DIRTY TRICKS [Way Before Treat Or Trick Happens]!

DIRTY TRICKS [Way Before Treat Or Trick Happens]!

All throughout my boyhood, I always heard from my grandma, my parents and even from school that GOD NEVER SLEEPS.  And obviously, I believed them hook, line and sinker.  BUT please DON'T get me wrong as I am NOT disowning my age-old concurrence BUT is there anyone in our thread now WHO will disagree with me that SCAMMERS NEVER SLEEP?  YES, I can stand four-square behind my supposition because DIRTY TRICKS [Way Before Treat Or Trick Happens] are with us again [even as we speak].  And hey, you're spot on, they are burning the midnight oil to be a hundred or a zillion steps ahead of the technology pack.  BUT WHAT's scarier is that they have become so creative📘📙📗

Breaking news yesterday, a new malware distribution campaign uses FAKE [yes, FAKE indeed] Google Chrome, Word and OneDrive errors to trick users into running malicious 'FIXES' !@#$%? that will eventually install malware.  And WHAT complicate things, that new campaign was observed being used by multiple 'threat actors' including those behind ClearFake, a new attack cluster called ClickFix and that TA571 threat actor💦💦💦

This latest attempt to lure Chrome end-users to install that malicious malware on their computer comes in the form of FAKE ERRORS.  And YES, those same FAKE ERRORS have been replicated across even to Word and OneDrive.  And these threat actors also utilize JavaScript in HTML attachments [Ouch, please DON'T be so speedy to click and download those attachments and later on, those errors will prompt end-users to click a BUTTON to copy a supposed 'PowerShell FIX' into the clipboard and then paste and run it in a "RUN" dialog, whew💥💥💥

YES, WHAT error display that can throw us off from our chair the moment we receive that 'NO INTERNET' blackened screen!  Because that sets us up to be pushed into PANIC mode and although that 'ATTACK CHAIN' requires significant user interaction to be successful, today's social engineering is so damn clever to present someone with WHAT looks like a real problem and solution rolled into one❌❌❌

Pasted herein is a latest sampling of that FAKE Google Chrome error prompt that seems, sounds and looks so user-friendly so as to instantly offer an INSTANT SOLUTION.  Our takeaway:  Beware of these SCARE TACTICs of scammers WHO intend to hit us [and hit us hard] via our Achilles Heel.  And the bottom line here is that we need to keep up with the frenetic pace of these scammers before we end up as their latest prey in this damning vicious cycle😋😋😋

Everything Starts With One SMALL Step

Everything Starts With One SMALL Step

More often, we would hear 'THINK BIG, THINK BIG' [and I CAN'T disagree with that wishful thinking].  BUT if you look around you, what's the MORTALITY RATE of those who, all along in the past, have been blurting 'THINK BIG, THINK BIG'?  I can bet my salary for a month that very easily, somewhere 30% [at the very least] are NOWHERE from WHAT and WHERE they thought they will be after embracing the 'THINK BIG' motto.  So, WHAT's wrong?  WHERE's the disconnect here?  Everything Starts With One SMALL Step, that's the short and long answer to that frank prognosis.  So, while I myself I unequivocably embrace the 'THINK BIG' motto all throughout my life journey, I stand four square with my mantra that Everything Starts With One SMALL Step, NOT a big-bang thing, NOT a GIANT first step most of the time📘📙📗

So, for today, WHAT we'd like to harp is the POWER of SMALL ACTIONS.  Taking SMALL STEPS consistently can lead to BIG changes over time.  Frankly, this is all about us ourselves taking responsibility for your own life.  That importance of taking responsibility for our own lives and NOT relying on others to make it happen for us.  In short, we have that POWER to create the life we desire through our very own actions📌📌📌

Experience-wise, I would admit that we will always face resistance from our very own selves and that resistance is compounded by our SELF-DOUBT as it holds us back from taking action. By acknowledging and addressing these internal barriers, it is beyond doubt that we can move and progress forward to take the necessary steps towards our goals.  Experts would counsel us to FOCUS on the PRESENT MOMENT.  By focusing on the PRESENT MOMENT, and taking SMALL ACTIONS, we can even preempt and avoid getting overwhelmed by the 'BIG PICTURE' and increase our chances to succeed💧💧💧

