Our brains have been hardwired to protect us from harm. It’s ancient and evolutionary. This is why so many people keep their dream career or business firmly tucked away in the ‘one day’ folder. But we never consider the cost of inaction. We assume the safest place is where we are now. No matter how uncomfortable it feels. But whilst the primitive part of us tries to keep us safe, there’a higher part that has learned to dream. A part that can imagine possibilities A part with higher order needs Not just to survive but to self-actualise Yet when these needs are not me ..read more

And putting wellbeing first First, a truth… When you’re a company of one (or two), YOU are your greatest asset. However we often prioritise: Other people’s demands The to-do list Meetings Often at the cost of: That morning walk The exercise class Serendipity But what if you made these things the most important? When I started to do this, everything changed. A few years ago I started ring fencing: My morning dog walk Time at the gym Lunch And SPACE in the day for any unplanned events life had in store: Kids errands Checking in on age ..read more

“Kill the competition” “Seize market share” Dinosaur terms in a modern world. When starting out in business, we can obsess by the competition. But those on the second mountain of life know that competition is a fallacy. It comes from fear And a scarcity mindset When we focus instead on our mission, something shifts. We see others not as a threat, but fellow travellers on this journey of change. So stop comparing yourself to others (and feeling worse). You have something unique — you, your ideas and big, big heart. Don’t get sucked into the old wo ..read more

On today of all days ? 1500 days. When was the last time you committed this time to one project? Confession: It’s very rare that I do. Like a lot of creative entrepreneurs I tend to get bored quite quickly. So I’m still amazed that I’ve devoted the bulk of my work life over the last 1500 days (4 and a bit years) to one project. And even more amazed that I’m just as in love with it as I was on Day 1. So I wanted to share this excitement as we launch another epic cohort of our Vision 20/20 group coaching program next month. We’re not usually ones to blow our o ..read more

And how true happiness comes from commitment and community ? Read the book: Second Mountain: The quest for a moral life ? Join others on their second mountain adventure on Vision 20/20 our group coaching program — now enrolling for our March 2024 cohort. A short story about finding purpose in midlife was originally published in The Happy Startup School on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story ..read more

Image by Sean Wes Make more confident and courageous decisions by reflecting on what’s important to you At The Happy Startup School our business philosophy starts with what moves you, not what moves the market. We call it the inside-out approach to building a business. You see, success is personal. And often not what society tells us it looks like. When you measure your success in monetary terms, it’s easy to track. But when you realise that money alone won’t make you happy, and start to factor in other forms of currency – time, relationships and impact – it’s not so ..read more

Photo taken at Alptitude retreat And those with an entrepreneurial flame that needs rekindling Dear friend, I’ve heard your story many times. About feeling trapped in a golden cage of your own making. Where your zest for work is no longer there like it once was. That something is missing, you’re not just sure exactly what. But you know this feeling. That your soul is slowing dying inside. And there’s an urge to break out that just won’t go away. One thing is key — you can’t see your future here. But you’re stuck. Maybe the money is good, it gives yo ..read more

And those with an entrepreneurial spark that needs light Dear friend, I’ve heard your story many times. You have a gnawing feeling that just won’t go away. A feeling that your soul is slowing dying. Your zest for work is slipping away. A deep knowing that the suit longer fits. And that these aren’t your people. One thing is key — you can’t see your future here. But you’re stuck. Maybe the money is good, it gives you a sense of security or there’s the carrot of the promised land. You’re locked in to the needs of your employer or your own cl ..read more

https://medium.com/media/922438e3cb3d9aa6bf69884ee819cac7/href When writing his latest book, Dougald Hine had proposed the title “Why I’m No Longer Talking to People About Climate Change.” In the end he called the book “At Work in the Ruins”. The book is born from his experience of facilitating climate conversations that oscillated between feeling connecting and generative to sterile and unproductive. Mid-pandemic, it hit him that we needed new starting points if these conversations were ever to foster real understanding and action. The crisis still feels abstract to many privileged Weste ..read more

Next Friday we’re having an exciting conversation with Dougald Hine, a social thinker, author, and founder of A School Called Home. His book At Work In The Ruins delves into how we navigate crises, particularly the climate crisis, and the concept of endings. I’d like to explore these insights shared by Dougald and how they resonate with our journeys here at The Happy Startup School. Rethinking endings in business In preparation for next week’s conversation I’ve been immersing myself in Dougald’s work and I came across a conversation he had with Bayo Akomolafe, where a fasci ..read more