Euphrosene Labon

Victoria Beckham and Pythagoras do not normally trip off the tongue, but it appears they may have number mysticism in common.

If someone had told Van Gogh that, one day, his paintings would be sold for millions, he might have died happy in himself - albeit still poor.

Do you ever ask yourself why you chose to become a writer?

When someone once told me I should express my 'original voice', they obviously had not heard of house styles. Idiosyncracy has to be mulched to suit media musts if you want to eat and have a roof over your head. Or does it?

Any romantic dreams we might nurture about writing soon get demolished when the mortgage needs to be paid. But do they have to?

Can spirituality provide us with a competitive advantage?

Yes it can, says Ian Mitroff, co-author of A Spiritual Audit of Corporate America.

Indeed spiritual intelligence courses and their ilk are gaining popularity with many companies, like Orange, the World Bank and McKinsey. And, where America leads, Britain has often followed, so be prepared for yoga to kick off your day, meditation breaks, and even meetings to discuss esoterica like reincarnation.

"Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese" according to Luis Bunuel. Not so if the press is to be believed.

Ageism is a classic form of restricted thinking but despite more and more companies abandoning their pension schemes, it is shocking to read that forty — yes 40 — is too old for some employers.