A Privilege Of A Lifetime Is Being Who You Are

Be Perr-sisss-tennnnt. In 2022, my World's Boat is entering the Canadian Hall of Fame for Rowing. Deeply honored for the privilege of racing with vibrant oarsmen since age 16. Thankful that we have all remained in touch, of course, tackling life's other challenges doesn't seem so hard.

Why Jaguar F-Type Is The Sinuous Fastback To Have A Fling With

Few cars make you smile every time you see them. Today's homogeneous design makes it difficult to distinguish one cookie cutter vehicle from another, but the Jaguar F-Type is another story. It captures attention with its graceful, compact design. 

Stylistically, the F-Type is the car the F-Type always wanted to be: a sinuous fastback with a sucked in waistline. The snout may be shorter than the vintage E-Type's, but it works in proportion to the cabriolet and the aggressive rear fenders. In the convertible, the steeply raked windshield seems like an unfinished bridge span, but with the fast moving roof up, it completes the thought, and the silhouette lands elegantly at the car's chamfered decklid, which conceals an active spoiler. 

On the road, the responsiveness makes me want to try corners all day. Press the button for dynamic mode and the agile beast goes into full attack mode amplifying sound and faster shifts for you to play with in 8 gears. If you need to slow down, the brakes are dextrous as any agile athlete. 

There's historical precedent in this rolling sculpture. It takes creative inspiration from the 1961 Jaguar E-Type which by many is regarded as sculpturally superior in design. 

Be Careful What You Wish For, You Just Might Get It

Wealth is so much more than money. There are 7 types of wealth:

1. Financial wealth (Money)

2. Social wealth (Status)

3. Time based wealth (Freedom)

4. Physical wealth (Health)

5. Emotional wealth (Happiness)

6. Intellectual wealth (Knowledge)

7. Cultural wealth (Travel)

Most people obsess over 1 and 2, neglecting all the other wealth in the world.

In the end not even money or status can be maintained if you aren't happy, healthy or free to do what you please. It's not too late to embrace a more holistic view of wealth and live a more fulfilling life starting today. 

Art Needs Something To Rebel Against

Creativity has been evolving since time was invented. Every entrepreneur needs creativity to stand out in a cluttered marketplace. Creativity is critical for the consumer to pay attention to an advertisement, read a blog post, and make a purchase. There is a relationship between creativity and ROI that is important to all marketers.

A lot of creatives get caught up with the focus on end results rather than reflecting on the role creativity plays in nurturing the relationship with consumers at different times of the customer journey. Creativity at the top of the funnel can conceive intrigue for the prospect and bring them in. Then creativity can once again be used to drive a conversion. Creativity should be thought as an integral component from a brand perspective. Creativity is an icon from the past into the future In 1939, James Webb Young, a Madison Avenue advertising creative wrote a guide to the process of creativity, "A Technique for Producing Ideas." In his book, Webb Young reminds us, “that an idea is nothing more nor less than a new combination of old elements.” In his view, the skill of creativity is the ability to see {new} relationships.” Fifty years later, Steve Jobs observed something similar: “Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.” Some companies struggle with the B2B–or business-to-business creativity. This is because businesses that sell to other businesses don’t tend to be flashy. Coming up with compelling creativity can be a challenge, but is worth the effort. So how do we create the right conditions for creativity, especially when our routines are geared towards going through our to-do list? Here are a few ways to stay creatively inspired to make good things happen: 1) Keep your research fresh. Gather raw materials as stimulus. Although this may seem laborious, systematic or unrewarding–immerse yourself in what you are trying to solve 2) Disengage the mind to allow unconscious processing. Try not to think about the subject as completely as you can and then turn to whatever stimulates your imagination and emotions 3) Get fresh air time. Go for a walk outside or clock time sweating. Movement is essential for meditating on the problem you are trying to solve. Pay attention to ideas as they crop up 4) Set up time to do nothing. Out of nowhere ideas will appear, whether on a walk, while listening to music, watching a film, or taking a shower 5) Share what you know. Clarify your thoughts by sharing what you know whether in a presentation, blog post or as a mentor. You’ll find new ways of phrasing and solving problems Most of us can identify with such time-tested approaches. Our best ideas do seem to appear in moments of disengagement. Hip-hop artist inside our brains Neuroscientists would readily point out the unfocused state of mind is when the default mode of the brain is switched on. This idea was conceived in the 1970s when it was first observed that even in resting states our minds are engaged with mental neural activity. While technology has essentially eradicated boredom by leaving us without any unstimulated moment, the invisible consequence is that we’ve lost time of being in the “daydreamy” un-focus of the brain’s default mode. If your workday is filled with meetings and responses to emails, you may want to take a break to find the moment for creative thought. Set up time in your day when you are trying to achieve nothing. Giving your brain a moment to relax may lead to your best idea yet. Regenerative dance of ideas Some people have various rituals to spark creativity. Aaron Sorkin, for example, the writer behind popular television show West Wing and films like Moneyball and The Social Network told the Hollywood Reporter, he takes six showers a day to be creative. “I am not a germaphobe,” he stated, but when his writing isn’t going well, he will take a shower, change into new clothes, and start again. Sorkin’s craft relies on him minting fresh ideas on a regular basis. And it occurred to him his best thoughts were not happening during fevered concentration, but when he was in a shower. Cognitive benefits of lateral thought Think new. Creativity can also be seen as the combination of two different ideas such as ride in an elevator and the journey into outer space that inspired Albert Einstein to discover the theory of relativity. Everyone has creativity when they are confronted with new problems to solve or new ideas to think about. People are naturally creative and inventive, but creativity can fade when you get bored or discouraged. In more occupations, creativity is part of the job description. Keep coming up with new ideas to enhance innovation. As a business leader or as a creative thinker, you can’t rely on the same ideas that have brought you past success. Innovative thinkers must keep creative juices flowing by inspiring people to tap into their best ideas for full range of top thinking. We have to continue to find new ways to go from point A to point B. Creativity can be life-altering for any business At the core of each business is creativity. Game changing business strategies are born of creative thinking: a spark of intuition, connection between different ways of thinking, and a leap into the unexpected. A business can invest heavily in original content and creativity to inspire people to become customers. Creativity shapes culture, influences the way people view life, industries, choices, and actions for positive outcomes.

