Just Do It

A simple tagline by Nike, "Just Do It".
What a powerful message!
This 3 words can help solve a wide horizon of problems and truly re-direct our focus to do what matters.
It can work in many situations...

When we are fearful, Just-Do-It.
When we are helpless, Just-Do-It.
When we are disappointed, Just-Do-It.
When we don't feel like doing it, Just-Do-It.
When we lose hope, Just-Do-It.
When we think too much, Just-Do-it.
When we have doubts, Just-Do-It.
When we think we can't, Just-Do-It.
When we analyse the best time to start, Just-Do-It.
When we are faced with lots of obstacles, Just-Do-It.

Sometimes data or report or in-depth analysis is not as powerful as Just-Do-It. It commands massive action on the spot and it pushes us to Do First, Think Later. Most of our worry doesn't happen anyway & if it does, 90% of it are manageable. I respect those who go on partial analysis & partial gut-feel to go all out to live an adventurous journey. Whether success is within reach, is another issue. But surely when we look back, it is meaningful & full of essence.

At times, we have to let go of other's opinion & go on our own.
There is no Right or Wrong, it is a matter of Just-Do-It or Don't-Do-It.
If we succeed, Celebrate-It.
If we fail, Learn-From-It.

Hence, just figure...
Why-Do-It --> How-To-Do-It --> Just-Do-It!!!

4 Shapes of Life

Previously, I've written "You From Jupiter, I From Neptune" categorizing people's thinking pattern and of course the whole idea is for us to embrace and 'click' with each other instead of magnifying our differences. This message is to further elaborate another angle of viewing people's style and personalities.

Referring to the diagram;

1. Fluidic Externally, Solid Internally - It represent a person's friendliness externally and live by the principles internally. This is of course the best model we ought to have. In terms of communication, it is being handled tactfully and decisions are made based on self-belief and values.
2. Fluidic Externally, Fluidic Internally - This person is a bit of a 'Yes' man on the outside and inside. Extremely friendly and extremely fickle-minded as well.
3. Solid Externally, Solid Internally - Obviously, this person lives an edgy-life! He or She lives by the principles internally but having a hard time communicating and creating long-lasting relationship as they have a hard time blending with others with a different belief systems.
4. Solid Externally, Fluidic Internally - The is the worst of the worst where this person has no solid principles to live by and yet drawing a line between himself or herself with the external world. Eventually, they will be 'quarantined' by others as weirdos!

The 1st shape reminds me of the ancient gold coins used by the Chinese back in the old days. Perhaps at that time, Chinese are mostly live by principles and communicate tactfully. I am not sure, just a plain guess. I hope that blood still flows in the modern Chinese today.

I hope you are not falling into the 4th category!

The whole idea is to be aware of who we are and sharpen our so called 'rounded' principles and soften our 'edgy' way of communicating.

Animal Instincts + Human Intuition

Most of the Big Achievers of success gained it through Gut feel instead of knowledge and analysis. When the experts and consultants gave the advice of what it should be done, sometimes the Big Achievers will do otherwise. Perhaps that's the reason why experts remain as experts and consultants remain as consultants! I'm saying this with my respect to them as they provide the logical and the analysis part of a situation while Big Achievers go with their "Animal Instincts + Human Intuition".

Let's see....

• Conventionally, coffee is served hot and nobody ever likes drinking it cold. How come Coffee Beans and Starbucks are championing the ice-blended coffee? Moreover selling at 2 - 3 times higher than a typical complete meal! Who's the winner; Mr. Logic or Mr. Gut-Feel?
• Experts told Donald Trump not to engage in The Apprentice, it will be a failure. Look at the result of The Apprentice, one of the top reality shows internationally! Who wins again; Mr. Expert or Mr. Achiever?
• Those consultants advised Uncle Lim that it will take years to build the road all the way up to the hill and Uncle Lim did it in less than half of the timeframe predicted. That's why you see Genting Highland today! Who is right; Mr. Analysis or Mr. Desire?
• Nobody ever believe a "Black" president in the United States of America. Barack Obama has proven to be the "Black Sheep" then! Who is stronger; Mr. Tradition or Mr. Breakthrough?
• When everyone accepted the problem of pen leakages as a norm for the past 50 years, George Parker made a breakthrough by coming out with pens that would write in all conditions; right or left-handed, slant-forward or backward....it doesn't matter. Eventually Parker is one of the best known American brands internationally. Who's matter; Mr. Head or Mr. Heart?
• During the 60s, Calvin was struggling with low paying jobs in New York fashion industry. He thought he was in the wrong industry and considered joining a family friend in the grocery business. But his gut-feel tell him otherwise plus an encouragement from a friend to loan him the start up capital of $10,000 to start Calvin Klein Ltd. The rest of course is history.... Who made it; Mr. Pull Backward or Mr. Push Forward?

