Coaching and live conversations: after my coaching certification, I continue to do 1:1 coaching, and started to host linkedin live conversations with inspiring people.
Working at CaixaBank: as a manager and changemaker in transformation projects. Very involved in generative AI adoption and journey to the cloud.
Doing workshops: I started hosting virtual communication, personal branding and leadership workshops. I enjoy it very much!
My kids are growing up: Valentina is 10 and Luca is almost 8, they are growing fast and I want to enjoy as much as I can my time with them
Planning holidays: after going twice to Disneyland Paris, we are planning a trip to California next year. Meanwhile, we planned Christmas’s holidays with the family.
This is inspired by the NowNowNow project, created by Derek Sivers. To find out more about it, check the about page.
Updated on 6th of September 2025 from Sant Cugat, Spain.
I once saw Bruce Mau’s incomplete manifesto for growth. After reflecting on his living and working patterns, I loved how he put together his answer to this question and asked himself: What is really valuable here? How might these patterns be helpful to others?
This is my way of expressing it and bringing more clarity into my thinking.
Many of these ideas are borrowed from great thinkers of the present and the past, and I will add more links and references in the future.
Gratitude journal. Every day, I write at least three things I am grateful for in my journal. This habit helps me focus on the positive things to appreciate and see more during the day.
Keep a “victory log”.Along with my journal, I keep track of what I consider a “victory” to celebrate in a personal, professional or learning context. It’s a good list to check when I feel I am struggling with something, to remind me of how far I have come.
Live below your means. I don’t “upgrade” my lifestyle with my income. This habit helped me have a degree of freedom in more challenging moments. I also like to think of a “plan B” in case dramatic events happen, and it gives me more confidence and freedom.
Prioritize sleep and no alcohol before sleep. Never drink alcohol close to bedtime, at most four hours earlier; this habit, along with eating lightly at night and not eating anything three hours before bed, dramatically improved my sleep quality. It’s also a way to appreciate the positive side of having small kids and not being able to go out for dinner.
Hell yeah or no! it’s a very effective “decision razor” in today’s world of infinite possibilities and FOMO. All that is not an immediate “hell yeah”; it’s a “no”. With this in mind, I try not to jump into the one thousand things that my infinite curiosity would lead me into.
Before I say yes, act as if it’s tomorrow. Another quick “decision razor”. Since we discount the value of future time, it’s easy to commit to something in the future, and then when the time comes, we regret having committed to that and change our decision. This “mental time travel” combined with the “hell yeah or no” are a very effective combination.
The stoic archer: We control how well we prepare, our decisions and actions, and ultimately, we can’t control the final outcome of our actions, so we should accept the outcome and realize that it’s not always in our power. If we do our best, we can be at peace regardless of the outcome.
Accept it, change it, or leave it. A very practical approach for dealing with things we don’t like. We can accept them, change them or leave them, and what we should not do is complain about them and wish them to change, and at the same time, not do anything to change them nor leave them.
Will that matter if I die tomorrow? Another very effective “reality check” for all the big “dramas” that unfold sometimes. In the heat of the moment, I try to ask myself this question and get some perspective.
Short-term pessimist, long-term optimist. Thinking that things will get worse in the short term and preparing for the worst while at the same time keeping a positive outlook for the long term. Helps me to have a long-term perspective and do the “hard stuff” first.
Increase the luck surface: my “lottery tickets". I see every interaction and everything I share as “lottery tickets”. I do it because I thoroughly enjoy it, and I do it for the sake of it; at the same time, I love to think that each thing I share is a lottery ticket. I never know who might see it and what can happen, and the more I share the stuff I love, the more lottery tickets I get.
Intersections and Portfolio Life
External value depends on the context
Escape competition through authenticity
Promoting yourself vs promoting your ideas: self-promotion focuses on showcasing ourselves and seeking personal recognition, while idea promotion is all about sharing valuable stuff and hoping to benefit others, and having better reach ourselves is a means to that end. So, I want people to discover me without wanting to appear to be acting in a self-serving way. My priority is helping people and having an impact.
Fear of speaking in public: I reframed my "fear of speaking in public" to "I feel deep respect for the people in this room and I want to do my best”
The average of the five people
The personal board of advisors
Deeper questions: what is your story?
Pretend there’s a camera crew filming
Interact with the person, not the content
Each feels they have the best of the deal
Play long-term games with long-term people
Pick partners with intelligence, energy and integrity
Sharing our feelings. Vulnerability doesn't mean being reckless or indiscriminate in sharing our personal information. It involves a thoughtful and selective approach to sharing our feelings and experiences with people we trust. Recognizing we're human, with all our flaws, not trying to chase an ideal that we can not reach and that will only cause you to lie, especially to ourselves, and depriving us of our potential.
