'Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.' - George Bernard Shaw

The past decade has been a transformational journey of change and growth. As I celebrate entering the second half of my thirties, I'm taking time to reflect on the shifts that have reshaped my perspective and priorities.

The gradual fading of high school friendships as people moved and life took us in different directions has been bitter sweet. The car community I was once active in also dissipated as my interests evolved. These experiences highlighted how external factors can reshape our social connections over time.

Letting go of the powerlifting and coffee competitions that previously occupied my time was necessary self-reflection. It allowed me to focus more intentionally on exploring new interests, developing my business and becoming aware of what genuinely resonates with me.

With each opening location within Sydney brought a fresh start. From Glebe, Darlinghurst, St Leonards and coming this year, Chatswood. Each space I've formed new community ties and appreciated the gifts each area offers. These moves have been catalysts for adaptation and growth. While establishing local connections in St Leonards has had unforeseen challenges, it's been a thought-provoking learning curve. I'm studying how to create inclusive spaces and trying new approaches to building community. Though difficult at times, these experiences create growth opportunities.

On a different level, building my online and in-person breathwork and meditation community over the past few years has been incredibly rewarding. Launching two newsletters and podcasts has allowed me to build new communities while engaging in meaningful work.

Now on a personal level, getting married and reconnecting with family have nurtured my appreciation for intimate relationships. My roles within my family continue to evolve as we support each other's growth. Cultivating quality time together is now a priority in how I spend my energy.

As I turn 36, I feel equipped with these lessons and ready to welcome the surprises and unknowns ahead. I envision deepening ties both locally and online, expanding my reach and evolving my business naturally in alignment with my values. I'm open to revisiting past interests like travel, powerlifting or cars in new ways. My social circles will continue to shift emphasising quality over quantity and meaningful shared interests.

Above all, I plan to embrace life's changes with optimism and an open heart. I look forward to each moment as an opportunity for personal growth and positive contribution to my community. There are sure to be challenges that catalyse growth, new perspectives that shift my priorities and surprises that bring pain and joy. I'm grateful you're here with me on this never-ending adventure of life.

Weekly Audio Journal by Kevin Ly Social is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

2024 will not be a year of mere survival; it will be our canvas for creating abundance and prosperity.

As the calendar turns to 2024, I find myself reflecting on the tumultuous journey of the past year. 2023 was, for lack of a better word, challenging. It tested the resilience and adaptability of many, myself included. The business landscape was rugged, marked by uncertainty and a constant sense of struggle. We found ourselves caught in a narrative of negativity, each of us battling to keep our heads above water. It was a year where survival seemed like the only goal and a scarcity mindset became the default.

However, a new year comes the opportunity for renewal and change. I've made a conscious decision to change my internal dialogue in 2024. This year, I am choosing to shift from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance. Instead of contracting, I am preparing to step out, to play on both defense and offense with equal strength.

The crux of this transformation lies in thinking beyond the immediate. It's about seeing the larger picture, understanding the value of systems and processes over solitary moves. For too long, the attempt to juggle every aspect by myself has been the norm. But this year, I am embracing collaboration, delegation and strategic planning. It's about building a framework that not only supports growth but also fosters innovation and opportunity.

This blog post serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it is a public declaration of my intentions for the year ahead. It is an announcement to my peers, colleagues and competitors that I am re-entering the arena with a refreshed perspective and renewed energy. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it is a personal reminder. A note to my future self, to revisit whenever I feel doubt or pessimism creeping in. It's my guiding light back to a path of growth and positivity.

The transition from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance is not just about changing a few thought patterns. It's about a fundamental shift in how I perceive challenges and opportunities. It involves reprogramming the instinct to contract under pressure and replacing it with the impulse to expand and explore new possibilities. It's about understanding that growth often comes from the most unexpected places and that opportunity can be found even in the midst of adversity.

As I set on this journey of transformation, I invite you, my readers, to join me. Let's make 2024 a year of abundant thinking, of seizing opportunities and of collective growth. Let's move forward with the understanding that our mindset shapes our reality and a shift towards positivity and abundance can open opportunities we never knew existed.

To everyone stepping into 2024 with hopes and aspirations, remember: the new year is more than just a change in the calendar. It's a chance to redefine our priorities, to shift our perspectives, and to embrace the abundance that life has to offer. Let's make this year count!

Weekly Audio Journal by Kevin Ly Social is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

"Just like carefully assembling a puzzle, my journey from a 9-year-old tech enthusiast to a café owner demonstrates how life's pieces can fit together in the most unexpected ways."

My obsession with technology began as a 9-year-old, when a cousin like figure introduced me to the world of computers. I was immediately obsessed! Our trips to the computer market started a fire in me - carefully selecting parts and assembling them perfectly like pieces of a puzzle. I dived deep into understanding how each component – the motherboard, RAM, hard drives – clicked into place.

This curiosity sparked a lifelong passion for computers. I experimented endlessly at home alongside friends who shared my enthusiasm. We dove into programming and troubleshooting, propelling each other further with every new discovery. I soon began devouring computer magazines, yearning to build my own customised machine. When I finally assembled my very own computer, the end result was fleeting but the process would always keep me up at night in excitement.

My thirst for knowledge expanded beyond just computers. I became interested in Japanese performance cars - absorbing everything about their engineering and mechanics. I dreamed of one day not just appreciating cars, but tuning and modifying them to perfection.

Years later, this journey led me to open my first café with childhood friends. On the surface, running a café appears completely unrelated to computers or cars. Yet now in hindsight, I noticed striking parallels. The meticulous attention to equipment in the café mirrored my approach in working with computer hardware and auto parts. Optimising each piece of coffee gear brought back memories of assembling computers and tuning cars.

I realised then that the underlying passion driving all my interests lay in processes - the intricate dance of combining parts and elements to create an ideal system. Whether with computers, cars or cafés, I thrived on learning, experimenting and refining. Over the last decade, I expanded my business to three coffee shops, constantly honing the operational processes integral to success.

This journey has shown me that dedication to continuous improvement is what I truly love. My motivation does not stem from any single result, but from falling in love with the process itself - finding joy in each step of the learning and growth.

As I move forward, I hope to apply this mindset more widely while also guiding others in appreciating process over outcomes. I want to highlight the beauty in personal progress, problem-solving and lifelong learning across all pursuits. There is fulfilment to be found in passionately chasing small improvements day after day.

This is my final audio journal post of 2023 and I wish you all a safe and happy holiday. Catch you in 2024 for more reflections and insights.

"The professional loves her work. She is invested in it wholeheartedly. But she does not forget that the work is not her." - Steven Pressfield

In the relentless pursuit of our careers, it's easy to blur the lines between our work and our identity. Yes, passion is vital. It drives us, fuels our creativity, and pushes us to achieve the extraordinary. But, there's a subtle art in loving what we do without letting it consume who we are.

Reflecting on this, I think about the journey I've been on. From the intense days of university work life to the entrepreneurial hustle, my work has always been a significant part of my life. But, it is not my entire life. The distinction is crucial.

Here are a few thoughts on balancing professional passion with personal identity:

1. Your Value Beyond Work: Remember, your worth isn't solely tied to your professional achievements. You're valuable because of who you are, not just what you do.

2. Diverse Interests: Cultivate interests outside of work. Whether it's a hobby, volunteering or simply spending time with loved ones, these activities enrich your life and offer a fresh perspective.

3. Self-Reflection: Regularly take time to reflect. Ask yourself: "Am I working on something I love or am I defining myself solely by my work?" This can be a revealing exercise.

4. Setting Boundaries: It's essential to set boundaries between work and personal life. This helps in maintaining a healthy balance and avoiding burnout.

5. Growth Mindset: Embrace a growth mindset. See your career as a part of your life where you grow, learn, and contribute, but not the entirety of your existence.

So love what you do, give it your all, but remember - you are much more than your work. Your identity is a combination of your passions, experiences, relationships and beliefs. Cherish it.

How do you maintain a balance between your professional passion and personal identity? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Weekly Audio Journal by Kevin Ly Social is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

"You must cultivate activities that you love. You must discover work that you do, not for its utility, but for itself..." - Anthony de Mello

In our achievement-driven world, it's easy to lose touch with activities that ignite our souls. Anthony de Mello wisely reminds us to discover work we do for its own sake, not just its outcome. This journey unlocks the gateway to freedom and love.

