Inspirational poster for you

Top 10 Quotes on Failure

1.  A failure is a man who blunders and not cashing in on the experience

      Ellbert Hubbard

2. My reputation grows with every failure

    George Bernard Shaw

3. I've  missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I 've been  trusted to        take the winning shots and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life  and that is why I succeed.

   Michael Jordan

4. I don't believe in failure.It's not failure if you enjoyed the process

   Oprah Winfrey

5. Only those who dared to fail greatly can ever chieve greatly

    Robert F. Kennedy

6. Many of life's failure are people who did not realise that how close they were  to success when  they gave up.

    Thomas Edison

7.  Success consist of going from failure to failure without the loss of enthusiasm

     Winston Churchill 

8. Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes

    Oscar Wilde

9.  Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is  that they         wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death.

    Anais Nin

10. A life spend making mistakes is not only more honourable but more useful than a life spend in doing nothing.

     George Bernard Shaw

Dare to fail

Have you read the book "Dare to Fail" ? It is an inspiring book about the importance of changing the way you look at failure.It first captured my attention many year ago as I just completed reading the book "Dare to Succeed". Though a total opposite of it's title, it still has a powerful message.

There is no success without failure. Since this is so, we need to get up and risk failure but not get beaten down by it. Yesterday (29th March 2009) , I was declared first runner up for the division speech competition in Kota Kinabalu. Honestly , I was disappointed because I felt that my performance was better than the others. However , isn't that the common emotional feeling felt by the non winners? At times we may think that we have outdone our competitors and we should be holding up the cup of victory. In reality , I was unable to see my flaws and perhaps the very reason why I did not emerge the winner.

I really appreciated the support from the more proficient speakers who offered some valuable tips on how I can take my speaking a few notches up. Because of the encouragement from my fellow toastmasters and my lovely wife Liza,now I have a burning desire to go at it again.

I guess if I were to emerge as champion for the day, I won't be as fired up as coming in second.The moment will come and I will be ready.

It's all in the MIND

Inspiration poster for YOU

10 top quotes on Leadership

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS:

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER:

You do not lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership.

FAYE WATTLETON:

The only safe ship in a storm is leadership.

HENRIK IBSEN:

A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.

JOHN GARDNER:

Most important, leaders can conceive and articulate goals that lift people out of their petty preoccupations and unite them in pursuit of objectives worthy of their best efforts.

RALPH NADER:

I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON:

Keep your fears to yourself, but share your inspiration with others.

ROSALYNN CARTER:

A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be.

STEPHEN COVEY:

Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.

WALTER LIPPMAN:

The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on.

Inspirational poster for YOU

Who is driving the bus?

Do you find yourself losing steam half way in the effort towards realising your personal or business goals? If you are facing this problem, STOP and take the time to reassess the reason why. Our unconscious mind may be telling us something important such as the possible internal conflict in regards to the goal we are striving for. When we are striving to attain the  goal, we are pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone. We cannot stand still and hope that we will succeed.We may need to learn  new sets of skills,  perhaps acquire new knowledge, form new beliefs, values or cultivate the right attitude. 

There is a popular phrase which I learned from the NLP founder Richard Bandler  "Who is driving the bus?" Picture your  life as a “bus.” Who’s driving? Is it you or someone else? Where is the bus going? Who chose the route, the destination, the speed? Who are the passengers? What about side trips along the way? (You know that side trips often enrich the journey!)

Personally, this metaphor question is about who is in charge of your life? Fear and  false beliefs often grip us from moving forward in our life. This could be due to our conditioning during our upbringing, cultural influence or social expectation.

Is your belief preventing you from the lifestyle you desire?

I will do it tomorrow

"Eat the frog" poster reminds me to tackle the difficult task first for the day.A concept learned from Brian Tracy shared by my exBoss Mr. Patrick Cheing who is now retired and enjoying his golf.

I usually find myself filing in my tax return on the last day. By then the queue will be long and I start to complain about the department's inefficiency. Looking at it now, many people like myself procrastinate. Yes... I am not alone. If I would have filed in earlier, I would have save myself the unnecessarily stress, the frustration but most importantly time to do something worthwhile. We all know our friend or foe Mr Procrastination.

