Act Now!

How difficult can getting into an elevator (also known as a lift in Asia) be? Can we learn simple lessons about getting into an elevator?

I had a eureka moment this morning. It may sound really foolish, but I'm putting myself on the line by sharing my insght here. So, no flaming please. Haha! ;-)

Early this morning, I left my house with my mind occupied on an important assignment. I had put on my socks and shoes, one foot at a time. My mind deep in thought about my assignment. I opened my front door and walked out into the brave new frontier, called "a new day". Step by step, I got closer to the elevator. I could hear the sound of my shoes as it hit the ground with each step. My mind still occupied with my assignment. I stood in front of the elevator, looking at the display above on which floor the elevator was at. My mind still occupied with my assignment. As I waited, I mulled over my assignment. I waited some more.

I began to wonder why the elevator hadn't reached my floor. I thought this was going to be a long wait, that there must have been many people taking the elevator down to the ground floor this morning. So, I waited some more.

Boy, did I feel foolish. I realised that I hadn't pressed the elevator button. There I was, dressed smartly, waiting for the elevator to arrive, and stood there wondering why it didn't arrive. All this while, I had not pressed the elevator button.

I sheepishly walked forward, pressed the elevator button to go down, and Wa-Lah! Within 15 seconds, the elevator arrived. How long was I standing in front of the elevator? About 5 mintues, 5 long minutes or 300 seconds!

What's even more amazing was the simple lesson this episode reinforced in me. The simple lesson was this:

"If you take no action, you get no result". Or to spin this positively, "If you take action, you will definitely get a result".

Let's dissect the statement "If you take no action,you get no result".

Isn't this true? If you take no action, there will be no result, as shown in my example of not pressing the elevator button, I get no result.

What about "If you take action, you will definitely get a result"?

As in my example above, I took action by pressing the elevator button, and the elevator arrived. I got the result.

However, does taking action mean that you get the result you want? Definitely not. If it were that simple, everyone will be wealthy, healthy and happy because everyone will be taking action every minute. The only guarantee we have is that we will definitely get a result when we take action. The caveat is that the result may not be what we want or expect, but its still a result nonetheless. Is this good?

Yes it is. If you have a goal, you need to take action to get closer to it. By taking action, you get a result. If the result is not what you expected or want, take action again with a different method and review the result again. The result simply tells you that the action taken will yeield the result. If its not the result you want or expect, change the action and take action again. You will then learn what works and what doesn't. This will definitely drive you closer and closer to your goals. Sometime, taking action will not yield a result at all. The result of having no result is a result in itself. It means that you have to change your tactic and take action again.

The opposite is also true. If you have a goal and do not take action, you will definitely get no result. 100% of the time. This is the only guaranteed result...of getting no result. THis is the only sure thing.

So why is it so difficult to take action? Let me list a few reasons I have heard:

1. Its too difficult.
2. It takes too much effort.
3. I started taking action, but lost the fire in me to continue because I'm not getting result.
4. I don't know what the outcome will be. I'm afraid.
5. I'm afraid I will fail.

All these are e-x-c-u-s-e-s. Repeat after me. All these are EXCUSES. If the action does not produce the result you want, its not failure. It simply tells you that your action may not be appropriate at this point in time. Change your tactic and take action again. Life is a learning experience. The more you learn, the better you will be, the more confident you will be, the easier it will be to take more action.

Its also a matter of momentum. The first few steps are the most difficult. Once the first few steps are taken, the rest will follow. Its will rolling a ball down a hill. It rolls down faster and faster. The hard part is rolling it down in the first place. Its a matter of inertia.

So, take action now. No matter how small, you will definitely get a result. This result will tell you if you are on the right path or not. If not, change your tactic, and take action.

Wishing you a successful journey filled with joy and learnings! Don't be too serious. Have fun while you learn and take action.

Bernard

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Copyright © Bernard Ong, 2006,2007.
All Rights Reserved

No Time? Whom are we kidding?

I have not been posting for the last month due to my hectic schedule. Yeah, its probably just an excuse! :-) You are absolutely right and I plan for fix that. Now on with my observations.

Have you ever heard others telling you they have no time? Whom are they kidding? Let me rephrase that. Have you ever heard of you telling yourself that you have no time? Whom are you kidding?