Finding Your Soul's Calling

The first step is tuning out societal noise and expectations. Experiment with new hobbies, recall moments when you lost track of time, and reflect on what activities align with your true passions. Don't rush this discovery process.

Cultivating Passion for its Own Sake

Go beyond surface enjoyment. Find work that grips your soul, not for recognition or results, but for the pure experience. Garden, write, paint or code for the joy of creating. Cherish the creative process over the end product.

Freedom Through Soulful Work

In activities that resonate deeply, external validation becomes irrelevant. Your sense of worth stems from the work itself. This liberates you to make authentic choices, guided by internal fulfilment rather than external pressures.

Love Blossoms from Freedom

Freedom unlocks self-love. As you follow your soul's calling, you nurture compassion for yourself. This radiates outwards, influencing how you see others. Aligning with your true passions illuminates the pathway to love.

Taking the First Step

Reflect on what activities absorb you completely. Cooking, teaching, writing - find these soul sparks and give them space to grow. Discovering your soul's true calling is the passport to freedom and love.

Weekly Audio Journal by Kevin Ly Social is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

George Shinn highlighted an important truth: "There is no such thing as a self-made man. You will reach your goals only with the help of others." This shatters the illusion of the 'self-made' individual, revealing that success is always a joint effort.

Our culture often celebrates individual triumphs, leading us to believe in the myth of the lone wolf. This narrative of solitary struggle against all odds is misleading. Did the most influential leaders and innovators really achieve greatness alone? A deeper inspection shows a consistent theme of teamwork and mutual support.

Leaders need teams. A solitary leader is like a captain without a crew. A leader's real power lies in their ability to rally, motivate and steer others toward shared goals.

Admitting the need for assistance is a courageous act of humility and a willingness to learn. Success involves knowing when to lean on others, not a display of weakness, but an understanding of success's complex nature.

Collaborative efforts unleash potential far beyond individual capabilities. The combined energy of a group often exceeds the sum of separate efforts, fostering innovation, transformative ideas and lasting change.

Building a supportive network isn't about gathering a group of yes people or seeking constant approval. It's about connecting with a variety of individuals who provide unique insights, challenge your ideas and offer diverse skills. This group becomes your counsel, your mentors and at times, your challengers.

Reflect on George Shinn's wisdom as you journey through life and career. Resist the allure of the self-made myth. Lean into collaboration, ask for help when necessary, and form a team that amplifies your strengths. True success is a collective journey, not a solitary one.

Weekly Audio Journal by Kevin Ly Social is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Amidst the endless pinging, ringing and buzzing of tasks vying for our attention, it's easy to lose focus. We've all had days where we jumped from one task to the next, accomplishing bits and pieces but nothing meaningful. 

To break out of this draining cycle, try out… "The One Thing." This concept emphasises identifying the single most important task and prioritising it above all else. 

Stop trying to multitask and be everything to everyone. Instead, pause and ask yourself, "What is the one thing that, if completed today, would make everything else easier or even unnecessary?"

As Stephen Covey put it, "Schedule your priorities, don't just prioritise your schedule." Look beyond the bustling schedule and distractions taking up your time. Reflect on what truly aligns with your core values and long-term goals.

Pinpointing this One Thing requires self-awareness and conscious effort. Reflect on your bigger objectives and consider: What is the one action I could take today that would significantly advance my priorities? This could be having a crucial conversation, making progress on a key project or any singular task that creates momentum.

Once you've identified your One Thing, protect and schedule time for it. Set firm boundaries and minimise distractions to focus on this top priority task. Completing your One Thing will boost your productivity and progress.

Of course, singular focus takes practice. But by zeroing in on your daily One Thing, you'll find greater clarity and alignment. Try keeping a daily log of your One Thing to help keep you on track and accountable.

I hope this helps if you’re new to this and if you’re already doing this I hope this serves a reminder to stay on course.

Weekly Audio Journal by Kevin Ly Social is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Life is filled with ups and downs. One day we feel joyful and content. The next, we're saddened or stressed. Our moods fluctuate constantly in response to life's circumstances.

But what if we didn't let external factors control how we feel? What if we made a conscious choice to be happy, regardless of what's happening around us?

This may sound difficult. But it all comes down to perspective - how we choose to see the world and our place in it.

Let's try a little experiment. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your happiness right now? Be honest. Now, here's the twist: you can't pick 7.

Interesting, isn't it? We often gravitate towards the middle, not wanting to commit to being truly happy or unhappy. 7 feels like a safe, comfortable choice. But is this serving us?

Choosing 7 means we're letting outside forces determine our inner state. It means we're reluctant to take responsibility for our own happiness.

What if, instead, we made the courageous choice to pick 8, 9 or 10? This simple shift in perspective could transform our daily lives.

Suddenly, rather than focusing on problems, we'd notice all there is to appreciate. Instead of dwelling on what's lacking, we'd find fulfilment in the here and now.

Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right." This profound statement isn't just about our abilities or inabilities but extends to our emotions and state of mind. I believe the same goes for happiness. If you think you're happy, you are. If you think you're not, well, you're right again.

This is the power of choosing happiness. It allows us to shape our reality, to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Yes, there will still be difficult times. But by choosing happiness as our baseline, we give ourselves the gift of a more joyful, meaningful life.

So today, challenge yourself. Choose a number higher than 7. Then watch the world transform around you.

Happiness is a choice we must make again and again. But it's a choice that can change everything.

Weekly Audio Journal by Kevin Ly Social is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." - Robert Collier

When we talk about business, our minds often jump to the extremes: the local mom-and-pop shop down the street and the multinational corporation with its large skyscrapers. The assumption? That the larger the company, the greater the effort required to manage it. However, the truth is more nuanced.

Big Dreams, Big Responsibilities

Running a large corporation comes with its fair share of responsibilities. From managing numerous employees, navigating complex supply chains, to maintaining a global brand image - it's no small feat. It demands strategic planning, a robust team, and a vision that spans continents.

However, with size comes resources. Large companies have departments dedicated to specific functions, from HR to marketing, and can hire top talent to lead initiatives.

Small Dreams, Equally Big Responsibilities

On the flip side, while a small business might have a smaller team and perhaps a local footprint, the challenges are just as significant. With limited resources, the owner often wears multiple hats - from being the CEO to the janitor. Decisions need to be made quickly, and the margin for error is thin. In essence, while the scale is different, the intensity of effort remains high.

Adding to that, small businesses often grapple with challenges like limited capital, intense competition from both local and big players and the need for fast adaptability.

The Common Denominator: Time

Whether you're steering a startup or a corporation, there are only 24 hours in a day. Time is the great equaliser. It's not about how many hours you put in, but how you utilise those hours. Efficiency, strategy, and prioritisation become key, irrespective of the company's size.

In the end, whether you dream big or small, the effort required to turn those dreams into reality is huge. It's not the size of the company but the passion, commitment and strategy that determine success. As Robert Collier said, success is built upon consistent, small efforts. So, whether you're at the helm of a local café or a global enterprise, remember: the journey, challenges, and rewards are more similar than they might seem at first glance.

If you are feeling generous (and inspired) feel free to share it with others who might find it valuable. Thank you for reading.

Our days are often filled with endless tasks, buzzing phones and overflowing inboxes. It can seem impossible to find peace amidst the daily chaos. But I rediscovered a simple yet profound practice that creates a state of calm: the Buddha's Smile. 

I first learned this practice during meditation at a temple when I was in primary school. The master would say sit cross legged, sit up straight, look down 45 degrees, don’t completely shut your eyes, breath in with your nose deeply into your belly and relax your face into a soft grin. This smile would melt away any stress or tension. It became a soothing companion to my practice. 

That was many many years ago and it wasn’t until recently I discovered that I can actually bring it into my daily life. I didn’t have to be sitting down cross legged… I could do it while walking, driving, waiting in line, basically almost any other time! As I went about my routine with a gentle smile, my usual tension faded. Chores seemed lighter, the world less hostile. Amidst the daily chaos, the smile created a sense of peace. 

Thich Nhat Hanh wisely said "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy." This proved true for me. The simple act of smiling became a bridge, connecting my meditative calm to my busy day.

The Buddha's Smile is accessible anytime, anywhere. In the middle of errands or emails, I relax my jaw and allow a grin to emerge. This immediately shifts my state - shoulders soften, breath deepens, and perspective widens. The facade of urgency melts away.

Each morning, I step into the world with a Buddha's Smile, carrying tranquility into my day. The boundaries between formal practice and daily life blur.

