I finished my work at 9pm today and I was so eager to get home and have some decent dinner. As I was rushing towards the door, our office security guard smiled at me and said "Ingat, Ma'am".
I slowed my pace as I smiled back at him. I asked how he and his family are in lieu of typhoon Ondoy. At that, his disposition changed and it seemed that his big built shrank. He was close to tears but I could sense his effort to maintain his composure as he told me about their house that was totally ruined because of flood. They were not able to save anything! Back to zero.
I could only feel sorry for him. I know that the income of a security guard is very modest. It must be really hard for him to start from scratch. And it must be equally hard for him to leave his family in their wrecked house in Fairview so he could attend to his duty in Bonifacio Global City.
But there he was. Diligently tending to his duty as one of the security guards in our building… He could have taken an emergency leave so he could be with his family, re-building their house. Then it made me wonder whether their agency gives them a privilege of taking emergency leave with pay, just like HSBC.
It's as if my heart was pierced as I was talking to Mamang Security Guard. Part of me said that I should have been more careful with my questions as I wouldn't want to put him on the spot.
To lighten up the conversation, I smiled and I asked questions with obvious answers. “At least po, okay kayo ng family nyo? Safe po kayo? To my delight, he answered in the affirmative. And that’s how our conversation ended. I left him with a smile that he initially gave me. Yes, we always have a choice to look at the brighter side of things.
As I was walking towards my newly repaired car which also stalled during the typhoon, I wished that I could do something to help Mamang Security Guard. If I had millions, I would have given him a significant amount so that he and his family could have a start-up fund. And I would have done the same to all those affected. I may not have millions but I sure have something to give. So is everyone. I revisited my closet and packed some clothes that could be donated. I also scheduled a trip to the nearby mall to buy some groceries to buy groceries for Mamang Security Guard's family and for donation to Go Negosyo's Walang Iwanan Drive.
The disaster that struck the Philippines on that fateful Saturday has sparked or rekindled love and generosityamong Filipinos. Love is in the air. Bayanihan is everywhere.
The show must go on. Ondoy might have taken a significant part of our or our kababayan’s lives but there are still beautiful things in store for each of us. Let’s keep the spirit of love and bayanihan alive.
Proud to be Pinoy!
written by Sha last 30Sep09
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Compliments
Sometimes it is hard to determine whether a compliment is really a compliment or an insult.
A female officemate once told me. "You kow what? You look like Sandy Cheeks. Have you seen her? She's sooo cute!Ü"
Flattered with the word "cute", I replied. "Really? Wow, thanks ha. But who's Sandy Cheeks?"
She answered with a silly grin. "You don't know Sandy Cheeks? She's a friend of Sponge Bob."Oh well... I am not very familiar with Sponge Bob's friends but I know for sure that Sponge Bob is a cartoon character and therefore so are his friends.
I told my officemate, "Hey, how come I look like Sandy Cheeks? Do I look like a cartoon character? Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
My officemate laughed her heart out. She said, "Of course, it's a compliment. Have you seen Sandy Cheeks? Really, she's cute. She has a smiling face, like yours."
Ok, fine. That's where the compliment is. My officemate also said that she always sees me smiling. Wow, that's sweet. So whenever she says that I look like Sandy Cheeks, I laugh but I also delight at such compliment.
Speaking of ambiguous compliments...I remember when I was still in high school. A classmate of mine relayed to us that a sari-sari store lady told her that she looks young at 21. Should my classmate be flattered? She's only 14 years old then. :)
A female officemate once told me. "You kow what? You look like Sandy Cheeks. Have you seen her? She's sooo cute!Ü"
Flattered with the word "cute", I replied. "Really? Wow, thanks ha. But who's Sandy Cheeks?"
She answered with a silly grin. "You don't know Sandy Cheeks? She's a friend of Sponge Bob."Oh well... I am not very familiar with Sponge Bob's friends but I know for sure that Sponge Bob is a cartoon character and therefore so are his friends.
I told my officemate, "Hey, how come I look like Sandy Cheeks? Do I look like a cartoon character? Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
My officemate laughed her heart out. She said, "Of course, it's a compliment. Have you seen Sandy Cheeks? Really, she's cute. She has a smiling face, like yours."
Ok, fine. That's where the compliment is. My officemate also said that she always sees me smiling. Wow, that's sweet. So whenever she says that I look like Sandy Cheeks, I laugh but I also delight at such compliment.
Speaking of ambiguous compliments...I remember when I was still in high school. A classmate of mine relayed to us that a sari-sari store lady told her that she looks young at 21. Should my classmate be flattered? She's only 14 years old then. :)
Monday, August 17, 2009
Mending a Broken Heart
In the midst of the bright and beautiful stars in the sky,
A candid thought came to his mind, asking him why.
Things sometimes happen the way they are not expected,
Which to some may hinder the beating of one’s heart, when neglected.
It all happened when he met somebody,
An instance which was not even cared by anybody.
Except the lovely girl whom he began to love so dearly,
A love with warmth and affection felt by them so sincerely.
But alas! Something different happened,
Which could make anybody’s heart to harden.
An equally beautiful and lovely girl crossed his way
An instance which made his innocent heart beat, anyway.
Everything in his life changed, since then.
Nobody was spared, not even his (girl)friend
Her memory will soon just be recorded as “past”
Blame it to the world which moves so fast.
To him, what matters now is his present situation,
With the equally beautiful and lovely girl to whom he gives utmost devotion
With her, the world seems brighter and more beautiful
Life with her is indeed more colorful and wonderful
A poem that I wrote in high school. :)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Do You Want to Get Rich?
Do you want to get rich? Should I even bother to ask this question? Perhaps you may say that the answer is pretty obvious.
Let's explore the reasons why we want to get rich. When we are rich, we could afford to travel to Europe and other interesting places, eat in fancy restaurants, take vacations for as long as we want, and the list goes on. When we are rich, we could afford to help more people because we have more resources to give. And the best part of being rich is that we are FREE! We don’t have to tire ourselves doing that job that is not of interest to us. And we could have more time to do things that really matter to us and to spend time with people that we really love.
For some time, I became addicted to the idea of getting rich so that I could resign from the corporate world and so I could have more time doing the things that really matter to me like writing, playing badminton, bonding with my family and friends, doing outreach activities, etc. And so I frequented bookstores and I read financial books written by well-renowned authors like Robert Kiyosaki, Francisco Colayco, Larry Gamboa, Bo Sanchez, etc. From the tons of books that I read, I was able to unravel the secrets of the rich.
Let me share with you the three most basic principles of getting rich.
1) First, accumulate assets and eliminate liabilities.
