Thinking Small

When I came back at the end of 2017, I used to set an “impossible” goal of generating a “huge” income of $30,000/month, i.e. $1,000/day. I wrote it down. I printed it out and stuck it prominently in my office for the first 3 or 4 months. No one believed it – not even myself, sometimes. In fact, many laughed and mocked at me setting such a ridiculous goal.

Now, almost 2 years later, I think my goal was just too small. I could’ve set and now achieved a much bigger goal.

But probably, it’s big enough to get things rolling; making progress; getting the faith and belief, and eventually reaching who and where I am today, in which a much bigger goal seems pretty possible.

Perhaps, thinking small is not too bad.

Who are you?

People would always like to give advice – even advice that they interestingly don’t understand and follow!

Be this. Do that.
Don’t smoke! – suggested by a guy who’s holding a cigarette!
Go to college & get a safe and security job! – advised by parents who become successful by doing the opposite.

I did too to be honest.

But now I change. I start reading books; I become consciously choosing who I wanna associate; I’m building my own team & cabinet. Most importantly, I’m afraid to give advice – I’m just not there to do that yet.

That’s why before you talk to me and you want me to treat you & whatever you say seriously, let’s go through this quick checklist:

1. How many non-fiction books (self-help in particular) that you’ve read? #Knowledge #Perspective
2. What’s your 5-aside Team? Who are your 5 closest friends? #Association
3. Who are your mentors? #Teacher/Coach #Perspective
4. What have you achieved personally and professionally? #Achievements & finally
5. What’s your bank accounts right now? #Finance

#1 Many people learn & get knowledge passively, meaning they only know what they’re taught, which is very little & one-sided. Read books & open to new ideas & knowledge.
Show me what you’ve learned!

#2 You can also help yourself a lot by associating with beautiful, inspiring people & environment.

#3 Model, copy, mimic – whatever you wanna call it – those who you wanna become. Don’t reinvent the wheel. No one is 100% “self-made”!

Show me your closest friends, team and teachers, I can more or less tell who you are.

#4 Many people mistake “saying” as “doing”; “doing” vs “achieving”. That’s why many people spend their whole entire life achieving and contributing almost nothing.
Some people are simply gifted with natural talents (and good enviroment) that requires little additional personal development. Show me what you have achieved, I may ignore the rest of the conditions.

#5 Real values equal monetary values (= money). I don’t believe in stories about talented but broke people. They ain’t that talented. And if you only can create “half-values”, you work for someone else! (or you’re broke!) LOL

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!

Read

This is how I read a book at the moment:

• Research FIRST
  • Read recommendations, reviews & rating on Amazon to make sure I only read worthy books
  • Add them to my reading list if necessary
• Finish the whole book within 3 days since getting it
  Otherwise, I know I won’t read it thoroughly after losing that momentum
  • Finish 50-80% on the first day
  • I focus to learn 3-5 BIG lessons from the book
    – no more just reading for “fun”.
    (added on Aug, 2016)
• Update my library on Trello
  • I believe the order of the books I read is very important to how (much) I learn!
  • Categorize the book: which category it belongs to?
• Review them occasionally or when I need to improve knowledge in certain areas
  • Review what is left with me from those books
    by writing down 1-2 BIG IDEAS (max.) from each book per review.

My Money Rules

(2014)

1. I Pay myself First

No matter how much money I make at a particular time, I’ve always paid myself first. My salary is automatically transferred to 5 different bank accounts where I manage my 6 financial accounts, namely GIVE, MOM, Personal Development, Traveling & LTSS, PLAY and Financial Freedom.

2. I’d have unlimited Budget for Food & Hobbies*

I used to eat less to save for entertainment & shopping while in University. After a while, I realized it became an unhealthy habit. I didn’t want to starve myself anymore! I’m grateful that money is now hardly a deciding factor for me when it comes to dining 🙂

Though I’m still not able to eat whatever I want at wherever I want now, I WILL soon. I don’t want to eat “chicken” forever.

3. I believe Giving is Receiving

4. I Invest on myself

Brian Tracy says the best investment one can make is on themselves. Books, seminars, courses, meet-ups… whatever could help me learn more. I’ll make sure I equip myself with good knowledge and experience.

5. I buy Experience, not Things

What a saying! What a lesson! Instead of buying a big Television, I’ll rather spend it on a private event or traveling. Eventually, my life is all about my experience and stories (memories) not about what I’ve bought (diamonds). As a matter of fact, I hardly remember what I bought last year. It doesn’t matter at all. Things don’t last; experience does!

