Category: Self Improvement

Be Thankful for Adversity

Douglas Bader Would you really like a life without hardship and challenge?  I don’t think so. I told my friend Graham that I often cycle the two miles from my house to the town centre but unfortunately there is a big hill on the route.  He replied, ‘You mean fortunately.’  He explained that I should be glad of the extra exercise that the hill provided. My attitude to the hill has... Read More--

Discover how to Easily Remember Lists – use Memory Pegging

If you want to remember a list in sequence then try using a memory pegging technique.   We ‘peg’ each item to a visual symbol for its number.   The method I would recommend is a rhyming approach.  The list I use is as follows:   1. Ton – One ton 2. Zoo 3. Tree 4. Door 5. Hive (with bees buzzing around) 6. Sticks 7. Heaven 8. Gate 9. Line (fishing line) 10. Den (e.g. the lion’s den) 11.... Read More--

Check your Assumptions

Every time that we approach a problem, in any walk of life, we bring to bear assumptions that limit our ability to conceive fresh solutions. Our experiences condition us to see any new situation in terms of situations we have seen before. We make assumptions unconsciously and put things into a framework with constraints that limit our thinking. Innovative thinkers are always aware of assumptions... Read More--

Which Foods boost your Brain and Fight Alzheimer’s?

Blueberries There is a growing consensus among scientists and nutritionists that certain foods are good for the brain (especially later in life) and help to prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.   Here is a summary of what is currently advised as good for the brain: Fruit and Vegetables: Foods rich in anti-oxidants are excellent for the brain and according to the US Department of Agriculture... Read More--

10 Ways to Simplify your Life

Are you just so busy with mundane activities that you can’t find time for the things that are important to you? Most people are in a terrible rush and are far too busy to enjoy life. Do you have too much going on and too much complexity in your life? If this is your problem then here is some advice from writer Elaine St. James: 1) Resign from any organizations whose meetings you dread. 2) Learn... Read More--

How receptive are you to New Ideas?

We carried out a survey to assess attitudes towards receptiveness to new ideas within organizations. There were 203 respondents of whom 82% were from private sector companies and 18% from the public sector. The results indicate that most people consider themselves to be much more receptive to new ideas than their bosses are. So whereas 95% of people think that they would welcome or consider ideas from... Read More--

How to win the Lottery

Generally speaking lotteries are very poor bets.  Let’s consider the UK national lottery.  You have to select 6 numbers from 59.  There are in fact 45 million different ways in which you can choose 6 numbers from 59 and this means that your chance of winning the jackpot with a single ticket is about 1 in 45 million.  Furthermore only 50% of the total takings are paid out in prizes (the rest... Read More--

Move out of your Comfort Zone – Keep trying new things

If you want to be more adventurous in your thinking then be more adventurous in your activities. Deliberately push yourself out of your routine. Try things that you do not normally try. Do things that you have never done before. Do things that scare you. Most people operate in a comfortable rut. Here are some ideas for pushing you out of your rut. * Take salsa dancing lessons * Try a new sport. * Drive... Read More--

Develop your Greatest Skill; Mastery of Language

The most common method of thinking in the Western world is verbal thinking. We have a range of intelligences including numerical, musical, spatial, emotional, verbal and kinaesthetic intelligences yet it is verbal intelligence that we depend on most. We tend to think and express ourselves in words. Mastering the use of words is the most important skill we develop because acquiring further skills depends... Read More--