Sometimes moving forward is as simple as letting go of what’s holding you back. Sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But you’d be amazed how many people stay stuck precisely because they’re gripping too tightly to the very thing that’s keeping them trapped. Think of monkey bars in a playground. You know how they work. To move…
There’s a well-worn path most people take through life. It’s gentle. It’s easy. It’s crowded with everyone else who’s chosen comfort over effort, safety over risk, acceptance over achievement. It’s called the Path of Least Resistance, and it will almost always lead you to an average destination. Not terrible. Not great. Just average. And if…
There’s something I call the FOWI-FOMO scale, and it’s based on fear. Because used in the right way, fear is a good thing. It’s a pretty strong motivator, and if something’s going to get you moving in the right direction, fear can be the catalyst you need. The problem is that most people are being…
You trust old information more than new information. You believe the way you’ve always done things is better than trying something different. And that belief, comfortable as it is, is probably keeping you stuck. Welcome to Conservatism Bias, one of the most common cognitive biases you have. It’s the mental shortcut that makes you hang…
Would you rather have £90 today or £100 in a month? Have you ever thought about how long it would take for that decision to change? Most of you would take the £90. Right now. Guaranteed. In your hand today. And honestly, that’s exactly the response your brain is designed to give you. It feels…
Sometimes the only way to move forward is to first let go of what’s holding you back. And what’s holding you back isn’t usually what you think it is. It’s not the lack of opportunity. Not the missing motivation. Not even the circumstances you blame. It’s the negative event from last week, last month, or…
There’s a condition I see on a regular basis when I talk to patients. It was first described by Aaron Beck, one of the fathers of modern cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), back in 1976, when he was researching the distorted ways people think and where therapy could help. This particular cognitive bias seems to affect…
“It’s not my fault.” He said it with accusation in his eyes, scanning the room for someone or something to blame. And he found plenty. My fault. The practice’s fault. The NHS’s fault. Society’s fault. The world’s fault. For him, nothing worked, and it was never, ever his responsibility to fix it. I remember this…
It’s winter in the UK, and flu season is upon us. I saw a really sick kid a few days ago and admitted him to hospital. He’d been seen just a few days before with what looked like a simple cold. Now he’s on a paediatric ward with pneumonia, struggling to breathe, parents terrified out…
You’re not going to finish what you don’t start. Sounds obvious, but most people live their entire lives never starting the things that actually matter. Here’s something less obvious. Once you start something, you’re significantly more likely to finish it. Not because you suddenly develop willpower or motivation or discipline, but because your brain doesn’t…