Edwin's Corner

I am always moved by how intentional some people can be in changing their lives. You can see it in the way they choose work that matters, build nourishing relationships, and protect their energy. But here’s the hard truth: most of us don’t live this way. We coast through life. We stay in jobs that drain us, relationships that no longer help us grow, and habits that quietly shrink us. When asked why we keep going, the answer is often a shrug: “That’s just how it’s always been.” But without intention , attention , and focus, we are like ships without a compass. We drift. We react instead of guiding our lives. And we miss the chance to create lives filled with meaning and flow. Let’s explore how reclaiming these three superpowers — intention, attention, and focus — can change the way you live, work, and lead.   1. Intention: The Why Behind Everything You Do Think of intention as your internal compass. It is the why behind your actions — the deeper purpose that fuels you. Without it,...

Friendship has always been a puzzle for me. I grew up an introvert, and my very first real friend, Michael Omondi , was in my life for only two short years. One week we were playing with toys, and the next, he and his family had moved away. That abrupt ending planted a seed in me: friendships are fragile, fleeting, and sometimes painfully unpredictable. As I grew older, I realized many of my friendships were transactional. We connected because of shared goals, exams, or interests—but the depth was missing. In high school, my attempts at friendships left a bitter taste. With no mentorship, I sought validation through rebellion, mistaking noise for identity. Looking back, I now see many of those classmates were also searching, stumbling through life like me. Fast forward to just a week ago, I listened to a wise man, Fredrick Gichuru , speak about the crisis of male friendships. He said something that stuck: “Many of society’s ills—suicide, violence, brokenness—can be traced back to m...

Innovation often feels like a mysterious and intimidating word. In a world that seems to be spinning out of control—with artificial intelligence taking over roles once reserved for experts—it’s easy to feel small, outdated, or irrelevant. Every industry is shifting. No profession is safe. And yet, in the middle of this uncertainty, one man reframed innovation for me in a way I’ll never forget. That man is Wilfred Chege , a deeply analytical mind I admire. He was invited to speak to a group of men on innovation . But instead of dazzling us with charts, technology, or futuristic predictions, he spoke about something far simpler—yet infinitely more powerful. He spoke about courage . And that struck me deeply, because courage is the very heartbeat of innovation. Without courage, we remain stuck, repeating the same safe patterns, afraid to step outside the lines others have drawn for us. 1. Breaking the Chains of Fear and Conditioning Wilfred reminded us of something we’ve all seen but rar...

Think back to your teenage years. Awkward growth spurts. Voice cracks. That strange sense of not fully belonging in your own skin. For many of us, those years were some of the most uncomfortable—yet they were also years of tremendous growth. Growth is at the heart of what it means to be alive. You’re either moving forward or slowly shrinking back. And yet, somewhere along the way, society sold us the idea of “slowing down”—retirement, coasting, waiting it out. Too many men step back, and before long, their energy, health, and even their sense of purpose fade away. But here’s the truth: life doesn’t reward talent alone. Life rewards grit . I was reminded of this at one of our men’s gatherings, where Joe Mwangi , a speaker with stories as real as scars, broke down grit in a way that stuck with me. He unpacked it as an acronym—G.R.I.T.:  Growth, Resilience , Initiative , Truth . This wasn’t a motivational poster moment. It was a challenge: if you want to build lasting habits ...

Shame is one of the most powerful and destructive emotions a person can experience. Unlike guilt , which says “ I did something wrong ,” shame whispers “ There’s something wrong with me .” And when we believe that lie for a long time, it influences how we see ourselves, how we work, how we love, and even how we parent. Shame can become deeply ingrained, feeling like a part of your identity. It quietly fuels perfectionism , overachievement , addictions , isolation , and people-pleasing . Many of us believe we’ve learned to “live with it" or even use it as motivation for success. However, the truth is: shame always costs more than it gives. Over time, it saps your energy, erodes your joy, and diminishes your sense of worth. I know this firsthand. As a child, I wasn’t a good student. I often ranked at the very bottom of my class. At first, I thought I could fade into the background. But kids notice weaknesses. One day, a classmate accused me of defecating in class. The teach...