This first principle is very simple. But why is it that only about 3% of the population are rich? The reason is that we do not know the difference between an asset and a liability. We are accumulating what we think are assets but which are in fact liabilities.
Let me illustrate my point. Almost everyone has a credit card. With the credit card, we are empowered to buy things that we don't need with the money that we don't have. Young professionals buy the latest gadgets using their credit cards. Some even take out car loans knowing that a car is an asset. Is car really an asset? :)
The next thing they realize is that they have so much debt to pay and they are in such a financial mess. Though they would get tired and sick of their jobs and would have wanted to resign, they can’t do so because they are trapped with their debts. They need to continue working to earn money to pay for their debts.
What is an asset and what is a liability?
According to the best-selling author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, asset is anything that puts money into your pocket while a liability is anything that takes money out of your pocket.
Do yourself a favor. Buy a notebook and start tracking your assets and liabilities. At the end of each month, calculate your assets against your liabilities. Your assets will include your cash on hand, your savings, your investments, etc. Your liabilities may include your loans, credit card debts, or your accounts payable to other individuals. Your assets less your liabilities is your net worth. Is it positive or negative? If it’s negative, then resolve to make your net worth positive by accumulating more assets and reducing your debts.
2) Second, pay yourself first.
Do you save a portion of your income each month? Saving a portion of our income is quite hard considering the rising expenses. When we receive our salary, our savings formula is: INCOME less EXPENSES. We then save whatever is left. However, oftentimes, none is left to save.
The rich uses a different formula.
Expenses = Income – savings. This means that before they even allot a portion of their income to pay for their expenses, they first take aside a portion to save.
Save and invest as early as you can. For all you know, time can be your best friend.
3) Third, mind your own business.
The traditional school taught us about Math, English, Science, etc. but it never taught us about financial management. Filipino parents would always advise their children to study hard so they can get employed in a nice company. But Chinese parents advise otherwise. They tell their children to study hard so that they can eventually put up their own company.
One way of getting rich is to shift from being employees to being business owners. If you can't afford to become a business owner yet, try shifting your mindset from employee mindset to entrepreneur mindset. Entrepreneurs take responsibilities. Entrepreneurs are proactive, not reactive. Instead of complaining that your mind has been stagnated because your work doesn’t offer any more room for growth, read books or take short courses.
We may not realize it but sometimes money dictates how we behave. Instead of spending quality time with our loved ones, we spend long hours at work simply because we need to earn money t pay our bills and to make both ends meet. We work for money.
I'll share with you a different perspective that the rich and successful people practice. Yes, we all need money but we don’t necessarily have to work for money. Instead, we can learn the art of making money work for us. Sounds impossible, right? But this is one thing that can be learned and that could lead you to riches once learned. Invest in your mind. Read good financial books. Learn how the rich did it. Learn from the experts.
Why would you want to work for money when you can make your money work for you? Doesn’t that make more sense?
P.S. I am not yet rich. I am still on my learning curve... As I take this journey of getting rich so I could help more people, I am sharing with you what I have learned and what I am learning. As Zig Ziglar says, "You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."
Let's explore the reasons why we want to get rich. When we are rich, we could afford to travel to Europe and other interesting places, eat in fancy restaurants, take vacations for as long as we want, and the list goes on. When we are rich, we could afford to help more people because we have more resources to give. And the best part of being rich is that we are FREE! We don’t have to tire ourselves doing that job that is not of interest to us. And we could have more time to do things that really matter to us and to spend time with people that we really love.
For some time, I became addicted to the idea of getting rich so that I could resign from the corporate world and so I could have more time doing the things that really matter to me like writing, playing badminton, bonding with my family and friends, doing outreach activities, etc. And so I frequented bookstores and I read financial books written by well-renowned authors like Robert Kiyosaki, Francisco Colayco, Larry Gamboa, Bo Sanchez, etc. From the tons of books that I read, I was able to unravel the secrets of the rich.
Let me share with you the three most basic principles of getting rich.
1) First, accumulate assets and eliminate liabilities.
This first principle is very simple. But why is it that only about 3% of the population are rich? The reason is that we do not know the difference between an asset and a liability. We are accumulating what we think are assets but which are in fact liabilities.
Let me illustrate my point. Almost everyone has a credit card. With the credit card, we are empowered to buy things that we don't need with the money that we don't have. Young professionals buy the latest gadgets using their credit cards. Some even take out car loans knowing that a car is an asset. Is car really an asset? :)
The next thing they realize is that they have so much debt to pay and they are in such a financial mess. Though they would get tired and sick of their jobs and would have wanted to resign, they can’t do so because they are trapped with their debts. They need to continue working to earn money to pay for their debts.
What is an asset and what is a liability?
According to the best-selling author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, asset is anything that puts money into your pocket while a liability is anything that takes money out of your pocket.
Do yourself a favor. Buy a notebook and start tracking your assets and liabilities. At the end of each month, calculate your assets against your liabilities. Your assets will include your cash on hand, your savings, your investments, etc. Your liabilities may include your loans, credit card debts, or your accounts payable to other individuals. Your assets less your liabilities is your net worth. Is it positive or negative? If it’s negative, then resolve to make your net worth positive by accumulating more assets and reducing your debts.
2) Second, pay yourself first.
Do you save a portion of your income each month? Saving a portion of our income is quite hard considering the rising expenses. When we receive our salary, our savings formula is: INCOME less EXPENSES. We then save whatever is left. However, oftentimes, none is left to save.
The rich uses a different formula.
Expenses = Income – savings. This means that before they even allot a portion of their income to pay for their expenses, they first take aside a portion to save.
Save and invest as early as you can. For all you know, time can be your best friend.
3) Third, mind your own business.
The traditional school taught us about Math, English, Science, etc. but it never taught us about financial management. Filipino parents would always advise their children to study hard so they can get employed in a nice company. But Chinese parents advise otherwise. They tell their children to study hard so that they can eventually put up their own company.
One way of getting rich is to shift from being employees to being business owners. If you can't afford to become a business owner yet, try shifting your mindset from employee mindset to entrepreneur mindset. Entrepreneurs take responsibilities. Entrepreneurs are proactive, not reactive. Instead of complaining that your mind has been stagnated because your work doesn’t offer any more room for growth, read books or take short courses.
We may not realize it but sometimes money dictates how we behave. Instead of spending quality time with our loved ones, we spend long hours at work simply because we need to earn money t pay our bills and to make both ends meet. We work for money.
I'll share with you a different perspective that the rich and successful people practice. Yes, we all need money but we don’t necessarily have to work for money. Instead, we can learn the art of making money work for us. Sounds impossible, right? But this is one thing that can be learned and that could lead you to riches once learned. Invest in your mind. Read good financial books. Learn how the rich did it. Learn from the experts.
