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Hi, 👋 I’m Clay,

writer of the Coach’s Notes. I’m a long time learning and development specialist: leadership, self-development, self-management, and emotional intelligence are my passions. Best self; Best team is how I serve.

I host the Wisdom Experience Radio Show and Podcast and share my stream of consciousness thoughts on the soulcruzer diaries.

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Most recently at:

Southam Tyres - Team Protyre, Southam, United Kingdom

I WRITE WEEKLY AT:

THE WISDOM EXPERIENCE

BLOG
Blog
Clay

Friday, 17 August 2023

My friends are divided. Some of them are superfans of ChatGTP and use it for everything, especially helping them with their writing. Others can’t stand it and go out of their way to make sure that people know that their writing is 100% human-crafted. As a fan of folks like William Burroughs and Kathy Archer, I think ChatGPT and other language models are fantastic. For me, they validate Burroughs’ insistence that language is a virus. And that we can free ourselves from the bonds words create by letting go of the imposed structure of language. While in the shower this

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August 18, 2023 9:01 pm No Comments
Blog
Clay

The Art of Paying Attention: What Sappho’s Poetry Teaches Us

Stopping to smell the roses. Living in the moment. Being present. These familiar maxims speak to something many of us struggle with: the art of paying attention. In our distraction-filled world, concentrating intently on the present is increasingly rare. Yet the ancient Greek poet Sappho provides a model for mindful awareness and engagement with the fullness of our experiences. Through vivid images and emotional depth, her poetry reminds us to wake up to the present and notice life’s meaningful details. Some say a host of horses, some say an army of infantry, and some say an army of ships is

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August 17, 2023 8:25 pm No Comments
Blog
Clay

a pathway back to our natural state

I stumble out my front door just in time to see the sun begin to peak its head above the horizon. I take a deep breath of cool, crisp air. After 23 years, I still haven’t gotten used to what passes as summer weather here in the UK. I let that thought subside. Better to focus on the walk ahead, a walk that has become an integral part of my daily routine. It’s a time to clear my head, reflect, and reconnect with nature. My passing through the gate disturbs the cows. They look up to see who has disrupted

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August 15, 2023 9:07 pm No Comments
Blog
Clay

Turn down the noise

So here’s the thing: life is super loud right now. There are all kinds of people shouting about what you should do, what you should want, and who you should be. It’s crazy! It’s like being at a drone metal concert where the music is just noise.1 But in and amongst this noise is a soft, quiet voice trying to break through, and if you listen very hard, you’ll recognise that voice as your intuition. Your intuition can be hard to hear over all the noise. It’s subtle, like a whisper you can barely make out. But it’s so important.

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August 10, 2023 4:50 pm No Comments
Podcast
Clay

How mischief can brighten your day

I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now: reboot the Wisdom Experience Podcast, which I used to host with Naomi Martell-Bundock. The project came to a natural end after a couple of seasons. I really loved the concept of exploring everyday wisdom, so I’ve been looking for an opportunity to reboot this podcast. Stumbling back into Socrates, Rousseau, Thoreau, and William James has reminded me that philosophy belongs with the people, not in the clouds or dusty lecture halls. So with that in mind, I decided to reboot the Wisdom Experience podcast as a solo project. I’ve even refreshed

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August 9, 2023 5:25 pm No Comments
black stackable stone decor at the body of water
Blog
Clay

The practice of intentional living

Last week, I introduced the concept of “misliving,” a term used to describe a life lived without direction or intention. I emphasised the importance of living intentionally to avoid finding ourselves in this position. To recap, intentional living is a lifestyle where you consciously choose actions that reflect your personal beliefs, values, and goals. It’s about actively shaping your life instead of passively letting life happen to you. It involves making mindful decisions, adjusting as necessary, and constantly ensuring your actions align with your values. Motivated by our discussion on intentional living, I’ve crafted a 20-question self-assessment questionnaire. This tool

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August 7, 2023 9:01 pm No Comments
Newsletter
Clay

The Barefoot Philosopher

In which I explore my fundamental approach to philosophy and coaching. Issue #115 of The Coach’s Notes newsletter. Philosophy is fundamentally about life. But more specifically, it is about your life. Root around on the Internet a little bit, and you’ll find a book definition similar to this: philosophy is the study of knowledge, truth, and the nature of ultimate reality. But philosophy doesn’t stop at these abstract concepts. For a barefoot philosopher like me, the idea is to probe deeper into the very essence of existence, seeking answers to what life is and how to optimise it. Philosophy isn’t

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August 3, 2023 5:20 pm No Comments
Video
Clay

Philosophy matters

You never know when you’re going turn up at your friend’s house for a beer and end up making a video. 

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July 31, 2023 8:13 pm No Comments
Podcast
Clay

Are you “Misliving?”

I read this morning from a philosopher that we are “misliving.” Basically he was suggesting that in our current lifestyle, we often misread, misinterpret, or misconstrue various aspects of our lives, which keeps us from living a truly meaningful life.

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July 30, 2023 9:05 pm 1 Comment
AI
Clay

First Look at the New AI-Powered Journal, Rosebud

Rosebud is an introspective daily journal that provides personalized feedback and guidance as you write. It’s like having a conversation with a mentor who really gets you and keeps your best interest in mind. Rosebud In this video, I do impromptu walkthrough of the Rosebud journal. My first impression of the app is that it has a lot of potential. What needs a closer look is the privacy settings in place and how easy is it to extract your journal entries should you decide you don’t want to use the app anymore. The price is reasonable coming at $4.99 a

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July 28, 2023 4:04 pm No Comments
Art
Clay

Your brain on art

In the case of reading poetry or fiction, you find yourself submerged in a narrative universe built from words. A powerful line of poetry can strike a chord deep within, illuminating feelings and thoughts previously unacknowledged. A riveting piece of fiction can transport you into the shoes of another, expanding your empathy and understanding. The intricate use of language stimulates your cognition, triggering a cascade of emotional responses that foster connectivity and emotional depth. When you watch a film, you embark on a visual and auditory journey orchestrated by filmmakers. The storylines, characters, and their emotions can elicit sympathetic responses,

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July 25, 2023 5:10 pm No Comments
Newsletter
Clay

Your Personal Prime Directive

In which I share my personal prime directive and show others how they can craft a personal prime directive of their own. Issue #114 of The Coach’s Notes newsletter. What if we could translate the concept of the Prime Directive from the reaches of deep space into the world we inhabit? What if this principle could be navigated into the intricate web of your personal life? What happens when we extract this fascinating concept from the realm of Klingons, Vulcans, and Andorians and anchor it in our reality? Let’s explore

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July 25, 2023 2:35 pm No Comments
Newsletter
Clay

What’s the Score?

In which I head to the fields to reflect on my goals going into the second half of the year. Issue #113 of The Coach’s Notes newsletter. You know what? It just hit me that we’re already in the second half of the year. Time flies, doesn’t it? If we use an American football analogy, halftime is over, and we’re now fully into the third quarter. The big question is: what’s the score? Are we winning or losing? Let’s explore

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July 19, 2023 8:17 pm No Comments
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