Real Key To Success.....Which One?

Nowadays, success principles are available everywhere; through books, seminar, videos, audios...etc.
Often times, We've heard many different principles or keys to success.
And sometimes, it was antogonistic to each other.
Sometimes I heard....

• "The Key to Success is to be Persistent." vs. "The Key to Success is to be Flexible."
• "The Key to Success is to be Focus." vs. "The Key to Success is to Diversify."
• "The Key to Success is Relationship." vs. "The Key to Success is Result."
• "The Key to Success is System." vs. "The Key to Success is People."
• "The Key to Success is To Do What You Like." vs. "The Key to Success is To Do What Is Right."

At the end of the day, we've collected more keys than the locksmith but we still can't unlock our potential & dreams! Because subconsciously, we are confused! How come there are more key combinations to unlock success than the key combinations to unlock DaVinci Code?
Up to a point in life, we will say, "Enough is Enough. I'm going to create my own key. I'm going to use my own talents. I'm going to use my own personalities. I'm going to chart my own dreams. I'm going to associate with the right crowd. I'm going to navigate through....on my OWN!"

That is where ..... another key to success is being created in the world!

In summary, there are no right set of keys to success.
Only our own keys to success.....that is based on our own creation, our own background, our own stories & our own journey of success.

Let me give you the "The Key of the Keys To Success then......"
"The main key to success is not to loan keys of success from others but to create our own keys to success. That's the key!"

Let's go make em...

Weakness = Strength

Last year, I've written "You From Jupiter, I From Neptune!", about different people with different personalities or thinking styles. Basically people are either a Task-Oriented, People-Oriented, Introvert or Extrovert person. I've found out in different circumstances, a person's Weakness can be the Strength and vice-versa.

Case 1: Be Positive or Negative? We might stay away from negative people but it is those people that will question the practicality and viability of a venture. That is why the term "Cautiously Positive" or "Realistically Positive" are a balance way to move forward, with caution.

Case 2: An Extrovert must be better than an Introvert? An Introvert, who is always being seen as having a non-active or passive personality? The cold, Yin person! Boring to meet them huh...
They might be "allergy" to social gatherings or public speakings but they are really good in processing data and really comes in handy when it comes to planning and organizing. And most of the times, an Introvert will only say the right thing at the right moment because they process thoughts before speaking it out.

Case 3: What about being Open-Minded or Narrow-Minded?
If we are open-minded, some might see us as a non-principled person. Because we are so OPEN and not really focus in life. But open-mindedness can be a source to prevent argument and to adapt to alternative solutions during a crisis.
On the other side, if we are narrow-minded, some may think we are too STIFF and not adaptable to the changes around situations. As Charles Darwin quoted, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change". But narrow-minded people might get things done as they are focus and doesn't deviate.
Perhaps in a marriage, we should be NARROW-MINDED and focus in one relationship.
But in a business, we should be OPEN-MINDED and be flexible to change.

Case 4: Is Perfection a must? We thought having a perfect command of English will be highly perceived as gentleman! Not really. I've watched a durian-seller, who is a millionaire, speaking broken English that can stir up a crowd and motivate them as opposed to another professional & eloquent speaker who speaks perfectly great, but extremely boring and I felt sleepy listening to him......

So, what's the conclusion?

Between Flexibility and Focus, which one is useful?
Between Negative Thinking and Positive Thinking, which one is better?
Between a Sociable and a Bookworm person, which one do you prefer?

I would say all of it are beneficial, if it is used in the right place.

Flexibility should be practised in business while Focus can be very useful when we want to lose weight!
Negative Thinking and suspicion can be used to uncover crime activities while Positive Thinking can be very uplifting and perhaps, a trait of a cheerleader!
Sociability might be able to improve contacts and networks while Introvert can be a great listener for people who needs a shoulder to cry on!

Therefore, I think a person doesn't really has Strengths or Weaknesses. It really depends on where and how someone use it for betterment or for worst. If having the Right People doing the Wrong Thing or the Wrong People doing the Right Thing, it will be the worst of it. Unless it is the Right People doing the Right Thing, it would be a perfect match!

Remember, before criticising others and magnifying people's weaknesses using the wrong lens, we may want to review "where" is the weaknesses being seen.

I should remind myself as well!!

Terminator Or De-terminator?

When we stop achieving what we want, what we don't want will haunt us!
Only time will tell which zone is taking over...

Sometimes when we venture into a new job or new project or a new venture, there will be lots of variables in front of us. Only a risk-taker is willing to explore & conquer bit by bit, puzzle by puzzle and eventually a quantum leap in achievements, perspectives and of course income.

All of us can't predict the future. We can only follow-through and solve problems along the way.

Think about these series of silly questions for awhile:
"Does a mother know how to be a mother before becoming one?"
"Does a student know how to be an engineer before becoming one?"
"Does an entrepreneur know how to be an entrepreneur before becoming one?"

Obviously "No" for all! Now I began to understand successful people always encourage us to do what we love and what we are good at instead of doing it for the sake of money alone. Of course money will be a great reward and a measurement of how our performance & innovation stands. It is a major resources to build bigger dreams. But that should not be the seed of starting something.

I've tried before when money is the only motivation to work, doubts will always creep in.

When we have doubt, it is most often that we don't know what we want in the beginning. Sometimes we can terminate an opportunity in front of us only to realise this is what we want in life later.

There's no perfect life. Fast forward our life 10 or even 20 years from now, then look back from that perspectives and review back, we'll gain our guts right away, whether to pursue or not to in a new venture!

At times, good decisions are found from the journey of making bad decisions.
How many of us got married straight away with our first boyfriend or girlfriend? That proves the point!

