MyFinancial$Sense

Health is Wealth?

2009-02-09T08:56:00.001-08:00

Which is more important to you: your health, or your wealth? Everyone would agree that your health is more important that your wealth.

Why? Because if you still have your health, you can still look for wealth. There is still hope.

If you have your wealth, but not your health, your wealth actually has no value to you. Of course, your wealth would be very valuable to your loving spouse and family (and long lost relatives ... hehehe!).

Haven't you had a very painful toothache, and you would give anything for it to go away? Once you are diagnosed with a critical illness (like cancer), wouldn't you give all your wealth to have your health (your non-cancer physical condition) back?

Although you may say that health is wealth, do you spend more time taking care of your wealth or your health? Think about it. Be truthful to yourself.

It appears that in the United Kingdom, research found out that that only 13% had beneficial results after going for medical attention from doctors. The majority did not have any beneficial advantage. Think about this as well.

Someone said that the dirtiest politics happens in the medical industry. Or perhaps more correctly, the drug-using medical industry. The conventional medical industry.

Not in the traditional medicine or alternative medicine or complementary medicine industries.

It is something like Western medicine as expounded by the developed countries (United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia etc) versus Eastern medicine (Chinese and Indian traditional medcine). Not too long a go, acupuncture was considered as coming from quack traditional doctors. It appears that acupunture is now available at some hospitals under the National Health Service at United Kingdom hospitals.

Someone told me that once you are sick, and admitted into a hospital in some developed countries (like Australia), you immediately lose your Human Rights. You cannot get out of the hospital without the doctor's consent. Even if you want to try alternative medicine in the comfort of your own home. Scary, isn't it?

My boss just told me yesterday that he now takes the leaves of a herbal plant, and soak them in water for 3-4 hours. He then drinks the water (now greenish). He managed to reduce his sugar level. He said that another person had been injecting insulin into his body because of severe diabetes. But after taking the drink/brew for a few months, his sugar went back to normal, and he stopped injecting insulin.

The moral of the story? First, to impress upon you the importance of taking good care of your health. Also, that you should be your own doctor, as a preventive step. Learn about foods that will kill you (some food may take years to finally have a fatal effect on you). And foods that will give you wellness, instead of illness.

Second, to let you realise that there is hope for you (if you are open-minded) if you are suffering from diabetes (or even cancer), when the conventionally trained (in Western edicine) specialists give up. Because they do not know everything (although some of them are not humble enough to admit it).

I wish you Success in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. I will be attending a part-time course for the Certificate in Applied Nutrition and Health in March. Action speaks louder than words, right?

Are You a Seminar Junkie?

2009-01-17T00:02:00.000-08:00

Do you enjoy going to Seminars? Yes?!? Do you think that you are a seminar junkie? Yes, I know what you are thinking - "Goodness gracious me, no!"

Do you think that there's a thin dividing line, between a Seminar Junkie and an information gatherer (a knowledge acquirer)? What, in your opinion, is the difference?

Do you think that the difference is in the objective? The mission that you have in your mind when you attend a seminar?

There are so many seminars, that you may sometimes be overwhelmed. Which one to choose? Millionaire Mind Intensive Seminar? Guerilla Business Intensive Seminar? Train the Trainer Seminar? Master Your Mind Seminar? Enlightened Warrior Camp? Never Work Again Seminar? Property Mastery Seminar? Kung Fu Marketing Seminar?

Don't you think that you should gather as much knowledge as possible? Of course you should be learning everyday. Continuous learning. So that you can contribute to The Learning Organisation.

Enlightened companies, like Exxon-Mobil, Motorola, Intel etc, have policies on the number of official training days that an employee attends a year. These would normally average about 5 -10 days. The rest of the training would be on-the-job training. So this would be a good norm or standard for you to benchmark yourself, isn't it?

But the question is, what amount of training days should YOU undergo, if you do not include organisation-sponsored training? Using your own money?

It indicates what your mentality (or mind-frame or belief-system) is when you need to make a decision whether to undergo training for which YOU PAY out of your own pocket! Isn't it true?

You have an employee-mentality when you expect your organisation to pay for all your training.

You have an entrepreneurial belief-system when you pay yourself for training. Training that you feel will make you a better person. When you are a better person, will your organisation be a better one? Will your future be a brighter one (whether in your existing organisation or a new one)?

When you are thirsty for knowledge, is it not true that you may become a seminar junkie? That you may attend all the seminars that is presented, or offered, to you?

Have you attended some excellent seminar previews? The ones that know exactly how to tempt you with irresistible offers? Some even use NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) techniques, which are very effective (if you are not aware that they are using them).

Some previews use peer pressure. Others (the occasional odd ones, thank goodness) use hard-selling; they may even make you feel humiliated, by decreasing your self-image, if you do not take-up their offer.

So, how to make sure that you do not become a Seminar Junkie? The answer?: Balance! Everything in life should be done in a balanced way. Everything should be done in moderation.

The moral of the story? Seek knowledge wherever, and whenever, you can.

However, to avoid over-doing the Seminar Circuit, just spend about 10% of your annual income paying for training programmes. If you can afford it, perhaps increase the amount to 20% of your annual income. This will ensure that you avoid the "All study and no action, makes you a geek" ... hehehe!

I wish you Success in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Go Modelling To Become a Better You?

2009-01-12T19:02:00.001-08:00

How does a very successful lady in a niche educational field sustain her motivational level? How to overcome caring and well-meaning, but totally ignorant, people who tell her, "You are wasting your time." And to say that to a person who has published three "bestseller" books, related to her field of expertise.

How is she going to take it when a very wealthy and close family member, who thinks she is not doing well financially (no big house, no big car, no big plasma TV, no big coiffeuired hairdo ... okay, that last one is just to check whether you are still wide awake ... hehehe!) asks, "Do you want a job?"

How does she keep on going, to achieve her dream (of doing something in her educational work) that will last a 100 years? That will outlive her? That will leave a legacy, not only for her family, but for humankind on planet Earth?

How does she motivate herself to still continue with her dream, after 20 years of sweat and tears? After introducing her work to three countries (Malaysia, Singapore and China), but in which only one country appears to be keen to adopt her work on a wide-scale basis?

Imagine that you were her. How do you think that YOU would proceed? How would YOU motivate yourself in pursuit of YOUR dream?

One of her secrets (other than HARD WORK), is that she uses modelling. No, she does not model herself on America's Next Top Model. She uses the founder of the Montessori educational system as her model. To know that the Montessori educational system is a success for more than fifty years, and still expanding all over the world. She also wants her method/technique of using magic to teach mathematics to children, to follow Montessori's model of being a recognised teaching methodology, all over the world. How's that?

She also models her struggles and aspirations on people like Napoleon Hill, author of the book Think and Grow Rich. Napoleon Hill took 25 years to complete Think and Grow Rich, and the book is as relevant today as when it was first published way back in 1937. She has dedicated 20 years of her life to her present work, so if she models herself on Napoleon Hill, she still has to dedicate herself for another 5 years.

From the above examples, don't you think that modelling is a powerful inspirational tool? A tool that will motivate you to keep on going. To achieve your dream, just as the special awesome lady above, does?

At another seminar, I saw a lady from South America who was modelling Singapore's ex-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's speech. The speech had to do with the politics of development.

She had watched the video presentation, and had tried to memorise the speech. The more important part was that she was doing her level best to really "act out" the speech; as though she was really Lee Kuan Yew.

All the members of the audience were spell-bound, because she was fully and emotionally appreciating (while acting out the words and the feelings) the sacrifices that Lee Kuan Yew felt he had made for Singapore. It was powerful for her. She could relate it to her own country. It was powerful for the audience.

Another participant modeled Martin Luther King's last speech. He was also truly into the speech, The audience were similarly powerfully emotionally touched.

Modelling, whether you take a person's journey through life as your model (you consider him your hero), or you model a person's speech (his words and his emotions when he gave the speech) is a very powerful learning tool. And also, to motivate you.

The moral of the story? Modelling is one of the proven ways to develop yourself. So, go find yourself a hero(ine) to be your model.

Study the lives of successful people through their autobiographies or biographies. Or simply study the videos of their speeches, and put yourself emotionally in their emotional states. And act out their physical movements and facial or verbal expressions. You will go a long way towards becoming a better you.

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

How Gullible Are You for Financial Scams?

2009-01-06T22:50:00.000-08:00

How gullible are you? Have you been burnt by investing in a financial scam?

The newspapers in "Malaysia - Truly Asia" have highlighted, in the last few years, of people being cheated by the infamous "Nigerian email scam". This is based on paying a fee (1%?) so that you can get a very generous share (40%) of a $5 million inheritance. Or variations of the million-dollar figure. The Nigerian diplomatic mission have had to make announcements in the local media, to inform that this sort of email 'offerings' is actually a scam.

Those who have lost their shirts in the Nigerian email scam have been labeled as being driven by greed. Of wanting to get easy money. I am sure you have received such emails. You still have your shirt, so you are awesome!

My university classmate puts his money in a 'gold investment program'. He says he gets 2.5% returns per month. 30% per annum? A few of my friends and I have not invested in that program. Is it because we are not gullible? Or is it because we are ignorant? You tell me?

I know a few guys who invest in a 'property investment program'. They make 20-30% annual returns on investment. Would you join these guys?

I was told that you can invest $20,000 in another 'property investment program', which takes advantage of the U.S.A.'s sub-prime loan crisis. Your return would be $300 a month. That is $3,600 a year. 18% annual return on investment? Would you put your money in this opportunity?

Many investors have got burnt in the stock market in the year 2008. Do you think they have been cheated? Or do you think they were gullible by investing in the stock market? Ermmm ... quite tough questions?

Stephen Greenspan, emeritus professor of educational psychology at the University of Connecticut, explored how investors continue to be swindled. How he also lost money in Madoff's alleged Ponzi scheme.

In his explanatory model, Prof. Greenspan says that there are four factors which help explain acts of gullibility. The four factors are situation, cognition, personality, and emotion.

Situation occurs when you are presented with a social challenge that you have to solve. Do you believe that the investment proposal presented to you is benign, or unsafe (dangerous)? You may be pressured by social influence to be gullible (especially in Ponzi schemes, when the earlier investors have recouped their investments, and made profits).

How can you overcome this social pressure problem? By not having friends? No. Just have your own mind. Do not try to please others.

Seek advice and more information from others, especially the experts and successful investors with a proven track record. No need to re-invent the wheel. Follow the path set by the successful investors.

Cognition (or intelligence?) is deficient when you make a stupid decision (such as investing in a scam). Normally intelligent people will make defective decisions when based on intuition and impulse, frequently driven by emotion.

So, the way to avoid scams is to make rational, non-impulsive, and reflective decisions. In short: "Stay cool, man!".

Your Personality trait, that may make you a gullible person, is normally associated with your trust in others. Trusting others, such as your best friend, is good. But sometimes your best friend may not have the intelligence (or cognitive skill) to differentiate a scam from a genuine investment.

So, what to do? There's a saying, "Trust, but only 99%". What's the 1% for? For you to do your homework. To check it out. Because at the end of the day, you are responsible for your results. Not your best friend.

Emotion is the crucial factor, to see whether you are gullible or not. Emotion could be because of excitement, at finding a better investment. In the Nigerian email scam, it would undoubtedly be greed (40%, not of your long lost favourite uncle's, but of a complete stranger's, $5 million inheritance!).

How can you learn to be unemotional? Learn that you can't get something for nothing! If it's too good to be true, it is most likely that.

The moral of the story? The divide between being gullible and being ignorant, is not that clear. Perhaps Robert Kiyosaki says it best, "Know the difference between Risk and the Risky".

He wrote, "I often hear people saying. 'Investing is risky'.
"I disagree. Instead I say, 'Being uneducated is risky'".
For Robert Kiyosaki, if you want to be a successful investor, get educated in financial intelligence.

I wish you Sucess in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. After writing the above, the newspapers reported that India's fourth largest software company Satyam Computer Services went into a financial quagmire, after its founder and chairman reportedly fudged figures to the tune of $1 billion over 5 years. To show $1 billion in the company's accounts - when it does not exist - is it creative accounting? Or a notch better - magical accounting? Your comment?

But the more critical question is, how are you going to avoid such fraud, if you were an investor? Your comment?

P.P.S. On 02.02.2009, I received a special internet invitation from my best friend (whom I have never met before) Brigadier General Kamalu Chimson to share with him a $12.5 million fund (25% for me, and 75% for him!). I did not realise that there is a kind man from Africa who would like to make my life a living heaven on earth. I must be a good boy to deserve this God-given opportunity. I may not have time to write this blog again ... sorry ... I need to go shopping for a Lotus Elise immediately. You too have a great time, ok?

Do Your Shortcomings Count?

2009-01-04T18:07:00.000-08:00

Do you have any shortcomings? Anything that acts like an obstacle for you, in your quest for success?

Perhaps you do not have enough money? Not enough experience? You do not have leadership qualities? You do not have the skills to speak in front of an audience of more than 5 people? Not enough good-looks?

Many years ago, I met a couple. I thought that the husband was good-looking. Handsome. The wife was not ugly. But I thought that they were mis-matched. You understand? Like Beauty and The Beast. He was the Beauty, and she was The Beast. Not a really accurate reflection of my thoughts then, but you get the drift?

Of course, now (with the decades of acquired wisdom ... ahem. .. errm) I realise that it was very shallow thinking on my part. To judge people by their appearances. By my own shallow standards or criteria. Beauty is not skin deep. Do not judge a book by its cover. One man's meat is another man's poison.

If you do not have communications skills, just join the nearest local Toastmaster's International Club. Not only will you increase tremendously your confidence to speak to a crowd, you will also increase your leadership skills (when you fully take part in their activities). I have personally seen this transformation take place in a guy, at the club that I am a member of - The Money Mastery Kuala Lumpur Toastmasters Club.

Not enough job experience? Simple solution, ain't it? Go get it. Even for free. Some multinational companies only recruit people who have had at least a year's working experience. So even if you work for free, that is actually your investment to get a job at a multi-national company.

You can also volunteer your services to a non-governmental organisation (NGO), or any number of voluntary organisations. They desperately need a willing and friendly hand.

I just heard last Saturday (at a get-together), that a young guy increased his network through Facebook. Some of the people in his Facebook network, whom he had never met personally, accepted his invitations to an educational event.

(You may also realise that a huge network is a critical success factor (CSF) to advance in the multi-level or network marketing industry.)

Wow! This social marketing thing is powerful! As you are fully aware, it's "not what you know, but who you know" that can determine your success in life.

The success of your business venture. The success of your family life, because that nice auntie that you know, successfully helped introduce you to the love of your life.

In short, that young guy will Increase his NetWorth through his NetWork. His net will work to increase his net worth! Amazing, ain't it?

During our cycling group's "carbo-loading" stop last Sunday, some of us were discussing that those who were considered the cream at high school (winner of this, and that, academic prize), relatively did not do as well in life as those who were not considered the top of the cream. Yes, they may be doing well financially, but they did not have time (such as to cycle every Sunday with us) because they had to be on-call at the hospital. Whilst those who did not do well, were either overseas on vacation, or had all the time in the world to meet (for anything ... coffee at Starbucks, golf, teh tarik session at the mamak eatery, etc).

One friend shared his experience ,whereby two of his schoolmates who were considered "dumb" in school, are now successful businessmen, and respected leaders in their community. One even drives a Rolls-Royce. (Well, I didn't tell the whole truth. His chauffeur drives the Rolls, and he sits at the back).

The moral of the story? Your shortcomings do not count, unless you start counting them. When you have a big heart to do whatever it takes, you will succeed in whatever you do.

Furthermore, it's anytime more rewarding to count your blessings! And also to bless others. May God Bless You for Reading this Blog! ... hehehe!

I wish you Success in you undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

History Repeats Itself?

2008-12-29T22:01:00.000-08:00

Back in 1998, Robert Kiyosaki in The CASHFLOW Quadrant wrote, "Historically, if people lived to be 75 years of age, they live through two recessions and one depression. As baby boomers we have gone through two recessions, but we have not yet seen that depression. Maybe there will never be a depression again. But history does not say that."

He further said, " Just as there are waves on the ocean, there are great waves in markets. Instead of the wind and sun driving the waves of the ocean, the waves of the financial markets are driven by two human emotions: greed and fear.

I do not think that depressions are things of the past because we are all human beings and we all have emotions of greed and fear. And when greed and fear collide, and a person loses badly, the next emotion is depression. ... Economic depressions are emotional depressions."

Wow! What an explanation. Is he an economics history professor? Economics philosopher? Economics prophet, or what?

Forbes magazine wrote, "In the year 2010, the first baby boomers turn 65. In the year 2010, instead of adding money to the stock market, baby boomers will begin withdrawing money from the stock market ... if not earlier."

From the above, it appears that the present economic tsunami and financial meltdown is not something that is unexpected.

The U.S.A. is the world's number one international debtor. Numero Uno! Just servicing the debt amounts to some $250 billion! That is just the interest payment, baby! Not the principal.

The principal is some $40 trillion! People like Robert Kiyosaki have said, "The world will realise that the U.S. will not be able to borrow its way out of ... problems." It also means, without any new policy or financial invention, the U.S.A. may go bankrupt. Sooner or later. So, you better be careful where you put your money!

I attended a 4-week training program on 'Oil and Gas Accounting' in 1985. The American professor who conducted the training had a similar view.

Is 2008's global financial turmoil (starting with the U.S. sub-prime loan crisis), the manifestation of what some economists have been aware all along, all these years?

The manifestation of greed, with which the sub-prime loan crisis has been attributed to. And the manifestation of fear, which has led to the credit crunch when even banks have no trust (or confidence) in another bank's ability to pay. For fear that the other bank may collapse completely. And no wonder - 25 U.S. banks failed in 2008 compared to 3 in 2007. With even the likes of Lehmann Brothers going bankrupt, and global Citibank needing a U.S. government bail-out.

There appear to be many around the world who are still in denial about the present global economy going to be in a depression. Perhaps it is politically incorrect (or dangerous) to say that you will be facing a depression soon.

Perhaps afraid of a self-fullfilling prophesy? I guess it's a little bit too late now for such a thing.

The moral of the story? Understanding history is important because it indicates where you have been. And where you will likely be going.

