Notes

Rich social bonds are part of how our minds stay strong, connected, and alive.

No-one will ever be more invested in your health than you. That means prevention, knowledge, and seeing as far ahead as you can.

Open-heart surgery was not part of the plan. But life does that sometimes, and the only choice is how we face it.

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.

We make decisions for a person we haven’t yet become, often forgetting how much we still have left to change.

The people who inspire us are often the ones who trust us, respect us, and help us think differently.

Yes, work matters. But when it becomes the whole story, other parts of life begin to pay the price.

Pessimism often sounds serious and useful, while optimism can sound naïve. That doesn’t mean pessimism sees the world more clearly.

We spend too much time repairing weaknesses when some of our best growth comes from understanding what already comes naturally.

Distractions lurk everywhere, but unbroken concentration remains one of the most powerful ways to create something valuable.

Thirty years after turning seventeen, I share ten lessons that might help someone younger make sense of the road ahead.

In a keynote talk, I share three strategies that helped me recover from the physical and psychological impact of surgery on both knees.

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.

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 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.

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 has loosened the old rules, but people still need signposts, the right tools, and permission to switch off.

The best work often comes when challenge and skill meet, distractions disappear, and we become fully absorbed in something difficult.

In a world of ego, speed and smart machines, humility allows us to stay open, stay useful, and keep learning.

Our brains are great at having ideas, but not so good at storing them. A second brain gives those ideas somewhere to live.

Work gives us more autonomy than ever, yet too much volume and too much speed can short-circuit the brain.

There is an expectation for us to be doing things. But when we procrastinate, it doesn’t always mean we are being lazy.