Live Life With No Regrets!

So then... what is hard work?

It means not just reading the Bible but doing what it says.
It means taking the time to forgive your enemies.
It means sacrificing a little sleep/work to go and exercise.
It means facing your fears to accomplish what you want.
It means not procrastinating about doing the most important thing. That's hard.
It means taking time to meet your boss and subordinates to tell them what is really on your mind.
It means being a man and telling people what you want, when you want it and how you want it.
It means telling people that you aren't going to be pushed around by them or will settle for shoddy service.
It means controlling your temper and listening to people's needs first.
It means being focused almost all of the time.
It means facing your fears in asking someone for a date.
It means even learning new social skills.
It means facing your fears of rejection.
It means facing up to your own weaknesses.
It means speaking the truth to people in love, even though the truth may hurt.
It means keeping in mind other people's interests as well as your own.
It means setting boundaries around yourself and others.
It means being a leader.
It means writing that book you've always wanted to write.

Posted by Nico at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

1. Be specific in what you want to do at any one time (don't do random...)
2. Really listen and finding something to appreciate or praise someone everytime you meet them.
3. To speak the truth in love.

Posted by Nico at 9:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

An interesting article from Fast Company. The following is a meat and potatoes excerpt.

Sure, you're working long, but "long" and "hard" are now two different things. In the old days, we could measure how much grain someone harvested or how many pieces of steel he made. Hard work meant more work. But the past doesn't lead to the future. The future is not about time at all. The future is about work that's really and truly hard, not time-consuming. It's about the kind of work that requires us to push ourselves, not just punch the clock. Hard work is where our job security, our financial profit, and our future joy lie.

It's hard work to make difficult emotional decisions, such as quitting a job and setting out on your own. It's hard work to invent a new system, service, or process that's remarkable. It's hard work to tell your boss that he's being intellectually and emotionally lazy. It's easier to stand by and watch the company fade into oblivion. It's hard work to tell senior management to abandon something that it has been doing for a long time in favor of a new and apparently risky alternative. It's hard work to make good decisions with less than all of the data.

Today, working hard is about taking apparent risk. Not a crazy risk like betting the entire company on an untested product. No, an apparent risk: something that the competition (and your coworkers) believe is unsafe but that you realize is far more conservative than sticking with the status quo.

Richard Branson doesn't work more hours than you do. Neither does Steve Ballmer or Carly Fiorina. Robyn Waters, the woman who revolutionized what Target sells -- and helped the company trounce Kmart -- probably worked fewer hours than you do in an average week.

None of the people who are racking up amazing success stories and creating cool stuff are doing it just by working more hours than you are. And I hate to say it, but they're not smarter than you either. They're succeeding by doing hard work.

Hard work is about risk. It begins when you deal with the things that you'd rather not deal with: fear of failure, fear of standing out, fear of rejection. Hard work is about training yourself to leap over this barrier, tunnel under that barrier, drive through the other barrier. And, after you've done that, to do it again the next day.

Based on this article, I don't think I take enough risk in life. I've always thought that I was a risk-taker. And rightly so, but I don't face up to enough tough decisions to face up to fear. Hard work isn't about working long hours. It isn't about working till 9pm at night. It's about making tough decisions and making these tough decisions perhaps everyday and every moment. Hard work in the modern world is about making sacrifices. Not sometimes social life for your career, but it can also mean sacrificing your "career" for success. Being a success and having a career are not the same thing.

Posted by Nico at 9:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Newspapers, TV and the rest of the mass media have the primary purpose reporting news. They are also regulated in the sense that they cannot tell lies. But they have the ability to choose what to tell and to choose how to present it. They decide what sort of information is "important" for each of us.

But the thing is, this basket of news stories that serve us daily may distort our views of the world. Intentionally or not, serving only sensational news or negative news can create a negative worldview. It can also shape our ambitions and direction.

De Bono mentioned ways to prevent a person moving from A to B. The direct way is of course blocking him. But another way is to not provide knowledge of B to that person or to provide another alternative C so that he moves to that.

We are masters of our own fate, we must figure out and find information for our own goals. We must examine ourselves and determine where we want to go and how to get there.

Posted by Nico at 9:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We all live with imperfection, we do not choose where we are born, when we are born, who our parents were. Most of our early lives, were not under our control.

But, we can adapt to it. If life gives us lemons, we make lemonade.

Posted by Nico at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14)

Each of us is important.

Each of us has talents.

Each of one of us is unique.

We have an impact on life and on the world.

Just by existing in this world, we affect others.

But to make an even greater impact, we must hone ourselves, we must focus our efforts.

The concentrated beam of light has power to cut through even steel. It can transmit information. It can decorate. We can become more useful if we concentrate our light in some areas.

In a way, that is what discipline is all about. The problem is that the word 'discipline' has negative connotations, with punishment or a spartan regimentation. Look at the goal instead, look at it as the passion, as the goal and the means to achieve a great goal. When it's finished, we will look at discipline as no more than a rocky path or jungle trek that we had to traverse through to find a lost treasure. Discipline is terrain we navigate in the adventure of life.

Posted by Nico at 8:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You never hear beautiful people say, "It's not what outside that matters. Only the inside." I heard someone say that only ugly people say that.

Only people who have problems with their marriage or children will say, "Don't get married! It's better to stay single."

Posted by Nico at 7:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Imperfection is the norm and perfection the exception.

Don't bite off more than you can chew. Set realistic goals. Achieving something achievable is better than not achieving the grandiose.

A lot of things that you thought you couldn't do isn't impossible. Just put some thought and attention to it.

Posted by Nico at 12:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One way to practice your vocabulary is to use the words you learn...