So, HOW do we progress forward?  Break down your BIG goals into smaller and much smaller tasks.  In our project management practice, we call this as the WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE [WBS].  Why should we break things down to smaller tasks:

• TASK DEFINITIONS become clear and precise
• TASKS can be tracked on a per task level
• TASKS can be time-lined independently
• Ease of detecting potential slippages especially it may cause a 'ripple effect'

Our takeaway today:  Get this embedded within yourself.  Grandiose ambitious and gargantuan plans are laudable BUT never lose sight to break it down to the level of a task.  I remember that time when I started to entertain thoughts of exploring my options [to work and reside in Singapore].  First and foremost, I asked myself, WHAT is my budget.  HOW can I come up with my budget.  And WHEN can I produce that budget in hard cash.  Until and unless I really got satisfied with my answers to those three most basic pre-requisite interrogatives, I kept reminding myself that EVERYTHING STARTS WITH ONE SMALL STEP❗❗❗

Never Assume The Worst!

Never Assume The Worst!

Yessssirrrs, it's our human tendency to ASSUME THE WORST.  WHEN you receive an email from your boss reminding you to be more careful next time to avoid mistakes in your report, you would blurt 'He really hates me'.  WHEN you cause one foul-up along the road and another foul-up when you reach your workplace, you'll blurt 'Enough.  Today is NOT my day'.  WHEN you hit a cash flow problem, you'll complain 'Do I have to work forever like this?'  A jobseeker might have an interview the next day.  Some might prepare for that interview by thinking of possible questions.  For others, the thought of an interview will cause them to toss and turn all night thinking of every worst-case scenario possible no matter how outlandish it is.   Never Assume The Worst❗❗❗

If you're someone WHO has that tendency to do the latter, you are prone to CATASTROPHIZING, defined as that tendency to assume the worst will happen WHEN imagining the future situation [even if you have evidence that this is NOT the most likely outcome].  People WHO like to feel in control [WHICH means they are intolerant of uncertainty] are MORE likely to CATASTROPHIIZE.  And experts have linked this to anxiety, suggesting that frequent CATASTROPHIZING may be  a factor in developing certain mental health problems.  CATASTROPHIZING comes from the belief that by imagining WHAT might go wrong, we're better able to protect ourselves from harm, both physical and mental💦💦💦

Problem is, this tendency is only helpful IF you're able to correctly predict WHAT will happen in a certain situation and HOW it will make you feel.  As we imagine future events, we tend to experience an emotional reaction to almost every story we are creating, and then we tend to use that response to determine HOW we will feel in the future.  BUT this way of predicting the future is MORE often wrong since we're NOT able to imagine everything that might happen.  This can lead to us creating the wrong emotional response for future situations💥💥💥

Cautionary note though.  This belief in WHAT will happen in the future can have a big difference on our behavior,  LIKE when people are optimistic [OR even realistic] about the future are MORE likely to be willing to try new things.  They are also likely to notice WHAT has gone well in new situations.  On the flip side, though, people WHO CATASTROPHIZE about WHAT might go wrong are less likely to try new things.  And WHEN they do try something new, they are more likely to notice WHAT has gone wrong❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  Let us be conscious with the way our very own experiences get stored in our memory as it will tend to add to the reasons WHY we SHOULDN'T try new things in the future.  As a result, CATASTROPHIZING can lead to undue stress and anxiety and may stop you from doing the things you might enjoy OR you might learn from.  So, let us NEVER ASSUME THE WORST💧💧💧

Want To Make A Difference?

Want To Make A Difference?

