I have been down recently and I did notice that my body seems to demand for more hours of sleep than usual.  Else, by mid-day, cough, flu and droopy eyes will ‘force’ me to take my beauty nap.  There is really a urgency for me to pen down a schedule for my workout.

This incident reminded me of an invaluable lesson I read from Robin Sharma, The Greatness Guide:

There is an old phrase that says “what you’re doing speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you are saying.’  You can say that your primary value involves putting your family first, but if time with your family is not all over our schedule, well then the truth of the matter is that your family life isn’t your priority.

You can say that being in world-class physical condition is another top value but if I don’t see five or six workouts etched into your weekly schedule, then the reality to be confronted is that your health just isn’t as important as you profess it to be.  You can argue that self-development is an essential pursuit to your because the better you are, the more effective you’ll be.  Show me your schedule and I’ll discover the truth.  Your schedule is the best barometer for what you truly value and believe to be important.

How true.

I have two journals that detailed my personal and profession, daily to do lists.  Yet, none is listed with a schedule to workout.

High time to go gym.  I am committing to sign up for a half yearly membership to get my momentum going.

Cheer me on! =)

It has been quite a while since my Iast visit to cinema for most time has been spent on exploring blogging. Sharkwater is my first movie for 2008 and one that I would strongly encourage all to watch.

Rob Stewart
It took the Director cum Biologist, Rob Stewart, 5 years before this true life documentary movie is ready for view. During the filming, Stewart was struck with flesh-eating disease, charged for attempted murder and even got himself and his team infringed with Taiwan mafia; all because the truth will cause the involved parties to be stripped off their illegal, yet highly profitable shark finning business.

Facts and Myths of Shark
The truth about shark was so twisted by the media that for so many years, we have been painted with all the bad and how menacing shark is. Rob Stewart used himself as a ‘bait’ to surface the truth. Shark is in fact such a picky eater that man is not even ranked anywhere near its delicacy list! As Stewart swam near the sharks, they are actually so shy and fearful that they kept a distance. The scene of how Stewart stroked the shark (just like how one adores Dolphin), is simply beautiful. That scene itself would shatter all our past perceptions about shark - deadly.

Unbearable sight
The sight of how fisherman catch and slaughter the turtle LIVE is very unbearable. And it is very disturbing to see the shark being thrown back into the sea after its fin and tail is being cut. I can’t help but wonder what if these sea creatures can talk? Can we then HEAR their pleas? What if it is now a human being whose limbs are being chopped off (just because of others handsome rewards) and after which, be dumped into the sea?

It does not stop at shark
Banning of shark finning is a spark to the other live stock eco-system. How many of us eat the whole chicken? So, for those who savour only chicken wing, what happen to the rest of the chicken parts when there are more demand for wings? Could these live stocks have similar fate as that of shark – being thrown back into the sea / land, limbless?

Do our part
So, how much more has the media deprived us from the truth? And for how long more, do we man want to open our eyes and dig further to find the ultimate truth, rather than to point finger and feign ignorance?

Do our part and:
1. Eat but eat moderately.

2. Pledge to stop shark finning by clicking on the banner below:

3. Support and watch the movie, Sharkwater. Singapore is currently showing the sneak preview. The movie will be officially released from 17th Jan 08 onwards. The negative image it might portray on our proud homeland (YES! Rabbit Brand Shark fin is from Singapore) is NOTHING as compared to the grander vision of saving shark from extinction and in turn reversed our eco-system to save the world.

4.. Support and buy Sharkwater: The Photographs

5. Read “The Food Revolution” by John Robbins and make a decision of how your diet can help save your Life and our world. The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World

Looking back, one of the best skills I have learnt (and is still learning) is blogging.

New found interest - blog
Self-improvement and spiritual books are still top on my list and for the past few months, unknowingly; I have expanded my range to blog. There are a couple of good books which outlined the in’s and out’s of blogging. It is quite motivating to learn how blog has evolved, impacted and will continue to influence the world.

