful fantasy fiction book I was reading. 

It turns out that the business book was REALLY well written. 

Focused on a theme I am infinitely fascinated with. 

It also challenged some of my current beliefs and teachings – which is always a great thing. 

Learning and growing (evolution) is one of the main games after all. 

The thing I also realised with the theme, was it could as equally apply to “PEOPLE”, as it did business. 

It caused me to take a good hard look at a few things I had been trifling with of late. 

The book in question is called “The Science of Scaling” by Dr Benjamin Hardy and Blake Erikson. 

(If you are a business owner or in senior management, I STRONGLY encourage you to read this book before you start the New Year).

These dudes were about scaling businesses. 

Where I am about “scaling” people. 

Taking them from Version 1.0 to Version 2.0 (which is not a linear transition but an exponential transition).  

Do you want to know what my biggest take-aways were? 

Continue reading “The hidden power of an Impossible Goal”
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Choice Confidence consciousness Growth Stress Success

How to Become The Person Who Doesn’t Get Taken Advantage of

The one thing we DO NOT want to do, when it comes to getting out of an emotional state of anger (or the likes) is to SUPPRESS our feelings of anger. 

We might have been taught this growing up. 

We might have even had parents who modelled the “stuff it down and hope it goes away” strategy; but I am here to tell you that is a super crappy strategy, which is sure to bite you on the butt at some point in the future.

And sometimes it bites HARD!!!

So, the first thing, not to do, is suppress your emotions. 

Probably in the same sort of vein – though maybe not as harmful – are ignoring the feeling, distracting yourself from the feeling, or numbing it out.

Again, these are all pretty substandard strategies. 

It (the icky emotion) might suck, but there is a lot of relevance to the saying “you need to feel to heal“. 

Which leads me onto my next big no-no. 

Continue reading “How to Become The Person Who Doesn’t Get Taken Advantage of”
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Belief Choice Perspective Stress Success

Is Your Mindset Bias Leaning The Right Way?

Once a month I will record a short 3-5 min video with a practical Tip, Tool, or Strategy. Today is the first edition, and is one of the most important (and simple) STRATEGIES that I teach all my private Coaching clients. It will improve your decision-making “RESULTS” by about 200%!

Enjoy. 

Continue reading “Is Your Mindset Bias Leaning The Right Way?”
Categories
Choice consciousness Growth Life Purpose Success Time

A Common Goal, Which Actually Might Make Us Less Happy and Fulfilled

This goal is pretty common. 

I have definitely had this goal, or a derivation of it, at some points in my life. 

Thinking that if I attained this goal, life would be just great. 

Only to find that attaining this goal is actually a little hollow.

Not actually that much fun. 

And some research would even suggest it will take us to an early grave. 

And no, we are not talking about getting “high” off alcohol or drugs, which most of us realise is followed by a whopping headache and hang-over, or in the case of drugs, a downer for a handful of days after (or so I have read ;-)). 

The goal I am talking about…

Are you ready for it? 

Is…

The Goal of getting to the place where you don’t have to DO anything. 

Free of commitments and responsibilities. 

And the piece I want to focus on today is – more specifically – freedom from “having to work”.

You have also likely seen a bunch of conversations online where some younger folk are all for an unconditional basic income (UBI), which is not based on work status. 

Where you could still be paid to do nothing. 

Sounds great. 

But actually, it’s not. 

And thus starts today’s conversation.

Continue reading “A Common Goal, Which Actually Might Make Us Less Happy and Fulfilled”
Categories
Choice Decision Making Growth Perspective Success

Creating A Solid Foundation In Order To Build “Greatness”

Having stable, solid, well-defined and deep foundations is ESSENTIAL to build anything GREAT from.

I am sure that concept is not news to you. 

We need to have great foundations in order to build anything great. 

Whether it is a skyscraper or an outstanding relationship.

Whether it is a great game of tennis, or a great business. 

The fundamental foundations matter a lot. 

But when it comes to us, as people, what EXACTLY do me mean (practically) when we talk about building a ‘solid foundation’? 

I use the term a LOT with my clients. 

So, I thought given I say it a lot, what exactly constitutes what I am calling a solid foundation? 

Hence, today’s topic.  

Continue reading “Creating A Solid Foundation In Order To Build “Greatness””
Categories
consciousness Decision Making Growth Life Lessons Overwhelm Perspective Stress Success

Mental Pushing And Pulling – Thanks To Our Biology

Where to start?

How about with the name of the book I just finished reading, which shared pretty interesting insights. The book was called: ‘Why You’re Unhappy’ by Loretta Graziano Breuning, PhD.

I didn’t agree with everything she presented, but because she has a background in anthropology as well as psychology, it brought a nice perspective to her discussion on biology.

And the influence on our feelings and behaviours.

She spoke a lot about the individual roles of dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins and cortisol; and how they are primarily used for survival (and reproduction of genes), as with all mammals.

I have talked before about the ‘mid’ brain, also called the limbic brain or mammalian brain.

It has a number of functions including regulation and generation of our emotions, which obviously affects us moment-to-moment and day-to-day.

I found a few things in this book especially fascinating.

Particularly the author’s overarching message.

We are not – biologically – designed to be ‘happy’ all the time.

It is not only okay, but “normal” to feel our emotions go up and go down throughout our day and life in general.

I think that is a great point.

If we EXPECT to be happy, all the time, or think there is something “wrong” with us if we aren’t, then we may be fighting reality.

What I also found fascinating was…

Continue reading “Mental Pushing And Pulling – Thanks To Our Biology”

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