"Every behaviour is useful in some context"

Procrastination is derived from the Latin word Procrastinatus:- Pro (forward) and crastinatus (tomorrow). I am not a psychologist and I would not go into the detail of explaining it. However I do know the practical approach to it.

I do know that putting off a non urgent but important matter until the last minute is stressful and causes a lot of anxiety. However most of the time , I would defend my behaviour ,that the stress would put me into a more productive mode. The urgency will drive me to complete the task. I observe that some jobs are living on the edge and procrastination can lead to disastrous outcome, such as emergency ward, news media, restaurants, customer service and so forth. I don't think I can fit it well, my stress tolerance is not too great.

By procrastinating, it somehow makes me feel important because I am needed to get the job done. I got datelines to meet but I guess this are all wrong perceptions. In the past I associate urgency with feeling important.

Procrastination is not at all bad. It is useful at times. Especially when I want to make a purchase. Nowadays with the persuasive marketing campaign, we may get sucked into the moment and make the purchase regardless we need it or not. Marketing is about convincing the customer to act NOW. Last November I was considering to purchase a notebook and so I have my own specification. After making trips to few computer shops and checking out the many attractive offers, I did not make any purchase. Something within me hesitate. So I began to probe within what could be possibly be the obstacles. I already have my company notebook which i use to carry around. My inner self was telling me that why waste the money, the money can be used for other things. So I did some more information seeking from the Internet and found the notebook with the specs that I wanted (Lenovo S10 series).So I made a firm decision of buying it in December, Which I did. The little voice was still bugging me but I overcame it by telling myself if I regret later it is a wrong decision made and that is all. I can learn from it. So far I am quite happy with the notebook. The little voice or a.k.a conscience wants to protect me from making mistakes. I think it is important that it should not paralyse you from taking action.

When face with procrastination, there is always and underlying reasons that urge you to hold it off till tomorrow. Probe it until you find the answer. It could be a clash in personal values and beliefs.

Change your attitude ,Change your life

I like the phrase printed on this banner which read "Life favours those who see things differently". This reminds me of a saying by a business men, philanthropist, and author W.Clement Stone stated,

"There is little difference in people, but the little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative"

I began to cultivate the love of reading because my dad's simple gesture of driving us to the library every forth night and let us be for two hours. I found many adventures there and among my favourite readings, I especially loved Enid Blyton collection on "the famous five". I even had a crush on Annie, a fictional character in the book. Thanks Dad if I haven't mentioned it before.

Because I love to read, I have my own personal collection which I have been collecting though out the years since I started working. My first motivation book was The touch of Greatness by Frank Tilbolt. After reading the book, something within, stirred me up, I came to a realisation that life is about how you look at it. At that time, I had a low self esteem and do not understand why I think lowly of myself. From then on , I started collecting and absorbing ideas , thoughts on PMA (positive mental attitude).

Taking charge of my personal well being is truly an empowering and liberating feeling. The change did not happen magically. Of course, I had to work hard in overcoming my personal issues and working on my weak areas. Reading only open the mind doors of the possibility in life. It is committing to take action that is going to make transformation happen. I am still growing everyday as I continue learn from the success of others through various media tools and personal sharing.

Freedom to choose

I have been a fan of Dr. Steven Covey, who authored the highly acclaimed book "The 7th Habits of highly Effective People" which was published in 1989. Though the content has been written more than 20 years ago, the principles taught is timeless and still very much applicable. One of the liberating lessons which I learned is about the freedom to choose our responses. The following is extracted from his book.

Between stimulus and response is a space. in that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In those choices lie our growth and our happiness. No matter what has happened, there is a space between those events and our responses to them. If there is even a fraction of a second between stimulus and response, that space represents our power to choose our response to any situation. The key is to enlarge our "Freedom to choose" space.

On the 27th December, I was asked to be the MC for my brother in law's wedding dinner. In the past I have seen many unexpected things can happen and so I have decided to stay calm regardless what might happen. True enough something did go wrong, the food which was scheduled to come out at 8.00 PM, was delayed till 8.30 PM. I decided to keep my head cool and inserted other programs in-between. Though it was stressful, taking hold of my ability to choose my response has helped me to use my creativity to save the day.