Why would you want to work for money when you can make your money work for you? Doesn’t that make more sense?
P.S. I am not yet rich. I am still on my learning curve... As I take this journey of getting rich so I could help more people, I am sharing with you what I have learned and what I am learning. As Zig Ziglar says, "You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."
Friday, August 14, 2009
Discover Your Life Purpose
Are you living the kind of life that you’ve always dreamed of? Are you happy with your life and your work?
Four years ago, I was really bored at my work. I was sick and tired of doing the same thing over and over again. Every morning when I wake up, I would drag myself to work. I knew I could do better than just answering the phone and talking to a number of clients in a day.
I wanted to resign but I can’t because of two main reasons:
First is because of financial considerations. My company is paying me well and I realized that I was not only living for myself; but I also live for my family, my friends, and the community. I couldn’t just quit.
The second reason is more compelling. I actually didn’t know where to go next in case I resign. I didn’t know what my life purpose was.
My boredom and discontent with my work gave me a burning desire to discover my life purpose. And so for many months, I did some soul searching. I read books. I consulted some mentors. I reduced some of my activities so I could have more time to think.
Let me share with you a great discovery that took me years to discern with the hope of inspiring you to discover your own life purpose. Discerning your life purpose looks complicated but there are actually two very simple questions that you need to ask yourself.
1) What makes you happy? What is your passion? If money is not an issue, what profession would you like to pursue? What is that one thing that makes you feel more alive?
Let’s take Bill Gates as an example. Bill Gates is a very intelligent student in Harvard. Yet, he dropped out of college because he got bored in school. Besides, he was interested in pursuing his real passion – computers. Dealing with computers is one thing that makes him really happy.
How many of us would leave Harvard school just to pursue what makes us happy? What is that one thing that makes you happy that you’re willing to leave comfort zone?
2) What do you do best? Where do you excel? Among the talents that God gave you, which one is the greatest? Take time to make an inventory of your talents and find out where you excel the most.
Let’s look at Manny Pacquiao. Do you think he was an A student? Hmmm... Yet, Manny Pacquiao was much wiser than most of the A students because he discovered his “unique genius”. He knew what he does best and he is continually working on improving his greatest asset. Imagine if Manny Pacquiao is just like most of us – he graduated from college and then he got a job in the corporate world. Do you think he would be that successful and rich? Do you think he would have made the Philippines known to the world through his job in the corporate world?
Again, remember the two important questions – what makes you happy and where do you excel? It’s important for us to remember that the answers to the two questions should coincide. For example, if singing happens to be your passion but you are tone deaf, then you shouldn’t pursue singing as a profession. Otherwise, people would wonder whether you had any family member or friend who cared for you to tell you that you are not meant to sing.
In the same manner, if what you do best is something that doesn’t make you happy and is not your passion, somewhere along the way, you’ll get tired of doing this because somewhere along the way, your reason for doing it will wear off.
I am not a very talented person. I love singing but whenever I sing, my father and my brother would wonder whether I was crying or I was reciting a poem. I couldn't dance either. I also tried to enroll in piano lessons but I failed in learning to play even just one song. I also love to cook but whenever I cook, my family or my friends would eat only because they have no choice and they’re hungry. Yet, there is this one thing that I actually do best. And among the talents that God gave me, I think this one is the greatest. Please note that I am benchmarking against myself and not against another person.
The discovery came as a surprise to me when I took up GMAT. I got perfect scores in the essay portion of the exam. Incidentally, writing is also my passion. I love to write.
Ever since I discovered that writing is my passion and my greatest talent, I had been aligning my activities in congruence to my life purpose. I became happier. I became more confident about the activities that I pursue. I became more productive. I’m no longer a lost sheep. I now know where to concentrate my energies. And I’m happy because I know that I am giving justice to the talents that God gave me. I also know that someday, I can reach the big dream that I aspire for.
Before, I never thought that writing could give me the opportunity to travel out of the country for free. To my pleasant surprise, my essay actually won me a trip to China for two weeks for free! Now, I think anything is possible.
Four years ago, I was really bored at my work. I was sick and tired of doing the same thing over and over again. Every morning when I wake up, I would drag myself to work. I knew I could do better than just answering the phone and talking to a number of clients in a day.
I wanted to resign but I can’t because of two main reasons:
First is because of financial considerations. My company is paying me well and I realized that I was not only living for myself; but I also live for my family, my friends, and the community. I couldn’t just quit.
The second reason is more compelling. I actually didn’t know where to go next in case I resign. I didn’t know what my life purpose was.
My boredom and discontent with my work gave me a burning desire to discover my life purpose. And so for many months, I did some soul searching. I read books. I consulted some mentors. I reduced some of my activities so I could have more time to think.
Let me share with you a great discovery that took me years to discern with the hope of inspiring you to discover your own life purpose. Discerning your life purpose looks complicated but there are actually two very simple questions that you need to ask yourself.
1) What makes you happy? What is your passion? If money is not an issue, what profession would you like to pursue? What is that one thing that makes you feel more alive?
Let’s take Bill Gates as an example. Bill Gates is a very intelligent student in Harvard. Yet, he dropped out of college because he got bored in school. Besides, he was interested in pursuing his real passion – computers. Dealing with computers is one thing that makes him really happy.
How many of us would leave Harvard school just to pursue what makes us happy? What is that one thing that makes you happy that you’re willing to leave comfort zone?
2) What do you do best? Where do you excel? Among the talents that God gave you, which one is the greatest? Take time to make an inventory of your talents and find out where you excel the most.
Let’s look at Manny Pacquiao. Do you think he was an A student? Hmmm... Yet, Manny Pacquiao was much wiser than most of the A students because he discovered his “unique genius”. He knew what he does best and he is continually working on improving his greatest asset. Imagine if Manny Pacquiao is just like most of us – he graduated from college and then he got a job in the corporate world. Do you think he would be that successful and rich? Do you think he would have made the Philippines known to the world through his job in the corporate world?
Again, remember the two important questions – what makes you happy and where do you excel? It’s important for us to remember that the answers to the two questions should coincide. For example, if singing happens to be your passion but you are tone deaf, then you shouldn’t pursue singing as a profession. Otherwise, people would wonder whether you had any family member or friend who cared for you to tell you that you are not meant to sing.
In the same manner, if what you do best is something that doesn’t make you happy and is not your passion, somewhere along the way, you’ll get tired of doing this because somewhere along the way, your reason for doing it will wear off.
