A Chinese Businessman

– How much is your salary?*
– A plus plus.
– How much is your rent?
– A/6
– How much do you spend a month in total?
– Around A/2
He’s happily nodded his head!

In Asia, it’s usually said:

No men are wiser than Chinese businessmen!

That reputation is built from their tremendous success on various fields around the world. This short conversation once again shows why they earn that reputation.

He skipped those usual small talks & jumped straight to what matters. By asking better questions, he got better answers. How a man spend his money says a lot about him.

* I hate being asked this question – this is a rare exception when I know why he asked that question

Một dân tộc yếu

Một dân tộc yếu là một dân tộc thiếu người lãnh đạo;
Người tiếp người vẫn lui tới đó đây! (chật vật đi tìm đường đi cho chính mình)

Một dân tộc yếu là một dân tộc đầy chia rẻ;
Người với người ganh ghét lẫn nhau.

Một dân tộc yếu là một dân tộc thiếu nội lực;
Người rồi người kìm kẹp lẫn nhau.

Một dân tộc yếu là một dân tộc nghèo;
Người cùng người sống khổ nhưng vẫn “hạnh phúc”.

Một dân tộc yếu là một dân tộc không dám đấu tranh;
Người dân sợ chính quyền hơn sợ giặc.

Một dân tộc yếu là một dân tộc thiếu tính dân tộc;
Người nối người bỏ nước ra đi.

Một dân tộc yếu là một dân tộc thiếu lý tưởng;
để đất nước phải lệ thuộc vào cường quốc, ngoại bang.

Một dân tộc yếu là một dân tộc hèn;
Mất nước rồi vẫn (chỉ biết) nghĩ đến chuyện ăn chơi.

Một dân tộc yếu là một dân tộc hay đỗ lỗi;
41 năm rồi vẫn trách cứ người xưa *

Một dân tộc yếu là một dân tộc mất đi…

My 3rd Trip to Bangkok

It’s much better to change money in Singapore (25.7 as of Aug 10; 24.7 in Changi as of Aug 12) than Thailand (24.91? as of Aug 12)

Stay @ BKK Hiptique – very decent & cheap hotel.

Muay Thai Fight

My first time watching a live Muay Thai’s women fight. Though it’s not a competitive fight, it’s quite fun to watch. What I like most is how the girls warm up before the match. I don’t know if that’s serious or for showing. I personally find it kinda interesting & sorta weird warm-up for a fight 😀 #Mother’sDay #Queen’sBD

Safari World

It’s 100% better than I expected of a “zoo” or “safari”. It’s totally worth spending the whole day here. There are 7 shows in total, all of which occurs twice a day (one in the morning; the other in the afternoon) except the Elephant show. Dolphin is arguably the best, attracting most people. I love the 2 MCs most, who are funny & able to speak a few languages. Quite surprised to see they play Vietnamese & Indian songs before the show. There are lots of Indian tourists btw 😉

I enjoy the Spy War & Cowboy Stunt show too, which is like watching a Hollywood action movie live. Fire; gun, fighting – everything is very well prepared. Such a very pleasant experience!!

The place is walkable – not too huge like Singapore Zoo yet have enough interesting things to watch & see. All the shows give us almost no rest in the afternoon.

It’s a great experience overall. No wonder they’re attracting so many tourists.

The only thing we missed out was the rooftop bar, which will be my #1 priority in the next trip.

Ideas

Jotting down “good” ideas popped into my head especially during my trips. Feel free to take them & make it become a reality. Once again, credit is appreciated but not required.

My dream is to build a terrific library for Hue before 30 & expand to to 3-5 libraries throughout the province before 35. Why?

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day;
Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime!”

I believe education (teaching, training and books in particular) impacts much more on one’s life than pure donations.

Jakarta – Bandung: July 13-16
TransJakarta: Buses run on separate lane! An cheap & good alternative to Train/Subway!

Semarang – Yogja trip: Oct 26-30, 2016
There should be a device or sth that help translate & facilitate conversation among people speaking different languages so that we don’t need to translate back & forward to a foreigner who would feel less isolated/leftout too. #Yogja #Oct27 #HaijiLane #MeliaMom

Bangkok: Aug 12-15, 16

Use humor in education: e.g. on roadside banners
> Make it more memorable & fun.

