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Newton didn’t solve physics because he wants to be remembered to be the greatest scientist of the 20th century. He discovered and solved physics because he wants to beat Hooke. Einstein didn’t discovered the theory of relativity and quantum theory just because he wants US to nuke Japan and win the world war. He discovered it because he thinks it makes him closer to nature. Great men are self serving individuals who wants to find the truth within themselves. They didn’t do things in which to please their parents, their brothers or their spouse. Among others, they think and act alone.

Our country have a lot of individuals that are impatient to grow up and when they do, they’ll serve their parents and families. The reason I don’t watch TV is because of this. A 3 hour orgy of self sacrifice.

Do not try hard
Let it simply flow. Jimmy Hendrix did not play guitar. He simply let his feelings flow unabated. Muhammad Ali used to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. (Do not go into boxing though!)

Do not go into any competition
Quality has no competition. Only mediocrity has competition. If you do what you do at the highest quality you have no competition. Quality creates a moat around yourself.

Do not market
Create your own demand. People are always on the lookout for the good. People seek out winners. Therefore be a winner all the time.

Do not read
Fire your imagination and creativity. Read not what is written but read into the writer’s mind. It is Einstein, one of the greatest minds of our times, who said that imagination is better than knowledge.

Do not run after money
Do not run after money. You will find that money runs faster than you do. Bring total mindfulness to whatever you are doing. Hit Nirvana. Money will feel ignored. It will stop running and fall back on you head over heels. In a heap.

Do not run after success
Carry on doing what you like doing without unduly bothering about success or failure. Success is also like charm. If you think you have it surely it will elude you.

Do not take advice
Advice is what others did not take but wish to give. Your mind is your best guide. Certainly keep your eyes and ears open. Absorb everything but add your own pinch of salt. Filter out what does not suit you.

You know what? Its the craziest thing I have ever think of… Think about it, if I am at the beach enjoying the sun, the water, the beautiful ladies in their bikinis, I will still think about the work I do. I’m obsessed with it. I wouldn’t be happy sitting around.. Whether its in a beach or any place. When I go to parties, I always think of my business. I have been thinking that maybe happiness is when you have achieve the things you are aiming for 10 years ago. But I was wrong. Happiness is when you found something that you enjoy doing. Something that gives meaning to your life. Happiness is the process of “GETTING” not “HAVING”. And getting paid handsomely for a job well done.

Happiness is aiming for the moon, the impossible goal, yet you live each day to get there. It doesn’t matter if you’ll arrive at your goal or not as long as you’re happy with your journey.

Happiness comes from the joy of understanding. Knowledge and experience gives you a lot of happiness. Realizing that you’re smarter today than you are yesterday gives you the confidence to face reality and be open to possibilities. Knowing that you can always count on yourself when your back’s against the wall. Knowing that there are hundreds of great men that have faced greater challenges than you are facing now and they wrote it in a book. Always keep on reading, knowledge can solve anything.

What about family? Friends? Relationships? Though I don’t have a problem with these things, but happiness that is dependent on others is not true happiness.

As this year about to end, I know where I want to go. I know how to get there, I just need to do a lot of work. If everybody is in vacation, I will work. If they are working, I will work harder.

8 Secrets to success summed up in 3 minutes.
* PASSION
* WORK
* FOCUS
* PERSIST
* IDEAS
* GOOD
* PUSH
* SERVE

In any field that you want to dedicate your life into, be it affiliate marketing, blogging or online business, there are people that seems to get ahead and succeed while others only whine that life isn’t fair.

Life isn’t all butterflies and rainbow, my dear sleeping beauty. What you do, defines you and being a loser or a winner is a way of life.

Here are some points to know if you’re a loser or a winner:

• Losers fail once and quit.  Winners fail a thousand times and eventually succeed.
• Losers look for success at the finish line.  Winners experience success along the way.
• Losers work to make money.  Winners work to make a difference.
• Losers buy things.  Winners build things.
• Losers see things they don’t understand and get discouraged.  Winners see things they don’t understand and get curious.
• Losers talk.  Winners communicate.
• Losers attempt to conquer the world in one shot. Winners add up all their small victories.
• Losers expect certain outcomes.  Winners prepare themselves for the unexpected.
• Losers seek respect.  Winners earn respect.
• Losers stare at the problem.  Winners look around for the solution.
• Losers review options.  Winners act on decisions.
• Losers are paid for their time (day job).  Winners are paid for their results (business owner).
• Losers let things happen.  Winners make things happen.
• Losers want to get ahead of others.  Winners help others get ahead too.
• Losers hangout with losers.  Winners hangout with winners who are more successful than they are.
• Losers follow other people’s definitions of success.  Winners define their own success.
• Losers escape fears.  Winners face fears.
• Losers waste their free time (watching TV).  Winners use their free time (learning or experiencing something new).
• Losers see the unknown as a risk.  Winners see constant familiarity as a risk.
• Losers live in the past.  Winners live life now based on lessons learned in the past.
• Losers label themselves as experts.  Winners know there is still much to learn.
• Losers over-sell.  Winners over-deliver.
• Losers frown.  Winners smile.
• Losers think winners are lucky.  Winners realize the harder they work the luckier they are.