A test on Self Esteem

On the plane flying to Kota Kinabalu, I came across an interesting test on Self Esteem. Going through the test, I find it enlightening and you may find it helpful to check whether you have a healthy self esteem.

1.) I accept myself fully just as I am.

2.) I believe others behave as they do for good reasons.

3.) My opinion of myself is more important than others' opinion of me.

4.) If I recall the past, I concentrate only on pleasant memories.

5.) I forgive myself for my mistakes.

6.) I do not punish myself regardless of how others feel.

7.) I am not afraid of failure or defeat.

8.) I do not compare myself unfavourably with others.

9.) I do not allow anyone to persuade me to do the things against my will.

10.) I regard problems as opportunities to improvw my life.

11.) I do not insist others adopt my standards and ideals.

12.) I do not punish myself by feeling bad.

13.) I encourage others to grow and mature rather than to depend on me.

14.) I do not look up or down on anyone.

For those areas that you have check as NO, it is good to take time to examine the underlying reason why you behave it that manner. It is even more helpful if you could discuss this matter with a certified life coach that may assist you in clarfying unresolve issues and concerns.It is said that the number 1 roadblock in most people in not achieving their goals is low self esteem.

How to be happy?

One of the key concept being taught in the book " The law of Attraction" is to be grateful with what you have. It is a challenge at first to name 10 things to be grateful for. If you are like me raise in an average low middle income family, I did not get to have the luxury like my friends had such as keeping up with the latest trend. I remember how my friend's show off their new digital watch they have (the new technology then) and I did not have anything to show. Only very much later, I did get my first digital watch which was given free if you buy the cooking oil. I think the brand was "Reagent". Nevertheless I felt so proud of it. Despite not able to keep up with my friend's new toys and latest clothing wear, I did not complain about my situation but rather accepted what I had.

I find it is easier to be grateful if we focus on what we are not lacking or not have. Here is my GRATEFUL list for today.

LIST OF 10 THINGS I AM GRATEFUL FOR

1.) I am grateful that the facilities in my home is sufficient, hot water to shower in the morning, electricity to light up the house and powered up my washing machine and etc.

2.) I am grateful that I have a three beautiful children and a loving wife who really care for the family and my companion.

3.) I am grateful for Sr Francisca, Gerard , Late Constantine Cheah whom guided me when I first started out in my early adult life. There are more names to fill up many pages. I will aknowledge them as I continue my posting.

4.) I am grateful for my father and mother, who made sure that we were brought up proper and never lacking in basic neccesity. My father had to work 2 jobs to support the family.

5.) I am grateful that I always have enough to continue support my family

6.) I am grateful for having such a good team at work. Their individual uniquesness truly make life interesting.

7.) I am grateful for having the chance to travel to overseas and learn first hand about people's aspiration and their culture. Actually they are more commonality between us rather than differences.

8.) I am grateful for the communication technology made available today. Now, it so much easier to keep track of all my friends.

9.) I am grateful that my parents brought me to the library every fortnightly. This is how the love for reading is cultivated.

10.) I am grateful for being healthy and able to use all my body motor skills to go places, to do things and to connect with other people.

I feel so much better now . Why not give it a try and see whether it helps you too.

Valuable Lessons I'd learned in 2008

Reflecting back on the year 2008, I have gain some important lessons from the experiences I went through.

Lesson 1- Always expect the unexpected and focus on taking action.
Life sometimes throw you a lot of challenges at you , and sometimes at the worst possible moments. If we are watching a movie and it does not have any twist to it, the movie will be dull and a waste of time to watch.
My company is undergoing a merger and there is an uncertainty that surrounds the organisation. No one want to talk about it, hoping that it will just go away . Murmurs and rumours spreading like contagious virus spreading though the grapevine about the possible unemployment. I have decided that worrying about it will not elevate me from the pain but rather confronting it and taking concrete action. It is like they say "Taking hold the bull by it's horn". Life is more that just a job and perhaps this can be a blessing in disguise.


Lesson 2 - Invest in personal development
In 2008 , I have invested few thousand of my savings in attending seminars. It seems painful at first to depart from my savings, unsure whether it is the right choice.Unlike the tangible products, the value is the change in thinking, attitude and new found friendship that I have gained from the course. It was money well invested. Added knowledge expand my horizon and open doors to many new opportunities.


