Hard Work Works !!!

Hard Work Works !!!

Hard Work Works, period.  That is the last topic we can ever argue and debate.  What can we do then?  Let's take a leaf from seemingly mundane traits of successful people.  Topping the list and this is a top-notch no-brainer is that they WORK HARD.  They get up early [BTW Elon Musk is an outlier because he admitted that he WON'T hit the sack NOT until he solves a problem].  Besides being tough on themselves, they expect performance from others📗📙📘

Second, they are INCREDIBLY curious and eager to learn.  While most of them did well in school, what matters most is they apply OR take advantage of what they learn.  SUCCESSFUL people want to learn everything about everything.  Thirdly, they NETWORK and NETWORK.  They 'connect' with people.  They DON'T have to be the 'LIFE OF THE PARTY' but they VALUE people and they VALUE relationships.  Fourth, they work on themselves and NEVER QUIT.  These SUCCESSFUL people DON'T tolerate flaws.  They FIX it themselves.  Fifth, they have a very solid SENSE of RESPONSIBILITY💴💷💵

Sixth, despite the odds they face, they are usually RELAXED and keep their perspective.  Even in times of stress OR turmoil, SUCCESSFUL people keep their balance, they rarely panic and they know the VALUE of timing and patience.  Seventh, they are EXTRAORDINARILY creative.  They never stop to go around asking "WHY NOT?"  They see NEW combinations, NEW possibilities, NEW challenges while others see it as PROBLEMS or LIMITATIONS and topping all their traits, they usually LIVE IN THE MOMENT.  They are fully aware that 'NOW' is the only time they can CONTROL.  They NEVER seem rushed and yet, they get a lot done💎💎💎

Furthermore, they GO beyond just looking at the horizon.  They observe trends, notice changes, see shifts and hear the nuances that others miss.  Like a basketball player wearing Nikes is trivial, the neighbor's kid wearing them is interesting, your own teenager demanding them is an investment opportunity!  Extremely SUCCESSFUL people LIVE IN THE PRESENT❗❗❗

And this is the icing on the cake.  Most of the time, SUCCESSFUL people respond instantly.  WHEN an investment is NOT working, they SELL, they DIVEST SUPER FAST enough.  WHEN they see an opportunity, they make a call.  If an important relationship seems to be cooling down, they exert effort to patch and renew that relationship.  SWIFT & FAST ACTION is NOT limited to business.  Awhile ago, our neighborhood TOFU vendor passed by, peddling and when I bought 3 mugs of TOFU, he asked me if I'm a doctor.  I said NO and I asked WHY?  He started to tell me that the past days he and his son had intermittent stomach-ache issues but he is penniless to consult a doctor.  To cut things short, I handed him a 500-peso note and egged him to bring his son [and himself] for medical consultation, pronto✅✅✅

Developing A Stoic Mind

Developing A Stoic Mind

Indeed, it is so easy to hate life, to be careless, to decide to be sad, to feel regretful, and uneasy and essentially to blame life for being unfair.  Seriously, it takes ball however, to decide to change life for the better.  Developing A Stoic Mind is key because the truth is that it all comes down to our mental state of mind.  Anything can actually be fixed simply by changing the way we perceive the world💴💷💵

Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor. introduced us to his 22 STOIC Principles:

• ACCEPTANCE of NATURE'S WILL
• FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN CONTROL
• PRACTICE EQUANIMITY
• REMEMBER DEATH
• LIVE ACCORDING TO VIRTUE
• INNER CITADEL - Our mind, our fortress
• RECOGNIZE UNITY of Humankind
• DUTY & RESPONSIBILITY
• MINDFULNESS & PRESENCE
• DETACHMENT FROM MATERIAL THINGS
• COSMIC PERSPECTIVE
• RESILIENCE IN ADVERSITY
• AVOIDANCE OF EXCESS
• SELF-REFLECT/SELF-IMPROVEMENT
• IMPERMANENCE of FAME
• VALUE of RATIONALITY
• LIVE IN ACCORD WITH NATURE
• MORAL JUDGMENT
• DICHOTOMY of CONTROL
• NON-RETALIATION
• DEATH as a RETURN to NATURE
• STOIC TRANQUILITY