Therefore, a Terminator destroys Vision & Dreams while a De-terminator builds it up with hard work and perseverance. Which one are you?

But becareful not to Focus Naively but Focus Flexibly as the society, market and the whole nation is changing and adapting from time to time.

Let's quit quitting to be a quitter and don't quit winning to be a winner! Yeah!!!

Know or Don't Know...

Some people know what they know;
some know what they don't know;
some don't know what they know;
the potential is in what they don't know about what they don't know about!

The worst is they don't know what they don't know....
and yet they think they know what they don't know and sometimes they thought they shouldn't know what they don't know coz they think others will not know what they don't know about what they don't know, therefore they could care less on what they should know on what they don't know and change it to what they know!!

To summarise, it is called IGNORANCE! haha...gotcha!!

But the moment we know what we know, the more we got to know what we don't know.
The key is to continuously upgrading from
don't know what we don't know --> know what we don't know --> know what we know --> DO WHAT WE KNOW!!

You from Jupiter, I from Neptune!

Every human being is different.
Different in thinking, behavior, personalities, taste & style. Depending on 2 factors;

Part of it is Natured and the other part is Nurtured.

If we blend it together, we'll have a Group.
Fuel it with Vision & Culture, the Group will become a Team.

A healthy and perfect team would consists of a DRIVER, a COMMUNICATOR, a PLANNER & an ANALYST.

A DRIVER sees the macro view as a whole. Risk is the Driver's breakfast! The word "No" and "Can't" will stir up a "tsunami..cal" reaction from the Driver coz they are butt-kicker!

We need Drivers to say GO, GO, GO....LET'S DO IT, LET'S GET IT DONE, LET'S MOVE!
Basically they are result & tasks-oriented, outspoken and sometimes doesn't really look into the consequences.
But becareful if it is practised to the extreme resulting in ignorance on people's needs & feelings. No doubt we need Driver to steer the ship forward. Try to calm down with Lavender's tea from time to time!

A COMMUNICATOR inspires and sometimes able to erupt a volcanic excitement among team members and influencing the Red light to turn Green!

They are happy-go-lucky and like a sense of spotlight shining on them at times.
They are relationship-builder, influencer and innovator. They are best fitted in Marketing, Advertising & PR department. They can be great leader because inspiring people is always better than just merely managing people.
Forgive & Forget are their mottos! Passion is in their DNA. Enthusiasm stick in their hemoglobin!
They are the Links, Lubricants and Bridges of an organisation. Without them, it is BOOOOOORRRRRRIIIIIIINNNNGGGGG!

While the communicator is always on the frontstage, the PLANNER is always working on the backstage ensuring the process, procedures and alignment are in place. If "Ah Lian" wants to sing and open a concert, she definitely needs "Ah Beng" as organiser! "Ah Lian" can't be singing and organising at the same time and same goes with "Ah Beng", period!

Planners are able to see the pros & cons of each projects and normally they have more "white hair" than anybody else because they think a lot!
It might slow down the whole process but it helps to minimize blockages or potholes that other department needs to fill through along the way.
Planner is not an outspoken person and at times, you'll misunderstand that they have no opinion!
They are peacemaker and dislike arguments or confrontations. They rather sacrifice themself than to provoke someone.
If you have problems and like someone to listen, a shoulder to cry on and a tissue for free, call them!
Loyalty & Friendship are what they cherish in life.

We have the DRIVER that kicks-butt, the COMMUNICATOR to innovates, the PLANNER to oversees from A --> Z, finally we have the ANALYST which has a biiiiiggggg left brain working on details and information.

While the Communicator has a problem figuring out what's the real deal with Bank A's offer, the Analyst can summarise Bank A, B, C & D's offer and pick the best deal!
They are meticulous, logical and analytical.
"Disney..istic" imagination doesn't appeal to them. "Matrix" figures attract them like bees & honey.
But extreme analysis leads to paralysis sometimes. Therefore, most entrepreneurs are not analyst. They survey a little and the rest is about guts and instincts!
No doubt analysts are good in accounting, operation and engineering where precision is needed as much as making a Swiss watch working for a hundred years! Therefore, they are great in a way.

Well, in summary....

If 4 person have lunch together in a fine-dining restaurant; be it the DRIVER, the PLANNER, the COMMUNICATOR and the ANALYST, this is what you'll find out:

DRIVER will say, "Hey, this lunch is on me. Don't worry, just order. We are going to hit 1 million sales!"

COMMUNICATOR will say, "Why not call upon Jane, Michael, Wong, Suzy ....etc, eventually inviting a "lorry" of people joining. As communicator likes gathering and they are people oriented. They like Party!

PLANNER will say, "Hold it Communicator, how much budget do we have? Why not have this big lunch after we hit the 1 million sales? What if we've had this lunch but failed to meet this target?"

ANALYST will say "1 million sales....hmmm, divide it by 4 salesperson, RM250,000 / person. Divide it further by 4 weeks, RM62,500 / week. RM12,500 / day. On average we have around RM10,000 - RM11,000 / day, therefore, why not we eat chicken rice first!

There's no right or wrong in this personality quadrants but more of understanding our own strengths & weaknesses and how to blend with each other to a pre-determined direction.

Now you can understand your teammates better, your spouse better, your friends better, even your family members better (we tend to think moms like to nag, nag and nag...now u know why!).

Don't pre-label yourself as a fix DRIVER or COMMUNICATOR or PLANNER or ANALYST as we can intersect each behavior according to different situations.

As long as we keep improving and learning how to adapt with each other, we'll spell PROGRESS the right way.
Or else STAGNATION & FRUSTRATION fills the gap!