I am not a very talented person. I love singing but whenever I sing, my father and my brother would wonder whether I was crying or I was reciting a poem. I couldn't dance either. I also tried to enroll in piano lessons but I failed in learning to play even just one song. I also love to cook but whenever I cook, my family or my friends would eat only because they have no choice and they’re hungry. Yet, there is this one thing that I actually do best. And among the talents that God gave me, I think this one is the greatest. Please note that I am benchmarking against myself and not against another person.
The discovery came as a surprise to me when I took up GMAT. I got perfect scores in the essay portion of the exam. Incidentally, writing is also my passion. I love to write.
Ever since I discovered that writing is my passion and my greatest talent, I had been aligning my activities in congruence to my life purpose. I became happier. I became more confident about the activities that I pursue. I became more productive. I’m no longer a lost sheep. I now know where to concentrate my energies. And I’m happy because I know that I am giving justice to the talents that God gave me. I also know that someday, I can reach the big dream that I aspire for.
Before, I never thought that writing could give me the opportunity to travel out of the country for free. To my pleasant surprise, my essay actually won me a trip to China for two weeks for free! Now, I think anything is possible.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Facing Adversities - a day in the office
I remember a time when I had a very toxic day in the office. I handled some complex and delicate transactions where errors can not be tolerated. I carefully processed each transaction but surprisingly, one minute detail was overlooked. The error cannot be retracted because doing so will cost the company a huge amount. There were alternative solutions but the best choice was to inform the client about the error.
I was scared. I was so nervous I didn't know how to approach him. But I have to do it or else he will get angry when he discovers it from another party. I prayed hard before approaching him and I even practiced what to tell him.
After I gathered enough courage, I called him up and greeted him pleasantly. I cheerfully advised him that I already processed his request. I can sense a smile in his face as he was thanking me. Then my voice became apologetic as I told him about the oversight on my part. I was ready for some spanking. He was silent for a while and then he told me that "it's okay".
I was so relieved. Thank God this man was very understanding.Prayers indeed work! I realized that when you make a mistake that would disappoint another person, the best thing to do is to be humble enough to accept your mistake and to admit it to that person. That person may be disappointed but he will surely appreciate your courage and sincerity.
Another lesson learned...=)
I was scared. I was so nervous I didn't know how to approach him. But I have to do it or else he will get angry when he discovers it from another party. I prayed hard before approaching him and I even practiced what to tell him.
After I gathered enough courage, I called him up and greeted him pleasantly. I cheerfully advised him that I already processed his request. I can sense a smile in his face as he was thanking me. Then my voice became apologetic as I told him about the oversight on my part. I was ready for some spanking. He was silent for a while and then he told me that "it's okay".
I was so relieved. Thank God this man was very understanding.Prayers indeed work! I realized that when you make a mistake that would disappoint another person, the best thing to do is to be humble enough to accept your mistake and to admit it to that person. That person may be disappointed but he will surely appreciate your courage and sincerity.
Another lesson learned...=)
Up Close With An Actress
written by Sha last 24Sep08
I had the privilege of having lunch with my officemate in S&R Bonifacio Global City today. We ordered roast chicken for only Php 89 each. Considering the rising prices of quality meals nowadays, our meal at S&R was definitely a good buy.
After lunch, we bought some M&Ms for another officemate. While I was lined up at the counter, my officemate motioned me to look towards the direction of actress Donita Rose. There were still two customers ahead of me in the 2nd counter so I moved to the counter where Donita Rose lined up. I was right behind Donita! We were only one foot apart.
Of course I didn't show that I was star stucked because I wasn't. I patiently waited for my turn while the cashier was attending to Donita's groceries. A few feet away from me is a beautiful girl (about 3 years old) and another charming young boy who were chatting. It was actually the boy who went to the girl and asked for the girl's name. If only they were a little older, you could sense that the boy was attracted to the girl and he wants to get to know the girl. Anyway, it turned out that the boy is Donita's son.
I casually told Donita, "Your boy already knows how to appreciate a beautiful young girl." Donita glanced at me and smiled. Then she said, "Yeah, he's into school now so he is already learning a lot including making friends." Then she smiled at me again, paid her groceries, and left.
It was a very short encounter but it was a moment worth remembering and worth blogging. I could have chosen to pretend not to notice Donita and kept my pride. People have a tendency to pretend that they don't get affected a bit when they see some famous people. But then I remembered what Lloyd Luna wrote in his book "Is There a Job Waiting for You?"...
Some people, especially young people nowadays, let the opportunity pass them. When they meet great or influential people, they don't get the courage to talk to that person or to step up and learn a thing or two about that encounter.
And so I thought it would be good to have a little word with an actress who was once very famous during her time. It was a risk to take. What if she turns out to be a snob and pretends that she didn't see me? Good thing she was friendly.
What did I learn about Donita Rose? For one, I learned that a smile is very powerful. A simple smile from her made me feel good about talking to her. When her son went to her and he asked Donita what the name of the little beautiful girl is (the young girl knew how to play hard-to-get), Donita told her son "go and ask her!" From those words, I observed that Donita was also allowing her son to take chances. There's a possibility that the little young girl might snob her son but she encouraged her son to go to the girl to ask for the girl's name.
I have big dreams. Pursuing my dreams can be very risky. I really want to live my dreams but right now, I have yet to find a very strong determination to pursue them. I can not change overnight. But the baby steps that I make everyday towards my dreams can be multiplied and can amount to something significant. :)
I had the privilege of having lunch with my officemate in S&R Bonifacio Global City today. We ordered roast chicken for only Php 89 each. Considering the rising prices of quality meals nowadays, our meal at S&R was definitely a good buy.
After lunch, we bought some M&Ms for another officemate. While I was lined up at the counter, my officemate motioned me to look towards the direction of actress Donita Rose. There were still two customers ahead of me in the 2nd counter so I moved to the counter where Donita Rose lined up. I was right behind Donita! We were only one foot apart.
Of course I didn't show that I was star stucked because I wasn't. I patiently waited for my turn while the cashier was attending to Donita's groceries. A few feet away from me is a beautiful girl (about 3 years old) and another charming young boy who were chatting. It was actually the boy who went to the girl and asked for the girl's name. If only they were a little older, you could sense that the boy was attracted to the girl and he wants to get to know the girl. Anyway, it turned out that the boy is Donita's son.
I casually told Donita, "Your boy already knows how to appreciate a beautiful young girl." Donita glanced at me and smiled. Then she said, "Yeah, he's into school now so he is already learning a lot including making friends." Then she smiled at me again, paid her groceries, and left.
It was a very short encounter but it was a moment worth remembering and worth blogging. I could have chosen to pretend not to notice Donita and kept my pride. People have a tendency to pretend that they don't get affected a bit when they see some famous people. But then I remembered what Lloyd Luna wrote in his book "Is There a Job Waiting for You?"...