Will you be surprised to hear that everyone of us [including moi] all want to be NORMAL day-in day-out?  BUT hey dude, we might get beaten up based on studies that NORMALITY is sheer mediocrity.  And even studies show and prove that this universe NEVER gets ahead with mediocrity.  So, in the end, it is a loss for all of us.  LIKE you DON'T want to be like that NORMAL guy or girl.  Yes, you can even be wierd,  then you can be different.  And for that, you got to choose different moves in your game.  As experts claim, the GAME GETS BORING WITH RULES !@#$%?  LIKE when you sit on the driver's seat to get started and see that there are so many RULES to be followed.  Suddenly, things could get BORING.  Want To Make A Difference📗📙📘

BUT here's a shocking truth [which has always been so obvious anyway].  So many folks blindly follow those BORING RULES.  Can we afford to do that?  NOT in our personal life though.  Because you always have that POWER to go beyond the RULES and make your own ones [as long as it is legitimate and within the acceptable norms of your culture, your society].  WHY?  Because that brings flavor to the GAME OF LIFE.  To put things bluntly, we CAN'T just like there on the couch and expect to a DIFFERENT life, right because that's a senseless dream💎💎💎

Hey Hey Hey dude, you SHOULDN'T even be in that couch, right?  Instead, you must be in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life.  And BTW, hustling is NEVER close, not even by affinity, to extremism.  Simply put, it is the price you need to pay to achieve that UNCOMMON life.  UNCOMMON outcome.  UNCOMMON  price.  BTW, the world we live in hates a free guy as it gets pegged to one's FREE FALL.  WHY❓❓❓

Because, we become so RANDOM.  And WHEN we are so RANDOM, you become so available for anybody to do ANY work.  Then, life gets pegged to zero standards.  It's true peer pressure is inimical when it gets stretched out.  Then, people's opinions become NOISE by itself.  Even fun becomes NOISE.  And social media becomes NOISE.  Then, NOISE is all over the world. BUT here's the BUT.  The control got to be in your hands.  That's WHEN you are in charge of the GAME OF YOUR LIFE💧💧💧

Our takeaway:  Complacency is NOT good enough.  That explains many of us get stalled and get stagnated because of that conservative mindset that the STATUS QUO is the way to go.  It is NOT.  And it will never be because that will never carry us forward in our journey.  In the sports jargon, this is all about MOVING THE GOAL POST [even if that means doing it in the middle of our GAME OF LIFE❗❗❗

[Whether You're GAME or Not] We're In This GAME Of LIFE

[Whether You're GAME or Not] We're In This GAME Of LIFE

I hope this is a no-brainer.  Whether You're GAME or Not,  We're In This GAME Of LIFE.  Luckily for us, most RULES of the GAME are defined and laid out crystal clear enough way before the games commence.  That's just fair and square.  BUT WHAT IF someone changes the rules in the middle of the game OR transaction and in the end, putting you at a disadvantage?  Yes, we're all creatures of habit WHO like to establish routines that are comfortable and that we feel that we control.  We live and base decisions based on those habits and the rules as they exist.  At some point, though, nearly all of us realize that we're NOT in control of as much as we desire.  In addition, experience RULES change either by law, by court edict OR some other force way beyond our control📗📙📘

Factually, the sports arena is NOT the only place where game-changing plays are made.  We make them in business deals, in our career, in relationships, through innovations, strategic visions and more.  Even in the non-profit world, lives are dedicated to 'CHANGING'  the game in areas that need it most.  Experts counsel us that in the middle of the 'GAMES IN LIFE', the most basic questions we need to ask ourselves are 'WHAT GAME AM I PLAYING?' and 'HOW IS MY CURRENT GAME SHAPING THE WAY I SHOW UP AND THE ACTIONS I TAKE?'  Once we identify the 'GAME' we're playing, we can go even further to ask ourselves questions like 'WHAT ARE THE RULES OF THE GAME?'💦💦💦

Such questions can begin to illuminate WHAT is running us in the background.  Only when we see the game we are already playing, can we choose to create a different game.  This is an important capacity both in our personal lives and even as leaders.  There was this one-liner which says, 'CHANGE THE GAME, AND THE GAME CHANGES YOU'.  And frankly, let's admit that we are all creatures of habit WHO like to establish ROUTINES comfortable to us💥💥💥

It's true we live based on the rules of our country, city, local authority, employer, family, culture and maybe possibly more.  We make decisions that will benefit us and our family based on these rules.  BUT sometimes CHANGES made in the RULES we live by happen suddenly and with little OR no notice.  At a minimum, they disrupt our routine and force us to adapt to return to a comfortable life💧💧💧

Our takeaway.  WHEN rules CHANGE in the middle of the game of life, it DOESN'T mean that we SHOULDN'T play OR strive to achieve our goals and dreams.  It DOESN'T mean that we should anticipate unexpected changes, prepare for different alternatives, recognize CHANGE as early as possible and adapt to the CHANGES in order to minimize loss and maximize success.  The difference can be described as NOT playing out of a fear of loss, NOT playing and taking risks without a complete understanding of the game BUT playing the game taking calculated risks to improve our likelihood of success❗❗❗

How Far Can You Go?