I invite you to try this simple practice. Let the Buddha's Smile soften your day and open your heart. May it reveal peace within daily life and spread serenity to the world around you. Your smile can be an anchor in the present moment.

If you are feeling generous (and inspired) feel free to share it with others who might find it valuable. Thank you for reading.

Life often feels like a bunch of random events outside of our control. A coin flip, a roll of dice, a game of cards - each single event seems to offer a glimpse into the future. But in truth, these flashes are a mirage. Each coin flip or die roll is independent, unaffected by previous outcomes and powerless to influence future results.

In our yearning for order amidst the chaos, it's tempting to seek patterns where none exist. To believe a run of bad luck foreshadows impending good fortune. Or that a lucky charm controls our destiny. But surrendering to these illusions only brings anguish when life's randomness defies our invented narratives.

The healthiest mindset embraces life's uncertainty. We can still prepare our minds to capitalise on chance events when they arise. But expectations should live lightly, with an openness to all possibilities. Control is an illusion, but serendipity awaits those with equanimity to receive it.

By accepting life's beautiful randomness, we free ourselves to live and grow through unpredictable joys and discoveries. Freed from the shackles of illusion, our spirits can dance and wonder freely, prepared but not expecting. Present to nurture seeds of serendipity into whatever bloom they wish to become.

The prepared mind is favoured by chance. But preparation means equipping ourselves for calm within the storm. To meet each moment with graceful acceptance, undeterred by life's twists and turns. For in the end, the only sustainable power lies in letting go. Anchored within, amidst the chaos, we touch the stillness that brings lasting peace.

Reflections Questions:

* How would our lives change by embracing uncertainty rather than inventing false narratives?

* What practices can cultivate equanimity and openness to thrive in randomness?

* How can we prepare our minds to capitalise on serendipity when it arises?

If you are feeling generous (and inspired) feel free to share it with others who might find it valuable. Thank you for reading.

In our constantly connected world, it's rare to find a moment of true stillness. Our attention is endlessly pulled in different directions by pings, notifications and the allure of scrolling. But what if the secret to unlocking creativity and maintaining sanity is simply doing nothing?

Sharing with you the ‘clarity break” - an intentional pocket of time for quiet reflection. No screens, no tasks, no stimuli. Just you, your thoughts and the world around you. While it may sound counterintuitive in our busy world, these brief moments of stillness have become a sanctuary for me.

Why Clarity Breaks?

Stepping away from the constant noise clears space for ideas. As Einstein said, "Creativity is the residue of time wasted." Clarity breaks also act as a reset button, allowing us to return to tasks refreshed. They are strategic pauses designed to enhance productivity and well-being.

The Power of Doing Nothing

It's ironic that in our world of doing more, doing nothing becomes out of the ordinary. But the benefits of clarity breaks are important:

* Enhanced Creativity: Without distractions, our minds can wander and make new connections.

* Reduced Stress: Stepping back from chaos allows us to gain perspective and reduces overwhelm.

* Improved Focus: After a break, we often tackle tasks with greater concentration.

Embracing Stillness

Start small with just 5 minutes of silence per day, then grow this to two blocks of 30 minutes per day. Find a quiet spot, leave devices behind, and simply be. As Lao Tzu said, "To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders."

While the world continues its hectic pace, remember the power of stillness. Clarity breaks offer introspection, creativity and rejuvenation. As da Vinci said, "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Embrace the simplicity of doing nothing for periods throughout the day and watch your awareness transform.

Will you try integrating clarity breaks? Share your thoughts and experiences below!

If you are feeling generous (and inspired) feel free to share it with others who might find it valuable. Thank you for reading.

“To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.” ~ Eva Young

We've all been there before. You have a brilliant idea or ambitious dream. Instead of taking action, you start overanalysing every little detail. More doubts creep in and excitement fades. Before you know it, another dream is left collecting dust.

Overthinking is the enemy of progress. Too much pondering scatters focus and leaves you stuck in paralysis by analysis. It dilutes the energy and drive required to take that first step.

Imagine if you channeled all that overthinking into meaningful action. You'd be shocked at what you could accomplish. More dreams would transform into reality. But this requires focus.

Identify the vital few actions that will drive your goals forward. Don't get bogged down analysing every single detail and possibility. Streamline your focus on the high-impact activities that will make a difference.

The time you currently spend overthinking could be used to turn more dreams into tangible results. So ask yourself:

* What goals or dreams have you been overthinking lately?

* What's preventing you from taking your first step?

* What ONE action can you take today to start making progress?

NOW take that action and do it everyday for as many days as you can.

Thinking is necessary, but overthinking drains your efforts. Don't just ponder - take focused action. The journey begins with a single step forward. A step you can take, starting today.

If you are feeling generous (and inspired) feel free to share it with others who might find it valuable. Thank you for reading.

The Challenge: Shifting the Mind with the Mind

One of the most profound lessons I've learned from Tony Robbins is that it's incredibly difficult to shift your mindset using your mind alone. When you're in a negative state, your mind becomes a breeding ground for more negativity, making it almost impossible to come up with constructive solutions. It's like trying to clean a muddy puddle with more mud; it just doesn't work.

The Solution: State, Story, Strategy

Tony Robbins never lets us brainstorm or strategise in a poor state. Instead, he introduces us to the Triple S Technique:

* State: The first step is to change your physical state. This could be through movement, breathing exercises or even a cold shower. The idea is to shake off the negative energy and make room for positivity.

* Story: Once your state has shifted, the next step is to change your story. Adopting an attitude of gratitude or focusing on your strengths can dramatically alter your perspective.

* Strategy: Only after you've managed to shift your state and story should you move on to strategising your future. Now, your mind is in the right place to come up with effective and constructive plans.

My Daily Practice

Every morning, I start my day with a cold shower to instantly change my physical state. It's like hitting the reset button on my body and mind. Then, I adopt an attitude of gratitude, reminding myself of all the blessings and challenges in my life, effectively shifting my story. Finally, I move on to strategising my day, setting goals and planning tasks with a clear, positive mindset.

Throughout the day, whenever I feel stressed or overwhelmed, I use different breathing techniques like the Wim Hof Method to shift my state. Once again, I adopt an attitude of gratitude before moving on to strategising solutions to whatever challenges I'm facing.

The Triple S Technique by Tony Robbins is a simple yet powerful method to ensure that you're always operating from a place of positivity and clarity. By first focusing on your state and story, you set the stage for effective strategising, ensuring that you're not just solving problems, but solving them well.

So, the next time you find yourself stuck in a negative loop, remember the Triple S Technique: Shift your State, change your Story, and only then, Strategise your future. It's a formula that has worked wonders for me, and I'm confident it will do the same for you.

Thank you for reading. If this perspective resonates with you, feel free to share it with others who might find it valuable.

This has been my mantra over the past week, and it has helped me tremendously to reframe my thinking. Regardless of how difficult things get, life can still be great. As the Roman philosopher Marcus Aurelius said, "You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength."

This doesn't mean I won't try my absolute best at everything I do. I still strive to succeed in my goals and pursuits. However, if I give it my all and things still don't turn out how I hoped, life goes on.

If this campaign I'm working on fails, life will still be great. If my business doesn't succeed, life can still be great. It's not the end of the world if something doesn't pan out how I envisioned. As the Dalai Lama put it: "Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck."

I have so much to be grateful for that has nothing to do with external measures of success. I have my health, which is the greatest gift. I have a loving, supportive wife who has been my rock through thick and thin. I have wonderful friends who uplift me. I have new insights and experiences that will make me wiser and stronger for the future.

Life is so much more than just one moment, one project, or one defeat. The sun comes up the next day regardless. And I get to choose what my outlook is. I can see the glass as half-empty or half-full. I can allow a failure to discourage me or learn from it.

While things don't always go my way, life will keep moving forward. There will be new opportunities, new chances for joy and meaning. As long as I have hope and a positive perspective, life will always be great, no matter what challenges come my way. The only real failure is giving up.

So when you hit what feels like rock bottom, remember, life will still be great. You may have to look a little harder for the silver linings, but they are there. Focus on what truly matters most - your health, loved ones, personal growth. With an attitude of gratitude and resilience, we have the power to turn any situation into a great life.

Thank you for reading. If this perspective resonates with you, feel free to share it with others who might find it valuable.

The Lonely Path

We often romanticise the idea of pursuing our passions, thinking that the moment we start on our journey, everything will fall into place. Yet, the reality is quite different. Working on your own project often leads to feelings of isolation and loneliness that are difficult to overcome.

