1. Facebook.com - it is the future of social networking! Currently, there are 40 million unique users to this network but in the years to come, its membership will explode as it is the most interactive and simply the best social networking platform there is. It will eventually surpass MySpace's 115million users, Friendster and a host of other sites. It is the coolest network there is and fairly easy to use considering the things you can do here.
2. LinkedIn.com - the business platform of social networking. Currently, it is not as popular here in Asia as it is in the US and other Western countries but it is catching up. Almost every CEO and many executives of big US companies have LinkedIn accounts.
3. Gmail.com - the best email service there is. Gmail has the best features. It is very easy to use and you have the Google search engine right at your Gmail inbox. No free email service can beat this at the moment. It also offers the largest memory space out there.
4. Blogger.com - the best blogging service there is. You can start blogging in three simple steps.
More to come soon!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Inspiring Stories of Pilipino Entrepreneurs
Over the course of over 109 years of Philippine history since independence was declared, there have been countless of stories, inspiring stories of rags-to-riches Pilipinos who were brave enough in facing down adversities thrown their way to fulfill their lifelong dreams.
Our country has a very rich history of businessmen, many of them making successful enterprises all over the Asia-Pacific region. The Pilipino is probably the hardest working individual in the world. We currently support a global economy that is fueling the growth of national industries all around the globe.
There are thousands of Pilipino workers in Hong Kong, toiling each day and night to help Hong Kong businessmen and women take care of their children while they are busy growing their businesses or their careers. Pilipinos put their households in order by adapting to their culture and helping nurture their families. The same is true for countless others across Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Millions are also employed in the Middle East building the infrastructure needed by these oil-rich gulf states. A lot of them also take care of Arab children so that these oil businessmen and investors can focus in running their oil fields and other businesses.
Thousands of engineers, electricians, and construction workers are at different points across Asia, making sure that construction building and infrastructure projects are constructed according to global standards.
Thousands are at sea commanding the cargo ships that transport goods all over the globe. Pilipino seamen, seafarers, and marine officers are among the best navigators and ship crews in the world maritime industry. Without them, I believe global growth will be stalled. It is here where the Pilipino is visibly very important in helping trade between countries possible.
Millions are at hospitals, clinics, home for the aged centers all across the globe, toiling each day and night as doctors, nurses, nursing aides, physical therapists and care-givers. The Pilipino nurse is the best care-giving professional out there, without them many national health services of Western countries might collapse, in the UK National Health Service alone there are 40,000 Pilipino nurses.
Millions are employed as domestic helpers, or butlers around the world, manning the households of diplomats, businessmen and foreign expatriates from Asia to Europe and crossing the Atlantic to the Americas.
Thousands are also entertainers, providing laughter to millions of people across Asia especially Japan, Europe and the Americas.
If you are to put a face on the Global Worker, it is probably the face of a Pilipino worker that suits the bill.
But it is in no way indicative that we are a "follower" race. We make the impossible possible, and we do the tasks most people wouldn't even dare to do.
In that sense, we are very much value-creators because without the overseas Pilipino worker, it is not only the Philippine economy that will greatly suffer but the entire world's as well.
If Taiwanese-made chips do not reach the United States, Japan, South Korea and other countries on time, there would be drastic consequences for the computer industry and the global economy as a whole. The Pilipino makes this possible by making sure the cargo ships that carry these chips arrive to their destination points on time.
It is thus my urgent wish for the Pilipino to explore new opportunities in the manufactuing and marketing of Pilipino-made products for the global consumer community.
TatakPilipino is a portal on everything that is distinctly PILIPINO - from laundry detergents to bath soaps to snack foods to appliances and even to cars. TatakPilipino is sort of a trademark for Pilipino-made products, it is a seal that the product is genuinely made by the Pilipino. It is about time that we take on the giants in the global consumer industry, in the same way that China, India and Vietnam are now looking at global expansion as the best way to enlarge its economy.
The Pilipino is not only a hard-working individual, he is very much an entrepreneur as well.
Let's us Start the Revolution of the Pilipino Entrepreneur!
In the coming weeks and months, TatakPilipino will be profiling those outstanding Pilipino-made products and companies from all major industries like consumer goods, healthcare, snack foods, clothing, fashion, entertainment, fast-food restaurants, furniture shops, and even car parts, that are already capable of fighting it out with the foreign giants dominating their industries.
It hopes to inspire a Buy Local, Buy Pilipino campaign that Pilipinos will truly feel proud about everything made in the Philippines and totally eliminate the notion that Pilipinos do not make quality products or goods.
Mabuhay ang Pilipino!
Mabuhay ang bansang Pilipinas!
Our country has a very rich history of businessmen, many of them making successful enterprises all over the Asia-Pacific region. The Pilipino is probably the hardest working individual in the world. We currently support a global economy that is fueling the growth of national industries all around the globe.
There are thousands of Pilipino workers in Hong Kong, toiling each day and night to help Hong Kong businessmen and women take care of their children while they are busy growing their businesses or their careers. Pilipinos put their households in order by adapting to their culture and helping nurture their families. The same is true for countless others across Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Millions are also employed in the Middle East building the infrastructure needed by these oil-rich gulf states. A lot of them also take care of Arab children so that these oil businessmen and investors can focus in running their oil fields and other businesses.
Thousands of engineers, electricians, and construction workers are at different points across Asia, making sure that construction building and infrastructure projects are constructed according to global standards.
Thousands are at sea commanding the cargo ships that transport goods all over the globe. Pilipino seamen, seafarers, and marine officers are among the best navigators and ship crews in the world maritime industry. Without them, I believe global growth will be stalled. It is here where the Pilipino is visibly very important in helping trade between countries possible.
Millions are at hospitals, clinics, home for the aged centers all across the globe, toiling each day and night as doctors, nurses, nursing aides, physical therapists and care-givers. The Pilipino nurse is the best care-giving professional out there, without them many national health services of Western countries might collapse, in the UK National Health Service alone there are 40,000 Pilipino nurses.
Millions are employed as domestic helpers, or butlers around the world, manning the households of diplomats, businessmen and foreign expatriates from Asia to Europe and crossing the Atlantic to the Americas.
Thousands are also entertainers, providing laughter to millions of people across Asia especially Japan, Europe and the Americas.
If you are to put a face on the Global Worker, it is probably the face of a Pilipino worker that suits the bill.
But it is in no way indicative that we are a "follower" race. We make the impossible possible, and we do the tasks most people wouldn't even dare to do.
In that sense, we are very much value-creators because without the overseas Pilipino worker, it is not only the Philippine economy that will greatly suffer but the entire world's as well.
If Taiwanese-made chips do not reach the United States, Japan, South Korea and other countries on time, there would be drastic consequences for the computer industry and the global economy as a whole. The Pilipino makes this possible by making sure the cargo ships that carry these chips arrive to their destination points on time.
It is thus my urgent wish for the Pilipino to explore new opportunities in the manufactuing and marketing of Pilipino-made products for the global consumer community.
TatakPilipino is a portal on everything that is distinctly PILIPINO - from laundry detergents to bath soaps to snack foods to appliances and even to cars. TatakPilipino is sort of a trademark for Pilipino-made products, it is a seal that the product is genuinely made by the Pilipino. It is about time that we take on the giants in the global consumer industry, in the same way that China, India and Vietnam are now looking at global expansion as the best way to enlarge its economy.
The Pilipino is not only a hard-working individual, he is very much an entrepreneur as well.
Let's us Start the Revolution of the Pilipino Entrepreneur!
In the coming weeks and months, TatakPilipino will be profiling those outstanding Pilipino-made products and companies from all major industries like consumer goods, healthcare, snack foods, clothing, fashion, entertainment, fast-food restaurants, furniture shops, and even car parts, that are already capable of fighting it out with the foreign giants dominating their industries.
It hopes to inspire a Buy Local, Buy Pilipino campaign that Pilipinos will truly feel proud about everything made in the Philippines and totally eliminate the notion that Pilipinos do not make quality products or goods.
Mabuhay ang Pilipino!
Mabuhay ang bansang Pilipinas!
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Hope
I would like to share with you another essay on Hope. Enjoy!
“Only in situations of extreme hopelessness,
Where hope blooms like a flower during springtime”
It is undeniable that life is full of suffering – full of pain and losses. That has been its way for the last thousand of years of human civilization. It is written in almost all ancient religious texts and books around the world – the study into the causes of suffering, of human suffering. The Israelites suffered under the Egyptian pharaohs, while the Egyptians also suffered under extreme poverty and famine years before that. This has invariably influenced the writing of the Holy Bible, actually the Holy Bible presents countless stories of human suffering, some are presented as God’s punishment for a disobedient people, some to test their faith in Him, and the rest as simply part of God’s plan. Under the three major religions today, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, human suffering is considered part of God’s ultimate plan for the universe. It is in His hands alone that our history and destiny is written.
But is this a true representation of reality? Does God truly wish pain and suffering on his creation, his people? Besides, how can God be merciful and at the same time punitive? The image of God in the Holy Bible presents him as a cruel God – someone who gave man the ability to choose between good and evil, and yet interferes in their affairs if He does not like what He sees. Is it logical to think this way?
God has played a critical role in the development of human civilization and yet until today we view Him as a vindictive God. But is God really vindictive? Is He really the cause of human suffering? Does He directly cause it? Does He will pain to visit us?
Surely a rational person will not think that way. But can we actually reinvent the wheel? Can we come up with a reasonable explanation about the experience of suffering in the context of God’s existence?
Too many questions, yet too few answers. That is the reality of life. But I believe though we can. God is not cruel nor is he vindictive and punitive. God does not cause our suffering but rather like Harold Kushner writes in “When bad things happen to good people,” God wills us to face our suffering and come out of it a stronger individual. God created the universe with a certain natural order but there are dark places in it that hasn’t yet been touched by his goodness. That is why human suffering continues to exist. God doesn’t like to interfere, precisely because it defeats the purpose of giving us free will. Though the Holocaust, the Kosovo and Rwandan genocides, and just recently the World Trade Center bombings and the Darfur genocide in Sudan were all caused by human beings, I can see God revolted in his chair, saddened and outraged by such human cruelty. Yet he cannot act, by interfering with our freedom, it would mean the death of our being human.
Without freedom, we are the same like all other creatures on this planet, driven by instinct, driven by necessity without regard of his fellow-species.
The question really is why do we allow such crimes against humanity to be committed? Is it not an insult to every self-respecting human or society for that matter that these things continue to happen? Surely, just as recently the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center bombings in New York City shocked the world. The thumbprints on the scene are not of God but of human beings – supposedly exercising their God-given right to choose freely. Why do we always drag God’s name when bad things occur? Isn’t it man’s responsibility to take care of the world including its own? I can only surmise there are truly no fool-proof answers to these questions but it basically stares us in our faces – we can actually do something about it.
On a more personal note, I have my own suffering – all my life I have experienced sorrows, sadness, pain and losses. I have been insulted, teased upon, punched, turned down, thrown out, loss a loved one, gotten terribly sick and endured heartaches. But I continue to live. Why you ask? Because suffering opened my eyes to a whole new world – a world that I wouldn’t appreciate if I never failed or have fallen. These “dark” moments in my life taught me a thing or two. It has allowed me to see the light side of things. Suffering opened my eyes to the possibilities of life and though it opened my eyes to these possibilities, it is still up to me to choose the path I believe is right, and in the process, I find myself and my God. How will I know that I am happy if I’ve never been sad? How will I know to take care of myself if I’ve never gotten sick? How will I understand the cycle of life if I’ve never faced death or seen someone die? These things occur precisely because they give meaning to my life, but that meaning I alone can give. We are often asking questions of why, when the question should rather be what now. What do I do with my suffering? Do I run away or do I face it headstrong and full of hope?
