I live a 10 minute walk from one of my best buddies.

Very handy if we want to meet up for an adhoc beer or cup of coffee. 

But it’s also great because when Lauren and I moved to the area a few months ago, my buddy was standing by to give us a bunch of recommendations.

He told us about the best pizza place (Sodo – the nduja and honey pizza is meant to be delicious), the best bar (Clapton Craft – get the loyalty card) and his favourite gym (the not-so-subtly named Muscleworks).

All top tips and gratefully received.

But there was one other tip about the daily commute which trumped all these. 

See, we both take the same train to work. 

Hence this zinger:

“When you get to the platform Tom, walk just over halfway. That will take you to carriage 5. When you get on the train, that carriage will be bursting at the seams. But one stop later, most people in the carriage will get off to change line. And you’ll be able to get a seat”

This tip has been worth its weight in gold over and over again.

In fact, I'm using this tip right now. As I type this email, I’ve just nabbed a seat on the train into work. My laptop is balancing on my lap and I’ve got 16 minutes to finish writing before we arrive into Liverpool Street Station.

Of course, you’ll never find this sort of tip in a guidebook. But my buddy knew just how spot-on this tip would be for me.

I actually think it works the same way with life.

We get handed a guidebook packed with tips like "make a five year plan", “think positive thoughts” and “work hard and you’ll succeed”, just like a city guidebook packed with tips like “go for a walk in the park” or “visit the local museum”.

And because this is what’s in the guidebook, this is what most people do.

That might be okay when it comes to exploring a new city, but when it comes to life, it’s not the one-size-fits-all advice that helps us thrive. 

Instead, it’s the personal, hidden-in-plain-sight, counterintuitive moves that are never in the guidebook that really make the difference. 

Just like the carriage 5 tip.

As it happens, moves likes these are also at the heart of my coaching.

They’re the small, precise shifts, tailored to you and you alone, that quietly start to change everything.

If you’re ready to drop the guidebook and start making the moves that are right for you, this is your next stop:

https://waitinglist.followingfulfilment.com