Andy Ramage Podcast

Days Left On Earth: 17504Here is a poem Eisenhower used to keep him grounded “Take a bucket, fill it with waterPut your hand in - clear up to the wristNow pull it out; the hole that remains Is a measure of how much you will be missed The moral of this quaint example:To just do the best you can,Be proud of yourself, but remember There is no indispensable man”Newsflash the world does not revolve around you. Every great person dies. No one lasts forever. We are all dispensable. Life will go on without us. So don’t overthink it. Show up and make a difference as best you can. And don’t save your best for a tomorrow that might never come.

Days Left On Earth: 17505Social media is run by artificial intelligence or algorithms. These computer programs decide what content you see. And if you play along like a good human, the robots will show your post to others.When someone likes your post, you become like one of pavlovas dogs salivating at the thought of a reward, which encourages you to do it again. And again.What happens next is devastating to humans.The robot's objective is to steal a human's time. The longer we watch, the better. The longer people stay on our posts, the more we are rewarded by views and likes These little dopamine biscuits train us, like good dogs, to give the algorithms what they want. And because we humans are so wonderfully adaptable, we learn how to game the system. So we get great at creating cardboard content that hooks people in but has no nutritional value.More time on my post, more little rewards.Here is the reflection.Right now millions of humans and using up their precious time to create crap cardboard content to steal other humans time!Pretty scary isn’t it?Time is all we have and it's being wasted creating more content to take it away.And so much of what we consume is total dross. It adds no value. But it steals our time. Time to create the dross and time to consume it.I was totally guilty of falling into this trap.On the verge of dedicating hours every day to create stuff to please the robots. I thankfully woke up to the matrix.And I have this journal to thank. In these moments of reflection, I often see the wood for the trees.Yes, I will continue to share, as I love it, and I will get caught in the machine at times, but I have vowed to only share things that hopefully add some value.This is why I love doing LIVEs and now this podcast.Hopefully, this is a minute or two well-invested.And the LIVE’s hopefully provide some extra motivation.The big rub is this - reflect on your relationship with your tech. Is your behaviour being moulded by a machine?Is this serving you?Is it making you happier, more human?If not, maybe it’s time for a change.

Days Left On Earth: 17506“We can be knowledgable with other men’s knowledge, but we can’t be wise with other mens wisdom” Montaigne. Knowledge is easy, google it.Consistent use of knowledge is hard.Wisdom comes from the application of knowledge. Your challenge today is to turn your knowledge into action and, therefore, wisdom.Let me knowAndy  

By saying yes to one thing, you’re saying no to a thousand other things you could be doing.Saying yes to reading a book means saying no to a conversation with a friend, swimming, or cooking.If we agree that saying yes means saying a thousand no’s, then it makes sense to fully immerse ourselves in what we’re doing, right?You have chosen this activity from a thousand others. So rather than do it half-hearted while dreaming of something else, just do it. Go all in. Stay with the present moment and enjoy the challenge. It is all you have.

“The true self is what you have built from your nature, not just what your nature started out with”: David Brooks The Road To Character Your authentic self is not a static persona that sleeps beneath your actions. You chisel your authentic self from the raw material of your nature. You are the sculptor of your being. You don’t have to allow life to force you into a shape of its choosing, you can carve the person you want to be.Life will knock you into shape if you allow it, but life is a second-rate sculptor.You are the master.Who do you want to be?

Days Left On Earth: 17509Business has fallen into the same trap as psychology.For years psychology was so focused on healing the sick that it forget its origins, to help those in need AND nurture talent and boost well-being. Healing the sick is wonderful and vital.But so is creating thriving individuals.Fortunately, 20 years ago, the head of the American Psychology Association and the biggest role in psychology Martin Seligman, escaped the trap and enhanced traditional psychology by creating Positive Psychology, which is designed to use science as a way to develop well-being and performance.Currently business is doing much better at catering for those who are suffering. Mental health first aiders, better policies.But like psychology of 20 years ago, business is also missing a major point.Mental health is not just about healing those who need help.It is also about creating resilience and nurturing talent. Better mental health leads to better performance in business and life.Think about this.The science of positive psychology, Seligman pioneered has clearly demonstrated that those with higher well-being perform better and therefore improve business and generate more revenue. And they are happier whilst they do it!If life well-being were on a spectrum from -10 to +10.Business is starting to do good work helping those in minus numbers get back to zero.But what about helping a +5 become a +7?And how about providing the skills for a 7 to get to 9?Just imagine the difference this would make to the well-being of your staff and the performance of the business.If you want to know more drop me a direct message.