Though it seems unlikely all of life’s pain are meant to teach a lesson – a lot of them are, on the larger scale, somehow those massacres and other heinous crimes encourage us to become vigilant, value life all the more and establish nations based on mutual harmony and interdependence. Suffering is not necessarily a part of life but somehow being “humans” who have not yet grown up – suffering has become a consequence of our ignorance of the world.
Whatever my life leads to, I know I am strong enough to face it because of the pain. All my pain left a scar in my heart and though it hurts, it will force me to remember that life is not necessarily a box full of chocolates (though some may argue it is) but rather an empty box given to me and it is up to me what I like to fill it with. Suffering is an integral part of man’s maturity, without suffering man becomes idle, man might never grow up. It is the stuff life is made of. It is the only way we grow, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I know suffering will always be part of my life, and though that will always be the case it is not a reason to give up hoping. For hope is one of life’s most precious gifts. Hope I define here as the unwavering and continuous struggle against despair, against frustration, against giving up. Hope allows us to glimpse what’s beyond us, just as Saint-Exupery said in the Little Prince “What makes the desert beautiful is that somehow far below its surfaces, it holds a spring of fresh water.” And somehow deep inside us, because of suffering certain things come into existence, we discover ourselves and we begin to soar. Through suffering we find that spring of fresh water inside us, we drink from it. And very often than not it is hope. Hope sparks the human spirit to move on in life.
And only in extreme situations of hopelessness does hope truly bloom. Like a flower blooming and ushering forth the springtime season, hope ushers a renewed thirst in man to seek the truth, to seek his God. God doesn’t like us to suffer, but because we live in a physical world and because of our freedom, we become ignorant that our actions act interdependently of each other. Hopefully, in due time we will find our true paradise, if there is ever one, but until that day comes, I must continue hoping, hoping for a better world not only for me but also for the whole of humanity. Just like the flower I mentioned earlier, we may all in due time bloom like flowers during springtime, with all their majestic colors and fragrances to create a better world – full of life, full of hope – full of happiness.
Where hope blooms like a flower during springtime”
It is undeniable that life is full of suffering – full of pain and losses. That has been its way for the last thousand of years of human civilization. It is written in almost all ancient religious texts and books around the world – the study into the causes of suffering, of human suffering. The Israelites suffered under the Egyptian pharaohs, while the Egyptians also suffered under extreme poverty and famine years before that. This has invariably influenced the writing of the Holy Bible, actually the Holy Bible presents countless stories of human suffering, some are presented as God’s punishment for a disobedient people, some to test their faith in Him, and the rest as simply part of God’s plan. Under the three major religions today, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, human suffering is considered part of God’s ultimate plan for the universe. It is in His hands alone that our history and destiny is written.
But is this a true representation of reality? Does God truly wish pain and suffering on his creation, his people? Besides, how can God be merciful and at the same time punitive? The image of God in the Holy Bible presents him as a cruel God – someone who gave man the ability to choose between good and evil, and yet interferes in their affairs if He does not like what He sees. Is it logical to think this way?
God has played a critical role in the development of human civilization and yet until today we view Him as a vindictive God. But is God really vindictive? Is He really the cause of human suffering? Does He directly cause it? Does He will pain to visit us?
Surely a rational person will not think that way. But can we actually reinvent the wheel? Can we come up with a reasonable explanation about the experience of suffering in the context of God’s existence?
Too many questions, yet too few answers. That is the reality of life. But I believe though we can. God is not cruel nor is he vindictive and punitive. God does not cause our suffering but rather like Harold Kushner writes in “When bad things happen to good people,” God wills us to face our suffering and come out of it a stronger individual. God created the universe with a certain natural order but there are dark places in it that hasn’t yet been touched by his goodness. That is why human suffering continues to exist. God doesn’t like to interfere, precisely because it defeats the purpose of giving us free will. Though the Holocaust, the Kosovo and Rwandan genocides, and just recently the World Trade Center bombings and the Darfur genocide in Sudan were all caused by human beings, I can see God revolted in his chair, saddened and outraged by such human cruelty. Yet he cannot act, by interfering with our freedom, it would mean the death of our being human.
Without freedom, we are the same like all other creatures on this planet, driven by instinct, driven by necessity without regard of his fellow-species.
The question really is why do we allow such crimes against humanity to be committed? Is it not an insult to every self-respecting human or society for that matter that these things continue to happen? Surely, just as recently the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center bombings in New York City shocked the world. The thumbprints on the scene are not of God but of human beings – supposedly exercising their God-given right to choose freely. Why do we always drag God’s name when bad things occur? Isn’t it man’s responsibility to take care of the world including its own? I can only surmise there are truly no fool-proof answers to these questions but it basically stares us in our faces – we can actually do something about it.
On a more personal note, I have my own suffering – all my life I have experienced sorrows, sadness, pain and losses. I have been insulted, teased upon, punched, turned down, thrown out, loss a loved one, gotten terribly sick and endured heartaches. But I continue to live. Why you ask? Because suffering opened my eyes to a whole new world – a world that I wouldn’t appreciate if I never failed or have fallen. These “dark” moments in my life taught me a thing or two. It has allowed me to see the light side of things. Suffering opened my eyes to the possibilities of life and though it opened my eyes to these possibilities, it is still up to me to choose the path I believe is right, and in the process, I find myself and my God. How will I know that I am happy if I’ve never been sad? How will I know to take care of myself if I’ve never gotten sick? How will I understand the cycle of life if I’ve never faced death or seen someone die? These things occur precisely because they give meaning to my life, but that meaning I alone can give. We are often asking questions of why, when the question should rather be what now. What do I do with my suffering? Do I run away or do I face it headstrong and full of hope?
Though it seems unlikely all of life’s pain are meant to teach a lesson – a lot of them are, on the larger scale, somehow those massacres and other heinous crimes encourage us to become vigilant, value life all the more and establish nations based on mutual harmony and interdependence. Suffering is not necessarily a part of life but somehow being “humans” who have not yet grown up – suffering has become a consequence of our ignorance of the world.
Whatever my life leads to, I know I am strong enough to face it because of the pain. All my pain left a scar in my heart and though it hurts, it will force me to remember that life is not necessarily a box full of chocolates (though some may argue it is) but rather an empty box given to me and it is up to me what I like to fill it with. Suffering is an integral part of man’s maturity, without suffering man becomes idle, man might never grow up. It is the stuff life is made of. It is the only way we grow, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I know suffering will always be part of my life, and though that will always be the case it is not a reason to give up hoping. For hope is one of life’s most precious gifts. Hope I define here as the unwavering and continuous struggle against despair, against frustration, against giving up. Hope allows us to glimpse what’s beyond us, just as Saint-Exupery said in the Little Prince “What makes the desert beautiful is that somehow far below its surfaces, it holds a spring of fresh water.” And somehow deep inside us, because of suffering certain things come into existence, we discover ourselves and we begin to soar. Through suffering we find that spring of fresh water inside us, we drink from it. And very often than not it is hope. Hope sparks the human spirit to move on in life.
And only in extreme situations of hopelessness does hope truly bloom. Like a flower blooming and ushering forth the springtime season, hope ushers a renewed thirst in man to seek the truth, to seek his God. God doesn’t like us to suffer, but because we live in a physical world and because of our freedom, we become ignorant that our actions act interdependently of each other. Hopefully, in due time we will find our true paradise, if there is ever one, but until that day comes, I must continue hoping, hoping for a better world not only for me but also for the whole of humanity. Just like the flower I mentioned earlier, we may all in due time bloom like flowers during springtime, with all their majestic colors and fragrances to create a better world – full of life, full of hope – full of happiness.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Are entrepreneurs born or made?
I found an interesting essay I wrote back in college on the topic. This is very timely as the country is currently experiencing an Entrepreneur Revolution as evidenced by the media coverage given to the GoNegosyo Caravan, Entrepreneurs School of Asia, and the publication of The Entrepreneur Magazine by Summit Publishing.
Check it out:
One of the most perplexing questions that has endured history for so long a time is the notion that successful people especially leaders and individuals who have somehow shaped the course of history are born to become that way or to act that way. History has shown us people like former US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who guided America during the Second World War and helped create a better world through his sponsorship of the United Nations, Albert Einstein who changed the course of science and technology, and William “Bill” Gates III who as founder of Microsoft Corporation created the biggest corporation on earth while in the process becoming also the world’s richest man. The belief that these people were somehow fated to become great resonates in many corners of the globe. But is success really something written on the stars? Or is success largely based on man’s own hands? - October 13 - Bill Gates is currently Number 2 according to Forbes magazine, new number one is Carlos Slim of Mexico. Microsoft Corporation is also no longer occupying the biggest corporation slot in terms of Assets, General Electric is (excluding banks).
In this essay I am not going to delve much into the issues presented in the article assigned about entrepreneurship but rather I would present some observations of mine that I believe will shed light on the matter. Being born to a rich, prosperous family is no guarantee for a successful future, as well as on the other hand, being born to a poor one doesn’t necessarily mean you end up living a miserable life. But what factor separates the successful from the failure?
Before I go on trying to give my answers to these questions, it is good to try to define success first. It is very hard to define success, as people from different walks of life have a meaning for the word of their own. Like for example, a businessman would define success as starting a great business and maintaining it. For a priest, success would come as he is promoted from parish priest to bishop to cardinal or probably even being elected pope. For a politician, success comes as he wins in elections.
In this regard, I will be concentrating on what makes entrepreneurs tick. What makes them become successful in an environment that’s not only highly competitive but that requires a certain degree of passion that is rarely seen. Not all individuals on earth can become entrepreneurs, though some may argue that it is. It is hard to debate on that point. Man will never really be able to determine with certainty why people become successful and why others do not. All we can do is extrapolate on the life of those successful entrepreneurs, who not only made their dreams come true but also lived a life full of surprises, failures and successes. A life of an entrepreneur may not necessarily be extraordinary but it is also not ordinary. Usually it is in between and sometimes it’s really amazing, the likes of Bill Gates, Lucio Tan, John Gokongwei, Stanley Ho and Li-Ka-Shing would come into mind. These individuals not only became successful businessmen, they are known for their phenomenal lifestyle and attitude towards life, towards their businesses.
So, what makes these individuals tick? What makes them achieve what many people can only aspire to? Some will say that they are fated by the gods or by God to become successful. That somehow it is already written in the stars or the palms of their hands that they will be successful. For me, nothing can be further from the truth. For one, God wouldn’t favor any one of us over the other. God would not have created man equally if that were true. Somehow, this line of reasoning has resulted from the fact that it is very hard to quantify the success factors that makes these entrepreneurs achieved the impossible. It is because environmental factors can only be qualitatively measured that’s why this line of reasoning continues to be held by the larger public.