How Far Can You Go?

How Far Can You Go?  How long will it take?  Ironically, these two interrogative statements represent two different mindsets.  So, my question is, WHICH one do you fall into?  MAYBE you fall into one in some situations and into the other in different circumstances.  Either way, it is a good REALITY CHECK to ask yourself as to which mindset is active.  You might retort, WHAT's the difference between the two?  HOW FAR CAN YOU GO is all about potential and possibilities.  On the other hand, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE means that you DON'T have much time and you're probably hoping that that process DOESN'T take too much of the time either.  Early in life, OR to be precise when I was about to graduate from High School, I confronted myself with the following questions.  WHERE do I want to go in life?  WHAT direction do I take?  HOW FAR CAN I GO?

The first question I asked myself was the toughest.  Think about driving a long main highway way before Waze and Google Map were even conceptualized.  So you keep driving till you reach an intersection, and then you start asking yourself which of the three directions will you choose.  That remains the most crucial decision because your fate will be tied to that decision [and more often, there is no turning back, because in life, there is NO UNDO [unlike the functions offered by technologies]

Once I managed to hurdle that first question, the second question was kind of a bonus one because  it is closely hinged to the first question.  BUT here's the catch, having decided WHERE to go in life and WHAT direction to take are separate and distinct questions.  WHY?  Because more often, there are two OR more alternatives towards reaching a goal.  It's akin to scratching your back, you can opt for your left OR right hand.  BUT the decision-point hinges on the best optimized option

BUT the thing, life is really simple BUT many of us [and that includes me sometime in the past], we make things complicated.  We would scratch an itchy part with our left hand in a most uncomfortable manner WHEN all we need to do is to comfortably scratch with our right hand.  Many times in the past, on a first person basis, I was fully aware of the visionary plans of people in their lives.  BUT when I touched base with them many years later, it was frustrating to find them stuck WHERE I last saw them [in life].  WHY they got stalled is unfathomable BUT again, much as we DON'T want to dwell on the past and we are discouraged to keep dreaming of the future, we got to focus the present moment

Our takeaway:  Many times, WHAT stops us, WHAT stalls us is our very own self, our mindset.  And our brain is smart enough to recognize that.  IF you tell yourself that NO WAY you will learn driving because you can't withstand the daily chronic traffic gridlock in your city, I'll bet my last $20 that absolutely you will NOT learn driving up to speed.  In the simplest terms, HOW FAR YOU CAN GO solely hinges on yourself.  True, there are external variables BUT more often, we are our own worst enemy.  We can point our fingers to all directions BUT the BUCK STOPS on us, period.  WHO claims that they have done their darn best even WHEN they fell flat on their face?  Think about it, HOW FAR CAN YOU GO??? 

Slowing Down In Life

Slowing Down In Life

SLOWING DOWN In Life is something hardly thought OR worse, even spoken OR considered at all.  WHY?  Because NO ONE has thought about it.  Because NO ONE is aware of that creeping problem.  Because NO ONE gets to realize the implications of the frenetic pace we go through everyday.  Because even if one realizes it, NO ONE thinks that it is a problem in the first place.  And that's where our problem lies and this time, we CAN'T look the other way📗📙📘

So, do you feel like you're constantly running on that treadmill of life?  NOT quite sure HOW to take a break OR stop feeling like you always have to be doing something.   I totally agree that it's NOT that easy to slow down because I've BEEN THERE, DONE THAT.  BUT hey, do we realize that it turns out that SLOWING DOWN is exactly WHAT we need to do in the first place?  SLOWING DOWN is NOT just good for our own well-being BUT ti can also help us feel less stressed while accomplishing more every day💧💧💧