This is not to criticize anyone who fail on the characteristics of losers. But maybe a wake up call to change your attitude. Share your thoughts on the comment section below.

1. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Security is for the dead. Nothing good comes out if your in your comfort zone.

2. Never Expect Life To Be Fair

There are rich people and poor people, intelligent, dumb and different types of people in the world out to take what’s theirs. Never expect life to be fair just because your poor doesn’t mean you are being taken advantage. We are animals that are product of a long line of evolution in which we do everything to survive. It is still the same after millions of years. If you expect the world to be fair, you don’t deserve anything. If you’re poor, get up and stop whining. Every man is for himself.

3. Solve Your Own Problems

I honestly believe that if an intelligent person asked for help. Let him be, he’ll know the solution soon. You’ll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you’ll develop a competitive edge.  Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: “You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others.” There’s also an old Chinese proverb saying that I remind myself of frequently.  It goes like this:

“A wise man keeps his own counsel.”

4. Never Give Up

There’s an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true.  It goes like this:

“The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed.”

5. There’s Always A Reason To Smile

Find it.  After all, you’re really lucky just to be alive.  Life is short. “We’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a good time!”. Warning: Most people will make this an excuse to just party everyday. A good entrepreneur knows when to play and when to work.

6. Always be Improving

Never stop investing.  Never stop improving.  Never stop doing something new.  The moment you stop improving  you die.  Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way.  Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen.  Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.

“In times of change, learners inherit the Earth. But the learned, find themselves beautifully equipped with the world that no longer exists.”

Why Post?

It’s been a while since I made a new post and I watched an episode on tv featuring a motivational speaker that will let you walk through fire and will say that you’ll be successful. There are lots of seminars and motivational seminars here in the Philippines now. I have been to many of them and I don’t find anything bad with them. It’s just that, they are all the same and it all comes down to the items I wrote above. If you’re really into it, you can read the classic book “Think and Grow Rich” to have more in depth detail about it.

Remember, you don’t need some random guy to tell you that you’ll be successful nor to convince you that you’ll be successful and much more, to even pay this guy to tell you that you’ll be successful. You already know what your dreams are, take a deep breath and work for it.

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As in any business, craft or career in life, there is no room for negativity or the weak at heart. If you want it, you have to get it. No reasons, no excuses. Only do it or regret it.

Of course not all people are gifted with entrepreneurial spirit and will still choose a job than having a business of their own. Not all people are knowledgeable to start and run their own businesses. And it is easier to just get job and get money monthly though your salary.

I always remember the talk of David Heinemeier Hansson about having a business online. You don’t need to kill yourself working to have a billion dollar business online or offline. You just need to get that first 1 Million annual income. After that, you will realize that you have a lot of free time and will be able to do whatever you want in your life.

When I was in college, I tried to work 24hrs a day just to pay the rent, bills and college tuition. It was tough and I always remember the things that I want to do but can’t because of that. I always wanted to learn how to play the guitar. Just this month the feeling came back and bought my 2nd electric guitar and start learning. I can now play some music. It wasn’t possible before. But right now its different because of freedom I have.

This is what we call a lifestyle business. A lifestyle business in my own opinion is establishing a business for the sole purpose of supporting a lifestyle. Need a car? Create a business that will pay the car loan. Need a house? Create a business that will pay the mortgage. It doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t have to beat Bill Gates to get your dream house or dream car or travel the world.

When a person is young, has financial freedom, has a lot of free time, he is not motivated by money anymore. This is the time where he tries to look for the meaning of life and tries to reach and do things that will make him leave a mark in this world. I guess its a man’s instinct to always on the hunt and if he reached his long term goal early, he tries to go for the big shot.

What I’m trying to say is that, if you’re still struggling financially after working for years and years and still haven’t accomplish anything you might want to take a break and reflect on things. You don’t have to rush finishing your work… If you’re done you wont have anything left to do. Take a time to appreciate nature, get a vacation perhaps… If you’re still searching for the perfect job from a far away nation because of its generous salary, and still no hope… Maybe its time for you to start making the perfect job instead of searching. Because there’s no such thing as a perfect job.

Your skill is directly proportional to the money you’ll earn plus your ability to communicate with people multiplied by the amount of confidence, trust and perseverance you have.

I don’t know if its just a fad or just a politically correct way to answer why you want to work abroad… “To help my family” is a little bit cliche now. You can not help others if you can not help yourself. Just like a drowning person. If you don’t know how to swim, saving a drowning person may risk your life and be dragged to death even if you know how.

You can only achieve happiness if you’re being selfish. Happiness can only be real if you share it.

Lets start of by stating what OFWs had sacrificed and endured just to earn money for their family. (Bullshit) They endured hardship and homesickness and be far away from their family. Bullshit. They endured being in an unknown country and making your name there. What else? What’s in it for me? Tumatakas lang sila sa hirap dito sa Pinas.