Though I believe not everyone can become entrepreneurs or successful businessmen, I also believe that all of us have the given abilities and the potential to be entrepreneurs. It’s only that because human nature is so unpredictable and the possibilities for what we can do are endless – that’s why there are those who become successful businessmen or entrepreneurs. But who can say, whether those national artists, those great poets, writers, and performers of the arts are also not successful or great. Surely, Jose Rizal helped shaped the course of our country’s history, yet he chose to become a writer fighting for independence rather than follow the footsteps of his father and his father’s father of managing their hacienda. I believe even though we are given the chance to become successful entrepreneurs, we chose not to because our interests lie elsewhere.
I, for one, would want to live wealthily but since I am also good intellectually, I am in a dilemma. Should I start my own business when I graduate or should I pursue further studies? Even though, they say, it runs in the family because my parents are successful businessmen, I am somehow inclined to pursue further studies. I am more inclined to study further since I might never have the enthusiasm again to undergo college life again. So in my case for example, it’s not an easy choice. I am facing two mutually exclusive alternatives, when I choose to study further, I could no longer start my own business or manage my family’s business. - I stand corrected from this belief, as the people who started Google, MySpace, Facebook and a host of other new technology companies today have shown, it is very much possible to study while also starting your own business.
What I had just illustrated is a case wherein I personally believe I have what it takes to become an entrepreneur. I have a great passion for innovation and creative ideas. I am a risk-taker, I am hard working, industrious, and I believe I have good communication skills. So, for me, being capable alone is not what makes an entrepreneur. It is also a life’s passion to bring products or services to customers. For an entrepreneur’s job is to find a need of customers that is not being met or is being met with poor products or services. Entrepreneurs early on realize the potential of what they have discovered, and they are willing to risk their lives, their money, sometimes their families’ trust so they can make it a reality.
Entrepreneurs are not only risk takers; they also work hard and seek information that can help their businesses. As the article assigned has shown, time management and work ethics are important features of an entrepreneur’s life.
Are entrepreneurs then made? I believe so, and here lies the most important argument I will be making. I believe entrepreneurs are made for the simple reason that entrepreneurs take it into their hands to make sure they learn to play the game better than anybody. That game is taking the risk now, for expected greater returns in the future. Bill Gates did that when he negotiated with IBM for the licensing of the DOS operating system in the late 1970s. Bill Gates and his partners didn’t write the code for that O/S, they bought it for $50,000 from one computer programmer who was happy to take the offer. Bill Gates saw Apple Computer’s mistake in not licensing its O/S software with other computer manufacturers, so they took matters into their own hands, bought that simple O/S from an unknown programmer, and negotiated with the computer manufacturers especially IBM. It takes guts to be able to do something like that. And I doubt Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Paul Allen, were born to become great observers of the computer industry. They banded together and searched for the next big thing in business while attending Harvard University.
They founded Microsoft Corporation which today ranks as the world’s number one corporation. It controls 90% of the operating system market for computers. That cannot happen simply because you were born to build that. You have to have the interest and the passion to see it through.
In the Philippine setting, John Gokongwei and Lucio Tan started from humble beginnings. And yet they became the richest Filipino businessmen to have ever been born. Both early on in life decided they were going to build something great. Though they didn’t know what it was, they knew they were going to do something. You can see that in lifestyle sections of newspapers and magazines today that continually emphasize their humble past, and their path to success. Entrepreneurs early on in their life decide that they are going to become businessmen – people who serve their customers with the best product or service possible.
I do believe though that political and cultural environments influence the potential of a country to produce entrepreneurs. In the US example, small businesses account for more than 80% of businesses. Small businesses play an important role in bringing customized products and services to the masses. And almost all entrepreneurs have humble beginnings.
It is because they have tasted misery early on in life that is why they strive harder so their children or even they themselves will not taste it again. But that is not the only reason why entrepreneurs become successful there are those that truly want to provide the best product or service to the larger public. Those who truly are conscious of their capabilities and the role they should play in enriching their communities and their country. Going back to my example, in the US, it is ingrained in their way of life, in their culture – that children should become independent when they reach legal age. That’s why a lot of high school graduates are already working, it is a cultural phenomenon in the United States that parents ask their children (when they turn 18) whether they will still stay in their homes or move out. It is seen as an encouragement for the children to take their destiny into their own hands, to become the master of their futures.
In contrast, here in the Philippines, parents are somehow obliged to see to it that their children are educated up to college all expense paid. Filipino culture does not emphasize independence but rather “pakikisama.” Something strange to most foreigners, though in some ways it is good for relationships between peoples. On the other hand, it has made our country a hotbed for lazy students. Children who wait on their parents all their life. Wait for their parents’ help, their parents’ money, and their parents’ advice. Filipino adolescents do not learn the importance of giving a hand to the family early on. I am not saying here that all adolescents are like that but most do.
And that fact shows why Filipinos are doing catch up in the world of business, in the world of science and technology, because there are seriously few risk takers among us. Few risk to make their dreams come true. Few even dream big. And that is what distinguishes the ordinary Filipino to the Filipino entrepreneur. And he is not born. He is made.
The Filipino entrepreneur is a usual sight in the Philippines but he still needs more risk taking before he can truly become a globally competitive entrepreneur. He should be resourceful, should be information seeking, and should be persistent in his efforts. The Filipino entrepreneur is made because despite the poverty that persists in the country today, despite the lack of government assistance, despite the seeming incompatibility of most of his culture with the concept of entrepreneurship, and the harsh economic conditions in the country, he persists and decides to take a risk, to build a business on his own. The Filipino entrepreneur makes his way through. He travels the less traveled road. He unites his Catholic predisposition with the mechanics of capitalism. The Filipino entrepreneur makes himself successful. It is not by freak accident or by having that inborn talent. He truly makes himself successful by hard work and a healthy dose of courage. He perseveres despite the dire conditions.
In all this, the Filipino entrepreneur proves he can be who he wants to be. That is what Lucio Tan, John Gokongwei, Henry Sy, Eugenio Lopez Sr., and a host of other Filipino entrepreneurs have shown. They proved to the world that the Filipino can become great, could be great and is in fact great. These Filipinos established their own footprints in Philippine history by making their dreams come true. Nobody comes into the world knowing what he’ll eventually do. But everyone, enlightened by the truth in reality, eventually decides who he wants to be and tries to make it a reality. And that is how all entrepreneurs live. Dangerously.
Check it out:
One of the most perplexing questions that has endured history for so long a time is the notion that successful people especially leaders and individuals who have somehow shaped the course of history are born to become that way or to act that way. History has shown us people like former US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who guided America during the Second World War and helped create a better world through his sponsorship of the United Nations, Albert Einstein who changed the course of science and technology, and William “Bill” Gates III who as founder of Microsoft Corporation created the biggest corporation on earth while in the process becoming also the world’s richest man. The belief that these people were somehow fated to become great resonates in many corners of the globe. But is success really something written on the stars? Or is success largely based on man’s own hands? - October 13 - Bill Gates is currently Number 2 according to Forbes magazine, new number one is Carlos Slim of Mexico. Microsoft Corporation is also no longer occupying the biggest corporation slot in terms of Assets, General Electric is (excluding banks).
In this essay I am not going to delve much into the issues presented in the article assigned about entrepreneurship but rather I would present some observations of mine that I believe will shed light on the matter. Being born to a rich, prosperous family is no guarantee for a successful future, as well as on the other hand, being born to a poor one doesn’t necessarily mean you end up living a miserable life. But what factor separates the successful from the failure?
Before I go on trying to give my answers to these questions, it is good to try to define success first. It is very hard to define success, as people from different walks of life have a meaning for the word of their own. Like for example, a businessman would define success as starting a great business and maintaining it. For a priest, success would come as he is promoted from parish priest to bishop to cardinal or probably even being elected pope. For a politician, success comes as he wins in elections.
In this regard, I will be concentrating on what makes entrepreneurs tick. What makes them become successful in an environment that’s not only highly competitive but that requires a certain degree of passion that is rarely seen. Not all individuals on earth can become entrepreneurs, though some may argue that it is. It is hard to debate on that point. Man will never really be able to determine with certainty why people become successful and why others do not. All we can do is extrapolate on the life of those successful entrepreneurs, who not only made their dreams come true but also lived a life full of surprises, failures and successes. A life of an entrepreneur may not necessarily be extraordinary but it is also not ordinary. Usually it is in between and sometimes it’s really amazing, the likes of Bill Gates, Lucio Tan, John Gokongwei, Stanley Ho and Li-Ka-Shing would come into mind. These individuals not only became successful businessmen, they are known for their phenomenal lifestyle and attitude towards life, towards their businesses.
So, what makes these individuals tick? What makes them achieve what many people can only aspire to? Some will say that they are fated by the gods or by God to become successful. That somehow it is already written in the stars or the palms of their hands that they will be successful. For me, nothing can be further from the truth. For one, God wouldn’t favor any one of us over the other. God would not have created man equally if that were true. Somehow, this line of reasoning has resulted from the fact that it is very hard to quantify the success factors that makes these entrepreneurs achieved the impossible. It is because environmental factors can only be qualitatively measured that’s why this line of reasoning continues to be held by the larger public.
Though I believe not everyone can become entrepreneurs or successful businessmen, I also believe that all of us have the given abilities and the potential to be entrepreneurs. It’s only that because human nature is so unpredictable and the possibilities for what we can do are endless – that’s why there are those who become successful businessmen or entrepreneurs. But who can say, whether those national artists, those great poets, writers, and performers of the arts are also not successful or great. Surely, Jose Rizal helped shaped the course of our country’s history, yet he chose to become a writer fighting for independence rather than follow the footsteps of his father and his father’s father of managing their hacienda. I believe even though we are given the chance to become successful entrepreneurs, we chose not to because our interests lie elsewhere.
I, for one, would want to live wealthily but since I am also good intellectually, I am in a dilemma. Should I start my own business when I graduate or should I pursue further studies? Even though, they say, it runs in the family because my parents are successful businessmen, I am somehow inclined to pursue further studies. I am more inclined to study further since I might never have the enthusiasm again to undergo college life again. So in my case for example, it’s not an easy choice. I am facing two mutually exclusive alternatives, when I choose to study further, I could no longer start my own business or manage my family’s business. - I stand corrected from this belief, as the people who started Google, MySpace, Facebook and a host of other new technology companies today have shown, it is very much possible to study while also starting your own business.
What I had just illustrated is a case wherein I personally believe I have what it takes to become an entrepreneur. I have a great passion for innovation and creative ideas. I am a risk-taker, I am hard working, industrious, and I believe I have good communication skills. So, for me, being capable alone is not what makes an entrepreneur. It is also a life’s passion to bring products or services to customers. For an entrepreneur’s job is to find a need of customers that is not being met or is being met with poor products or services. Entrepreneurs early on realize the potential of what they have discovered, and they are willing to risk their lives, their money, sometimes their families’ trust so they can make it a reality.
Entrepreneurs are not only risk takers; they also work hard and seek information that can help their businesses. As the article assigned has shown, time management and work ethics are important features of an entrepreneur’s life.
