And enable you to make sustainable progress

Writing is the ultimate form of expression. It allows us to physically, tangibly capture whatever is in our head and let it out through our own, highly individualized and distinct writing style for the world to see it. These beautiful characteristics, paradoxically, are the same that make writing extremely hard.

Anyone who writes on a frequent basis knows how challenging it is. Let’s be clear: writing is a constant struggle. From the lack of ideas at the start of the creative process, to missing the exact word you are looking for to accurately reflect a specific concept or thought, to deciding what to include or eliminate from your piece… The obstacles are endless, and they can often lead writers to enter a love-hate relationship with their craft. …

A couple months ago, I went to the dentist for a regular check-up. As he started examining my mouth, the 5'4 lean, with perfectly combed black hair, built-like-a-toy-soldier dentist asked me:

-Do you smoke?

I was both worried and offended by the question. I find tobacco repulsive. The mere sight of a cigarette almost makes me want to throw up, and I have obviously never tried one. I made it clear that I didn’t, and as politely as I could, asked why he was asking me that.

Ignoring me, his questioning went on:

-Do you breathe through your mouth regularly?

Now, I was getting uncomfortable. That’s none of your business. Why does that matter? First of all, I don’t know, because I don’t pay attention to my breathing, I just do it. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to work? And aren’t we supposed to use our mouths to breathe, just like our noses? Maybe, sometimes, I do. Maybe not. …

And boost your empathy skills

Habits are fascinating. Ever since I read The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg, I became increasingly interested in human behavior and everything that had to do with our thoughts, actions, and the reward pathway that ultimately controls our decisions.

Duhigg’s book is an absolute must, as it provides several real-life stories that illustrate the relevance of both positive and negative habits and how we unconsciously reinforce certain patterns and behaviors with our repeated actions.

I recently heard another theory that went a step beyond and aimed to explain what makes people tick, and why we are often unable to understand behaviors that are different from ours. The idea comes from Euge Oller, one of Spain’s most successful entrepreneurs. Oller founded, among other companies, an online learning platform focused on entrepreneurship and digital marketing, has written several business books, and is regarded as one of Spain’s most influential business leaders. …

And why we need to adopt their strategy

“Times of change”

Unless you live under a rock, there is probably not a single buzz phrase you have heard more than this one in the past few months.

Yes, we are living through times of change that are testing our ability to adapt, stay optimistic, and approach uncertainty with energy and resilience. What you will read in this piece will hopefully give you new perspectives and strength about how to adapt to change.

A few days ago, I received a notification from Headspace, the popular meditation app, prompting me to watch a video about beavers that would apparently help me approach a new morning, a new day. …

And how it completely paralyzes your progress

We all know how powerful the human brain is. It allows us to perform incredible operations

But our brain can also work against us rather than for us, and unfortunately it is just as powerful when it does.

Does this sound familiar to you?

We all want to make progress in life. We are seeking that spark, that change, that hint that will allow us to experience long-term joy and accomplishment. That is why, rather than cherishing what we have in our life, we are usually thinking about what we don’t have, what we are lacking to make our lives complete and fulfilling. …

I recently came across one of the best interviews I have ever listened to. It was Tim Ferriss’ conversation with Hugh Jackman on Ferriss’ podcast, The Tim Ferris Show, which is an endless source of wisdom for many areas of life.

Hugh Jackman is widely known as one of the most versatile and iconic actors of our era. The main conclusions you will probably draw from Jackman’s conversation with Ferriss, however, are not related to his professional skills, but to his charisma and tremendous knowledge of other topics such as meditation, well-being, and physical performance.

Jackman, like many actors, has to adapt to the physical demands of the different roles he performs, and is known for his ability to reach extraordinary levels of fitness. …

El pasado fin de semana cumplí 23 años. Cada año, en el día de mi cumpleaños, busco un tiempo de reflexión para evaluar dónde me encuentro en la vida, analizar mi progreso (o falta del mismo) en el último año, y preguntarme qué estoy haciendo para acercarme a la persona que quiero ser.

Este año, además, decidí apuntar estas 23 lecciones de vida, una por cada año cumplido, que ahora intento tener en cuenta y llevar a cabo siempre que puedo, pero que me gustaría haber sabido mucho antes (y también practicar más frecuentemente). Son en realidad más de 23, ya que algunas de estas lecciones, además, contienen a su vez “mini-lecciones” relacionadas. …

Spoiler alert: this is not your conventional “How-To” LinkedIn guide

LinkedIn has become one of the most relevant online platforms. With more than 675 million members around the world, it is by far the most important professional networking site in the world. Created by Reid Hoffman in 2002, it was sold to Microsoft in 2016 for $26.2 billion, and it has only continued to grow since then.