Achieving Greatness

"Greatness is only achieved in the absence of fear" - Author unknown

I often ponder on how Neil Armstrong managed to walk on the moon. Can you imagine that was done 40 years ago from today? What was the level of technology like then? I guess even a basic laptop computer that you use now will have better performance than whatever they used on board Apollo 11. So, how did they (Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong) get to the moon? And what drove them to do it?

Before 1969, no one has landed on the moon, although they were flights that orbited it. If you look at the history of space exploration, you will realise that it is not a ride on a train and there were plenty of risks. Failures that resulted in loss of communication with the crafts were common, failed launches, landings and many others. With all the known and unknown risks, why did the 3 astronauts still attempted to reach the moon?

President Barack Obama called the astronauts "Genuine Heroes".

"It is because of the heroism, the calm under pressure, the grace with which these three gentlemen operated, but also the entire NASA family that was able to, at great risk oftentimes and with great danger, was somehow able to lift our sights - not just here in the United States, but around the world," said Mr. Obama.

They calculated the risks that they had to take and overcame their fear to achieve a historic feat. You do not have to reach the moon or Mars to achieve greatness. But whenever you want to achieve more than what you have now, the first step is to remove all fear from your heart. Whether it is starting a new business, venturing into a new industry, conquering the highest peak, saving the world from global warming, it all starts with courage. You can have the perfect plan and strategies, but if you do not possess the courage to act, all your planning will be of no use.

Fail To Plan

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" - author unknown

How many times have you set goals and did not accomplish anything at the end of the day? Is it because your targets were too ambitious? Maybe, but let's say they were realistic. Then, what went wrong? After setting your goals, did you set up a plan to achieve your goals? If the answer is no, then chances are that your goals were just mere dreams or illusions.

When you were in school, you probably wanted to do well in your studies and pass exams. You did not plan to fail. Your plan was to study hard, do your home work, attend classes and ask questions. That helped you graduate and get the necessary qualifications to get a decent job. As you enter the workforce, you probably wanted to show your employer that you are a good worker. You start planning to climb the corporate ladder. Do you notice the similarities, whichever stage of your life you are at? When you decide to start your own business, it all boils down to careful and meticulous planning. No banks or venture capitalist will loan you any funds if you do not have a business plan.

If you do not plan to fail, start planning for your future now.

Life Choices

"Life offers us choices but the decision lies in our own hands." - Author unknown

The life story of Mother Teresa of Calcutta never fails to inspire people. She dedicated her whole life to serving humanity by caring for the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta. It was during an annual retreat in 1946, when she stepped out of her convent, that she witnessed the suffering and poverty that left a deep impression on her. Two years later, she was granted permission to leave the convent and devoted herself to working amongst the poorest.

Mother Teresa may not be with us now. But the decision she made at that time left an unforgettable legacy for all and her work is continued by many who shares in her vision.

Live Your Dreams

"Don't just dream of the life you want, start living your dreams." - Author unknown

Many of us have dreams of living a fabulous lifestyle, in a luxurious beach house on an island of our own. We dream of being millionaires, being able to travel anywhere, whenever we want, savour exotic delicacies, dress in sparkling jewelry, riding in a limousine and the list goes on. It becomes a different story the moment we wake up. Poof! The dream disappears almost instantaneously. And we will almost always wished we could continue sleeping.

It does not always have to be as extravagant as the example earlier. But dreams and wishes we all have. It could be as simple as wishing that you can get your hands on that cool new Honda Insight hybrid car. Anything beats having to squeeze with the crowd on a bus in the wee morning when you are rushing for work.

The challenge with most of us is that our wishes remain as they are, just wishes. Have you thought of what if you can really turn your wish into a reality? Is that really possible? Why not? Do you really think that Warren Buffet became a billionaire with the help of a genie from a old lamp? No. Likewise, Anthony Robbins became a successful author and speaker because he believed he can convert his dreams into reality.