Are entrepreneurs then made? I believe so, and here lies the most important argument I will be making. I believe entrepreneurs are made for the simple reason that entrepreneurs take it into their hands to make sure they learn to play the game better than anybody. That game is taking the risk now, for expected greater returns in the future. Bill Gates did that when he negotiated with IBM for the licensing of the DOS operating system in the late 1970s. Bill Gates and his partners didn’t write the code for that O/S, they bought it for $50,000 from one computer programmer who was happy to take the offer. Bill Gates saw Apple Computer’s mistake in not licensing its O/S software with other computer manufacturers, so they took matters into their own hands, bought that simple O/S from an unknown programmer, and negotiated with the computer manufacturers especially IBM. It takes guts to be able to do something like that. And I doubt Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Paul Allen, were born to become great observers of the computer industry. They banded together and searched for the next big thing in business while attending Harvard University.
They founded Microsoft Corporation which today ranks as the world’s number one corporation. It controls 90% of the operating system market for computers. That cannot happen simply because you were born to build that. You have to have the interest and the passion to see it through.
In the Philippine setting, John Gokongwei and Lucio Tan started from humble beginnings. And yet they became the richest Filipino businessmen to have ever been born. Both early on in life decided they were going to build something great. Though they didn’t know what it was, they knew they were going to do something. You can see that in lifestyle sections of newspapers and magazines today that continually emphasize their humble past, and their path to success. Entrepreneurs early on in their life decide that they are going to become businessmen – people who serve their customers with the best product or service possible.
I do believe though that political and cultural environments influence the potential of a country to produce entrepreneurs. In the US example, small businesses account for more than 80% of businesses. Small businesses play an important role in bringing customized products and services to the masses. And almost all entrepreneurs have humble beginnings.
It is because they have tasted misery early on in life that is why they strive harder so their children or even they themselves will not taste it again. But that is not the only reason why entrepreneurs become successful there are those that truly want to provide the best product or service to the larger public. Those who truly are conscious of their capabilities and the role they should play in enriching their communities and their country. Going back to my example, in the US, it is ingrained in their way of life, in their culture – that children should become independent when they reach legal age. That’s why a lot of high school graduates are already working, it is a cultural phenomenon in the United States that parents ask their children (when they turn 18) whether they will still stay in their homes or move out. It is seen as an encouragement for the children to take their destiny into their own hands, to become the master of their futures.
In contrast, here in the Philippines, parents are somehow obliged to see to it that their children are educated up to college all expense paid. Filipino culture does not emphasize independence but rather “pakikisama.” Something strange to most foreigners, though in some ways it is good for relationships between peoples. On the other hand, it has made our country a hotbed for lazy students. Children who wait on their parents all their life. Wait for their parents’ help, their parents’ money, and their parents’ advice. Filipino adolescents do not learn the importance of giving a hand to the family early on. I am not saying here that all adolescents are like that but most do.
And that fact shows why Filipinos are doing catch up in the world of business, in the world of science and technology, because there are seriously few risk takers among us. Few risk to make their dreams come true. Few even dream big. And that is what distinguishes the ordinary Filipino to the Filipino entrepreneur. And he is not born. He is made.
The Filipino entrepreneur is a usual sight in the Philippines but he still needs more risk taking before he can truly become a globally competitive entrepreneur. He should be resourceful, should be information seeking, and should be persistent in his efforts. The Filipino entrepreneur is made because despite the poverty that persists in the country today, despite the lack of government assistance, despite the seeming incompatibility of most of his culture with the concept of entrepreneurship, and the harsh economic conditions in the country, he persists and decides to take a risk, to build a business on his own. The Filipino entrepreneur makes his way through. He travels the less traveled road. He unites his Catholic predisposition with the mechanics of capitalism. The Filipino entrepreneur makes himself successful. It is not by freak accident or by having that inborn talent. He truly makes himself successful by hard work and a healthy dose of courage. He perseveres despite the dire conditions.
In all this, the Filipino entrepreneur proves he can be who he wants to be. That is what Lucio Tan, John Gokongwei, Henry Sy, Eugenio Lopez Sr., and a host of other Filipino entrepreneurs have shown. They proved to the world that the Filipino can become great, could be great and is in fact great. These Filipinos established their own footprints in Philippine history by making their dreams come true. Nobody comes into the world knowing what he’ll eventually do. But everyone, enlightened by the truth in reality, eventually decides who he wants to be and tries to make it a reality. And that is how all entrepreneurs live. Dangerously.
Life-Transforming books
Over the course of my 26 years of existence, I have been visited by the greatest minds of the past and the present. Some had died while they were young; some died when they were old, and others who are still living today.
It has been an extraordinary journey for me – as it can be for you. If only you open your mind to this world of possibilities, where all your dreams can literally come true.
I am not suggesting here that all my dreams have come true but a healthy and optimistic attitude towards life is a much better position than just complaining and being pessimistic about it.
I truly believe that we are on the verge of a new era in the evolution of humankind. As newer and newer technologies are invented and as we go deeper into the inner workings of the mind, we will unlock our true potential in the years to come, if not months. There is no doubt in my mind about this.
And today, I am sharing with you the insights of the greatest minds (according to me) of the past, present and even possibly, the future. Each day we wake up to a unique and wonderful challenge to wonder into this great Universe.
I am presenting here the works of the greatest minds not in any particular order but as it comes to my own mind.
Note: I am no longer including the Holy Bible in this list as in most Christian families it is already an established part of any reading list.
1. The Secret (Rhonda Byrne, http://www.thesecret.tv/) – one of the best books that I have ever read in my entire life, its message, its theme resonates very well into the new insights that science and religion are gaining into the truth about our lives, our Universe. This book (and the DVD before it) is a touching reminder of our co-creator status as God has shared with us this responsibility to help create His Kingdom on Earth. The book introduces you, the reader, to the wonderful possibilities of using the Law of Attraction which is one of the natural laws that operate throughout the Universe. This law, this fundamental law, states that like attracts like. What it means is that your thoughts, your words and your actions attract the same things back to you. So if you dwell only in positive thoughts, only positive things will manifest in your life. But there’s a catch, you have to truly feel it. You can’t fake it by just thinking of positive things – you really have to live it out in order to have any effect on your life. And you have to release all the negativity in your life – let it go. There are just three simple steps in the creative process, these are, step 1: Ask, step 2: Believe and step 3: Receive. If you want to start building the life that you know you truly deserve, read this book, a hundred times if possible, to be truly immersed in this Great Secret of Life.
2. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen Covey) – belongs to my top 10 list of the best books ever written – this book is a fascinating tool that the everyday man can use to build a strong foundation for a successful and effective life. The 7 Habits are simple yet they are quite hard to practice in real life, you need to constantly check the book and updates from the Covey Leadership Center in order to better hone your skills in the 7 Habits of the highly effective people in the world. The 7 Habits are 1) Be Proactive, 2) Begin with the End in Mind, 3) First things first, 4) Think win/win, 5) Seek first to understand; then to be understood, 6) Synergize, and 7) Sharpen the Saw. Again, as every other habit we may have in our arsenal, practice makes perfect and that is what sharpening the saw truly mean. The 7 Habits reinforce the teachings in The Secret as the second habit states of beginning always with the end in mind and in The Secret – it states that you should make your dream the dominant thoughts of your life in order to manifest it.
3. The Road Less Traveled (M. Scott Peck) – one of the ground-breaking books in the last half century, The Road Less Traveled is an engaging but very deep book that answers many of life’s questions from the perspective of a psychologist/psychiatrist. It is a powerful book as it delves into the inner workings of the mind and teaches us powerful tips in order to take better care of it and to always invest in the acquisition of knowledge. Learning life’s lessons is an enduring theme throughout the book. The book, I believe, suggests that the road less traveled is truly the best path to take as only the few choose to take it and even lesser are patient enough to see it through. Life is a wonderful journey but our choices should always be towards a fulfilled and meaningful life – something that we give it ourselves. After reading this book, life as you know it becomes less difficult to comprehend and becomes an exciting challenge to truly find yourself. It also gives the best definition of love I have ever encountered in my 26 years of existence.
4. The Art of War (Sun Tzu) – probably one of the oldest books that I’ve read regarding the Chinese military classic of China’s most renowned military strategist, The Art of War is the textbook for the everyday soldier – YOU! Life involves a lot of “fighting” and so this wonderful book written 2000 years ago is one of the best guides there is on how to win this battle. With fighting here I mean not with other people but with fear and other challenges that may come your way. The Art of War is truly timeless as many of the principles presented truly capture the essence of “succeeding” in any arena of life, be it in business, politics, entertainment or sports. After reading the book, you’d feel like being handed down the greatest Secret in controlling the outcome of any war in your lifetime. Here is the most famous passage from the book “If you know yourself and your enemy, you need not fear the result of a thousand battles. If you know yourself but not your enemy, for every battle you win you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither yourself nor the enemy, you will succumb in every battle.” Remember this always and get to know yourself better – that is truly the Secret to living a life of meaning and purpose.
5. The Book of Five Rings (Miyamoto Musashi) and The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War (Yagyu Munenori) – again one of the best classics that was ever to come from Asia particularly Japan. This book is another life-transforming gift from our early Asian ancestors. The Book of Five Rings incorporates the art of the swordplay as also the dance of life. The insights and principles provided in the book are as timeless as it was 400 years ago. The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War also outlines many of the principles and “truths” as stated in present-day The Secret. These two books have been compiled and translated as one book.
6. What is the Color of Your Parachute? (Richard Bolles, www.jobhuntersbible.com) – the best book I’ve read on job-hunting and career planning, it is a great read for everyone wishing to build the foundation for a prosperous career. If you are lost right now or if you truly want to know where you can excel, the flower exercises in the book can be truly helpful in discovering or remembering your major strengths and skills and so by knowing that you can start planning accordingly. The book is truly engaging and enlightening as it presents many of the successful tips and techniques that has made the author a renowned expert on career coaching today. The book imparts great insights into getting that dream job of yours and it combines this with the importance of finding your mission in life early on so that you can leverage every action you take today to make it a reality tomorrow. If you like to discover that “hidden” genie inside of you – this is one book you cannot afford to overlook.
7. Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and Smart Kid, Rich Kid (Robert Kiyosaki, www.richdad.com) – the best parenting book that I’ve read, Smart Kid Rich Kid is a great resource guide for upstart parents who want to give their children the best education possible on who they can truly be and how to achieve your dreams in life. These two books have helped shaped my attitude towards wealth – which is very healthy. Chasing after wealth, for an abundant life is a necessary activity in the present times. Though money doesn’t make anyone happy (it’s true), money does allow you to do the extraordinary things that you know you can do and in the process enjoying your life as well. A balanced life which is healthy in all aspects (physical, mental, spiritual) is truly the end goal here. Financial skills are one of the best skills that any parent or teacher should always impart to their children or students. The book shares powerful insights into building the wealth that you want.
8. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho, www.paulocoelho.com) – one of the best “children’s” books that I have ever read, The Alchemist should be an everyday reading material for any grade school student. This book has changed me fundamentally since I first read it as it has allowed me to re-discover or if I could say remember my child-like wonder and my nose for curiosity. The book is a great work on presenting life as the greatest gift of them all. That you can truly build the life that you want if you only believe it. And that you have all the power in the world to be the change you want to see. That you have the potential to achieve greater and greater things. Life should be meaningful and though there are many challenges or problems that come our way, remaining child-like at heart allows us to learn from our failures and mistakes and continue to live with passion and purpose towards an enriching and loving experience with everyone in our lives.
