You should have a blog!

A summary of why you should have a blog:

• Don’t ever trust your mind
  10 or even just 5 years from now, you likely won’t remember even your most memorable moments today.
• Who were you yesterday?
  Time’s flying. As time goes by, you’re also likely to lose track of yourself. Jotting something down is one of the best ways to keep track of your progress.
• Your stories (experiences) are your life
  If you have a lot to say but nothing to write down. Do worry!
• Your experiences are invaluable! (even though you may think they’re not) So write them down & share with us. I’d love to read your blog

My Story

Many of my friends find it weird when I put a pocket pen inside my wallet. So do they feel when seeing me carry some “funny” notepapers…

You’ve got to write things down!

Don’t ever trust your mind

I and she – we had a great trip in Thailand. At the end of the trip, I asked if she will remember this trip. Un-reluctantly she said no, no, never, how would I forget these wonderful memory?

[keep things/events in perspective – what & who you love now may not last forever]

Well, our memory is certainly not as reliable as we may think it is. Write things down and you will know how much our memory can leak. This is even more important:

“Every time we remember something we recreate what happened rather than just replay a film from our mental archives. The recreation is directed by a number of things such our beliefs, our emotional state at the time and our self-image. What you remember about an event may differ quite a bit from what someone else remembers.” – Henrik Edberg

One year later for some reason we broke up. Now every time she thinks about the trip, she says it’s really bad and that she just wanna forget it all. Unsurprisingly, the trip now becomes a forgettable experience simply because it reminds her of our broken relationship.

By writing things down, you are not only able to remember it longer but also keep its perspective.

Keep track of your progress

If I’m this positive person, who would know & imagine that I was a completely negative person not long ago? No one maybe not even myself. By writing things down, you can track your progress. When realising that you’re improving, you will become more appreciated of what you’re having and that keeps you moving forward.

By keeping a written record of your life, you’ll be more accountable. By putting into writing the action steps that you’ve planned; you will easily see what works and what doesn’t.
Most people just try to get through the day; never writing anything down; never keeping track of their progress along the way…” – Jim Rohn

Also, you don’t have to occupy your mind by remembering every little thing. By writing them down and clearing them out, you will become less stressed and it will become easier for you to remember and think clearly.

So first, you’ve got to write things down. Second and probably one of the most important things I would ever say in my blog: you should have a blog.

Don’t over-think it BLOG

I know, many of you’ve already used some kind of the so-called “blog”. Journal, diary, notebook, phone tracking notes – whatever you want to name it. The interesting thing is when it comes to blog, many would think that it’s a super hard thing that only writers would use. Only those who have outstanding writing skill should have a blog. Or it’s meant for businesses, etc. The truth is:

You don’t need to have a flair in writing to write.

You don’t need to have a business to have a blog.

You don’t even need to spend a buck to have a blog of your own…

Blog is just a tool that helps you keep your journals easier.

Just do it

Your blog’s design may be ugly but who cares, it’s yours.

Your ideas may be ridiculous; your thoughts may be random but who cares, they are yours.

Your blog would suck but who cares, it’s yours.

I remember that awkward moment when I admitted I loved a girl in my class and my friends kept laughing at me when they read it. But… So what?

Now how about:

Someone gets useful information when reading your personal trip’s experience with your girl/boyfriend in Vietnam?

Someone gets inspired when reading some of your “nonsense” ideas?

Your stories are your life

Your experience is invaluable – which you may not realise until you look back on it. So don’t let those experience be just a topic of your daily gossip or chit chat. Save it for others. If you meet a weird strange person and find him interesting, jot it down. If you have a chance to go to Africa, jot down your experience there.

You may not realise. But… Your opinions count. Your ideas are original. Your stories are unique. Your journey is a wonderful lesson. And they are all interesting. So Keep them. Write them down & share them with us. I’d love to read your blog!

Updated on October 5th, 2013

My Life Map

To get the most of your life, it is important to see how your life is doing. While you can do it at the micro level by looking at your single day or week, it is even more important to see it at the macro level.”

Starting from 2009, I divide each year into 3 parts:

2009

– Semester 1 (Jan to April)
Deeply in love

– Semester 2 (May – August)
Graduate from high school. Involve in a sad luv triangle. Come to Singapore for tertiary education

– Semester 3 (September – December)
Focused & get good start at the first University semester

2010

– Semester 1 (Jan to April)
NA

– Semester 2 (May – August)
Choose to follow web development

– Semester 3 (September – December)
@Hoi An w Class 12. Give up in University’s top class.
@Tioman w a Hung & a Phuong (first time). Read “Rich Dad; Poor Dad”

2011

– Semester 1 (Jan to April)
Do Chichi as my “side” & final year project. Prepare well for the last semester

– Semester 2 (May – August)
Create huuthinhhouse.com

– Semester 3 (September – December)
Graduate. Get my first job soon after. Think of a personal dev blog

2012

– Semester 1 (Jan to April)
Do front-end development for LeeRit.com (from the last Dec?). Create XYZ.

– Semester 2 (May – August)
In love. @KL. Start another blog called Rexy hosted at huuthinhhouse.com. Buy thevietnamwar domain.

