Build Your Success System
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You’re Already on the Ladder
For years, I played the guitar. I practised regularly. I learnt new songs. I slowly improved. Yet if someone had asked me whether I was a musician, I would probably have laughed. “No,” I’d have said. “I just play a bit of guitar.” The funny thing is, many of my friends from university played guitar…
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The Power of a Pre-Mortem
Most plans are designed for perfect conditions. You’ll have plenty of time. You’ll feel motivated. Nothing unexpected will happen. You’ll never get ill, stressed or exhausted. Unfortunately, real life doesn’t work like that. That’s why one of the most valuable questions you can ask before starting any meaningful goal is this: “Imagine it’s six months…
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The Decision Point Is Earlier Than You Think
There’s a lie we tell ourselves. We think the decision happens at the moment of action. When you reach for the takeaway menu.When you skip the gym.When you snap at someone.When you check your bank balance and feel sick. But the truth? The decision was made earlier. Much earlier. It Wasn’t the Takeaway You didn’t…
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What Gets Measured Gets Managed
Nearly 20 years ago, when I quit smoking, I stuck a small piece of paper to my computer monitor at work. At the time, I smoked around 25 cigarettes a day. Instead of counting the days I’d been smoke-free, I did something slightly different. Every morning, I’d add another 25 to a rolling total. The…
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Focus on the Controllables
It’s easy to become overwhelmed when you’re working towards a big goal. You start thinking about everything that could happen. “What if I don’t lose weight?” “What if my business doesn’t work?” “What if I never become fluent in Spanish?” “What if it all goes wrong?” Before long, you’re worrying about things you can’t influence…
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How to Set Goals That Actually Matter
Big goals are exciting. Run a marathon. Start a business. Write a book. Lose five stone. Move abroad. They give us something to aim towards and remind us that life can be bigger than it is today. But there’s a problem. Most people spend so much time looking at the mountain that they never take…
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Building Slack Into Your Life
For many years, I lived on a financial knife edge. Every unexpected bill felt like a crisis. If the car needed repairing… If an appliance broke… If something unexpected happened… There was nowhere for the money to come from. Every problem became urgent because I had no margin for error. It wasn’t until after my…
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Designing Your Environment for Success
Imagine two people trying to eat healthier. The first finishes work, feels exhausted and opens an empty fridge. The second finishes work, feels just as tired, but opens the freezer to find several healthy meals they’ve already prepared. Who is more likely to make a good choice? Probably the second person. Not because they’re more…
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Build Systems, Not Willpower
Imagine two people who both decide they want to get healthier. The first wakes up every morning hoping they’ll make good choices. The second spends Sunday afternoon cooking healthy meals, stocking the fridge with nutritious snacks and making exercise part of their weekly routine. A month later, who do you think is more likely to…