Lesson 3.- Keep your phonebook updated
In my handphone , I have close to 800 names, and be frank some of the names I have forgotten where i have met this person and there are names that are the same especially common names like Andy, Michael and so forth but refering to different persons. I am going to make it a point to update and keep in touch with all this people as who knows abundance blessings can be waiting at the doorsteps.



Lesson 4 - Focus on understanding the other's person map first before communicating.
Many conflict can be resolve , if we just listen and make effort to understand the frame of mind of the other person. I learned this from my son ryan who is having down syndrome. When I shifted my attention to him first and attend to his needs, I found it is so much easier to get him to do what I want.


Lesson 5 - Don't take life too seriously, Look for the FUN element.
People tell me that I am a serious pool player. Whenever I play , I tend to be totally absorb into the game and often put on a serious face. I have learned that it is not about winning the game but how much fun I had in playing the game. Of course winning makes it even more sweeter.


Lesson 6 - Spend consciously
Before spending the money on things that you think you need and later not using it. I find that delaying my purchase helps to rethink whether it is necessarily. Shopping with a list worked well with me as I am focus on what is needed rather than distracted by the ongoing promotion.


Lesson 7- Focus on what is within control
In the past I often get worked up when the unexpected happen. After reading the book "The seven habits of highlt effective people", I decided to put into practice what I have read. Separate the things that is within control from the things that is beyond control. this simple concept helps me to keep calm and focus what is actionable. It is truly amazing how some ideas can liberate you from stress.

Whats your insight for 2008?

5 powerful questions in making personal change

While I was in enjoying myself with my family in Sunway theme park Petaling Jaya, I took the opportunity to stroll along the long suspended wooden bridge roughly 700 meter long. It was wobbly but the view was fantastic. The bridge is expose to rain, wind and the hot sun.

The bridge reminds me of the goals I need to set in order to achieve my destination. It is not unusual for people to set goals for the coming year ahead, sadly some would fail and forgotten what they have set up earlier. Along the way their bridge is broken or perhaps they fell off. Only a handful , can be heard trumpeting their accomplishment. It takes lots and lots of will power, commitment and making personal changes. Doesn't this phrase sound familiar. " It is insane to expect a different result if you keep on doing the same things over and over again".

Unless the goal is inspiring and arising from necessity, will the goals become inspiring enough to drive you towards it. In setting your goals , ask yourself the following question?

1. What is my pain?
Do you have current concerns that is really bothering you and you have a strong desire to do something about it.

2. What is the resolution?
Brainstorm the alternative solutions that is available to you. Sometimes it helps to talk to someone whom you trust or who have been there.

3. Why am I stuck with my pain and haven't found the solution?

Identify the blockage that is resisting you to change. Most often the blockage arise from misinformed perception.

4. What is the process?

Identify what needs to be done, what knowledge you lack, the new skills to be learned and the new habits you need to cultivate. Consider getting a mentor or coach in making the change.

5. What is my first step?

The journey to a thousand steps begin with the first step. Focus on taking one action at a time. It is in taking the baby steps that is most often effective rather than taking a big task. You may be overwhelmed by it and be disheartened.

Try it out and let me know if this helps and I love to hear about your personal success and your secret.

High Touch

Have it ever happen to you, trying to pull yourself away from the comfort of your bed to get to work? What would you do to get yourself up and running?

Being human, the ability to manage our emotions and feelings well is key to happiness. Some people pray, meditate, while some take a glance at their vision board as a way to energise and reconnect to their life's purpose. Everyone have their own strategies that work for them.

I personally use various techniques such as reading an inspiring book (love Anthony Robbin books), watch a inspiring clips over the youtubes (Nido Quibein), call up friends whom I have lost touch, listening to meditative music tend to keep me focus.

Like it or not, we are solely responsible for our emotions and our internal states. If we surrender to the external forces, we will find ourselves in false bondage. It seems, we had lost our freedom as we gave up our personal choices, the only thing that separate us from the animals.

I would love to hear some of the stories / things you do to brighten your day. Feel free to comment .