Buy Experience, Not Things”

In 2015, I spent around S$4,000 for traveling (in which roughly $2,000 was for my trip to China). It’s quite a lot but I believe it’s worth it!

(Updated in 2015)

Buy to Use; not to Impress

One of the main reasons I bought consumer products apart from necessity is to impress others (a decent & functional but unpopular watch vs a Rolex). That tends to make me to buy unnecessary stuff as well.

6. I’m not a cheapskate

Having said that, when I do shop, I will buy superior (and therefore usually expensive) products. I learn this lesson through personal experience. Inferior products will have to be replaced much sooner than superior ones [EXPERIENCE]. Besides and more importantly, two or even three cheap Xs usually cost more than one expensive Y. I’d waste time looking for them as well.

As wallet and watch are as important to a man as bags and shoes to women, I’m willing to spend big on them (refer to the rule 4). My ex-girlfriend also said shoes are one of the things you wear everyday and often, I should get a good one as well.

Periodically Shopping for Diversity

Even superior products if used everyday wouldn’t last long [EXPERIENCE]. And to make sure I don’t look too boring, I’d shop periodically for diversity. For example, two new t-shirt every 2 or 3 months will make sure I won’t run into the shortage of clothes situation. “I shop for what I’ll need” is totally different from “I shop before I need”. So do “Buy 2 every 2 months” vs “Buy 4 at a time”. When it comes to shopping, this equation works perfectly for me:

Superior Products + Periodically Shopping = Time & Money Saving

7. I always Negotiate

I try to negotiate everything. As mentioned, I negotiate not necessarily for the sake of money alone but to build a good habit to getting Great Deals in both life and business. I learn that I can get a better deal than what is presented in most cases.

I used to say “- it’s OK” though I know the product’s significant overpriced. “- It doesn’t matter much!” (as hundreds in weaker currencies are sometimes worth only a few cents). But in fact, it does (habits):

The way you do anything is the way you do everything!” – T. Harv Eker

Ask. The worst thing could happen is a “No” from them.

> Invest (in progress)

Saving without investing is a curse. In fact, it’s why most people are struggling financially.

Principle vs Rules

This comparison popped into my head again when i was reading some blog post about the “Rules” that the author strives to live by during a Saturday lunch. Here are some differences between Rules & Principles that I find interesting:

• Rules are specific while Principles are more general yet specific enough to serve as a guideline
• Rules, to a certain extent, are too specific and therefore too rigid for many folks, which sometimes unintentionally set a limit on people/things
  Principles-centered folks don’t care how they do something as long as they complete it & don’t go against the principles
• There are far too many Rules to follow while there should be only a handful Principles to live by
• Rules are set (& therefore meant) to be broken while Principles are meant to guide & therefore will last
• Society is governed by Rules while people should be Principles-centered (7 Habits of Highly Effective People)

2015’s Resolutions

My theme for 2015 is: WILD

I came across this super funny quote:

My goal for 2015 is to accomplish the goals of 2014 which I should have done in 2013 because I made a promise in 2012 & planned in 2011.

It’s funny yet quite true as well. I realise how many times I have made a New Year resolution and yet not been able to follow & achieve it.

Without further ado, 3 keys habits for 2015 are:

1. Join the 5 am Club
2. Visualise + Meditate twice daily
3. Read, Learn & Do something – definite – everyday

You may notice that, it’s basically same as my last year resolutions – which is really embarrassing! Of course I will keep my one-sentence journal which I have done quite well in the last 2 months of 2014 too.

Challenges that I pursue:

1. Complete 5km under 25′ to join MR25 Club
2. Complete 100 slow push ups; film & share it online!

I learn from Gretchen Rubin the idea of creating a theme for the entire year & summarize it in one word. I find it fascinating. Then I realise although I didn’t know about this idea yet, I did tell my close friend 2014 is a fundamental – absolutely essential year for me during the last CYN. It didn’t turn out quite well as expected yet when looking back I understand why I label it “fundamental”. At least it was a necessary set-back if not a success in many aspects.

This year, I call it “Wild” – I prefer to use an adjective to a noun as it sounds stronger, more exciting – simply because this is the year I must overcome all the fear; go out there; get what I want done and play everything wildly. No more excuses; no more “compromise”.