Nicholas Bate

Read The Primer for 2019

You, Only Better

Your Word 2019, 101

Choose a word. Any word. One word. Make it yours. Whiteboard it. Write it every day on your planner, put the word on a handful of 3 by 5 cards and place them in strategic places as an ever-present reminder. Get a personal T-shirt printed with it. Learn it in ten other languages. Grab it now: meditate on it, reflect on it; live it, breathe it and nurture it. For 2019.

1. Travel.
2. Dancer.
3. Infinite.
4. Reflective.
5. Wise.
6. Music.
7. Fearless
8. Freedom
9. Discipline.
10. Hiker.
11. Fun.
12. Reader.
13. Authentic.
14. Expert.
15. Happy.
16. Focus.
17. Determined.
18. Swimmer.
19. Care-free.
20. Car free.
21. Carpenter.
22. Learner.
23. Runner.
24. Poet.
25. Courage.
26. Philanthropist.
27. Science.
28. Student
29. Planner.
30. Enlightened.
31. Abundance.
32. Scholar.
33. Resourceful.
34. Strategist.
35. Poet
36. Productive.
37. Gymnast.
38. Parent
39. Athlete.
40. Explorer.
41. Curiosity.
42. Youthful.
43. Knitter.
44. Hunter-Gatherer 21C.
45. Notebook.
46. Stamina.
47. Romantic.
48. Creative.
49. Breathing.
50. Gymnast.
51. Facts.
52. Energy
53. Wealth.
54. Brave.
55. Excitement.
56. Forgiving.
57. Baker.
58. Climber (of Trees).
59. Wellness.
60. Student.
61. Earth.
62. The Horizon.
63. Minimalism.
64. Resilient.
65. Now.
66. Entrepreneur.
67. Sensory.
68. Gardener.
69. Humour.
70. Plan.
71. Writer.
72. Primate.
73. Encourager
74. Knowing.
75. Sleeper.
76. Linguist.
77. Agile.
78. Painter.
79. Carer.
80. Goal.
81. Individualist.
82. Wealth.
83. Simple.
84. Sky (at night).
85. Intuitive.
86. Brachiation.
87. Saver.
88. Cook
89. Here.
90. Naps.
91. Today.
92. Story-teller.
93. Mover.
94. Gardener.
95. Health.
96. Practical.
97. Slowly.
98. Cyclist.
99. Grounded.
100. Photographer.
101. Boundless.

December 2018 Redux 10

1. 22 Good Reasons to Say No at Work
2. Jagged Thoughts for Jagged Times
3. Basics 7: Your 2019 KPIs
4. 100 Words
5. The Simplest of Productivity Boosters, 1-50
6. Basics 7: How Father Christmas Does It
7. Why We Love The Beatles, 1-100
8. Basics 7: Managing in Extra Tough Times
9. Thank You
10. Basics 7: Where To Get Good Ideas.

Bonus 1: Jan/Feb 2018 Redux

Bonus 2: March 2018 Redux

Bonus 3: April 2018 Redux

Bonus 4: May 2018 Redux

Bonus 5: June 2018 Redux

Bonus 6: July 2018 Redux

Bonus 7: August 2018 Redux I

Bonus 8: August 2018 Redux II

Bonus 9: September Redux I

Bonus 10: September Redux II

Bonus 11: October Redux

Bonus 12: November Redux

Bonus 13: Latest book: You, Only Better

Bonus 14: The Essential Posts of 2017

Bonus 15: The Essential Posts of 2016

Bonus 16: The Essential Posts of 2015

Bonus 17: The Smart Bloggers 

The Simplest of Productivity Boosters 1-50: 18

Less is More. Set a couple of high impact goals for you. They may not be glamorous, they may be dull to others, they may not be in the usual 'learn Italian, write a novel, train for Iron Man...'  league. But to you they are the game-changers. And you know exactly what they are.

Catching up:

1. concerning that which needs to be addressed
2. concerning investing
3. concerning the day
4. concerning what you do
5. concerning the 20 minute segment
6. concerning attention
7. concerning compass vs. clock
8. concerning what times when
9. concerning schedule ahead
10. concerning vital few vs. trivial many
11. concerning matching energy to task
12. concerning add one; subtract one
13. concerning Friday not Sunday
14. concerning pay-off not ease
15. concerning snooze
16. concerning the nap
17. concerning easy goals
18. BONUS: How To Be Brilliant.

That Was

September 2018 and

October 2018

Why We Love The Beatles (v2) 69 of 100: From Short Story to Epic

When The Beatles started out, the single was the the medium for music. Now it's digital in one format or another. In between was the album and then the concept album, represented first by vinyl and gorgeous cover artwork and then the diminutive CD where everything was convenient. The album was just one more revolution The Beatles helped initiate: they changed the way we listened to music, from music 'in ones', to music 'in clusters', from listening to a short story to enjoying an epic. From a great 'Love Me Do' to a staggering 'Revolver'.  Any Beatles song is amazing. A Beatles song listened to in the context of its original album is extra special. 