We live in a world where men are quietly slipping into isolation . I recently listened to a podcast that painted a sobering picture. If current trends continue, many men will never experience the fullness of a committed relationship or raise families of their own. Not because of evolution, but because of habits — the daily choices and coping mechanisms that are pulling them away from connection, intimacy , and purpose. At the core of this issue is something we seldom discuss: self-awareness . It’s the ability to identify what we feel, understand why we act the way we do, and choose healthier ways to cope. Without self-awareness, men tend to outsource their emotions to pornography, masturbation, alcohol , or endless scrolling on screens. These habits don’t just provide temporary escape — they gradually weaken confidence, increase shame , and prevent men from forming meaningful relationships. The forgotten gift of self-awareness could change all that. As a habit coach, I’ve learned that...

   For many men today, one of the hardest things to do is make new friends. It’s not that we don’t want connection. Most of us still depend on the same old friendships from school or childhood — even when, deep down, we know we’ve outgrown them or they’ve outgrown us. From a habit perspective, that’s risky. The people around you aren’t just casual company — they shape your environment, influence your decisions, and constantly reinforce the identity you carry today. If you’re serious about becoming the man you want to be, you must become intentional about the friends you make and the friends you keep. The problem? As we age, we often become comfortable with our routines. Making new friends can start to feel awkward, even threatening. It takes vulnerability — showing parts of yourself that you may have guarded for years. But here’s the good news: friendship is a skill. Like any skill, it can be practiced, improved, and mastered until it becomes second nature. After years...

I’ve always been fascinated by The Flash — not just because he’s fast, but because of how he uses that speed. There’s a memorable scene where a skyscraper explodes, causing people to fly through the air like popcorn popping from a pan. In reality, it would end instantly, but the director slows down the scene so we can view it from Flash's perspective. In this fleeting moment, he skillfully moves between falling individuals, carefully repositioning each to ensure they land safely. His movements are so graceful that it's almost as if he's pausing to sip coffee before rescuing the next person. What strikes me most isn’t just the speed — it’s the mastery. His movements are precise, and every choice is intentional. He is so aware of each microsecond that he can do the impossible. And it got me thinking: in our way, we all have the potential to be like The Flash in the things we do. We can move faster, produce better results, and leave a lasting impact — but it requires m...

Yesterday, something happened that shook me to my core. For the first time in my life, I saw a fatal accident, just minutes after watching the driver recklessly overtake us. One moment, he was alive and boldly speeding past; fifteen minutes later, we found him dead at the scene. That moment left a heavy toll on my heart. Growing up, I had a deep, unexplained fear of road travel. My father would often be away and only return on weekends, and I remember spending many nights on my knees, praying he’d make it home safely. In the early ‘90s, Kenyan newspapers ran weekly accident death tolls that terrified me. That fear never really left. Though I never witnessed an accident firsthand, I heard of many, until yesterday. We were driving along the Kisii-Narok route when an old Toyota sped past us, overtaking dangerously in a blind spot. I remember shaking my head and thinking, “That’s reckless.” Then I turned back to enjoy the scenery and the book I was reading. Not long after, we encountered...

Imagine travelling to a new land that promises to make your dreams come true. You arrive there, and at first, you are overjoyed as you imagine a bright future. But as the days go by, you realize that you can’t make friends. The people there ostracize you and call you names. And the opportunities afforded to you are minimal. The question is, will you shut down and go back to where you came from? Oh! And by the way, where you came from, there is a famine, and people are dying. What do you do? This is the issue that faced the Thai-Chinese population when they first settled in Thailand. Their story of resilience and industry is what I want to begin with. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a wave of Chinese migrants from southern China arrived in Siam (modern-day Thailand) seeking better lives. They started at the bottom as laborers, traders, and small shopkeepers, precisely because no other jobs were available. They endured poverty, discrimination, and were viewed as second-class cit...