Many of us go through life in a daze. Somewhere down the road (like 10 years from now), we will wonder where all the time went to. Time seemed to zoom past us. Life seemed to pass us by in the blink of an eye.

No time?

Everyone has the same amount of time. Yet, some are able to achieve so much, others not much. Strange isn't it? You may guess that I am alluding to time management techniques. Well, yes. However, I'd like to also show you and make you realise that you really do have the same amount of time as everyone else.

We all have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, about 30 days a month. Think about it. 24 hours a day, that is 1440 minutes a day. By the way, a few of those minutes has already gone by. We all have 168 hours a week. Only 168 hours, including time for sleeping. How much can you do in 168 hours? Let me do some calculation here:

1. Number of hours a day = 24
2. Number of waking hours a day = 16 (assuming you sleep 8 hours a day)
3. Number of waking hours a week = 16x7 = 112



Only 112 waking hours a week, or 6720 minutes a week that you are awake. How are you using the 6720 minutes?

Its really interesting when I hear the phrase "I have no time". But then, who has? We are all busy, we all have many things to do.

Those who accomplish much isn't simply good at time management. They also have a strong goal, a goal that has become a MUST for them to achieve. That goal is so compelling that it drives them to use every single waking minute in taking action. That's the trick. Taking action.

I have included a sample schedule for you to look at. Believe it or not, your entire life for 1 month is on this schedule. There is no other life outside of this schedule. Take a look at it. It starts from 6am to 12am (assuming you sleep from 12am to 6am), and every day (day 1 to day 31) is mapped out. All your available time is on this simple piece of paper.

Dare you crumple it and throw it away? The whole sheet of paper is your entire life for one month. What you plan to do is all on this sheet of paper. Whatever is NOT on this sheet of paper is what you will NOT do because you will not have time to do it. Its as simple as that.

As I had written in previous posts, always write your activities down. Schedule time for it. I hope this give you a good glimpse into how precious time is and how fleeting it is. Time is ticking away. Waste not, for it will never come back again. After the month is gone, this sheet of paper is worth nothing and can be thrown away because the time has passed. You will start life on another brand new sheet of schedule for the next month.

Here is the schedule:

If the image isn't too clear, you can always drop me a comment requesting for the original spreadsheet and I will gladly send it to you. If you need more clarification or explanation on what the symbols mean, do drop me a comment and I will be happy to explain it.

Remember, time it ticking away. Make full use of it. Live life to the fullest.

Bernard

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Copyright © Bernard Ong, 2006,2007.
All Rights Reserved

Learning to excel?

Very recently, I was an an optometrist, you know, the guy who tests your eyes and gives you a prescription for lenses so that you can see better.
I noticed a lady in the store and overheard her conversation with the optometrist. No, I wasn't eavesdropping. :-) I just happened to be nearby.
:-)

She had long-sightedness in one eye, and short-sightedness in the other. Her right eye never needed any prescription lenses until it become short-sighted. All the while, she used her left eye to look at things far away (with a prescription lense), while her right eye was used to read (no lenses). This was done automatically as the brain adjusted and compensated for the distance.

This time, her right eye was more short-sighted and needed a prescription lens. WHen she put on the lense, she felt like the world had gone topsy turvy. It felt uncomfortable. Reading was difficult and slower.
The interesting observation the optometrist made was that the brain had not yet learned how to adjust to the correct eyesight in the right eye and the neorological connections in the brain were not yet made. It would take time. I'm glad to say that her brain has already made the neorological connections today, and its been only a few days.

This proves one premise that I always held. The human mind is very intelligent and adaptable. It will do whatever it takes to survive. This also proves that nothing is unlearnable. In this instance, the brain did the neurological connections automatically.

What about time management and effectiveness?

As I had written in my previous posts, effectiveness can be learned. It is a skill that must be cultivated into a habit. This example clearly demonstrates that we can all learn anything and be good at it. It only requires the willingness in our mind to want to learn, to want to excel, to want to achieve. Without this passion, nothing is possible. The brain makes neorological connections because it has to in order to survive. It had become a 'MUST'.

Is being effective a 'MUST' to you? How much do you want to achieve? Why do you want to be effective and achieve your goals? Why?
Ask yourself 'why' three times to help you clarify your goals. For example, if you want to have a net worth of $1 Million, ask why. Having $1 Million is only an objective. Why do you want it? After you answer the first why, ask a second why to your answer, and later a third why. This will draw out the real reason to your goals, then it becomes a 'MUST' with passion.