Usually, when people talk to us about being POSITIVE, we want to tell them to shut the hell up, and be more realistic.  However, since Marcus Aurelius is not here, we DON'T have the chance to shut him up BUT rather we have the great opportunity of practicing his ways.  That STOIC MENTALITY tells us to take RESPONSIBILITY over blame.  This happened quite often even to me, losing my mind over little things and for a long time I would sometimes struggle to accept my situation for WHAT it is.  BUT down the road, I realized how easy it was to fix my issues.  That pushed to see WHAT I can control and WHAT I cannot.  It all boils down to DEVELOPING A STOIC MIND📗📙📘

Although I am NOT an ardent STOIC student, adopting the STOIC philosophy can lead us to its key benefits which briefly, it will start off with our SELF-DISCIPLINE.  The STOICS advocate tells us that to fulfill our purpose and achieve our goals, we must adopt SELF- DISCIPLINE and get it embedded❗❗❗

And the ancient STOICS also tell us to exercise SELF- DISCIPLINE in our character and virtues.  Being STOIC means living a life of integrity and ensuring we never waver from that PATH to WISDOM.  This by itself becomes a conscious decision that takes tremendous SELF-DISCIPLINE and SELF-CONTROL.  STOICISM takes us farther to encourage us to endure SUFFERING WELL.  STOICISM teaches us that SUFFERING is inevitable. Trying to escape SUFFERING altogether is a task that will cause more SUFFERING.  In the simplest layman's language, STOICs encourages us to develop these foundational mental traits for us to be robust and resilient enough even as in parallel, we continue to be DEVELOPING A STOIC MIND✅✅✅

That ELEVATOR PITCH !

That ELEVATOR PITCH !

I was watching the Amazon ELEVATOR PITCH Program on YouTube hosted by NETFLIX Co-Founder and first CEO Marc Randolph. And similar to the APPRENTICE Program hosted by Former U.S. President Donald Trump, the ELEVATOR PITCH gives CxO-level executives 60 seconds [max!] to pitch to prospective investors. Googling it instantly, ELEVATOR PITCH is a brief [max 60 seconds] way of introducing yourself or your purpose, getting across a key point or two, and establishing a connection with someone, sometimes your very 'target recipient' of your message💴💷💵

So, you might ask, WHY am I pitching for this if this is ELEVATOR PITCH is more appropriate in the corporate world?  NO sirrrrrs.  At home with our family.  With our friends.  With our workmates, with our clients, anytime where you can pitch in an ELEVATOR PITCH, go for it.  WHY?  Time is of the essence.  Time is our most limited and most precious 'commodity' regardless of the environment you are now into📗📙📘

You've just bumped with a former client at the airport.  After exchanging pleasantries, he asks you WHAT your company does.  You open your mouth and then PAUSE.  WHERE on Earth would you start? Then as you get your thoughts organized, his flight boarding is called and OFF he goes.  Had you been better prepared, surely he would have stayed a minute or two more, enough for you to arrange for a CATCH UP the coming weeks💎💎💎

A misconception is that the ELEVATOR PITCH is only for salespersons.  NO sir, NOT at all.  You could even catch up with a relative or long lost friend and reconnect and arrange to reconvene in the coming days.  It could be a colleague from WHOM you will ask a favor to swap shift schedules with❗❗❗

If you're still active in the job market and you  bump across a headhunter you had a brief chat before, you could quickly explore if there are market opportunities he can consider you.  OR it could be one of your company's vendors/contractors and you want to reinforce their post-sales support, so you get that that chance to sit down with their senior executive.  Just one too many opportunities even via an ELEVATOR PITCH✅✅✅

Crossing The Threshold?

Crossing The Threshold?

Yesterday we were discussing THRESHOLDS Today, I thought it's apt that we discuss Crossing The Threshold if it matter, if it makes sense OR should we just do a 180-degree turnaround every time we reach our THRESHOLD?  These are DECISION-POINTS we need to deal with, like it OR not💴💷💵

A recurring feedback/query I received regarding our 'THRESHOLDS' thread yesterday was if DO WE ALWAYS NEED TO CROSS THE THRESHOLD?'  Just because we recognize a THRESHOLD does NOT always means we need to cross it.  To continue toe hero's journey metaphor, DON'T enter the "DRAGON's LAIR IF YOUR ONLY AID IS A TOOTHPICK", whew📗📙📘

To borrow a popular one-liner:  
DISCRETION IS THE BETTER PART OF VALOR".  IF and WHEN I'm feeling particularly vulnerable, there's some challenges I personally WON'T take on.  Through the years, there were times WHEN I felt exhausted so I temporarily shelved even some MUST-DO things.  At some point, though, I self-correct myself💎💎💎