For many of us, the journey begins with an idea that ignites a fire within us. Whether it's starting a new business, writing a novel, creating art or pursuing any other creative endeavour, there's an initial burst of enthusiasm that propels us forward. But as we delve deeper into our work, we start to feel the weight of solitude.

Albert Einstein's quote reminds us that greatness often comes with opposition. When you're working on something unique and groundbreaking, it's natural to encounter resistance from those who don't understand your vision. It's during these moments of opposition that the loneliness of your journey becomes clear.

I too continue to walk this path of solitude. I remember the countless nights spent burning the midnight oil, trying to bring my dream to life. The friends who couldn't relate to my passion gradually faded into the background, leaving me feeling isolated. It was in those moments that I understood the loneliness of the pursuit.

But it's important to remember that loneliness doesn't have to be a permanent state. As another famous quote, this one from Helen Keller, reminds us, "Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much." While your journey may start alone, it doesn't have to end that way.

Reaching Out for Connection

If you find yourself on this solitary journey, struggling with loneliness, know that there is a community of creatives out there who understand your struggles. You don't have to navigate this path alone. You can reach out to others who share your passion and vision. Together, you can support each other through the challenges and celebrate the victories.

I invite you to connect with me and others who are on similar journeys. Share your stories, your triumphs, and your struggles. Let's build a network of support and inspiration. You can reach out to me through here if you want to connect and share your own experiences.

The lonely journey of working on your own project is a path filled with challenges, but it's also a path that can lead to greatness. Remember, embrace the solitude but also seek connection when you need it.

Thank you for reading. If this perspective resonates with you, feel free to share it with others who might find it valuable.

The Relentless Pursuit of 'More'

My life has been a series of checkboxes waiting to be ticked off— university, a loving relationship, a successful business. My focus was always on the next thing, rarely pausing to appreciate the present moment.

A Shift in Perspective: The Practice of Gratitude

Then, I learnt about developing a gratitude practice. I began to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. At the beginning, my gratitude list consisted of the day's highlights, the 'good' things that were easy to appreciate.

Gratitude for the 'Unpleasant'

But recently I read a blog post from an old mentor sharing to be grateful for the 'unpleasant' experiences as well.

* Financial business challenges became an opportunity to explore financial resilience.

* Low engagement content becomes a lesson of learning to create more valuable content.

* High stress levels served as a catalyst for healthier habits.

The outcomes, whether favourable or not, were secondary. The real reward was the personal growth and self-discovery that came from facing these challenges.

The Beauty of 'Wanting What You Have'

Now, I find myself more regularly in a state of contentment, wanting not just what's beyond me but also what's before me. This isn't a dismissal of ambition; it's an enriched way of experiencing life, moment by moment.

Wisdom Across Ages

Other thought leaders who offer related advice:

* Confucius: "We have two lives, and the second begins when we realise we only have one."

* Viktor Frankl: "When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

* Maya Angelou: "You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."

A Significant Shift

This perspective has been a game-changer for me. It may not resonate with everyone, but if we remember that "the present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it," as Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us, then let us find joy in both our pursuits and our possessions.

Thank you for reading. If this perspective resonates with you, feel free to share it with others who might find it valuable.

"When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what the storm is all about." - Haruki Murakami

The first time I came across this quote by Murakami, I was at a significant crossroads in my life. I had sold my business, let go of my house, and made the hard decision to move away from family and friends. It felt as though I was navigating through a storm, uncertain of where the winds would take me.

A Rainy Day in Sydney…

One overcast day in Sydney, I found myself wandering through Hyde Park. The rain was gentle, yet persistent, creating a serene atmosphere. Others were looking for shelter, but I felt comfort in the rain, as if it mirrored the uncertainty I felt inside.

…The Unexpected Cafe

As I walked back towards home, I stumbled upon a local and unassuming cafe. Drawn by its warmth and the inviting aroma of brewed coffee, I decided to step inside. Little did I know, this cafe would become a regular sanctuary for me, a place to contemplate and plan my next steps.

The owner, a wise man with a lifetime of stories, became an unexpected mentor. He shared stories of his adventures, challenges, and the lessons he learned from them. His stories, filled with wisdom and experience, resonated with Murakami's words. They were proof to the idea that life's storms, no matter how daunting, have the power to shape and transform us.

The Transformation…

That cafe, with its cosy ambiance and the wisdom of its owner, became hope for me. It reminded me that every challenge, every storm, brings with it an opportunity for growth. The decisions I had made, though difficult, were my rain, and they were moulding me, preparing me for the next chapter of my life.

Lessons learned

* Cherish the Storms: While most people seek shelter from life's storms, there's value in experiencing them head-on. They often bring unexpected opportunities and insights.

* Comfort Zones Can Be Traps: While it's important to have a safe space, staying there too long can hinder growth. Sometimes, the best lessons come from venturing into the unknown.

* Not All Who Wander Are Lost: Aimless wandering, whether it's in a park or through life's choices, can lead to unexpected discoveries. It's okay not to have everything planned out.

* Silence Speaks Volumes: In a world filled with noise, there's profound wisdom in silence. The quiet moments in a cafe or during a rainstorm can be more enlightening than hours of chatter.

* Mistakes Are Just Unplanned Experiments: Instead of regretting mistakes, view them as experiments that provide valuable data for life's journey.

* Seek Wisdom in Mundanity: Profound insights don't just come from grand adventures or significant events. Everyday experiences, like a chat with a cafe owner, can be equally enlightening.

…Embracing Life's Rains

Now, when faced with uncertainty or challenges, I think back to that rainy day in Hyde Park, the cafe, and the wise owner who became an unexpected guide. I've learned to find beauty in life's storms and to trust that they're leading me to where I'm meant to be.

And Finally…

Life's storms are inevitable, but they're also transformative. They might shake us, but they also shape us. And sometimes, all we need is a cosy cafe and a wise friend to remind us of the beauty that lies within the storm.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this audio journal, please share it with a friend who might benefit from it.

“Serendipity is life's gift; our task is to be receptive.”

— Unknown

We often believe that sheer determination is the key to unlocking our goals, but there's another element that plays a crucial role... A lesson I learned on a snow-covered mountain.

Many winters ago, I decided to try snowboarding. The thrill of gliding down snowy slopes had always appealed to me. On my first day, I was faced with a steep hill that seemed more daunting than the gentle slopes I had practiced on.

I stood at the top, board strapped to my feet, hesitating. The descent looked intimidating, and every time I tried to push off, fear held me back.

After several false starts, I was about to unstrap my board and walk down, feeling a mix of disappointment and relief. But as I was contemplating this, a sudden gust of wind hit my back.

The unexpected push sent me gliding down the slope. There was no turning back. I wobbled, regained my balance, and to my surprise, I found myself enjoying the ride. By the time I reached the bottom, I was exhilarated.

It wasn't just my determination that got me down that hill. It was an unexpected nudge from nature.

THE GIFT OF UNEXPECTED NUDGES I believe this resonates with many of us... sometimes, nature gives us a little push. It's not always about sheer determination or effort... sometimes, it's about serendipity.

We do our part, and then we let go. We allow the universe, or in this case, nature, to guide us.

So today, may you step forward... and may you welcome the unexpected nudges that come your way.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this audio journal, please share it with a friend who might benefit from it.

I've had to dig deep to find the resilience and persistence to keep moving forward. Drawing on inner reserves of passion and purpose has been key. My vision for my company's future success has kept me motivated despite all the obstacles. Ambition and drive that were previously untapped within me have emerged.

Failures and roadblocks that once discouraged me now strengthen my determination. As Winston Churchill said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." That inspires me to view my winter hardships as learning experiences on the road to achievement. Adversity is unveiling strengths I didn't fully realise I possessed.

This tough period has also helped clarify what really matters to me. The core values and priorities that form my character have come to the fore. I've realised success isn't just about profit margins and scale, but about fulfilment, creativity, and connection. Working through difficulties has refined my definition of achievement.

Being able to share these struggles with people I love has been invaluable. Talking through the hardships with trusted friends and family helps me process everything. Their support keeps me going.

