Traveling Through Life
Tip #1: Travel Light. – You can always tell the difference between an experienced traveler and a new one… by the size of their luggage. John mentioned that too many people travel through life with a lot of emotional baggage, which they’ve not yet learned to let go.
Traveling light is about finding your priorities… carrying only the essential stuff… Oh yes… and asking for forgiveness along the way.
Tip #2: Take someone with you – Life is about relationships. Isn’t it awfully lonely to travel through life alone?
Maybe you’ve been hurt before, but that doesn’t mean that you should close your heart. It only means that you know the characteristics you don’t want in a partner/friend.
Let time heal your heart and then find someone to travel through life with.
Tip #3: Follow The Road Map – Have a game plan. If you do not know where you are going, then how can you hope to get there?
It is important to know where you are (A) by doing self-reflection everyday and where you want to go (B) by setting goals… but do not succumb to “destination disease”. Life is not only about reaching B. Life HAPPENS between A and B! Enjoy the journey…
Tip #4: Take The High Road -”Those who are instruments of grace to others become recipients of grace to themselves”.
John talks about the necessity of having a life stance – your overall frame of reference – your attitude, assumptions and expectations of yourself, others around you and life.
Taking the high road means that you do not keep score. You learn to forgive others and do your best to help the people around you.
Tip #5: Stop And Ask For Directions -Most people are too stubborn or proud to do that. They would rather go around in circles than stop to ask someone for directions.
Remember that no matter the direction you are heading, it’s very likely that someone else has already been there and done that. Be prepared to ask for advice… and shortcut your learning curve.
Tip #6: Make A U-Turn When Needed -”Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.” You can’t turn back time when you have made a mistake… but you can change directions and make a U-turn before it’s too late.
Sometimes, we may find ourselves headed into a dead end… the sooner we realize we have to make a change and do it, the more likely we will find ourselves back on a safe route.
Remember… not changing when you have to may lead to death!
Tip #7: Appreciate The Detours – Life is not a smooth one way street. Along the way, you will meet obstacles and challenges. Appreciate and learn to take the detours.
I love the way John reframed “Problems”. He said that problems are…
Predictors
Reminders
Opportunities
Blessings
Lessons
Everywhere
Messages
Solvable
Could you see how that can be really empowering?
Tip #8: Take Pictures – Create Memories.
Now this is an advice I need to take seriously… if not only for the fact that I seldom take pictures.
John suggests that you should….
Work like you don’t need the money
Dance like no one is watching
Sing like no one is listening
Love like you’ve never been hurt
Live like it’s heaven on earth
How beautiful is that?
Tip #9: Travel The Extra Mile – And then some…
Who knows what you would find in that extra mile? Another adventure… A beautiful sight… A lovely encounter… An enchanting lover…
Go the extra mile… it may be worth the whole journey.
Tip #10: Stop To Smell The Roses – Remember not to rush though life… Take some time out to appreciate its beauty… Enjoy the butterflies’ dance… and last but not least, be grateful… for everyone and everything in your life.
Friday, August 03, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
10 Secrets to Happiness I learnt from Andrew Matthews
Today I'm going to share with you 10 secrets I learnt from Happiness Expert,
Andrew Matthews as well as a video of an extraordinary dog with 2 legs.
As usual, the article is pretty long and accompanied by pictures and a video, so please follow the link below to access it from:
10 Secrets to Happiness I learnt from Andrew Matthews
Source reference link:
http://richgrad.com/10-secrets-to-happiness-i-learnt-from-andrew-matthews/
Andrew Matthews as well as a video of an extraordinary dog with 2 legs.
As usual, the article is pretty long and accompanied by pictures and a video, so please follow the link below to access it from:
10 Secrets to Happiness I learnt from Andrew Matthews
Source reference link:
http://richgrad.com/10-secrets-to-happiness-i-learnt-from-andrew-matthews/
Saturday, April 07, 2012
Building a lasting brand requires a solid business model, ability toreinvent
Saturday April 7, 2012
[On Your Own]
By TAN THIAM HOCK
"No need for 'grand vision', just a clear one."
SINCE I arrived at the “School”, life has been a rush. Upon arrival, I dropped my bags in a small but well appointed room numbered 41-8 and went straight to the dining table where I met my living group.
A group of very diversified personalitie s of different nationalities all seven of them. So we make a group of eight. Which I was told, is a good number.
Living group (LG) 41 is housed on the 4th floor of the north wing with one living and meeting hall and will be together for eight weeks. In Cantonese, 41888 or 88418 when spoken, has the same meaning so far, so good.