If someone who delivered newspapers as a boy, and another who worked as a janitor can achieve their dreams, why not you? So, do not throw away your dreams just yet. If you have a burning desire to achieve it, you will realise it. We will explore this further in another article, starting with goal setting.

Shortcut To Success

"There is no shortcut to success. It is all about hardwork, perseverance and much more." - Author unknown

Many of us hope to get a lucky winning number when we buy a lottery and hope for early retirement. Imagine if you strike a jackpot of $3 million. What will you do with the money? Invest part of it, buy a new house, go on a grand tour, treat your family and friends to a 10-course dinner in a 5-star hotel? But what is the probability of winning. Some kind soul did a calculation for Singapore Toto and found out that there is only a 1 in 8,145,060 chance of winning the jackpot. Therefore, even if you buy a ticket for every draw in your lifetime, chances are you may not be the lucky one. But you can still buy it, just keep your hopes very low. If it strikes, take it as a bonus but do not rely on it to become successful in life.

One of my favourite action hero is non other that Jackie Chan. His life story was a path strewn with challenges. He started learning kungfu with his father at a very young age and spent 10 years at China Drama Academy where he learned martial arts and acrobatics, among others. From there, he built his foundation and it instilled a sense of discipline in him. He only started his acting career at age of 21 but it did not took off instantly. Through sheer hardwork and perseverance, it took him time to establish himself in the movie industry in Asia. And it was another hurdle when he attempted to break into the US market. But he did not give up. As of today, he is internationally recognised as a superstar. Some of his successful films include Police Story, Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon.

Don't Change The World

"If you can't change the world, change yourself." - Author unknown

It is always easy to blame others when life does not turn out the way that we want it to be. Blame the government when taxes go up. Blame the transport authority when toll prices increase. Curse at your boss when you get retrenched.

Does putting the blame on others help solve any problems? Does it make you feel better? Will the situation improve? No, no, no. Instead of pointing the finger at someone else, we have to look inwards to ourselves. Start asking positive questions.

What can I do to generate more income when taxes increase? What other skills do I have to earn a better living? Will starting up a new business help to alleviate some of the new taxes?

When toll prices are raised, can I use public transport? Can I car pool with my colleagues if I still love to ride in a private car?

If I am retrenched, is it because my skills are not relevant to the company anymore? How should I upgrade myself?

The world has more than 6 billion people across more than 192 countries in the world. It is impossible that you can influence that many people to change their thoughts. But if you focus on improving yourself, you will start seeing the world differently.

Prevention

"Prevention is better than cure." - Author unknown

We have all heard of this idiom since our school days or from someone we know. It is better to take care of ourselves before something dreadful happens. Almost everyone knows about this universal truth but how many of us practise it in our day to day life? When you were in your teens, do you keep your face clean everyday or wait until acne start breaking out before rushing out to the pharmacy for the latest facial cleanser/toner/moisturiser package? "Oh, it won't happen to me.", is such a common excuse to ignore this.

The reason why I chose this as the first thought of the day is that I had ignored this simple truth myself. At age 38 now, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is a cancer of the lymph nodes. It came as a shock to me, my family and my close friends. I have been generally healthy my entire life, except for the occasional flu, cough, fever. I am a non-smoker and eat a healthy diet, with moderate intake of fast food, junk food and alcohol. However, I realised that I do not have a regular exercise regime. In fact, I had not have any regular exercise since I left high school. Had I been doing some form of regular exercise, be it brisk walking, swimming, working out at a gym, would my current situation been prevented? Maybe. Even a slight maybe would be a bonus.

Imagine if I had paid a few hundred dollars for a gym membership, took an hour every 2-3 days for a full workout. Compare that to the few thousand dollars that I have to pay for my medical bills now, the frequent hospital visits for chemotherapy, lost of time with family and friends.

Practise this simple universal truth now. Do not wait for mishaps to happen to you.