So while this winter has been bitterly cold for my business, it has ignited a fire within me. Adversity has revealed the essence of my character and inspired me to aim higher. As Helen Keller stated, "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet." Challenges awaken our true selves. Though not easy, I know meeting adversity head-on will lead to new wisdom and growth. The difficult path often reveals the best in who we are.To those who are also struggling through a challenging winter, know that you are not alone. Dig deep within yourself to find the inner strength needed to persevere. Share your struggles with loved ones and lean on their support. Have faith that this adversity will unveil reserves of courage and resilience you didn't know you had. Keep pushing forward, take it one step at a time, and focus on the future you envision. With grit and passion, you will get through this. Your character will shine through.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this audio journal, please share it with a friend who might benefit from it.

How true those words ring. Our attitude shapes our perspective on life more than any other factor. Attitude comes before skill, resources, education or appearance. As Charles Swindoll put it, attitude makes or breaks our lives.

Our attitude determines how we approach challenges and opportunities. With a positive attitude rooted in tenacity, openness and self-belief, we can overcome obstacles, learn and grow.

An attitude of gratitude appreciates what we have rather than focusing on what we lack. An attitude of contribution seeks to help others, spreading goodwill. An attitude of optimism expects the best and works to make it happen.

We have a choice each day regarding the attitude we embrace. As Swindoll put it, "The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day."

Though we cannot change circumstance or other people, we have full control over our perspective. Finally as Swindoll concluded, "I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."

Shape your attitude and you shape your life. What attitude will you choose today?

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this audio journal, please share it with a friend who might benefit from it.

I recently came across an inspiring tweet by Jakob Greenfeld that got me thinking. He wrote:

"You can literally just ask for what you want. In hotels, you can just say 'Can we get a better room?' You can write in the support chat 'Hey, any chance we can get a discount?' You can reach out to people and simply ask, 'Would you like to chat?'"

This resonated with me because so many limits in life are self-imposed. We assume the answer will be "no" or that we don't deserve something, so we don’t even bother asking. But often, getting what you want really does simply come down to asking for it directly and unapologetically.

Sometimes we psych ourselves out and make requests seem like a bigger deal than they are. But asking is free, and the worst that can happen is someone says no. On the other hand, the reward if they say yes can be tremendous. 

So this week, I challenge you to ask for something—something that scares you a little. Here are some ideas to get you started:

* Ask a mentor or someone you admire for career advice or to get coffee. Most people are flattered to share their knowledge.

* Ask your landlord if you can end your lease early or sublet your apartment if needed. They may be flexible.

* Ask your bank for a fee waiver, lower interest rate, or deferred payment on a loan. There may be options. 

* Ask your boss for more flexibility with your work schedule, if that would help your work/life balance.

* Ask your current clients for referrals to new potential clients. Most are happy to make introductions. 

* Ask your child's teacher for advice on how to better support their learning at home. They'll appreciate your initiative.

* Ask your partner if there is anything you can do to be a better boyfriend/girlfriend. Communication is key.

* Ask a nonprofit you care about if they need volunteers. Giving back feels good.

The key is to ask confidently and politely. Show you believe you are worth what you are requesting. And don't take it personally if the answer is no. Just move on to the next thing. 

You might be surprised by how often a simple ask leads to getting what you want. And even when it doesn't, you’ve built the courage to speak up for yourself, which serves you well in the long run.

So challenge yourself this week. Ask for something that scares you a little. The worst that happens is you’re in the same spot. But you just might get a life-changing “Yes!”

Thank you everyone for listening.

If you enjoyed this audio journal, please share it with a friend who might benefit from it.

Just the other night, I found myself seated around a dinner table with a group of close friends. The clinking of cutlery and the soft murmur of conversation filled the air as we shared stories, laughter, and a mutual appreciation for the food before us. But as the evening wore on, our conversation took a turn towards the challenges we each face in our respective businesses.

Each tale was a testament to the trials and tribulations of entrepreneurship - the long nights, the tough decisions, the constant uncertainty. Yet, what struck me the most was not the challenges themselves, but the fire in my friends' eyes as they spoke about them. Despite the difficulties, they were undeterred, their spirits unbroken. Their resilience reminded me of a quote by Roger Crawford, a renowned motivational speaker and author, who said, "Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional."

Inspired by that evening, I decided to delve deeper into Crawford's wisdom and share my reflections with you.

The Inevitability of Challenges

Challenges are a part of life. They come in various forms - it could be a personal loss, a health crisis, a career setback, or even a global pandemic. These challenges can shake us to our core, making us question our abilities and our worth. But it's important to remember that these challenges are not punishments; they're opportunities for growth.

When we face a challenge, we're pushed out of our comfort zones. We're forced to confront our fears, our insecurities, and our limitations. We're compelled to think differently, to act differently, to be different. And while this can be uncomfortable, even painful, it's also incredibly transformative. It's through these challenges that we learn more about ourselves and our potential.

The Choice to Not Be Defeated

While challenges are inevitable, defeat is optional. This is perhaps the most empowering aspect of Crawford's quote. It reminds us that we have a choice. We can choose to let our challenges overwhelm us, or we can choose to rise above them.

Choosing not to be defeated doesn't mean that we won't experience failure or disappointment. It doesn't mean that we won't feel pain or sadness. What it does mean is that we won't let these experiences break us. We won't let them stop us from moving forward.

Choosing not to be defeated means choosing to learn from our failures instead of dwelling on them. It means choosing to find hope in our disappointments instead of despair. It means choosing to see the pain as a part of the healing process, and the sadness as a testament to our capacity for love and joy.

Life will always present us with challenges. But as Roger Crawford's life and words remind us, we have the power to choose how we respond to these challenges. We can choose to see them as opportunities for growth, and we can choose not to be defeated by them.

Reflecting on that dinner with my friends, I am reminded that we all have the fire within us to face our challenges head-on. It's this fire, this indomitable spirit, that fuels our journey through life. So, the next time you're faced with a challenge, remember that being challenged is just a part of life, but being defeated, that's up to you.

Future casting is a simple yet profound practice. It's about stepping out of the present, breaking free from the humdrum of daily routines, and catapulting yourself into the realm of what could be. It's a journey through time, a voyage that starts in the now and fast-forwards into the future.

The Journey of Future Casting

Future casting isn't about predicting the future, it's about creating it. It starts with a leap three months ahead, then a year, three years, five years, and finally, a decade. It's about seeing where your current path leads and deciding if that's where you want to go.

The Tapestry of Life

When I future cast, I see my life unfolding over the next ten years. I see how my habits, my pursuits, and my focus areas intertwine to create a picture of my future. It's a powerful reminder that our daily actions are the threads that weave the tapestry of our lives.

The Fear of the Unwanted Future

Sometimes, the future I see isn't the one I want. I see myself on the edge of a precipice, staring into a chasm of missed opportunities and unfulfilled dreams. This vision, as unsettling as it may be, serves as a wake-up call. It lights a fire under me, spurring me to change my course.

Let's take the example of a small business owner, let's call her Jane. Jane runs a local bakery, and she dreams of expanding her business to multiple locations. However, she finds herself constantly caught up in the day-to-day operations, never finding the time to plan for expansion. Future casting can help Jane visualise the consequences of her current habits. Fast forward ten years, and she might see herself still in the same spot, her dream of running a chain of bakeries still just a dream. This vision can be the jolt Jane needs to start delegating daily tasks and focusing on her expansion plans today.

So, if you're at a crossroads, unsure of which path to take, give future casting a try. Let it guide you, inspire you, even scare you. Because sometimes, it's the fear of a future we don't want that propels us towards a future we've always dreamed of.

Have you ever tried future casting? How has it shaped your motivation and decision-making? I'd love to hear your experiences. Remember, the future isn't something that happens to us, it's something we make.

A trailblazer in his own right, Andrew Anabi - a forward-thinking entrepreneur and catalyst for creativity - brings a refreshing lens to this quandary. His nuggets of wisdom, beautifully entwined with the 'This Could be the Last Time' framework, offer a roadmap to slow down, pause, and relish the wonder of the present moment.

Andrew's got this thought that's always stuck with me, "When life changes, you'll find yourself missing what once was." And that's just it, isn't it? A golden nugget of insight into why we should hold onto the now while it's still within reach.

Peering through Andrew Anabi's Lens

Andrew's perspective is like a clarion call to mindfulness. He's telling us to stop and smell the roses, to appreciate the now, because hey, things might change and you'll yearn for these times.

The 'This Could be the Last Time' Framework

The 'This Could be the Last Time' idea is mindfulness in its rawest form. It encourages us to entertain the possibility that each moment might be the last of its kind. And that, my friend, pushes us to fully soak in the present moment.

