This is the tenth year since I nearly died in my bed My personal ‘Ground Zero’ (the deepest one of too many) Today I am in the best shape I’ve been in for 30 years (I am more than twice that in age) Three things that got me there Going within: meditation, therapy, deep reflection on who I am, and breaking the patterns that broke me Community: social and spiritual – finding new spaces to inhabit – we become who we are through others (the Ubuntu spirit) Purpose: organising my life around the things I do well, giving time to the important and allowing the less important to fall away Am I complete? Far from it, I’m on the edge of another transformation, taking me into even more uncertain spaces But I have come this far and I stand on the shoulders of many across generations Someone out there needed to hear this today You have what it takes

Check out World Premier of "Flock", a play about young care leavers by Jim Pope on @Kickstarter kickstarter.com/projects/flo…

Ever felt the power in a conversation that goes beyond the casual 'How are you?' Here's how you release it 🧠 Be mindful in asking - really tune in 👀 Watch for subtle cues - might be a flicker but you'll notice 👂 Listen without taking on - it's making the space that matters It's more than talk, it's a service to others Ask, then truly listen You might just be the difference. 🌟 #BeyondWords #GenuineConnection

🚀 Unlock the future of success with these three power-packed traits: 1️⃣ Curiosity: ignite your inner explorer, fuel your hunger for discovery, and let your spark light the path to innovation 2️⃣ Humility: crush your ego, embrace unlearning, and stay ahead by bidding farewell to outdated knowledge. Humility is the key to perpetual growth 3️⃣ Adaptability: don't just know, DO! Apply your knowledge fearlessly; success comes to those who fail fast It's your time to thrive in the ever-evolving economy!

You are not mediocre. But do you tell yourself you are? You will get in your own way until you learn to exercise choice over your inner voice You can give yourself permission to excel You gotta work at it every day, starting with your inner voice It's also about the people around you, though you can't control them What you can control is what you tell yourself about yourself Give yourself permission to excel Be who you can really be. Do yourself justice (Mega hat-tip to @jameshansensim)

We are more than 'one thing' We are many, many things at once In my culture I learned I was a 'black man' I still am But some of my most challenging life lessons have been about seeing that as a foundation rather than a limitation Takes lifelong work from within But it's one of the keys to self-liberation Being boundless You may not be a black man But there may be one aspect of you that limits how you see you Instead be you and be boundless Work on it every day

I'm a photographer and I approve this message 📸

Stumbling and falling is part of life Been there. Been broke, been fired, been alone I've used these steps to build character Not easy, but what's worthwhile never is So take the first step. You don't have to see the whole staircase

Conflict between people is about dealing with three kinds of s**t My s**t Your s**t And our s**t Know which is which That will get you far

'Get your butterflies flying in formation' Great advice I took from a recent @TEDTalks podcast In essence: don't let your feelings run you, run your feelings Channel the feeling of anxiety into enhanced focus on the task at hand Takes work Transforming yourself requires it

Opportunity knocks But sometimes quietly So listen for the gold You'll find it

Building your career or your business? Sell your achievements It's not conceit It's doing yourself justice

Three essentials to being the best you: Learn how you learn Learn how to get out of your own way Learn gratitude for what you have

A mindset shift shows up at the level of 'being' And time lends perspective I can see that my mindset shifted every decade of my life (I am into my seventh) The key: an ingrained habit of reflection and learning You cannot grow without reflection

#real #Ubuntu

When you've had success in your life, a coach has been there for you You might not have recognised them as such. But they were there For your future success, be intentional about getting a coach One of the smartest investments you'll make You'll thank yourself down the line

"Leaders take up space" Heard this a lot yesterday on a photoshoot, getting direction about this or that pose, this or that facial expression Got me thinking about my coaching conversations over the years about how leaders show up in the everyday, how we use physical presence almost like performance art to convey influence and authority How we take up space and for what purpose Is that true in the virtual realm as in the physical? There are at least two points on a spectrum I’m aware of One is definitely about capturing attention Our words count, our stories connect. We put ourselves in the mind of the reader as best we can I want you to read this for the value for you as well as myself, so I need your eyes on me – take up your space Another POV is that in the virtual realm it is less about taking up space, and more about creating space to enable others to realise their possibilities…..so we become a conduit to their dreams. That’s using space to understand pain points, to open up listening, to point to solutions Any resonance here? What’s the interplay you see between taking up space to serve ourselves and using space to serve others?

Transition is part of the cycle of life I left school 47 years ago with two competing narratives in my head One: I can learn anything I want Two: nothing I do will ever be good enough Took me until my fifties to give priority to the first over the second That took crisis - identity, health, money, everything Only way out is through - that means facing the mirror and learning to love what you see, warts and all Still on that, every day The lesson: what you need to learn will keep coming back to you until you learn it Be always about transition

I ride with two of the women featured in this clip, so I am not neutral. Whilst the focus is on road users here, the truth is that the cycling community as a whole needs to step up its inclusivity game. Time to do better.