After dinner, LG 41 read it's first case study at 8pm. Another good omen, except for the jet lag. Then the meeting dragged. Phil Knight of Nike Inc can wait. I have to unpack my bag and hit the sack. I am finally in the hip hop US of A.
Phil Knight is a kampung boy from Oregon and a runner for the University team. His MBA paper was on competing with Adidas in the performance athletic shoe segment with a business model of importing lower cost but high quality shoes from the far east. So he went to Japan, secured a distribution agreement for Tiger shoes in 1964 and by 1972, had a decent business of US$2mil per year. Then Tiger wanted to control his fledging 8-year old company or he risked losing the distribution rights.
He decided then to launch his own brand of performance athletic shoes and Nike was born. In 10 years, Nike went from US$2mil to US$693mil in sales and then in the next 30 years grew to become a US$2 0bil company. Nike b oleh! It is bigger than Adidas and Reebok combin ed and i t still has the same business model.
For entrepreneur wannabes, you do not need a BIG idea to start a business. But you do need a good and solid idea on how your business model can compete. Blended with intimate industry knowledge, you stand a fighting chance of surviving the early years.
The owner of The Chicken Rice Shop was a pioneer staff of KFC and worked there for many, many years. My company distributed multiple cosmetic brands for some years before we launched our own Silkygirl brand. If you decide to invest in an industry that you are not familiar with, the learning curve will be extremely steep so be prepared for the ride of your life.
Phil Knight never had a grand vision of having his own brand. He was just a small-time entrepreneur trying to establish a distribution business. Without a strong financial base, he relied first, on his principal and later on, another Japanese trading house for financing his imported inventory.
With his back against the wall and out of necessity, he started his own brand. For entrepreneur wannabes, you do not need a GRAND vision when you start a new business. People with grand visions normally spend most of their time day dreaming, with vivid imaginations of beautiful homes, luxurious cars and holidays. Business plans based on personal viewpoints and beliefs are flawed and doomed to fail.
Forecast numbers plucked from the clouds are unrealistic and unattainable. My advice is to start small, think big (margins), stay slim (overheads), avoid fat (hopes) and count right. Then put your head down and get on with the business. Just do it.
In the course of the last 40 years, Nike Inc suffered some hic cups when it had flat sales and profit p eriods but it has always managed to reinvent itself and create another decade of continuous sustainable growth. Nearer home, do you think our local brands like Bonia, Padini, Parksons, The Chicken Rice Shop etc will survive? Where is Anakku? Will Proton still be around in 20 years time?
All over the world, entrepreneurs build brands to last. What happens when the business outlasts the entrepreneur? It is proven that a business/brand, built on a solid foundation of a sturdy and robust business model will last for years and years. The journey of an entrepreneur normally starts with a glimmer of hope, some sprinkling of success, then visions of grandeur and finally the reality of the need to reinvent itself. It is a dynamic world out there. Reinvent or you will just fade away.
To all the vain entrepreneurs, if you have poor vision, put on your glasses so that you can see clea rly, the road ahead. Warning signboards, speed limits, road bumps and potholes. And, may your engine never run out of fuel.
> The writer is an entrepreneur who hopes to share his experience and insights with readers who want to take that giant leap into business but are not sure if they should. Email him at thtan@alliancecosmetics.com
Source reference link: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/7/business/20120407073609&sec=business
[On Your Own]
By TAN THIAM HOCK
"No need for 'grand vision', just a clear one."
SINCE I arrived at the “School”, life has been a rush. Upon arrival, I dropped my bags in a small but well appointed room numbered 41-8 and went straight to the dining table where I met my living group.
A group of very diversified personalitie s of different nationalities all seven of them. So we make a group of eight. Which I was told, is a good number.
Living group (LG) 41 is housed on the 4th floor of the north wing with one living and meeting hall and will be together for eight weeks. In Cantonese, 41888 or 88418 when spoken, has the same meaning so far, so good.
After dinner, LG 41 read it's first case study at 8pm. Another good omen, except for the jet lag. Then the meeting dragged. Phil Knight of Nike Inc can wait. I have to unpack my bag and hit the sack. I am finally in the hip hop US of A.
Phil Knight is a kampung boy from Oregon and a runner for the University team. His MBA paper was on competing with Adidas in the performance athletic shoe segment with a business model of importing lower cost but high quality shoes from the far east. So he went to Japan, secured a distribution agreement for Tiger shoes in 1964 and by 1972, had a decent business of US$2mil per year. Then Tiger wanted to control his fledging 8-year old company or he risked losing the distribution rights.
