You Are What You Read

Be mindful of your choice in what you read or watch on the television.

For these materials shape your perceptions and opinions subconsiously, without your knowledge, without your consent. Unknowingly, they feed messages and elicit thoughts that affect decision making and judgement.

You are what you read.

Unworthy of Success

"Man: Why am I deprived of the success that I've worked so hard for?

God: For you are not worthy.

Man: And how is that so, may I ask? Is that not I who is talented, smart, diligent, and capable?

God: Yes, you are. But still unworthy, you are.

Man: How is that so? Which part of me is not worthy?

God: Young man, it's your heart. For your pride will turn into conceit; for your success will blind your kindness. With great success, comes great responsibilities; for your peers who are weaker or less capable, for those who are less fortunate. But quick and easy success can be corrupting, especially for the unpolished heart as yours.

You are not ready. "

- Unknown

Positive Thinking

However bad it is, just think that it could be worse.

No matter how bad things are, it cannot be as bad as having your family washed away by the tsunami; it cannot be as bad as having a kid born with deficiencies; or having brain tumor with your dad having cancer too.

Surely, there is definitely a reason to smile and think positively.

The Slow Poisoning of Passion

"On various occasions, the man had risen to calls beyond his duty. As in his character; he believed that what needed to be done, had to be done. Learning as he went along, seeing to the tasks' satisfactory fulfillments. Pushing beyond his limits of knowledge and experiences. He was on track... or was he?

Yet he lost himself on this journey. Sadly, he'd lost the balance. He lost sight of the end he had in mind; Amidst the cacophony of daily routines and endless demands. The energy was draining, like a vacuum, a blackhole, slowly sucking his passion into it. In time, what's left will be a void.

He asked: 'where is that passion?' "

- Unknown

Refactoring... in practice

For the past 3 days, I have been refactoring a project, working on it relentlessly, non-stop; hoping to complete it for launch this week.

Well, looking at it now, its amazing how much has been done. It looks like something that usually takes a project team weeks to do. But still, I am only half way done. It's still so far away.

The application block that I'm refactoring with is complex. But this is a necessary thing. This must set the foundation for later projects. It must be done now.

But I'm tired, I need a break... Will be back for more.

I'm loving it.

A Human Tendency

It is human to: overemphasis on one's strength and others' weaknesses, and to underestimate one's weaknesses and others' strength.
- Cyrus Crypt

Refactoring

"A change made to the internal structure of the software to make it easier to understand and cheaper to modify without changing its observable behavior." --- Martin Fowler.

Living on Values

"As you live your values, your sense of identity, integrity, control and inner-directed will infuse you with both exhilaration and peace. You will define yourself from within, rather than by people's opinions or by comparisons to others...Ironically, you'll find that as you care less about what others think of you, you will care more about what others think of themselves and their worlds, including their relationship with you... In addition, you'll find it easier and more desirable to change because there is something - some core deep within - that is essentially changeless."

This seem rather abstract isn't it? Some may even think its a whole load of bullshit...

How often do we find that we try to live up to other's expectations, only to stress, frustrate ourselves; and end up disappointed? How often do we feel that we want others' recognition so much, but up disappointed too? Well... the fact is that we should base our lives on self-estemn and confidence, not basing on others views about us, and Covey states that this can be achieved through a solid foundation of living our own lives based on good values.

The ability to believe in one's values and use them to objectively evaluate the situation isn't something that can be achieved easily. But the confidence and peace of mind that comes along can be very rewarding.

Begin with the End In Mind

In Stephen R. Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People", the 2nd habit states that we must begin with the end in mind.

It is actually talking about what are the things that we want to achieve in life. What is the purpose for each individual? What is your calling?

In another newspaper article about achievers, it states that 50% of the people have no idea what they want to achieve; another 40% have some ideas of what they wish to achieve, but fail to act on them; and only 10% know what they want, and actually translate these targets into everyday actions. Actions that result in day-to-day results, that accumulates and contribute to their success.

In retrospect, some said that we must dare to dream. In fact, there is some correlations between having dreams, and having an end in mind. Some greatest achievements that we have seen, are started with a dream; a dream that might have seen laughable at the first instance. Just look at Wright Brother's dream of flight, and Edison's light bulb.

Dream. Dare to dream, and act on it. For what meaning does it give you, just working day to day, hoping for that promotion or increment or dream car? At 70, when you look back, what meaning have you given to your life?

The Folly of Not Asking

The England Agricultural Revolution occurred between 1700 to 1850, took almost 1 1/2 centuries. This was subsequently followed by the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century. It is said that we are living in the third revolution, the Information Revolution. Some argued that it started in the 1950s, and some said that it started with the Internet bloom.

It is clear that with each revolution, it brought about far-reaching transformations in areas of society, ecomony, manufacturing, politics. But what is most critical is the ease, extent and reach of human networking; brought about by advances in communication technology.

As observed by the decreased in time span between the three Revolutions, we can conclude that humans are taking lesser time to advance. Could this be an indirect consequences of the communication advances?

As it became easier for us to collaborate, we began to learn more from each other, directly or indirectly. There was lesser "re-inventing of wheels", effort duplication were reduced, information sharing was increased. The human learning process was steepened many time over; almost expontential, rather than incremental. The rate of technological advances is astounding, almost unreal. I remember when reading sci-fiction characters thousands of miles apart, speaking through wrist-strapped intercom. Today, the sci-fic is reality.

My experiences says that the learning process is almost always shorten if you learn from another individual who has taken a similiar path before you. The saved time can then be spent on the "road less travelled", to explore and discover new unfound knowledge.

It is not a shame to ask if you don't know, it is folly if you don't ask or question. Our forefathers didn't have the mobile phone or the Internet, but we do. So what's stopping you?

Against the Force of Nature, We Humans are Ants...

The Asian Tsunami affected areas

The new year period has always been a time of reflection and self-examing for myself. Yet this year, the Asian Tsunami has brought about a whole new perspective for me.

The death toll stands at 147,000 today. It's hard to imagine how little time it took for so many people to lose their lifes. The force of nature has never been so aptly displayed until today; at least to me, this is the case.

I remember crushing a whole lot of ants with a simple sweep of my hands. I guess at that very moment, those victims must have felt just like those ants, helpless and weak against the onslaught of a much more powerful being. I have always been grateful for our progress in civilisation and technology in this age. The ever-ongoing process of advances and evolution, to dominate over creatures and the environment; based on our ability to innovate. Alas, in the face of nature, we humans are not better than little ants.

If we are indeed like ants, then what meaning does it make for our existance?

My first post

This is my first blog. I wonder who started it all, that created a phenomenon like this today. But it's a wonderful thing that people are free to express themselves as they are with no reservations of being judged or critisize, isn't it.