Blast From the Past

This is an absolute classic. AND it's got the chair sequence. I spent the last 4 years trying to find this clip. Someone tell me where to download it!

An Invitation to Speak

I am asked to go back to my secondary school to speak to... get this... new student councillors and student leaders for their leadership camp.

ME. The runt of the litter.

I hope they're taking notes when I go forth to corrupt a whole batch of students. I almost feel sorry for the teachers...

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Got this off a major airline's in-flight magazine. 'Nuff Said

Paying It Forward - What I Learnt In NAC

I'm going to be completely honest. I didn't have much expectations for this year's NAC. It was to be a networking event. Go there, meet people, look for contacts. I was completely wrong. I have an absolute BLAST.

I also realize I get a rush when I am telling people about the things that I learnt from National Achiever's Congress 2006. And since I can't tell this to everyone I know without sounding like a broken record, I thought I'd write down the things I picked up in 2 days of NAC, as well as my own thoughts. Special thanks to Peter Boo, who sent me HIS take of NAC, as well as Alex Baburamani, who shared unreservedly about Internet Marketing, Rock on!

I tried writing down everything that I learnt from each speaker in NAC. Then I realized that it's just way, way too much material and ideas. I finally settled on this, that I shall write down 3 of the BIGGEST things I learnt from each speaker.

First up, Jim Rohn. Not exactly the most exciting speaker, but what really interested me was that he was the main speaker for this year. A business philosopher, kind of a weird combination but he does have some really interesting points.

1. I wanna be 75, and still be running around the world having new experiences and still improving every single day. (Yes, Jim is 75 this year)
2. What is easy to do, is easy NOT to do (And that's why we see so many people failing at their endeavours isn't it?)
3. From testimonials, and personal experience, we HAVE enough information to conclude, that it IS possible to design and LIVE and extraordinary life. (and may I add, to help other people do the same thing as well. Oh, that's part of living an extraordinary life... heh)

Ron Kaufman - I thought that he's that bald guy from Who's line is it Anyway. He looks the same, talks the same, and is absolutely HILARIOUS. He talks on service, and creating customer loyalty.

1. That the more you ask GOOD questions and explore, the easier it is to deliver what it is your customer really wants. (Asking good questions is a whole art all by itself)
2. Consistency, and Reliability are HUGE. (I suck at consistency. I am learning, really I am)

I missed most of Brett Mcfall and Tom Hua's segment on Internet Marketing, so I'm gonna take the info from the workshop I attended the next day. The stuff that they have on creating sales letters, and exploding any business online is seriously exciting for me. You really can make a pretty penny from very very little money down.

1. There are a MILLION ways by which you can sell stuff online and make people pay you money from it. (I came up with several while I was listening to them. It's really exciting)
2. Database is KING. Your contacts and your database of contacts are worth absolute GOLD.
3. You don't have to do it all alone! You don't have to be super good at selling stuff, you can find people to do that for you. Likewise, if you can't find products to sell, there'll be people out there that'll GIVE you products to sell for them.

Dolf De Roos is a real estate investor. He's quite a good speaker, but at the same time, I didn't get too much from him simply cos I'm not really into real estate investment.

1. That anyone, with some knowledge can really get it going in real estate. (Singapore is big now seriously, as well as Shenzhen. If anyone can find a way for me to invest in real estate, let me know. I'll get you the funds, and together we can all share the gains)
2. Deal of the decade comes ONCE every WEEK.

Scott Friedman is not as funny as I expected him to be, but he IS the humour coach, so who knows? He does have some good tips though.

1. The first 10 minutes in the office sets the mood for the rest of the day.
2. When people laugh and are playing, that's where most of the best ideas come.
3. Harmless practical jokes are absolutely hilarious and can lighten up moods for many days to come, as well as work the humour muscle (Oh yeah... I have had a taste of this BIG TIME)

I almost missed the last speaker James Skinner. I thought that this guy is gonna talk about some financial stuff, and I am not really interested. I am eternally grateful that I went back, sat down and listened to the SINGLE MOST POWERFUL speaker in the entire NAC this year. I was completely blown away. For a more detailed look at his speech, check out Alex's blog.

