Be The Change

I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. – Jimmy Dean

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

That’s one popular quote by Mahatma Gandhi.

If you want peace in the world, be an advocate for peace.

If you want to stop hunger in the world, step up and help the poor.

If you want to improve the life of the many people, promote education.

Too much of a time, when we stoop down so low to become keyboard warrior.

Too much of a time, when we resign in life and complain of the injustice.

Too much of a time, when we give up our power to others to change the world.

We wrongly thought that we are incapable to change the world.

We wrongly thought that we are lazy to change the world.

We wrongly thought that we are indifferent to change the world.

We have the power within us to change. We do. We really do.

We are hardworking. We are not as lazy as we thought about us.

We do care. We are not indifferent.

Banish all the negative thoughts. We are all wonders. We have miracles within us.

And the best way to change the world is to actively pursuit it.

Choose a  cause that you are passionate in. Take a lead in it. Be relentless in pursuing it. Don’t take no for an answer.

Until you fight for your dreams, you would not have really lived.

You are but a living zombie till then.

Stand up for the change that you want to see.

 

Meng

Change your life

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. – Saint Augustine

Life is about finding inspiration, sparks that would change your life for the better. What better inspirations out there than good books?

There are plenty of good books around.  Which one would change your world?

Do you realize how many books out there? Which one would be the one that would change your life?

There are so many books of the same genre, are there any differences between them?

In reality, not all books are created equal. Some books are well written, some are not.

At the end of the day, it is the perception of the readers that matters.

As the saying goes, “when the student is ready, the teacher appears.”

Which book would change your world? It would be the one book that you decided to read, once you have made the determination to change. To make the effect lasting, the book has to be of a certain quality.

Right now, you may not have any motivation to change. It is fine, it is alright. Get a list of books that are bestsellers. Choose those with good reviews, those that resonate well with readers worldwide.

Find the top 3 books within each genre that you may want to improve. When the need arises, or when you see it fit, you will choose the one book that would change your life.

Books are fabulous in changing your life. When you decided to go all in, read with intention of getting the most out of it. Have faith that all will go well.

 

Meng

How to Start a Brand-New Chapter at Any Age

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. – George Bernard Shaw

Read an article posted at Inc. with the above title.

That gets me thinking.

It is obvious that one will encounter failures at some stages in their lives. It is also obvious that some will get back on their feet (like phoenix rises from ashes)  and some will fade into darkness of obscurity.

What would one do when one gets stuck? The obvious answer would be to get unstuck.

At any stage of life, do an audit. A life audit. What are you currently doing? What is your life goal? How far away are you from your goals? Be honest and objective in answering these.

Give yourself the permission to forgive, and move on. It doesn’t help you to keep on hanging to the past. The past is not indicative of your future. Your past may lead you to your present. But you have the power to change your future. if you would take actions in your present.

Know what needs to change, and just put in the freaking hard work. You need to know which direction you need to take, and how fast you need to travel. Nothing substitute the work and effort you put in. But you can’t just blindly run without knowing where you are heading to.

Know that it is never too late to start all over again. If you are to start today. You may have wasted decades of your life, please don’t waste any more days. Live your life worth remembering and celebrating for.

What would you do today?

Meng

Rumour Has It

Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality. – Nikos Kazantzakis

 

There’s a rumour brewing. There will be a re-organization going on in my company.

It was just a rumour, but it does affect some of us. What would happen to us? Who would be our new boss? Who would move  out? And who would move it?

And rumours have a power of affecting our performances.

And yet, I see some of my colleagues keep on performing, keep on pushing, even making better progress than ever before. What do they know?

It is their job to provide value. Rumour is non-substance. They are hired to provide value to the company. Ignore the rumour and keep on providing value. Do your job well. Rest assured that you can sleep well because you are doing the very best that you can.

Know that you are valuable. Even in times of doubt, you keep on performing. If the boss would need to choose, who he choose a performer or a doubter? If you were to be retrenched, would the new hiring manager find you more attractive or the doubter?

Know that change is inevitable. Instead of wasting your time and energy worrying, put them to good use. Be prepared. Always strive to provide value.

You are self-employed. Regardless of who pay your payslip. With this knowledge, you are now taking responsibility into your own hand. Treat your boss like your customer. Constantly provide value to your customer.

