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Discipline Growth Habits Reflection Self awareness

Are your habits working for you?

Last year in December, my headspace meditation streak that lasted for over 250 days got interrupted because I did not meditate for a day.

I’ll admit that I had set a goal of reaching 365 days of uninterrupted meditation, so when I skipped a day and saw the counter going back to zero, I had a slight moment of sadness.… Read the rest

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Change Curiosity Growth Learning Life

How do you stay hungry?

Two weeks ago, I ran through the countryside of Belgium.

I am still amazed by the patchwork of houses that do not reveal any vision of creative unity or aesthetic pleasing. What’s worse, I noticed very little progress.

We lived in Belgium from 2005 through 2007, and it felt like nothing had changed.… Read the rest

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Growth Growth Life Purpose Self awareness

Abraham or Tony?

Who do you know better?

Abraham Maslow or Tony Robbins?

Maslow is known for his hierarchy of needs, going from physiological needs to the need for self-actualization. 

Maslow was one of the most influential psychologists of the twentieth century.

Tony Robbins is known for filling up ballrooms and concert venues with thousands of ‘fans’ looking for personal breakthroughs.… Read the rest

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Discipline Execution Growth Learning Writing

Learn from the best!

Consistency is key.

When you want to progress in life, you need to show up and deliver what you set out to deliver.

That’s what I’ve shown with my writing in 2022. 

52 weeks. Two stories per week, every Tuesday and Friday morning. One hundred four accomplished. 

Not a single week was missed. 
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Change Discipline Growth Habits Mindset

It’s Fitness Tourist time! Again.

Happy New Year!

Twenty Twenty Three.

I wouldn’t say I like it.

I don’t like odd years. I don’t know why, but even years are more compelling.

Twenty-Twenty-Two sounded so much better. That’s water under the bridge now.

This is day three of the next five years. 

Two days are done, 1824 days to go.… Read the rest

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Growth Habits Learning Mindset Purpose

Five Years! Really?

A friend of mine asked me recently whether I was happy with my progress over the past five years. 

For some weird reason, my mind went to Lenin and his New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1921.

I don’t remember many things from my primary education, but I remember the NEP from Lenin.… Read the rest

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Conversations Courage Feedback Growth Mindset

Four reasons why we fail at crucial conversations

Recently the world population reached 8 billion people. 

That’s 8 billion people that are part of a worldwide community of human beings that need each other to grow, flourish, be happy, and create fulfillment in their lives.

Roughly (very roughly) 20% of those 8 billion are children. That leaves about 6 billion adults.… Read the rest

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Choices Growth Learning Mindset Reflection

Why turning points matter

Tonight, Friday the ninth of December, the Netherlands plays Argentina in the World Cup.

You know me.

I sometimes link my insights to sports, yet I keep them relevant to personal, leadership, and team growth. 

A lot has been said about this World Cup in Qatar, and I’d like to add my perspective. … Read the rest

Categories
Courage Growth Mindset Performance Purpose

Roger

Have you found your talent yet?

If I learned one thing (there were more lessons) from my fellow TED talk speaker Luk de Wulf, it would be that we all have a talent for something.

Luk’s point is that you can’t start early enough in life finding, building, and enjoying your talents.… Read the rest

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Growth Leading Self Mindset Self awareness Vision

You can be more

Start by leaving your past behind you

Recently I shared an insight about my love for writing and how it helps me to grow myself and others.

I’m 54 years old and still with a life ahead of me. Growing is part of me every single day. A day without learning is a day not lived.… Read the rest

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Change Discipline Growth Mindset Performance

You’re not a tree

“If you don’t like how things are, change it. You are not a tree.”

Jim Rohn

I took a liking recently to the quotes from Jim Rohn. At the risk of offending someone, I had never heard of Jim until a few months ago.

Thanks to the algorithm of Instagram, one of his quotes showed up, which was enough reason to do a little more research.… Read the rest

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Courage Fear Growth Mindset Self awareness

Why it’s time to let go

Last weekend I went to see the sequel of Top Gun.

Before you decide not to read further, please don’t worry; I’m not going to reveal any of the plot or big scenes or how the movie ends.

You can read this insight and still go see the movie without any hints of what’s happening.
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Categories
Asking Questions Growth Leadership Purpose Self awareness

Three surprising questions to figure out what you want

What pisses you off?

I’ll make sure to clarify first at the start of this insight. I’m just asking this question about the work you do.

I’m not asking you about things in your personal life that piss you off. So if your spouse never cleans out the dishwasher, sorry for you, but that’s not the stuff I’m interested in.… Read the rest

Categories
Courage Growth Learning Mindset Psychological Safety

You become what you pay attention to

You need a breather.

Seriously, when was the last time you consciously paid attention to your breathing?

When was the last time you sat with your breathing and paid full attention to you filling your lungs with air and then releasing the air from your lungs?

Most people get through their day without even once being aware of the fact that they’re breathing.
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Categories
Culture Growth Mindset Values Vision

Growing Pains

Can a company grow too fast?

The answer to that question is yes, but many will struggle to provide me with that answer because they’ve never experienced it.

Only those who’ve gone through a period of excessive growth and had to deal with the consequences will answer the question with a yes.
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Growth Learning Mindset Reflection Self awareness

Maximizer or Satisficer?

There are areas in my life where I want the very best.

Food is such an area. I love going to a good restaurant (I’m not writing expensive) and enjoying a good meal with a great conversation.

Food and conversation go excellently together. Food, to me, is emotional beyond the functional role of providing your body with nutrition and energy.… Read the rest

Categories
Alignment Growth Mindset Team effectiveness

Grow in concert

Imagine.

You’re attending a concert of your favorite band, and suddenly you discover that some of the band members do not know how to play their instrument.

Or they are not clear which song they’re going to play.

If concerts are not your thing, then replace the band with the people in the kitchen of your favorite restaurant, the players on your favorite sports team, or the pit crew of your formula one racing team.… Read the rest

Categories
Asking Questions Conversations Feedback Growth Self awareness

If someone took control of your life tomorrow, what’s the first thing they would change?

What a brilliant question.

And what a hard question to answer without showing a certain degree of vulnerability (read also my story “Vulnerability is a Differentiator”).

How honest are you going to be when answering this question?

Or perhaps, how self-aware are you to be able to answer the question properly?… Read the rest

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Change Courage Growth Self awareness Trust

Vulnerability is a differentiator.

What’s your first reaction when you see this headline?

When I read this quote last week, my brain went into a pirouette that would have won gold at the most recent Olympic Games.

Meaning that for me there are different twists to this quote with both positive and negative implications.

While the author’s intentions were positive, it’s easy to point at the downsides of demonstrating vulnerability as well.… Read the rest

Categories
Courage Growth Learning Mindset

Are you living up to your potential?

Yesterday I hosted a webinar on personal growth.

It was a fun learning experience talking about personal growth, and I also took the opportunity to introduce a brand-new training I’m planning to record soon.

Personal growth matters to me a lot, so much you know by now. But perhaps you never knew exactly why.… Read the rest