Some people, especially young people nowadays, let the opportunity pass them. When they meet great or influential people, they don't get the courage to talk to that person or to step up and learn a thing or two about that encounter.
And so I thought it would be good to have a little word with an actress who was once very famous during her time. It was a risk to take. What if she turns out to be a snob and pretends that she didn't see me? Good thing she was friendly.
What did I learn about Donita Rose? For one, I learned that a smile is very powerful. A simple smile from her made me feel good about talking to her. When her son went to her and he asked Donita what the name of the little beautiful girl is (the young girl knew how to play hard-to-get), Donita told her son "go and ask her!" From those words, I observed that Donita was also allowing her son to take chances. There's a possibility that the little young girl might snob her son but she encouraged her son to go to the girl to ask for the girl's name.
I have big dreams. Pursuing my dreams can be very risky. I really want to live my dreams but right now, I have yet to find a very strong determination to pursue them. I can not change overnight. But the baby steps that I make everyday towards my dreams can be multiplied and can amount to something significant. :)
Aggressive yet Loving and Gentle
I went to the Kerygma Feast at Valle Verde Country Club last 05October 2008. The feast has three parts - the Holy Mass, praise and worship, and the talk of Bro Bo Sanchez. I could opt to hear the Holy Mass at Divine Mercy and I prefer silent worship but I keep coming back to the Feast because I want to listen to the wonderful talks of Bo Sanchez.
I thank God for people like Bo Sanchez. Bo Sanchez is a best-selling author, a world-renowned preacher, an established entrepreneur, a great family man, and a cheerful giver. He has a very positive disposition that looking at him and listening to him give me a sense of hope and cheer amidst the challenges of the world.
The topic was about being consistently aggressive towards your dreams while being the most loving and tender person that you can be. By being aggressive, he didn't mean being rude, nor boastful, nor pushy, nor violent. Let me share the heart of his talk.
First, he discussed the 5 Cultural Weaknesses robbing our aggressiveness:
1) Haciendero Complex
In the Hacienda setting, the land tillers heavily depend on the hacienderos for their financialneeds because it is the haciendero who gives them income. Haciendero complex means beingdependent on others. In the Philippines, sometimes, people have a tendency to depend on thegovernement for better lives. Employees depend on their employers for their retirement.
2) Bahala Na! Attitude
Bo Sanchez used the song que sera sera as an example. The song says "que sera sera, whatever will be will be, the future is not ours to see, que sera sera." With a humorous tone,Bo commented that this is a terrible song. To redeem the phrase bahala na, he challenged usto use the phrase "ako na ang bahala". He challenged us to become responsible for ourlives and for our future.
3) Lotto Mindset
People depend on luck for fortune. According to Bo, he feels pity towards people who placedtheir dreams on winning in noontime shows like Wowowee or Eat Bulaga.
4) Manana Habit
This is a habit of procrastination; putting off for tomorrow what you can do today.
5) Crab Mentality
According to Bo, jealousy and envious towards the good of others will take success away fromus.
He then presented the 7 Laws of Aggressiveness as follows:
1) The Law of Clarity
One should be very clear about what he wants in life. When you know what you want, try toimagine doing it and being successful in it. Imagination works wonders. Why? Because themind cannot recognize what is imaginary from is real.
There was an experiment made for basketball players. The first group was advised to spend 2hours in the court to practice free throws. The second group was advised to go to a room 2hours a day, close their eyes, and imagine that they are doing free throws. The result wasamazing! The first group improved their shooting ability by 30%. But what is more amazing isthe result for the 2nd group. The group members also improved their shooting skills by 30%!That is the power of imagination!
When Tiger Woods was only 13, his dream was to break all records in golf and to be the best golf player in the world.
Steven Spielberg's dream was to tell stories to the world through movies.
Sylvester Stallone dreamed of becoming an actor. He was born to a poor family. His mother gave birth to him at a school's staircase.When he was in the age of reason, he went to many directors for an acting job but no one gave him a break because he had a speech defect. So he wrote a script and went to production houses to sell it with one condition - that he will be the lead actor. He was rejected so many times but he never gave up. Finally, one production company agreed to buy his script for USD75,000 but with a condition that he won't take any acting role. At that time, Stallone was so poor. He was so poor to the point that he sold his dog which he considered as his best friend for USD50. But he told the production house, "no, thank you" and went off.After a few days, he was again called by the production house and he was offered USD 225,000 for his script with a condition that he will not take any acting role. Again, he declined. The production house again called him up and offered him USD1M for his script with the same condition that he will not take a role. Again, he declined the offer. His dream was very clear. He wanted to become an actor.After some time, the production house called him again and it agreed to give him the lead role but the price was lowered to USD35,000. Sylvester accepted. That movie was Rocky which won the Best Picture and which also won him the Best Actor Award. The movie became a blockbuster and it earned more than USD100M. Anyway, Stallone had enough money to buy back his dog for USD15000 because the new owner initially refused to sell back the dog to Stallone.
2) The Law of Focus
Everyone has talents. Among the talents that you have, find your greatest talent and do onething, not many things. Because if you focus on that one thing, something will happen.
3) The Law of Intensity
Find your passion and be intense about it.
4) The Law of Action
There is a big difference between deciding to do something and actually doing it.
5) The Law of Hustle
This law means that you don't easily give up. If there are 20 doors, look for the 21st. If you were unsuccessful the first time, try again.
CEO of Google: Fail quickly so that you could try again.
Bo Sanchez also gave inspiring examples from successful people.
> Walt Disney was rejected 302 times but he never gave up. On the 303rd time, somebody agreed to finance his dream.
> Col Sanders (of KFC) went from one restaurant to another for 2 years to sell his recipe for a small royalty for every chicken sold but he was rejected 1009 times. He didn't give up. On the 1010th time, someone finally agreed to his proposal.
6. The Law of Gestation
In the same way that a baby has a gestation period which is 9 months, our dreams also have gestation period. It is a period of preparation. Bo Sanchez has been preaching for 30 years but it was only 10 years ago when he started to talk about money.
Success is 10% action and 90% preparation. Luck is preparation meeting opportunity.
7. The Law of Integrity
We have to be aggressive towards our dreams because of the pure motive of love."I will do this because I want to love more."
So there you have it. I am learning a lot everytime I attend the Kerygma Feast on Sunday. Thanks God for Bo Sanchez! =)
P.S. I also liked what the other preacher singer told us. He advised us to be faithful to God and to entrust in Him our dreams. In God's time, He will grant us our dreams. But if the time will come that our dreams are not granted, trust that God has better plans for us.
