When yes battles with no

Thursday 4am. I sit bolt upright in bed. Thoughts of the day’s tasks coming up thick and fast. My stomach clenches. My mouth is dry. There is a gnawing anxiety already present. My head feels tight.   I lie back down, tossing back and forth but knowing the night is over. I try to stay breathing in calm; bringing my attention to my […]

Do you fall into the trap of ‘this or that’?

I leant forward in my seat.  It couldn’t be done.  No way. To get the project finished on time, would mean another weekend at work. My heart sank, and my stomach contracted.  I would have to tell my partner this was another weekend written off for work, in service of my clients, my business. I felt myself growing […]

What rockbottom really tells you

Neil (not his real name) had been fired from his last two positions.  His confidence was at rockbottom.  He knew he was a capable and experienced leader, but twice in a row.  Surely that meant there was some fatal flaw that he was simply not seeing? At heart, he was a natural problem solver.  He thrived […]

The Unseen Struggle of Driven (Tech) Dads

Gary closed the door to the bathroom, turned the lock and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn’t like what he saw. Tiredness. Anger. Shame. The beginnings of a haunted look. The cold water from the tap jolted his senses. He scooped it up in his hands and splashed it on to this face. He hoped the iciness would wake him up […]

Why dreams matter

I was in the beautiful city of Vancouver when it dawned on me.  It was a beautiful autumn day. I was on the campus of the University of British Columbia.  In the cold clear light of day, I saw something new.  My breath slowed. I felt the freshening October air on my face.   An energy surge […]

How do you keep your head when others are losing theirs?

Picture this. You’re about to play your favourite sport. Let’s say it’s a tennis match, for the sake of this post. You’re about to step on to the court, when someone comes up and says you’ve been selected for a special competition. The winner of this match will get £1 million. How does knowing that affect your […]

Are you secretly blaming yourself?

This was another meeting that confirmed Ed’s opinion. As daylight faded and they all sat tensely around the table, she cut across him again. He felt his stomach clench. Why was it that whenever he expressed an opinion of value, she immediately dismissed it and turned to her  favourites? He stared into the half-drunk glass of […]

Fear getting it wrong? Here’s something that can help

This is pretty common, right? You have an impetus or drive to dive into something new. Maybe you’ve taken on a new role. Or you’re learning a new skill.  But you’re scared… Of messing upBeing made to look foolishGetting rejectedNot doing as well as othersBeing uncomfortableGetting in over your headLosing credibilityLosing something else you value (eg time)I’m sure […]

Can’t get out of the starting blocks? Try this…

The deadline is looming. It’s a big one, and it’s starting to play on your mind. But still, you can’t get moving on the task. You open your laptop or place yourself where you need to be, and crickets. Your phone is close by so you pick it up and start idly flicking through your feed. Then, you […]

How to Banish Imposter Syndrome for Good

You’ve done brilliantly in your career so far. Had plaudits, promotions, payrises. And yet, there’s this lingering feeling ‘I might be found out.’ Or perhaps you’ve done really well, but had a knock back and it’s shaken your confidence about really ‘deserving’ the position you’re in. You know how it goes. You start thinking… ‘What if I can’t show […]