Why does change feel fake at first?

Have you ever tried to improve something in your life…
Started doing the right things…
showing up differently…

…and still felt like you were just pretending?

Like it’s not really you yet?
That uncomfortable gap between:

• who you’ve been
• and how you’re now acting

👉 That’s what I’ve been exploring this week in ThinkWORKS — something I call Identity Lag.

Join in the discussion HERE!

The Shadow. Doc Savage. Sexton Blake. Sherlock Holmes. The Avenger. The Domino Lady. The Phantom.

They sold millions of copies, and were the Netflix of their era, and yet very few people know about them or understand just how important they were for every superhero that followed.

This is the first part of our discussion on pulp comics, as Darren Smithson & Chris Dingsdale discuss the action heroes and why they are so important.

(Part Two will follow later in the year and discuss the sword & sandal tales (Tarzan, Conan, Solomon Kane etc), and the scientific heroes (Flash Gordon, John Carter, Buck Rogers etc).

Join in the discussion HERE.

The phrases we repeat to ourselves shape far more of our lives than we realise.

In this episode of ThinkWORKS, Darren explores the hidden power of habitual language — the words and phrases we quietly repeat in moments of challenge, doubt, or decision. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience, and everyday experience, he explains why these mental scripts influence our motivation, resilience, and perception of failure.

This isn’t about simplistic “positive thinking.” It’s about understanding how our brains internalise repeated language and how we can consciously replace limiting phrases with ones that reinforce learning, growth, and perspective.

From the idea that “I never fail so long as I learn” to practical ways of identifying and changing negative self-talk, this episode offers a powerful reminder that the stories we tell ourselves can either trap us — or set us free.

Join in the discussion at Community

Technology promised us freedom. Instead, it blurred the line between work and life.
In Episode 101 of ThinkWORKS, I examine the cost of constant interruption, the illusion of urgency, and the small behavioural shifts that can dramatically improve both productivity and wellbeing.

Join in the discussion at https://www.darreninform.com/forum/2-thinkworks-voiceworks/discussion/de771046-95b3-4e66-94e4-a0c526451ef6

Episode 100 — What Hasn’t Changed

One hundred episodes in, it’s tempting to talk about progress.

Instead, this episode asks a quieter question:

What hasn’t changed?

Over time, projects evolve. Language sharpens. Confidence grows. But underneath all of it, certain questions remain constant. The work of thinking carefully. The tension between perfection and progress. The discipline of building deliberately rather than reacting quickly.

This episode isn’t a celebration. It’s a reflection.

On why I still do this.
On what continues to matter.
On the difference between movement and meaning.

If you’ve been listening for a while, this is a moment of consolidation.
If you’re new, it’s a good place to begin.

Because sometimes the most important progress isn’t in what’s new — it’s in what endures.

Come and join me in https://www.darreninform.com/forum/2-thinkworks-voiceworks/discussion/060de405-74dd-4ea6-b929-d072b8d3afb8

The mysteries of the Unexplained are back in our series within a series, as host Darren Smithson is joined by regular guest Steve Lowe to discuss the power and awe of the Pyramids of the world, considering why were they build, how were they built, and does Pyramid Power truly exist!

Join in the discussion at https://www.darreninform.com/forum/2-thinkworks-voiceworks/discussion/6677a02f-29fd-4439-bbea-a94a30103a54