It is hard to explain Gut-Feel, Instincts & Intuitions. You may see it as a form of gambling or luck. But that is what differentiate Big Achievers and an ordinary person. In the movie Star Wars, observed all the Jedi especially Master Yoda (the cute little green guy), you'll know what I mean. They just know what they are suppose to know!

Sony's founder, Masaru Ibuka made decisions based on his stomach condition or appetite! Bad appetite or gastric is a sign to Masaru that a particular decision is not good. This is a real "Gut-Feel" example!

Animal has instincts. They don't analyse, do reports and draw bar charts! When they sense danger, they just run. Before drought, they already stored food. When dogs have stomach problem, they know what plants to eat. They don't seek doctors!

Gut-Feel is like a Compass. Despite heavy rain, thunderstorm, cloudy sky, it can still point to the North!

How to get Inspiration or Intuition?

• Try doing something unrelated when we are stress-out. At times, ideas will pop up just like that! As for me, my driving and shower time is my Creative moments.
• Have our serious thoughts in early morning, when there is no distractions. I've tried reading a bit in the morning and somehow, yesterday's problems were solved due to a different mindset.
• A tight deadline will sometimes expedite our Gut-Feel because we have no time to analyse! When there is not much meetings and influenced from different people, a quick-gut-feel decision can be made through.
• Imagine how our life idols will react in the same situations. It might trigger the intuition by looking through the other's lens!
• Changing the surrounding states; music, smell (aromatherapy), colors...etc.
• Try thinking in total "darkness" where peak concentration takes place.

Let's try using our Gut-Feel, Instincts or Intuition continously and I'm sure repetitions lead to precisions

Choose to be the Right Plant

Human definitely have similarities with plants!

Except the fact that both are living organism of course.

There are 3 kinds of plants that possibly match the human categories;

Parasitic Plant / Person - Definition: An animal or plant that lives in or on another (the host) from which it obtains nourishment. The host does not benefit from the association and is often harmed by it.
You and I know there are people who just love to take advantage all the time. They loved to win no matter what. The best is a Win-Lose situation for them. Try to prevent association of such people. I know of a particular person who just loved to take advantage of other people's honesty and was creating lies after lies after lies to protect himself while jeopardizing other's values & beliefs.

Epiphytic Plant / Person - Definition: A plant that grows on another plant and depends on it for support but not food.
Some people are really good at leveraging opportunities and circumstances. They may not fully take advantage of us in a one-way street but wise enough to use situations to springboard themself. I have a friend who is younger than me that is of this kind. He is a street-wise, sociable and adaptable person. From a messy life full of debts, he managed to turned it around and now living quite comfortably. We should learn the opportunistic part of that person!

Symbiotic Plant / Person - Definition: A close and usually obligatory association of two organisms of different species that live together, often to their mutual benefit.
The most beneficial person to be around is those who strive for a Win-Win relationship. It consists of Giving & Sacrificing and they never make any promises that they couldn't fulfill in the first place. Recently, I've met a young man in his late 30s, helping me genuinely without any upfront favours. In return, I initiatively return his goodwill. Guess what, I'll remember him for life!
I think our altitude of life very much depends on how many Symbiotic Friends that we have.

Therefore, DO UNTO OTHERS OF WHAT WE WANT OTHERS TO DO UNTO US.
It is a Grandmother's Principle, but it still works!!

Mr. Honda

Most of us drove or sit in a Honda car before, but do you know that Mr. Honda is one of the most persistent man ever.