I thank God for people like Bo Sanchez. Bo Sanchez is a best-selling author, a world-renowned preacher, an established entrepreneur, a great family man, and a cheerful giver. He has a very positive disposition that looking at him and listening to him give me a sense of hope and cheer amidst the challenges of the world.
The topic was about being consistently aggressive towards your dreams while being the most loving and tender person that you can be. By being aggressive, he didn't mean being rude, nor boastful, nor pushy, nor violent. Let me share the heart of his talk.
First, he discussed the 5 Cultural Weaknesses robbing our aggressiveness:
1) Haciendero Complex
In the Hacienda setting, the land tillers heavily depend on the hacienderos for their financialneeds because it is the haciendero who gives them income. Haciendero complex means beingdependent on others. In the Philippines, sometimes, people have a tendency to depend on thegovernement for better lives. Employees depend on their employers for their retirement.
2) Bahala Na! Attitude
Bo Sanchez used the song que sera sera as an example. The song says "que sera sera, whatever will be will be, the future is not ours to see, que sera sera." With a humorous tone,Bo commented that this is a terrible song. To redeem the phrase bahala na, he challenged usto use the phrase "ako na ang bahala". He challenged us to become responsible for ourlives and for our future.
3) Lotto Mindset
People depend on luck for fortune. According to Bo, he feels pity towards people who placedtheir dreams on winning in noontime shows like Wowowee or Eat Bulaga.
4) Manana Habit
This is a habit of procrastination; putting off for tomorrow what you can do today.
5) Crab Mentality
According to Bo, jealousy and envious towards the good of others will take success away fromus.
He then presented the 7 Laws of Aggressiveness as follows:
1) The Law of Clarity
One should be very clear about what he wants in life. When you know what you want, try toimagine doing it and being successful in it. Imagination works wonders. Why? Because themind cannot recognize what is imaginary from is real.
There was an experiment made for basketball players. The first group was advised to spend 2hours in the court to practice free throws. The second group was advised to go to a room 2hours a day, close their eyes, and imagine that they are doing free throws. The result wasamazing! The first group improved their shooting ability by 30%. But what is more amazing isthe result for the 2nd group. The group members also improved their shooting skills by 30%!That is the power of imagination!
When Tiger Woods was only 13, his dream was to break all records in golf and to be the best golf player in the world.
Steven Spielberg's dream was to tell stories to the world through movies.
Sylvester Stallone dreamed of becoming an actor. He was born to a poor family. His mother gave birth to him at a school's staircase.When he was in the age of reason, he went to many directors for an acting job but no one gave him a break because he had a speech defect. So he wrote a script and went to production houses to sell it with one condition - that he will be the lead actor. He was rejected so many times but he never gave up. Finally, one production company agreed to buy his script for USD75,000 but with a condition that he won't take any acting role. At that time, Stallone was so poor. He was so poor to the point that he sold his dog which he considered as his best friend for USD50. But he told the production house, "no, thank you" and went off.After a few days, he was again called by the production house and he was offered USD 225,000 for his script with a condition that he will not take any acting role. Again, he declined. The production house again called him up and offered him USD1M for his script with the same condition that he will not take a role. Again, he declined the offer. His dream was very clear. He wanted to become an actor.After some time, the production house called him again and it agreed to give him the lead role but the price was lowered to USD35,000. Sylvester accepted. That movie was Rocky which won the Best Picture and which also won him the Best Actor Award. The movie became a blockbuster and it earned more than USD100M. Anyway, Stallone had enough money to buy back his dog for USD15000 because the new owner initially refused to sell back the dog to Stallone.
2) The Law of Focus
Everyone has talents. Among the talents that you have, find your greatest talent and do onething, not many things. Because if you focus on that one thing, something will happen.
3) The Law of Intensity
Find your passion and be intense about it.
4) The Law of Action
There is a big difference between deciding to do something and actually doing it.
5) The Law of Hustle
This law means that you don't easily give up. If there are 20 doors, look for the 21st. If you were unsuccessful the first time, try again.
CEO of Google: Fail quickly so that you could try again.
Bo Sanchez also gave inspiring examples from successful people.
> Walt Disney was rejected 302 times but he never gave up. On the 303rd time, somebody agreed to finance his dream.
> Col Sanders (of KFC) went from one restaurant to another for 2 years to sell his recipe for a small royalty for every chicken sold but he was rejected 1009 times. He didn't give up. On the 1010th time, someone finally agreed to his proposal.
6. The Law of Gestation
In the same way that a baby has a gestation period which is 9 months, our dreams also have gestation period. It is a period of preparation. Bo Sanchez has been preaching for 30 years but it was only 10 years ago when he started to talk about money.
Success is 10% action and 90% preparation. Luck is preparation meeting opportunity.
7. The Law of Integrity
We have to be aggressive towards our dreams because of the pure motive of love."I will do this because I want to love more."
So there you have it. I am learning a lot everytime I attend the Kerygma Feast on Sunday. Thanks God for Bo Sanchez! =)
P.S. I also liked what the other preacher singer told us. He advised us to be faithful to God and to entrust in Him our dreams. In God's time, He will grant us our dreams. But if the time will come that our dreams are not granted, trust that God has better plans for us.
No Limits
written by Sha last Tuesday, April 28, 2009
I delivered my 9th speech during the President Toastmasters Club meeting at Legend Villas last night. I wasn't really ready to deliver the speech at 8pm last night considering that I just finished writing my speech at 5:30pm! But the show must go on.
I delivered my speech titled "Get Physical" wherein I encouraged the audience to engage in sports because of its physical, psychological, and emotional benefits. I was successful in eliciting postive response from the audience but I believe it was not my best performance ever. I forgot some of the lines and I had to adlib a few times. After I delivered my speech, I told myself to really really prepare my speech in advance.
During the evaluation portion, my evaluator Ms Innah (one of my favorite speakers) gave justice to my speech. I would say that her evaluation was fair and kind. She said that I was able to meet the objective(s) of my speech (major objective: persuade with power), there was excitement in my voice, my gestures were okay. Point for improvement was to add more vocal variety and to detach the microphone from the lectern at the start of the speech to avoid distractions.
During the meeting, we were privileged to have our District Governor Liza Paylago as our General Evaluator. The role of the GE is to evaluate the evaluators. After she evaluated the evaluators, I can't forget how she said this. "Oh! Before I forget...Sha! You are a great speaker. You should join the international speech contests!"
I was dumbfounded. I can't believe what I heard. Wow! Really?! I was so delighted. I didn't see myself as one but one great mentor actually saw me as one. I'm very thankful to Gov Liza for that remark. As she was looking at me, and so is everybody else, I just smiled (obviously pleasantly surprised) and managed to say "thank you".