Embodying the Framework

Incorporating this concept into your daily routine can be a game changer. Next time you're with your loved ones, let this thought linger - this might be your last shared moment. It’s not a morbid thought, but a galvanising one. It helps you appreciate every second, transforming the moment from ordinary to extraordinary.

I've tried this 'This Could be the Last Time' mantra myself, and it's profound. Once, during a usual family dinner, I thought, "What if this is the last time?" and boy, did that elevate the experience! It made me present, appreciative, engaged, and converted a mundane meal into a cherished memory.

Andrew Anabi's take on life and the 'This Could be the Last Time' framework serve as potent reminders to appreciate the fleeting now. Weaving these ideas into our lives can teach us to ease off the gas, fully engage in our experiences, and truly cherish each passing moment.

So, what's your take on the 'This Could be the Last Time' mantra? Have you given it a whirl? How has it shaped your view of the present moment? I'm all ears, friend. Share your stories.

Isn't this how our journey through life is? As C.S. Lewis wisely put it, "Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different."

This quote is not merely about the passage of time. It's a lesson about growth, potential, and the astounding ability we have to change, evolve, and redefine ourselves over time.

Most people view themselves and others as fixed entities. We define ourselves by our present abilities, circumstances, and past experiences. But this is akin to evaluating a caterpillar by its crawling speed, completely ignoring the butterfly it has the potential to become.

We are not static beings. We are dynamic and continually evolving. Every day, we learn. We grow. We transform. Who we are today is not who we will be tomorrow. The book of our lives is written in pencil, not permanent ink. Every day, we have the ability to erase, rewrite, and start anew.

So, how can we incorporate this powerful framework into our lives?

Embrace the power of small changes: Our lives don't change overnight. It's the small daily changes, barely perceptible, that accumulate over time, leading to significant transformation. Read a page, write a sentence, learn a chord. Each of these tiny steps is a catalyst for change, propelling us towards our butterfly state.

Be patient with yourself and others: Growth takes time. Don't rush it. Just as a butterfly needs time to emerge from its cocoon, we too need time to change, grow, and evolve. Allow yourself and others the grace to grow at their own pace.

Foster a growth mindset: Recognise that abilities and intelligence can be developed. Embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as the path to mastery, learn from criticism, and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others.

As you navigate through life, remember, you are not a fixed entity. You are an ever-evolving being with limitless potential. The power of change is in your hands. Like the caterpillar, your wings are coming. All you need is patience, persistence, and the courage to step into the unknown, and soon, you'll take flight.

Isn't it funny, how day by day, nothing changes? But indeed, when you look back, everything is different. Embrace this truth. Let it guide you. And may it remind you of the beautiful butterfly that you are, and will continue to become.Thank you everyone for listening.

Have you ever experienced watching a small cloud eclipse the sun, casting a shadow that makes you feel as if the day has turned into night? It's a bit like stubbing your toe on a rock and suddenly feeling as if the whole mountain range is out to get you. This is what we call 'Pervasiveness,' one of Tony Robbins's notable 3 Ps.

Let's unpack this. It's a simple scenario: You're navigating through the labyrinth of life when you bump into a wall. Perhaps it's a setback at work or a tiff with a family member. Suddenly, that single wall appears too close in from all sides, making it feel like the entire maze has become insurmountable.

But hold on. Pause. Reflect. Is that wall really the whole maze?

Life, in my understanding, is less of a monolith and more of a mosaic. Each tile - work, relationships, health, hobbies - is distinct. A crack in one tile doesn't mean the whole mosaic is flawed. For example, even if we're grappling with a problem at work, we may still be fortunate to have sturdy tiles of good health or supportive relationships.

So, how do we overcome the illusion of pervasiveness? Here are some tactics I've found useful:

* Cultivate mindfulness: Being mindful is like shining a flashlight in a dark room. It helps us spot when we're under the shadow of pervasiveness, reminding us that a single shadow doesn't mean the room is devoid of light.

* Practice gratitude: Regularly counting your blessings is like a gardener watering the plants. No matter how many weeds you need to pull, there's always something blooming. It's a reminder that despite any cracks, there are still plenty of sturdy tiles in our mosaic.

* Reframe your narrative: Instead of allowing a single wall to define your entire maze, view it as just one turn among many. This perspective shift can help steer you clear of the pervasive thinking trap.

* Seek support: Sometimes, it's useful to climb to the top of the wall and discuss your viewpoint with someone you trust. They might be able to point out the openings you're missing from ground level.

Remember, it's perfectly fine to hit a wall, or even several. The trick is not to let these obstacles convince you that the whole maze is impossible. By recognising the mirage of pervasiveness and using these tactics, we can keep a balanced view and navigate life's labyrinth with courage and optimism.

And always remember, a single shadow doesn't mean the room is dark. Shine your flashlight, and you'll discover plenty of illuminated corners.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Stephen R. Covey, an astute observer of human potential, brilliantly said, "Accountability breeds response-ability." The act of owning up to our actions opens the door to a profound skill - the ability to respond to life's challenges in a productive and effective manner. This is not just wordplay, it's a fundamental truth about human growth.

Consider this: you're setting off on a journey of change and growth. It's a path laden with challenges and setbacks. But wait, you're not walking alone. You have a partner, someone who's equally invested in your growth, sharing your commitment. This is the essence of an accountability partner.

An accountability partner does more than just watch your steps; they match them. When you stumble, they lend a hand. When you succeed, they cheer. But most importantly, they hold up a mirror to your actions, making you more aware, more conscious. It’s like having your personal coach, cheering squad, and reality check, all rolled into one.

This partnership amplifies the learning cycle. It's a symphony, not a solo. You're growing, evolving, not just through your own endeavours, but also through the insights and perspectives of your partner.

Imagine a dance where you complement each other's moves, where your strengths bolster your partner's weaknesses, and their strengths shore up yours. It's a dynamic, harmonious interplay, a mutual exchange that amplifies individual growth.

The influence of an accountability partner goes beyond absorbing lessons. It's about forging resilience, building character, and nurturing your ability to respond to life's challenges. You're creating something significant, something empowering, not just for you, but for the people around you as well.

So, here's a thought: find your accountability partner. Start the journey together. Stumble, rise, learn, and grow together. Through this, you'll not just create a symphony of shared wisdom and growth but also foster the ability to navigate life's challenges with resilience.

Until next time, remember - the journey of accountability doesn't have to be a solitary one. A partnership can be the key that unlocks your potential to respond effectively to life's challenges. Because in the dance of growth and learning, two can indeed tango better than one.

So, here's something that's been on my mind lately. I was watching this conversation between Mr. Beast and Lex Friedman, two people who I respect a lot. They were talking about the incredible power of shared learning. Imagine this - you stumble and fall twenty times over the span of two years. Each time, you dust yourself off, and learn something new. But now, picture this: you have four friends who are tripping over their own feet too, and when they get up, they pass on their newfound wisdom to you.

Fast forward to two years later, and you've learned not just from your own twenty missteps, but from eighty additional ones made by your friends. It's as though you've lived five lives in the space of two years. The math doesn't add up in the traditional sense, but in this context, one plus one truly equals three. It's a kind of magic, really.

I've always been a firm believer in the feedback loop. It's like this dance of learning - you step out into the world, you stumble, you get up, and you take away something from it. It's a beautiful rhythm, a circle of growth. But there's a twist in the dance when you involve a community.

Now, think about this for a second. You're not just stepping out into the world on your own anymore. Instead, you're venturing out with a group of like-minded souls, all with shared interests and shared goals. It's an adventure, a journey that you're embarking on together. And on this journey, you stumble together, you get up together, and you grow together.

The feedback loop in this scenario doesn't just grow - it explodes. It's like a fireworks display of shared wisdom and growth. It's a beautiful thing, this shared journey of learning and growth doesn't just outweigh the solitary one - it transcends it. You're not just taking away lessons anymore - you're building a shared wisdom, a collective consciousness. You're creating something bigger, something greater, something that truly adds value to the world around you.

So, here's my advice to you, my friends. Find your tribe. Venture out into the world together. Stumble, fall, get up, and learn together. In doing so, you'll create a symphony of shared wisdom and growth that will help you build a better, more beautiful world.

Thank you, my friends, for joining me in this sacred space. Until next time, venture boldly, learn freely, and remember - you're never alone on this journey.P.S. I have recently launched a new newsletter this week called AI 4 Me and You where I demystify and go through day to day use cases of AI. If it’s something you’re interested then please subscribe below =)

Let me share with you something I stumbled upon not too long ago, a post from a person named Alex Hormozi, known for his little morsels of wisdom. This one, in particular, struck a chord - it was about anxiety. That gnawing, merciless beast that dwells in the shadowy corners of our minds, hissing unsettling whispers and unsettling our peace.