All indications for the year 2009 (as prophesied by Robert Kiyosaki and similar like-thinking economists and businessmen) is that you are going to experience a global depression. Maybe worse than the 1930s!?!

If you follow the Boy Scouts' motto "Be Prepared", you have nothing to worry. If not, then may the Good Lord be with you.

There is a silver lining in the clouds, though. If you are a true investor, this is the opportunity in the crisis. Everyone will be selling (stocks, real estate, etc). In a fire-sale (arising from people being emotionally depressed), the calm investor will go for the bargain.

Are you a calm investor? Then, strike when you are ready!

I wish you Success in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. It now appears that for $3000 (or less), you can buy a house in some parts of the United States. The banks have to sell the houses (almost for free) so that they are not burdened with maintenance charges and local taxes. (The other big reason is that banks are not in the home realty business, but in the money-lending business, so they do not want to keep any foreclosed house on their accounts). Of course you may need another $15,000 - $20,000 for repairs. Or you can just demolish the house and build a brand new one. The land, for one property with 0.38 acres, is certainly worth more than the $3,000 plus the demolition costs.

P.P.S. On 29/Jan/2009 I read that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) forecasts that(for a worst case scenario) global unemployment could rise (by the end of 2009) by 51 million people, to 230 million (7.1% of the world's labour force). The worst recession since the Second World War.

Your Money or Your Life?

2008-12-28T03:02:00.000-08:00

A robber, with a gun, confronts you in a dark alley in the early hours of the morning, with no other soul in sight. "Your money or your life?", he says in that criminal voice which scares you to almost death. Classic situational scenario you are familiar with.

What would you do? Run for your life with the $1,000,000 in your pocket? Or just handover the $1,000,000?

Unless you are Superman (whereby you can catch the bullets coming towards you), or one of those sort of heroes, you would be better off to just handover the money. You can then fight (or make money) another day. Agree?

But what about in normal, everyday life? When there is no robber?

Can you still have your money ($1,000,000), and have a (happy) life? Or do you believe, that if you have money, money cannot bring you happiness?

Can you do something that you love, and at the same time make money? Or is doing something that you love, an entirely different proposition from making a living (making money)?

In this financial paradigm, if you love travelling, what you do is to work hard until you retire at 60 or 65. After you retire, you go travelling around the work (using the money you saved from working hard). That is why if you go on a tour (say, in Europe), you find that the majority who join the tour groups are in their sixties or seventies (from the U.S.A.). Some with canes to help them walk.

Isn't it possible to have lots of money (not $1,000,000 but perhaps $10,000 extra a year), to go and have an overseas holiday every year. When you are still in your twenties or thirties rather than in your late sixties or seventies?

Is it possible to never have to get a job, but still have as much money as those having a job? Without receiving government money? Such as unemployment benefit or disability payment. Or an insurance payout because you were involved in an accident? What do you think?

Well, a person like Dr Dolf de Roos is one such person. Just after completing his doctorate in electrical engineering, he was offered a job at $32,000 a year (this was a sizeable amount because it was in the last century, ok?). He rejected it.

Why? Because he had just (the week before) netted $35,000 from a real estate deal he had completed. He worked one week on the deal. He could then afford 51 weeks holiday if he wished to (compared to working for the $32,000 job offer). Does he have a job? No. Never. Does he work? Yes. Smart.

A former high school teacher gave up her teaching position. So that she could teach her passion for creativity. Of using magic to teach mathematics. She has shared the stage with professors (even of mathematics) at international fora.

Does she have a job? No. Does she work? Yes. But her work is her passion, so it is more enjoyable. It does not seem like work.

Oh yes, her income from conducting a one day training equals what she used to be paid for one month (as a teacher). Did she go into her passion because of the good money? Or did the good money follow her passion?

The moral of the story? You can have your cake and it it too! You can have both your money and your life!

You can be poor and miserable. You can also be rich and happy. The good news is: the choice is yours!

I wish you Success in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. Dr Dolf de Roos is the author of many books on real estate investment; amongst them is Real Estate Riches.

Money is Life?

2008-12-23T16:26:00.000-08:00

It's sad when you read the headline, "NYPD: Madoff investor commits suicide in office". The founder of an investment fund apparently lost $1.4 billion to Bernard Madoff's alleged $50 billion Ponzi scheme. He slashed his wrists.

You may have heard of similar stories. Like the taxi driver who played the stock market in Hong Kong in 1997/98, and got played out by the market instead. He jumped off an apartment.

Of course, the stories of gamblers who borrow from loan sharks (who charge 10% interest per month?), and are unable to pay back (because their 'winnings' on their horse racing bets are invariably 'loosings') is commonplace. These losers will try to disappear into thin air. To avoid a broken leg, or an even worse fate. Their families also suffer, oftentimes in silence.

Is money equal to life? No money, no life? Plenty money, plenty life?

Unless you are still living in a place where you exchange what you have, to get what you want (barter trading), money is thus very important. Although the ending of one's own life, or the ending of another person's life, are extreme scenarios, it does indicate the power of money.

Money is important in our present world economy because it has become the medium of exchange (in economics' lingo). The measurement standard of one's assets and liabilites ( in acccountancy's terms). The indicator of one's wealth or poverty.

The moral of the story? If money plays such an important role in your life, don't you think that it should be your number one priority?

It does not mean that you should be consumed, every waking hour of your life, with the thought of making tonnes of money. Of getting money at all costs.

But it does mean that you should at least learn about how to play the money game. How to manage your existing money. Whether as a student, when you get your $1 as pocket money. Whether as an employee, when you get $1,000 a month.

Some folks live a happy and fullfilling life with an income of $1,000 a month. Others struggle, 'eking out a living' with a salary of $2,000 (or $5,000 or $10,000) a month.

Some folks have a $1,000,000 and are neither happy nor fulfilled. Others have $1,000,000 and are happy and fulfilled.

Money is important. But it is not the be-all and end-all.

How you manage your money will determine whether you have misery, or happiness in your life. $1,000 with good management will become $2,000 in 3 years. $1,000,000 with poor management will become $0 in 3 years.

So, what should you do? T Harv Eker recommends that you go from being a 'know-it-all' to a 'learn-it-all'.

Set aside 10% of your income, and use it to get an education. To buy books, or DVDs, or attend training seminars, that will increase your knowledge. Knowledge to increase your power. The power to act correctly. To act to get the right results. The right results to make you happy.

I wish you Success in your undertaikings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. Read in the papers (7th January 2009) that a 74-year-old German billionaire (ranked the world's 94th richest man, whose assets were estimated by Forbes to be worth $9.2 billion last year (2008?)) also committed suicide (by throwing himself in front of a train) on 5th January. All because his investments were in trouble, caused by the global financial crisis. Don't you think that's similarly tragic?

P.P.S. Associated Press reported that on 27th January 2009, a man in Wilmington, California fatally shot his wife, his five young children (twin 2-year old boys, twin 5-year old girls, and an 8-year old girl) and himself, all because he and his wife had been fired from their hospital jobs. Very tragic, and very sad. Any lesson you can learn from all the cases above?

What Type of Investor Are You?

2008-12-21T02:53:00.000-08:00

I was disappointed (and oftentimes wondering) why other people were not interested in investing in businesses or projects. Investments that I had made money from, and also investments that I had not made money from (yet). I understood if it was because of the latter reason, because ... who am I, after all? But the former?

I was enlightened after reading Robert Kiyosaki's Cashflow Quadrant. It appears that there are many kinds of investors in this world. Interesting. Can you identify which kind you are (see below)?

The first kind can be categorised as the "Nothing" investor. De nada. No money to invest. All your income is spent. For some, even the ones who 'look rich', they spend more than their income!

One of my friends told me that he had a neighbour (a senior government servant) who always borrowed $50 cash from him at the end of the month. He always ran out of cash to give his school going kids their school allowance, before the montly salary is received!

Another senior government officer bought a $60,000 car by taking a bank loan (with a higher interest rate of 6%) instead of the government loan (at 4% reducing balance rate) because the government loan was only $45,000 and he had no savings to pay the difference.

It seems that 50% of adults are in this "Nothing" category. It doesn't include you, of course.

The second category is the "Borrower". As the name indicates, you are in this category if you borrow your way through life. You borrow money from your credit card for your marriage expenses (yes, a true story!). Two babies later, your credit card loan still has not been paid.

Your favourite exercise? Shopping! Girls are usually in this category. They just can't help it when the shoes, handbags, watches etc are at 70% discount. Sometimes even without discounts (I mean, the shoes and the handbags need to be colour-coordinated, right?)

I remember a friend. He had just successfully obtained a $2 million loan from the bank for a new business. With the money from the bank, he immediately (but not wisely?) bought a Mercedes for himself, and a Honda for his wife. One year down the road, the business was not going on as planned (especially the financials). Now you understand how some 'rich' people lose their Mercs overnight? One day the Mercs is in the car porch, the next day it's missing.

Another friend bought a $360,000 condo one day. From a bank loan. Two years down the road, there was a 'professional accident'. His company closed down. He lost his job. Anyone would like a condo for sale?

The problem if you are a borrower, is not the amount of money that you have as an income. It's just that you have poor money habits. Poor habits lead to poor actions, which lead to poor results.

The third category is the "Saver". You are a saver if you save a little money every month, and keep it in a savings, or Fixed deposit (FD), or Certificate of Deposit(CD), account.

Many save not to invest. But to consume (a vacation, a TV, a $15,000 bicycle). They like cash, not credit or debt.

The only problem with saving money this way is that it gives only very low returns. Frequently, it is a negative return (after inflation and tax).

You should of course have savings like the above. Some financial experts recommend that you should have about two years of your salary as savings. So that you can maintain your present standard of living for two years, if you have no income (because of retrenchment). Or you can survive for four years at 50% of your normal standard of living.

But anything above the amount needed for an emergency situation, should be better invested at 10-15% in other safe investments. You need to study, and look out for, such investments.

The fourth category is the "Apathetic". I was in this category. I thought that "I was busy".

So I turned over my retirement fund money to a 'mutual fund' lady "to manage". For the first 3 years it was losing money (the selling price was lower than my buying price). After the fourth year, I sold out when the price was at the price that I bought. I lost the dividend amount (5% annually for 4 years), if I had just kept it in the retirement fund.

The fifth category is the "Cynic". Or the Smart Aleck. You are in this category if you know all the reasons why an investment will not succeed. It appears that cynicism is the result of fear combined with ignorance, which leads to arrogance. Wowww! What an enlightening revelation!

Cynics are therefore best avoided. They infect people with fear, disguised as intelligence. Robert Kiyosaki wrote, "The worlds of academia, government, religion and media are filled with these people".

No wonder almost all of my office colleagues are in this category. I guess if you are an employee, you will be in this category.

Unless you have the entrepreneurial streak. Such as being involved in the network marketing industry (recommended by Robert Kiyosaki, Donald Trump, and T Harv Eker).

Cynics often buy high and sell low. And then blame the market for 'swindling' them.

The sixth category is the "Gambler". The gambler thinks that life is all about 'luck'.

You know a gambler when he asks you, "Got any tips on which stock to buy?". Just as a horse racing gambler will ask you which horse to bet on.

The seventh category is the "Long-Term Investor". You are in this category if you learn, often through training seminars, before investing. You know about the power of compound interest.

You are actively pursuing your financial goals. With the appropriate planning. You know your expenses. Your debts and liabilities. How much to invest per month. You are not 'flashy'.

My friend's husband drives a 10 year-old Volvo. Stayed in the same double storey terrace house for the last 30 years. But all their four children were sent to overseas universities. $30,000-50,000 per year per kid. He is, of course, a millionaire (through property development).

The eight category is the "Sophisticated Investor". You are here, if you create your own deals. With at least 25% return-on-investment (ROI).

You are financially savvy. You know how to manage risk. You are focused. Once you have one investment 'running on automatic', then only you diversify.

Bad times do not deter you. You can see opportunities, whether in good markets or bad.

The property market in the United States is extremely bad. Prices are going down every month. House foreclosures are increasing monthly. You see the opportunity to invest. To make 19-26% returns. To be a 'banker'. You can consider yourself a sophisticated investor if you can arrange the deals, and organise the investments.

The ninth category is the "Capitalist". You organise other people's money, talents and time. You get paid for results. For creating a new company. A new organisation. Returns of at least 100% is expected.

A guy in his mid-thirties forms a new company. To market an existing product. From an existing multinational.

He will create millionaires in the process. He will also become a millionaire in the process. He used an idea to become a millionaire. The idea of how to create (and capture) a bigger market for an existing company.

A person bought a rubber plantation (not using his money, but the bank's) and turned it into an exclusive housing enclave. He now has his own plane. He is a capitalist.

Olden day capitalists include Henry Ford. Present day capitalists include Richard Branson.

The moral of the story? What type of investor you are, will determine where you will be. Decide what you want to be, and take the necessary action (or inaction).

It also means that, if you are looking for an investor for your project, do not be easily disappointed. Not many people out there are true investors (category 7, 8 and 9). Be thankful when you find them.

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Size Matters?

2008-12-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

Do you believe that size matters? The bigger the better? Or the smaller the better?

I guess you realise that it all depends. On what?

You heard the story about the lady on her wedding night who thought she was going to get a big one? And the gentleman thought he was going to get a small one? Both were disappointed ... hehehe! Next time, just remember the saying, "To avoid the pain of lost illusions, have none!" ... Comprende? ... hehehe!

I prefer a petite lady ... like Tweety! So a model like Twiggy (I know ... you got to go to Wikipedia to find out who this person is ... thank you for your patience ... anyway, she was famous in the last century), would turn my head.

A friend of mine prefers his lady to be big ... like in 'elephant'! In fact, before their marriage, his wife referred to herself as an elephant (size). But that is precisely what turns him on!

Well, some men prefer birds. Some prefer elephants. To each, his own.

But there is one arena in which SIZE REALLY MATTERS! It's critical that you know why bigger is better in this arena.

Do you agree that the simplest (or easiest) way to live is to not do anything? Not to take risks? Not to take challenges?

Whether in your personal life. Or your working life. Or your volunteer work life.

When you have a personal problem, isn't it that the the easiest way, is to avoid or run away from the problem?

At the office, isn't it best not to rock the boat? Just do the same old things, when there is a problem? Don't take any new actions or consider new proposals which you are not familiar with? Your company do not need to implement the Suggestion System, because many other companies have failed in implementing it? (Even though Japanese companies implement it successfully).

Do the same things and expect different results!?! That is one definition of insanity.

I was observing the happenings in a voluntary organisation. When you are in a voluntary organisation, isn't the inertia even greater? You don't get paid for your time (it's a voluntary organisation, for heaven's sake, that's why ... ), is the common excuse.

So when there is a challenge, such as organising an international training program, where the number of expected participants falls short of the minimum required, you take the easy step - you cancel it!

Your excuse/justification? "We don't want to lose money". Convenient rationale? You feel good that you are saving the organisation money?

Yuhoooo!!! No need to do further work. No need to think about how to get more participants. No need to think of other possibilities to make the program financially viable. No need to contact speakers. No need to follow-up on other matters.

Just relax until next year, when you can offer it again. Just talk at the monthly meetings. Soon, you become a member of NATO (No Action Talk Only). Will your non-profit organisation make progress? There will be progress, yes ... but only in finger-pointing, at the end of the year, or before the Annual General Meeting.

If you want success, you need to be bigger. Bigger than your problems!

How can you become bigger? You grow yourself.

Take problems as challenges. Do not blame anyone (your boss? ... your colleague?...your wife? ...your cat?) or anything (the fricking economy? ... the fricking political situation?) for your problem. You take action to improve the situation. Just like Japanese Kaizen - continuous improvement.

What if, after taking action, you fail? Take it as a learning experience. To make you grow bigger. To make you wiser. To make your organisation better. To be able to handle a similar situation in future, better.

The moral of the story? When you want to be a winner, you need to be bigger. Bigger than the losers.

When you want to be a leader, you need to be bigger. Bigger than your followers.

When you say,"I want to follow what you (the majority) decide upon", you are a follower, not a leader. A leader has to lead, not follow. That's why you have to be bigger than your followers. Otherwise, you become just like your followers - a sheep. You want to be the Lion King, if you want to be a leader.

T Harv Eker said, "If you have a big problem in your life, all that means is that you are a small person ... Your outer world is merely a reflection of your inner world. If you want to make a permanent change, stop focusing on the size of the problems and start focusing on the size of you".

So, you know what to do now? Go! Go make yourself bigger!

I wish you Success in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Little Things Mean a Lot?

2008-12-16T18:42:00.000-08:00

I was slightly off my normal "take-off" time to go to the office. As the thought floated in while I was driving, that I could be late (a minute or two) to punch-in at the office door, I realised that "little things mean a lot".

At a training seminar in June 2008, the trainer informed that the doors would close at 10.45 a.m. I was in the long queue to get a cup of coffee, and it was already 10.40 a.m. The long walk to the seminar room with the hot coffee cup ensured I missed the 10.45 a.m. window. Some ladies missed the 10.45 window because of the long queue in the toilet (any lady has had the experience?).

All had to wait for the next window of opportunity. There were murmurings of complaint of the lack of sufficient toilet facilities. These were ignored. I didn't dare murmur about the coffee queue. It was 15 minutes later, that the doors were opened.

Will you feel good to go in, with all eyes on you? Don't you regret missing some of the information that was imparted during the 15 minutes you were "locked out"? Especially if the speaker was a multi-millionaire?

This particular trainer was similarly raving and ranting at another seminar that I attended. Those who attended his seminar for the first time would be wondering, "Why does he rant and rave, as if possessed by naughty spirits, over a little one or two minutes or 5 minutes delay in entering the seminar room, by 5% of the participants?"

Why do you think that he insisted that you are on time? And everytime?

I attended a Quality Management training seminar organised by Japan's Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) in Yokohama, Japan in July 1992 (yes ... in the last century). We were given a revised travel itinerary sheet, one day after the original was given. I scrutinised the sheet to see what the revision was all about.

It was that the time for the arrival of the Shinkansen (bullet train) had been revised from 1042 to 1041. A difference of 1 fricking minute! Do you think it is that important to revise the sheet?

