Why do so many people start their working lives with energy and enthusiasm, only to end up doing the bare minimum? Cabin crew once said they loved meeting people. Nurses spoke of healing. Teachers dreamed of inspiring. Yet, years later, many are drained, disengaged, and doing what appears to be half-hearted work.

In this episode of Echoes from the Margin, Michael Comyn asks what really happened. Is it laziness, or is it the natural response to poor leadership, lack of psychological safety, and systems that grind people down? Drawing on Stoic thought, Daoist wisdom, Confucian duty, and the African philosophy of Ubuntu, he explores why enthusiasm fades and how we can rekindle it.

From Ireland’s “ah sure, it’ll do” to Japan’s meticulous service culture, Michael brings a global perspective to the question of effort, expectation, and meaning. And he offers practical ways to move from half-hearted to wholehearted, reclaiming the spark that first led us into our work.

For more weekly reflections, listen to Michael’s companion podcast Mind the Gap, and discover his new book Mind the Gap, available in paperback, hardback, and Kindle.

In this special bonus edition of Mind the Gap, you’ll hear Michael Comyn in conversation with Gerry Kelly on LMFM’s The Late Lunch. Together, they discuss the book that now accompanies the podcast, how it came to life, and the ideas it explores.

The book Mind the Gap gathers many of the themes shared here each week, blending philosophy, emotional intelligence, and personal reflection in a way that invites you to pause and think differently.

Tune in to this behind-the-scenes conversation and discover how the book and podcast work hand in hand.

`The book Mind the Gap is available now on Amazon in Kindle, paperback, and hardback worldwide.

Listen to new episodes of Mind the Gap every week, wherever you get your podcasts.

For more, visit: https://www.comyn.ie

In a world that demands you choose sides, what happens when you no longer recognise the middle ground?

In this month’s Echoes from the Margins, the monthly companion to Mind the Gap (now in its second season), Michael Comyn reflects on life when the centre no longer holds — in politics, in community, and within ourselves.

From Yeats’ haunting words to ancient Chinese philosophy, from Arabic wisdom to modern psychology, this episode explores how binary thinking has pushed us apart, and why nuance and balance have become rare. Michael invites you to step away from the noise, to discover that the true centre is not a position on a map, but a daily practice of listening, questioning, and living with integrity.

If you have felt pulled to the edges by the world’s divisions, this reflection offers both comfort and challenge.

Even the sharpest minds can be fooled — not because we are careless, but because con artists know how to pull the emotional levers that make us human. In this episode of Mind the Gap, Michael explores how scams old and new trick us into lowering our guard, from the classic infomercials that promised six-packs in six weeks to today’s deepfakes that use familiar faces and voices to convince us to click.

You’ll hear why trust can become a trap, how urgency, flattery, and hope can override logic, and why emotional intelligence is one of our best tools to pause, reflect, and verify before we act.

This is the sixtieth episode of Mind the Gap, and after this one, we’re taking a short break to practice what we preach. If you miss us while we’re away, now is a great time to revisit earlier episodes — or dive into the Mind the Gap book, available in paperback, hardback, and ebook here.

Betrayal cuts deep, whether it’s a colleague taking credit for your work, a promised promotion that never arrives, or the quiet exclusion from a team. Inspired by the hit television series The Traitors, this episode of Mind the Gap explores how we respond when trust is broken.

Michael Comyn unpacks the sting of betrayal in both personal and professional life, weaving together insights from philosophy, modern psychology, and emotional intelligence. Are we too quick to label others as traitors? And what does it really mean to be faithful in a world where loyalty is tested daily?

If today’s reflections resonate, you can dive deeper into the companion book Mind the Gap, available worldwide in paperback, hardback, and Kindle editions.

Stay tuned for next week’s episode, when Michael explores another of life’s hidden challenges with the same mix of wisdom, wit, and humanity.

Book available at https://amzn.eu/d/irNfaHO

Why do we ease off the accelerator when we spot a Garda car, but never dream of driving home after a few pints? One is the fear of punishment. The other is a shift in values. That contrast is the difference between power and influence.

In this episode of Mind the Gap, Michael Comyn explores why power bends behaviour only in the moment, while influence reshapes belief for the long term. From speed limits to the cultural transformation around drink driving, the discussion weaves together Robert Greene’s 48 Laws of Power, the wisdom of the Stoics, and insights from emotional intelligence.

If you are a regular listener, this episode invites you to reflect more deeply on how you lead, how you parent, and how you live. Are you leaning on power to get quick compliance, or are you cultivating influence that endures?

These reflections are also explored in greater depth in Michael’s new book Mind the Gap, now available worldwide in Kindle, paperback, and hardback editions on Amazon.

Episode Summary:

Every workplace has its masks. For some, it’s the “work face” we put on each morning to look confident or composed. For others, it’s much deeper — hiding a class background, a sexual orientation, or a neurodiverse identity to feel safe.

In this episode, Michael Comyn explores the hidden cost of wearing masks at work. Drawing on the idea of emotional labour from sociologist Arlie Hochschild, he reflects on the difference between surface acting and deep acting, the pressures created by DEI policies, and how authenticity and emotional intelligence can help us create workplaces where masks aren’t necessary.

It’s a conversation about the toll of constant self-editing, the emotional weight of representation, and the quiet relief that comes when we show up as ourselves.

Topics covered:

• Why do we put on “work faces”
• The deeper masks of identity, class, and orientation
• Arlie Hochschild’s ideas on emotional labour (surface and deep acting)
• The hidden personal costs of DEI in large organisations
• How emotional intelligence supports authenticity and inclusion

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Managed Heart by Arlie Hochschild
• The concepts of surface acting and deep acting
• Emotional intelligence and authenticity in leadership

Book Release:

The Mind the Gap book — a collection of reflections on emotional intelligence, psychology, and the challenges of being human — is now available worldwide in Kindle, paperback, and hardback editions on Amazon.

📖 Order here

Your emotions are real, but they are not you. In this episode, Michael Comyn explores the difference between what we feel and who we are, and how to notice emotions without letting them take over.

Drawing on emotional intelligence, psychology, and coaching insights, Michael reflects on the brain’s tendency to react before we think, and how to step back, see the bigger picture, and remember that moods pass — like weather across the sky.

It’s a conversation about presence, perspective, and the calm that comes when we remember that we are more than the moment we’re in.

What’s one feeling you’ve mistaken for who you are?

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