More and more I’m hearing that this lockdown just seems that little bit harder than the last time. It came on pretty quickly this time, it’s in the second half of the year when we’re already tired and ready for a break, this strain of the virus is more unpredictable! Know that if you’re feeling this way it’s completely natural, many others are feeling this way too. But why are we feeling that this lockdown is harder and what can we do about it? (more…)

If you’re feeling like a lot of my clients out there it’s likely the end of the year break seems very far away! I’ve been feeling it too – drained and difficult to feel motivated, just going through the motions – but this isn’t me and I had to pull it back just for my own sanity! It’s difficult to stay motivated all the time, especially when you’re running your own business and your only source of motivation is you. However, that’s the game and I wouldn’t (more…)

We’re 2 months into the new year and if you’re like most it probably feels like the break over Christmas is a distant memory. I’ve fallen into a familiar trap over the last couple of weeks and now it’s time for me to eat my own dog food. I’ve been going at quite the pace and treating my days and weeks as if I was running a marathon like a sprint. The problem with that of course is that it can be exhausting and my energy levels never really get a (more…)

Happy New Year!!! Over the holidays I spent a few days building a French Drain. We bought our house about nine years ago and the back garden has never been right. Because of the position of our neighbours property and the slope of the ground, when it rained, we always ended up with a completely waterlogged back garden. Well after nine years I decided to do something about it. (more…)

Towards the end of the year I always find my mind wandering back to the year gone by. I look back on those things that have gone well, the things I’ve accomplished – how have I moved my life and career forward? – who have I connected with, and what could I learn from or do better?

I find this exercise invaluable because (more…)

It has been interesting chatting with people over the last few weeks about how they really didn’t like the idea of working from home when we went into lockdown and now they don’t want to go back into the office – they prefer to work from home! The human psyche is very interesting, isn’t it? Initially when things change we push back against it, it causes stress, worry and concern. This is perfectly natural because, believe it or not, we’re designed (more…)

It’s the beginning of another year and of course I’m going to talk about goal setting. It’s such an important part of our personal and professional development, and is an absolute must in your leadership toolkit. How many of us set goals for the new year, start off with a hiss and roar but have nothing to show for our efforts a couple of months later. We’ve all been guilty of it because goal setting alone isn’t enough. (more…)

If you’ve read the opening chapter of my book, you may remember me describing an incident where I was inadequately, and some might say unnecessarily, defending myself in a boardroom. This wasn’t the first time I embarrassed myself with that kind of behaviour, and it wasn’t the last. It took me a while to discover the underlying drivers for the behaviour, but once I did, I was able to make the changes which have helped me become more like the person I want to be. (more…)

There is a famous quote from the bible, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31) and while it sounds like a good idea, I don’t recommend it. I might be bringing upon myself the wrath of Christians everywhere but that’s not my intent. I understand the intention behind the statement and, in the perfect world…with the perfect person, it would be great advice. But it’s not a perfect world and I haven’t yet met the perfect person. Why I don’t recommend treating your neighbour as you would yourself (more…)

A very close friend of mine, Pádraig, was celebrating the christening of his daughter. Louise, my then-girlfriend and now long-suffering wife, and I were invited back to his place to continue the celebrations. Pádraig and I first became friends when we met as fitness instructors at a gym in Dublin. I left the industry, but Pádraig went on to become one of the foremost fitness experts in Ireland, lecturing in Trinity College and having a starring role in a long-running and successful television programme (more…)