My aim is to inspire people around the world one blog post at a time.
This is the place to nourish your mind, heart, body and soul.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch your own business. Maybe you want to escape the rat race and find peace in simple living. Maybe you want to improve your health. Whatever your dream is, it is valid!
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Dreams without action are just dreams. But taking action doesn’t necessarily mean quitting your job and burning the ocean. Small steps matter. It is the ability to plug away consistently at something over time that is the key. Small steps add up. You’ll get there!
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If you keep building slowly and consistently with passion each day, adding value that matters to you, then the growth will take care of itself. The keys to achieving success are patience and avoiding complacency.
The Boardroom Psycho
Imagine a world where the boardroom is a battleground, and the players wear suits instead of armour.
In "Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work," authors Paul Babiak and Robert D. Hare offer a chilling glimpse into this reality—one where psychopathy infiltrates the corporate landscape and leaves a trail of manipulation and destruction in its wake.
Contrary to popular belief, psychopathy is not solely confined to the criminal underworld.
While some psychopaths may engage in criminal behaviour, many others operate within legal boundaries, holding positions of power and authority in society.
You’re Biased and I’ll Prove It
Bias is a word that often carries negative connotations, suggesting unfairness, prejudice, and discrimination.
But bias is inherent in all of us, rooted in our cognitive processes, social conditioning, and lived experiences.
While biases can indeed lead to unfair treatment or distorted judgments, they also serve as adaptive shortcuts that help us navigate the complexities of the world around us.
So, let's explore the nature of bias, why it exists, and how it manifests in our everyday lives. We can do this by looking at twelve of the most common biases (there are many more) that influence human behaviour.
Everyone’s Entitled To My Opinion
So, surprise, surprise … we all have opinions.
Some are as harmless as debating the best flavour of ice cream, while others touch on more substantial matters like climate change, moral justice, or various scientific theories.
But what exactly constitutes an opinion, and how much weight should we assign to them?
Let's begin by taking a trip back to ancient Greece, where the wise philosopher Plato noted that opinions are beliefs that lack the certainty of knowledge.
Kill the Culture Crocodiles
"Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast" - Peter Drucker
The above is a well-known and often quoted saying attributed to the renowned management consultant Peter Drucker.
Paradoxically, many companies have some giant crocodiles lurking in the waters of their company culture. Sadly, these crocodiles prey on the harmony and vitality of the organisation and pose a significant threat to its well-being and success.
A toxic organisational culture left unchecked will ultimately destroy an otherwise great business.
Intuitive Leadership in a Sensory World
Imagine standing at a crossroads and trying to decide which path to take.
Sensing people are the ones who carefully observe their surroundings, noting every detail—the texture of the ground beneath their feet, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, the faint scent of flowers in the air. They rely on concrete data and tangible information to guide their decisions, like a well-worn map that leads them from point A to point B.
On the other hand, intuitive people are the dreamers, the visionaries who see beyond the surface and into the realm of possibilities. They're less concerned with the details and more focused on the big picture, relying on gut instincts and flashes of insight to guide their decisions.
Karma is a Bitch
The phrase "Karma is a Bitch" emerged as a colloquial expression to convey the idea that negative actions or intentions can come back to haunt us in unexpected and often unpleasant ways.
It suggests that when someone engages in harmful behaviour or mistreats others, they will eventually face repercussions.
The use of the word "bitch" in this context emphasizes the harsh or punitive nature of karma's consequences.
It also implies that karma has a way of delivering justice with a bite, especially to those who have behaved unfairly or maliciously towards others.
But where does the concept of karma come from?
Why We Judge What We Don’t Know
Have you ever felt that people are quick to judge? Are you sometimes quick to judge?
Have you ever wondered why we judge what we don't know or understand?
Even the most hardened criminal gets his day in court, where all evidence is carefully weighed before judgment is pronounced.
And yet, as humans, we struggle to extend the same courtesy to one another.
The fifth habit Steven R. Covey mentions in his best-selling book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" is "Seek First To Understand, Then Be Understood".
I would argue that for most of us this is not the habit we have cultivated.
So, what are the reasons behind our inclination to pass judgment on what we don't know or understand?
Are You Civilised ?
I asked various people what it means to be civilised, and most responded by describing a set of behaviours, values, and characteristics generally considered refined, cultured, and socially acceptable.
They mentioned things like following laws and societal norms, being educated and knowledgeable, treating others with respect, being polite, demonstrating kindness, etc.
Do you agree?
Years ago, cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead was once asked what she considered the first sign of civilisation in a culture to be.
Given the nature of anthropological fieldwork, the student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks, clay pots, or grinding stones.
Surprisingly …
The Power of Silence
“Speak only if it improves upon the silence” - Mahatma Gandhi
In a world filled with constant chatter and noise, there's value in the power of silence.
Sometimes, silence speaks volumes, especially in moments of heated conversation or conflict where it has real power. After all, arguing with someone who doesn't argue back is quite challenging.
For example, imagine you're at a family gathering, and tensions are rising. Voices are raised, emotions are raw, and it feels like the room is on the brink of exploding.
Five Going on Fifteen
Meet the pint-sized philosophers, the nippers with attitudes, and the mini versions of humanity that have seemingly swapped fruit juice boxes for espresso.
Forget building sandcastles; these mini-mavericks are busy texting on imaginary phones and debating which YouTuber is the best.
Hand a five-year-old a tablet, and you'll witness a digital maestro in action. They swipe, tap, and navigate apps with expertise that makes you question your own tech literacy. Siri, meet your miniature competition.
Let us have a look at a sneak preview that today's five-year-olds are giving us into their teenage years, and tell me if you recognise any of these …
Are You Ignorant About Your Ignorance ?
Imagine you're at a backyard braai (barbecue for my non-South African friends) where the smell of a lekker tjopie (chop) wafts, and you know that the neighbours are drooling. You sip your doppie (drink), and the conversation turns to the delicate art of braaing.
As a culinary maestro in your own right, you confidently jump into the discussion. You start sharing profound insights on the ideal grill temperature, meat marination techniques, and the sacred grilling-to-flipping ratio.
Congratulations! You might be experiencing the Dunning-Kruger Effect in action. It's that magical moment when you feel like the Gordon Ramsay of braai while your actual braai skills could use a bit of seasoning.
Anger is a Secondary Emotion
Have you ever felt angry, ready to explode like a shaken soda can?
My Afrikaans-speaking friends will know that we have some colourful expressions when we are angry, such as "Ek het my moer nou mors af gestrip", usually accompanied by one or two choice swear words in between.
But do you know that Anger is often just the superhero cape worn by other, frequently unnoticed, emotions? In other words, on the world stage, Anger isn't the main character; it's more like a sidekick that makes a dramatic entrance.
I Can’t Sing But I Speak Sh#@ Fluently
It all started innocently enough. There I was, a young teenager in the shower, belting out UB40's "Red Red Wine" with the confidence of Ali Campbell himself. And I found myself dreaming.
I dreamed of a world where my voice was a celestial tapestry woven with threads of silk and gravel dancing through the air. A world where my ballads would melt hearts with words that carried the weight of countless stories and unspoken emotions. A world where the girls would be enchanted, and audiences captivated.
But eish (alas), the reality was that my singing voice had the range of a distressed donkey, the shower head was cringing, and my sister was shouting at me to stop trying to kill the cat.