Teaching history through stories & drawing #GrandPalace
e.g. History of Vietnam in 5 years, 10 years – dark periods: wars, separation…

Set a Combo – add ons (Lunch buffer) – make the package looks much cheaper!! #SafariWorld #BKK #Ideas #Persuasive

KL: Apr 30 – May 1, 16:
Development (10-; 20-year) plan

Taiwan: Apr 22-25, 16
Have monthly small & fun games to create & increase team bonding #TV

Beijing & Shanghai: Dec 24, 15 – Jan 2, 16

Specialized Art Zone, market or whatever

The WAR of ART

Top 3 lessons I learn from this book:

1. We’re “professionals!”

Now I know why we’re called a “professional”. It’s because

• We do it full time
• We show up everyday
• We show up no matter what
• We stay on the job all day… 😀 😀
• We get paid/rewards for doing all that
• …

So to a great extent, we’re all “PROs”. Just that – yes, just that, unlike other REAL PROs, we work for money. We train to EARN more (not necessarily to BECOME/ACHIEVE MORE – though this may be a by-product)! Look at a PRO football player instead:

• They train & play PASSIONATELY
  vs though we do train consistently everyday, many of us do it without any passion & love
• They usually play for a club of their childhood dream
  vs working for big companies for high pay & perks – some of them we actually hate!
  BONUSES:
• Their weekly salary is probably as high as our yearly’s
• If they help their club achieve sth, they become famous
  vs we’re part of a company system where we needa: do & get higher paid (& do more) or get fired!

2. Territory vs Hierarchy

Hierarchy:
> Problem: when the numbers get too big, things break down!! (don’t really get it yet) – ideal numbers would be 20-800? #School
> Compete with one another for higher ranks
Territory:

3. EGO vs SELF

Death, Time & Space are real vs illusion!

Some other GREAT sayings:

What’s hard is not the work itself (writing) but the decision to actually do it (sitting down to write)! WOW  #Think&GrowRich

How many of us become drunks/drug addicts + gossip, compulsive cellphone use, etc.. simply because we don’t do that things that our hearts, our inner genius, is calling us to? WOW
> This is absolute sth I can relate to
> I needa make my goals become a burning desire; choose right/supporting environment, etc.. otherwise it won’t work too. Too many distractions & pressure in our life right now!! #PeerPressure #SocialNorm #StatusQuo

Success 2016

This is the second seminar I attended this year after the NAC, which is a backward step compared to last year 

Anyway, there are a number of new speakers this year, in addition to common faces of Peng Joon, JT Foxx, Gerry Robert, and Kevin Green, who have been appearing on all Success Resources’ seminars in recent years. It’s worth noticing that there is no female speaker whatsoever (among 8 speakers – yet again) though. There is really a serious demand for motivational speaker as Kevin (?) said.

I skipped the earliest first 2 sessions each day, attended 4 sessions plus the Nick Vujicic’s keynote speech. I watched 2 of them speaking before but overall I’ve learned quite a lot of stuff:

Kevin Green

Good speaker!

• Morning routine: Do something crazy when you first wake up in the morning: “Yes, Yes, Yes” or anything that makes you feel GOOD #Energy
• 2 Rich Rules #Properties
  • Keep 2 & Sell 1 / 3 properties you buy
  • Pay off all properties’ debts by Year 10 vs Robert Kiyosaki of always using debts
• Always own & control the RULES
• His story of being told “Don’t set your goals too high or you’ll get disappointed..”
• Family vs Money
• Honest & Integrity

Sandy Jadeja

First time meeting him. Experienced & Knowledgeable! He looks & is very serious too albeit not really a “motivational” speaker. I left early during his speech on Day 1 but did learn some good things from the sidelines during lunch break on Day 2.