I found myself nodding in agreement as Alex narrated his own battles with anxiety. He confessed that a significant portion of his restlessness stemmed from an incessant demand that life ought to be meaningful, that it should always radiate joy. But once he discovered that he was making an impossible appeal to an indifferent universe, a great deal of his anxiety began to evaporate, like fog under the morning sun.

I asked myself, "Why do we insist that life must always carry profound meaning? That every moment must be a spectacle of joy?" The truth is, it doesn’t, it’s impossible. It was only a preference, an expectation I had been unconsciously thrusting upon life. The simple act of becoming aware of these silent demands helped me find peace during times when reality fell short of these lofty expectations. I began to see life's moments, good and bad, sunny and rainy, as equally valuable. After all, I love basking in the sun, but do I demand it always be sunny? Of course not.

With this change in perspective, it became easier to embrace the moment - the raw, unfiltered now - without constantly measuring it against some arbitrary ideal that I invariably fell short of. It was like finally stepping out of a mirage and feeling the firm, comforting grip of reality beneath my feet. This little shift quieted my world in a profound way.

This simple post was a lightning bolt for me. I found myself questioning my own anxious habits, my daily dance with this invisible adversary.

I confess, I've often attempted to swing back to gratitude, to reframe my experiences in the light of thankfulness. But here's the real, no sugar-coating, straight from the gut truth: It's hard. Damn hard. Anxiety can be a stubborn companion, clinging on even when you've politely asked it to leave.

The world we inhabit isn't all sunshine and daisies. When you're running your own show, forging your own path, how can there not be anxiety? We're constantly navigating a labyrinth of transactions, a ceaseless cycle of give and take, of debt and profit.

In the grand scheme of things, we're always left with a little less, or a little more. Always juggling the things we need to pay for, the things we wish to acquire. It's an unending whirlwind, but isn't that just the state of life?

But here's what I've learned, and this is where I hope my experiences can shed a bit of light for you. Acceptance. It's this sublime notion of accepting life, of seeing it for what it is and not what we expect it to be. It's in this acceptance that I've found an oasis of peace in my day-to-day existence. A tranquility that doesn't depend on 'why' or 'how', but simply 'is'.

So here's a message for you, my friends: Remember that life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful. Embrace the beautifully imperfect moments. Allow yourself to feel, to stumble, and to rise again. Thank you all for listening, until then, take care.

I've been mulling over our discussion from last week about bringing more fun into our lives. As I sit here in my cozy nook, sipping my warm tea, I can't help but notice the gentle hum of the city outside my window – the laughter of children playing in the park, the distant sound of a busker strumming a tune on their guitar. These moments, the ones that bring a smile to my face, make me wonder: what else can I do to make each day more enjoyable, not just for myself, but for those around me?

I've come up with a few things that seem to lift my spirits throughout the day: laughter, connection, creation, and flow. When I'm immersed in these experiences, I feel a surge of joy and happiness, and it's as if my entire world is bathed in a warm, golden light.

Just like gratitude, fun isn't something that simply falls into our laps. It's a mindset we must cultivate and practice, a filter we consciously apply to our daily lives. I've discovered that I need to be on the lookout for those opportunities to connect with others, to laugh, create, and find my flow. It's in those moments that I find the most joy.

As I walk through the city streets, I keep my eyes and ears open for chances to bring fun into my life. Maybe it's striking up a conversation with the barista at my favourite coffee shop, or sharing a joke with a colleague at work. It could even be taking a moment to sit in the park and watch the world go by, appreciating the beauty of a spontaneous dance between two strangers.

But embracing fun and gratitude hasn't been without its challenges. There were times when I felt bogged down by the weight of my responsibilities, making it difficult to see the joy in life. It was during one such low point that I came across a quote that changed my perspective: "In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer." This realisation helped me understand that joy and gratitude are a choice, and by embracing them, I could turn even the darkest days into moments of light.

These little moments of fun, of joy, are present in our everyday lives. We just need to be conscious of them and make an effort to bring them to the forefront of our minds, just like we do with gratitude. It's all too easy to focus on the negative aspects of our days, to dwell on the difficulties and challenges we face. But there's so much more to life than that.

So, my friends, I encourage you to take a moment each day to seek out the fun, the joy, and the connections that make life worth living. Share your laughter with others, create something beautiful, and find your flow. These are the experiences that will bring you happiness and make your days richer.

Thank you for joining me on this journey, and remember: we have the power to create our own joy, one moment at a time.

Pull up a chair and join me as I reminisce on the events of the past week, unfolding through the pages of my worn-out journal. I came across a quote that struck a chord with me. It was by the ever-inspiring Richard Branson, who once said, "He who has the most fun wins." As I read those words, they danced around my mind, sparking something inside me. A curiosity, an urge to dig deeper.

You see, I've been living and breathing work lately. I've poured every ounce of myself into it. But in the hustle and bustle, I started to wonder if I was losing something essential: the pure joy of life. I knew I had to change my perspective. I needed to look at the world through a new lens, one that allowed me to see the beauty and laughter that life has to offer. I asked myself, "Am I having fun? Where am I finding enjoyment in my day-to-day existence?" With that question echoing in my mind, I set out to discover the answer.

One night, as the sun dipped below the horizon, I found myself at the restaurant I call my second home. It was a chaotic evening, the kind that leaves you breathless and spent. We were short-staffed, and the air was thick with the scent of sizzling garlic and the sound of clattering dishes.

But amidst the chaos, something magical happened. Every time our eyes met - mine and those of my colleagues, or those of our cherished patrons - our faces broke into wide, genuine smiles.

Our laughter rang out, intertwining with the hum of conversation and the clink of glasses. That night was tough, but together, we became a well-oiled machine, a team united by a sense of camaraderie and the unspoken knowledge that we were in this together. And you know what? We made it through. We emerged victorious, and everyone went home with a warmth in their hearts.

Now, my dear friends, I want to extend the same question to you. In the past week, where have you found joy? How have you made your life more enjoyable? How have you embraced the simple pleasures and transformed the mundane into fun? Take a moment to reflect on this. Seek out the laughter, the connection, and the happiness that life has to offer. Embrace the fun and cherish it, for it's in those moments that we truly live.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Your presence means the world to me.

Yesterday, as dusk settled and the last hues of the day gave way to a velvety night, I stumbled upon a poem by William Martin, one that whispered to me about the beauty of not asking our children to strive for extraordinary lives. The words leaped off the page, landing in my heart like a warm embrace.

He wrote, “Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives.

Such striving may be admirable, but it is the way of foolishness.

Help them instead to find the wonder

and the marvel of an ordinary life.

Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples, and pears.

Show them how to cry when pets and people die.

Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand.

And make the ordinary come alive for them.

The extraordinary will take care of itself.”

As the poem soaked into my being, I felt a familiar, bittersweet pang, recognising how often I had sought happiness in the attainment of some future goal, only to find that when that elusive X was finally reached, the goalposts shifted, leaving me chasing the horizon once more. It's a tantalising dance, this perpetual pursuit of happiness, like a firefly that flits just beyond our grasp, its glow enticing and maddeningly elusive.

And in that dance, there's a revelation, a secret whispered by the wind: "Make the extraordinary come alive for them." This is a truth I've spoken of before, a lesson I've learned and relearned, and yet it still bears repeating. If we can find the extraordinary in the ordinary, in the everyday moments that make up our lives, we can inch closer to a sense of fulfilment, a contentment that is deeper and more resonant than fleeting happiness.

Happiness, I've come to understand, is a transient emotion, impossible to hold onto and ill-suited to be our constant companion. We are meant to experience the entire spectrum of human emotion, to dip our toes in the waters of joy and sorrow, anger and calm, and everything in between.

But it's in the small, seemingly inconsequential acts that we can discover a sense of purpose. It's in the everyday choices to shift our mindset, to be grateful, to show appreciation, that we begin to weave the tapestry of a life that feels rich, vibrant, and meaningful.

And as those moments accumulate, like grains of sand that form a beautiful, sprawling beach, we can look back on days, weeks, months, and years, and see the reflection of a life well-lived, a life in which happiness bloomed, not because we chased it, but because we chose to find it in the smallest of things.