 

That's another reason we love The Beatles.

The Back-Story

Reason 1: Story-tellers; 2: Sgt. Pepper; 3: Eternally optimistic; 4: Still cool; 5: George Harrison.; 6: Love Me Do

7: Work Ethic ;8: Synchronicity; 9: The Roof-top Concert; 10: Candlestick Park; 11: Lennon & McCartney

12: I Saw Her Standing There; 13: Liverpool; 14: Black & White; 15: Album Covers; 16: John Lennon

17: Lennon & McCartney; 18: Rock 'n Roll; 19: They Never Made it Easy; 20: Ringo

21: Meditation & Massage; 22: The Back of a Commer Van; 23: George Martin.

24: Simply Different

25: A Time to Think

26: Revolver

27: Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

28: The B Side

29: The Philosophy

30: December 1960: A Turning Point

31: What really, really motivated The Beatles?

32: 1961

33: Their last rock 'n roller.

34: From road to studio

35: The Magnum Opus

36: Mr Brian Epstein

37: Just Ordinary Lads

38: 1962

39: Yesterday

40: The Encouragers

41: 1963

42: Peace & Love

43: Abbey Road 1

44: Abbey Road 2

45: Always Cool

46: Did Paul break up The Beatles?

47: Timeless

48: The Seven Stages of Love

49: A Space in their Hearts

50: It Was 1964

51: Masters of Simplicity

52: Both 

53: Stories from Atoms of Experience.

54: That Rooftop, that slip of paper.

55: That 7-Minute Song

56: The Best Friends The Planet Ever Had

57: 1965

58: Play-lists

59: The photos of Astrid.

60 Catching Up

61 Consistently better

62: Evolution

63: Feel Better

64: The White Album, Take II

65: Lovable

66: Close your Eyes

67: The Long & Winding Road

68: Just Play The Music

That Was

July 2018 and

August 2018

The Simplest of Productivity Boosters 1-50: 17

Keep it simple. Keep it light. Keep it brain friendly.

It's the time when the BIG GOAL is attractive. All well and good. But 'Get Fit' is simply too un-manageable. Walk the escalators at Canary Wharf tube station week 1 January is simple, light and brain friendly.

Aim for success and feeling good.

Catching up:

1. concerning that which needs to be addressed
2. concerning investing
3. concerning the day
4. concerning what you do
5. concerning the 20 minute segment
6. concerning attention
7. concerning compass vs. clock
8. concerning what times when
9. concerning schedule ahead
10. concerning vital few vs. trivial many
11. concerning matching energy to task
12. concerning add one; subtract one
13. concerning Friday not Sunday
14. concerning pay-off not ease
15. concerning snooze
16. concerning the nap
17. BONUS: How To Be Brilliant.

That Was

May 2018 and 

June 2018

Why We Love The Beatles (v2) 68 of 100: It'll Be OK

Play their music. Just play their music. Any. And you soon know it'll be OK. Whatever challenge you've got, just listen to a few tracks and you know it'll be OK.

 

That's another reason we love The Beatles.

The Back-Story

Reason 1: Story-tellers; 2: Sgt. Pepper; 3: Eternally optimistic; 4: Still cool; 5: George Harrison.; 6: Love Me Do

7: Work Ethic ;8: Synchronicity; 9: The Roof-top Concert; 10: Candlestick Park; 11: Lennon & McCartney

12: I Saw Her Standing There; 13: Liverpool; 14: Black & White; 15: Album Covers; 16: John Lennon

17: Lennon & McCartney; 18: Rock 'n Roll; 19: They Never Made it Easy; 20: Ringo

21: Meditation & Massage; 22: The Back of a Commer Van; 23: George Martin.

24: Simply Different

25: A Time to Think

26: Revolver

27: Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

28: The B Side

29: The Philosophy

30: December 1960: A Turning Point

31: What really, really motivated The Beatles?

32: 1961

33: Their last rock 'n roller.

34: From road to studio

35: The Magnum Opus

36: Mr Brian Epstein

37: Just Ordinary Lads

38: 1962

39: Yesterday

40: The Encouragers

41: 1963

42: Peace & Love

43: Abbey Road 1

44: Abbey Road 2

45: Always Cool

46: Did Paul break up The Beatles?

47: Timeless

48: The Seven Stages of Love

49: A Space in their Hearts

50: It Was 1964

51: Masters of Simplicity

52: Both 

53: Stories from Atoms of Experience.

54: That Rooftop, that slip of paper.

55: That 7-Minute Song

56: The Best Friends The Planet Ever Had

57: 1965

58: Play-lists

59: The photos of Astrid.

60 Catching Up

61 Consistently better

62: Evolution

63: Feel Better

64: The White Album, Take II

65: Lovable

66: Close your Eyes

67: The Long & Winding Road