I am a tyro and a dilettante at taking graduate exams. But one way to come out of an impecunious state is to upgrade yourself. But this essay is a sedulous attempt to make use of the argot of patrician GRE takers. It may be disjointed at times, but do not disparage me until you reach the denouement.

I only hope that my use of bombastic words do not cause malapropisms or become a pedantic display of grandiloquence.

I may become a sycophant towards my examiners. I do not wish my essays to create ennui and be soporific reads but be mellifluous with full cadence and timbre and even create lachrymose reactions of joy towards and garner a verdict that it is an indubitable work of art.

The weather in Singapore can be so capricious! I wish that my surroundings were more salubrious with an azure sky overhead, waking up fresh (I hope that I am not a somnambulist) to an effulgent sunrise, and with the piquant aroma of fresh coffee made by my buxomly inamorata. She is the cynosure of my eyes. In a proscenium, I would ebulliently sing an encomiastic panegyrics for her and excoriate and inveigh those who would dare speak words of aspersion or create canards about her. But I do not want to go overboard and be uxorious towards her.

It could be in piscatorial surroundings. I could jaunt off to the jetty and throw in a seine into the copious river to make a catch for an alimentary lunch and hope that a zephyr cools me down.

Ah, the sybarite that I am!

I wish that I do not engage in polemics so much but if I have to use stentorian tones to make a point I shall.

A feeling of lassitude has come upon me. This imbroglio of words has caused a sense of puissance and I must retire now.

Posted by Nico at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Those of you who follow my blog will realize the change in layout and even (for a few hours) a notice that said the website was suspended.

I decided to merge my hosting accounts to save on costs and I did this right at the end of the expiry of the original account. However, the tech support was slow in helping me migrate.

I also wanted to upgrade Movable Type to version 3.3. This accounts for the layout changes as I'm experiencing teething problems.

You won't be able to access any of the old files, whilst I rebuild the website.

I'm also tied down studying for the GRE. So not much work yet, till I take it this afternoon.

Posted by Nico at 2:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When you're up against the government AND the media, you're not going to survive.

SPH is milking the TT Durai-NKF scandal to the limit. And when you're up against the government here in Singapore, there's no chance in high water that you're even going to come out of this one with the clothes on your back.

The interesting thing is, he could have avoided all of this by settling out of court lawsuit against SPH and this would have blown over, Durai would still be in his cushy NKF job and still be milking public funds for his extravagant lifestyle.

SPH wanted to settle it. They wanted to get it over with. And even offered to tone down a few phrases. But what does that mean to freedom of the press and journalistic integrity? It seems that saving face and your backside is more important than truth here in this little red dot called Singapore.

Are we just cowards when it comes to speaking the truth that we cower before someone who threatens to sue us?

Is the power of the courts only the purview of the rich and mighty here? What of Archie Ong and Piragasam Singaravelu who were sued by Durai for telling the truth? We know now that they were only telling it as it is. The Asian mentality is to toe the line, to not rock the boat, to save face, to just mind your own business. Are we willing to live and die for the truth?

No doubt, we must speak TRUTH and LOVE with people, but backing away from bullies like Durai is neither truthful or loving.

Posted by Nico at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

And you really feel like an ignoramus when you're asked for the antonyms of words such as "excoriate", "potentate", "peregrination", and "puissant".

There is a proclivity soon after to display an ostentatious and pedantic usage of the words learnt. Quot Erat Demonstratum.

Posted by Nico at 3:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

1. The Graduate Record Examination. (GRE)
2. Certified Associate in Project Management. (CAPM)
3. IBM XML Exam.
4. Class 2B Motorbike License

Long term educational goals would be to get a Masters and a Ph.D. in Game Design/Digital Media

Posted by Nico at 8:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• Learn Krav Maga.
• Run a marathon in 5 hours.
• Learn salsa with CERTIFICATION.
• Get a 6-pack. (I'm almost there... just 5 more kilos of fat to shed...)

Posted by Nico at 7:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

1. Chinese
2. Japanese
3. Korean
4. Ancient Greek
5. Hebrew
6. Latin
7. German
8. French
9. Spanish

Not in one year of course... over the period of a lifetime. Oriental languages because I want to increase my acting potential. Ancient languages for Biblical studies. And finally the International languages for travel and business.

Posted by Nico at 10:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." (2 Peter 2:13)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

I firmly believe that we have everything we need to succeed in life.

"Succeed" in the sense of overcoming our battles and not in the worldly sense.

First, ask yourself:

1. What problem is there that God cannot solve?
2. What sin is there that Christ's blood cannot wash away?

Sure, you may be bankrupt, but you can pick yourself up and start anew. You can learn from your mistakes and get a job, save up money, start another business idea and grow it.

Sure, you may not have any girlfriends, but you can pick yourself up, learn from your mistakes, learn to groom yourself, practise social skills, meet more and more people and you should be able to find someone in 6 months.

It may sound insensitive or callous for me to write this, especially for those who are going through pain. And it is painful, but it's a spiritual battle that we are dealing with here. We are battling the deep seated programming and negative thoughts planted in our minds through insensitive remarks, envious barbs, unintentional wordings or misinterpretations.

It seems we are more inclined to believe negative thoughts than positive ones.

If someone said that you are Gods greatest masterpiece, wonderfully and fearfully made, saints because we are washed by the blood of the Lamb, filled with power and authority to overcome all the fiery darts of the evil one. Do we really believe that? Would we act and speak like the prince and princesses that we truly are, the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve that are destined to sit on the thrones prepared in advance for us?

Yet we more readily believe and entertain thoughts that claim we are idiots, useless, good for nothing, lousy, incompetent, lazy, or countless other negative things that come into our mind.

Let's think of things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. Lets set our minds on things above and not earthly things...

Posted by Nico at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)