9. Who Moved My Cheese and The Present (Spencer Johnson, www.thepresent.com) – these two books have helped shape the life that I have today – always on the lookout for my cheese and always considering the present moment as the most important moment. I have become a gift to my family, to my relatives sand friends because of the insights provided by these two books. The author’s work is very ground-breaking as it presents many wonderful insights into living a successful and meaningful life with these two very short books (just around 100 pages each). These books are truly life-transforming as it presents everyday secrets that each one of us can use to live the life of our dreams and build great relationships too. The books can be devoured in less than 4 hours so it’s a fairly easy read.
10. The Tao of Pooh and The Te of Piglet (Benjamin Hoff) – the most fascinating book I’ve read so far since it uses the wisdom and the unique characteristics of Winnie-the-Pooh and the other characters in this cartoon series to present the different truths about life. More or less the themes of the books I have outlined here are the same that you can truly live out the life of your dreams, that impossible is just a problem waiting to be solved. And these two books by Hoff are very good everyday companions in your great journey towards a better understanding of your life and the Universe in general. It is a very engaging read and easy too. I would never look at Winnie-the-Pooh as the idiot that I have always seen him in my childhood days!
11. Six Thinking Hats (Edward de Bono) – one of the best “thinking” books that I’ve read so far, Six Thinking Hats presents the engaging “thinking” method for everyday life especially for business meetings that anyone can use to ensure maximum results by just using the six thinking hats. There are six thinking hats differentiated by their colors: red, white, blue, green, yellow and black. These thinking hats have their own unique “thinking” patterns attached to them and from my experience you can greatly optimize your analysis of things by using the six hats method.
12. 12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do To Help Our Country (Alexander Lacson) – as I am a Pilipino, I truly believe that this book can greatly help you, the everyday Pilipino, to be a significant part in nation building. As our country, the Philippines, undergoes the most important task today of building a robust and vibrant economy, the 12 Little Things you can do will help build a better and much more disciplined society of Pilipinos who are well-rounded and globally-astute. The 12 Little Things should be an everyday companion for every Pilipino wherever you maybe. It is also a good guide for people of other nations to translate and practice in their own respective countries. As the “little things’ presented here are as easy and applicable anywhere you are in the planet. Cheers to Alex Lacson for this important milestone in the history of our country!
13. The Tipping Point (Malcolm Gladwell) – I chose this after the 12 Little Things precisely because this book inspired Alex Lacson to write his book. The Tipping Point clearly outlines the importance of little things in making things happen in our everyday life and even in the histories of all nations. The book is a great resource guide for business people, marketers, government officials, and the everyday man to truly value that his contributions no matter how small can truly amount to something. Little changes lead to bigger changes. As the famous saying goes “a journey of a thousand miles begin with one first step.”
14. The Education of Little Tree (Forrest Carter) – probably the most fascinating book that I’ve read. It’s a good read and an easy one too. The Education of Little Tree is the most enlightening book I’ve read on my role and my relationship with the planet I live in and my primary responsibility to take care of Mother Earth (as evidence by the Climate Change phenomenon). The setting here is through a Native American family and it’s really a great book on their culture and our true natural history. That we are truly one and the same as with everything we see, feel, touch, smell and taste on the planet today. That somehow we are truly connected with the trees, the plants, the animals and everything else – that we share an important relationship with them. This book is a must-read for any child able to read already.
15. The Science of Getting Rich (Wallace Wattles) – this book transformed and inspired the author of The Secret to take on an incredible journey of unleashing this Great Secret of Life to the world. In 1912, Wallace Wattles wrote this fascinating book on the science of getting rich where he outlined the Way anyone can use to build the wealth his heart desires. I chance upon this book on sale at the country’s largest bookstore chain after reading The Secret; I also wanted to read the book. You could say that I attracted it in my life and so I bought it on sale (less than $2). And it has imparted this great insight to me which I am now using to build the wealth that I will share with the world.
16. High-Trust Selling (Todd Duncan) – the best book on selling that I’ve read, Todd Duncan has truly found the secret on how to become the best salesman on the planet. It brings back the importance of trust, high-trust in fact in our business and personal dealings in order to be successful. The truly great and the best salesmen out there are those who truly love to serve their customers and believe that they have the best product or service in the market. In order to succeed, the salesman should be truly concerned in helping grow his clients or customers’ businesses. That should be the primary consideration when dealing in sales. High-Trust Selling is a must-read for all the sales representatives, medical representatives, sales managers, district managers and even national sales managers out there who want to build a high performance team based on what is truly important.
17. Peace is the Way (Deepak Chopra, www.peaceisthewayglobalcommunity.org) – a new but insightful book on the coming philosophy of our age – PEACE! Deepak has shared his wonderful insights into how to make peace as an everyday ‘habit’ for the everyday man and woman. The insights are as old as the Vedic tradition in India and resonates well with the teachings of the world’s major religions today. It’s truly very important that we start to re-assess our ‘war mentality’ and replace it with a peaceful attitude. Our struggle towards greater human development has led us to this important insight, that peace is truly the only way to attain heaven on earth.
18. The Celestine Prophecy, The Tenth Insight and The Secret of Shambala (James Redfield) – the first book on new-age philosophy that I’ve read. These three books have helped shaped the ‘me’ of today. After reading these books, I became very intrigued on what it truly means to be human, on my relationship with God and my purpose and mission in life. These books have helped shape my early beliefs so that I am now open to everything that life has to offer and to continuously share the insights I gain with everyone around me and the world. The Celestine Prophecy I believe is way ahead of our time – we are truly on the verge of creating a world in harmony and in peace.
19. Man, The Unknown (Alexis Carrel) – the best book on man that I’ve read – this book won the Nobel Prize for Literature many years ago. My copy is such an old one with no more covers and slowly being eaten by tiny insects. I found it in my grandparents’ attic during my high school years and I found it truly enlightening as to the past, present and future of the human body and spirit. It is a great dissection of man – partly with a medical dissection and a philosophical view towards the species that now dominate activity on the planet. This book is no longer in print but I believe there are still copies in major libraries around the world. Carrel’s insights into our future written more than half a century ago is fascinating as we are on the verge of realizing many of his predictions.
20. The Imagineering Way (The Imagineers, Walt Disney Co.) – an engaging and creative book on the subject of innovation and creativity as written by the creative “Imagineering” group in Walt Disney Co. This division is responsible for all the major innovations and inventions that we have seen transform Walt Disney Co. into one of the greatest and best entertainment companies in the world. The ideas contained in this little book are timeless and inspiring. It truly captures that creativity can be cultivated in any man and that our primary responsibility on the planet is truly to create more out of nothing (if possible). Life as you know it will never be the same after reading this book as their everyday experiences impart to you a sense of possibility that you too can be like them, an Imagineer. (By the way, the word imagineer is the combination of the words imagination and engineer, because these imagineers make their creative ideas a reality.)
21. Tuesdays with Morrie, and Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom) - one of the first inspirational books that I have read. In truth, I don't own a copy yet but I read it just so I can borrow from my crush back in school. =) I found the book so witty and life-transforming as the insights and learning shared by Mitch Albom completely affirmed many of my personal experiences and beliefs early on. Tuesdays with Morrie is a wonderful tale of two people and how they broke barriers to form a bond that will last even after their deaths. The story has revolutionized the way we view relationships. And I especially like to quote these famous lines from the book "Death ends a life, not a relationship." Let this be our guiding light when dealing with our relationships.
It has been an extraordinary journey for me – as it can be for you. If only you open your mind to this world of possibilities, where all your dreams can literally come true.
I am not suggesting here that all my dreams have come true but a healthy and optimistic attitude towards life is a much better position than just complaining and being pessimistic about it.
I truly believe that we are on the verge of a new era in the evolution of humankind. As newer and newer technologies are invented and as we go deeper into the inner workings of the mind, we will unlock our true potential in the years to come, if not months. There is no doubt in my mind about this.
And today, I am sharing with you the insights of the greatest minds (according to me) of the past, present and even possibly, the future. Each day we wake up to a unique and wonderful challenge to wonder into this great Universe.
I am presenting here the works of the greatest minds not in any particular order but as it comes to my own mind.
Note: I am no longer including the Holy Bible in this list as in most Christian families it is already an established part of any reading list.
1. The Secret (Rhonda Byrne, http://www.thesecret.tv/) – one of the best books that I have ever read in my entire life, its message, its theme resonates very well into the new insights that science and religion are gaining into the truth about our lives, our Universe. This book (and the DVD before it) is a touching reminder of our co-creator status as God has shared with us this responsibility to help create His Kingdom on Earth. The book introduces you, the reader, to the wonderful possibilities of using the Law of Attraction which is one of the natural laws that operate throughout the Universe. This law, this fundamental law, states that like attracts like. What it means is that your thoughts, your words and your actions attract the same things back to you. So if you dwell only in positive thoughts, only positive things will manifest in your life. But there’s a catch, you have to truly feel it. You can’t fake it by just thinking of positive things – you really have to live it out in order to have any effect on your life. And you have to release all the negativity in your life – let it go. There are just three simple steps in the creative process, these are, step 1: Ask, step 2: Believe and step 3: Receive. If you want to start building the life that you know you truly deserve, read this book, a hundred times if possible, to be truly immersed in this Great Secret of Life.
2. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen Covey) – belongs to my top 10 list of the best books ever written – this book is a fascinating tool that the everyday man can use to build a strong foundation for a successful and effective life. The 7 Habits are simple yet they are quite hard to practice in real life, you need to constantly check the book and updates from the Covey Leadership Center in order to better hone your skills in the 7 Habits of the highly effective people in the world. The 7 Habits are 1) Be Proactive, 2) Begin with the End in Mind, 3) First things first, 4) Think win/win, 5) Seek first to understand; then to be understood, 6) Synergize, and 7) Sharpen the Saw. Again, as every other habit we may have in our arsenal, practice makes perfect and that is what sharpening the saw truly mean. The 7 Habits reinforce the teachings in The Secret as the second habit states of beginning always with the end in mind and in The Secret – it states that you should make your dream the dominant thoughts of your life in order to manifest it.
3. The Road Less Traveled (M. Scott Peck) – one of the ground-breaking books in the last half century, The Road Less Traveled is an engaging but very deep book that answers many of life’s questions from the perspective of a psychologist/psychiatrist. It is a powerful book as it delves into the inner workings of the mind and teaches us powerful tips in order to take better care of it and to always invest in the acquisition of knowledge. Learning life’s lessons is an enduring theme throughout the book. The book, I believe, suggests that the road less traveled is truly the best path to take as only the few choose to take it and even lesser are patient enough to see it through. Life is a wonderful journey but our choices should always be towards a fulfilled and meaningful life – something that we give it ourselves. After reading this book, life as you know it becomes less difficult to comprehend and becomes an exciting challenge to truly find yourself. It also gives the best definition of love I have ever encountered in my 26 years of existence.
