Start a happiness drive today. What can you do for a customer right now that will bring a smile to their face? How about a complete stranger? And what can you do for youself today to add to your own happiness? (Example: pay the toll of the driver behind you.) What are some other acts of random happiness you have come across?

On blue days, turn off your phone, shut down your computer, and schedule a one-hour meeting with yourself and three pieces of premium chocolate.

I have recently left a consulting business I co-founded called Vermillion. It has been an interesting, rewarding and challenging three years. Vermillion launched a revolutionary, humanist approach to business practice. In that short time, it made significant contributions to businesses and the community, and showed that being authentic, acting with integrity, creativity and passion, and generosity works really well to help a business stand out and be noticed.

Unfortunately, …

In a conformist world, we often have our “faults” pointed out to us repeated by the well meaning (or otherwise!).

“You are too opinionated.”
“You are too accommodating.”

The advice is usually something inactionable and frustratingly soul-destroying like:
“Stop being so opinionated.”
“Stop being so nice.”

The more empowering approach is to creatively leverage the strengths of these “faults”. While at the same time acknowledging and limiting any potential risk from the weaknesses.

Too opinionated? …

Keep a fly diary. Seriously.

Every morning, when you are getting ready to go to work, take 15 seconds to pause and assess your tummy. Therein be butterflies? Or blowflies?

Butterflies are what you get when you are doing something exciting, scary, new, and GOOD. You are probably doing something you love, or trying something new that you are seriously interested in or passionate about. Experimenting. Innovating.

Blowflies are what makes …

On the chalkboard of a cafe in Perth: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Eleanor Roosevelt

2006 is still young. What is your dream for your business this year?

I had the luxury of spending an entire day yesterday catching up on the BBC’s new Dr Who TV series. Reflecting on the magic-like time-travel technology at the Dr’s disposable:

We in the western world often take for granted the magic-like technology (relative to the developing world) we have at our disposal. We have the ability, the magic wand if you will, right now, to cure a myriad of …

Isn’t this is just the best quote about embracing mistakes as part of the journey towards success?!! The man who said this is Genia Landa.

A big THANK YOU to Glenn Capelli of The True Learning Centre for sharing this. (If you give a damn about learning and professional development, you must check out Glenn.)

Re a recent cover story in AFR BOSS magazine: 2005 Top entrepreneurs.

This article again blindly promulgates the STUPID how-much-money-are-you-making approach to measuring the success of a business. This is once again presented as THE indicator of having “made it”.

Consider the first paragraph: “…but for those of us who haven’t (yet) built multi-million dollar businesses, they are a source of inspiration…”

The assumption the author is making is …