• “Singapore is so expensive. You’re getting ripped off. Why should you ever live here?” #Residences
  • Like Hongkong, the transportation (& infrastructure?) is great
  • “Properties & alcohol” are expensive vs food
• “Go & Travel more!”
  • He borrowed 10,000 pounds to travel ~ 26 years ago.
• Build sth Portable (automated)
• Forecasts vs Predictions
• Super Rich people plans for Decades ahead vs Years vs Months (middle class) vs Days (poor)
• His 3Fs
  1.  Fear
  2. Financial Understanding
  3. Follow Through

Roger Hamilton

Look like a nice & successful guy but not really a great speaker. He tried to involve 3 girls during his speech but not really successful ( – that over ecstatic girl who make $4,000 of passive income month & seeking for a husband to become an amazing housewife 😀 😀 :D).

Anyway he’s given some very good points & lessons:

• Be extremely clear on your goals & deadline
• You can re-frame the answer by suggesting it:
  • Asking ppl to look for 5 items in “red”
  • Look for 10 things in the room
  • Close your eyes, list 5 items in pink :O
• “If you’re doing HARD work, you’re doing the wrong things!”
  You must do sth you totally enjoy – suitable to you & in your strengths (vs weaknesses)
• If you don’t know where you are & where you wanna go, you’re going nowhere even though you have the map (information)! You need DIRECTIONS!
• Wealth Dynamics Profile (Creator vs Trader; Supporter vs Lord (system)) – know thyself!

Gerry Robert

Seen him before but never finish watching his speech until today. Great speaker & presentation.

• Go wide not deep when writing content for your book for branding
  • Be a REPORTER! – Interview others!
• Humor sells! So do design (cover)!
  • Have a few (funny) videos during his presentation. Walk the talk!
• How to get others pay for everything (write & publish your book)
  • Bonus chapter (ads written by others)
  • Ads
• Great sell technique!
  • Having his seminar sign-up sheet (removable) printed on the provided booklet
  • Do the normal selling stuff – splashing the price; add on bonuses, etc.
    • “Raise your hands if you think I’m gonna sell you sth during my speech” – Well I won’t disappoint you 😀 😀
  • All of a sudden, say it’s FREE & ask ppl to rush to the boot (get out of their seats, change their state..)
  • Eventually ask for $97 w/o Money Back Guarantee (reasonable explanations though). Some may feel deceived but consistency (principle) would make a lot of people still buy his seminar.

And there come

Nick Vujicic!

His 8 strategies are nothing special & specific but seeing him in person is already inspiring: sweet voice, beautiful & inspiring story with a good sense of humor!

• What do you want? Seeing the full picture
• Accept who you are! (things you can & cannot change)
• The map (knowledge & information) is useless you know who you are & where you wanna go
• Be grateful!
• You can always be a miracle to someone else!
• – But I’m without limbs
  – Build a business, they will become your arms & legs!
• Great exercise/practice:
  “List your top 3 goals & top 3 obstacles that prevent you to achieve those goal then Stand up.

  “If you can somehow access any resources that you want (be it sth, anything or some person, any person ~ MIRACLE), could they solve all your problems/obstacles?”. If they do, Sit down.
  It’s such a simple yet powerful practice that can remove any limit on my head!!! All obstacles lie on my mind & it is POSSIBLE to solve them eventually!

  Meanwhile, there are still (~20 then 10) people who keep standing.

  Nick asked & explained some of their problems but I think he himself is the best answer to all their questions/problems/obstacles. Despite his unfortunate physical disability, he can still stand there, talk & inspire all of us. I don’t think there is any bigger obstacle than that (be it physical disability or family issues…)

It was a great opportunity to meet & ask very successful people in person but I didn’t really seize it. I will definitely do it next time!!

Too Easy with Yourself

Some people are just too easy with themselves:

• They can’t even pronounce the name of where they’re living properly. They think it’s alright.
• They fight back immediately if people give them constructive feedback yet don’t take it that seriously when they’re home. – Nevermind!
• When meeting people who are much “better” (richer, more successful, etc.) than themselves, they don’t feel bad! They consider it “reality”!

I can’t.

Sometimes that’s not good (when I take everything (be it a joke or random saying/criticism) too seriously) but most of the time, it helps! In fact, it forces me to research, read, learn or do whatever it takes to improve what I didn’t know or not good at. It pushes me forward!