4. The Art of War (Sun Tzu) – probably one of the oldest books that I’ve read regarding the Chinese military classic of China’s most renowned military strategist, The Art of War is the textbook for the everyday soldier – YOU! Life involves a lot of “fighting” and so this wonderful book written 2000 years ago is one of the best guides there is on how to win this battle. With fighting here I mean not with other people but with fear and other challenges that may come your way. The Art of War is truly timeless as many of the principles presented truly capture the essence of “succeeding” in any arena of life, be it in business, politics, entertainment or sports. After reading the book, you’d feel like being handed down the greatest Secret in controlling the outcome of any war in your lifetime. Here is the most famous passage from the book “If you know yourself and your enemy, you need not fear the result of a thousand battles. If you know yourself but not your enemy, for every battle you win you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither yourself nor the enemy, you will succumb in every battle.” Remember this always and get to know yourself better – that is truly the Secret to living a life of meaning and purpose.
5. The Book of Five Rings (Miyamoto Musashi) and The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War (Yagyu Munenori) – again one of the best classics that was ever to come from Asia particularly Japan. This book is another life-transforming gift from our early Asian ancestors. The Book of Five Rings incorporates the art of the swordplay as also the dance of life. The insights and principles provided in the book are as timeless as it was 400 years ago. The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War also outlines many of the principles and “truths” as stated in present-day The Secret. These two books have been compiled and translated as one book.
6. What is the Color of Your Parachute? (Richard Bolles, www.jobhuntersbible.com) – the best book I’ve read on job-hunting and career planning, it is a great read for everyone wishing to build the foundation for a prosperous career. If you are lost right now or if you truly want to know where you can excel, the flower exercises in the book can be truly helpful in discovering or remembering your major strengths and skills and so by knowing that you can start planning accordingly. The book is truly engaging and enlightening as it presents many of the successful tips and techniques that has made the author a renowned expert on career coaching today. The book imparts great insights into getting that dream job of yours and it combines this with the importance of finding your mission in life early on so that you can leverage every action you take today to make it a reality tomorrow. If you like to discover that “hidden” genie inside of you – this is one book you cannot afford to overlook.
7. Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and Smart Kid, Rich Kid (Robert Kiyosaki, www.richdad.com) – the best parenting book that I’ve read, Smart Kid Rich Kid is a great resource guide for upstart parents who want to give their children the best education possible on who they can truly be and how to achieve your dreams in life. These two books have helped shaped my attitude towards wealth – which is very healthy. Chasing after wealth, for an abundant life is a necessary activity in the present times. Though money doesn’t make anyone happy (it’s true), money does allow you to do the extraordinary things that you know you can do and in the process enjoying your life as well. A balanced life which is healthy in all aspects (physical, mental, spiritual) is truly the end goal here. Financial skills are one of the best skills that any parent or teacher should always impart to their children or students. The book shares powerful insights into building the wealth that you want.
8. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho, www.paulocoelho.com) – one of the best “children’s” books that I have ever read, The Alchemist should be an everyday reading material for any grade school student. This book has changed me fundamentally since I first read it as it has allowed me to re-discover or if I could say remember my child-like wonder and my nose for curiosity. The book is a great work on presenting life as the greatest gift of them all. That you can truly build the life that you want if you only believe it. And that you have all the power in the world to be the change you want to see. That you have the potential to achieve greater and greater things. Life should be meaningful and though there are many challenges or problems that come our way, remaining child-like at heart allows us to learn from our failures and mistakes and continue to live with passion and purpose towards an enriching and loving experience with everyone in our lives.
9. Who Moved My Cheese and The Present (Spencer Johnson, www.thepresent.com) – these two books have helped shape the life that I have today – always on the lookout for my cheese and always considering the present moment as the most important moment. I have become a gift to my family, to my relatives sand friends because of the insights provided by these two books. The author’s work is very ground-breaking as it presents many wonderful insights into living a successful and meaningful life with these two very short books (just around 100 pages each). These books are truly life-transforming as it presents everyday secrets that each one of us can use to live the life of our dreams and build great relationships too. The books can be devoured in less than 4 hours so it’s a fairly easy read.
10. The Tao of Pooh and The Te of Piglet (Benjamin Hoff) – the most fascinating book I’ve read so far since it uses the wisdom and the unique characteristics of Winnie-the-Pooh and the other characters in this cartoon series to present the different truths about life. More or less the themes of the books I have outlined here are the same that you can truly live out the life of your dreams, that impossible is just a problem waiting to be solved. And these two books by Hoff are very good everyday companions in your great journey towards a better understanding of your life and the Universe in general. It is a very engaging read and easy too. I would never look at Winnie-the-Pooh as the idiot that I have always seen him in my childhood days!
11. Six Thinking Hats (Edward de Bono) – one of the best “thinking” books that I’ve read so far, Six Thinking Hats presents the engaging “thinking” method for everyday life especially for business meetings that anyone can use to ensure maximum results by just using the six thinking hats. There are six thinking hats differentiated by their colors: red, white, blue, green, yellow and black. These thinking hats have their own unique “thinking” patterns attached to them and from my experience you can greatly optimize your analysis of things by using the six hats method.
12. 12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do To Help Our Country (Alexander Lacson) – as I am a Pilipino, I truly believe that this book can greatly help you, the everyday Pilipino, to be a significant part in nation building. As our country, the Philippines, undergoes the most important task today of building a robust and vibrant economy, the 12 Little Things you can do will help build a better and much more disciplined society of Pilipinos who are well-rounded and globally-astute. The 12 Little Things should be an everyday companion for every Pilipino wherever you maybe. It is also a good guide for people of other nations to translate and practice in their own respective countries. As the “little things’ presented here are as easy and applicable anywhere you are in the planet. Cheers to Alex Lacson for this important milestone in the history of our country!
13. The Tipping Point (Malcolm Gladwell) – I chose this after the 12 Little Things precisely because this book inspired Alex Lacson to write his book. The Tipping Point clearly outlines the importance of little things in making things happen in our everyday life and even in the histories of all nations. The book is a great resource guide for business people, marketers, government officials, and the everyday man to truly value that his contributions no matter how small can truly amount to something. Little changes lead to bigger changes. As the famous saying goes “a journey of a thousand miles begin with one first step.”
14. The Education of Little Tree (Forrest Carter) – probably the most fascinating book that I’ve read. It’s a good read and an easy one too. The Education of Little Tree is the most enlightening book I’ve read on my role and my relationship with the planet I live in and my primary responsibility to take care of Mother Earth (as evidence by the Climate Change phenomenon). The setting here is through a Native American family and it’s really a great book on their culture and our true natural history. That we are truly one and the same as with everything we see, feel, touch, smell and taste on the planet today. That somehow we are truly connected with the trees, the plants, the animals and everything else – that we share an important relationship with them. This book is a must-read for any child able to read already.
15. The Science of Getting Rich (Wallace Wattles) – this book transformed and inspired the author of The Secret to take on an incredible journey of unleashing this Great Secret of Life to the world. In 1912, Wallace Wattles wrote this fascinating book on the science of getting rich where he outlined the Way anyone can use to build the wealth his heart desires. I chance upon this book on sale at the country’s largest bookstore chain after reading The Secret; I also wanted to read the book. You could say that I attracted it in my life and so I bought it on sale (less than $2). And it has imparted this great insight to me which I am now using to build the wealth that I will share with the world.
16. High-Trust Selling (Todd Duncan) – the best book on selling that I’ve read, Todd Duncan has truly found the secret on how to become the best salesman on the planet. It brings back the importance of trust, high-trust in fact in our business and personal dealings in order to be successful. The truly great and the best salesmen out there are those who truly love to serve their customers and believe that they have the best product or service in the market. In order to succeed, the salesman should be truly concerned in helping grow his clients or customers’ businesses. That should be the primary consideration when dealing in sales. High-Trust Selling is a must-read for all the sales representatives, medical representatives, sales managers, district managers and even national sales managers out there who want to build a high performance team based on what is truly important.
17. Peace is the Way (Deepak Chopra, www.peaceisthewayglobalcommunity.org) – a new but insightful book on the coming philosophy of our age – PEACE! Deepak has shared his wonderful insights into how to make peace as an everyday ‘habit’ for the everyday man and woman. The insights are as old as the Vedic tradition in India and resonates well with the teachings of the world’s major religions today. It’s truly very important that we start to re-assess our ‘war mentality’ and replace it with a peaceful attitude. Our struggle towards greater human development has led us to this important insight, that peace is truly the only way to attain heaven on earth.
18. The Celestine Prophecy, The Tenth Insight and The Secret of Shambala (James Redfield) – the first book on new-age philosophy that I’ve read. These three books have helped shaped the ‘me’ of today. After reading these books, I became very intrigued on what it truly means to be human, on my relationship with God and my purpose and mission in life. These books have helped shape my early beliefs so that I am now open to everything that life has to offer and to continuously share the insights I gain with everyone around me and the world. The Celestine Prophecy I believe is way ahead of our time – we are truly on the verge of creating a world in harmony and in peace.
19. Man, The Unknown (Alexis Carrel) – the best book on man that I’ve read – this book won the Nobel Prize for Literature many years ago. My copy is such an old one with no more covers and slowly being eaten by tiny insects. I found it in my grandparents’ attic during my high school years and I found it truly enlightening as to the past, present and future of the human body and spirit. It is a great dissection of man – partly with a medical dissection and a philosophical view towards the species that now dominate activity on the planet. This book is no longer in print but I believe there are still copies in major libraries around the world. Carrel’s insights into our future written more than half a century ago is fascinating as we are on the verge of realizing many of his predictions.
20. The Imagineering Way (The Imagineers, Walt Disney Co.) – an engaging and creative book on the subject of innovation and creativity as written by the creative “Imagineering” group in Walt Disney Co. This division is responsible for all the major innovations and inventions that we have seen transform Walt Disney Co. into one of the greatest and best entertainment companies in the world. The ideas contained in this little book are timeless and inspiring. It truly captures that creativity can be cultivated in any man and that our primary responsibility on the planet is truly to create more out of nothing (if possible). Life as you know it will never be the same after reading this book as their everyday experiences impart to you a sense of possibility that you too can be like them, an Imagineer. (By the way, the word imagineer is the combination of the words imagination and engineer, because these imagineers make their creative ideas a reality.)
21. Tuesdays with Morrie, and Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom) - one of the first inspirational books that I have read. In truth, I don't own a copy yet but I read it just so I can borrow from my crush back in school. =) I found the book so witty and life-transforming as the insights and learning shared by Mitch Albom completely affirmed many of my personal experiences and beliefs early on. Tuesdays with Morrie is a wonderful tale of two people and how they broke barriers to form a bond that will last even after their deaths. The story has revolutionized the way we view relationships. And I especially like to quote these famous lines from the book "Death ends a life, not a relationship." Let this be our guiding light when dealing with our relationships.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
The Amazing Breakthrough
We are truly in exciting times today! The Philippine economy is booming and major industries are getting the boost that they badly need. Remittances from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are enormously helping the Philippine economy. But more important than that, it is creating more middle income families than ever before, unlocking the potential in their families future, and giving millions of opportunities for their children to create their own bright futures.
The Philippines is gaining momentum to become the next tiger economy in Asia. We are reaping the benefits of increased globalization, more open international trade, liberalization of many industries, and a growing army of Pilipino entrepreneurs who are driving the growth in every industry in the country especially regarding services.
The Philippines can learn a lot from our Asian neighbors, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and even Vietnam, who three decades ago were poorly-run economies but today are some of the world’s most vibrant economies.
China and India, both homes of the world’s oldest civilizations have regained their international status as world powers. And they will become the two leading economies of the world in the next fifty years. There’s no doubt about that. Despite the superiority of the US economy today and that of Europe, the balance of power is slowly shifting towards Asia.