Lets not be hypocrite and lets state the main reason ofw left the Philippines… To make money. Being practical is always a lot better and are more accepted way of thinking than being patriotic and ideal. Enduring hardships and homesickness is the consequences of your actions… Let’s not include that sissy whinning as every decision you choose has an equal consequences. I am not saying I’m an idealist and i will still choose free vs paid. I’m just saying that when it comes to a more bigger problem like a poor country needing the help of its citizens. Leaving the country to work abroad is something that is just plain selfish. “Tumatakas lang sila sa hirap” – quote from a friend. There’s nothing “Heroic” about going to another country and make your family rich. Then when got kidnapped by terrorists goes whine to the government to save his ass. The same corrupt government that he tried to escape.

I have a friend that is an immigrant and I understand how he feels. I know not everybody is the general OFW – “I WANNA WORK ABROAD TO EARN MONIES”. Both me and my friend studied in the same school. The same upbringing that taught us how to love our country. If given the chance to comeback here I know he would.

Social Responsibility is one of those virtues of an engineer that is embeded into our hearts. No matter how much salary we get here. We must not leave the Philippines, because our country needs us. I still remember my professor who got an award in Japan. His thesis got an award. His works got an award. Offered a job abroad with millions of pesos per month as salary. But still choose to stay here with merely 20k salary. He always tells us that story and he always answer calmly, “Mahal ko Pilipinas, nandito ang laban naten. Responsibilidad ko kayo na susunod na magtataguyod ng bansa.” You might say that that person is stupid. That nowadays you can’t eat virtues and feed your family with it. That being practical is the most important thing to survive. Yeah maybe. But maybe that is what this country needs. The kind of change that ofws and all Filipino want and need.

After that subject with our bald professor is a subject about Engineering Materials Science… It is a tough subject and I might have not learned anything from it but one thing I’m sure of, is that our professor wants us to take care of this country. After each exam, most of us gets low grades. When the time of questioning why do we get such low grades, the funny part comes in. I still remember clearly this conversation:

Prof:”Ikaw, bakit ka nagengineer?”.
Student: “Para po malaki ang kita.”
Prof: “Akin na lang tuition fee mo dito at ieenroll kita as domestic helper. Mas malaki kita don. Or nurse. Wala ka mapapala sa engineering 6k lang kita mo per month.”

Then the student having his pride hurt started to ask:

Student: “Eh kayo sir, bat kayo nagengineer… Bakit di na lang kayo nag domestic helper?”
Prof: “Hindi ako nag-aral ng 5 taon ng engineering para maghugas ng pwet ng ibang tao.”

Then he will tell us the story of planet biyo. A Dr. Josette Biyo, Filipino teacher whose ability in teaching won her an award. Offered to teach in different countries around the world but still choose to teach his own countrymen. Because of this, one planet was named after her.

Social responsibility is your sense of responsibility to your society. What composes as society is a family. So is that social responsibility? I admire your lack of understanding. But no. Society is a collection of families. And family is just a small part of it. If you’re working for just your own family its just a plain selfish motive.

I have a sister who just passed the board exam this June. It is a popular culture for these new nurses to want to get out of the country. Having studied in an engineering school and dated some nurses during my college days, its a pretty popular goal it makes me sick. Are all nurses like this? Nasan na yung sagot ng mga bata pag tinanong mo sila bat gusto nila magnurse? “Eh para po makatulong ako sa mga may sakeeeet… Para po matulungan ko yung mga mahihiraaaaap…” Sana hindi na lang lumaki ang mga munting nurse.

If you’re still reading this and you are outraged by it because you know a friend, a relative, your father or mother or you yourself is an OFW or immigrant, I tell you this, I am not against you or your decision to leave the Philippines. Go work abroad if you really want to. No one really care nor gonna judge you.

You are a failure in a sense that you failed to see the opportunities this country brings. Why Americans go here to do business and Filipinos goes to America to work is not really that much of a mystery if you put a little thought into it. And you are stupid. Stupid enough to escape your responsibility. I am not commenting on the person itself as a whole, of being a failure and stupid… But the mindset of having no hope and opportunity in this country that made you end up working on another country. For all we know you might be a good person, a good son/daughter, a good husband or wife. Change your thinking and you will see the opportunities in this country. Just like others who made it successful here. You are still a Filipino.

“It is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal. It is like a stone wasted on the field without becoming a part of any edifice.”

- José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda

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You might not believe this. But you… used to fit right here. I’ll hold you up and says to your mother… This kid will gonna be the best kid in the world. This kid will gonna be better than anybody knew. And you grew up good and wonderful.. And it was great watching everyday it was like a priviledge.

Then when time comes for you to be your own man, and take on the world, and you did. But somewhere along the line, you changed. You stopped being you. You let people stick a finger in your face and tell you you’re no good. And when things got hard, you started to look for something to blame. Like a big shadow.

Let me tell you something you already know. The world aint no sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place. And I don’t care how tough you are. It will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me or nobody is gonna hit us hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. THAT’S HOW WINNING IS DONE.

Now, if you know what’s your worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But you’ve got to be willing to take the hits. And not pointing fingers and say, you aint what you want to be because of him or her or anybody. Cowards do that and that aint you. You are better than that.

Unless you start to believe in yourself… You will aint got a life.