Author Archives: Matthew

Boldly Going Nowhere

Posted ago by Matthew

How often do you feel like you’re the hamster running furiously on the hamster wheel?  I walk to work every morning and pass by an old car covered in hundreds of stickers.  I think the stickers are keeping the old rust …

Don’t lose sight…

Posted ago by Matthew

I heard a comment directed at me the other day that I’ve heard quite often.  “Is there anything you don’t do?” When people see that I work full time as a Corporate Trainer, part-time as a Dale Carnegie trainer, write …

Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling – Wayne Dyer

Posted ago by Matthew

 “Lecturing or demanding others live peacefully is one of the least effective ways to inspire them; however, when we simply demonstrate that we’re living peacefully, we offer other people a large dose of inspiration by our mere presence.”  This comes …

Rewards and Motivation

Posted ago by Matthew

Are we motivated by rewards?  Conventional practice would say “yes”, but science would say otherwise. In the laboratory, rats are rewarded with food.  In the classroom the top students are rewarded with A grades, and in the workplace, the best …

Goldcorp Case Study

Posted ago by Matthew

A fascinating story about turning conventional wisdom on its head and how a business profited from utlising the brain-trust of the whole world. In January 1848, a work crew at John Sutter’s mill, near Sacramento, California, came across a few …

James Dyson – Biography of an Entrepreneur

Posted ago by Matthew

James Dyson was born in England, one of three children.  His father, Alec, died when he was nine.  “Not having a father, particularly at that time, was very unusual.  I felt different.  I was on my own.  I can’t quite …

The 4% Rule

Posted ago by Matthew

I was chatting with a friend the other day and discussing goals and setting a life vision.  Her concern was that she was working to pay her mortgage and her bills and not to fulfill her dreams.  She couldn’t see …

More on Goals…

Posted ago by Matthew

When you’re setting goals it’s also important to focus on lead indicators.  With any goal you have lead indicators and lag indicators.  Lead indicators are predictive of the desired results.  Lag indicators are often the desired results but by the …

Predictions for 2011

Posted ago by Matthew

A week and a half into 2011 and what’s changed? How are your new year’s resolutions coming?  How will 2011 be for you? Well, I took a look in my crystal ball, consulted the tea leaves and gazed at the …

The Big Picture

Posted ago by Matthew

I used to be someone who worried.  When I was at school I worried about my up-coming exams or a spelling test.  When I left school I worried about a job interview or a date with a girl.  Heck, I worried about asking the …