Library
It started from “The Corporate Blogging Book” by Debbie Weil and after which I start to peep into other bloggers which were mentioned in the book. Curiousity got the better out of me. Tapping onto the efficiency of my hometown library online facilities, I did a search for subject(s) related to the blogosphere. Call it a moment to quench my desire for wanting to find out more, I simply pick out all the books listed (and readily available) and filter down to those that are of interest to me. Despite filtering, I ended up borrowing a pile of books home…

Bookstore
As if I could finish reading the pile of books, a day before Christmas Eve; I made a purposeful trip to Kinokuniya – just to dig out books that I could not find at the library. Despite cautioning myself that there will definitely be post Christmas sales, I still ended up buying. Impulsive buy =p

Shelf space for blogosphere related books?
Just for sheer fun, since blog is going to (and is still growing) its dominance, I wonder how fast would books on blogosphere topics grow on the shelves? Took snapshots of books related to blogging subject. As of 23 December 2007, there is only 3 shelves space for online blogging books.

I wonder how fast and far will blogging range dominate the shelf space, 6 months down the road?

Viewing in retrospect, year 2007 has been a happening year for me. Of course, along with the ups, there are also downs but I am glad that there are always friends, colleagues and my loved ones who stood by my side and cheer me on.

Have you ever believed in miracles? I choose to. And when I choose to, I enjoy a full time pay though working part time. I attract like-minded friends who come together into partnership. I enjoy deals that are easy on my pocket. I bump into the right people, at the right time and at the right place.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~ Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

I have posted this video clip some months back but I think since today is the last day of the year, this empowering video is indeed a remarkable one to start afresh a brand new year. May you be empowered and may the experiences of your 2007 be the springboard to an awesome 2008! Wishing all of you a very wonderful New Year ahead! Happy 2008!

If you have ever WANTed to possess or achieve things in your life as much as I do, I have to be brutually truthful - you will not own them.

I espouse the teaching of Neale Donald Walsch (author of Conversations with God). The very fact that one WANT, one cannot possess it because WANT is itself a statement of LACK. When we verbalize we WANT, at the back of our mind which is commonly termed as subconscious mind, we are telling ourselves that we do not have it.

Compare this statement, “I want to blog my way till the income generated supercedes my job” with “my income generated from blogging has surpassed my job’s pay“. The second statement recondition our subconscious mind into believing that we have already achieved our goals. Such thoughts act as invisible vibrational waves that will attract and pull resources to fulfill our askings. The first statement, however, locks ourselves subsconsiously that we are stucked with present reality.

Ink your goals in present tense or better still, past tense as if you have already achieved all of them. If ‘acts as if it is real’ sounds trite and superficial, refer to all the World Class reference points who have clearly demonstrated that they too acted it until they achieve who they are today - Jim Rohn, Jeffery Gitomer, Anthony Robbins, Comedian - Jim Carrey, actor - Sylvester Stallone, etc…

All famous actors started at a humble beginning. Before Jim Carrey become a highly sought after and handsomely paid comedian, during his spare time he would take out a cheque from his wallet (a desired amount that he penned down) and visualized as if he owned it. Several years later, he did receive a REAL cheque which reflected the exact amount that he has inked on the ‘fake’ cheque

I am a human - a work in progress. I still have my struggles, my frustrations and my own fears - along with my hopes, goals and dreams. Knowing that thoughts is powerful and subconscious mind is my lethal weapon, other than books; I do use relaxing audio CD during my sleep. One of the easiest and maximized ways to tap into subconscious mind

Jim Rohn is one of the most influential philosophical speakers who also commands much respects from the gurus themselves. He is like a master to the gurus, even to Anthony Robbins, Mark Victor Hansen and many others.

I first heard of Jim Rohn when I attended “Unleash the Power within” seminar by Anthony Robbins. In fact, before Tony (aka Anthony Robbins) became who he is today, he was actually one of Jim Rohn’s students. That speaks a lot about Jim Rohn’s credential.