Reveal other people's superpowers: don’t fall into the trap of not recognizing the greatness of others, because it might undermine ours. It’s like we are “more” by making other people “less”. Which is, of course, totally wrong, and I would dare say it’s the complete opposite.
Slack time and “busyness”. We don’t have to look like we are always 100% busy and "on fire" at every moment. We should normalize having some free capacity or slack and then use that slack for personal growth and projects, that, in the long term, will also benefit the company we work in.
Gratitude at work: we can almost always find something to be grateful for, each day, and when we have the habit of noticing these little things, we start seeing more and more.
Slack and free capacity vs busyness. We don’t have to look like we are always 100% busy and "on fire" at every moment. We should normalize having some free capacity or slack and then use that slack for personal growth and projects, that, in the long term, will also benefit the company we work in.
Take your work seriously but not yourself. And who said that we can't have fun at work?
Here are the books that greatly impacted my thinking, and therefore, I recommend them to everyone.
My go-to recommendation for a book on leadership: “Hostage at the Table” by George Kohlrieser. I read and re-read it many, many times after attending his "Inspirational Leadership" program at IMD, and I keep coming back to it.
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness. This is one of the first books on personal development that I read. Naval’s ideas on wealth and happiness have inspired many of my illustrations, too.
Designing Your Life: Build a Life that Works for You. What I love about this book is applying a design thinking approach and its principles to our own lives: experiment, prototype and ask questions, instead of searching for one perfect plan.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Perhaps you already heard of this book; it’s full of practical ideas to build good habits and let go of bad ones. The book also inspired a few illustrations.
The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read. And I would add, “I wish I had read it earlier”. A key idea is to “acknowledge the feelings” of our children and treat them as persons, even small ones. The changes will surprise you.
Inspiring conversations
I had a fun and insightful conversation with Sara Ramos, the amazing community manager of the Management 3.0 community. We discussed personal stories, leadership, self-development, what we love about communities and learning, and what it means to be a member.
An interesting and thought-provoking conversation with Rachel Cossar, a leader in the field of nonverbal communication and leadership presence facilitation, founder of Virtual Sapiens, an AI tool that leverages knowledge in body language and presence and provides personalized feedback and coaching.
An exciting conversation with Pejman Milani, a brilliant teacher, visual storyteller and communicator. We discussed creativity, social media, challenges, teaching, the impact of AI, and the daily practices and tools behind his visual work.
A deep conversation with Nadine Koehler, a gentle, inquisitive soul, marketing director, and agile practitioner. We discussed growth, communities, the role of social media and communication, and how each of us defines success in our own way.
An insightful conversation with Òscar Carbonell, chief of staff & executive coach. He defines himself as a “bridge” between professional and academic, rational and emotional. We talked about relationships and bringing coaching skills to our personal and professional life.
I had a wonderful and fun conversation with Nicola Ballotta, a constant learner, leader, and communicator. We discussed personal development, communication and social media, challenges, leadership, new ways of working, and the relationships that help us grow.
It was a pleasure to talk with Janis Ozolins, a brilliant creator, and solopreneur, who is also the person who introduced me to visual illustration. We discussed visual communication, content creation, personal development, and values.
I had so much fun talking with Kate Sotsenko, a brilliant productivity coach who considers herself a “time reclaimer”. We discussed productivity and being “good busy”, personal development, creativity, sharing ideas and how we see relationships.
It was a joy talking with Peter Sorgenfrei, a CEO coach and a rare mix of people and numbers guy, with vast experience in building businesses. We discussed work life, values, what makes people care about their work, and how to hire great talent.
It was amazing talking with Hannah Wilson, a brilliant visual creator and solopreneur whose journey has deeply inspired my own visual communication. We discussed personal journeys, growth, creativity, the role of communities, and the hard work behind making things look easy.
It was a joy to talk with Jacqueline Oud, a passionate change agent, expert communicator, and coach. We discussed igniting that "spark", empowering others, fostering creativity, trust and connection, and bringing more energy to our workplaces and lives.
It was inspiring talking with Marco Andre, a creative mind and advocate for authenticity in the digital age. We delved into personal journeys, the importance of embracing imperfections, the transformative potential of AI, and the critical role of community and collaboration.
It was an enriching experience talking with Teresa Ferreiro, a dedicated coach and patient advocate. We discussed growth, coaching, and the impact of leadership and human connection. Her journey from project management to supporting cancer patients and leaders has deeply inspired me.
It was a profound experience talking with Holger Nils Pohl, a creative professional and advocate for autism awareness. We explored personal stories, the complexities of living with autism, and why understanding and acceptance matter in both personal and professional life.