If you arrived at the station platform exactly at 1042, would it be important for you to have received the revised itinerary copy?

The Japanese are known for their attention to detail. Sticklers for punctuality. Worship the God of Quality.

Are you surprised that the Japanese economy developed super fast from the ashes of World War II? That Toyota has overtaken General Motors (GM)? That Toyota has big cash reserves, while GM will go bankrupt soon (if there is no government cash bail-out)?

Have you attended meetings where the Meeting Chairman is late? What do you think of the Chairman? Thank your lucky stars because you too were delayed (hehehe ... not you of course, but your friends)?

I once worked for one of the biggest (if it was not the biggest) multinational oil corporation in the world. Meetings were always on time. The Meeting Chairman always started the meeting on time, and it generally ended on time. Do you have respect for whoever chaired the meeting? Do you think the organisation is a fricking good one, or a mediocre one? Would you be a better employee, or manager, if you worked in this corporation?

You are aware that "Procrastination is a thief of time". Yet, how many people (no, ... not you, of course) procrastinate? You may miss the Shinkansen train. You may miss the golden business opportunity.

You may miss the marriage wagon ... so, go tell him (or her) that he (or she) is the answer to your lonely prayer ... an angel from above ... NOW! PRONTO!

The moral of the story? Little things mean a lot, because what you do for the little things, reflects what you do for the big things. If you do not know how to manage your present income of $10,000 a year, you will not know how to manage an income of $1,000,000.

If you mismanage your $10,000 income now, you will mismanage the future $1,000,000 dowry that you receive from your future beautiful wife. Even the future beautiful bungalow that is part of the marriage dowry you will receive. You got it? ... I mean ... not the money and the bungalow ... hehehe!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Who is Your Hero(ine)?

2008-12-14T18:02:00.000-08:00

Who is your hero? Superman? Wonderwoman? Spiderman? Ultraman? Superinggo (a Phillipines TV character)? Ironman? Powerman? Policeman? Fireman? Conman (God forbid!)? Cicakman (a 'Malaysia-Truly Asia' character)?

Your kid whose hero is Ultraman will watch Ultraman videos umpteen times. He will kick you as you pass by, just like Ultraman does. If you happen to be sitting, and his hands go to your face (accidentally), your spectacles will fly to the ground (it happened to me ... attacked by someone else's kid!).

That is why the dumb box is bad for your kids. Your kids will pick up the aggressiveness shown in cartoons or children's shows. TV-viewing for your kids must therefore be controlled.

Heros act as role models for you. When you think of your uncle who was kind to you, you will want to be like him.

Seeing a trainer in Sweden treat the dinner-lady with the utmost respect, and thanking her with a bouquet of flowers, you want to be like that trainer when you become one.

When you see an elderly gentleman with a lovely young woman, how do you react? Say in your mind, "Dirty old man!"?
Or, "I wonder what he has that can attract a beautiful woman. Perhaps I can learn a thing or two from him on the art of being a charmer".

When you see a beautiful lady in a sports car, what goes in your mind? You think, "She must be somebody's mistress"?
Or, "Hhmmm ... nice car ... I wonder how I can learn from her on how to get that dream car"?

What goes in your mind when you see a well-dressed gentleman, getting out of a luxury car? "He must be a conman, to be able to get such an expensive car. Maybe, he's a drug king."
Or, "He must be a successful businessman. I wonder if I can get the opportunity to listen to him one of these days at a Business Forum or Conference."

In all the above instances, what you think does not have any impact on the person concerned. But it does have a huge and tremendous impact on you!

If you don't like successful people, you will not become successful. If you don't like rich people, you will not become rich. Because your sub-conscious mind cannot accept success or riches. It has been programmed to accept failure and poverty.

When you admire positive-minded people, you will become positive-minded. When you admire healthy people, you will become healthy.

The moral of the story? That which we admire, we attract. That which we bless, we attract. That which we love, we attract.

If you admire a millionaire property investor, won't you take steps to find out how he became successful? And you then follow in his foot-steps?

When you bless a person for her awesome achievement in being an expert (say, in her field of using magic to teach mathematics), won't you be blessed later on? ... when you are the expert in your own field?

When you show genuine love to a child, won't she feel your positive vibrations? What if the child is 18 years old? Now you know the secret? ... hehehe!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

You Want Success, or You are Committed to Success?

2008-12-10T22:56:00.000-08:00

You want success? You want wealth? You want good health?

Of course you want all the above. But not everyone attains them.

You want to have good health? I believe that 99%, of the folks out there, will put good health as their number one priority in life. Above success and wealth. Is it true for you, as well?

But what have you done today (or this week, or this month) to ensure you have good health?

Do you exercise? Everyday? Once a week? Once a month? Once a year - at the annual company open day (social day) where there is mass aerobics as one of the items on the agenda?

Have you stopped smoking the poison stick? Have you taken the proper food for your body? Have you taken supplements? To correct any nutritional deficiencies that your body may have (because of hereditary, or age, factors)?

You want wealth? But have you set how much wealth you actually want? $10,000 a year income? $30,000 a year? $500,00 a year? $1,000,000 a year?

Your mind is like a heat-seeking missile. Once you set the target, the missile will inexorably move towards it. Your mind will move towards thinking how to get $10,000 a year once you set it. It will move towards thinking how to get $1,000,000 a year, once you set it. You choose your target. Your mind will go towards it.

Once you set your financial target, have you calculated or determined what you must do to achieve it? On a daily basis? Weekly? Monthly? Annually? People do not plan to fail, they fail to plan (right?).

It's a good starting point when you want success. What's the difference between those who want success, and those who achieve success?

Those who do not achieve success merely want success, but do not know exactly what they want. They are also lazy to go all the way. They lack the determination to follow-up. And to follow-through.

Those who achieve success complete all three steps below.

First, decide what you want. How much money do you exactly want? How many kilogrammes do you want to reduce (your weight, baby ... not the gold bars in your bank safety box ...hehehe ... just checking)? You then must follw-through with the next step.

Second, plan how to achieve it. How much properties do you need to buy? How much money must you save per day, or per month, or per year to enable you to buy the properties?

How many hours must you exercise in the gymnasium (per day, per week) to get to Angelina Jolie's or Jeniffer Aniston's beautiful body shapes? What type of diet (more vegetables and fruits!) to follow?

Third, you work your plan. You COMMIT TO SUCCESS. To do what needs to be done. To do whatever it takes. This is where most folks (not you, of course) fail. The lack of the final follow-through. For lack of Persistence. Edward Eggleton wrote, "Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure."

Do you wake up in the mornings, and think of reasons why you cannot achieve what you want to attain?

Or do you wake up, thinking of ways to achieve your dreams? To not spend that money on a home-video system with 42-inch flat screen TV, because you want to keep it as seed money for your investment? It's from an acorn that a giant oak grows.

To not stay late in bed, or watch the dumb box, so that you can go cycling 40 km (or 100 km, if that's what really turns you on, baby!) on Sundays? To spend your Saturday afternoons attending classes on nutrional therapy. So that you know what to put inside your mouth (no ... definitely not sausages ... naughty girl!) to keep you healthy?

I read in the newspapers about the winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 awards. The winner for the Technology Entrepreneur Award (Harvinder Singh) said, "... being an entrepreneur is ... very challenging..., what people see from the outside are the successes, big projects completed, the money made. What they do not see is the struggle and pain you go through .... The strength of an entrepreneur ... is more of the ability to keep getting up each time you fall and keep going when all odds are against you."

The niece of the winner of the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year award (who collected the award on behalf of her aunt Noraini Soltan), said this about the winner, "... I see my aunt as ... most hardworking person and she never gave up in whatever she does."

The moral of the story? There is no such thing as a free lunch. There is no such thing as instant success.

Instant coffee, yes. Instant noodles, yes. Instant gratification, yes. Instant loan approval, yes. Instant office, yes.

Instant success, NO! It needs long-term commitment.

You want your marriage to be a success? To last? It needs long-term commitment. Till death do us part?

Peter Drucker said, "Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans."

I wish you Success in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

You Want to Win, or to be Safe?

2008-12-07T00:47:00.000-08:00

On 31st December 1980 (wow ... yes ... in the previous century! ...I am a Centurion ... almost ...hehehe!), I bought a book - "Business as a Game" - by Albert Z. Carr.

At the back of the book cover, it said: "How to succeed in business by really trying. Is life in the executive jungle really a game? Yes, ... and the difference between the men who make it to the top and the also-rans is in mastering the business game's unwritten rules and hidden calculations..."

I read in the newspapers last week-end that there are thousands of unemployed university graduates. A mismatch between what the market demands, and the supply by the universities. So it seems.

However, who are the graduates who managed to get job offers? Yes, those who are are able to adapt.

Yes, those who are versatile. Have multiple talents. Played team games. Got involved in extra-curricular activities like the Boy Scouts or Girl Guides or St John's Ambulance Brigade. Got involved as actors/actresses in the school dramas. Played leadership roles. So, yes ... life is also a game! In this case, your working life ... your "getting a job" life.

In life, do you play to win? Or to be safe?

As an undergraduate, to play to win, you must be the best. Either academically, or (even better) both academically and in extra-curricular activities. You represent 5% of the undergraduates, when you are in this category. 1% when you excel both in and out of the lecture room.

Similarly with life. To be safe is to be mediocre. To be average. Like 95% of the people.

To play to win, you need to be in tip-top condition. To take be an Olympic Champion, you need to train everyday. Four years before the actual day, your training has to start in ernest. Do you want to be an Olympic champion?

Two "investment experts" exchanged letters in The Star newspaper. One said that savings kept in the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) earned better returns, than if they were to be invested in the local stock market.

The other said that investing your savings in the stock market is better than keeping it in the EPF. This expert (surprise, surprise!) represents a mutual fund company which encourages the public to take out their savings in the EPF, and invest in mutual funds.

Both are right. Huh? How can both be right? Surely there is Truth and there is Falsehood? Day and Night? Black and White?

Yes, you are right! And you are wrong! Heard about half-truths? Dusk and dawn? The colour Grey? Well, the two experts used different methods of computing the returns.

However, what may interest you is the conclusion by one of the experts. He wrote, "... based on the Sharpe Ratio, EPF is any time far better than KLCI (local stock market index in "Malaysia - Truly Asia").

"... we are 95% confident that the EPF returns will range from 3.7% to 9.7%. ...KLCI returns will range between - 51.6% and 72%. The lowest return from EPF is positive +3.7% versus negative -51.6% for KLCI".

The moral of the story? If you want to play safe (and average), play the investment (money) game using the defensive strategy. Get a maximum (potential returns) of 9.7%.

If you want to win (be rich!), play the game using the assertive (not aggressive) strategy. Get a maximum (potential returns) of 72%.

In short, life's a game. To play to win, be the best in your field. To play the money game, aim to be a millionaire if you want to win. Winners get a better deal!

I wish you Success in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. "But, wait!" ... (you scream), ... "I may lose 51.6% of my savings if I follow the so-called assertive strategy". Well, Robert Kiyosaki does not recommend you invest in mutual funds. Or play the stock market, as most of us play it (i.e. lose money ... no, not you, of course ... the other 95% of the players), precisely because of this concern of yours.

P.P.S. "So how?", you may ask. The answer? There is no instant path to wealth. No short investment advice. Read all the articles in this blog (hehehe!).

P.P.P.S. In short, life's a game. Making money is a game. To win the money game, you need to start by targeting an income of at least a million dollars. Passive income!

How Important Are Your Friends?

2008-12-03T23:45:00.000-08:00

Read in today's newspaper about how a guy died from holding a karaoke mike. No, no - there was no electrical fault (that electrocuted him while he was in the karaoke room). No, no - mike is not a guy. Mike = microphone.

It seems that the guy just loved singing. Whilst a few others just loved a bit of peace and quiet.

He hogged the mike. It led to an argument with a few others who had asked him to let go of the mike. And the final result was that he was stabbed to death. A sad and tragic story, but unfortunately true.

Less than two weeks ago, a few of my friends also were holding a mike and merrily croaking (ooops ... I mean, singing - "karaokeing") until 3 a.m. in the morning at a golf and country resort. None of us had any urge to kill any of our friends who were holding the mike. Even if their wives were croaking (there I go again ... I mean "karaokeing"). I mean, we had no urge to kill either them or their wives!

A study reported in the British Medical Journal said that happiness is infectious, and can "ripple" through social groups such as family and friends.

The study's authors (Professor Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School and Professor James Fowler of the University of California) said, "Changes in individual happiness can ripple through social networks and generate large scale structure in the network, giving rise to clusters of happy and unhappy individuals."

"Most important from our perspective is the recognition that people are embedded in social networks and that the health and well-being of one person affects the health and well-being of others."

To you and me, what the above study means (in not so erudite language) is that if you mix with good people, you become a good person. You mix with criminals, you will become a criminal.

The moral of the story? Who your friends are, will determine who you will be. Mix with positive-minded-friends, you become positive-minded. Mix with loving and caring people, you become a more loving and caring person.

Mix with rich friends, you become rich. O.k., I don't mean that you ask your millionaire friends for a donation of $1,000,000, made out in your name. But you will be able to gain their advice on important investments. And your thinking will be like them. Remember Napoleon Hill's book, "Think and Grow Rich"? You see the connexion now?

See how important your friends are? WHAT? You have not a single soul in this world who is your friend? You are presently a hermit living in a cave in the deep jungles of "Malaysia - Truly Asia", and will only be returning to civilisation in 3 years' time?

What advice can I give you? I understand that you are very shy, and will run away from your own shadow. Well, get all the classic motivation books. They can be your first friends. You will follow my advice? Thank you. I love you!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. A few days after the croaking session above, one of my friends (a homeopathic practitioner) emailed/forwarded a message about how to immediately help a stroke victim, using an alternative/traditional approach (i.e. non-conventional medical practice). Another friend who is a neurosurgeon (he operates on your brain if a blood vessel bursts there) said that the traditional advice was "rubbish". Do you think they will start attacking each other? Whether with words ... or knives (or surgeon's scalpels ... or operating saws)?

P.P.S. An opportunity to spend five days having discussions with a multi-millionaire is offered to you. At his exclusive, beautiful home on top of a hill in Hawaii, with a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean and the islands. Limited to 20 persons only. Would you grap the opportunity? For a $20,000 fee. What's your comment?

What's the "Be - Do - Have" Formula?

2008-11-28T02:51:00.000-08:00

I invited a very good friend for a business preview seminar. I didn't say much because I was not too familiar with the business myself. My friend postponed another appointment (a training session) to accomodate my invitation.

Another person that I contacted had said that she would attend the seminar. Later she said that she had some other urgent appointment. I believe it was just an excuse, but that doesn't matter. Whether it was true that she had another urgent appointment or not, it's her life ... her destiny, not mine.

What do you think is the difference between the two persons above? Other than their sex (one said "Yes please" and the other said, "I got a headache" ... hehehe ... that woke you up?).

I realised that one person is into Action. He just says, "O.K. I will be there." He is in the present. When he attends the business preview, he will be in the present. Not the past. Not the future.

This Action person behaves the same way with regard to other aspects of life. I once asked him, "Are you going to join the 140 km bicycle ride on Sunday?" His answer (without missing a beat) was, "Yes."

He does not think, "Ooohh ... how many hours will that take?"
"We will be cycling across the mountain range, I wonder if I can make it?"
"Will my 14-year old son be able to complete the distance?"

[Although I had just started cycling a couple of months back, I decided to join him on this 140 km ride. Because my cycling "prowess" was not too far behind his ... hehehe ... I needed a friend when I am (always) at the back of the cycling group! We started at 7 a.m. What time do you think we returned to our starting point (carpark)?]

The other person is into thinking ... too much! You have heard of information overload? The Paralysis by Analysis syndrome?

She's not in the present. She's in the future. She's in the past.
"Is it an MLM business?"
"Is it direct selling?"
"I don't want to sell like what I see some people do. Some people open a small table and start selling (a product, or a service)."
"I think that the business will not be appropriate to my present business/interests."

For heaven's sake, baby! You have not heard what the potential business is all about! And you are making comments as though you have listened (for two and a half hours) and understood, what the new potential business is all about? Good heavens! You know these kind of people? Make sure you don't spend your precious time with them, o.k?

The moral of the story? "Who you are" is "what you are 'be'ing". It is also critical that you are always "being in the present" (as opposed to the past or the future) when you are 'be'ing yourself.

Why? Because "being in the present" eliminates fear. Fear of your past negative experience - which in all probability will not recur. And imagined fears of the future - which in all probability will not occur. It does not mean that you are unaware of your past, or the possibilities of the future.

The 'be' in you is the 'thinking' in you. The 'thinking' in you will lead to your 'do'ing - the actions that you take. Your actions will lead to what you will 'have'. Your 'haves' are your results. Your results are your successes.

Success in life requires you to follow the "Be - Do - Have" formula in that exact sequence. When you become a better person, you will take better actions, and you will get better results.

Interesting? So, be an interesting person, o.k.? You will take interesting action. With interesting results. Such as marrying an interesting person ... awesome, isn't it? Hehehe!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. You guessed the time that we returned from the 140 km ride? You are right! ... if you guessed 5.30 p.m. The next day, I had a challenge to climb the stairs to my office ... hehehe.

P.P.S. Did my friend take up the business opportunity? I will inform you when you give your answer (and e-mail address) in the comments... hehehe!

You Have Ups and Downs? the Economy Too?

2008-11-26T16:58:00.000-08:00

I cycle for exercise. The wheels of the bicycle go round and round. Hmmm ... why are we talking about my Sunday morning Rubberman bike rides?

Ooooohhh ... ok ... we are going to talk about cycles. Not only for exercise (bicycles). But also for our financial planning (economic cycles). For our investment (property cycles). Menstruation cycles ... no, no ... I will let my Gynaecologist friends write about this in their blog ... hehehe ... you should give them a chance too (to write about cycles).

You should expect, based on history, to undergo one depression and two recessions in your life-time. Your life-span is 75 years - if your don't misuse and abuse your body ... hehehe!

Of course, your personal depressions can be more (karaoke girl-friend left you, mistress left you, wife left you, kids left you, mummy left you, money left you, ...). Here, you should think about an economic depression. And economic recession.