Asia is the new battle ground, for almost every arena in our lives today. China with its billion consumers is the heaven market here on Earth for any company. Just imagine how big a 1% market share in China would be. India, China’s next door neighbor, is also emerging as an economic superpower, being home to many of the world’s best engineers, mathematicians and software programmers.
Because of this growth, the 500 biggest companies in the world are constantly in the look out for opportunities and talent in Asia. Opportunities abound. There are new industries being created as a result of this, so the market for job-hunters will only continue to become bigger as each year passes by.
The war for talent will be fought here in Asia. As many of the Western economies are entering their maturity phase, and that of Japan and Australia, Asia is just beginning to wake up.
So if you’re a college student today, dream big and build your education towards these great opportunities. If you are a young professional, look at your current status in life and make a career change if necessary. Be very sure that you are in an industry that will greatly benefit from this.
What I am outlining is just a brief background on things to come. There are better days ahead of us and fortunately, more than of 50% of this will be in Asia. Every major city in Asia today is slowly transforming from Dubai to Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh to Shanghai and Manila – every Asian city is waking up to the riches it greatly deserve.
Ask that this will continue. Believe that it will continue. And it will!
The Great Secret of Life
Now, I will briefly give advice to aspiring Pilipino job-seekers who are struggling to find their place in this big world of possibilities.
Today, I am giving you essential truths that have made me successful in life. I cannot guarantee you whether these truths will work for you or not, but I can assure you that the Way that I used to achieve my goals in life will be the same Way that you will use to be successful in your life.
There is a universal law that works behind everything that we see in the Universe, in the world that we live in. It is a natural law as much as gravity affects everything on the planet.
It is impartial as the law of gravity.
This law is the Universal Law of Attraction. This law states that like attracts like.
This may sound strange at first but think back in your life. When you have focused your thoughts, your words and your actions towards something, you usually got it.
This fundamental law has been in operation since creation. It has been in operation since the time you were born, whether you knew it or not, and today, whether you believe it or not.
This law basically states that you and I attract whatever we think about. If we think about having a Honda Civic Car today, we will get it. Because the Universe will re-arrange your world, the circumstances, the people and the events in your life to bring you what you want, that Honda Civic Car.
Now, you may think that this is a lot of BS. But it’s not. You can find tons of information regarding this on the Internet. And all the great minds in our history – Plato, Galileo, Shakespeare, Hugo, Beethoven, Edison, and Einstein – they all knew this great Secret of life.
And now I am sharing this with you. The reason why you cannot easily manifest the things that you want in your life is because you have focused on the things that you don’t want more than the things that you do want.
Understand this fundamental law. Buy the book. Research the Internet. And you will create the life that you desire.
I have used this Universal Law of Attraction to attract everything I want in my life. And now I am only thinking of positive thoughts, I am only saying positive words and I am only doing positive action – in that way, I can only attract what is positive and the best.
All my life, I have searched for this Great Secret of Life. And last August 1, 2007, I found it in a brilliant book aptly entitled “The Secret.” It gathers all the leading men living today who are teachers of this great Secret of life. And you will learn it once you buy the book or the DVD, or just by searching it through the Internet.
This Universal Law has changed me and now, I want to help You become the best that you can be as I am now starting to do. You are a gift to this Universe. You deserve all the good things in life. And today, is the best day of your life.
It is the best day of Your life because today You have attracted this knowledge into Your life by reading my blog. All these years, you have been searching for the answers to many of your questions. Why do bad things happen to good people? How can I get all the things that I want? How can I become the successful person that I truly know I am?
Today is the beginning of a New Life for You.
You are starting again today.
Today, all the good things in life are coming to You.
But first you need to learn another law, The Universal Law of Gratitude. Yes, there truly is a Law of Gratitude! In much the same way as the Law of Attraction works. The Law of Gratitude is an off-shoot of this law. As you begin to be grateful of all the things that came into your life (the good and bad), you begin to create a better life where you are positive about who you are. Everything that comes into Your life you have attracted. Now, you have learned that in order to make the Law of Attraction work for you, you have to think only positive thoughts, say only positive words, and live out only in the positive way.
An Attitude of Gratitude reinforces the Law of Attraction into bringing only the good things in Your life. As you begin to realize the enormous power of this knowledge, you begin to leverage the power that is inside of You to achieve and get everything you want in life. But do not be selfish in your desires, you can only attract the good things in life if you subscribe to another Law, which is the Law of Giving – this law states that whatever you give, you receive a hundred times more.
See all the beauty that surrounds You!
See all the beauty that is within You!
And you begin to attract only the best for You in this lifetime!
Live your life with passion and purpose. Decide on the meaning of your life. Decide who you want to be. And start to be grateful that the Universe is acting on your dreams. One good book that I can recommend here is Richard Bolles “What is the Color of Your Parachute.” The exercises and insights contained in his book can transform the way you look at yourself, and the exercises can truly help you in deciding which career, which You, among many possibilities, to choose.
You are here on a special mission. But that mission is the mission you decide to carry out. You decide what your mission in life is. You are the creator of your life. Your thoughts literally become things!
Take the time out and play everyday. Laugh a lot. Laughter is the best medicine against stress, against sickness and against all the negativity in the world.
Feel that You are awake, feel the energy inside of You, and be truly alive – for today, You have come to a great discovery, the Great Secret of Life – these Universal Laws that operate within your Universe.
Focus on the good things in your life. Begin to be grateful of your hometown, your city, your family, your friends, your partner, your relatives and everybody and everything in your life. Begin to be grateful even of the small things. And you will begin to transform your life for the best that you can be in your world.
Feel that you are at peace and one with the Universe – You Truly Are! You are energy, as boundless as the galaxies and the stars in the sky. You are made up of energy. You are Energy!
Feel the love, the joy, and the abundance that surrounds you and that is within You. Feel the presence of something great inside of You. Feel the abundance of life in the Universe. And feel abundant about your life. And you will begin to attract great wealth into your life. Only by thinking thoughts of abundance, of wealth, can you create a life that is also in abundance. If you think of lack, then your life will be one of lack. So be positive about your future, intend it – Create It!
Feel that you are free as the eagle that soars in the sky. Feel the boundless possibilities that the Universe offers You. Feel the presence of God’s great power inside You. You are magnificence in form. You are the Perfection of Life!
Today is the best day of Your Life – and everyday after!
Are you feeling the energy within You now?
I am going to outline my simple yet extraordinary life now.
1. I was born 26 years ago in Cotabato City, Mindanao, Philippines.
2. I lived a relatively ordinary and simple life while I was young. I didn’t have the best things in life. I didn’t have all the good things a child can ask for.
3. But I graduated with top honors in elementary and I graduated as class valedictorian in high school.
4. I moved to Davao City for my college education first as a computer science student.
5. I failed two major subjects and left school for good – or so I thought.
6. Seven years ago (2000 AD), a great dream visited me that changed my life – one where I was taught the value of becoming and being “aware,” of what? Of this great Secret of Life.
7. I went back to college and graduated as a consistent dean’s lister, class president, and school club founder.
8. I accepted work from a local subsidiary of Asia’s biggest logistics firm.
9. I transferred to a third-party job for the world’s biggest consumer goods company.
10. I got sick. And in one of the lowest points of my life, I received the Great Secret of Life. The knowledge of these universal laws that govern our lives, our world, and the Universe that we all live in.
11. I recently joined the biggest Australian bank in Asia.
12. I am sharing this wonderful knowledge, this Great Secret of Life, to all those who want to live a Life of Abundance, of Success and of Possibilities.
13. I am the Asian component of the Secret Teachers.
You can reach me at pinoycoach at gmail.com. I run the PinoyCoach Academy with the goal of releasing the Genius in Every Pilipino wherever you may be in the world, of Every Man on the Planet.
________________________
On my next topic, I will share with you the great secrets to get your dream job. And if your dream job is one of the companies listed below, then you’re in luck because I am going to share them with you.
How to be successful when applying to these companies:
(this only applies to job-hunters for Philippine companies as hiring and recruitment decisions may be different elsewhere)
Procter and Gamble Distributing Philippines (P&G)
Unilever Philippines
Toyota Motor Philippines
Petron Corporation
Bench
Kraft Philippines
Hewlett-Packard Philippines
Maersk Filipinas
San Miguel Corporation (SMC)
Lamoiyan Corporation
Nestle Philippines
Philippine Long Distance and Telephone (PLDT) Co.
Smart Communications
Globe Telecom
Sun Cellular
Universal Robina Corporation (URC), JG Summit Holdings
The Philippines is gaining momentum to become the next tiger economy in Asia. We are reaping the benefits of increased globalization, more open international trade, liberalization of many industries, and a growing army of Pilipino entrepreneurs who are driving the growth in every industry in the country especially regarding services.
The Philippines can learn a lot from our Asian neighbors, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and even Vietnam, who three decades ago were poorly-run economies but today are some of the world’s most vibrant economies.
China and India, both homes of the world’s oldest civilizations have regained their international status as world powers. And they will become the two leading economies of the world in the next fifty years. There’s no doubt about that. Despite the superiority of the US economy today and that of Europe, the balance of power is slowly shifting towards Asia.
Asia is the new battle ground, for almost every arena in our lives today. China with its billion consumers is the heaven market here on Earth for any company. Just imagine how big a 1% market share in China would be. India, China’s next door neighbor, is also emerging as an economic superpower, being home to many of the world’s best engineers, mathematicians and software programmers.
Because of this growth, the 500 biggest companies in the world are constantly in the look out for opportunities and talent in Asia. Opportunities abound. There are new industries being created as a result of this, so the market for job-hunters will only continue to become bigger as each year passes by.
The war for talent will be fought here in Asia. As many of the Western economies are entering their maturity phase, and that of Japan and Australia, Asia is just beginning to wake up.
So if you’re a college student today, dream big and build your education towards these great opportunities. If you are a young professional, look at your current status in life and make a career change if necessary. Be very sure that you are in an industry that will greatly benefit from this.
What I am outlining is just a brief background on things to come. There are better days ahead of us and fortunately, more than of 50% of this will be in Asia. Every major city in Asia today is slowly transforming from Dubai to Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh to Shanghai and Manila – every Asian city is waking up to the riches it greatly deserve.
Ask that this will continue. Believe that it will continue. And it will!
The Great Secret of Life
Now, I will briefly give advice to aspiring Pilipino job-seekers who are struggling to find their place in this big world of possibilities.
Today, I am giving you essential truths that have made me successful in life. I cannot guarantee you whether these truths will work for you or not, but I can assure you that the Way that I used to achieve my goals in life will be the same Way that you will use to be successful in your life.
There is a universal law that works behind everything that we see in the Universe, in the world that we live in. It is a natural law as much as gravity affects everything on the planet.
It is impartial as the law of gravity.
This law is the Universal Law of Attraction. This law states that like attracts like.
This may sound strange at first but think back in your life. When you have focused your thoughts, your words and your actions towards something, you usually got it.
This fundamental law has been in operation since creation. It has been in operation since the time you were born, whether you knew it or not, and today, whether you believe it or not.
This law basically states that you and I attract whatever we think about. If we think about having a Honda Civic Car today, we will get it. Because the Universe will re-arrange your world, the circumstances, the people and the events in your life to bring you what you want, that Honda Civic Car.