In 1938, Mr. Honda had a little workshop and he developed a special piston ring concept and thought of selling it to Toyota Corporation. He is so passionate and dedicated in his work until he slept in his own workshop and pawned his wife's jewelleries to continue in his business research!

Finally, he completed the piston ring technology and presented it to Toyota. You know what.....he got rejected! It was due to the reason that certain standards were not met.

Then Mr. Honda continued to study for another 2 years to deepen his knowledge. After another 2 years, he eventually got a contract with Toyota.

We would thought Mr. Honda lived happily ever after.......

But at that time, Japanese government was gearing up for war and it was really hard to get concrete to build factory. Did Mr. Honda quit? No, he created his own concrete, then built his factory & get the job done!
What a true winner!

But....another bad episode happened!
During the war, the factory was bombed twice, destroying major portion of the factory.
Mr. Honda didn't dwell on it. Together with his team, he picked up gas cans that the US fighter had discarded and positively said, "This is a gift from President Truman!" Now he used that as the raw materials for the manufacturing process.
Talking about innovation, creativity & persistency, we can't beat Mr. Honda....!

What we didn't know was after the war, it followed by an earthquake!!
Most of us would have quit but not Mr. Honda.
Challenges after challenges, he persisted until he secured a long deal with Toyota.

But after the war, there was petrol shortage. Therefore, Mr. Honda couldn't drive his car to even buy food as he used to. Instead of putting himself in the corner facing dilemma, he thought of ways to go above it or under it or around it.....and finally he had a breakthrough!
He attached a motor to his bicycle to get around......
The neighbours saw it, like it and of course asked Mr. Honda to install it to their bicycles as well and they called it "MOTOR RIDE". The so-called "business" was so good until it ran out of motors!

Guess what? Mr. Honda set up a small factory producing motors. But, he has no capital....
Therefore, he appealed to almost 18,000 bicycle shops for his great invention and finally got 5000 of them to pay an upfront capital to fund his factory. Then he found out another problem.....the motor was too big & bulky!
He re-designed and created a scaled-down version of it and called it the Super Cub, exported it to baby boomers in US and ....... THE REST IS .....HISTORY....!!!

Anyone felt tired reading it? Not to mention the person experiencing it and solving endless problems & challenges that got in the way.

Now, when you see a Honda on the road......what do you really see? A CAR or a DREAM?

Eh, you got STUDY or not?....(Part 3)

To me....
Life Education is to unlock and enhance the potential of both Academic & Financial Education gained.

Because Life Education is about ....

- Mindset

- Attitude &

- Experience

Mindset:
It is about our PRE-CONCEPTION and BELIEF that we've build up over the years towards people, events, societies and the world. It affects how we see things, how we think and how we behave.

You'll find short-term thinkers tend to focus on small-people & insignificant events while long-term thinkers discuss on ideas, strategies and vision. It is all about having a Microscopic-Mindset or Telescopic-Mindset.

Sometimes people tend to put a lot of time scratching and digging the ground looking for a RM1 note while they ignore the RM100 note which just flew by their head! They are busy worrying not to lose the RM1 but forgot to look at how to earn RM100!

It also touches on how we PERCEIVE FAILURE; do we personalize it, magnify it, ignore it or USE IT?
You know the answer!

Attitude:
Besides being positive, SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE will help us tap into the Network entity to create success.

Success is about the wealth of having good friends around us as well, besides monetary gain.
It is a person's down-to-earth personality that enable him / her to blend well in societies. What I like the most are those friends / relatives from "kampung" or far from the city. They are so genuine and free from manipulation! It is rare nowadays.

RESPECT & APPRECIATION are another 2 significant factors to build bridges & bonds with people instead of walls. Because our association with people determine our quality of life. It is a war between Virus & Anti-Virus in the society, depending on which program we want to install in our mind!

I've known a person who is not highly educated, got divorced, no goals or directions, not much discipline but managed a few businesses with success lately. Why? He changed and mix with the right crowd! He had developed quite a healthy level of social intelligence!

Experience:
It is all about being RESOURCEFUL to gain valuable experience. It is our personal journey, personal understanding, personal encounter, personal learning & personal adaptation that form our experiences. But make sure we keep uplifting experiences and dilute-off the bad moments.

Keep a wide experiences of knowledge & exposures!

Let's triple-up our Education!