Liberty – Gaining Freedom is an Inside Job
Liberty has been a major desire in my life for as long as I can remember. Freedom from the expectations of others. From the inner voices of ought, should and must. Free to be myself. Liberation from the why not's that have stood in the way of excellence, significance,...
Restoring Zombies – Life is about Journeys not Destinations
I appreciate the journey. I have too often rushed to destinations. Especially on holiday. Get there as fast as possible. Stressed. Irritable. Even more in need of a rest. Taking days to unwind. Of course I had heard of people who make the trip part of the vacation. It...
Wired for Struggle – the Value of Making Mistakes
Mistakes. Struggles. Errors. Wrong answers. Failures. Poor scores. Misunderstandings. Shortcomings. Inadequacies. Incorrect paths. Weaknesses. These all get a very bad rap in a perfectionistic society. One obsessed with measurement, conforming to norms, dictating...
The Blame Game – stalled growth and reclaiming our lives
Others are so blameworthy. Politicians. Bosses. Spouses. Parents. Traffic. We even blame the weather. I recently asked someone what had happened that they didn't let me know that they were going to be late. The reply? The phone's battery was flat. Ah, so it was the...
The Gift Of ‘Negative’ Emotions
This is a guest blog from my friend and thinking partner Giles Lascelle. He is a transformational coach, trainer and writer, based in the UK. You can find out more about his work at: www.transformation-journey.com Many of us, especially in the developed world, seem to...
I’m a failure: my path to resilience
I wrote this as a guest blog for my dear friend and thinking partner Giles Lascelle of Transformation Journey. It is a story of my path to resilience for a workshop we are running together in the UK in May 2017. Hi, I'm Ian and I'm a failure. I have failed in pretty...
Team Lessons from Listening to Fleetwood Mac (part 2)
Maybe rock bands are simply teams. The best are high performing teams. I believe Fleetwood Mac is a great example. (Part 1 can be found here: http://www.totally-ian.com/team-lessons-listening-fleetwood-mac-part-1) Team lesson five - experiment Not everything is about...
Team Lessons from Listening to Fleetwood Mac (part 1)
Fleetwood Mac are one of my all-time greatest bands. What a band, what a team. Rumours was one of the first albums I purchased - I was about 14 years young. Whilst it is no longer one of my favourites, it held records for sales, hits, and time spent at the top. Most...
Going Fishing, Time for Freedom
I'm going fishing I got me a line Nothin' I do's gonna' make the difference So I'm taking the time Ian? Going fishing? Not likely! Not for one who has stated: "when I have nothing to do I don't need a fishing rod in my hands to do it!" Of course, this declaration has...
One of the Greatest Acts of Love
"I have learned that it's up to me. That I am the captain of my ship. I am stepping up to the helm. It's time to stop letting others steer my life." "I have realized that I am responsible for my work / life balance. Nobody is going to do it for me. My health, my...