If you can't explain it simply...

November 20, 2018 in Communication, Psychology, Leadership

Especially in the workplace, I became astutely aware of other people who hadn’t quite gotten over this particular teenage insecurity of needing to be the smartest person in the room, and they’d usually not even realise it. They’d usually express this not just by using sophistimacated-sounding words rather than speaking in plain language, but also:

over-explaining concepts,
over-researching problems,
over-planning projects, and
over-engineering solutions.

So, what can we do about it?

The Fear of Success: What does it Really Mean?

September 24, 2018 in Psychology, Strategy

Conquering the fear of failure is often considered a quintessential stepping stone on any journey to success. Every so often though, you’ll also hear someone ask you to consider if what holds you back is actually not the fear of failure, but rather the fear of success.

So what does the fear of success really mean? Why would anyone actually be afraid of achieving something they set out to achieve? And if we do find ourselves self-sabotaging out of this fear, how can we stop, and forge ahead to achieve and celebrate our greatest ambitions and goals?

Acknowledge what you want to get away from to figure out what you really want

March 17, 2018 in Psychology

I woke up super early one very cold morning in Rome to shoot this video, where I discuss how we all have 2 basic motivations in our decision-making, and how sometimes a sense of denial about our true motivations prevents us from getting what we really want, or even knowing what that is.

Photo by Dev Singh, taken in London, UK

Grief and gratitude: A punch in the mouth

March 09, 2018 in Psychology, Wellbeing, Philosophy

There have been several occasions in my life where people who care about me have tried their best to shove a silver lining down my throat, even when it tasted more like copper. I’m guessing you can probably relate. The girl or guy of your dreams just left you and your buddy reassures you, “Plenty of fish in the sea, mate. Now you finally have freedom!” You just had a write-off car accident and your insurance agent tells you, “Well, at least you weren't hurt, and now you can get a cool new car!” You just failed an exam and your friend, who incidentally aced the test, tells you, “It’s all good. Failure builds character.” That characterless asshole.

Photo by Dev Singh, taken in Stockholm, Sweden

Life breaks open; I find myself

March 09, 2018 in Philosophy, Psychology, Wellbeing

My name is Dev Singh, and for most of my life I've been on a mission that I don't remember signing up for: A mission to find a greater purpose and meaning to my existence, and to make a difference in the world that transcends the limitations of my own being. It’s the kind of feeling that buzzes around your head like a fly, just above your eye-line. But just as you waive your hand to swat it away or catch it, it disappears before you even see it.

Photo by Jamie Templeton on Unsplash

The fear of stating the obvious

February 03, 2018 in Communication, Psychology

A very common fear and doubt that many creative, social and other entrepreneurs face, especially those endeavouring to deliver some sort of practical information, is that they're stating the obvious. It's not just a case of... wait a minute... I'm not stating the obvious for you here, am I? Well, you get the point. So, are you stating the obvious? How do you tell? And if so, what do you do about it?