An altogether healthier, alternative plan from Nicholas Bate: Start now a plan to do work you enjoy. And why would you stop doing it? … The full three-step plan, here.

An altogether healthier, alternative plan from Nicholas Bate: Start now a plan to do work you enjoy. And why would you stop doing it? … The full three-step plan, here.

Here’s a three-times great piece from writer,editor and publisher Shawn Coyne, writing on Steven Pressfield Online. He describes Eric Clapton’s performance of Further On Up The Road in The Last Waltz. Firstly, it’s a great example of grace under pressure; both the effortless professionalism of the Band and Eric Clapton’s recovery from an on-stage mishap. Secondly, […]

Another great post from Mark Kennedy, camel-master and story-boarder: “By setting up ideas and paying them off, you can accomplish a lot of things that aren’t really possible in any other way. One of the most useful ways of using setups and payoffs is to show how much a character has changed.” Or as Peter […]

Tim Worstall at the Adam Smith Institute highlights a fascinating piece of research that shows how the legacy of ancient Rome impacts economic development to this day: “The study identifies the persistence of the Roman road network until the present as an important factor causing this development advantage of the formerly Roman part of Germany both by […]

“Observe carefully what guides the actions of the wise, and what they shun or seek.” Marcus Aurelius (AD 120 – 180), Meditations

I put his in my “must read” list and have only just found it again.  A fascinating article by Travis Bradberry, co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0: 1. They’re Composed 2. They’re Knowledgeable 3. They’re Deliberate 4. They Speak with Certainty 5. … Interesting article.  Read the full list, and explanations, here.

Here’s an evocative list from Execupundit… “Hard work followed by relaxation. A cool drink. A well-written sentence. An original insight about something you’ve seen a thousand times. A call from an old friend. The sound of a loved but forgotten song. The sky at morning and evening. A good dictionary. … The precision of French. […]

Interesting timeline from the BBC. Many elements contribute to making a speech iconic; excellent oratory skills, carefully chosen words, snappy sound-bites or the ability to convey emotion. But even the most gifted orators have found that public speaking requires plenty of practice.