What's the difference between an economic recession and an economic depression? You may realise that there's a recession, when your neighbour loses his job. A depression is when you lose your job. A depression is a more severe form of recession. You get more severe headaches (after finishing your severance package).

So, how can you avoid a recession, or a depression (worse, isn't it)? Simple, if you think it out logically ... don't have a job!

No job? "My daddy and mummy told me to study hard, and get a good job with security", you say to yourself. Well, with the present Information Age (and Knowledge) economy, a safe secure job is no more a reality if you are in developed countries like the United States of America.

In some countries, like "Malaysia - Truly Asia", you can still get a safe secure job in the (government) civil service. But whether it is a good job (in terms of salary and benefits), is subject to interpretation and your personal propensity to spend (economist's terms for whether you are a big spender or careful saver!).

If you don't have a job, what are you going to do? Be a hippie ? Well, that was in my time - in the 1960s. You were born too late, baby!

Robert Kiyosaki (and all the other millionaires too, I believe) recommends that you become an investor. "But ... but ... nobody told me to be one." Yes, no one asked you to be one because school teachers are employees. Maybe, one teacher in a million is an investor.

Anyway, it's never too late to learn. There are numerous training programs and seminars teaching you to be an investor. Property investment. Stock investment. They will teach you that there are monthly cycles, yearly cycles, ten-year cycles, etc. (Of course, the best for health is daily bi-cycle...hehehe! ... just to keep you awake).

When you have enough knowledge about cycles, about ups and downs, about booms and busts, you will be able to survive. If you are into properties, you make money whether the market is up or down. If you are into the stock market, or options trading, you will make your money - whether there's a boom or a bust.

Non-investors have a hard time, especially recently. In October, the TV showed some workers in the United States of America lamenting that they have lost 50% of their retirement savings (or investments), because of the stock market melt-down starting in September 2008. Robert Kiyosaki (and quite a few others, of course) knew that this economic depression would come.

What's the secret of successful investors? They have the knowledge - so you make sure you read books and attend training/seminars! Investors also learn how to manage risks (so that their investment risks are minimal or zero!).

The moral of the story? Up and downs is a fact of life. Of your life. Of the economic life. Of the business life. When you realise this - not only during the bust-time, but especially during the boom time - you prepare yourself (Be Prepared - your Boy Scout's motto ... remember?). Your life would then be plain sailing. Or smooth cycling (for road - compared to mountain - cyclists like me ... hehehe!).

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. I asked a property millionaire whether it is a bad time to invest in real estate, given the economic depression which is coming very very soon. He replied, "No. It simply means that we will have more raw materials (auctioned properties) to choose from, for our money-making machine."

Is Destiny a Matter of Chance, or Choice?

2008-11-23T22:31:00.000-08:00

What is your destiny?

To be poor? To be rich? To be middle class? To be famous? To be infamous? To be unknown? To help only yourself? To help as many people as you can?

If you want to be successful, in whatever endeavour, you need to make a choice. Nothing happens by chance.

If you think that your life is a case of a chance happening, or of chance happenings, you will become a victim of life. You have met these people. They blame everyone, or an event, for their dire straits in life.

I was reading some comments on the internet. I was shocked (well, I shouldn't be, but still it came as a shock) to find many people writing, and blaming the financial tsunami in the United States of America on the U.S.A.'s President-elect Barack Obama! Good heavens! What a convenient scape-goat. You can get sick, if you read the way these people blame other people.

Research has shown that the criminals in prison never blame themselves for being in prison. "It's the government's fault that I am in prison."
"It's the teachers' fault that I am in this situation."
"It's my parent's fault that I am in this unfortunate condition."
It is never their fault!

A neigbour went to the extreme though, of practising 'destiny is a matter of choice'. He was highly educated with a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. degree, and was a lecturer at a university. He rented a house for $400, but stopped paying the rental after some time (the house-owner was working and staying 250 kilometers away). When asked why he did not pay his rental, he said that he was saving the money to buy his own house. Unbelievable? But a true story! He really wanted to make the choice to have money to pay for his own house! But his degrees certainly does not make him a better man, don't you think so? He's robbing his landlord, to help himself!

An office colleague gambled a lot of his money on horse racing. One day, I saw a notice in the newspapers, and it was his house that was to be auctioned by the bank! When you play 'games of chance' to become rich, what are your chances?

There are even books published to help you interpret your nightly dreams. For example, if a monkey appeared in your dream, it would represent the number 583, and if you dreamt of a red ladies underwear, it would represent the number 912. These are supposedly to help you win the $1,000,000 jack-pot that can make you an instant millionaire!

Why are these books able to be published? Because many people want to be rich the easy way - interpreting their nightly dreams! Hahahaha! Funny, but true reality! These people's dreams naturally turn to financial nightmares, later on in life.

You can easily find out people who make themselves out as victims of circumstances. They use the three 'Cs' as their guiding light - Criticising, Complaining, and Condemning, everything that is happening in the world (most often in their own limited little world). You can easily meet these people in the company canteen or dining room.

The moral of the story? You create the life that you want. When you realise that destiny is a matter of choice, and not a matter of chance, you will take the necessary action to achieve your life's goal(s) and desires.

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. Did the office colleague who lost his house because of gambling his money away become homeless? It was lucky that his wife had her own apartment, and he was saved from joining the homeless brigade.

Do You See Obstacles, or Opportunities?

2008-11-23T19:10:00.000-08:00

What happens to you when you see obstacles? Will you be energised to act, or will you be petrified to act??

What happens when you see opportunities? Will your energy level, to take action, decrease or increase?

You are aware of the story of the two shoe salemen who were sent to a certain country to do a market survey for their product? Salesman 'A' saw the so-called natives not wearing any shoes. He reported to World Headquarters in "Malaysia - Truly Asia", "There is no market potential - no one's wearing shoes here." Will salesman 'A' be motivated to take the next step to meet his sales target?

Salesman 'B' also saw that the natives were not wearing shoes. He reported back, "There is a massive golden opportunity here - no one's wearing shoes yet!" Will Salesman 'B' be moved to take immediate action to meet his sales target?

What your mind focuses on, expands. When your mind focuses on obstacles, you see obstacles.

When your mind focuses on opportunities, opportunities seem to appear in front of you. Sometimes, as though out of thin air.

Remember when you were thinking of buying a new (say, a Toyota Rush) vehicle? Didn't you, suddenly, become aware of Toyota Rush vehicles on the road as you drive your old dilapidated jalopy? This is the Law of Attraction in action. What your mind focuses on, your eyes will see.

I have talked to dozens of my friends and acquaintances regarding an investment program in properties which gives at least a 20% annual Return-On-Investment (ROI). (I have no financial rewards or share in this program. I simply wanted to share the financial reward opportunity).

Only two guys understood what I was saying about the program. One guy was because his father-in-law was personally using a similar business model, as his primary source of income. The other guy was because he and his brother were using a similar business model to generate an additional source of income.

The other guys only saw obstacles when I explained the program to them. "It's too good to be true." "Beware of people collecting money from you, giving good returns in the beginning, and one fine day disappearing into thin air."

A similar business program was presented to some 500 people in Singapore in June 2008. The preview showed how money could be made from opportunities arising from the U.S.A.'s sub-prime loans crisis.

Yes, many people will unfortunately lose money from the sub-prime loan crisis. Yes, they chose to be in that position (although you may not agree with this statement). A few will make money from the sub-prime loan crisis. Yes, they also chose to be in this position. Life's a choice, don't you think so?

The annual Return-On-Investment was stated as 19% to 26%. "Too good to be true", thought the cynics, who see obstacles in their mind. "Sounds a very reasonable rate of return", thought those who have the knowledge (or experience) of how the property market works.

Exactly the same presentation and information, but completely different interpretations or views. Interesting, isn't it?

The moral of the story? Opportunities abound. Whether for a business opportunity, or a life partner! Look and you will see! Ask and you will be given!

I wish you Success in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth for you and your family. Take care!

P.S. A very good friend of mine joined the property investment program when I told him about it. He said he trusts me (thank you sir!). I believe his trust in me jumped a quantum leap when he saw the bank cheque from my investment! ... Hehehe ... he's one smart guy, don't you think so?

Why Do You Need To Market 'You'?

2008-11-20T00:24:00.000-08:00

Is Coca Cola an internationally recognised brand? Have you drank Coke? The Real Thing?

If Coca Cola is a readily recognised international brand, why do they spend lots of money on advertisements and promotions? After all, everyone knows Coca Cola, isn't it?

So what is the reason they spend a lot on promotions and advertisements? To be number 1? Yes! You are right! They have a lot of competitors, such as Pepsi Cola.

If Coke spends tonnes of money to market itself, shouldn't you - a mere unknown (at this point in time, but certainly not forever!) - also do some promotion? Some marketing? Self promotion?

One fine day in 1997, I decided to join an international MLM (multi level marketing) company. Why? Because you can make lots of money? True, but that was not the principal reason; because I had no confidence that I would be able to do what it takes in that business.

My principal reason was to find out how network marketing works. To understand its principles, so that when people give their opinion on this method of marketing products or services, I will give a knowledgeable answer. From actual experience of being in the industry. Rather than hearsay.

MLM or network marketing companies use one of the most effective forms of advertising or marketing - word of mouth. That's what I learnt.

Are we digressing from our topic? No, because another lesson I learnt is that if you are in any business, you should promote that business.

Me? I was trying to hide it. From anything that breathes. Why? Because some folks have the wrong information on the MLM industry. They 'think' its a pyramid scheme. (And I was afraid people would associate me with this). Because they 'think' (without the right information), they do not take 'action' to grap one of the best business opportunities in the world.

Once he learnt about the awesome power of the network marketing business model, Robert T Kiyosaki wrote "The Business School for People Who Like to Help People" to describe the advantages of being involved in the network marketing industry.

Of course, network marketing is not for everyone. But it sure would be a great help for a lot of people, if they just opened their minds.

Robert Kiyosaki also states that one of the most important personal skills that you must learn, to succeed in life, is selling! Because selling trains you to tame the fear of rejections! Can you handle twenty 'No's before you get one 'Yes'?

Harv T Eker wrote, "... any leader who can't or won't promote will not be a leader for long, be it in politics, business, sports or even as a parent. (Also)... Leaders earn a heck of a lot more money than followers!"

The moral of the story? If you do not promote yourself, no one else will. If you do not sell your business, no one else will. If you do not transfer your enthusiasm ('the radio wave by which you transmit your personality to others'), no one else will. Go sell, with integrity, the product "YOU"!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. In case you are the curious kind, which MLM company did I join? Give me your answer in the Comments space. If you give me your email, I will confirm the answer privately! Of course, if you guessed right, I will give you a little gift. Fair deal?

What is Your Net Worth?

2008-11-18T16:46:00.001-08:00

Why is your Net Worth important? Because once you have a Net Worth (instead of net liability!), you will be able to proceed to more wealth! "The journey of one million dollars starts with one single dollar", said the famous philosopher MyFinancial$Sense.

Common folks talk in terms of having a salary increase of 30% (a promotion) or 5% (annual increase to keep up with inflation, but not with personal expenses!). Rich people talk in terms of increasing Net Worth. Common folks talk of increasing Working Income.

Six years ago, a friend of mine, a millionaire (must be, because he lived in a million-dollar bungalow, and also had just been given a million-dollar golden handshake, with more than a million dollars in his retirement fund, plus a few road/racing bicycles worth what 3 administrative assistants would earn in a year!) said of another friend, "Dick will be worth a couple of (more like 50) million dollars when his company is listed on the stock market." It's only now that I understand that rich people never talk of 5% or 30% increase in your working income.

How do you calculate your Net Worth? Simple: add (expressed in '$ & c') everything that you own, and then minus everything that you owe.

If you own: a house which you bought for $300,000 (market value $180,000 because of the U.S.A.'s sub-prime crisis), an apartment which you bought for $ 125,000 (market value $ 160,000 because it is situated in the Central Business District), savings bonds of $10,000 (fixed value), 60,000 units of mutual funds which you bought @ $1.30/unit but whose price today is $0.50 (because of the world's worst financial market in two decades), an 8-year old car bought for $50,000 but now worth $10,000 on the market, a 2-year old car which you bought for $ 37,000 (market value $ 9,000 because it's a lemon), and you owe: the bank $25,000 (loan for 2-year old car), what is your Net Worth? (A special prize awaits you if you get the right answer!).

T Harv Eker states that four (4) factors determine your Net Worth:
(1) Income, (2) Savings, (3) Investments, and (4) Simplification.

Income can be from Active Income, or Passive Income.

Active Income is when you trade your 'time' for 'money'. Your time is worth less (perhaps $4/hour) when there is a lot of supply (e.g. you work as a manual worker, perhaps packing items into a cardboard box). If you have specialised skills (like a neuro-surgeon, divorce lawyer for the rich and famous, or creative marketing consultant), your rate could be $10,000 per hour.

Passive Income is when you have an income stream whether you are awake or asleep (or gone to heaven!?! ... Elvis Presley - o.k., ok., his estate - still earns lotsa $$$$ from his songs' royalties). Or you write a best-selling book (not a best-written book, for heaven's sake!), and collect your royalties as you go on a tropical cruise.

Savings is critical because because they will become the seeds of your investment, once it reaches a minimum level. Savings indicates that you have the discipline not to let money get completely out of your hands. If you can't keep it, others will! Get the message?

From your savings (if you keep it in the bank, some banks offer 4% per annum, a few may offer 12% when they are really short of funds), you will accumulate over a period of time to use for Investments.

Investments in gold, property, stocks or business? For a Mc Donald's or Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise, you may need a $1,000,000 investment. For a network marketing company's rights to market their products, the 'franchise fee' could be less than a $100. Without an investment fund, you may miss golden business opportunities which require investments of between $10,000 to $100,000.

Simplification requires you to reduce your cost of living, so that you can increase your savings and investments faster. A property millionaire started his road to riches by simplification, when he realised that almost 100% of his income was on expenses, with little room left for savings and investments. How?

He got rid of his big car (he was a lawyer with his own firm) and changed to a compact car. He unloaded the driver (of his big car). His friends gingerly avoided him at the club (because they thought he was in dire financial straits). He's laughing his way to the bank now (and riding, with the breeze caressing his moustache, on his Harley Davidson around the country). FINANCIAL FREEDOM!

The moral of the story? Once you realise that your Net Worth is more important than your Net Income, you will be on your way to financial freedom. Focus on your Net Worth everyday (o.k., every month for starters), and you will see it grow.

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. Sshhh ... what about his big wife? No, no! The guy didn't get rid of his big wife (see story on Simplification above), in case you were wondering. Just joking (about his wife being big), for heaven's sake!

Is Money Working for You, or Are You Working for Money?

2008-11-15T05:39:00.000-08:00

Are you working for money? A simple but profound question, don't you think so?

Most of you may not realise that you are working for money. I found the comment from an office colleague interesting. He says he does not work for money - he works for the sake of God. Well, if he does not work for money, don't you think that he should give away his monthly salary to a House of God, or to an ophanage? Well, we don't want to touch on sensitive topics. I guess as long as he's happy in his own world, we should let him be.

It's as though you have been programmed since you came out of the womb. Perhaps even before you came out! If you were scanned through your mummy's tummy, and found to be a boy (well, the scan showed you had an appendage!), your parents may have had visions of you as a doctor, or lawyer, or accountant - never as a dancer, or as a network marketer ("goodness gracious me, why would anyone want to become that", thinks 95% of parents ... the ignorant ones).

If you were born a girl, your parents would have visions of you as ... da da! .... a doctor, or lawyer, or an accountant!

What would you like your children to become when they grow up? A philosopher? A rock star? A guitarist? Mother Theresa? A multi-level marketer?

What have you been programmed to, by your parents and the educational system, since you were born? To get a ... JOB! Yes, you are good, aren't you?

When you have been programmed to get a job, your life would be Just Over Broke. You will work to get money. To buy you a big bike. Buy you a big car. Buy you a big house. Buy you a big wife (!?!)... hehehe ... to check that you are not sleeping again!

When you get a $500 per month increment, you buy a bigger, more prestigious car. When you get another $1,000 per month increment, you up-grade your house. Whether you are a civil servant, a factory worker, a nurse, a lawyer, an accountant or a doctor. You are programmed to spend whatever extra you get. You work for money!

Rich people let money work for them. If they have $500 extra per month, they save it. Until it is enough to be invested. In mutual funds, or stocks, or gold, or property, or a business.

If you have $100,000 in your hand (your long lost auntie just left you that amount in her will), would you prefer to use it to buy a new car to replace your 8-year old car? How long would you need to think about this?

If you have a 'rich person's' mind, you would calculate the opportunity cost of buying a car rather than invest it. You may think, "If I buy a new car, I lose the opportunity to triple the $100,000 in 5 years (in a property investment program). Hmmm ... I need to see whether it's worthwhile to get a new car, at this moment in time. I must get my priorities right". This is what 5% of the people would do.

If you have a mind that 'works for money', you would simply and immediately say to yourself, "What the heck ... it's better that I get a new car immediately and enjoy life. You never know whether you will live long, anyway". This is what 95% of the folks out there would do. You are not in this category, of course.

The moral of the story? If you think short-term, you will always be working for money. If you think long-term, you will have money working for you.

"Delayed gratification" means that you are willing to have a hard time now, so that you will have an easy time in the future. "Instant gratification" means you want your pleasure now, and torture later (and forever?). Which one do you practise? You choose the life that you want!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

NeFiPELoG Money Management System?

2008-11-13T05:07:00.000-08:00

Under "Is There a Simple Money Management System (MMS)", you were introduced to the NeFiPELoG system. You need some elaboration on the six accounts that T Harv Eker came up with?

Ne = Necessities Account. This is the 50% of your income (after taxes) that you use to pay for your necessities, for your basic needs, such as your food and lodging. Without these necessities, you would not be able to live, or go to work.

Fi = Financial Freedom Account. This is the 10% of your income that you only use for investments. Or buying/creating passive income streams. The income derived from these investments must not be spent! It is to be further invested. Only when you retire (not necessarily at the formal/official retirement age) can you spend the passive income (i.e the principal remains untouched).

