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Welcome to the 20th edition of TrimTabs!
We’ve covered a lot of ground together in these explorations. Thank you for navigating alongside me.

As always, let’s pick up where we left off last time:

“What are the five things you’re most proud to have achieved so far this year?”

How easy was it to feel proud of yourself? I hope you found something to truly appreciate.

For many of us (especially the perfectionists) pride can feel awkward. Nothing ever feels ‘enough’ and there’s always more we could do. But pausing to notice how far we’ve come is vital as our humility can become damaging and limiting.

In my coaching work, it’s often one of the most powerful moments - helping people see what they’ve achieved despite ever increasing headwinds. It’s part of an approach called ‘appreciative inquiry’ and it gives us the space to see what’s already strong, rather than focusing on what’s missing or broken.

I journaled my own proudest moments and the one that feels most relevant here is reaching this milestone of 20 editions of TrimTabs.

It’s not specifically the number, it’s everything it represents.

To send this newsletter, I’ve had to be vulnerable, willing to make mistakes and sit with the discomfort of not always knowing how my words land. I’m proud of the inner work that’s made that possible as for most of my life, I would shudder at the thought of doing something like this. The next fear to overcome will be video, more of that to come soon.

The philosophy behind the naming of this newsletter is from the work of one of my heroes, Buckminster Fuller.

Bucky described a trim tab as the smallest part of a ship’s rudder, yet one tiny movement can shift the trajectory of an entire ocean liner. In life, we can feel overwhelmed, but often all it takes is a small, well-placed action to create meaningful change.

And now more than ever, we need to think about how we can become the TrimTabs we need for the planet and society.

So how do you think we’re doing? Have you been able to recognise your own ability to create change within your life, work and communities?

I feel as though I’ve definitely created some momentum and can see the ripples I’ve helped to start. Change starts from within and even the tiniest shift can build momentum quickly.

Bucky achieved extraordinary things (I could happily talk about them for hours) yet still considered himself an ordinary man. He coined the phrase “Call me Trim Tab” to remind us that each of us has the power to move things, even when we feel small or insignificant.

If the trim tab metaphor teaches us anything, it’s that small shifts matter. But the question is, where should we place them?

That’s where appreciative inquiry comes in. It’s a way of starting with what’s alive and working, rather than what’s broken or lacking as a conscious choice to begin from abundance rather than scarcity.

When we start from abundance, our thinking shifts, we see more possibilities and we’re more likely to take action. In my coaching work, I’ve seen people go from feeling stuck to seeing a path forward in minutes, simply because we started with seeing what we have available to build from.

If you want to bring this approach into your own life, try experimenting with:

• Tracking your bright spots - at the end of each day, note one thing that went well and why. Over time, patterns will emerge.

• Amplifying what already works - choose one element of your work, habits or relationships that’s in good shape and see how you can strengthen or expand it.

• Building on past successes - recall a time you navigated change well. Use the strategies you applied then to inform your next move.

Appreciative inquiry doesn’t ignore problems. It simply refuses to make them the sole lens. When we ground ourselves in what’s already strong, change feels lighter, more natural and more sustainable. It’s a foundation built on gratitude, compassion and love.

Since launching this newsletter in February, I’ve seen my own approach evolve in this direction. I’m more deeply connected to nature in my work and my life and it feels important to carry that forward into the next chapter.

Over the past year, TrimTabs has been an engineering-inspired metaphor, precise shifts that can move big things. But as my own work has evolved, I’ve found myself drawn more deeply into nature’s way of guiding change.

In nature, movement isn’t linear or mechanical. Instead, it unfolds in cycles - seasons of growth, rest, renewal and transformation each with its own pace and purpose. This cyclical rhythm invites a different way of working, one that honours timing, patience and alignment rather than constant push and urgency.

In practical terms, applying these natural principles in the workplace means recognising when to act and when to pause, when to nurture ideas quietly and when to amplify them. It allows us to build resilience by syncing with the ebb and flow of energy, resources and relationships.

That’s why I’m weaving more of this nature-based wisdom into my work and why my upcoming events will invite you outdoors into spaces where slowing down and tuning into the living world helps us reconnect with these essential rhythms.

I’ll be sharing details soon, along with a new model I’ve developed, rooted in the cycles and patterns of the natural world. For now, think of it as a seed planted which is taking root and ready to grow.

In honour of our appreciation of the natural world, my invitation to reflect this week is something a bit different:

• Step outside, even if only for a few minutes.

• Notice one thing in the natural world that’s changing right now - perhaps quickly, like a sudden bloom or slowly, like the shifting of the seasons.

• Observe the conditions that make that change possible.

Things can feel heavy but remember, nature still believes in us and is trying to help us. So let’s remind ourselves to notice abundance in motion.

It’s not naive or blindly optimistic. We can see that the smallest shifts are the ones that move everything.

With compassion and gratitude,

Nick

Well that’s it for another week. Boo!

But we don’t have to stop there. Hurrah!

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