Days Left On Earth: 17510 Franz Kafka was one of the 20th century’s great novelists. His short story ‘Before the law’ gave me so much courage that I wanted to share it with you.For this episode, I will read this short story and then look at the reflection I wrote in my journal.What does Kafka's parable mean to me?The man wants to be handed the law on a plate. He is posturing to be let in but, deep down, does not have the spirit to make a move. To risk failure and open himself to bigger, meaner gatekeepers.  So he sits and waits - hoping for someone or something to gift him entry. All his attention is focused on the first challenge, and he can longer see the wood for the trees. He waits.When in truth - these obstacles in life are meant just for us. No one else. No one invites us in. There is never a perfect moment,They are our gatekeepers. And we must take action even when it scares us, or we will never know what's on the other side.My big gatekeeper was alcohol.For years I waited outside waiting to be welcomed in. I even wished a soft-rock bottom that did not hurt too much would force me past the gatekeeper.Back then, I did not have the courage to take action.Then after years of waiting, unlike the man, I forced my way past the gatekeeper and found my courage on the other side.Once inside, I found another bigger, scarier gatekeeper.I wanted to leave the broking world, but everyone thought it impossible. No one gets past the gatekeeper with the golden handcuffs.Until I did.The great insight is that your challenges are unique to you, but in taking action in the face of fear, you grow stronger and more resilient. Which builds the momentum to get past the next gatekeeper.One last thing.The gatekeepers are never-ending.Or, as Ryan Holiday says, “behind the mountains are more mountains.’Happiness is found trying to climb them.

Days left on earth: 17511We are so busy doing, getting stuff done, rushing, getting through it - for what? In the hope that one day life will slow down and we can experience its wonders?But this is to assume you only experience the wonder and beauty of life when you have your to-do list is done, financial freedom, promotion, retirement…Most people are living this way. Dreaming of a perfect tomorrow that might never arrive. Climate change, AI doomsday, war, and sickness are all possibilities.So why wait?Why push your happiness, joy and wonder off into an uncertain future?What about your bank wonder, joy and happiness right now?The raindrop, hot cup of coffee, hug, oak tree, bird song, children playing…Wonder is not in some far-off land, it is now. You just have to look for it.Here’s my glimpse of paradise on earth: Waking up my Ruby and her saying, ‘Love you dad’What’s yours?Check out my socials:linktr.ee/andyramage

Days Left On Earth: 17512A life without problems would be horrifically dull.  Yet no one welcomes obstacles.But what if your challenges are specifically designed to make you stronger? I like how Thomas Merton describes it, “Souls are like athletes that need opponents worthy of them. If they are to be tried and extended and pushed to the full use of their powers.” The universe is testing you. Do you want what resides on the other side of the obstacle?HappinessSuccessJoyRelief Peace LoveConnection…If so, the barricade is not a reason to give up, it is a sign to push on.Or as Marcus Aurelius, arguably the last great Roman Emperor, penned in his private journal, known as the meditations:“The impediment to action advances action.What stands in the way becomes the way”Today meet your obstacles with a smile.Thank you, Ryan Holiday, ‘The Obstacle Is The Way’ for the inspiration.

Days Left On Earth: 17513 You can meditate all you like.Exercise like a heroEat like a saint But if you’re still drinking too much you’re missing an essential ingredient of performance that almost everyone overlooks.In summary - You can’t out mediate, out exercise or eat your way out of the hole a few drinks creates.These are the facts. Even a few drinks destroys the quality your sleep. All the science suggests that poor sleep destroys performance. We all been there on a Friday morning after a few on a Thursday. Hows performance on these days?And what about the day after?As you age it takes longer to recover.For years I was drinking and under performing. I just never questioned it. Then 8.5 years ago I stopped and it transformed ny buisness, career, income, health and happiness.I also discovered that going alcohol-free is a superpower in a business world thats awash with booze. So why are we not talking about tactical breaks from alcohol as a superpower performance tool?The truth is that its a cultural blindspot. Most everyone is boozing therefore its a level playing field.Or is it.And the world of business is rapidly catching onto the idea of tactical breaks.All the athletes, and elite business performers I work with have now stopped drinking.The elite athletes and business professionals I work with are taking more and more time away from the booze. They too have unlocked a secret alcohol-free super power. So if we are going to talk performance surely its time that we also speak about tactical breaks from the booze.