Category Archives: Energy

How to succeed without being overwhelmed. This involves improving your focus, emotional intelligence and physical sustainability.

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Getting over “If it hurts, hide it”

3 ways to handle emotionally difficult situations well

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Years ago, when I worked as a management consultant, I remember getting some analysis wrong. Even worse than that, I managed to get it wrong in a way that put a colleague in a bad light.

He stormed into the room where I was working, demanding to know why I had done it. I felt hurt, but in the words of Cowboy Logic by Michael Martin Murphy, I thought ‘if it hurts, hide it’.

So I hit back. “That’s rigorous work”, I said. And as soon as the words came out of my mouth, I could sense my colleague’s anger increase.

Of course in hindsight, I should have said, “I’m sorry, I made a mistake, I feel awful about this, what can I do?” But I didn’t. I just kept talking in my ‘I’m-an-intelligent-consultant’ way, and here was a colleague scrunching my chart in his hand, veins throbbing and almost shouting.

Suffice to say that my follow-up of “Well it just depends how you interpret the data” didn’t help.

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Exercising and not feeling the benefits? Here’s why and 3 tips how to change

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Exercising

“Whenever I feel like exercise, I lie down until the feeling passes.” – Robert Hutchins

Have you tried exercise and not found it ultimately beneficial? Many people end up feeling like Robert Hutchins in the quotation above, perhaps because they didn’t lose as much weight as they had hoped, or just found it boring, or didn’t notice any significant boost in their energy levels.

Exercise and weight loss have assumed almost mythic importance. Just look at the fads and celebrity diets that populate our image-crazed western culture. First, I’m going to dispel the biggest myth surrounding exercise, then I’m going to show you the real benefits of exercise, and give you some tips to use it to maximize not just your physical health, but your overall focus and energy too. If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this blog, it’s to remember that good exercise is about more than just exercise.

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The power of aligned beliefs – 4 lessons from the founder of Learjet

image credit: Shutterstock.com / Joseph Sohm

Picture the scene: 1963, Wichita, Kansas.

The inventor, aviator, and business leader Bill Lear debuts his first Learjet, and production starts within months. Private jet travel is within reach for the first time, and the possibilities are enormous.

But early on in the process, two of his Lears crashed in mysterious circumstances. What had seemed to have limitless potential now seems in doubt. Everything hinged on Jim’s next step.

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Wearable Review: Apple Watch (Sport Edition)

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Wearable reviews at nickchatrath.com are designed to let you know how useful a gadget is in helping to transform your personal performance, with the big four intelligences in mind. (The big four intelligences are mental focus, emotional intelligence, physical sustainability and purpose. In my experience, the most effective leaders devote attention to all four.) Whereas other sites review wearables from purely a technical or physical fitness standpoint, if you want to stop feeling tired and start having the time to focus productively on what matters, then you are in the right place.

My review will focus on each of the big four intelligences and give some tips on how to use the Apple Watch Sport to improve your performance.

Version reviewed: Apple Watch Sport, 42mm, April 2015 version.

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What Andy Murray and Mohamed el-Erian have in common (and why I applaud them both)

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Andy Murray’s winning streak at the Australian Open is reminding me of one of the most impressive things I ever read about him. In the middle of the night one Monday earlier this month, I was cradling my nine-week old daughter Phoebe. As I was soothing her back to sleep, I happened to look at my phone and saw a news item that popped up. British* tennis star Andy Murray, ranked No 2 in the world, is about to become a dad for the first time. (Ahh, I remember that time four and a half years ago – life has not been the same since, and I wouldn’t go back for the world!) His wife, Kim Sears, is due in mid-February.

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