You can learn to excel and achieve anything you wish for. The ability to learn and adapt is within everyone's DNA. Unleash your power and shoot for the moon!

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Copyright © Bernard Ong, 2006,2007.
All Rights Reserved

Do you know where you are going to?

As the song goes, "Do you know where you're going to". Think about it. Do you REALLY know where you're going to? Every day, we have a deluge of tasks and activities.

Sometimes in the morning, I feel over overwhelmed, nervous, agitated. Nervous about what the day will bring. I replay the activities I have to do in the day. THen I replay it again, and again and again, reminding myself of what I have to do today. Sometimes, the sequence of activities get rearranged and I replay it again. Then I feel nervous about it, hoping I will not forget my tasks for the day, and to do it in the correct sequence. I used to have all these feelings. I used to do this when I woke up in the morning, during my shower, on the way to work. That was then, this is now. All this miraculous went away after I used the techniques I have described in this blog. The simplest of all is to write things down, everything you need to do have to be written down.

Another important step normally forgotten is to assign a start time and end time for each activity, otherwise the list is only a to-do list, and a to-do list without the time element is a wish list at best.

Imagine yourself swimming out at sea and a boat comes along. Someone from the boat throws a float with a rope attached to it. The person on the boat is holding on to the rope. If the sea has strong currents, you will be bobbing to and fro at sea, and will be unable to carry on in the direction you wanted to go.

However, if you caught on to the float, it will help to steady your position and you can pull yourself along the rope to the boat, even though the sea currents may be strong.

The rope is like your activity list with the time element. It helps you navigate through strong and rough currents of the day without gulping sea water or feeling helpless and tired.

No matter how busy you are, always practice this habit. This is the simplest and most basic habit in time management, yet many neglect it. Many choose the path that will have them thrown about helplessly in the sea of overwhelming activities in the day, rather than spend 15 minutes at the end of each day,planning for the next. Let's not even talk about planning for the month or the day, or even about goals yet. If you cannot even plan a day and follow the schedule, how can you plan for a month and begin to achieve your life dreams?

Take one step at a time. All it takes is one step at a time. Have patience, practice this simple habit, and your dreams will slowly manifest themselves as you take consistent action daily.

Carpe Diem!!! (Sieze the day!!!)

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Copyright © Bernard Ong, 2006,2007.
All Rights Reserved

What are you doing NOW?

We all have many activities we perform every single day. When asked, you will normally get the reply, "I have a thousand-and-one things to do today". Really? How effective is that?

What you do today or now is an individual's decision. What you do not do today or now, is also an individual's decision. So, is not doing anything bad?

Not at all. You would have read in many books that we must take action, we must be effective. Lest we forget, we also need rest to recharge.
I was in a cab today. The cab ride was to be about an hour. I felt really restless as I wouldn't have any internet connection to check email etc. I didn't really want to read a book for fear of getting carsick! :-) But doing nothing for an hour is a waste of time. Well not really. I decided to write this entry as relaxation and take a break from the hustle and bustle of my schedule. I decided on that action. I repeat, 'I' decided on taking that action. I felt really good. We would normally just go with the flow and do stuff. Once yo are aware and fully conscious of your decision on an activity, whether it be for work or play, somehow, you get more focused on it, and put in 100% effort, instead of simply doing it. Sounds really mystical? Not at all.

Many of us walk around in a daze, as though we are sleep walking. We need to practice the art of being in-the-moment, being here in the present, being aware of the present. Do this experiment. Do you notice your breathing?....Now you do. And I bet you took a deep breath when you noticed. That single breath provided some calmness to you. Because you were aware. We need to cultivate this habit in our daily lives. Yes, its a habit. We are normally caught up in our own world of problems that we forget to smell the roses...till its too late.

Make that decision. Take the responsibility. Give yourself permission to be fully in the present for 5 minutes. You will feel your energy levels increase, you will feel calmer and more focused.

One way of making this a habit is to keep a time log (see my previous posts). A time log forces you to notice what you HAD done and rate yourself. When it becomes a habit, you will tend to notice the present.
Just a small piece of the effectiveness puzzle I'd like to share.

Go on, smell the roses, and record the activity in your time log.

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Copyright © Bernard Ong, 2006,2007.
All Rights Reserved