Sometimes, though, there's another truth here too.  Perhaps the heat triggered by a NOT-SO compassionate response is the necessary CATALYST to a conversation.  Maybe there's just NO time for perfection.  THAT's just another THRESHOLD.  I reckon you always know if you've been told yourself some story to avoid reality.  You DON'T always need to STEP UP though✅✅✅

Without the ability to see those MOMENTS for WHAT they are, MOMENTS that call on you to push your boundaries, you're going to find fewer opportunities to grow your emotional resilience.  We need to recognize the absence of these THRESHOLDS in a carefully cultivated reality.  Now if you have recognized a THRESHOLD and decided to cross it, that will be a fresh 'RESTART' which you need to leverage to be back on track❗❗❗

NEVER Bury Your Head In The Sand

NEVER Bury Your Head In The Sand

We humans are NOT akin to the ostritch who, from time to time, will Bury their head in the sand to make sure that their eggs are evenly heated and rotate the eggs in the nest.  This 2024, all of us, both businesses and the  human population, all face challenges that are of enormous scale and magnitude.  HOW do we handle the multifarious issues?  Do we Bury our Head In The Sand [like an ostritch]?  OR do we have a 360-degree view like an owl?  According to one of Stephen Covey's studies, leaders with a team of 20 or less, begin as an ostritch.  Their 'PLAN' is often in their head OR scratched in an envelope💴💷💵

Fact is, many of us consciously use our knowledge to populate our 'PLANNING' with all the good and best intentions.  The difficulty lies in objectively uncovering the 'ROOT CAUSES' and focusing alignment for our corresponding action.  And since often we are unable to quickly identify symptoms, the dilemma's source remain obscured and in the end, the core issue remains unresolved.  Talking about Burying Your Head In The Sand📗📙📘

If there is a common mistake we ALL [and that includes moi] is to, sometimes, Bury our Head In The Sand. WHEN we get offended by someone, we tend to Bury our Head In The Sand.  WHEN there is a looming problem, we tend to Bury our Head In The Sand.  WHEN we commit a misstep or a mistake, we tend to Bury our Head In The Sand💎💎💎

Whether we are an entrepreneur or a working employee, from time to time, sometimes we are in distress, emotionally, financially, mentally OR physically.  In our life, there can be NO gray area in our space. And realistically, going by the book does NOT make us a winner.   I myself I'll admit that I'm NOT one to do well with RULES in my personal life.  I even make on-the-fly decisions if that is my judgment call✅✅✅

Like yesterday was the solitary business day in an otherwise one-week window of local holidays.  So, I set an appointment at my condo developer's head office.  And once that appointment was done, I thought I'm done for the day.  Fast-forward, by 3pm yesterday, we managed to accomplish five different transactions with different offices and local government units located between 12- to 18 miles apart.  I could have just buried my head in the sand and enjoy and FREE & EASY DAY.  Hello NO as I was able to accomplish five transactions which could have taken me five separate business days.  That's my most recent sharing as I decided NOT to bury my head in the sand [even on a lazy holiday]❗❗❗

Is Just ENOUGH Good ENOUGH?

Is Just ENOUGH Good ENOUGH?

Is Just ENOUGH Good ENOUGH?  Surely we will all scream in protest because initially, I myself I'm totally in disagreement to this belief.  However, last week, I watched in Netflix the Wes Anderson movie titled 'THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF HENRY SUGAR".  In that short movie, Henry, a rich and greedy man, wants to learn the skills how to see without using his eyes so that he could win millions at the poker table [and HE DID after training himself for years].  At first, he was happy because that was his dream.  UNTIL one day, he gets home and he realizes he DOESN'T feel as happy as he expected.  He then becomes numb from that feeling of winning and getting $$$$$ easily.  He realizes tat $$$$$ DOESN'T bring happiness to him anymore💴💷💵

In the end, Henry realized that there was NO thrill in obtaining $$$$$ anymore.  His ability to gain unlimited cash has made him realize just how pointless his greed is.  Despite this movie being a short one, easily I had several takeaways.  WHAT happens when you get all the money in the world by just opening the palm of your hands?  WHAT happens when GOD gives everything you want straight away just like winning in the lottery📗📙📘

WHEN the excitement is gone, WHEN the struggles are never heard of, WHEN those typical frustrations and disappointments become a thing of the past, Is Just ENOUGH Good ENOUGH?  Most of us [AND include me please in the past] at one point in our lives, surely we had that dream to become rich.  BUT as humans, we are naturally NEVER satisfied.  Our desires are unsatiable in fact.  We constantly want MORE than what we have.  Now let's take a step back and ask: IF WE GET THOSE THINGS SO EASILY WITHOUT THOSE STRUGGLES, MAYBE WE WON'T EMJOY IT"💎💎💎

