Notes
Deep Life Notes
Thoughts and observations on living deliberately in modern life.
Deep Life Notes is a collection of thoughts and observations on living deliberately in modern life.
Drawing from psychology, philosophy, history, technology, and everyday experience and reflection, these pieces explore work, craft, attention, identity, change, ageing, meaning, and living well in a modern world.
Who’s on Your Bench?
Rich social bonds are part of how our minds stay strong, connected, and alive.
Living Healthier for Longer
No-one will ever be more invested in your health than you. That means prevention, knowledge, and seeing as far ahead as you can.
Under the Knife
Open-heart surgery was not part of the plan. But life does that sometimes, and the only choice is how we face it.
A Mind for Life
Getting older does not have to mean mental decline. What we believe about ageing can help us build a mind strong enough to carry us through life.
A Different Tomorrow
We make decisions for a person we haven’t yet become, often forgetting how much we still have left to change.
The Art of Inspiration
The people who inspire us are often the ones who trust us, respect us, and help us think differently.
Your Career Is Not Your Life
Yes, work matters. But when it becomes the whole story, other parts of life begin to pay the price.
Why Pessimism Sounds Smarter
Pessimism often sounds serious and useful, while optimism can sound naïve. That doesn’t mean pessimism sees the world more clearly.
Build From Strength
We spend too much time repairing weaknesses when some of our best growth comes from understanding what already comes naturally.
The Focused Mind
Distractions lurk everywhere, but unbroken concentration remains one of the most powerful ways to create something valuable.
Ten Lessons Learned Since 17
Thirty years after turning seventeen, I share ten lessons that might help someone younger make sense of the road ahead.
Video: The Long Way Back
In a keynote talk, I share three strategies that helped me recover from the physical and psychological impact of surgery on both knees.
Try Harder or Walk Away
It can be brave to push through, and it can be brave to quit. The trick is knowing whether you are giving up too soon or recognising a better fit.
Why Reading Matters
Reading takes us to new worlds, exposes us to new ideas, helps us become less distracted, and gives us a better chance of creating something worthwhile.
Habits Become Us
Habits are less about good and bad, and more about whether they are effective or ineffective in helping us live the kind of life we want.
The Second Curve
As we get older, our sense of worth may be less about adding, and more about chipping away the things that no longer belong.
Flexible Work Still Needs Structure
Flexible work has loosened the old rules, but people still need signposts, the right tools, and permission to switch off.
Finding Flow
The best work often comes when challenge and skill meet, distractions disappear, and we become fully absorbed in something difficult.
The Power of Humility
In a world of ego, speed and smart machines, humility allows us to stay open, stay useful, and keep learning.
The Second Brain
Our brains are great at having ideas, but not so good at storing them. A second brain gives those ideas somewhere to live.
Michelangelo’s David continues to reach deep into us because it captures the moment when character becomes visible: the decision made even in the face of doubt.