Staring At The Sun

Purpose Driven Commander Bond

By adhering to his own code–maintaining focus, but never following the herd–Sean Connery was able to breathe new life into Ian Flemming's vision of post-war spy novels. In doing so, the Scottish actor became Hollywood's most sought after leading man, earning an Academy Award for "The Untouchables" in 1988 and knighthood from Her Majesty the Queen. 

On playing Bond: "If it means I have to stay in character when the cameras are not rolling, then I will. If I have to read one line 1,500 times, then I do that." 

Sean Connery made the character of James Bond his own, blending ruthlessness with sardonic wit. He revolutionized the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the charismatic secret agent. RIP Sir Connery. "The name is Bond... James Bond."

Love Yourself Enough To Live A Healthy Lifestyle

Self love isn't just about loving who you are. It's about taking care of the only vessel you have to enjoy this life. How will you decide today to love yourself as much as you can? As things continue to evolve with COVID-19, it's important to stay updated on the news, but it's equally important to make a break from it. Engaging in non stop news updates about the pandemic can lead to anxiety. Below are my suggestions for staying healthy as we navigate this new normal of staying at home. Exercise everyday. The gyms are closed, but we can go outside for a walk, bike ride or a run. Do push-ups in your living room, watch one of the excellent workouts readily available on YouTube. If you have a Concept2 ergometer or treadmill, put it to good use. Prepare healthy food. As much as possible, watch what you're putting into your body. Healthy food = healthy immune system and a healthy mind. Treating yourself every once in a while is also important. Take care of yourself. Ask yourself at least once a day: what do I need right now? Sometimes, it can be as small as talking to a friend, a ten-minute fresh air break, or a healthy snack. The more you ask yourself what you need, the less overwhelmed you'll feel and the more likely you'll engage in simple actions that make a huge difference in your life and mental health. Create a schedule. This can be hard because we are creatures of habit and often like "going with the flow." However, it's necessary for the sake of productivity and feelings of satisfaction to have structure to your day. Here's the structure I'm currently using: 5 am - rise, meditate 6 am - read 7 am - play with my son 8 am - get on the erg for :60 minutes pull 9:30 am - get dressed and begin work 12 pm - lunch 1 pm - one hour bike ride 2 pm - work 5 pm - 1 hour bike ride with my son 6 pm - dinner 7 pm - read 9 pm - lights out Connect with people. Ironically, while we are social distancing, we need to connect with each other and show compassion more than ever before. Pick up the phone and call someone you haven't spoken to for months. Check on a friend or neighbor you know is a worrier. Call your parents. Feed you soul. Yoga, journaling, time in nature, creative work, ideas for new business, concepts for things that have not been done or whatever you love doing. These are all food for the soul. Don't let your soul go hungry. The measure of any society is how we care for our most vulnerable citizens. The fact that we are self-distancing and self-isolating tells me we care a whole lot about one another. Sometimes, the adrenaline of fear leads to bad or reactive behavior, so let's work from a place of love and not fear as often as possible. And when we do feel fear, let's recognize that other people are feeling it too and give them a break.