Delaying Greatness

Why is not living our greatest lives is a betrayal to ourselves? Because we have so much potential in us that is waiting to be tapped. It lays there, dormant, and waiting. 

We are probably held up by adult commitments which may not necessarily still be relevant when our hairs are grey and our body feels old.

As such, let's just be great.

An Update After Many, Many Years

Dear B,

It has been quite a while since I've been gone. Without you, I have lost track of who I am - that great kid who had big dreams, giant dreams. Life has been harsh to him. I would like you to know that he had turned out not too bad, but probably still so far away from the dreams he had many, many years ago.

I would like to talk to you again, regularly. It has been a rather long detour and... what a waste of time! I was so lost.

However I wish to highlight that, I am probably much wiser now. I have also aged a little bit whether I like it or not.

Oh yeah, dear B. I have a son now. Let's just call him, AFJ. He is so smart! AFJ just turned 14 months last week. I love him so much. I will make that cute baby grow up to become a great man, one day. I will train him to be just that, following my footsteps. We will rise together in the world, AFJ.

I had learnt that thoughts are really things. My father became ill because he is so negative in his thoughts. He made me hate him and that is so frustrating. I still have resentment for him, and I hate myself for that. This circle of hate has to end. Social media is ruining it too. The girl I had a crush on is now married too and worst thing is, she's on my facebook list. She is the past. I have to let go of social media, except for business purposes. My so-called good friend also betrayed me, but that's for another story.

Let's be great, B. I have to be better than all of them, put together.

Personal Branding

We have to brand ourselves aggressively.
Shameless self-promotion.
Let people know what we are all about.
They will help us, give us opportunity based on their idea of us.

The Story of a Smart Businessman

Jack, a smart businessman, talks to his son.

Jack: I want you to marry a girl of my choice
Son : "I will choose my own bride".
Jack: "But the girl is Bill Gates's daughter."
Son : "Well, in that case..."

Next Jack approaches Bill Gates...
Jack: "I have a husband for your daughter."
Bill Gates : "But my daughter is too young to marry."
Jack: "But this young man is a vice-president of the World Bank." 
Bill Gates: "Ah, in that case..."

Finally Jack goes to see the president of the World Bank...
Jack: "I have a young man to be recommended as a vice-president."
President: "But I already have more vice-presidents than I need."
Jack: "But this young man is Bill Gates's son-in-law."
President: "Ah, in that case....."

...and this is how business is done. :)

What The World Thinks of You Is None of Your Business

This is a good story that I heard / read from somewhere a few days ago. It elegantly depicts the classic case of the misunderstood genius or even if the person is not a genius, the situation whereby the individual does something for the greater good. 

There was once a shopkeeper. He told a good friend of his who came by his shop. "You know, that kid over there is very stupid. I asked him to choose between 1 Dollar and 50 cents and each time he will choose the 50 cents."  

"You don't believe me? Ok let me show you."  

So he called for the kid and had in his right hand 1 Dollar and left hand the 50 cents. And expectedly upon being asked to choose, the kid took the 50 cents. 

The friend of the shopkeeper was puzzled. He then asked, "Kid, why didn't you choose the 1 Dollar?" 

The kid smiled and said, "I know that as soon as I choose the 1 Dollar, the game will end."

The moral of the story is that you have to stick to your philosophy / beliefs even if it means it at first makes you look stupid in the eyes of everyone else. As the title of this post implies: what the world thinks of you is none of your business!