Care more

Care more about the problems in everyday life, care more about the people around us. Many of us are really blessed. We have high education, good jobs, global exposure, wonderful families, etc. etc. and we get very comfortable with it. We forget that we thus have the responsibility to better our life, better our world.

Care more so you feel the drive to do so.

Be with people who are better than you

They help you to see things you don't see. They stretch your imagination of excellence, accomplishment and good character.

A decade in life...

Just to mark this date as the starting point of a new decade in life. 10 years on a tiny little island, something I never imagined, let alone planned, but it all happened without me even realizing it.

This reminded me of a line Mom told me: Life is made of many many steps, but only a few makes a difference.

Walk carefully in those steps!

Commitment to fight procrastination

I realize when I get last minute about something, it is usually because I am not committed to the task. 'Ya gonna wanna' as in the book. Without such a strong desire, even if you can drag yourself to barely finish the task, you will not be able to motivate your team members.

Problem -> Opporutnity

Every problem is an opportunity to do things better. Every crisis is an danger to push you out of comfort zone. What it takes to make the conversion is the eye for such an opportunity and the willingness to make something good out of a bad situation.

Seize the moment and life gets better because of crisis (=danger+opportunity)!

It is in your mind

If you think you are average, you can be no better than average.

If you shoot for moon, at least you will land on stars.

What can I offer

I thought without me, the sun would still rise and set, and the show will still go on. What I didn't know is little things could make a huge impact (positive and negative). If I could just make the next person a little closer to success, then I am already adding value.

Keep clapping

When hit by a bad surprise, when stumbling over a mistake, we should always keep going, just like the clapping game. It is not about how accurately we clap, but how well we could leave the misses behind and keep clapping. The more we try, the sooner we will get it right.

My piano teacher used to telling me the same. A piece is complete when you complete it. If you can't get over your mistakes and keeping repeating that part, you will forever be stuck there. The more imperative thing is to continue, never ever stop.

Take care of your relationship

When in doubt, make sure you give the benefit of the doubt to the others. It is so much better to keep the relationship positive than try to ensure no money loss. In the latter, the loss on people can not be bought back and therefore does not worth losing. It takes years to build a trust-worthy relationship, but could be destroyed over a second.

Stick out till you get it

Khosla - "I made friends with everyone in the admissions office...' It is not just his persistence but really the friendship he made helped him get in Stanford.
watching his video also reinforced my observation that good people are nice approachable from outside and yet extremely determined and persistent from inside. Khosla refused to leave and sat in the lobby till the deal was signed.

Touching people

It counts more than you thing to reach out to people, provide them value and care for them.

Open vulnerability

To share your problem and ask for advice creates more room for engagement and adds positive vibe to the relationship.

Solving problems

when encountering a problem, instead of searching inward, better to ask around. Ask the people who have done it and ask the customers what they want.

Work hard anyway...

you may not get results from the place you put in most effort, but you will be rewarded elsewhere as long as you are putting your heart into what you do.
"You know 50% of your effort will be wasted, but you don't know which 50%"

Don't forget the stick

People respond better when there is both a carrot and a stick. So always make sure there is a bad cop and a good cop working together.

Starting point...

I should reflect and calibrate from time to time what I have achieved and what needs to be done differently/more to be who I want to be.

It is very important to have good support at work and more so at home. I should start with being of such a support to people who I love...