There is no limit to the amount of success that we can achieve. What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve. =)
I delivered my 9th speech during the President Toastmasters Club meeting at Legend Villas last night. I wasn't really ready to deliver the speech at 8pm last night considering that I just finished writing my speech at 5:30pm! But the show must go on.
I delivered my speech titled "Get Physical" wherein I encouraged the audience to engage in sports because of its physical, psychological, and emotional benefits. I was successful in eliciting postive response from the audience but I believe it was not my best performance ever. I forgot some of the lines and I had to adlib a few times. After I delivered my speech, I told myself to really really prepare my speech in advance.
During the evaluation portion, my evaluator Ms Innah (one of my favorite speakers) gave justice to my speech. I would say that her evaluation was fair and kind. She said that I was able to meet the objective(s) of my speech (major objective: persuade with power), there was excitement in my voice, my gestures were okay. Point for improvement was to add more vocal variety and to detach the microphone from the lectern at the start of the speech to avoid distractions.
During the meeting, we were privileged to have our District Governor Liza Paylago as our General Evaluator. The role of the GE is to evaluate the evaluators. After she evaluated the evaluators, I can't forget how she said this. "Oh! Before I forget...Sha! You are a great speaker. You should join the international speech contests!"
I was dumbfounded. I can't believe what I heard. Wow! Really?! I was so delighted. I didn't see myself as one but one great mentor actually saw me as one. I'm very thankful to Gov Liza for that remark. As she was looking at me, and so is everybody else, I just smiled (obviously pleasantly surprised) and managed to say "thank you".
There is no limit to the amount of success that we can achieve. What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve. =)
Monday, August 10, 2009
How I Observed Earth Hour
While my housemates decided to doze off during the momentous one hour, I chose to relax in our sofa by the window.
Lights and TV off... It was silent, dark, and peaceful.
The scenario brought me back to my childhood days. I remember as kids, brownout is one of my favorite moments because that is when our family - my parents, my siblings, and I would gather in our terrace for fresh air. My siblings and I love it when our parents would attentively listen to our dreams and concerns. Oftentimes, my father would also crack self-made jokes and devise interesting stories with moral lessons to entertain us. I remember one of his stories wherein he emphasized that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
According to my father, there was a Prince Alien who landed on Planet Earth to search for the most beautiful woman. He has a tour guide with him and his tour guide brought him to the Miss Universe Beauty pageant. The beauty queens were tall, sexy, gorgeous, and beautiful. But Prince Alien found the beauty queens ugly. He then looked around and saw a dark, short, and chubby woman with big eyes and thick lips and he exclaimed, "She is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen!" And my father continued advising us never to tease anyone because of his appearance. What others see as ugly may be beautiful to someone else's eyes.
Back to where I am... Sitting in a sofa... It was so quiet and serene that I could almost listen to my heart. I then took the opportunity to really listen to my heart's deepest desires. I realized that I want to have many children and raise them to a loving family like my family. When I get married, I want my husband and I to spend quality time with our children rather than busying ourselves at work and just pampering our kids with material things. I realized that though I didn't come from a rich family, I feel safe, secure, loved, and complete because of the quality time that my family enjoyed.
Earth Hour is just one hour. Yet, in that short period, I was able to relax and reflect on things that really matter to me. And it also gave me a sense of fulfillment that I was able to take part in saving the Earth. I am delighted with the thought that I am taking steps to help make this world a better and cooler place to live for my future children and for the future generation.
http://www.hsbcelementoscarnaval.com/essay-sha-nacino.php
Lights and TV off... It was silent, dark, and peaceful.
The scenario brought me back to my childhood days. I remember as kids, brownout is one of my favorite moments because that is when our family - my parents, my siblings, and I would gather in our terrace for fresh air. My siblings and I love it when our parents would attentively listen to our dreams and concerns. Oftentimes, my father would also crack self-made jokes and devise interesting stories with moral lessons to entertain us. I remember one of his stories wherein he emphasized that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
According to my father, there was a Prince Alien who landed on Planet Earth to search for the most beautiful woman. He has a tour guide with him and his tour guide brought him to the Miss Universe Beauty pageant. The beauty queens were tall, sexy, gorgeous, and beautiful. But Prince Alien found the beauty queens ugly. He then looked around and saw a dark, short, and chubby woman with big eyes and thick lips and he exclaimed, "She is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen!" And my father continued advising us never to tease anyone because of his appearance. What others see as ugly may be beautiful to someone else's eyes.
Back to where I am... Sitting in a sofa... It was so quiet and serene that I could almost listen to my heart. I then took the opportunity to really listen to my heart's deepest desires. I realized that I want to have many children and raise them to a loving family like my family. When I get married, I want my husband and I to spend quality time with our children rather than busying ourselves at work and just pampering our kids with material things. I realized that though I didn't come from a rich family, I feel safe, secure, loved, and complete because of the quality time that my family enjoyed.
Earth Hour is just one hour. Yet, in that short period, I was able to relax and reflect on things that really matter to me. And it also gave me a sense of fulfillment that I was able to take part in saving the Earth. I am delighted with the thought that I am taking steps to help make this world a better and cooler place to live for my future children and for the future generation.
http://www.hsbcelementoscarnaval.com/essay-sha-nacino.php
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Journey Towards Success
I want to tell you a story about three persons – Sonya, a washroom cleaner; Lloyd, a writer; and Carol, a mother.
Sonya works as a washroom cleaner in a big financial company in Fort Bonifacio. She enjoys and values her work so much that her colleagues love to go to the comfort room to breath, relax, and $re-charge.
Lloyd is a young man who once dreamed of becoming a priest, a musician or an engineer. However none of his dreams materialized. He failed big time in his life not just once but thrice. But he didn’t give up. He soon found his passion and skill in writing and he wrote best-selling books that made him a millionaire. At 26, he is now a President and CEO of his own company.
Carol had a failed marriage with a gentleman who eventually turned out to be a gay. She doesn’t have a family of her own but she is a proud mother of 3 adorable kids – her niece and nephews whom she loves as her own.
Sonya, Lloyd, and Carol have different occupations and backgrounds. What do they have in common? They are all successful. Sonya is the best restroom cleaner that she can be, Lloyd is a brilliant writer, and Carol is an excellent surrogate mother.
So what is success and how does one become successful?
A friend of mine once said that she is successful if she becomes a VP of their company. Another officemate said that his success is equated to buying a brand new car. And still another said that she will be successful if she marries a millionaire so she doesn’t have to work.
We often define success or happiness as a destination. However, there are two problems with this definition. First, we may never see ourselves as successful because we have insatiable needs, we never get satisfied. Second, if we do achieve our goals and consider ourselves as successful, then we may become complacent and lose our drive to pursue other great things.