– Semester 3 (September – December)
Start the VNW; Continue with LeeRit.com; experiment with some CSS3 stuff @ labs.huuthinhhouse.com

2013

– Semester 1 (Jan to April)
@Malacca. Stop doing LeeRit.com. Do Rexy.me (Jan version). Switch to rexy.me domain.
Getta know a good friend – Go -> everything is kinda changed.
@Phuket – first company trip.
Have my heart broken for … too long (from mar till june/july)
@Langkawi.

– Semester 2 (May – August)
@Bangkok & Chaingmai w Lem
Get promoted. Fail to create a mastermind group.
@Muine w Lem. Work with various freelancer. Start building my own team.

– Semester 3 (September – December)
Have my own lean team (2,3,4,5,6)   😡 <3
Do my 2013’s highlights

2014

– Semester 1 (Jan to April)
@Yangon w Vinh @ Leo’s wedding
– Tet; install Adsense, have much more passive income; contact an American Professor; have an idea of what becomes known as imaginee. Everything goes pretty well; team grows further to max. 7 people until @ Broke up w @Kubia on ~ April, 21

– Semester 2 (May – August)
Use Fiverr. Manage to survive in May. It’s better but feel like I self-employ. Stop!
Left with me & Lam. Get lost…
First freelance project done & paid! thanks @TLBB @Maytha
Officially start to build imaginee.net. Apply PR. Go suddenly leaves for U.S. so do Lem in July – meet a few new people thanks to Go.

– Semester 3 (September – December)
+ Travel solo to @Batam & @JB
+ Continue to somewhat partner with #TLBB – another project done; plus #bridgeapp
+ Do one-sentence journal
+ Half done with 2014 Review

2015

* Semester 1 (Jan to April)
– Take the IELTS (2nd time) for Australian PR (17 & 19 Jan) > 7 band score
– Uncle Lam passed away…
– Went to Bangkok on a company trip.

* Semester 2 (May – August)
– Attended Tony Robbins’ Business Mastery 3-day event in 6-8 May
– Attended the NAC in July where I bought a high ticket III 3-day workshop
– Attended the PJ’s III in Aug
– Went to Luang Prabang (Laos) & Seam Reap (Angkor Wat – Cambodia)!!

* Semester 3 (September – December)
– Build my team (from 3 to 4, 5 to 6 people at the end of the year including me)
– Everything’s going well on track until my trip to Dito’s hometown in early October
– Slightly unfocused after the trip
– Manage to launch the free version of PDA on WordPress though #Nov27
– A few freelance projects from mid till end of Nov.
+ I decided to try Scrum for my team (the book I bought at Semarang airport)
+ I at certain times couldn’t manage the team meeting – out of control
+ I gave in some of the team’s unwise requests (filming intro video, etc.)
> Failed to achieve my financial & the team’s goal – 1,000 subscribers – this year
– Went to BJ & SH China in a long 9-day trip on Xmas & New Year!!

2016

* Semester 1 (Jan to April)

• Love!? #Tu
• Intro Maytha to work with aH on GSToeic project after LNY #Feb
  I don’t really know what was happening during those 2 weeks, she gave up working on both #Freelance & side projects. A good farewell!? 😉
• Re-working on the VNW e-book again after kinda dissolving BWPS team #Mar?

* Semester 2 (May – August)

• Launch the VNW e-book after more than 1 year procastination! :O #Jun
• Terminate a few unsuccessful ventures/websites! #Imaginee #AMiracle
• Open my Silver Saving account on UOB – my first online trading account! #Aug
• Travel to BKK & have lots of fun!! #Aug
• My team reaches the final on a local 5-aside tournament – get my first Silver medal! #Aug

* Semester 3 (September – December)

• Travel to Semarang & Jogjakarta! A fun short trip! (end of Oct)
• Attend 2 Value Investing College workshops #MarryBuffet
  Too soon to invest?
• Launch Prevent Direct Access plugin before X’mas (23rd) & get the first sale 5 days after that! #Dec

Last updated on 28th of February, March 14th 2013, February 16, 2014 September 8, 2014, January 20, 2015, January 10, 2016

Learned from Examine Your Life with a Simple Life

How to keep getting motivated

Feeling lazy,  stuck, lost or “not in the mood”?? Don’t feel like doing anything or tend to procrastinate what you’re supposed to do??

It happens to me and might happen to you as well.

Tony Robbins once said:

People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals – that is, goals that do not inspire them”

So setting goals, having faith and keeping motivate yourself from day to day especially when you’re down are critical. I believe we can achieve any goals if we motivate ourselves enough. Here are some sources of motivation I can find on a daily basis:

• Review or at least rewrite my own goals
• Visit blogs of people who have achieved my goals. Their “top 100 things to do”s really refresh me.
• Listening to inspiring videos by famous speakers like Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, Les Browns.
• Find some funny yet informative or intriguing photos. (9gags may have some for you – don’t overdo it)
• Re-read some of my bookmarked articles.
• Read a few motivational quotes & take a short coffee break to think about & feel it (Again don’t overdo it)
• Talk to a stranger

You may try those or find your own inspirations, and make it a daily habit to get inspired! Then go for your goals & dreams!

