Victimhood is a seductive and all too common trap that robs the people that fall prey to it of their freedom and a workplace of the creative energy it needs to thrive. Bad shit happens all the time. Becoming a “turd observer” doesn’t help clean up a mess we are in. Taking back control of your mind, being bravely accountable and reframing obstacles as stepping stones to growth helps you escape the prison of victimhood.

A smarter path to success just might involve a little less work obsession and a little more guilt free time out and leisure action.

3 books to help you rethink this week. The Song of Significance by Seth Godin will help you rethink finding satisfaction at work, The Antidote by Oliver Burkeman will help you rethink how to find lasting happiness and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson will help you rethink the path to living a good life.

This week I learned without realising it, smart people can fall into the trap of over relying on their experience to solve problems when pressed for time, instead of remaining open to new and better ideas. Using a cue and a simple thinking hack can help smart people outsmart this problem.

This week Kelly McGonigal helps me learn how making stress your friend helps you live longer, and my local car wash team reminds me how choosing short term pain is the smart option where it opens the door to longer term gain.

This week Michael Roberto shows me how ‘focused distraction’ can lead to greater creativity and when the best way to give advice, is to not give advice. Enjoy!

This week Jody Miller teaches me all about the ancient practice of Misogi which has been used for centuries in Japan to help create space for new beginnings and I learn from psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb how changing the way you tell your story can change your life.

This week Mark Manson showed me how to embrace the right kind of struggles to live a better life and not give a f*ck about anything else and I learned that becoming Problem Hunter can help you avoid getting a ‘Dark Mark’ on your reputation.

This week I learned how to reframe difficult conversations into learning conversations with the guidance of Sheila Heen, Dave Talas gave me an advanced lesson on conversational design to get the most out of Chat GPT and Amy Edmondson shared how we can be less scared of failure when we look at it from three different perspectives.

This week I found out how to reframe difficult conversations into learning conversations with the guidance of Sheila Heen, Dave Talas gave me an advanced lesson on conversational design to get the most out of Chat GPT and Amy Edmondson helped me become less scared of failure when by looking at it from three different perspectives.

This week Oliver Burkeman helps me become a better procrastinator, the creator of CAPTCHA and co-founder of Duolingo, Luis von Ahn, teaches me how to solve two problems with one solution and James Clear gives me even more reasons to hit the gym to change my brain for the better.

This week Brendan Burchard’s High Performance Habits gets my new year’s goals motoring, music producer and author Rick Rubin helps me overcome mental blocks and author Byron Katie boosts my confidence by helping me ‘unbelieve’.

This week Adam Grant teaches me how givers can be wildly successful, Irish economist David McWilliams told me a fabulous yarn about what drove ABBA to choose the costumes they wore and insights from the science of motivation has boosted my productivity.

This week I've read Robert Greene’s book 'Mastery' which shows how to fast track achieving mastery in any field. I've listened to a podcast with Dolly Parton talking about her creative process and how she never lets failure or setbacks slow her down. And I've been learning how to access your subconscious mind to break the invisible anchors that hold you back from pursuing what scares you. For those celebrating holidays next week I hope yours are safe and connected with those you love.

This week I've rediscovered the power of the humble checklist by reading a brilliant book by US surgeon Atul Gawande. I've watched a fabulous YouTube video by Dr Peter Fuda on why you need both a burning platform and burning ambition to create sustainable change. And I've been learning that a key to getting smarter faster, is to get more comfortable with discomfort. Enjoy

This week I've been focusing on how to unlock creative ideas to problems. I found dyslexia is a superpower when it comes to creative thinking. I've listened to a McKinsey podcast on the alarming global rise of mental health challenges for our youth and how social media plays a role in this. And I'm learning how to be better at receiving feedback and found the insights and ideas of Sheila Keen to be really helpful. Enjoy.

This week I've been reading about simple ways I can teach my kids how to think independently, learning from Edward de Bono. I've listened to how Brené Brown argues the greatest barrier to daring leadership isn't fear its our armour, or how we self-protect when we're in fear. And I've learned about a relatively new science, sociogenomics, where researchers have found a link between chronic stress and changes in our DNA that can increase our risk of cancer. Yikes. Enjoy.

This week I've been reading what a former Canadian spy has to say about how to think more clearly and make better decisions. I've listened to a fascinating interview by Malcolm Turnbull with an entrepreneur who's infusing AI into military hardware. And I've learned that gratitude can cancel out anxiety. Enjoy.

This week I've been reading the work of James Clear in his book Atomic Habits to learn his strategies of how to create change and make it stick. I've watched a TED talk from Azim Shariff, a Canadian university professor, who has discovered why we value 'working hard' over achieving results. And I've been learning how inversion strategies have been used by artists, musicians and entrepreneurs to solve big problems. Enjoy.