Further to “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” (one of the bestselling books by Robert T. Kiyosaki), Jim Rohn’s “Seven Strategies for Wealth and Happiness” definitely has a positive impact on my life. That vulnerable stage when I was then first forming my emerging philosophies of my new dreams and inspirations.

Till date, I still practice his teachings of accumulating the 3 most invaluable treasures (which could be the best gifts to leave behind for the next generation):

1. Take lots of pictures of all occasion
2. Build a personal library
3. Keep a journal

Treausre 1: Pictures

Take a lot of pictures to keep the memories alive even when I am long gone from this physical realm.

Treasure 2: My Library

The Great Jim Rohn says the second treasure is your library. This is the library that taught you, that instructed you, that helped you defend your ideals. It helped you develop a philosophy. It helped you become wealthy, powerful, healthy, sophisticated, and unique. It may have helped you conquer some disease. It may have helped you conquer poverty. It may have caused you to walk away from the ghetto. Your library, the books that instructed you, fed your mind and fed your soul, is one of the greatest gifts you can leave behind.

Treasure 3: My Journal

Taking pictures is easy. Buying book at bookstore, that’s easy too but to be a diligent student of your own life, future and destiny by meticulously jotting down all the ideas and information I have gathered, that is a little more challenging. I’m glad I did and so the result of an ‘Insights’ category for my blog

PS: Not only did I take lots of pictures, I even have a picture shot with Jim Rohn, shook his hand and obtained his signature!!

PPS: That picture shot meant a lot to me because one of the goals that I have penned down 5 years ago - to meet, attend Jim Rohn ’s talk LIVE and obtain his signature, all came true!

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

Being brought up from a typical ordinary family background, I have never had any big dreams of wanting more in life. I can still remember vividly that after landing on my very first job, my most ambitious dream was to earn a monthly salary of S$2000 which I then deemed was more than enough.

So, when I read “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”; for the first time my whole paradigm about finance made a massive 180 degrees shift. What I learnt most, out of this book, is the ability to differentiate between assets and liabilities.

Having studied accounting before, I think none of the academic definition describes more clearly and simply than the explanation in “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”. In a nutshell, assets mean money into your pocket. Liabilities mean money out of your market.

Most of us are conditioned or at least mis-educated by the media to think that the more we ‘own’ like property and car, equates more assets. It is not until I understood the concept from “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” that I started to develop keen interest to learning and mastering my financial destiny.

Back then, my dream was so ‘small’ that I never even thought of owning a car. I was very contented to just take a public transport through and fro to wherever I want to go. My philosophy then was Singapore transport system is very efficient and convenient. So, a car is more of a “can-be-done-without“ luxury.

In the midst of my quest to equip myself with more financial knowledge, I stumbled upon Jerry Clarke’s workshop. I attended his workshop for the sole purpose of sharpening my communication skills but throughout his impressive workshop, the one message that hit upon me even till date is PSM – Poverty Stricken Mentality.

Indeed, Singapore transport system is definitely one of the world-class. It was my philosophy back then that carried the subliminal message that I can’t afford a car.

I still do not own a car. But combining the re-definition of assets and liabilities from Rich Dad, Poor Dad and Jerry Clarke’s infamous abbreviation PSM, I have reprogrammed my mindset to acquire assets; (be it house or car) through income generated from the pipelines of my businesses.

A property like the HDB flat or condominium that one ‘owns’ is NOT an asset. Back to the basic, asset is anything that puts money into your pocket. In this case, by paying the monthly instalments, utilities and other overheads of a house is a liability because money flows out of your pocket.

And if the prediction of what Robert T. Kiyosaki and Clement Chiang came true regarding the economical downturn in 2010, I shrug to think the consequences of those who have ‘invested’ heavily in the private properties especially in the case of those who own 2 properties and still having to pay for the instalments & other overheads from own pocket.