Paul Davy

The problem You have 9 dots set out in a 3 by 3 shape. 3 dots in each row and 3 dots in each column. Without taking your pencil from the page you must draw four straight lines that pass through all 9 dots. Here are some of my attempts to answer the problem: I have tried as many different combinations as I can think of but to no avail. Thinking outside the box What I didn’t realise, was that I had made an unconscious assumption when trying to solve this problem. I unconsciously made a box around those 9 dots. I assumed I was not allowed to go outside of that box. The four straight lines must stay within the box. Once I was aware of this assumption, things changed. I started thinking outside the box. Now that I removed that assumption, my perspective on how to solve this problem changed. I viewed the problem from a different angle. I became a little excited with new possibility. Perhaps a little light bulb has even lit up above my head. I now had permission to d...

The story of the African Bata shoe salesman At the end of the 1800s, Europe was bringing Africa under European colonial rule. International trade between Africa and Europe was then opening up. Victorian England sent two representatives, from shoe companies, to assess the opportunities. Salesman one reported back “No one wears shoes. There is no opportunity.” Salesman two reported back “No one wears shoes. There is an unlimited opportunity. Send inventory fast.” Perspective On the face of it, it is all about perspective. Two people viewing the same picture, but seeing very different things. Two salesmen viewing the same market and seeing very different opportunities. It’s like one of those pictures where some people see an old lady and some people see a young lady. There is no right or wrong answer. Just perspective. You can argue any point of view if you can persuade people to see your perspective. Salesman one assumes no one wears shoes because they choose to not wear shoes. They choo...

This weekend, the weather was lovely. Sunshine and blue sky. Ranging from 21 to 25 degrees Celsius. There was nothing much planned for the day. With three boys and nice weather, there is only one thing to do. Go to the park. To play football.  Getting to the football pitch at the park is a bit of a pain. There is a very steep hill to climb, with the football pitch at the top. You have to earn your right to go and play. It is even less fun pushing a pushchair. A pushchair with a heavy 2 and a half year old in it.  When we got to the top, we were slightly out of breath. But a lush green field lay before us. Nobody else on the pitch. It was still sunny. This pitch was all ours. There was only one problem. The metal football posts had been taken away. Presumably, because it was the end of the football season.  The obstacle   One son promptly sat down upset. In a strop. In a huff. In a grump.  “What’s wrong with you?”  “Well, that’s it. We can’t play without any...

On our personal development journey, it can be easy to be driven by a hunger to succeed.  That we must keep moving forward. A lot of motivational speaking talks about doing the daily grind. Getting up at 5am.  To always have a goal. Never Settling.  With this mindset, it can become easy to think that happiness is something you have to work towards. Happiness is a goal you will achieve once you have the money you are after. Once you have the business you are after. Once you have to car or house you are after.  I am sorry to break this to you, but you can be happy now. If you pay attention to what you already have. And by the way, you don’t need to buy happiness. You can have it for free.  Turn up   The first part is turning up, physically. Let me explain.  This weekend my son got chickenpox. He didn’t suffer as bad as some children. But all he wanted to do was go in the back garden with his dad. Me. I am normally thinking of the list of jobs I need to d...