P = Play Account. The 10% of your income put into this account has to be spent every month! Why? Because if you just save, you may become addicted to saving only, and may become miserly. To nurture the habit of feeling good and being able to do things that your heart really desires (yes ladies - that cute Gucci hand-bag to match your sexy red shoes!), this play account money can be spent on anything that you fancy for the month. This makes you a 'holistic' person (I don't know whether you will turn into a holy man ... hehehe).

E = Education Account. You are familiar with the saying: "If education is expensive, try ignorance". This 10% of your income is for you to buy books, attend seminars, or pursue a course of study to improve your knowledge and skills. I met the General Manager of the Cameroon Development Corporation (Africa) in 1993, and found him very knowledgeable. I was impressed, and asked him his secret. He mentioned that when he was overseas and at the airport, he would buy books, because it was quite difficult to find a wide choice/range of books in his country. A few years later he was appointed the President of the Republic of Cameroon. They picked an excellent person. The right person, don't you think?

Lo = Long-Term Savings for Spending Account. This 10% of your income differs from the Financial Freedom Account in that it can use it anytime (and not only when you retire). The principle is that if you want to spend something, do not take a loan (especially a credit card loan!). Instead, save 10% of your income, and then spend when the accumulated savings is enough for you to buy the desired object (e.g. a new bedroom or sofa set, or a vacation to Tioman Island or Bora Bora).

G = Give Account. This 10% of your income is to be given out to your favorite charity or religious house. Winston Churchill said, "We make a living by what we earn - we make a life by what we give". Do you agree?

What is the moral of the story? If a multi-millionaire like T Harv Eker suggests that you manage your money according to the NeFiPELog system, doesn't it merit your attention? If he recommends the system, and he has the results to show for it, shouldn't you do your utmost to follow it? Even if you have $100 only to manage? That would be a measure of your discipline, isn't it?

Money, like everything in life, needs to be managed. If not managed, your money turns into a state of financial chaos. Isn't the global financial chaos a sign that you need to go back to basics?

I wish you Success in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Is There a Simple Money Management System (MMS)?

2008-11-11T17:15:00.000-08:00

Warren Buffet said, "Don't think that you have to be wealthy, before you can be an investor. You have to learn to be an investor, before you can be wealthy".

In other words, you don't have to have lotsa $,$$$,$$$ before you need to manage it. You need to manage it before you get lotsa $,$$$,$$$! Simple? Yes! But how many of you manage your money ... properly? Do you have a system to manage your $$$$$?

How much money do you receive over your life-time? Well, at least over your working life-time? For the majority you, it will be over $1,000,000! Wow! That's good news!

What's the bad news? You will spend most (if not all!) of the $1,000,000! How can this be? Indeed, how can it be?

But don't you agree, that oftentimes, truth is stranger than fiction? How can you personally check this out?

One way is for you to note your daily expenses for 30 days. Every single expense. Including credit card purchases.

A simple way to check other people's expenditure, in a roundabout way, is to check their bank balances.

Of course no one is going to show, (or allow you to check) their bank balance. But you can just (discreetly ... or like 007 ... your choice!) go to any automated teller machine (ATM), and collect the balance print-out slips. These are readily retrieved from the waste basket, or (not that many, though) from the tops of the ATM machines.

Check the balance slips. One set of slips - just after the beginning of the month. Another set of slips - just before payday at the end of the month. Can you please report to me your findings through the 'comments' on this blog?

The simplest Money Management System (MMS) is called E-S-I system. This requires you to separate your income into three separate items (or bank accounts!).

E = Expenses = 70% of your income.
S = Savings = 10% of your income.
I = Investments = 20% of your income.
Simple? 'Do'able? You doing it?

T Harv Eker has another (more sophisticated, or advanced, or complicated, ... depending on who you are?!?) system. There are six separate accounts or items, instead of the three for E-S-I system. It is the N-F-P-E-L-G system. For your easy memory retention, is it ok with you if we call it the NeFiPELoG system? Thank you for your kind agreement.

The six accounts are:
Ne = Necessities = 50% of your income
Fi = Financial Freedom = 10% of your income
P = Play = 10% of your income
E = Education = 10% of your income
Lo = Long-Term Savings for Spending = 10% of your income
G = Give = 10% of your income

T Harv Eker is 'a multi-millionaire many times over' (... I heard it right from the horse's mouth!). So if he says that the above is the key to your financial success, do you think we should have a debate with him?

The moral of the story? You are aware of friends or neighbours who earn more than $5,000 a month but who are broke (run out of cash before the end of the month! ... they love the month of February...hehehe!). You also know friends or neighbours who earn $2,000 a month but have cash left-over to be used the next month. How come the difference in results?

As T Harv Eker says, "The habit of managing your money is more important than the amount".

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. I read yesterday about a guy (in thirties or early forties) who experienced having his last $4.50 to be spent with his kid at McDonalds, and also of having his car reposessed, after having lost his job. He appeared to have had a very well-paying job before that. I do not know his exact background when he experienced all these 'sad situations' or 'traumas', but have you known your friends or neighbours being in similar situations? Hmmm ... care to share/comment? Thank you.

How to Manage Your Money?

2008-11-10T04:41:00.000-08:00

What is the key to financial freedom?

Is it to have a well-paying job? There are many well-paid executives who have big cars and big houses. They also have big loans! (And big wives? ... just joking ... to check whether you are paying attention!). But small or zero savings!

Is it to be lucky, and win a million dollars through the lottery? You have heard of many stories of people who won a million dollars in a lottery, but are back to square one in a matter of 2-3 years.

Did you see the story in the newspapers of a grandmother who received more than a million dollars (because her piece of land was acquired by the government) but who then lost it all? She then became dependent on her neighbours to provide her with food.

Why did these people not keep their big money? The reason is that they did not know how to manage money!

If you do not know how to manage $100, you will not be able to manage $1,000,000! Similarly, if you do not know how to take care of 1 tree, you will never be able to take care of a forest or a plantation with 1,000,000 trees.

My wife has difficulty in looking after potted plants or flowers. Even the most hardy of plants - the cactus - will die (not a sudden, horrible death, I hope ... but more of a slow death, I guess) when she buys from IKEA and keeps it in the house. Would you want her to look after the Botanical Gardens at Kew, England? God bless the flower plants and the trees!

Haven't you heard of the following saying: "'Happiness' is when you have $100, and you spend $99. 'Misery' is when you have $100, and you spend $101"?

The financial tsunami experienced by the United States of America in 2008 is caused by this principle. When many individuals practise 'misery' in their daily lives, the result would be 'misery' on a national scale. Even on a global scale.

When you have $100 and you spend $99, you will have $1 savings. When your financial habit is 'savings' of 1%, you will save $10 when you get $1,000. Your 1% habit will make you save $100 when you get $10,000.

One of the secrets to financial freedom is that you must 'invest'. When you 'invest', your money is working for you! Instead of you working for money! Isn't that neat? Which is your choice?

When you have a financial habit of 10% savings when your salary is $100 a month, what would your savings be when your salary becomes 1,000 per month? What would be your savings when you earn $10,000 per m0nth?

When you invest all your savings (10%) above, beginning when you earned $100 per month, do you think that you could be a millionaire in 20 years' time? Or 30 years' time? Or 40 years' time? Or when you retire? Would it give you peace of mind?

The moral of the story? When you develop your financial habit of saving at least 10% of the money that you get, you will be on your way to financial freedom. Your 10% savings will allow you to invest - letting money work for you (instead of you working for money). T Harv Eker wrote: "Until you show you can handle what you've got, you won't get any more!...We are creatures of habits, and therefore the habit of managing your money is more important than the amount".

I wish you Success in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Why Go the Extra Mile?

2008-11-06T00:59:00.001-08:00

Will going the extra mile (or km?) give you an advantage? Will it make you a significantly better person than 99.9% of the population?

When I was 15 (yes ... a very long, long time ago ... like eternity ... according to my kids Adam and Sabrina), I saw my senior at high school take part in the 100-metre dash (back in those "pre-historic times" it was known as the 110-yard dash).

He came in third. To me, that was a big achievement because he won a trophy (even though for third place). It also meant that he was part of the schools' 4x100 sprint-relay team. To a 15 year old, that was glamourous! Everyone in the school would know you. You would become famous!

But I don't believe that he woke up one fine morning, and became an immediate success as a sprinter. Having muscular legs to propel him at a velocity that can beat others.

I remembered that I had joined him (and a small group of other boys) once, 5 years before, to jog around our small town at 5.30 a.m. in the morning. He had been "training" for 5 years!

At that time, it did not seem like training - it was more of having fun with your friends. Just enjoying a run in the fresh and invigorating coolness of the morning. But the result 5 years later for him, was that he became a winner on the running track. He jogged almost every morning, whilst it was the first, and last, early morning run for me! See the different results? Law of Cause and Effect?

I was at a training camp a couple of weeks ago. We were given an exercise on the beach in the gloriously skin-burning (and energy-sapping) sunshine.

I noticed that one tall young guy (ok ... I agree ... any guy will be young when compared to ancient me) was willing to take more responsibility. In the form of more load (of bricks ... believe it ... or don't!) off other people whom he saw were struggling with the load. One of the 'people' was me ... that's why I know! hehehe!

Din (not some loud noise ... it's his name!) went the extra mile that day. I could not stop admiring him. If I were his father, I would have been very proud of him. If he was single (he's handsome), and I were a beautiful, sexy and voluptuous gal, I would have proposed to him right away that very evening!

Anyway, what do you think of Din (the guy, the guy! ... not the loud noise!)? Will you want to be his friend?

Will he attract businesss partners if he were starting a new business, and looking for partners? Will YOU be willing to do whatever he asks you? Why? Because you trust him. Because he is not selfish. Because he contributes to increasing life (well ... I thought I would die if one of the bricks was not taken away from me! ... hehehe!). Do you think that the Universe will help Din in whatever endeavour he undertakes?

The moral of the story? When you go the extra mile, you will be noticed. You will be a leader in whatever field you are involved in ... Sports ... Business ... Voluntary organisations ... Academia. Why? Because the majority are not willing to go the extra mile.

You go and be a leader. Do that little bit extra. You will attract goodness; maybe even greatness. Do your bit to make this a better Universe ... by being a better you!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. Ladies, I am sorry to disappoint you ... but Din's happily married.

P.P.S. Five days after writing the above, I attended a graduation dinner for Certified Professional Trainers (CPT). The organiser of a 2-day seminar on Global Branding gave out two free tickets to 2 of those present. The recipients did not expect to receive the $4,000-value tickets. The organiser recognised both of them for going the extra mile. One selflessly led the CPT alumni. The other pro-actively supported by (among others) writing, and e-mailing to members, about their 'monthly talks'. When you go the extra mile, the Universe is aware; and you will be rewarded - financially or in other terms!

Why Must You Have Continuous Improvement?

2008-11-04T16:09:00.000-08:00

"Kaizen" is the Japanese word for 'improvement'. It pertains to continuous improvement, whether in personal life, home life, social life or working life. Kaizen has even been credited as the key to Japan's competitive success.

How important is continuous improvement to you in your personal life? Should you aim to be a better person, day by day, at the rate of 1% a day? Or just on one special day in a year, you increase your ability by 100%?

Which do you think is easier - 1% a day improvement for 365 days? Or 365% on 31st December (so that you can relax and 'enjoy' life the rest of the previous 364 days?).

When you improve yourself by 1% everyday, don't you think you will be awesome after a year? When you make 'improvement' a habit, will it become more difficult or easier for you, as time goes on?

I attended a 4-day business seminar (conducted by a multi-millionaire), in Singapore in June 2008 at the Singapore Exposition Centre. About 2,000 participants from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, Australia, India and Maldives attended.

At the seminar, I met two millionaires - one from Maldives and the other from Singapore. I asked them why they were attending a business seminar, when they are already successful in their businesses. Both replied that they were looking for new ideas that could improve their business results. If millionaires are willing to attend training programs to improve their knowledge (to improve their results), shouldn't you also?

In organisations with enlightened Human Resource Management departments, continuous training is critical to their organisations' continuous drive for excellence. Formalised (out of the office) training, usually at least 5 days in a year, is planned for all staff. Informal (on the job) training is provided by constant job rotation (i.e. on average, two years in one job, before being assigned another job). An accountant could be trasferred to the Information Technology department for two years on a project. An engineer could be assigned to the Human Resource department for two years, to be in-charge of training (of engineers).

On an individual or personal level, you must continuously give more value to your organisation that you are working for. How? By becoming more efficient, perhaps by doing things faster. By becoming more effective, perhaps by getting new ideas from books, or using what you learned in formal training.

On an organisational level, the products or services that you deliver must have "use-value" which is more than "cash-value". This could be done by continuouosly improving product quality. Research and Development (R&D) is therefore critical in regard to this product quality aspect.

The moral of the story? As the saying goes, "If you are not growing, then you are dying". Wallace D Wattles aptly wrote, " Every living thing is under this necessity for continuous advancement; where increase of life ceases, dissolution and death set in at once." Abraham Lincoln said, "I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday."

Are You ready to take action to become a Better You? An "Improved You" Model?

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Why Should You Do What You Wanna Do?

2008-11-02T03:18:00.000-08:00

What do you need to succeed in any field of endeavour, or business venture? What do you need to succeed at your job?

My 7-year old son Adam loves to sing. He actually likes to sing loudly (a future rocker?), especially when having his morning shower (he has the makings of a bathroom singer .. like his father!). I think his pitching is sometimes off when he sings. I believe he will not make it to the finals of American Idol. (Mick Jagger - you are safe!) I think I'd better enter him for the Male Model of the Year competition. Mothers who look at him think he is handsome (... like his father? ... hahahaha! ... just being modest ... hahahaha! ... I am only joking, ok?).

6-year old Sabrina, on the other hand, sings better than her brother and father (and mother ... hehehehe ... don't tell her mummy ok? ... very sensitive issue ... I am all for peace in the world ... whether Green Peace, Nobel Peace Prize or, especially, Domestic Peace!). With her natural talent (let's say that it comes from her mummy's genes, ok?), plus some skills (music and voice) training, she may make it to the finals of American Idol.

In actual life, there will be many Sabrinas. People with talent and the skills. But not all will succeed, or be at the top of the pile.

There was a winner of a national singing competition many, many moons ago. He was not destined for greater things. Why? Because he did not know how to make the best use of his God-given assets. He did not come for TV recordings on time. He was high on drugs when he turned up for studio recordings. His drugs controlled him. When you do not respect yourself, will the Universe respect you?

I know someone who originally wanted to be a linguist when he was 12 years old. Along the way, he just followed what others told him to do. At 20, he decided that he wanted to be an accountant. But he let the environment decide for him. He read the physical sciences/chemistry full-time at University. But he was studying part-time, and sitting, for the professional Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) examinations at the same time.

His career started as an assistant chemist, because of his training and acquired skills in University. But deep in his heart, he wanted to be an accountant. He continued studying part-time while working as a chemist. If your son were in this situation, what would you advise? Do you think he will be happier with your advice? Or more successful?

Wallace D Wattles wrote, "Doing what you want is life ... ; ... And it is certain that you can do what you want to do; the desire to do it is proof that you have within you the power which can do it. Desire is a manifestation of power".

What is the moral of the story? You can achieve success in the field that you have been trained, or have acquired skills, in. But do not discount the possibilities in other fields that you have a passion, or interest, in. As the saying goes, "Interest is the soil in which intelligence grows". You will do much better in something which is closest to your heart, rather than doing something which you may merely be comfortable in.

When you have a focused dream, and you have a strong burning desire, your personal power will be amazing. Instead of comfortably running round and round in the chicken-coop, you will be freely soaring like an eagle!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. Did the guy who studied accountancy part-time become an accountant? Yes! He worked as a Senior Management Accountant at a multinational petroleum company.

Is 100% Effort in Your Action Necessary?

2008-10-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

In the formula "Vision + Action = Success", one of the critical aspects of the 'Action' component is that it should be implemented immediately. Procrastination will be a destructive force for you.

Another important principle is: you can only improve if you have done what you are required to do today. If you have given 100% effort today, it means you have completed your job or assignment. If you complete a task, you have achieved success in that task. If not, your task has been a failure.

Just imagine that you are asked to jump over a 1 metre drain. But you missed it by 1 centimetre. You fell into the drain. Because you jumped only 99% (1 metre = 100 centimetres).

Imagine that to achieve your goal or objective, you have to do 1,000 tasks along the way. For each task, you give 99% effort. Do you think you will achieve your goal?

In Quality Management, if you have 1,000 components in a product (say a car), and each component is 99% reliable, your product would have a very low reliability rate!

When you put in 100% effort in any activity, however insignificant it may appear to be, you have a success for that activity. A small success will give you confidence to achieve a bigger success. Your small success is training you to receive bigger success.

If you are required to do 20 activities in a day to achieve your vision, and you do each of them with 100% effort, you have 20 successes out of 20. A 100% success for the day. If you do this for 30 days, you would have a successful month. Do you think that you will have a better chance to successfully achieve your goal if you put in 100% effort, rather than 99% effort?

When you put in 99% effort, do you think you are doing well? Maybe yes, compared to the 95% of the people out there who give between 10% to 98%. But compared to your own personal goal (which requires your 100% effort), you are behind. So, if you want to achieve your goal or dream, 100% effort on your part is necessary. Nothing less!

However, do not overwork yourself. You do not need to do 110% effort, for example by doing tomorrow's task today. You need to focus on today's task; to do it at a 100% effort. You also need balance in your life.

If you give 100% effort to the action at hand, and you have your vision in mind as you take action, you will have "power" at your disposal. When your mind and your body are working in unison, do you think you have less, or more, power?

The moral of the story? When you have a vision, and you focus on it, and you give 100% effort to the actions that you are taking, wouldn't you achieve your goal faster?

If you fail to realise the importance of a 100% effort and commitment in anything that you do, you are only disrespecting yourself. Be the person that God meant you to be! Be the perfect creation that God created you! Be the 100% perfect (Zero Defect) person that you know you can be!

I wish you Success in your undertakings and Good Health to you and your family. Take care!

Vision + Action = Success

2008-10-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

Everthing starts with a thought. You see, or have a vision, in your mind before you actually get what you want.

Napoleon Hill wrote "Think and Grow Rich". Maybe that's a clue as to the starting point of getting anything that you want?