Always improve yourself. Further your studies. Do self study. Learn more things, both technical and soft skills. Improve your interpersonal skills.

How would you improve your values to your company? Don’t give in to rumours. Instead, strive to give value.

 

Meng

Buried Ambition

Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in, – Bill Bradley

 

It was just a casual dinner with friends. Now in our 30s, we reminisce in our good old time during study. On how we would carve our future. To become successful, rich and happy.

It was not too long in the past, and looking back, we were pretty sure it would be achievable. And yet look at us now, what have we achieved?

Some have success, some are contended with their lives, and the others complain about it.

What happened to our enthusiastic youth, the very same person residing in us?

We have become jaded with life – struggling to meet ends meet.

We have given up hopes of what may become.

We are lured by the premise of job security, whether it is a fact or illusion, it has yet to be determined.

It wasn’t a sudden, big change from the brave, young soul to become a conformed working adult.

No, it was not. It happens gradually. Too slowly, that we didn’t even pay attention to it.

Just like a frog in a boiling pot. under the gradually increasing fire. A small discomfort increased over time. Comfortable life that seems to change to be a little discomfortable over time.

Yeah, just like that.

Have you ever take stock of your life. Are you living your best life now? Stay tuned for my next blog post as we go through the hows in tackling this. Until then, think about what is your lifestyle now.

 

Meng

Make your work easier (Change your environment)

You can’t make positive choices for the rest of your life without an environment that makes those choices easy, natural, and enjoyable. – Deepak Chopra

People say, “Everything is achievable through willpower.” “Determination wins it all.” “Everything is in the mind.”

Yes, each one of them holds truth in them.

But why is it that every time  I see my laptop, I am tempted to surf Facebook?

But why is it that every time I want to jog, I would slump on couch?

But why is it that every time I see the cookies, I would just eat it non-stop?

There are studies that our willpower is limited. Rechargeable, yes. But it would deplete over time (over the course of a day).

Instead of testing our willpower, why don’t we make things easier for us? It’s a matter of changing or re-arranging your surrounding.

Make your browser to forget your Facebook password. A little more hassle would deter you from surfing Facebook more frequently.

Put your jogging clothes in sight. Within reach.

Put the cookies on the top-most shelf. Hide it behind other healthier choices – like oatmeal.

Perhaps what you need is another person. Your accountable buddy. To stick with you, through thick and thin, to make sure that you get work done.

What are the things in your environment that you can change to support your work? To make it easier to be completed? To make it more natural for you to dwell in? To make it more enjoyable to work on?

 

Meng

Frog in boiling water

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. – George Bernard Shaw

I have been learning the breast-stroke swimming style (a.k.a. the frog style) for some time now. And I am very interested in anything related to frogs.

There’s one story about frog as follows:

If you would to throw a frog in a boiling water, it would have jumped out in the very first instance.

If you were to place a frog in a cool water, it would not be doing anything.

As you gradually increase its temperature, it would feels the slight discomfort but will remain there.

When the temperature has been raised to a boiling point, it would be too late for the frog to do anything.

It’s a story shared by many.

It’s a story of being complacent and comfortable in our surrounding.

The changes may be subtle and we are oblivious to it.

Till it becomes a tipping point, and we are all caught off-guard.

What one thing that you feel like you are in the slow-boiling pot situation? What one action can you take today to anticipate the change?

Don’t be like the frog in the boiling pot. Take action today and carve your future!

 

Meng

Decision

It is in your moments of decisions that your destiny is shaped. – Tony Robbins

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Every single day, we have to make decisions. It ranges from the simplest thing (what do we decide to eat for breakfast?) to the life-changing ones (should I quit my job?).

In reality, our lives are shaped by the decisions that we make. Inaction, or indecision, is in fact a decision too. A decision of procrastinating what we ought to do.

Why do I blog “decision”?

Because I’ve decided to take action.

Because I’ve decided to have my own blog -to remind myself of what I have become to.

Because I’ve decided to change my life, for the better.

It may sounds vague now, but in life, you need to make a decision. A decision to move forward, or decide to drift along life.

A decision to shape your destiny, or decide to remain status quo.

A decision to impact lives, or decide to live in anonymity.

The time has come – make your decision now. What do you want in life?

 

Meng