That's the irony because by then, we will [MOST likely] NOT appreciate the joy we felt after earning a little thing we fought for.  We would then consider things as something that are just there [for our PICKING] rather than as a gift that we've been wishing for.  Because by STRUGGLING, we will appreciate things more.  By STRUGGLING, we DON'T take things for granted.  So maybe, after all, just maybe then, Just ENOUGH is Good ENOUGH✅✅✅

I heard this one-liner a zillion times:  MONEY CAN'T BUY HAPPINESS or DON'T GET RICH TOO FAST [because once maybe once you reach a certain point in your life WHERE money ISN'T an issue, it will be HARDER for you to find JOY.  Like many years back, all I dreamt was to own a car.  When I had my first car, a 5-year old rickety Ford sedan, I felt so blessed.  After sometime, I wanted a brand-new car and I worked enough so I can afford it.  And when I had it, it made me realize that our everyday struggles could be a beautiful thing.  Moreover, I realized that for us, Just ENOUGH can be Good ENOUGH❗❗❗

Leave Emotions At The Door

Leave Emotions At The Door

Supposedly, a discussion thread about emotions will be boring and dry.  UNLESS we stir things up.  Fine then.  And as per studies by psychologists, if we are tuned out of our own emotions, it is very likely that we will be POOR at reading them in other people.  And that impacts us if we DON'T Leave Emotions At The Door💴💷💵

It's a given that we all have EMOTIONS and we can all get a little sensitive at times.  The trick we need to figure out is HOW can we remain COMPOSED when battling such a hurricane of EMOTIONS.  One thing that I keep at the forefront of every encounter is to remember that people will always tend to remember HOW you made them feel📙📘📗

The thing is, it is NOT about the words that you uttered BUT the experience they had with you.  And this is the reality with regard EMOTIONS.  It can have a major impact on your decisions you will arrive at.  And studies show that your chances of arriving at an INFORMED DECISION will be much lower, no thanks to that simmering EMOTIONS💎💎💎

And the more intense our EMOTIONS are, there is that likelihood that we will arrive at a 'CLOUDED' judgment and the more likely we may cause OR make unintended mistakes with regard our DECISION.  And psychologists termed "BALANCED MINDSET" to that thing wherein that balance will exist between our brain's left and right hemispheres✅✅✅

And while the right side is our creative, imaginative and emotional side, the left side is the logical part of our brain WHERE we can reason and analyze.  And by standing IN BETWEEN the two and allowing both sides of our brain to work together, it will feel like you are the mediator.  And what happens next is you can see both sides of the story while you should endeavor to LEAVE EMOTIONS at the door❗❗❗

Affirmations Are NOT Enough

Affirmations Are NOT Enough

NOT to be a 'KILL JOY'.  NOT to be a devil's advocate. BUT the truth is, it takes very little effort, if at all, for us to swear and make Affirmations.  The harder and hardest parts lie ahead of it.  WHY? Because Affirmations Are NOT Enough.   And frankly, Affirmations are NOT one-size-fits-all solutions.  Firstly, our deeply rooted beliefs, cultivated over years of experience, are NOT always easily swayed by repeated positive phrases.  For someone who has gone through criticism or rejection [in my past], a mere Affirmation might NOT penetrate layers of self-doubt and negative self-perception💴💷💵

Moreover, the efficacy of Affirmations often depend on the individual's state of receptiveness.  If one speaks an Affirmation while internally resisting OR disbelieving it, the POSITIVE impact is likely diluted.  Think of it as trying to plant a seed in unyielding ground.  WITHOUT proper conditions, that seed WON'T flourish.  Furthermore, some people might find Affirmations as too generic OR disconnected from their personal experiences📗📙📘

Affirmations that AREN'T tailored to an individual's unique journey OR emotions CAN sometimes feel empty OR inauthentic.  In turn, this may lead to simply 'go through the motions' as opposed to making any positive CHANGE or steps forward.  Then, things get murkier when underlying mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety OR trauma can also overshadow the positive effects of Affirmations💎💎💎

In those isolated cases, more comprehensive interventions OR therapies may be necessary to address the root causes.  Furthermore, if and when we feel that seem to be lying to ourselves by repeating the same Affirmations over and over again and IF we DON'T truly believe in them, it is unlikely they will help.  Alternatively, who knows, we may also be trying to do too much at once❎❎❎