When you have a vision, your creative juices will start flowing. When you have a vision of a particularly delicious "food, glorious food", you may start to salivate (digestive juices flowing out?).

I have a friend who's vision is to have a young wife. Ever since he was 26. Even when he was 56. (Even when he's 86? ... well, we'll see! Anyway, you know about that guy who marrried a Playgirl when he was in his late 80s - or is it when he was already 90?).

My friend's first wife (when he was 26) was 16. His second wife (when he was in his early forties) was 22. His third wife (when he was in his late forties) was 24. His fourth wife (when he was in his fifties) was 18. Don't you think that he is an example of "what you think, is what you get"? Awesome!

Of course, you may argue that you also have the vision to have a young and pretty wife, but you are not as successful as my friend above. Perhaps you are a completely disastrous and miserable failure compared to my friend. Where have you gone wrong? Where did my friend go right?

The most probable answer between your miserable failure and his galloping success is "action". My friend took massive action.

Of course, sometimes he seeks support from a favorite auntie. To arrange for a list of 66 potential candidates. He had to go through almost half of the list to get his number 2 wife. A lot of entertaining and dining. I mean, its no joke to go through the list. If you have not tried doing it, then you wouldn't understand the amount of time (and money) that is needed to be expended. Are you ready for the sacrifice?

If you just have a vision of a pretty girl on your lap ... however hard you think .... however hard you focus ... however hard you meditate ... however hard you squint your eyes ... she ain't gonna fall from the sky onto your lap! If just having a vision worked, many Hollywood (and Bollywood) starlets would have gently fallen onto my lap too!

By taking action, you are actually preparing for the thing (that you envision), to be delivered to you. For you to be ready to receive it. Without action, that which you are supposed to receive, will wait in the distance...waiting for you.

You may know a friend who had undergone failure after failure after failure after failure ... and is now a success. If he has experienced failures, don't you think that he was actually preparing to receive success? Did his actions which led to his earlier failures, increased his knowledge of what not to do to achieve success?

If you have not met failure, how are you going to know success? A failure is actually a success, but facing the opposite direction, don't you think so? The other side of the coin, so to speak.

The critical importance of acting in the present, has been well said by Wallace D Wattles. He wrote: "You cannot act where you are not; you cannot act where you have been; and you cannot act where you are going to be; you can only act where you are".

Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. The vision is the inspiration for you to attract whatever you want. Your massive action is the perspiration that brings, and also prepares you to receive, whatever you want.

The moral of the story? Once you have a vision, get into immediate action. Do not procrastinate! Do not wait for your surroundings to change; you go change your surroundings (even though the pace of the change may appear agonisingly slow).

Your Vision is the spark that will light your fire. Your Action is the stoking of the logs that will turn the tinder into a giant ball of fire. Your Vision combined with massive Action will turn you into a flaming success!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. Did my friend have four wives at a time (a polygamist)? No. He is a one-woman man!

Credit Card Fraud by Banks?

2008-10-29T00:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried calling your bank to enquire about your credit card? I called CIMB Bank Card Centre, yesterday and today, to enquire about my Credit Card Account balance.

The banks are now very technologically advanced and sophisticated. Once you call their number, a recorded message comes on. You want to speak English or Bahasa Malaysia? You want card services etc etc?

When you dial 'O' to get to a person, the recorded message immediately tells you "Our Customer Relation officers are currently assisting other customers. Please hold and you will be attended to shortly". This is repeated every minute ... ad infinitum. In Banking speak, it means "We are very busy to attend to you. Go away and disappear into the black hole in the Universe". Either 1,000,000 customers are making enquiries, or they actually have no one to answer your enquiry. What do you think?

While no one is answering your call, they provide recorded messages telling you that you can achieve your dreams by using their services. I think the banks are in the selling-to-customers-who-call business, not in the business of talking to their customers. I believe they also get a cut from the telephone companies, because when the banks keep you on the telephone by not answering you, but by getting a recording machine to pass messages to you, your time on the phone increases. You pay more for telephone charges.

After 5 minutes, I gave up. Must be millions of people making enquiries with their credit card accounts. Well, in the present financial turmoil around the world, this is a big possibility, I guess.

Actually, I believe the banks are in the business of increasing your blood pressure. Perhaps they want to know whether you are a patient customer. I think they have an award for the most patient customer.

It seems that the banks have never heard of customer service. When you attend any customer service training, you are informed that you should not let the phone ring more than 3 times ....ring ring ... ring ring ... ring ring (6 seconds?). The banks think this 6 seconds only is bad for their business. There's no time for their recorded sales messages to be heard by customers!

To me, making the customer wait 5 minutes on the line to hear recorded sales messages is cheating the customer. It is a fraud on the cutomer. For wasting his telephone expenses. For wasting his time.

The moral of the story? If you plan to telephone your banks, don't waste your precious time. Please note that they have no time for you. (Unless you owe them $1,000,000?). Instead, send a recorded message to talk to the banks' recorded messages. Or you just have 2 credit cards instead of 16. Where are the scissors?

Wishing you Success in your undertakings and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. I had exactly similar previous experiences with two other banks. I gave up after 5 minutes. I think the banks have the same customer service training at their training centres. Do the banks expect me to listen to their recorded messages 24 hours a day?

P.P.S. Had to call RHB Bank (one day after writing the above) because I was making an on-line purchase. Same thing happened, except that after 4 minutes, the recorded message says that their customer service agent is busy and will get back to me soon ... then the line is cut! Happened twice consecutively! What will the banks think of next?

P.P.P.S. After the failure at RHB Bank above, one hour later I called Citibank. After less than a minute responding to the answering machine ... CONGRATULATIONS! ... TO ME! ... for finally achieving success! 4 Malaysian Banks appear not to have any humans inhabiting their call centres... only recording machines! (or aliens disguised as recording machines?). 1 International Bank has a live, warm human being at the end of the phone line.

The score: Citibank 1, Malaysian Banks -4 (minus 4, also known as "the pits"). Do you recommend that I cut-up all my 16 credit cards, except Citibank's?

How to Tame Your Fear?

2008-10-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

Do you have fears? Fear of failure? Fear of losing your money in an investment? Fear of mice? Fear of cockroaches?

I have a fear of "heights". I believe some of you are with me on this one?

Any fear is difficult to eliminate forever. What is fear?

FEAR is "False Expectation Appearing Real". When you 'expect' something, it has to do with the 'future'. It does not deal with the 'present'.

As you are aware, the 'future' is not 'now'. If you just be 'in the now', your 'expectation' (which is connected to your future, or your past experience) does not exist. So you will not have your fear.

I overcame (tamed, but not eliminated) my fear of heights through the above principle of 'being in the now'. And taking action!

To climb a ladder at home to fix a defective electric light bulb is not my cup of tea. I always pass the cup of tea to my wife (who is shorter than me). When I am in a lift with a view (i.e. "a glass lift"), I would stand furthest from the glass/view.

Last week, for an exercise, I stood in front of a 20 metres (I think ... anyway, more than 5 metres is the sky to me!) tall tree trunk. It had been sawn-off at the top, so that there was a circular platform for you to stand on it. You are then required to raise your arms/hands, straight at the sides (so you look like a T). Then you jump off!

Of course, you are tied to a safety harness, so that your fall can be controlled by the guy (or five guys - if you are heavily-built like a fully grown bear or bull).

There were 14 of us at the tree trunk. I was thinking of volunteering first; so that I could get over the exercise. To get over the fear. But my fear was stronger than my mouth to speak, so I decided to keep quiet and generously give the honor to someone else.

The first guy was on top of the tree trunk "platform". It was shaking ... the platform was visibly and clearly shaking, and swaying to and fro like a pendulum. But he managed to stand upright, lifted his arms at the side, and then with a shout (to provide courage?) he leapt off the platform. No ... he didn't become a messy mass of splattered meat and bones! The safety harness controlled his jump/fall.

After a few of the 14-member mini-tribe had climbed and jumped (including a member of the weaker sex - a complete misnomer, don't you think so?) I did not want to be the last person. I did not want to be petrified, and freeze on the way up the ladder, or at the top of the tree trunk. "The longer I wait, the more that my body (especially the arms and legs) would freeze", I thought to myself.

The first few steps of the ladder was a cinch. But the higher I went, the more apprehensive I became. I did my best not to think of anything, except getting up the ladder. After the top of the ladder, I had to put my legs on metal pieces driven into the tree trunk to act as the final steps to the top, and the "platform". I never looked down, even once!

I managed to put both my legs on the top of the sawn-off trunk (platform). I was in the crouching position with both my hands on the "platform". Oh for heaven's sake! The top of the trunk where I was crouching was shaking and swaying like a pendulum too! I was staring straight ahead at the tree tops, petrified! Not knowing what to do!

The lady instructor shouted, "Use your hands to push your body up!", so that I could stand. But because the top was still shaking and swaying too much, I just did not dare make any further move.

I decided to breathe deeply to calm my nerves . It worked! The top was no more shaking and swaying significantly. It appears that if the cells of your body are calm, they will transfer that feeling to the tree trunk! My shaking and vibrating body had caused the top of the tree trunk to vibrate and sway! Talk about the Law of Cause and Effect!

I pushed with my hands, and I was standing! I stretched my arms. Then, with a shout, I jumped. The safety harness broke my fall. I was then gently and slowly lowered down. I did it!

How did I tame my fear? Two key words/phrases : "Action" and "Don't Think!"

By taking action, you are in the "now", in the "present" - not the future (i.e. thinking "what will happen if I fall?").

By not thinking, you are in your body - not in your mind. It is your mind that gives you the fear (false expectations appearing real).

The moral of the story? You can tame your fear of anything if you use the two principles above - "Action", and "Don't Think!".

If you are thinking of whether to start a business or not, you may be fearful of losing your investment; or of not making it. Don't think, just do the business! If you are thinking of investing $50,000 in properties and are fearful ("What if the economy goes into a tail-spin like the share-markets around the world today?"). Don't think, just invest! The Universe will come to your assistance once you have decided to take action! The Universe is not going to you if you are just sitting ... and expecting everything you desire to fall on your lap!

Wishing you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. I told my dear wife that I climbed up a 20 metre tree. With a sceptical look and a cynical smile, she said, "Oh yes! You did!". She does not believe me! Oh well, you can't win all the time! Furthermore, she's getting rather good at changing the electric bulb at home.

P.P.S. How many times did I climb that day? Four (4) times! All different exercises, but going up towards the sky! Would I do it again? Ermmm ... can you make me an offer? Say ... $1,000,000? Too much? O.K. ... $50,000?

P.P.P.S. My other fear is an injection (you know, with a needle?). Paid for a 40+ blood tests. I have been injected before because of necessity (vaccinations), but never volunteered to give blood or have blood taken from me. On 31st January 2009 had 5 ml of my blood voluntarily taken from me. No big achievement for regular blood donors, I know, but a big taming of my fear for me.

Quality Makes Money?

2008-10-19T15:22:00.000-07:00

What is the most important critical success factor (CSF) for a food joint/restaurant/cafe?

Is it the ambience? Location? High human traffic? Pretty waitresses and handsome waiters? Half-dressed and on roller-skates waitresses? Wi-fi availability for your PC?

I believe all the above factors may have their contribution to the success of an eatery. But the most critical would be the Quality of the food!

How do you define the "food quality"? If the customers like (or enjoy) the taste, then it is quality food (according to them ... well, the Customer is King, right?)

I had a sea-food tom yam noodle soup at an eatery a week ago. Although the price was twice that of the normal that I pay at a small stall, it was very tasty and had more prawns and squid.

So what did I do next? I gave the eatery free advertising. Word-of-mouth advertising or marketing. Sent an sms to a good friend about the nice soup. Told the missus to try the delicious soup.

The missus tried the soup last week. She thought it was the best tasting tom yam soup she had ever tasted. She was thinking of asking the chef for the recipe. She was even contemplating being an apprentice to the chef! She was raving about the soup all week.

This week she said she had a craving for the best tasting tom yam soup in the world. The eatery was closed on Saturday, so she postponed her craving to this Sunday.

We drove, some 25 km away, to satisfy her craving. At the first spoonful, she knew something was not right. It did not taste like last week. There was no sweet and sour taste. It tasted bland, and slightly bitter. But because she was very hungry, she still ate some of it. Because it was not tasty, her generosity genes made her give the soup to our son, who loved the soup as well ... last week. One spoonful of the soup, and he immediately rejected it, saying that "it was not tasty". Completely different from last week when he was enjoying every drop of the soup. I tasted the soup. One taste was good enough ... to stop! Last week, the soup bowl was completely empty - the missus had slurped every drop of it. This week it was half full.

Do you think that this particular eatery will have a bright future if such variation in the taste of its food continues? Why does McDonald or Kentucky Fried Chicken prosper? Is it because of their nutritious menu? No (many people consider them as junk food)! But the food (well, there are divided opinions as to whether this term is correct, but be a good-sport ... just play along with me, ok?) taste is great, and it tastes the same - whether this Sunday or next Sunday, whether in Kuala Lumpur or Stockholm.

I remember that in my younger days, I would would also drive 25 km to a sea-food restaurant so that I would eat its speciality - baked crab. So, distance or location is "no object".

Similarly, my friends and I would always stop at a particular roadside eatery (a small stall in the small town of Chukai or Kemaman) every week-end for some rice and hot chicken piece. The chicken was always hot from the wok. The floor was the dusty earth. Seating was a "long chair" made of a piece of plank. There were always customers at any time of the day. Was it because the price of the rice and chicken was cheap? I don't think my friends and I would have stopped every week-end if it was merely because of the price (well, we were not that well-off working for an oil company, but we were not that poor-off either). Was it because of its ambiance? I don't think so. It was because its chicken was tasty - and we wanted to eat! Simple?

The moral of the story? If you are in the food business, ensure that the quality of your food is there. Not once, but consistently! How? Have a proper quality control system in place. It could be as simple as ensuring that all the ingredients (condiments etc) for the soup are available or sufficient every day (not just one Sunday, or only six days a week). Or perhaps the chef himself could taste a small spoonful of the soup, before it leaves the kitchen (known as self-inspection in Quality Management).

Could Food Quality be the critical success factor for an eatery? The difference between losing money ... or making money?

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. To be fair, the tom yam soup eatery did provide excellent value-for-money for two other dishes that were ordered. But still, would you patronise an eatery when one dish out of three disappoints you? That would be a 33% defect rate, in Quality Management terms.

P.P.S. Three weeks after the first taste, the missus ordered tomyam soup noodles again to determine whether the second one was an inadvertent mistake. If the first time the taste was given 10 points (world class), the second time was 2, and this time it is 3 (not to be recommended to her best friend ... to an enemy, maybe). But the good news? I learnt that if your customer does not finish the meal he/she ordered, the amount left is inversely proportional to the food quality (i.e. the more food left-over, the more 'poor quality' is the food!).

Why Focus on the Positive?

2008-10-14T23:51:00.000-07:00

Is it simple to achieve success or riches? Yes!

Is it easy to achieve success or riches? No!

The methodology is simple. The action, especially the one to do with the mind, takes a lot of hard work.

Because achieving success is hard work, you need to tidy-up or "unclutter" your mind. And the most important things to get rid of, are all the negative things.

It is amazing how much negativity there is around us, do you agree? You go to your office cafetaria or cantino, and what do you hear? Complaints about the boss and management. Or gossip, which may be highly interesting but is highly unproductive.

You switch on your TV (using your remote-control of course, so that you can conserve your energy for thinking), and the soap-opera talks about people cheating people. Whether it involves money or relationships.

The TV gives you a live telecast of the most powerful nation on the planet pulverising some third world nation (all because of black gold). This destruction is through remote control, by sending the most advanced missile (from a warship a few hundred kilometres away), for some pin-point bombing, going in through the chimney of a building. Always competing or destroying, instead of being creative or cooperative.

The best thing that you can do if you want to go on the fast track to achieving your dream is to get rid of your TV. Ok, ok ... that action sounds a bit drastic for you ... but you need to do it if you are really really serious about your success. Some homes have a TV in each bed-room. These people are either already millionaires ... or will never be one (if they are not yet one).

You need to focus on the positives. Why? Because the negatives are not going to help you achieve your dreams.

If your mind focuses on the positives, will your habits be positive? Will your actions be positive?

With positive actions, will you get positive results?

Therefore, you must have positive pictures (whether real or imaginary). Do not picture poverty if you want riches. What you see or think, you will attract.

Thus, if you want to help the poor, you should not pity them. You should INSPIRE them instead. Put positive ideas into their mind.

Be a better you, so that others can be inspired to follow in your footsteps.

There was a small boy who was inspired to study hard, just because the mother had told him that his big cousin put priority to his studies first, before going to play football with his friends.

The moral of the story? If you want others to be good, or rich, BE IT!

Also, every thing begins with a thought in your mind. So, if you want a good ending, isn't it correct that you should start with a good beginning? Think positive. Now!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

U.S.A. Going Bankrupt? What About You?

2008-10-13T18:19:00.001-07:00

The economic and business news since September 2008 has been concentrating on the U.S.A.'s economic meltdown. Caused by their so-called efficient market-driven policies, which are not so efficient after all.

It seems that the U.S.A borrowed US$3 billion every working day because the savings rate of its citizens was negative. Yes, 80 percent of the world's savings is being used by the U.S.A.. As the saying goes, "If you borrow $10,000 from the bank and you forgot to pay, you are in big trouble. If you borrow $1,000,000,000 from the bank and you forgot to pay, then the BANK is in BIG trouble!". So now you know why the global financial system is in turmoil?

Leading to a financial crisis which has infected other countries around the globe. Government involvement appears to be still needed to control unbridled greed amongst some sections of the human race.

Does the so-called de-coupling of national economies to the U.S.A.'s economy exist?

All the while we have said that the world is one big happy "glocal" (global and local at the same time) economy. So the coupling should actually be greater or tighter (whatever term turns you on). Results show that de-coupling is an illusion.

That's why Europe and Australia and New Zealand etc are now having pneumonia after the U.S.A. sneezed badly. That's why every nation will be affected (unless they are in complete self-subsistence and self-communication isolation in Antartica or the Saharan desert or a deserted island in the Pacific Ocean).

As individuals, we will also be affected. The majority will be affected negatively. Business re-alignments, re-organisations, re-engineering ... the end result being "re-ducing" your income.