Now, you may think that this is a lot of BS. But it’s not. You can find tons of information regarding this on the Internet. And all the great minds in our history – Plato, Galileo, Shakespeare, Hugo, Beethoven, Edison, and Einstein – they all knew this great Secret of life.
And now I am sharing this with you. The reason why you cannot easily manifest the things that you want in your life is because you have focused on the things that you don’t want more than the things that you do want.
Understand this fundamental law. Buy the book. Research the Internet. And you will create the life that you desire.
I have used this Universal Law of Attraction to attract everything I want in my life. And now I am only thinking of positive thoughts, I am only saying positive words and I am only doing positive action – in that way, I can only attract what is positive and the best.
All my life, I have searched for this Great Secret of Life. And last August 1, 2007, I found it in a brilliant book aptly entitled “The Secret.” It gathers all the leading men living today who are teachers of this great Secret of life. And you will learn it once you buy the book or the DVD, or just by searching it through the Internet.
This Universal Law has changed me and now, I want to help You become the best that you can be as I am now starting to do. You are a gift to this Universe. You deserve all the good things in life. And today, is the best day of your life.
It is the best day of Your life because today You have attracted this knowledge into Your life by reading my blog. All these years, you have been searching for the answers to many of your questions. Why do bad things happen to good people? How can I get all the things that I want? How can I become the successful person that I truly know I am?
Today is the beginning of a New Life for You.
You are starting again today.
Today, all the good things in life are coming to You.
But first you need to learn another law, The Universal Law of Gratitude. Yes, there truly is a Law of Gratitude! In much the same way as the Law of Attraction works. The Law of Gratitude is an off-shoot of this law. As you begin to be grateful of all the things that came into your life (the good and bad), you begin to create a better life where you are positive about who you are. Everything that comes into Your life you have attracted. Now, you have learned that in order to make the Law of Attraction work for you, you have to think only positive thoughts, say only positive words, and live out only in the positive way.
An Attitude of Gratitude reinforces the Law of Attraction into bringing only the good things in Your life. As you begin to realize the enormous power of this knowledge, you begin to leverage the power that is inside of You to achieve and get everything you want in life. But do not be selfish in your desires, you can only attract the good things in life if you subscribe to another Law, which is the Law of Giving – this law states that whatever you give, you receive a hundred times more.
See all the beauty that surrounds You!
See all the beauty that is within You!
And you begin to attract only the best for You in this lifetime!
Live your life with passion and purpose. Decide on the meaning of your life. Decide who you want to be. And start to be grateful that the Universe is acting on your dreams. One good book that I can recommend here is Richard Bolles “What is the Color of Your Parachute.” The exercises and insights contained in his book can transform the way you look at yourself, and the exercises can truly help you in deciding which career, which You, among many possibilities, to choose.
You are here on a special mission. But that mission is the mission you decide to carry out. You decide what your mission in life is. You are the creator of your life. Your thoughts literally become things!
Take the time out and play everyday. Laugh a lot. Laughter is the best medicine against stress, against sickness and against all the negativity in the world.
Feel that You are awake, feel the energy inside of You, and be truly alive – for today, You have come to a great discovery, the Great Secret of Life – these Universal Laws that operate within your Universe.
Focus on the good things in your life. Begin to be grateful of your hometown, your city, your family, your friends, your partner, your relatives and everybody and everything in your life. Begin to be grateful even of the small things. And you will begin to transform your life for the best that you can be in your world.
Feel that you are at peace and one with the Universe – You Truly Are! You are energy, as boundless as the galaxies and the stars in the sky. You are made up of energy. You are Energy!
Feel the love, the joy, and the abundance that surrounds you and that is within You. Feel the presence of something great inside of You. Feel the abundance of life in the Universe. And feel abundant about your life. And you will begin to attract great wealth into your life. Only by thinking thoughts of abundance, of wealth, can you create a life that is also in abundance. If you think of lack, then your life will be one of lack. So be positive about your future, intend it – Create It!
Feel that you are free as the eagle that soars in the sky. Feel the boundless possibilities that the Universe offers You. Feel the presence of God’s great power inside You. You are magnificence in form. You are the Perfection of Life!
Today is the best day of Your Life – and everyday after!
Are you feeling the energy within You now?
I am going to outline my simple yet extraordinary life now.
1. I was born 26 years ago in Cotabato City, Mindanao, Philippines.
2. I lived a relatively ordinary and simple life while I was young. I didn’t have the best things in life. I didn’t have all the good things a child can ask for.
3. But I graduated with top honors in elementary and I graduated as class valedictorian in high school.
4. I moved to Davao City for my college education first as a computer science student.
5. I failed two major subjects and left school for good – or so I thought.
6. Seven years ago (2000 AD), a great dream visited me that changed my life – one where I was taught the value of becoming and being “aware,” of what? Of this great Secret of Life.
7. I went back to college and graduated as a consistent dean’s lister, class president, and school club founder.
8. I accepted work from a local subsidiary of Asia’s biggest logistics firm.
9. I transferred to a third-party job for the world’s biggest consumer goods company.
10. I got sick. And in one of the lowest points of my life, I received the Great Secret of Life. The knowledge of these universal laws that govern our lives, our world, and the Universe that we all live in.
11. I recently joined the biggest Australian bank in Asia.
12. I am sharing this wonderful knowledge, this Great Secret of Life, to all those who want to live a Life of Abundance, of Success and of Possibilities.
13. I am the Asian component of the Secret Teachers.
You can reach me at pinoycoach at gmail.com. I run the PinoyCoach Academy with the goal of releasing the Genius in Every Pilipino wherever you may be in the world, of Every Man on the Planet.
________________________
On my next topic, I will share with you the great secrets to get your dream job. And if your dream job is one of the companies listed below, then you’re in luck because I am going to share them with you.
How to be successful when applying to these companies:
(this only applies to job-hunters for Philippine companies as hiring and recruitment decisions may be different elsewhere)
Procter and Gamble Distributing Philippines (P&G)
Unilever Philippines
Toyota Motor Philippines
Petron Corporation
Bench
Kraft Philippines
Hewlett-Packard Philippines
Maersk Filipinas
San Miguel Corporation (SMC)
Lamoiyan Corporation
Nestle Philippines
Philippine Long Distance and Telephone (PLDT) Co.
Smart Communications
Globe Telecom
Sun Cellular
Universal Robina Corporation (URC), JG Summit Holdings
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Jay's Secret Part II
I have come in this juncture in my life through 26 years of living a life where I was searching for meaning. This year, last month, on my birthday, September 13, I wrote my mission in life.
It is a life plan where I had set out all the goals that I want to achieve in every area of my life. These goals I will not share with you here but The Way on how to achieve them I will.
Two months ago, I received "The Secret," a book detailing how a certain law, the Law of Attraction governs the Universe we all live in. If only we know how this law works then we can begin to leverage every thought, every word and every action we take towards the realization of our dreams.
And yes, The Secret, presents it all. The Law of Attraction has been in operation for all the history of the Universe, since that first ball of fire burst out to expand into life we now know on the planet as envisioned by the Great Author within.
Simply put, The Secret presents three steps towards which we can achieve our goals in life.
Step 1: Ask
Step 2: Believe
Step 3: Receive
These are the three simple steps that can help You create the life that You want. I will not dwell on the specifics of this law, you will find tons of information regarding this on the Net. What I will share with You is my own personal transformation since the day I received The Secret.
The day before I received The Secret, I asked the Universe for a copy of the book entitled The Secret. Barely eight hours later, a friend bought me a copy at a local bookstore chain.
A day after reading The Secret, I asked the Universe for my dream job. Barely seven days after, my dream job was posted on Jobstreet. Now, two months after my application, I will be starting with my new company which really offers the work that I love.
A week after reading The Secret, I asked the Universe for a laptop, as my birthday gift. Barely two months after, my dad bought me a new computer.
Two weeks after reading The Secret, I asked the Universe for a million dollar idea, as a source of my passive income. Barely a month after, I did have a million dollar idea and with my new computer, I am now finishing this great masterpiece of mine.
A month after reading The Secret, I asked the Universe for a copy of The Secret DVD, as my birthday gift from the author Ms Rhonda Byrne. Sure enough, barely seven days after, the prayer I wrote here entitled "A Prayer of Gratitude" touched Skye Byrne (daughter of Rhonda Byrne) and she contacted me. I asked her if she could give me a copy of The Secret DVD. And true enough, I got my own copy just a week ago straight from Chicago!
This is truly phenomenal for me. The Secret has truly opened the whole Universe to me. I now enjoy my life more. I have shared this great discovery with my family, all my friends and relatives. My mom and sister have adapted it to their lives as well.
The teachings in the DVD and the book, this fundamental law, which is Attraction, truly works. And that is what I want to share with You today.
Take hold of Your life and realize the real You.
And take your existence to the Real Level.
Goodluck and God Bless Us Always!
With love and gratitude,
Jay
It is a life plan where I had set out all the goals that I want to achieve in every area of my life. These goals I will not share with you here but The Way on how to achieve them I will.
Two months ago, I received "The Secret," a book detailing how a certain law, the Law of Attraction governs the Universe we all live in. If only we know how this law works then we can begin to leverage every thought, every word and every action we take towards the realization of our dreams.
And yes, The Secret, presents it all. The Law of Attraction has been in operation for all the history of the Universe, since that first ball of fire burst out to expand into life we now know on the planet as envisioned by the Great Author within.
Simply put, The Secret presents three steps towards which we can achieve our goals in life.
Step 1: Ask
Step 2: Believe
Step 3: Receive
These are the three simple steps that can help You create the life that You want. I will not dwell on the specifics of this law, you will find tons of information regarding this on the Net. What I will share with You is my own personal transformation since the day I received The Secret.
The day before I received The Secret, I asked the Universe for a copy of the book entitled The Secret. Barely eight hours later, a friend bought me a copy at a local bookstore chain.
A day after reading The Secret, I asked the Universe for my dream job. Barely seven days after, my dream job was posted on Jobstreet. Now, two months after my application, I will be starting with my new company which really offers the work that I love.
A week after reading The Secret, I asked the Universe for a laptop, as my birthday gift. Barely two months after, my dad bought me a new computer.
Two weeks after reading The Secret, I asked the Universe for a million dollar idea, as a source of my passive income. Barely a month after, I did have a million dollar idea and with my new computer, I am now finishing this great masterpiece of mine.
A month after reading The Secret, I asked the Universe for a copy of The Secret DVD, as my birthday gift from the author Ms Rhonda Byrne. Sure enough, barely seven days after, the prayer I wrote here entitled "A Prayer of Gratitude" touched Skye Byrne (daughter of Rhonda Byrne) and she contacted me. I asked her if she could give me a copy of The Secret DVD. And true enough, I got my own copy just a week ago straight from Chicago!
This is truly phenomenal for me. The Secret has truly opened the whole Universe to me. I now enjoy my life more. I have shared this great discovery with my family, all my friends and relatives. My mom and sister have adapted it to their lives as well.
The teachings in the DVD and the book, this fundamental law, which is Attraction, truly works. And that is what I want to share with You today.
Take hold of Your life and realize the real You.
And take your existence to the Real Level.
Goodluck and God Bless Us Always!
With love and gratitude,
Jay
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