Enhance Your Focus & Presence During Times of Transformation.

By asking the right questions, keeping an open perspective, and tapping into your creativity, you can enhance your cognitive agility to be focused and present. The Reality Check Newsletter can help you achieve this by offering weekly insights in under 5 minutes every Sunday.

Previous Issues of Reality Check

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: The narrative of "either-or" is a story of destruction.

Can we accept a world of "and" rather than "either-or"?

In every context, we will fail to achieve progress if we are stuck within the confines of either or. This or that. From the macro to the micro, in an interconnected world compromising of connected humans in humanity and purpose, the narrative of divisiveness starts from the lack of acceptance that our uniqueness doesn't hinder our oneness.

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: We admire strength, yet we connect through our weaknesses.

Are you perfect or open to connecting?

Have you ever tried to connect puzzle pieces that were a perfect square? It is not possible; even though they are perfect, they have no means for a connection to happen.

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: Precision and finesse are the hallmarks of maturity and evolution.

In your toolkit, do you have precision and finesse or blunt tactics?

It’s unfathomable to me that in the 21st century, we still use medieval tools to handle complex problems in our society, organizations, and personal lives.

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: Your most valuable asset is attention.

Who, Where, What is consuming your attention?

Your most valuable asset is not time nor your wits or that investment you made in Apple 10 years ago. It might be that attractive person catching your eye on it’s periphery, or that loud noise screaming at you from down the hall, or even that nagging feeling to check your phone to respond to that Slack message or email.

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: You can be passionate about your opinion without the need to convince someone of it.

Are you reducing your communication to a 1 or 0?

In a polarized world, I see more and more of this notion of agreeing or disagreeing in terms of people having a conversation, and it’s absolutely disheartening to see. We inherently have reduced our communication to a one or zero. And people are worried about AI.

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: After every climax, there is a dip. One we expect, the other we miss.

What are you priming for?

We often work hard to reach a specific goal. We put in energy and sweat, foregoing sleep and rest. We struggle and hustle to reach the top. And then the epic finale is within reach; we grasp it without hesitation and with full vigor. We deserve it.

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: Divergence without commonality is abnormal.

Is your divergence acceptable?

One of the cornerstones of innovation is divergence or breakthrough to deliver novel ideas, yet divergence without a root and anchor to hook onto doesn’t work.

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: To reduce scope, find who or what you trust.

Who do you trust?

When faced with so many things to deal with, whether at work or home, the answer is easy but difficult. It is easy because the fewer things you have, ideally, it should make it easier to tackle.

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: Lurking in the shadows is not where you belong.

Are you lurking in the shadow?

It’s hard to admit it and more so to recognize it. We tend to find safety in the in-between where we are kind of seen but not really.

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: Word definitions change when you change the context.

Do you and your counterpart use the same context for the same word?

Have you ever tried to get a message across and felt it was not landing? Your counterpart is listening, but they can’t understand why you are trying to prove a point where there is no point to be made.

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: Content matters, but interpretation matters even more.

Are we influenced by content or interpretations?

As we venture into this new world of creation, let us be reminded that while content matters, the interpreter and the interpretation matter more. We consume interpretations and not content.

Quote by Carlo Mahfouz: Nothing is inherently complex or simple. It’s all a matter of perspective.

Do you see complexity or simplicity?

A monk’s silence speaks louder than a philosopher or scientist’s preaching. In simplicity lies complexity, and in complexity lies simplicity once a better understanding is achieved.

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