BIG question to ask ourselves.  WHAT DO WE DO WHEN Affirmations don't work?  Oh Oh, just because Affirmations are NOT working does NOT mean that anything is WRONG with you.  Every person's mental wellness journey is unique. , thus NOT everything works for everyone.  And in lieu of Affirmations, try JOURNALLING to help you see things more clearly.  Try TALKING TO SOMEONE to help you find new ways to challenge negative thought patterns.  And taking the FIRST STEP.  Who knows, another reason Affirmations might NOT be working is because you haven't taken any action toward stepping into the person you want to become.  Remember, Affirmations Are NOT Enough✅✅✅

Getting Things Done

Getting Things Done

Getting Things Done is the ever easiest words to express anytime any day BUT the bigger question is how can you translate into concrete words when saying Getting Things Done.  Through the years, I went through the wringer, sometimes right on the frying pan, and at times straight into the fire because with multifarious tasks to perform and deliver, more often, time was NOT on my side BUT was non-negotiable is the Getting Things Done deliverable💴💷💵

And with humility, people [especially my work colleagues] have often told me that they're surprised by HOW much I get done within a time frame, sometimes within a day or by a stretch, within a week.  I'm NOT saying that to brag BUT to relate that I forget how much work I've done to be able to make a bigger impact within the confines of my environment, be it at home or at work.  To be fair to my readership, allow me to share some of my proven tricks in Getting Things Done📗📙📘

BTW, I'm NOT a member of anything like a productivity cult but simply getting things done.  While sometimes it seems to turn us into machines that just keeps churning things out meaninglessly and admittedly, this leads to BURNOUT and a feeling of pointlessness.  And I have to admit that I am constantly too aware of that risk, hence my pacing even when Getting Things Done💎💎💎

Again, being PRODUCTIVE just for the sake of being PRODUCTIVE or because it is a 'good thing to do' because that's like missing the point.  Just like this blogsite, no factor will stop me from publishing my blogs.  Even when we went on family holidays and out-of-town schedules, I made sure my publishing of my blogs won't be hindered, like I will look like OFFLINE or 'missing in action'.  WHY?  Because it all boils down to one's commitment to Getting Things Done✅✅✅

So when do we move fast?  When things are tagged as 'URGENT'?  Good grief.  Indeed, that URGENCY BIAS is so impactful because we [including myself] unconditionally subscribe to it.  In short, when something gets tagged as 'URGENT', Getting Things Done becomes a given.  WHY?  It's because we really can Get Things Done if we want to❗❗❗

NO-NOs In Life

NO-NOs In Life

Life itself is NOT a complicated labyrinth BUT it does get complicated depending on the way we steer our life on the treacherous roads.  YET, there are NO-NOs In Life which can help us avert getting into those deep holes, deep trenches akin to hopelessly floating in the high seas waiting for a God-sent rescue.  And while these NO-NOs won't guarantee, our life can be absolutely less burdensome💴💷💵

The story about Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome approximately 2,000 years ago is so unique but relevant to us all.  As his entire life was met by hardship, both as a family man and as the emperor of Rome, on whose shoulders he bore the weight of the Roman Empire, he proudly declares that he managed to SURVIVE  based only on 'PHILOSOPHY'.  Through restraint, he found the answer to each problem.  And by doing less, he found a way to do more📙📘📗

How?  First off.  STOP CARING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK.  If someone doesn't like you, so be it.  There are 7.6  billion other people in the world for you to befriend.  Focus on improving yourself  daily and people will flock to your new brilliant attitude. Another NO-NO In Life is us DOING SO MUCH.  You DON'T need to do LESS but DO what's essential💎💎💎

In a culture that favors activity over inactivity, we've been hardwired to believe that doing SOMETHING, anything, is greater than doing NOTHING.  BUT at what cost does this busy lifestyle come?  Question for us:  ARE WE DISTRACTING OURSELVES from dealing with the real issues at hand?  OR ARE WE DISTRACTING OURSELVES with trivial tasks rather than confronting our greatest FEARS and problems✅✅✅

 If you realize that your grinding your ass off to no avail, run a PULSE CHECK to figure things out.  CAN'T be for you to maintain the STATUS QUO if you're going OFF TRACK.  Rather than spreading yourself thinly across multifarious activities, focus on one and do it well [with QUALITY].  The last thing we want to happen is your life ending a failure simply because of NO-NOs in life which you could have effortlessly avoided in the first place❗❗❗