Our dilemma is that SLOWING DOWN is as simple as 1-2-3 BUT what does it mean exactly?  It DOESN'T have to mean that we literally do things SLOWER [although it's true we might walk SLOWER or give ourselves more time to make a decision.  BUT when people talk about SLOWING down, they're often referring to the idea that we cram too many unimportant things each day❎❎❎

A concrete example is WHEN our minds are speeding, our performance and effectiveness gets slower OR weaker.  BUT hey, it's NOT 'being SLOW' that we're seeking necessarily.  BUT rather it is the feeling that we have the time to do the things that matter most.  Sure we can handle our daily tasks, we DON'T feel stressed and we feel like we always have that time to rest, be present and enjoy the good things in life.  THAT explains why SLOWING DOWN only partially means we need to go SLOW.  Instead, it's more about teaching ourselves how to TURN OFF that 'FIGHT or FLIGHT' response and instead create the life we want, an intentional act with purpose✅✅✅

Our takeaway?  In our life today, we are ALWAYS encouraged to be busy and even MULTITASK yet in the end, most of us feel that incessant pressure to perform OR at least look like we're performing right in front our boss [even if that means masking exhaustion with caffeine and sugar].  BUT that feeling of 'time urgency' actually leads us to perform even worse.  BTW, FASTER DOES NOT MEAN BETTER.  SLOWING DOWN in life is giving JUSTICE to our life, dude❗❗❗

That MOTIVATIONAL TRAP !

That MOTIVATIONAL TRAP !

MOTIVATION sounds it's just around the corner for us to pick it up.  TRUE and FALSE.  MOTIVATION  is a psychological idea that works as a stimulus and compels people to take an ACTION.  In a way, it is a process of persuading someone to behave and act in a specific manner.  In short, MOTIVATION works as a force to set the goals or objectives based upon the things you feel you should be doing.  BUT there is That MOTIVATIONAL TRAP ❗❗❗

Usually, the goals that trigger our MOTIVATION are based upon your own desires, needs and hopes [regardless if all those stuff are CORRECT or BAD enough].  BUT the thing is, the required force or stimulation is needed to take the ACTION.  Indeed, MOTIVATION is a buzzword these days and the content related to this is really available to us [all over the place, so to speak].  So, let's do a SELF PULSE CHECK.  Do you wait to feel MOTIVATED to something❓❓❓

Frankly, IF ever you are waiting to have that MOTIVATION feeling, NOT to scare you but it's likely you will potentially fall in a MOTIVATIONAL TRAP.  So, WHAT really is that MOTIVATIONAL TRAP?  That's WHEN you literally WAIT to feel MOTIVATED before taking any action and at times, people spend hours watching MOTIVATIONAL videos and similar content in order to take action💧💧💧

The PROBLEM with this [BAD] habit is that you end up wasting so much time in such activities than spending that time in REAL action and in the end, it just worsens WHEN you DON'T take any action even after that [episode of WAITING].  On the other hand, for the people WHO take committed action, MOTIVATION comes later.  Have you felt one time before WHEN you felt lazy doing something BUT once you were into it, ACTION just happens❗❗❗

That committed action OR we can tag as that VALUED action leads then to MOTIVATION.  Because VALUED actions are consistent with our life's VALUES.  And if you VALUE being healthy, you must take committed action to follow a routine regardless of mood OR MOTIVATION level.  Our takeaway:  Let us NOT keep waiting for any form of MOTIVATION to kick-in.  Bluntly and frankly, let's 'kick our butts out' [pardon for this expression] for us to avoid THAT MOTIVATIONAL TRAP@#$?

