The Pygmalion Effect: who are you living up to?

A number of years ago I learned a powerful lesson about human behaviour. At the time I worked for Outward Bound and led groups of young people through the wilderness on personal development expeditions. On this one particular expedition, I experienced the dramatic and yet surprisingly effortless transformation of a young man who had previously…

The rush for change

This world seems to operate on some kind of speed, with the pace quickening and quickening at such a rate that it gains a momentum all of its own. This 'speed' is more than metaphorical, our world is actually operating on stimulant overdrive. Over the past ten years we have seen the rise of coffee…