1. GUTS. Do you dare to dream? Do you dare to go out there, put everything on the line and do whatever it takes to make that dream succeed?
2. FOCUS. That's the ONE THING that businesses now lack. FOCUS, and SELL that ONE thing, and you'll see your business skyrocket.
3. You do NOT need more money. You need more faith. This one statement is worth every single cent that I didn't pay for NAC. James gave the example of how he wanted to bring 100 orphans to Tokyo Disneyland. His secretary told him that they have no money in the bank. He told her to go get the kids. He'll take care of the money. After he got all 100 orphans, he went to all the big shots that he knew, or don't know, and ask each of them to not only fund one kid, but to also spend the day with them, so they can have a role model. He got sponsors for all 100 kids. When the event ended, he still had US$2000 in the bank.

At the end of the day, everything comes down to taking action. To combined everything I learnt, it is really to dare to truly dream big, and believe that you can achieve that. Have fun doing it, and help others to achieve their dreams as well.

There are tons more that I learnt, or have my mind expanded. If you want more, just buy me dinner.

The Beginning of Love...

...is the end of logic.

Speaking with a friend today on my way to the bank, and this came up again. My friend is asked the ultimate question with no answer, "why do you love me darling?"

Frankly, I don't ever think that there can be an answer to this question. Simple isn't it? There can be things you like about the person, there can be things you hate, things that drive you completely bonkers and off the wall, or things that touch you and make you go awwww.

Fact is, none of those things are the reason why you love somebody, or you don't love somebody.

There is no reason at all for love. Put someone else with the exact same qualities in front of you, and chances are, you won't feel the same way for this other person.

At the end of the day, if you love someone, you love that person simply because you do. No other reason would suffice, and frankly, nothing else matters.

Charging Up Your Internal Batteries

Just finished with National Achiever's Congress yesterday evening, and it was GOOD.

Better than I actually thought it was going to be actually. WOW... I think that any psych should just prescribe the 2 days as a cure for depression.

Yeah, I know. It's a paid preview. And it's a platform for the seriously rich to push some more products to you, and Success probably makes a TON of money on the side selling future courses and products. But frankly, give them that, cos some of those speakers are POWER.

I'm charged, and I'm late for breakfast with Roger Hamilton. Later folks!

Those Eternal Words

Winston Churchill once said this.

"Never give in, Never give in.
Never, never, never.
Never, in nothing, great or small, large or petty.
Never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense.
Never yield to force, Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

It is easy to say when things are going just fine. It's when the shite hits the fan that these words are truly needed and remembered.

Have a cry, Jump up and down, get pissed off, scream, shout, rant, blog. Get a punching bag and beat the stuffing out of it.

After that, hunker down, suck it all in, and grit your teeth. Breaking through this tough patch, take pleasure that no crap thrown at you is ever tough enough to break you, and YOU. WILL. FUCKING.PREVAIL.

Stare adversity in the face, and it will blink.

My Deepest Impression of HK...

Is that it freaking DRIPS every where I freaking go!

Hong Kong, the city of the perpetual air-con run-offs.

Conversation

One of the oldest, most commonly used, and perhaps hardest to master of all social skills.

Funny isn't it, that as important as it is, nobody taught us conversation skills nor have we had any lessons to hone them, so except for the few truly talented ones, most of us are consigned to a good many years of trial and error, frustration, mis-understandings and just sheer hair-ripping, eyeball-popping, head-pounding frustration.

Then there are some who are not blessed (or cursed) with thick, bullet-proof skin, like yours truly, and they become painfully withdrawn in the presence of strangers and the rare occasions that they do venture out of their self-imposed shell, they end up rushing back in at the first sign of trouble.