A heartwarming conversation with Sandra Lopes Guerreiro, a seasoned leader dedicated to cultural and mindset transformations. We explored personal development, visualization, and mental health. Sandra shared insights on leadership, empathy, and authentic connections that bring out each person’s superpowers.
Carole Robin taught the legendary "Touchy Feely" course at Stanford's Graduate School of Business for over twenty years and co-authored the award-winning book "Connect". In this engaging conversation, she highlights the skills for fostering trust, vulnerability, and authenticity in our relationships.
In this insightful and inspiring conversation, we explored creative practice, genuine human connections, and embracing imperfection. Pejman shared his journey from hesitating to post online to finding fulfillment in creating impactful visuals and being part of an engaged community.
An inspiring conversation with Martin Coul on mental health, leadership, and breaking stigma. Martin shared his journey from tech to mental health advocacy, emphasizing vulnerability, empathy, and creating supportive workplaces. Together, we explored how open dialogue creates resilience and authentic connections.
A dialogue with Abhijit Bhaduri, author of "Career 3.0", about reimagining how we approach work and learning in today's world. Abhijit shares insights on building multiple skills, finding joy in the process, and turning perceived career threats into opportunities for growth.
A fascinating discussion with Rachel Cossar, leader in the field of nonverbal communication and AI startup CEO, about the evolving landscape of communication in our digital world. She shared insights on how to maintain authentic presence and build trust in virtual interactions.
An engaging conversation with Said Saddouk, "The Facilitainer," who transforms virtual meetings from boring to brilliant. We explored how curiosity drives innovation, why work should be enjoyable, and his hierarchy of connection first, content second, and tools last.
A practical discussion with Lousin Mehrabi, a professional negotiator, inspirational speaker and advisor on high-stakes negotiations. We explored how to handle emotions before, during, and after stressful situations, with actionable techniques to build emotional resilience and inner peace.
What if a genuinely rich life means completely rethinking what "wealth" is? In this conversation with Sahil Bloom, we talked about how to ditch the default mindset and build an intentional life so that in one year, people will “call you lucky”.
What if agents could be among your most effective team members? In this LinkedIn live with Jack Rowbotham, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Copilot Studio at Microsoft, we talked about how agents are transforming businesses and what this means for you and your organization.
An energizing conversation with Nausheen I.Chen, a public speaking coach who has trained executives at Google, Amazon, and IBM. We explored storytelling, overcoming speaking anxiety, finding your voice, and moving from waiting to feel ready to building confidence through doing.
An inspiring conversation with Jonathan Escobar on why work is the most powerful force for positive impact. We talked about transforming the ways of work, from keeping a "brutal focus" and using "the wall" to uncovering hidden talent through a consistent leadership rhythm.
I use and recommend these tools for my projects. Some links are affiliates, supporting me at no extra cost to you.
Subtack: Great for newsletter publishing with community features and cross-recommendations.
Affinity Designer: Powerful, easy-to-use illustration tool with iPad and desktop versions, synced for seamless use.
Notion: Efficient content and article management with a database feature for relational structures.
Make: Automates Notion's content management system, highly customizable and powerful.
Zoom: Used for scheduling coaching sessions, recordings, and creating shareable clips.
Todoist: Long-term tool for managing projects and to-do lists, adapted over a decade.
Here is the tech stack I have in my home office. Thanks to all the members of the community who shared their setups with me, and helped me improve my setup. I am always curious about new setups and how to improve.
Maintain a balance between tech additions and setup complexity. Avoid investments in tech that demand double checks or complicated start-up sequences. Prefer easy-to-use solutions that can be activated with a simple button press after setup.
Audio
Shure SM7B: a recent upgrade to my beloved blue yeti USB mic, bought it second-hand on Amazon and I love the quality
elgato wave mic arm LP: the only mic arm that I found could fit in my desk, and finally I can use the microphone without having to compromise on space on the desk
elgato wave xlr: interface to connect my XLR mic
Video
HP EliteDisplay E243d: amazing screen, with USB hub, audio and multiple video entry. Y can easily switch from professional to personal pc in a move.
Duronic DM754 four screens support stand: a sturdy stand for a desk that has no possibility of mounting a clamp.
Logitech brio stream: the quality of this camera is amazing, I previously had a 1080p and can see a huge difference.
elgato key light air: I love how the light comes evenly from right and left, I have no shadows on my face with this.
Logitech Litra glow: I use this light for lighting from above
Interfaces
Logitech MX Keys: super accurate and smooth USB mouse, can connect to three different pc by Bluetooth
Logitech MX Master 3S: compact and easy to use, can connect to three different pc by Bluetooth
elgato stream deck xl: one of my latest addition, I saw it in a post from Said Saddouk and it’s a huge time saver.