We Need FAILUREs In Our Life, Period

 We Need FAILUREs In Our Life, Period

Much as we hate FAILUREs and we DON'T want it, We Need FAILUREs In Our Life, Period.  I have to admit there is no single dissenting opinion here in as much we all like and need SUCCESS and NOT those FAILURES.  BUT dude, FAILURES happen day-in day-out, to anyone, to everyone.  No such thing where there is an immunity from FAILURES, whether you are the Elon Musk, Bill Gates or just any Tom, Dick and Harry.  That explains WHY WE NEED FAILURES📗📙📘

WHY?  Because FAILURES are the stepping stones to SUCCESS.  We got so many teachers in life BUT the #1 teacher are our FAILURES in life.  It is one of the things to deal with which happens with us frequently in life.  BUT it is very important in life because it teaches us to learn more and try more [that is IF we want to heed the LESSONS arising from FAILURES].  True, FAILURES can make us feel ineffective, inadequate, isolated OR insecure.  FAILURES are that normal and are part and parcel of life which should be dealt with POSITIVELY📌📌📌

From FAILURES, the lessons about our very own shortcomings should be taken into account for better future performance.  We can always learn from our past mistakes and FAILURES and be careful to avoid them in the future.  FAILURES make us much wiser, more mature, determined and courageous enough to achieve our goals down the road.  Quite often, one solitary FAILURE can teach us one too many lessons as compared to any lessons we can pick up out of a SUCCESS we achieved💢💢💢

So, we can always learn from our past mistakes and failures and be careful to avoid them in the future.  FAILURE makes us wiser, MORE mature, determined and courageous to achieve our goals.  Often, a single FAILURE teaches us many things than a SUCCESS does.  Surely, it is fine to FAIL in life sometimes [because that is a FACT of LIFE] and that is how we get to taste the essence of SUCCESS.  When FAILURES come in life, it teaches us some great life lessons and it helps us to build our resilience and character and motivates us more💦💦💦

Our takeaway:  If we are NOT facing FAILURES, frankly, it means you are NOT living life because that's pure and simple baloney.  If we DON'T FAIL in life, then we will NOT be able to taste the essence of SUCCESS and it is necessary to FAIL in life once in a while to pave the way for us to go towards achieving our goals in life.  Factually, FAILURES can actually lead to SUCCESS if we learn and grow from it✅✅✅

Consistency It Is

Consistency It Is

Most of us [and that includes moi] have experienced NEGATIVITY in life and have gone through phases where we were CONSISTENT in doing only one thing and that is to PROCRASTINATE.  And if this is the present reality in your life, NOT to despair because you are NOT alone.  Difficult and dark as it may appear now, frankly that situation does NOT leave you at the farthest end of that super dark tunnel.  Truth is, light and hope are waiting just around the corner.   Consistency It Is📗📙📘

Hearing and reading from all the researches, WHAT should we do then?  Experts assure us that all that it needs is a LITTLE CHANGE in one's approach.  In short, it's NOT a major overhaul.  Of course, we are so vulnerable to fall prey to that habit of PROCRASTINATION or getting DISTRACTED by trivial and unimportant affairs of daily chores in life.  BUT experts advise us that building a benchmark for CONSISTENCY is NOT rocket science.  It can be done💥💥💥

And the biggest CHALLENGE all share to have been facing in life is HOW to take the first few steps towards being POSITIVE, STEADY and CONSISTENT in all life situations.  BUT rather than reinvent the wheel, let's piggy-back on WHAT the experts have shared: 

• MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT DREAMING - First things first, we DON'T want to be aiming for goals that are more DREAMS than REALITY

• BREAK DOWN YOUR GOALS - To achieve your GOALS is akin to having a road trip to your favorite destination.  We need milestones to reassure us whether the path we're taking is the correct one
• SPLIT YOUR GOALS - By segmenting your efforts and tasks, you are able to identify each of the ground-level tasks 
• BE ORGANIZED & SYSTEMATIC - This is very basic.  Clear the clutter on your desk

• REMIND YOURSELF WHY YOU STARTED - Keep your goals in sight.  Write them down and pin them to your desk
• CONSTANTLY TALK TO YOUR PARTNER - This is so basic.  Your PARTNER is someone who is accountable to your well-being and encourages you to work towards your dreams.  BTW, your PARTNER could anyone be in your family, a trusted friend OR your confidant OR your bestie/bff

Our takeaway:  LIFE IS WHAT WE MAKE IT.  There is NO such thing as a BIG BANG Theory.  That explains why that theory remains a theory because CONSISTENCY IT IS💧💧💧