He decided then to launch his own brand of performance athletic shoes and Nike was born. In 10 years, Nike went from US$2mil to US$693mil in sales and then in the next 30 years grew to become a US$2 0bil company. Nike b oleh! It is bigger than Adidas and Reebok combin ed and i t still has the same business model.
For entrepreneur wannabes, you do not need a BIG idea to start a business. But you do need a good and solid idea on how your business model can compete. Blended with intimate industry knowledge, you stand a fighting chance of surviving the early years.
The owner of The Chicken Rice Shop was a pioneer staff of KFC and worked there for many, many years. My company distributed multiple cosmetic brands for some years before we launched our own Silkygirl brand. If you decide to invest in an industry that you are not familiar with, the learning curve will be extremely steep so be prepared for the ride of your life.
Phil Knight never had a grand vision of having his own brand. He was just a small-time entrepreneur trying to establish a distribution business. Without a strong financial base, he relied first, on his principal and later on, another Japanese trading house for financing his imported inventory.
With his back against the wall and out of necessity, he started his own brand. For entrepreneur wannabes, you do not need a GRAND vision when you start a new business. People with grand visions normally spend most of their time day dreaming, with vivid imaginations of beautiful homes, luxurious cars and holidays. Business plans based on personal viewpoints and beliefs are flawed and doomed to fail.
Forecast numbers plucked from the clouds are unrealistic and unattainable. My advice is to start small, think big (margins), stay slim (overheads), avoid fat (hopes) and count right. Then put your head down and get on with the business. Just do it.
In the course of the last 40 years, Nike Inc suffered some hic cups when it had flat sales and profit p eriods but it has always managed to reinvent itself and create another decade of continuous sustainable growth. Nearer home, do you think our local brands like Bonia, Padini, Parksons, The Chicken Rice Shop etc will survive? Where is Anakku? Will Proton still be around in 20 years time?
All over the world, entrepreneurs build brands to last. What happens when the business outlasts the entrepreneur? It is proven that a business/brand, built on a solid foundation of a sturdy and robust business model will last for years and years. The journey of an entrepreneur normally starts with a glimmer of hope, some sprinkling of success, then visions of grandeur and finally the reality of the need to reinvent itself. It is a dynamic world out there. Reinvent or you will just fade away.
To all the vain entrepreneurs, if you have poor vision, put on your glasses so that you can see clea rly, the road ahead. Warning signboards, speed limits, road bumps and potholes. And, may your engine never run out of fuel.
> The writer is an entrepreneur who hopes to share his experience and insights with readers who want to take that giant leap into business but are not sure if they should. Email him at thtan@alliancecosmetics.com
Source reference link: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/7/business/20120407073609&sec=business
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Has fear ever stopped you?
Hi Vulcan,
The first ten years of my life were spent in Owen Sound, Ontario. It's a small town a few hours north of Toronto. I can vividly remember spending the summer days with my family at Harrison Park where there was a really great swimming pool. I would watch as the older kids went up the ladder to either jump or dive off the high diving board. They were having a great time. Wanting to be accepted by the older kids, I too went up the ladder ... reluctantly, but I climbed it.
I will never forget the terror that gripped my mind and body when I looked down. Unfortunately, all the coaxing in the world wouldn't have been sufficient to get me to jump off that board! There was no way I could do it. Feeling defeated, I climbed back down the ladder trying desperately to hide my embarrassment.
That was the first time in my life that I can recall coming up against the Terror Barrier. Unfortunately, not only did I lose out on the excitement and thrill that would have been gained by jumping ... I also lost a little self-respect.
If you think back, you will probably be able to recall the first time you came face-to-face with the Terror Barrier. Did you step through it to freedom or back into safety, imprisoned by your own fears?
The Terror Barrier is a real entity
Now, I could waste a lot of breath telling you that the Terror Barrier is a figment as gauzy and hazy as the smoke from an extinguished campfire. But you'll tell me differently, because fear can feel like a very real entity. What you think in your head is often acted out in your body - when faced with their Terror Barrier, people will actually break out in a cold sweat, find themselves covered in sudden hives, and even feel their hearts palpitate. Your perception is your reality! That's how soundly your paradigms of "no" and "it can't be done" are grounded in your Mind. Your comfortable mind will do anything it can think of to back you away from the "danger" of the unknown, just as it had me backing down those diving-board stairs.