Do note the Law of momentum that says “A body at rest tends to remains at rest while a body in motion tends to remain in motion”. So if you feel discouraged, the best way is to stop doing what you’re right now, completely & thoroughly! Then go do something differently which will move yourself nearer to achieving your goals!

Jim Rohn

Beware: This man may change your life around!

I’ve seen quite a lot of motivational speakers such as Tony Robbins, Les Brown or Steve Jobs but no one is like this great man. His unique words, voice, tone and sense of humour are so inspiring. I don’t think there are exact words to describe how wonderful he and his speeches truly are. We can just watch & feel it by ourselves. In brief, he’s just simply phenomenal! There are not so many videos of his available online quite a lot of his videos available on YouTube.  But just from those available, which I’ve been listening everyday, I’ve learned lots of fantastic lessons – which would change everyone’s life! One of them is the short video above about 4 questions everyone should ponder: Why? Why not? Why not me? and Why not now? It seems too soon to say that he – his speeches, has turned my life around but he does make a dramatic impact on me right now. Thank you, great man!

I recommend you to go to his official website to get more information about his tapes and videos. You may also follow the facebook pageabout him to receive his wisdoms daily.

ps: Thanks my bro for letting me know this great man.

http://www.jimrohn.com/

Sucking less everyday

As a programmer, I should be unhappy with the code I wrote yesterdays. If I am not, its means either:

– my codes were so well written that they can’t be improved, or
– I haven’t learned anything (new) from yesterdays

Well, either way, albeit good or bad, is the kiss of death for me as well as any other programmers!

…
Broadly speaking, we all used to write shitty codes, design shitty posters, do shitty stuff and such. We did and we “HAVE TO keep doing so” *. It’s not depressing at all. It’s a typical way a humble learner could improve. But only the best learners realize they sucked; the worst and normal learners hardly do or do very late! That’s why they never try to seek for new knowledge and information seriously and constantly.

It’s not our job to be better than anyone else, we just need to be better than we were yesterday! And the nearest yesterdays are, the better we become!

And now comes the interesting question HOW – how to suck less everyday?
…
to be continued

* We must do the best within our domains of knowledge and abilities at this moment in time. By saying ‘we should keep doing shitty things’, I mean the importance of self-development and improvement that we should if not must improve ourselves further to realize that we did a terrible job yesterday. That’s what learning really is and how important it plays in life. I believe, the day we stop learning would be the last day of our lives!

How to Do What You Love

How much are you supposed to like what you do? Unless you know that, you don’t know when to stop searching. And if, like most people, you underestimate it, you’ll tend to stop searching too early. You’ll end up doing something chosen for you by your parents, or the desire to make money, or prestige—or sheer inertia.

Here’s an upper bound: Do what you love doesn’t mean, do what you would like to do most this second. Even Einstein probably had moments when he wanted to have a cup of coffee, but told himself he ought to finish what he was working on first.

It used to perplex me when I read about people who liked what they did so much that there was nothing they’d rather do. There didn’t seem to be any sort of work I liked that much. If I had a choice of (a) spending the next hour working on something or (b) be teleported to Rome and spend the next hour wandering about, was there any sort of work I’d prefer? Honestly, no.

But the fact is, almost anyone would rather, at any given moment, float about in the Carribbean, or have sex, or eat some delicious food, than work on hard problems. The rule about doing what you love assumes a certain length of time. It doesn’t mean, do what will make you happiest this second, but what will make you happiest over some longer period, like a week or a month.
Unproductive pleasures pall eventually. After a while you get tired of lying on the beach. If you want to stay happy, you have to do something.

As a lower bound, you have to like your work more than any unproductive pleasure. You have to like what you do enough that the concept of “spare time” seems mistaken. Which is not to say you have to spend all your time working. You can only work so much before you get tired and start to screw up. Then you want to do something else—even something mindless. But you don’t regard this time as the prize and the time you spend working as the pain you endure to earn it.

I put the lower bound there for practical reasons. If your work is not your favorite thing to do, you’ll have terrible problems with procrastination. You’ll have to force yourself to work, and when you resort to that the results are distinctly inferior.

To be happy I think you have to be doing something you not only enjoy, but admire. You have to be able to say, at the end, wow, that’s pretty cool. This doesn’t mean you have to make something. If you learn how to hang glide, or to speak a foreign language fluently, that will be enough to make you say, for a while at least, wow, that’s pretty cool. What there has to be is a test.

So one thing that falls just short of the standard, I think, is reading books. Except for some books in math and the hard sciences, there’s no test of how well you’ve read a book, and that’s why merely reading books doesn’t quite feel like work. You have to do something with what you’ve read to feel productive.

I think the best test is one Gino Lee taught me: to try to do things that would make your friends say wow. But it probably wouldn’t start to work properly till about age 22, because most people haven’t had a big enough sample to pick friends from before then…”

2012 New Year’s Resolutions

– 62 – 65 kg

– Start/Establish a business – join leerit.com

– Networking

• Network
• Friends
• GF

– Skills

• Communication (4/10)
  American accent
• Web (6/10)