A minority will be positively affected. Those with Cash. No debts.

Everything is at rock-bottom or fire-sale prices. Bargain prices of stocks in the share-market, and cheap real estate. I saw a $440,000 town-house (1770 sq. ft.) being offered for $340,000. A 484 sq. ft. office suite with market value of $65,000 being offered at $35,600. These are good times indeed ... for those having liquidity (not the one you pour through your mouth type of liquid, though).

Good time to buy. Save tonnes of money. Make tonnes of money. But only for those with cash.

The moral of the story? If you have no money to pay for what you want, should you borrow? If you do, one fine day you will have a terrible day. Just like the U.S.A. Then you won't be singing "Surfing U.S.A.", but "Submerging U.S.A.".

Cash is King! And Queen. And Prince. And Princess. And Beautiful. And warm. And comfortable.

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

How to Get Bankers Tripping Over One Another To Give You Money?

2008-10-10T01:34:00.000-07:00

One fine Thursday in October 2008

"Please sir, here, please have $19,900 at 0.82% per month from XYZ Bank. You can use it to buy whatever turns you on".

"No, I am not interested. 0.82% per month equals 9.84% per annum. ABC Bank offered me 5% per annum, with no hidden costs (such as administrative fee). If you offer me 5%, I can use the money to invest at 10%. I make 5%, and your bank makes 5%. I win, your bank wins. Please contact me if you can offer 5%".

The following fine Friday

"Hi Mr., this is Aeris. Remember me? I called on behalf of XYZ Bank yesterday offering you the special 0.82% per month rate. I have talked with my manager, and we are happy to offer you 0.5% per month, based on reducing balance, for 6 months".

Wow! What lesson can you learn from the above? Yes, you (a non-existent nobody ... well, almost) can negotiate (with a bank!). Even in today's global economic meltdown and financial carnage. Where the Dow Jones has dropped more than 40% since its peak about a year ago.

You can negotiate almost anything in life. I once negotiated a 50 cents discount on a $3.50 lunch in Singapore. Just to practise the theory that I had just learned that morning.

After the lunch, a friend successfully negotiated for a 40% discount on a massage (no,no ...not the ping pong massage ... just a body massage ... the top part only ... while sitting on a chair ... in full public view).

I would never have dared (too ashamed?) to try to negotiate the lunch discount if I had not learned the negotiation techniques (there are some secrets to it ... but that's for you to come to my training program ...o.k.? ... hehehe!)

Have you experienced a similar scenario (yes, the bank offer ... not the massage discount)? Of course, for the Warren Buffets, Donald Trumps, Robert Kiyosakis and T Harv Ekers of the world, the amounts offered by banks or investors could be in the billions, or at least millions.

What does the above scenario tell you? Are there are loads of $$$$$ for your taking? Do people just love you to have their $$$$$? YES!

Well, in the case of the banks above, they want to offer you OPM - Other People's Money! But hey! ... you don't mind from whom it comes from, as long as it's the Real Thing, isn't it?

The moral of the story? There is abundance in this world!

But ... what's the catch? You must be prepared to receive it! Simple? Yes ... and No!

If your mind is closed to the abundance on this earth, you will never find abundance.

You must also be deserving of the respect ... to receive such offers. How? Respect yourself first! Increase your F.IQ - financial intelligence so that you have good financial habits!

Respect your mind by feeding it good thoughts. Respect your body by exercising it regularly; and as my awesome South African friend Laura said, "... don't abuse your body by smoking that cancer stick" (and burning $$$$). Be a better you!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

To Sing or To Study?

2008-10-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

The picture of a beautiful and heavenly-shaped lady in one of today's newspapers caught my eyes (and full attention!). Well, which warm-blooded male wouldn't?

She's now a wholesome twenty eight (28). She has just had her fourth album (no,no ... definitely not of stamps); it was launched in Indonesia in March. Along the way, she got her degree in Business Administration from a prestigious university, and spent six months at a college in Australia.

At three, she started singing (confirmed by her mother). At the tender age of thirteen, she was the runner-up in a regional singing competition (confirmed by Asia Bagus).

She was therefore offered a recording contract, by a Japanese-based company. No, no ... not because she was good-looking. Because she had a good voice (well, it's a recording company, not a beauty pageant company ... for heaven's sake!) AND good-looking!

Imagine that you were her, a teenager, would YOU take up the recording offer? Imagine you were her MOTHER or FATHER, what would be YOUR advice? (Decisions, decisions ... no wonder your stress level is going up!)

There's no right or wrong answer. Only that one answer will lead to a different result from the other.

If she chose to become a recording artiste at a young age, she would have a minimum of ten years' experience by now. Would that enhance her singing skills and repertoire, to a very high level today? Would exposure to the huge Japanese market be useful for her singing career?

However, she may not have been able to concentrate on her education, and thus not have a B.B.A. at the end of her name. But, what do you think? Which is easier to obtain? A recording contract, or a B.B.A?

Isn't an offer of a recording contract at a young age, a once in a lifetime opportunity? You can do your B.B.A. at any age ... there was a guy who did his M.B.A. in his sixties. Hundreds of guys and gals do their B.B.A. at all ages ... in the thirties, forties and fifties.

Moral of the story? What action we take today, will decide what result we get tomorrow. It is therefore very critical that we make the right decision. How? Make sure we have the correct information.

"But I am just a teenager, I don't have the experience and wisdom, what should I do?". Get the right coach or adviser or mentor (at least your parents should ... hehehe ... not easy to be a parent, isn't it?). Get as much input as possible. You will then make your decision with eyes wide-open. With no regrets. As Frank Sinatra, the famous philosopher, said, "I did it my way!".

I wish you Success in all your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. The singer did not accept the first contract offer. There appeared to be at least a tinge of regret by her.

How Do You Apply Will-Power for Your Success?

2008-10-08T05:49:00.000-07:00

What is the secret to using your will-power?

To whom should you direct your will-power? To other people? No. The secret is to direct all your will-power to yourself! You are the captain of your destiny. So you need the most will-power to power your ship to your destiny.

Direct your will-power to your mind. Your mind is more powerful that the best computer in the world. Make your mind more powerful with the help of your will-power.

Combine will-power with belief. Add a clear and focused vision of where you want to be; which will ultimately become your destiny.

I met a guy who looked as though he was prepared to go mountain hiking. He had a big plastic bottle of a special health drink (to energize him ... he told me) specially strapped to his waist. He had a big haver-sack on his back. The haver-sack contained his PC lap-top, and all his business brochures/documents.

Since he has started an on-line internet business (in addition to his three other already successful conventional businesses), his lap-top allows him to conduct his business anywhere that he happens to be. His brochures and documents allow him to conduct business wherever he happens to be. A mobile business (man)! Because I know that he is a successful businessman, I could only admire his will-power to do whatever it takes to always be creative in his business approach. He believes in his ability, and has a clear vision of what he wants to achieve.

You have to put pictures of health in your mind if you want to be healthy. Picture yourself in the pink of health. As slim as the world's super models (well ... it may be stretching it a bit ... o.k. then, imagine you losing 25% of your extra weight ... fair target?)

Picture in your mind the wealth that you want, if wealth is what you want. Put a picture of your red dream sports-car, with full leather uphostery, 6 wheels (??? ... inclusive of spare wheel and steering wheel ... hehehe!), and imagine yourself enjoying the cool mountain breeze as you drive powerfully up the mountain (of success?). Driving to your bungalow on top of the mountain, with a beautiful view of the ocean on one side, and the city on the other side.

How can you be of service to those in need of help? Be an inspiration to them. How? Lead by example!

Lead them to rise out of their causes of despair and despondency. If you want them to be rich, do not yourself be poor; you have to have riches.

If you want them to be healthy, do not yourself be slovenly or slothful, by not exercising regularly; you need to be a picture of health and vigour.

The moral of the story? Make use of will-power - yours! - to powerfully march towards success. When you combine a strong will-power with a deep belief in your ability and focused vision of your life-goals, you will certainly achieve your destiny! As the saying goes, "Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a choice!"

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

To Be Successful, You Only Need to Think?

2008-10-06T22:34:00.000-07:00

I was in a Malaysia Airline B747 on the way to Japan to attend a 3-week training program on Quality Management.

"The captain of this flight is Captain MH (Most Handsome) Azharo", came the message over the PA system. "The name sounds familiar", I thought ... as I fast-backward the clock to my memorable 4-year stay in college. I immediately asked the pretty and petite flight stewardess to ask the captain whether he was in the same college, to confirm he was my good college-mate. He was! After my meal, I was invited into the cock-pit (no ... rumours that illegal cock-fighting takes place in the cock-pit is simply not true).

I therefore had a bird's eye-view (ohhh ... so that's why they call it the cock-pit ... because you feel and see like a he-bird!) of the landing at Tokyo's Narita airport. Did the MH Captain and his First Officer (co-pilot) take a lackadaisical attitude to reach the destination? No! Did they have 100% concentration? Yes! Did they focus all their attention to the exact runway, and the minutest details of the plane's speed, height, and descent angle? Yes!

It is the same if you want to achieve your goal. You have to give it your focused, undivided attention!

A famous Malaysian international fashion designer explained during a TV interview that he was 18 when he saw a picture of a beautiful and tall model, and told his friends that he would like a wife just like that. His friends laughed ... maybe because he was not as tall as the model...maybe he was not a successful designer yet. (Doesn't that sound familiar? ... Our friends love us, and don't want us to get hurt ... having BIG DREAMS ... in this case, Tall Dreams ... hehe!).

Two years later, he had the opportunity to meet the beautiful tall model face-to-face. What do you think happened? He hid behind her skirt? When your Tall Dream appears live in front of you, will you grow shorter, or taller? Will you run away from your dream, or after it?

Isn't the above story about the Power of Thinking? What was first seen in the mind, through a mere picture, became a reality! Albeit 2 years later? Was it worth the 2-year wait? Or was it that because the mind had clearly and undividedly focused on one (beautiful and tall) goal, it was not deflected (or side-tracked) during the 2 long years? What do you think?

The moral of the story? Wallace D Wattles wrote, "You must form a clear and definite mental picture of what you want; you cannot transmit an idea unless you have it yourself". If you want anything, it has to start in your mind. Think of what you want. Have a burning desire. Write it down. Have faith that it is "at hand". Have the "mental attitude of ownership". Once you have the Power of Thinking, add the Power of Action. You will be unstoppable! Or irresistible. Or ...!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. Did the fashion designer get his Tall Dream? Yes. Is he happy? Deliriously so, I believe (well, with 5 kids, you cannot be either happy or delirious ... you must be deliriously happy! ... hehehe). Write to me if you can beat that, ok?

How do You Connect to Power?

2008-10-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

Connect to what Power? Brawn Power? Electric Power? Nuclear Power? Power Rangers? (hehehe ... kids love them, though I think they are a bad influence [just like most TV programs are]... one kid almost broke my spectacles when he did a Power rangers kick).

What will you become if you associate with good people? With God-fearing colleagues? With rich neighbours? With positive minded friends? With charitable Samaritans? ... Yes, you are right! The probability is great that you will become like them.

Wouldn't it be great to be connected to the Ultimate Power? The One that created you? (No, no ... I didn't mean your daddy or mummy). The One that created the Universe? (No, no ... not the guy who created the Miss Universe organisation ... though I think you would agree The One has a hand in deciding who the annual winner is). Most people know Him as God, in whatever lingua franca.

So, how do we connect to the Ultimate Power? Do we need to book a $multi-million trip on a spaceship to the moon? Well, it need not be that expensive if you are really interested. You are really interested? Here's how ...

Be grateful every day! Be thankful every day for what you have received. Appreciate what you get every day. Appreciate that you are able to wake up every morning! Use these three phrases every day when you converse with the Ultimate Power: "Thank you", "I am grateful", "I appreciate".

What actually happens when you express Gratitude for your blessings? Your state of mind goes into spiritual mode. You are thanking for the Divine help that you have received. You are therefore "Acknowledging the Source-Giver of your blessings". Will your Source-Giver give you lesser blessings or more blessings, when you acknowledge Him? Think about it.

When you thank your boss at work for his advice (oftentimes disguised as a scolding or a reprimand!!!), will your boss love you less or more? I rest my case.

Moral of the story? The Law of Gratitude will bring you more of the blessings that you are thankful for. Anything that you appreciate will come to you. You appreciate guidance, you will get more of it.

You appreciate riches, more of it will come. You may ask, "How come some millionaires lose their money within a short time (such as lottery winners)". It's because they have never appreciated that a lot of hard work is involved. Remember the saying "Easy come, Easy go"?

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

How to Attract Success and its Sweet Fruits?

2008-09-28T23:14:00.000-07:00

There are three simple strategies that you must adopt, for you to attract success.

The first strategy is to that you must give more in USE-VALUE than the CASH-VALUE that you take. What's the difference?

You are familiar with the Cash-Value - the $$$$$$ that you dole out whenever you pay for something that you want.

What, then, is the Use-Value? Imagine that you buy a book on "Making Money through Investing in Real Estate" for $30. You then keep it in your office desk drawer without reading it. Does it have any Use-Value for you?

Imagine that you devoured (not literally ... unless you are really starving!) the book in 24 hours. A few months later you used the ideas in that book to buy an office space (at a property auction) for $35,600 (market value $50,000). The present tenant wants to stay in the premises that you have bought, at a rental of $6,000 per year. (I know of a real case with these monetary figures).

In 6 years time, that property would have been paid by someone else (your tenant), and you own the property outright. What is the Use-Value of the $30 book? More than the $30 you paid? More than the $6 cost of printing the book? In this case, you have receieved Use-Value which is more than the Cash-Value that you gave. The publisher/author of the book had given you more in Use-Value than he took in the Cash-Value from you.

If someone writes a book and it costs him just $6 to print, but he sells it to you for $30, and you made use of the book (either to make money or to have mental enjoyment), don't you think that the author is going to be a best-selling author ? With lots of the green stuff going to him?

Similarly, if you are an employee, give more value to your organisation that the $ that they give you. Give more suggestions than other employees. Work longer hours than others. Will you be rewarded? Of course! O.K. ... I get you ... your organisation does not appreciate you. But one day, another organisation will appreciate you (when you leave your present organisation for a better paying organisation!).

The second strategy is to live as God wants you to. Be The Complete Person. After all, you are one-of-a-kind. There's no other you out there. Be the Best You That There Will Ever Be!

The third strategy is to THINK about what you want. A good friend of mine thought seriously about companionship. He set a one year time-frame (by 31st December) target to find his life-partner. He was constantly thinking, and constantly taking action, of course. By November, he had married. OK, this sounds a bit off-track ... but you still get the drift?

Moral of the story? It is quite simple to attract success. Give more Use-Value than you get Cash-Value - people find this irresistible. Be the complete person that you can be - God will love you more! The final jig-saw puzzzle piece - set your mind to whatever you want to achieve. These three strategies combined will attract all the success that you want.

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Pro-Create to Get What You Want?

2008-09-28T22:24:00.000-07:00

Let's be clear as to what we mean by Pro-Create. Pro = Pro-active. Pro-Create = Being pro-active to create.

You want to be better today than you were yesterday. Right? You want to have more success and more money today compared to yesterday. Right?

The Universe will give you whatever you want. Because the Universe is full of abundance, it will not take from someone else, to give to you. You therefore need not worry that you will deprive someone else of the success that you achieve, or of the money that you get. This happens if you Pro-Create.

Pro-Create means that you do not think of competition. You should be pro-active, to create something that is not yet available.

Look for a problem that someone has; and solve it. Look for a problem that an industry has; and solve it. If you a problem solver, you can get whatever you want later on. This is how many successful businesses are set up. Federal Express (FEDEX) solved a need for fast and secure delivery that new customers used. Some still prefer the Snail Post; nothing wrong with that if we are in no hurry. You increase your business success not by taking other people's customers, but by creating new customers.

Or be a benefit provider. People and organisations are always looking for things or services that will benefit them.

If you use competition, your success will be transient, at best. You go into competition if you believe that opportunities are limited. In competition, it is a zero-sum game. One person wins, the other loses. Today you win, tomorrow you competitor wins. It goes on and on.

But if you think that opportunities are abundant, then you become a creator rather than a competitor. As a creator, you do not need to take somebody's share away from him. You don't need to stoop low to take advantage.

Moral of the story? You want to become a PRO-CREATOR. You must look for opportunities to be creative. A simple way is to look for problems, and solve them. For Pro-Creators, problems are their sources of new ideas or inspiration! Strange way to look at problems, don't you agree?

I wish you and Success in all your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

How to Get What You Want?

2008-09-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

There is only one tool that you need to use to get what you want. What? Only ONE? Please be serious ... you may think. Yes! Only one POWERFUL simple tool.

Do you want a clue? Napoleon Hill wrote the book "Think and Grow Rich". One of the most successful motivational books in the world.

Yes, you are a good student. The open secret is: What you THINK is what you GET!

I met a businessman from Sarawak. (Before turning to business, he was an employee - a manager for a land development organisation). He was always thinking of getting one business opportunity off the ground. Always asking for contacts. Always looking for partners who could complement him in a business venture. Do you think he will be a successful businessman? I don't really know, but he has a 3 bedroom condominium within walking distance of the City Centre. He has a farm with a big fish pond - rearing fish as a hobby. Of course he drives a Mercedes.

Another person that I met had been a very successful employee (top management post) in a German multinational company. But he was always thinking of being his own boss. At the peak of his career, he resigned to start his own business. At the age of 50. (Now do you understand that age is just a number?) Everyone thought he was crazy to give up a well-paid job with all the perks (status, company car with driver etc). But his mind had been on starting his own business all those years that he was climbing up the corporate ladder. Better late than never. He has never regretted that decision.

Wallace D Wattles said, "To think health when surrounded by the appearances of disease, or to think of riches when in the midst of poverty, requires power; but he who acquires this power becomes a MASTER MIND. He can conquer fate; he can have what he wants".

Moral of the story? Your thoughts will determine what you have in your hand. Get into the HABIT of thinking positively to get positive results. If you accept this, there's no stopping you to achieving your worthwhile dreams.

I wish you Success in all your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Are Opportunities Abundant?

