Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Applying Oneself In Life

We all should strive to be "successful" in all aspects of life. Too often we only focus on wealth and career. For our intents and purposes, lets look at wealth, career and money for now. We all have heard of the mantras and the sayings of wise people. Most are just crap being regurgitated again and again.

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Here are a few better ones, I think:

"You can get everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want."

There is a positive side to the saying as well as a negative side. The positive is that we do not only look at what we want, but rather on what others want. It could be our potential clients, our colleagues, our bosses, etc. ... by being instrumental in helping other achieve their objectives, you will indirectly get the returns and benefits accruing back to you. The negative is to regard this mantra pragmatically - i.e. you will only get what you want if you do A, B, C... which may still get you what you desire but the motive on your part will be questionable. Now, many of you will think there is no difference as long as you get what you want, but to me your underlying motives are so much more important for personal enrichment. If your heart is in the right place, you will try to "help others", but even if nothing comes out of it, you are not too disturbed. If your motives are pragmatic, the end result will eat at you, and even when you achieve success - will you smirk that you were smarter than the rest? If you have the right attitude, you will feel that you have been blessed and would not think its all due to your own self. If you feel blessed with success that comes your way, you will also know that you are just a steward of monetary riches, and you will feel the need to do your part to enrich the lives of others.

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"Successful people are prepared to do for a short time what others won't, so that they can do for the rest of their lives what others can't."

Herein lies the key word, some may call it execution ability. I have another word for this, its called "focus". Whenever we come across issues, roadblocks, events, targets, deadlines, delivery of performance, KPIs, etc.. many will not be able to execute well.

Our government big projects have often been labeled as brilliant in planning, projections and power point presentations, but somehow we lack the follow through to execute them within the time stated or within the budget specified. Its like we know our ABCs but we kinda skip merrily through the EFGHIJKLs ... and then wonder why we never get to Z but always end up with URSTs. The simple explanantion is that the ABCs are fun to do and thats where the big money is. The EFGHIJKLs are left to the workers who may not be incentivised to get to Z. Maybe the key is to make sure the bulk of the rewards will only be when they get to Z.

Anyway, I digress, back to focus. Sometimes we get torn in 10 different directions. We need to focus on the key issues, solve them or delegate them (with proper monitoring and empowering), revisit continually, change or modify if necessary till its done. If you look at the very successful people, they will focus intently to solve a particular issue or problem or crisis or capitalise on the opportunity. Those who do not will wonder why they are not more successful or what their secret is.


"Great minds discuss ideas, mediocre minds discuss events, small minds discuss people."

This is a very telling saying, and you can find out where a person is by what they talk about all the time. Its gossip, it mindless chatter, its idle stuff, its basically useless ... a little bit is OK but when its mostly what you put your brainpower to, we all know what comes out of it... nothing much. Picking on what topics to discuss or reflect show me how a person's mind is working. Rise above the events and issues and take a big picture view, be wary of the subsequent chain of events.

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant."

Everyday you plant seeds whether you realise that you are doing it or not. You can be planting seeds of confidence, seeds of integrity, or you could be planting seeds of discontent and discordance. You are building a resume of what you are doing be it good or bad. In addition the seeds also spread to those around you. In a way it inculcates a culture, a mindset and a sense of expectations. I have another personal saying that I hold with me:

"Bloom where you are planted."

Try no to question why you are where you are, but what you do with where you are at. Live your life well, keep an eye to be a "success" in all areas of your life, be a great son or daughter, be a great employee, be a great boss, be a great parent or grandparent, be always in touch with your spiritual side ... and take time time to enjoy life while doing all that.

14 comments:

JP said...

Very motivating, Dali.

One of the best posts of the year.

David K said...

This is one good article you've written. Thanks for the reminder.

Roy said...

very insightful. A great early morning read.

Thank you for sharing.

walla said...

What goes around comes around.

This blog is high quality all the way.

MalaysiaWills said...

Before FOCUS, there must be "PASSION" ... Passion in what we are doing drives immense focus ...

You will see that the press implies that successful people comes in overnight or just follow ABC ... saying that is easy, but for those who really gone thru it ... the road is NOT that simple ...

but they have "passion" and dont think the suffering and hard work as "work" ... instead, they are willingly working LONG hours, 9PM - 5AM ... until their eyes bleed in front of their computer or their proposal

then they reluctantly go to bed and so eager to wake up in the morning to continue their work ...


I said it because i just founded Malaysia's FIRST online will writing service ... www.malaysiawills.com ...
while attending the course (1 month ago), the instructor made it sound so simple but when i actually do it ... wow ... it's indescribable how much time and effort we spent ...

however, it's worth it ...
Vision, Dream and Passion ... hideous amount of hard work, sweat + blood ...

to me, SUCCESS in NOT 100% monetary, it's the process of pursuing your dream, passion and vision (whether till the end ada wang masuk pocket or not) ... at the same time, keeping FAMILY as no.1 priority ...

Unknown said...

Hmm, very noble and high minded. Not quite sure how to live up consistently to such lofty ideals and principles in life. Have not personally known anyone who has either. We are all imperfect, some more so than others.

SalvadorDali said...

kl,

the aim of "wise sayings" are not that one has achieved, or even that they are achievable, but that they are the objectives and direction we should focus our life energies towards to ... even if you try to do all that I have mentioned, you may still not be a "success" but if you don't, you definitely won't stand even a chance to be one

MWills,

Yes passion is important ... mine is more on strategic focus and direction, not so much on esoterical emotional things like drive and passion, but point taken.

Ivan said...

among the rest, i love tis:

"Great minds discuss ideas, mediocre minds discuss events, small minds discuss people."

MalaysiaWills said...

there's a class called Paradigm shift that i had attended ...

to stay focus, they gave us 1 card, and we write down our goals

then the moment we wake up, we keep reciting that goal of ours ... day after day, everyday ...

until it embeds into our bloodstream ...

Terrance said...

Motivating Is Understanding Human Needs

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being.” Johann W. Von Goethe.

Understanding human’s needs is the key to motivation. We have to combine common sense, understanding of human psychology and sensitivity to human’s feeling when dealing with motivating a person.

“If you make the obvious effort to be accommodating, sympathetic, and kind, business will transpire, and deals will be made; profits and goals will be realized.” Letitia Baldridge.

Money is a powerful motivating factor but job satisfaction, job enrichment, security, social esteem, trust and responsibility and opportunities for achieving excellence are equally important.

“There’s only one thing money won’t buy, and that’s poverty.” Joe E. Lewis.

Balance both these factors to achieve maximum motivation.

http://malaysia-unit-trust.blogspot.com

METALRAGE said...

Great stuff man. Thanks for sharing and so many of your posts reminds me that there's a thinking feeling conscientious (though not perfect) person behind this blog

:D

Unknown said...

Ivan,
Unfortunately I know many mediocre minds & small minds think they have great minds in their self deluded world

TLCG said...

Success is 1% idea and 99% sweat equity.

The ABCs are ideas.
The EFGHIJKL... are blood and sweat and perseverance.

As a gen-X and today a professional consultant working with gen-Y, we have to face the fact that our society wants instant gratification and "what's in it for me" success.

I don't have a solution to this.

sam said...

i like your last saying "bloom where you are planted"