I would like to re-introduce you to this classic concept called “success”. How we define success is very crucial in being successful. According to the best-selling author and leadership guru John Maxwell, success is a journey, not a destination. In this journey towards success, there are four landmarks that we must take note to keep us on track.
First; success is knowing your purpose in life.
Have you ever wondered what your mission in life is? Tough question, isn’t it? I read somewhere that your mission or vocation in life is your heart’s deepest desire. What is it that you really want to do? Is it public speaking? Is it Farmville?Perhaps the person who created Famville is now earning millions. Maybe you are meant to write books that will touch other people’s lives. Or is it simply laughing? Thank God for you. You give joy to the people surrounding you.
Second; success is maximizing your potential.
What is it something that you do best? Find that “unique genius” in you and nurture it. I bet Manny Pacquiao was no good in Math nor music nor Science. But he found his unique genius and he made the Philippines known to the world, besides the fact that he had turned himself into a billionaire. I believe that each one of us has been gifted with a special talent. Find time to discover your talent and develop it to its fullest.
Third; success is planting seeds that would benefit others.
No man is so poor that he doesn’t have anything to share and no man is so rich that he won’t need anything anymore.
During my visit to PGH last January 2008, I met the most positive person on earth. His name is Kenneth, a 9-year old boy who has been bed-ridden for 3 years. At first glance, you would think that Kenneth is nothing but a burden to his family. But there is more to Kenneth then meets the eye. He is so cheerful that he gives so much joy not only to his parents, but also to his fellow patients, to the doctors, the nurses, the visitors, and everyone who meets him. If Kenneth can do so much to make a difference in other persons’ lives, what more for us who are healthy? A simple smile to the taxi driver or guard will go a long way. Or you may also want to join an outreach organization in your area.
Fourth; success is giving glory to our Creator.
Sometimes power, riches, and fame cloud our vision and make us forget our God.
The man who built the Titanic boastfully said that not even God can sink his ship. The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic. Famous singer Marilyn Monroe said that she doesn’t need Jesus. A week later, she was found dead in her apartment.
Our journey on earth is just temporary. May we make it a practice to thank God each day for all His blessings. God is a very Good Father who loves us so much that He is willing to give what is best for us, even if it means dying on the Cross to save us from our sins. Let us not take this for granted. We need Our God.
To recap, success is a journey. As we journey towards success, let us take note of the landmarks that will keep us on track. Like Sonya, Lloyd, and Carol, may we also discover our purpose in life, maximize our potential, share our blessings with others, and give glory to our Creator.
So are you successful? If you reach any of these four landmarks, then give yourself a pat on the back. You are on your way towards success! :)
Sonya works as a washroom cleaner in a big financial company in Fort Bonifacio. She enjoys and values her work so much that her colleagues love to go to the comfort room to breath, relax, and $re-charge.
Lloyd is a young man who once dreamed of becoming a priest, a musician or an engineer. However none of his dreams materialized. He failed big time in his life not just once but thrice. But he didn’t give up. He soon found his passion and skill in writing and he wrote best-selling books that made him a millionaire. At 26, he is now a President and CEO of his own company.
Carol had a failed marriage with a gentleman who eventually turned out to be a gay. She doesn’t have a family of her own but she is a proud mother of 3 adorable kids – her niece and nephews whom she loves as her own.
Sonya, Lloyd, and Carol have different occupations and backgrounds. What do they have in common? They are all successful. Sonya is the best restroom cleaner that she can be, Lloyd is a brilliant writer, and Carol is an excellent surrogate mother.
So what is success and how does one become successful?
A friend of mine once said that she is successful if she becomes a VP of their company. Another officemate said that his success is equated to buying a brand new car. And still another said that she will be successful if she marries a millionaire so she doesn’t have to work.
We often define success or happiness as a destination. However, there are two problems with this definition. First, we may never see ourselves as successful because we have insatiable needs, we never get satisfied. Second, if we do achieve our goals and consider ourselves as successful, then we may become complacent and lose our drive to pursue other great things.
I would like to re-introduce you to this classic concept called “success”. How we define success is very crucial in being successful. According to the best-selling author and leadership guru John Maxwell, success is a journey, not a destination. In this journey towards success, there are four landmarks that we must take note to keep us on track.
First; success is knowing your purpose in life.
Have you ever wondered what your mission in life is? Tough question, isn’t it? I read somewhere that your mission or vocation in life is your heart’s deepest desire. What is it that you really want to do? Is it public speaking? Is it Farmville?Perhaps the person who created Famville is now earning millions. Maybe you are meant to write books that will touch other people’s lives. Or is it simply laughing? Thank God for you. You give joy to the people surrounding you.
Second; success is maximizing your potential.
What is it something that you do best? Find that “unique genius” in you and nurture it. I bet Manny Pacquiao was no good in Math nor music nor Science. But he found his unique genius and he made the Philippines known to the world, besides the fact that he had turned himself into a billionaire. I believe that each one of us has been gifted with a special talent. Find time to discover your talent and develop it to its fullest.
Third; success is planting seeds that would benefit others.
No man is so poor that he doesn’t have anything to share and no man is so rich that he won’t need anything anymore.
During my visit to PGH last January 2008, I met the most positive person on earth. His name is Kenneth, a 9-year old boy who has been bed-ridden for 3 years. At first glance, you would think that Kenneth is nothing but a burden to his family. But there is more to Kenneth then meets the eye. He is so cheerful that he gives so much joy not only to his parents, but also to his fellow patients, to the doctors, the nurses, the visitors, and everyone who meets him. If Kenneth can do so much to make a difference in other persons’ lives, what more for us who are healthy? A simple smile to the taxi driver or guard will go a long way. Or you may also want to join an outreach organization in your area.
Fourth; success is giving glory to our Creator.
Sometimes power, riches, and fame cloud our vision and make us forget our God.
The man who built the Titanic boastfully said that not even God can sink his ship. The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic. Famous singer Marilyn Monroe said that she doesn’t need Jesus. A week later, she was found dead in her apartment.
Our journey on earth is just temporary. May we make it a practice to thank God each day for all His blessings. God is a very Good Father who loves us so much that He is willing to give what is best for us, even if it means dying on the Cross to save us from our sins. Let us not take this for granted. We need Our God.
To recap, success is a journey. As we journey towards success, let us take note of the landmarks that will keep us on track. Like Sonya, Lloyd, and Carol, may we also discover our purpose in life, maximize our potential, share our blessings with others, and give glory to our Creator.
So are you successful? If you reach any of these four landmarks, then give yourself a pat on the back. You are on your way towards success! :)
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