2008-09-27T23:47:00.000-07:00

The Law of Cause and Effect means that we cannot do the same thing everyday, and expect a different result. Doing the same thing everyday and expecting a different result has been described as insanity.

Are opportunities really abundant? Malaysian multi-millionaires like the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong and Tan Sri Lee Yan started with almost nothing. Just like some of you. Yet they managed to become multi-millionaires. How? They found the opportunity. Or they created the opportunity.

Are opportunities every where? Are you looking for opportunities? Serious?

Have you seen the advertisements in the newspapers? Offering one opportunity after another. Insurance, multi-level marketing (MLM), wills writing, self-laundromats, self-service water dispensers, foreign exchange (forex) trading, options trading, all types of franchises, property investment. Did you check these out?

Have you had tele-marketing people call you up - to invite you for a business preview (some with a free buffet lunch or a one- or two-night stay at a hotel thrown in)? Did you go to check them out? If you are afraid that you will be tempted to give away your money (some of those presenters are awesomely pursuasive) at the previews, make sure you leave your cheque book, credit card, bank card, or spare cash at home. Just bring your open mind to the preview. Fair deal?

Did any of your friends or office colleagues tell you about a business opportunity? Did you listen? Did you hear what he said? When you have a closed mind as your friend is talking, it means you listened but didn't hear him! Did you check out what the said? Attended the business preview or talk to some one knowledgeable? Knowledgeable means that the person is already involved in that industry, and is achieving success in that business.

It's a matter of whether you are looking or not. Ask, and you will be given.

Of course, not all businesses may be for you. You may not be able to take that McDonald franchise for $1,000,000 because you are a bit financially challenged (short of a mere $999,999!). Then an MLM company may be more to your financial capability (their 'franchise' normally is less than $100).

What? You are allergic to MLMs? Then start you own business. No ... not the one where you start with 2 beautiful secretaries (one on your right, the other on your left). I am talking about the one where you set up a table (or a table cloth if that better suits your budget), and sell whatever turns you on.

Where there's a will, there's a way. Agree?

Moral of the story? The Laws of Success applies to everyone equally. Your opportunities are as abundant as you make of it. So, what are you waiting for? Go to that business preview that you have been invited to! To open your mind first, before you open your cheque book!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Success and Riches: a Mathematical Certainty?

2008-09-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

If you want SUCCESS and RICHES, is there a probability that you will get them?

In terms of mathematical or statistical probability, the corrrect answer will be 'Yes'. Zero (0)probability is there. But can you achieve 100% probability (probability of One [1])? A probability of 1 = Certainty.

Wallace D Wattles wrote that "... any man ... will get rich with mathematical certainty". Hmmmm ...what do you think of that?

Dr Kaoru Ishikawa, a famous Japanese quality guru, considered a Cause and Effect diagram as an indispensable tool for Quality Control. In Japanese Quality Control Circle (QCC) presentations, a cause and effect diagram is also known as an Ishikawa diagram, or a Fish-bone diagram (why? ... because they look like ... a fish-bone! ... that was easy, wasn't it?).

In manufacturing processes, will a particular process give a particular result (or product quality)? Is it important to control process parameters? To control pressure, temperature and volume in oil and gas production? You are correct that the answer is 'Yes".

If you accept the Law of Cause and Effect, then you will accept the idea that to obtain Success and Riches is a mathematical certainty. How? You only need to identify the factors that lead to success and riches. Study successful people. Model rich people. Don't merely mirror the externalities (dress, cars, yachts etc) that the successful and rich people exhibit - these are actually the results or effects of their internalities (their thinking). Their internalities are their causes.

So, what should you do? Think like the successful and the rich. Napoleon Hill wrote a book "Think and Grow Rich". I am sure there's a book out there titled "Think and be Successful" (well ... maybe not exactly with that title ... but with the same objective). If you can't find the book, you tell me, o.k.? I will write the book ... hehehe!

Successful and Rich people do not let their external environment limit them. They create their environment for success. Their internal mind-set will work to create the environment. Their internal mind-set is the cause of their external results like cars, yachts and executive jets.

Successful and Rich people do not look for excuses. Whether you are in a small town or the big city; whether you have a lack of capital or lots of capital ($$$); whether you are a block head or a talented person; whether you are in the right business or not; whether you are physically perfect or physically impaired; these have absolutely no bearing on your success.

A company held a competition to reward (and recognise) business partners who were the best business developers. I saw a guy in a wheelchair win the runner-up spot in the competition. Did physical impairment stop him from competing with the physically perfect, and win? Wouldn't you feel inspired?

The Successful and Rich do not look for excuses; they look for Cause and Effect.

Moral of the story? The Successful and Rich do the same things. They THINK the same way. They are certain they can attain greater heights of achievements. Because they understand the Law of Cause and Effect. So start taking action now. If you find yourself sailing off track, it's ok. Make changes to your sails and direction (your cause), so that you get the full wind and correct direction to reach your port of destination (your effect/result).

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

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What is Your Gift to The World?

2008-09-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

What is the object of life? It is development. You should attain your FULL AWESOME POTENTIAL.

What are the three main areas of life that we must realise our potential? The reasons for our existence? We live for the body (physical), the mind (mental), and the soul (spiritual). These 3 areas of our life must be all EQUALLY annd FULLY DEVELOPED if we are to live a COMPLETE LIFE. Some use the term a "balanced life".

Wallace D Wattles said that you must not be satisfied with a little - if you are capable of using and enjoying more. He said, "... to be content with less is sinful"! That's a strong statement, isn't it? Do you agree with it?

What is SUCCESS? In life, it is to become what you want TO BE.

Do you want to have a life of riches and abundance? Lots of the green stuff ($$$$...not green trees)? If you answered 'Yes', I got good news for you. You are normal.

How do you maximise your 'physical' potential? With good food, clothing and shelter, including rest and recreation (R & R).

How to maximise your 'mental' potential? With books, travel and observation, and intellectual companionship and recreations, and appreciate art (and nature?... the other green stuff?) and music.

How to maximise your 'spiritual' potential? You must have LOVE! When you love, you GIVE. You give of yourself. Of your time. Unfortunately, you have only a limited amount of yourself, or time, to give to the world. So, how to give more? Through a POWERFUL SUBSTITUTE FOR YOU. What is this awesome substitute? Think about it for a moment. It is the GREEN STUFF (no...not the trees [though they can be considered as a substitute, tho' it's quite difficult to keep a tree at home]) ... the $$$$$$!

Do you want to know how you can achieve all the above simultaneously for a period of about 3 weeks? A good friend who I greatly (and secretly) admire showed how you can do it. He wanted to celebrate his coming of age (birthday actually) with impact and meaning.

How? He cycled almost 2000 km (yes...two thousand kilometres) around Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) one fine July month. Don't you think he maximised his 'physical' potential during the 3 weeks of riding an average of 100km a day?

Cycling a bike at a speed of about 20km/hour, and stopping for rests along the way, don't you think his travels brought him observations of the beauty of nature? In terms of companionship, he almost got an offer to be the son-in-law (of a kind soul who offered him dinner during one of his night stops)! He wrote about his travels on his blog. Didn't he maximise his 'mental' potential?

Through WORD-OF-MOUTH MARKETING of his ride, he managed to attract donations of almost $50,000 for riding 2,000 km. Given to an ophanage. Don't you think he maximised his 'spiritual' potential?

Don't you feel inspired by the above true story? What was his age when he rode? Care to guess? Put your guess in the comments.

Moral of the story? Your gift to the world is: to be the BEST YOU THAT THERE WILL EVER BE! As Wallace D Wattles said, "... for you can render to God and humanity no greater service than to make the most of yourself". Be rich (like Bill Gates?). Then give it away (like Bill Gates?). What are you waiting for? Go find some good investment vehicles. But first, make sure you have the right knowledge - to reduce your risks!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Action - Just Do It

2008-09-23T21:11:00.000-07:00

How do you start on your journey to financial happiness? The answer is: NOW! Of course it would be better if we had started it yesterday. Or 10 years ago. Or when we were still babies (for those with financially-savvy parents who "loaned" us some money).

What is the first step? As simple as it sounds, we must decide what we want. Put a figure to our "happiness" objective. To have $100,000 in 10 years? To have $1,000,000 in cash when we retire in 20 years time?

Our mind is like a heat-seeking guided missile. It must be given a specific target. Otherwise it will get confused. It may even not take off. Worse, if it takes off wothout a specific target, it may self-destruct.

Once the target is given, then the missile knows where to go. The direction. The speed. All these will automatically be calculated. Similarly for your $1,000,000 target in 20 years.

What is the second step? It is to make sure that you PAY YOURSELF FIRST. Any income that you get, pay your self first. Simple to understand, ain't it? But for some people (that does not include you, I presume) it is difficult to DO! This is the first FINANCIAL HABIT that we need to nurture.

For a start, how much should you pay yourself first? Ideally, a minimum 10%, to be put into a savings account. If you are really, really challenged, then anything would be better than nothing (i.e. not starting). A journey of a thousand kilometres begins with a single step. Just do it!

The secret to doing this is to automate the process. How? Give a standing instruction to your bank to transfer your salary to a particular savings account. You are cheating yourself if you use an ATM (Automated Teller Machine) card to withdraw it later. So do not get an ATM card for that savings account.

What's the third step? NEVER BUY ON CREDIT. If you cannot afford it (i.e. you have no cash!), don't buy it. You are not trying to look rich; you want to be rich! If you use a credit card, make sure you have the money to fully pay the credit card balance in FULL at the end of the month. Buying on credit makes the bank or the merchant rich and happy, not you! (Though you may look good!)

If you can just carry out the above 3 simple steps, do you think you will be changing for the better? Would it be a good start? If yes, do it now!

The moral of the story? We can only achieve our financial objective, if we do it NOW through the right financial habits!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

The Missing Link

2008-09-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

Do you feel that you are an ambitious and hardworking person? That you have a burning desire for success? A burning desire is an important condition for success. But do you feel that the achievement of your success (however you define it) is far from what your burning desire is? Why?

The missing link is your FINANCIAL PARADIGM. How do you perceive money? What is your attitude towards money? How do you treat money? Is $ to be spent immediately (because we don't know whether we will around tomorrow to spend )? Is $ to be saved (so that we are in a bind if we need some money for an urgent surgical operation)? Why should I set aside some money to invest (when I am struggling to meet my monthly expenses)? Are most rich people con-men (or con-women)?

I once lent a book on "How to make plenty money" (actually that is not the exact title of the book, but you get the drift....right?) to a young man in his early twenties. His mother, on seeing the book, said to his son (something to the effect) "Money is not important, other things are". How is it going to impact the son's financial paradigm? Do you think it will help improve his financial standing?

Do you believe that successful people think in a different way from unsuccessful people? That a criminal (whether he is a small-time common criminal or a big-time blue-collar financial derivatives rogue trader) thinks different from the law-abiding citizen like you? That rich people think differently from poor people?

Do you notice that when you mix with a group of people that you tend to become like them? Psychologists say that it is because of peer pressure. If you mix with God-fearing people you will (with a high statistical probability) be a God-fearing person. If you mix with drug addicts you will soon become one? Unless you are an aid worker to help them overcome their dangerous habit, of course. If you mix with positive people you will become positive, and move faster in life?

If you are given the best opportunity and the best tools (such as whatever amount of $) to succeed, will you succeed? Not necessarily. If your financial paradigm is not correct, they will all go to waste. If you don't have the best opportunity or the best tools in the world, you could still succeed, if you have the right mentality with regard to FINANCIAL HABITS.

If we are not where we planned to be, then we have missed something. We did not do something right. That missing link starts with our inner self. What we think is what we will get.

Moral of the story? Everything starts with how we think. If we have not achieved the success that we have aimed for, it means we are doing the wrong things. We need to re-educate ourselves. So, throw our your old paradigm. Open your mind to new information! Go buy a book! Go attend a seminar!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you nd your family. Take care.

Delayed Gratification

2008-09-23T00:38:00.000-07:00

If we do not know how to handle the "small" money, we will never know how to handle the "BIG" money.

My nephew, when he was 7 years old, would save his "school canteen" money (for snacks) and not have anything to eat during class-break. My nephew would keep the money, and after school would go and spend it on toys at the street corner shop. His father was not a happy man. He was afraid his son could face starvation. But the little boy had actually shown a very good FINANCIAL HABIT. The habit of DELAYED GRATIFICATION.

"Delayed gratification" is the opposite of "instant gratification". 'Delayed gratification' means that we are disciplined enough to wait until we have the money before we buy anything.

Lack of this discipline of delayed gratification is the root cause of the catastrophic FINANCIAL TSUNAMI that has hit America in September 2008. People buy houses when they have no financial strength (i.e. spare money to pay) in case the interest rate goes up. People think that they can sell their homes at a higher price because house prices for the past 10 years had been increasing annually. Some became speculators. The bubble burst, and they all come falling down. Just like ... Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, All the King's horses, and all the King's men, Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty again. Together with the greedy bankers who wanted to make money at all costs.

This problem can also be seen in those people who use credit cards for their purchases, and make the minimum (5%?) payment. I have friends, one a medical doctor and another a university lecturerwith a PhD in engineering, who think it is cool to pay the minimum monthly amount on their credit card balance. Don't you think that they are not using the full potential of their IQs?

If you have $2,000 of credit card debt at 18% per annum interest, and you make the minimum monthly payment only, how much in total would you have to pay? And for how long (to clear the debt)? What is your answer? [One answer estimates it as $4,600 and more than 18 years (yes...years (not months)]. Do you think it makes good financial sense?

Some studies a couple of years ago estimated that the average American owes $8,400 in credit card debt, and 20% had zero (de nada, zilch!) $ in the bank! Now we wonder why Bush has to pump US$700 Billion this week into America's financial system. By the way, do you know of a friend or neighbour (or anyone else) who has zero bank balance (some even have a negative balance...they are the exceptionally exceptional!), especially just before payday?

Moral of the story? Delayed gratification will help you gain financial stability. Pay all your credit card debt in full at the end of the month; it will save you a lot of money. It may well avert a personal financial disaster (bankruptcy!). Don't be shy... go to the bank and make the payment now!

I wish you Success in all your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

The Biggest Room for Improvement

2008-09-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

As most of you are aware, the biggest room for IMPROVEMENT is between our two ears. Less than 6 inches' distance.

The amazing thing is that, once it expands, it would not bounce or shrink back. Well, what do you know! If we constantly STRETCH it everyday, in no time at all, we would have the biggest room that we (or rather our thoughts and imagination) could ever live in! How AWESOME. Exciting.

If we have never made an INVESTMENT of more than $1,000, would we be comfortable making a $10,000 investment? If we have never saved more than $10 a month, would we be comfortable to save $1,000 a month? The answer, please? Yes, veeeeeeeeeerry uncomfortable.

A long long time ago, during the good old days of Robin Hood and his Merrymen...well...it seems that long ago, anyway...I invested in a training program. Yup. All $15,000. Cold, hard cash. No more, no less. Roughly 5 months' hard-earned salary. Was I all raring to go...to let go of the money? Of course you are right. No! There were lots of tossing left and right, up and down...on the bed. Also, a bit like the Kamasutra stuff.

Fast forward some 15 years later. I was listening to a business preview on the 50th floor of a building. $18,000 fee for the rights (something like a franchise) to distribute a popular product which is used by many people. Was I uncomfortable? Yes, but only a little. No more erotic contortions of the body like that Kamasutra stuff, 15 years ago.

Another year has passed. Another business preview. Some guys and gals think it's a good dough-making (not necessarily to bake cakes) idea to set up a small restaurant/cafe. They were looking for investors for their $300,000 project. Profits only expected after one and a half years of operation. One share (unit) = $6,000.

How much did I decide to invest? Yes, you are right. $18,000! You are a very fast learner. Congratulate yourself!

We know that this concept applies in any field, not only investment. Before Roger Banister ran the (sub) 1-minute mile, nobody thought that it was possible. Once he did it, other people's minds also expanded, and every Tom, Dick and Harry (well...almost all the top runners) were running the sub 1-minute mile.

Moral of the story? Once our mind has expanded, it will never shrink back (the two $18,000 investments...yes?).

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

Comfort Zone

2008-09-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

We are satisfied. We sit on our a_s_, and watch the world go by. We are in our COMFORT ZONE .

Then ... a few years down the road. We wonder "What happened?" Why are we still sitting in our chair (or rocking chair, if we are rockers)? Others have flown from country to country, from one exciting adventure to another, from one level of achievement to the next, from one financial level (struggling) to a higher level (jet-setting).

It's true that adversity is the mother of invention. So how do you get out of the Comfort Zone? Into the Adversity Zone? You can only do it if you have a higher aim in life. Only if you want to continuously improve. Only if you continuously set your target higher. The Japanese call it KAIZEN.

VISION. The ability to see ... ideally far ahead. Two men were in a mud hole, one saw the mud, the other saw the sky. Who do you think will go farther?

In High School, I knew a boy who's vision/ambition was to be an engineer. However, because it was an elite school, his academic grades (in science and mathematics) were below median (amongst his peers there). He thus was not admitted (streamed is the term they use) into the science class, which is a pre-requisite if you want to do engineering (four years down the road). He therefore explained his predicament to the School Principal. Imagine that you were the Principal, and the boy asked that you admit him into the science class, what would you do?

Everything starts with a Dream. Sounds like a Multi Level Marketing (MLM) jingle. Some people are allergic to MLM. Those who are non-allergic to MLM have been known to make millions, and able to contribute generously to charities and society. Anyway, whatever field or industry we are in, the potential rewards are enormous if we are THE EXPERT in that field.

Once we have the vision, our direction is set. If we are on the right track, with our Kaizen ATTITUDE we can move. But we need ACTION to get results. MASSIVE ACTION to get MASSIVE RESULTS. So, what are you waiting for? MOVE! Pronto!

Moral of the story: Adopt a Kaizen mentality to get out of our Comfort Zone. Having a vision of what you want to be, or do, the HOW will automatically be revealed to you (sooner or sometimes...later...so be patient). Take massive action if you want massive results!

I wish you Success in your undertakings, and Good Health and Wealth to you and your family. Take care!

P.S. The boy who wanted to be an engineer won a scholarship to read engineering at a university in the United Kingdom. The Power of a Dream!