In James Allan's classic, "As A Man Thinketh," he mentioned that fear can kill a person faster than a speeding bullet. While coming up against your Terror Barrier might not kill you physically, it certainly kills something inside you - like it did that day I stood on the diving board.
How to be a wrecking ball on your own Terror Barrier
1. Bulldoze through it scared. That's right ... just keep marching, no matter how badly your feet want to stay rooted to the ground. Refuse to permit this negative demon to control you, your emotions ...your future.
2. Remember - the Terror Barrier rears its ugly head every time we attempt to make a major move in life into an area we have never traveled before. It's as natural as day and night. Where before you used to let it stop you cold, now you can simply shrug and tell yourself, "Oh, there it is again. Well! This must really mean something great to me!"
3. Then, further remind yourself that it might be an unknown, but the other side of that Terror Barrier will have you that much closer to your goal. I'd encourage you to fall in love with THAT feeling of accomplishment, get wrapped up in it! I often say that if your goal doesn't scare and excite you at the same time, you're going after the wrong goal!
Eleanor Roosevelt said, "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do." That is excellent advice. By following her advice you will liberate yourself from the crippling emotional state that the Terror Barrier causes.
Do it scared. Begin to visualize yourself successfully being a wrecking ball on that Terror Barrier of yours. Mentally see yourself winning. Remember, perception IS reality!
To your success,
Bob Proctor
The first ten years of my life were spent in Owen Sound, Ontario. It's a small town a few hours north of Toronto. I can vividly remember spending the summer days with my family at Harrison Park where there was a really great swimming pool. I would watch as the older kids went up the ladder to either jump or dive off the high diving board. They were having a great time. Wanting to be accepted by the older kids, I too went up the ladder ... reluctantly, but I climbed it.
I will never forget the terror that gripped my mind and body when I looked down. Unfortunately, all the coaxing in the world wouldn't have been sufficient to get me to jump off that board! There was no way I could do it. Feeling defeated, I climbed back down the ladder trying desperately to hide my embarrassment.
That was the first time in my life that I can recall coming up against the Terror Barrier. Unfortunately, not only did I lose out on the excitement and thrill that would have been gained by jumping ... I also lost a little self-respect.
If you think back, you will probably be able to recall the first time you came face-to-face with the Terror Barrier. Did you step through it to freedom or back into safety, imprisoned by your own fears?
The Terror Barrier is a real entity
Now, I could waste a lot of breath telling you that the Terror Barrier is a figment as gauzy and hazy as the smoke from an extinguished campfire. But you'll tell me differently, because fear can feel like a very real entity. What you think in your head is often acted out in your body - when faced with their Terror Barrier, people will actually break out in a cold sweat, find themselves covered in sudden hives, and even feel their hearts palpitate. Your perception is your reality! That's how soundly your paradigms of "no" and "it can't be done" are grounded in your Mind. Your comfortable mind will do anything it can think of to back you away from the "danger" of the unknown, just as it had me backing down those diving-board stairs.
In James Allan's classic, "As A Man Thinketh," he mentioned that fear can kill a person faster than a speeding bullet. While coming up against your Terror Barrier might not kill you physically, it certainly kills something inside you - like it did that day I stood on the diving board.
How to be a wrecking ball on your own Terror Barrier
1. Bulldoze through it scared. That's right ... just keep marching, no matter how badly your feet want to stay rooted to the ground. Refuse to permit this negative demon to control you, your emotions ...your future.
2. Remember - the Terror Barrier rears its ugly head every time we attempt to make a major move in life into an area we have never traveled before. It's as natural as day and night. Where before you used to let it stop you cold, now you can simply shrug and tell yourself, "Oh, there it is again. Well! This must really mean something great to me!"
3. Then, further remind yourself that it might be an unknown, but the other side of that Terror Barrier will have you that much closer to your goal. I'd encourage you to fall in love with THAT feeling of accomplishment, get wrapped up in it! I often say that if your goal doesn't scare and excite you at the same time, you're going after the wrong goal!
Eleanor Roosevelt said, "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do." That is excellent advice. By following her advice you will liberate yourself from the crippling emotional state that the Terror Barrier causes.
Do it scared. Begin to visualize yourself successfully being a wrecking ball on that Terror Barrier of yours. Mentally see yourself winning. Remember, perception IS reality!
To your success,
Bob Proctor
Sunday, October 09, 2011
Life Lessons
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtkdNt9_MI0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtkdNt9_MI0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
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