Talking to some friends over the weekend and for the last week, I am reminded of a few guidelines when it comes to talking that I read somewhere off a book and thought was really useful, especially when striking a conversation up with a stranger in any environment. In case you're wondering, yes, they have been field tested by moi. And they have worked out pretty well, frankly.

1. Since 70% of human communication is body language, 23% is how you say something, and most first impressions are formed in the first 30 seconds of interaction, a bright smile, a firm handshake, and a big "hello" is like a sledgehammer when it comes to breaking ice. If this is not natural, PRACTICE. If that means standing in front of the mirror, looking absurd for 15 minutes a day, do it. Just make sure the room door is closed. There's something to be said for the KISS rule. In case you're wondering, KISS = Keep It Simple, Stupid.

2. Wear something interesting that people can hook onto and comment on. Likewise look for something interesting in the other person to comment on. It can be something as simple as a cap, or a pin, or a necklace, or SOMETHING. Look, cut the other person some slack. The poor sod is probably as nervous as you.

3. Remember the person's name. Trust me on this one, if you find it difficult to remember, quickly give the person a cute nickname. Think about it, when somebody calls your name, how do YOU feel? The person's name is possibly the most important sound that's coming out of your mouth.

4. LISTEN. Too many people don't listen well nowadays. So much so, that people are paying psychs an obscene amount of money, just to have someone to talk to. If you don't know how to listen, learn. I suck at this. So I'm still learning.

5. Hey, what's an entry without a little controversy right? I'm gonna tell ya one of the worst habits of conversation that people use ALL THE FREAKING TIME. And frankly this is a conversation killer bar none, especially when strangers meet for the first time. So gentle readers, never, Never, NEVER, EVER ask someone, "So what do you work as?" or anything to that effect in the first half hour of conversation.

Pick your jaws off the floor, and let me explain this to you, dear confused ones. Think back to all the times that you have mentioned that dreaded statement.

"So what is it that you do?" "XXX"
"Where do you stay?" "YYY"
"Where do ya study?" "ZZZ"
"Oh"

That's pretty much it isn't it? These questions are a veritable conversational dead end. That and it makes the mind lazy. And it doesn't do much to endear you to the other person or keep the conversation going right?

So find something else to talk about, heck, if you have to prep a few open ended questions to ask, do so. Once things have started, it'll be a lot easier to keep things going. And if someone asks ya those questions, for the heck of it, find a interesting riposte. Can't find anything, for a small fee, I'll come up with a coupla things for ya.

Try it, and see what happens.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is interesting, though every time I stop in the middle of the street by myself, and look at the map, I feel like there's a big RIP ME OFF sign stamped to the top of my head. HAH!

Opposition Erection Rally

Finally went for one of those.

Wah low eh! Erection Rally got so many people one leh... Damn power siah. Got from Jln Besar one, got Potong Pasir one, even got Choa Chu Kang one all over at Yio Chu Kang Stadium. Dammmm steady siah.

If I dam enterprising kopi tiam owner, sure get one carton of Tiger go over and sell to all the un-ker dere and maker lots of mah-ney ah.

Ah tell you hor, serious ah, the opposition beh pai leh... but hor, dey need a plofessional speech maker leh. Some more need event organizer. Or else huh, together like crusterfuck liddat ah, cannot make it leh.

That being said ah, actually hor, at the end of the day, they have some good poin, maybe next time with a good speechmaker, dey actually make sense and not step on each other's feet.

Too tired from whole day at work. Never see da Chiam see dong, den zao leow. Not bad Not bad, all things considered, with media and boh zhua also against dem, I think dese people deserve respect, for sheer pigheadedness, and a complete stupid refusal to give up. Some more whack the emperor's son's constituency... beh pai. The balls like machiam coconut like dat.

Let's see how dey do this time.

But at the end of da day, KNN, wait so long, den I need to go HK for work, cannot vote. Nabeh. I is going to take da white colour voting slip and wipe backside. Next time, dunno when leow. Ah well, was fun while it lasted....

Enough of my inner beng, time to get my ass outta the office and grab a beer before flying