I won the dream and aspiration lottery a long time ago which has allowed me the fortune of pursuing almost everything that I ever wanted to do. My path has not been linear, I want to be a teacher, someone who wants “turns on the lights.” I mean illuminating perspectives that once unseen will forever be in the forefront of our minds. My mission is not to enlighten everyone but rather those willing to embrace new insights. I want to leave a legacy behind which my children and grandchildren would be proud of, and this what makes culture matter.
All things matter
What must be protected to ensure that people and nature thrive?
Charles Darwin revealed that all species have evolved over time to best exploit the conditions in which they live. Darwin further realised that these conditions are not simply those of geography and climate but also their relationship to other lives that they live alongside. I’ve always believed that few people will protect the natural world if they don’t first love and understand it. I think many sequences revealed in nature are most fascinating and delightful, and others prove that good things do indeed come to those who wait.
Happy New Year (2024)
I would like us all to have a peaceful, healthy, and successful 2024. I think it will be the year where we rediscover our common humanity, hope and optimism.
Things to leave behind:
1. The sense of entitlement
2. Resentment
3. Self-doubt
4. Regrets
5. The fear of failure or shame
6. Prejudices
Things to hold on to:
1. All opportunities to help
2. A sense of wonderment
3. All feelings of gratitude
4. Humility and optimism
5. Courage and commitment
6. Generosity
One year older and wiser
I am so grateful for another successful trip around the sun. Being honest with oneself is a prerequisite for being honest with others. I think nothing makes you more vulnerable than your refusal to be honest with yourself about what you want.
Peace be with you
““History isn’t just about studying the past; it’s the study of change, and it’s more relevant now than ever. Today we face the most rapid changes ever in history, so understanding the mechanisms of historical change is crucial.” ”
The essence of our character
Two things define you in life:
Your patience when you have nothing, and
Your attitude when you have everything.
When you find yourself in moments of scarcity or when things aren't falling into place, your patience becomes a testament to your resilience and strength. It's during these times that your ability to endure, persist, and stay composed truly defines you. On the other hand, when you have abundance and success, your attitude speaks volumes about your humility, gratitude, and generosity. How you carry yourself, treat others, and handle success illuminates your true nature. It's easy to lose perspective or become complacent when surrounded by plenty, but maintaining a humble and gracious demeanour r reflects a deep-seated understanding of what truly matters in life. I think your ability to weather the storms with patience and your grace in times of plenty are the things that shape your identity and reflect the core values which will guide you through life's various stages and circumstances.
One my favourite actors
““My philosophy is:
What people say about me is none of my business.
I am who I am and do what I do.
I expect nothing and accept everything.
And that makes life easier.
We live in a world where funerals are more important than the deceased, marriage is more important than love, looks are more important than the soul.
We live in a packaging culture that despises content.””
Personal lesson
Rather than asking yourself what kind of outcome I want to achieve, ask yourself: “Who is the type of person that can do…?”
Start with a small habit, provide evidence of being that kind of person and then eventually you’ll have something to proof this new belief in. Fake it like you’ve made it means to believe in something that you don’t have evidence for, and the word we tend to use for this behaviour is delusion. Rather than letting the belief lead the way, let the behaviour lead the way. Don’t just fake it until you make it, just do the work to make it.
A little about me
Graphics c/o Karla Hallam ©
The skills I consistently bring to every job is understanding the customers I sell to, delivering value to them and not only focusing on the features and functions of the products or services. What has helped me meet so many people stem from my ability to demonstrate that I have a comprehensive grasp of their business and identifying challenges they require solutions for. My priority focus is pinpointing their pain problems and offering suitable solutions for them irrespective of the ROI.
Nowadays most companies have a start-up mentality, and I have worked for several companies where the response have been, “I have never heard of you!” I used to enjoy the thrill of approaching potential buyers and driving outcomes, even in the absence of brand recognition. I don’t want to just manage accounts where they just keep coming back purchasing from us as there is no frill in that. I am driven by solving problems and creating meaningful impact for companies.
The habit of gratitude
The more you educate yourself the more you understand where things come from, the more obvious things become, and you begin to see lies and deception everywhere. I think seeking and embracing the truth is essential for finding freedom. Developing a habit of gratitude, intentionally looking for and feeling grateful for life and the abundance around us. Staying in a state of gratitude and joy, is the best habit we can develop because in joy there is no room for worry.
