Personal Development

“A mentally strong person knows how to control their thoughts. Instead of letting them run wild, they observe their thoughts and watch them pass. They understand that their thoughts are not who they are. Instead, it’s the actions they take that form who they are. Mentally strong people will call out their thoughts on certain…

“Your willingness to learn and adjust positively from mistakes and shortcomings will largely determine how far you will travel the road to success” (John Maxwell) Human beings really struggle to learn from mistakes. It is not because we don’t want to learn from our errors. It is infrequent that we don’t understand why we made…

I want to live this year – not just survive. The world’s population has just endured two really tough years – not just on account of the corona virus COVID-19 pandemic with all its variants, but also because of many other related ensuing trends. The virus has challenged major economies exposing their fragility. Some people…

December is a time of the year when families attempt to get together, sometimes family members flying from different parts of the world to be with loved ones and close friends. It is often a time of reflection – do I have any relationships that are ailing and if so, do I need to apply…

The phrase ‘don’t be slothful’ is not a statement that one wants to receive nor is the phrase fair to the sloth. “Sloth”, commonly, is used to describe a person’s assumed laziness, inactivity, reluctance to work or make an effort, probably because the animal of the same name moves slowly. Although the sloth moves slowly,…

“I will prepare and someday my chance will come” (Abraham Lincoln) It is not uncommon to come across a great little invention and think, I wish I had thought of that. But bringing even simple ideas to full fruition involves a process – one that is not always as easy as it may appear. Achieving…

“Workaholics are addicted to activity; super-achievers are committed to results. They work towards goals that contribute to their mission. In their mind’s eye, they see the end they want and the actions leading towards it” (Charles A Garfield, Peak Performer) Stephen R Covey, profoundly influential through his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is…

“Confidence develops when you have a deep sense that you can handle the emotional outcome of whatever you face or pursue. Another way to put it is that confidence is the felt sense of a “can-do” attitude” (Joan Rosenberg) Despite many articles from a variety of authors that suggest that growing self-confidence is as easy…

“The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach” (Benjamin Mays) Whomever I speak to of late, people seem to be tired and overwhelmed at best or have lost hope at worst. This listlessness, indifference or lethargy in part has its origins in the…

“The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion” (Paulo Coelho) While meaningful words do have positive impact and can indeed encourage, persuade and influence, actions speak louder than words. Though opinions are important, though convictions carry a lot of weight, though what we think and what we say are both important, they…

“An unhurried sense of time is in itself a form of wealth” (Bonnie Friedman) In our fast-paced world, expectations grow – partly as a natural consequence of development and the realisation of less than perfect results (oh, I wish this computer would just speed up and work for me!), but chiefly because of an inner…

“If you are kicking up a storm, don’t expect clear sailing” (P P Sullivan) Although some people allow adversity to bend or break their spirits, others swiftly adapt to their new context and overcome the opposition. The skill to adapt and find opportunities in difficult situations is a sure test of character and ingenuity. Ralph…