Taking back your power
I think that if you want to achieve anything in this world you have to get used to the fact that everyone is not going to like you. And if you want everyone to like you then this would be inconsistent with making any significant impact. Therefore, I made a deal with myself a long time ago that if people didn’t like me because they disagreed with me then I was OK with that, and if a person didn’t like me because they were intimidated by something I said, then I was also OK with that. On the other hand, if someone I respected didn’t like me then I would have a problem, and I would definitely have to take accountability for that and admit that I am doing something wrong.
Clarify the purpose
Image c/o Indi Young’s book “Practical Empathy”
I was born with practical empathy, the ability to see people for who they are and what they really want. I’m always trying to understand:
• Why are things the way they are?
• What are people looking for?
• Why is this layout the way it is?
• If it is not working on me, why is it working on other people?
Working from home
The whole purpose of digital technology was to make location irrelevant; I mean where you are is irrelevant to the performance of a particular function. When I was growing up you could only really work on your computer when you were in your office, there were no laptops or mobile telephones. Nowadays, we have phone, tablets, and laptops, so you can do anything, anywhere. Today, there was a train strike in Copenhagen and therefore, many people chose to work from home.
Lifestyle and behaviour
I like what I sell and love what it does for my customers. I’m now in the process of digging a little deeper to map out my customer’s psychographics:
⁃ What are their values?
⁃ What are their spending attitudes?
⁃ What makes them excited and what makes them tick?
#ThrowbackThursday
Kindness is a strength
I think practicing kindness and humility allows us to grow as individuals as it helps us cultivate self-awareness. When we understand our own strengths and weaknesses while appreciating the value and worth of others is a manifestation of inner strength and confidence. And this nicely demonstrates that we don't need to tear others down to feel good about ourselves. Being kind releases endorphins, which boosts our mood and reduces stress. Numerous studies have shown that acts of kindness can improve our mental and physical well-being. It also enhances our sense of purpose and fulfilment, contributing to overall happiness and satisfaction in life.
Embrace balance
What brings you joy, fulfilment, and a sense of purpose?
I believe lives are only enriched by strong relationships therefore I dedicate my time to nurturing and cultivating meaningful connections with my family and friends. I think quality time spent with loved ones can create lasting memories and provide a sense of purpose and fulfilment. And it’s important to have a balance between different aspects, for example, work, relationships, personal growth, leisure, and self-care. One should strive for a harmonious allocation of time across these areas, enjoying the ebb and flow of life's demands.
You just never know
Sometimes it’s hard to behave with patience when the rest of my life is run on efficiency. If you understand yourself then it should easier to put yourself in somebody else’s shoes, for example, if they are having a tough time or are angry, it’s a good idea to not just dive in and respond to their behaviour. It makes more sense to stop and think about why this person is behaving like that and ask yourself where this behaviour is coming from? Understand it, and if they are just responding emotionally to something and you respond emotionally in return, this behaviour will not get you anywhere. So, it makes sense to hold back, wait and find out the real reason for their outburst.
Memory loves meaning
When we try to understand something deeply, it's important to ask why it's true and how it relates to other things we know. I think this helps us to organise the information in our minds and make connections between different pieces of information. This is known as "elaborative rehearsal" in psychology, where we try to relate new information to our existing knowledge. And when we understand the connections between different pieces of information, we are more likely to remember them in the long-term, because our brains can retrieve related information more easily. In my case, this is why it's more effective to learn a concept or idea in context, rather than simply memorising a list of facts.
I have found it helpful to break down complex ideas into smaller, more manageable parts and then focus on understanding each part before moving on to the next. I think one effective way to improve our ability to understand and remember information is to practice active learning techniques, for example, summarising information in our own words, creating mind maps or diagrams to visualise connections between ideas, and then testing ourselves regularly to reinforce our memory. What about you?
Feel good factors
Tirana 2023
The more someone tells you how strong they are the less likely their strength is real. The more someone posts images of their perfect body the less likely they feel perfect in it. I think people should focus on winning their inside game because once you open the faucet of external validation it never fills.
““Your value does not decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.” ”
A professional practice
Working as a consultant has given me substantial experience with motivating and inspiring team members to take ownership of their work is a valuable skill that can help to create a productive and successful work environment. I do this by creating an environment where everyone feels invested in the success of the organisation, fostering a sense of teamwork and collaboration which leads to improved morale and higher levels of productivity.
““A wise old owl lived in an oak;
The more he saw the less he spoke;
The less he spoke the more he heard:
Why can’t we all be like that bird?””