So thank you, dear listeners, for lending your ears to my thoughts today. May you, too, find the extraordinary in the ordinary, and may your lives be filled with the wonder and marvel of all that is.

Today a question echoing in the depths of my mind, one I believe we should all take a moment to ponder: What is your most leveraged activity?

You know, those rare yet meaningful tasks that leave a lasting impact on our lives, the ones that we may have woven into our weekly tapestry or perhaps even stumbled upon in the past, only to discover the tremendous results they bore.

As I sank into the worn cushions of my chair, the sound of the rain, light rays coming through my quiet living room. I took the time to really delve into my own life and unearth those special activities that held the most leverage for me.

First, I realised that creating systems for work brought me an immense sense of satisfaction. The hum of a well-oiled machine, the synchronised rhythm of labor—all of it resonated deeply within me. By cultivating an environment where teams could thrive, I watched as the seeds I planted grew into a beautiful, bountiful garden of productivity.

Then, I turned my gaze to another passion of mine: creating podcasts. There's something almost magical about connecting with another soul, our voices interwoven in conversation, time seemingly suspended as we delve into the depths of our thoughts. From that single hour-long recording, a plethora of content blossoms—written articles, snippets short and long, summaries, and seeds for future pieces—all ripe for the picking and sharing across various platforms. The power of leverage, indeed.

My excitement only grew as I considered the potential of AI stacking tools. By harnessing the power of multiple AI applications, I saw an opportunity to propel my time and productivity to heights I had only dreamed of. The very thought of it sent a shiver of anticipation down my spine.

But amidst all of these accomplishments and dreams, I realised that the most precious of my leveraged activities lay in the realm of personal practices and time spent with family. The laughter of my loved ones, the shared meals and whispered secrets, the grounding effect of a simple meditation—all of these quiet moments served to keep my mind and heart in check, giving my life balance and meaning.

As I share these deeply personal reflections with you, I hope they serve as a guiding light, illuminating the path toward your own most leveraged activities.

May you find solace in the knowledge that even the smallest actions can leave an indelible mark on our lives, and that every moment holds within it the potential for greatness.

Thank you, dear friends, for listening to my heart's whispers. Until next time, take care and keep exploring.

Just the other day, as I sat in the warm embrace of the morning sun, sipping my steaming cup of coffee, I came across a quote from a James Clear newsletter that struck me deep in my core. It said, "Your problems adjust to the true level of importance after a hard workout and a good night of sleep." I closed my eyes, allowing the words to wash over me, and I felt the weight of their truth press against my heart.

You see, we often find ourselves tangled in the web of our own worries and fears. We exaggerate the difficulties of the challenges we face—changes, crises, and everything in between. And yet, we often overlook the role our own bodies and minds play in this delicate dance of life.

I have come to realise that when we deprive ourselves of the things that nourish our bodies and souls—restful sleep, nourishing meals, and moments of movement—we create the perfect storm for our minds to amplify the stress and anxiety we feel. I've been caught in this cycle recently, and it feels like wading through a swamp, each step heavier and more taxing than the last.

To break free from the grip of this storm, I've learned to step back, breathe deeply, and focus on the present moment. I break my challenges down into manageable tasks and prioritise them, reminding myself of the power I hold to overcome them. I engage in positive self-talk, maintaining perspective and a sense of gratitude for the beauty that surrounds me.

I've found solace in stress-reducing activities, like working out, taking ashwagandha, and meditating. These practices have become my anchors, the trusty companions that accompany me through the ever-changing landscape of my life. Over the past decade, they have held my hand and whispered reassurances in my ear as I've faced countless challenges.

And so, dear listener, I hope you find solace in these words, and that you too can discover your own set of tools to help you navigate the storms that life inevitably brings. Remember to cherish the moments of stillness, the deep breaths, and the strength that resides within you. Hold tight to these practices, for they will never abandon you, and together, we will continue to rely on them as we journey through the unknown future.

Thank you for listening, and may you find peace in the days to come.

As I was sitting down to prepare for this episode, I came across a quote from the great Greek philosopher, Epicurus, that really caught my attention.

It goes like this: "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not. Remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."

These words really hit home for me, and I've been contemplating them a lot lately. It's funny how we humans tend to have a negative bias in our thinking.

We often want what we don't have, and forget to appreciate what we already do.

I think this is especially true when it comes to work and business. When we're working for someone else, we dream of being our own boss and having the freedom to do what we want. But when we finally achieve that goal, we often find ourselves worrying about our purpose and success. We think that once we have a lot of customers and our business is growing, we'll finally be happy. But then we become stressed and overworked, wondering if it's all worth it. It's a never-ending cycle, and I've certainly found myself caught up in it before. But that's why I think it's so important to practice gratitude, no matter where we are in life. We need to remember to appreciate what we have, instead of always yearning for something more. For me, this means taking time each day to reflect on the things I'm grateful for. It could be something as simple as the sun shining outside, or a conversation I had with a loved one. I also try to be present in the moment, noticing the sights, sounds, and sensations around me. I know it's not always easy to feel grateful, especially when times are tough. But I truly believe that it's one of the most powerful tools we have for cultivating happiness and contentment. So wherever you are in life right now, I encourage you to take a moment to appreciate all that you have. Because once upon a time, it was exactly what you wanted.

Thanks for listening, and I'll catch you all next time.

And today I want to share about the importance of having a red team in your life. I've realised that having a group of people who are willing to give you critical feedback can be the difference between success and failure. It's not always easy to hear, but it's essential to your growth and development. I'm talking about people who are unbiased, who will challenge you and push back on your ideas. Not to be negative or cynical, but to help you see where the gaps are and to give you a different perspective. You might think you have it all figured out, but the truth is, we only know what we know. And that's where collaboration comes in. By working with others, you can absorb and learn different perspectives that you might not have considered before.

It's easy to surround yourself with people who agree with you or who are neutral in their opinions. But if you want to grow and develop, you need to be willing to step outside of that bubble.

You need to seek out people who will challenge you and give you critical feedback. It's not always comfortable or easy, but it's necessary. I'm lucky to have people like that in my life. They're my mentors, my business partners, and my partner. They don't always agree with me, and I don't always agree with them. But that's okay because we're all willing to give each other a second or third opinion. They challenge me, and they make me see things from a different perspective. Of course, it's not always easy to have those tough conversations. I know I tend to shy away from them, but I also know how important they are. So, I keep those people in my life and make sure I surround myself with them. When things come up, I can turn to them and say, "Hey, what's going on? Why am I doing this?" And they're always willing to help.

So in my experience, think about who you have in your life that can be critical of your feedback. Who are the people you turn to when you need someone to challenge you and give you a different perspective? It might be uncomfortable, but it's essential to your growth and development.

Thanks for listening, and until next time, keep on growing!

As I read through the article, I couldn't help but reflect on the times when I've worked with outliers - those exceptional individuals who seem to set the bar impossibly high for themselves and for others. The kind of people who have a drive and a passion that is beyond what most people imagine.

And it's true - when you work with someone like that, you can't help but be elevated yourself. You start to see the possibilities of what you can achieve, and suddenly your own standards begin to shift. You realise that it's not just about the quality of the work you produce, but also about the opportunities you choose to pursue.

I've also come to understand that accepting substandard work from myself only leads to average results from others. And if I say yes to average projects, I won't have the time or energy to pursue exceptional ones. It's a vicious cycle that can be hard to break out of, but I've found that the key is to raise the bar - to demand more from myself and from those around me.

Whenever I'm surrounded by people who have high standards and a high level of professionalism, I always find that my own game is elevated. It's like a rising tide that lifts all boats. And when I combine my own efforts with theirs, the results are always better than anything I could have achieved alone.

So if you're feeling stuck or like you're not reaching your full potential, I encourage you to seek out those outliers in your life - the ones who are constantly pushing themselves and inspiring others. And don't be afraid to raise the bar for yourself and those around you. Because when you do, you'll be amazed at the magnitude of the results you can achieve.

Thanks for listening, and until next time, keep striving for greatness.

Today I'd like to share a piece by Sadhguru, "You are not the mind and you are not the body."

He continues to share and explain, you are not the mind because if you had control of the mind, you could turn it off like a flick of a switch. It's either on or off but how many times have we caught ourselves. Coming up with thoughts that we desire or don't desire. We wish to turn it off, but it comes back.

And the second part to this is you are not the body, as the heart and so many other organs in your body operate without your will. So it's not like you can go heart beat stop right now and then turn it back on. So you don't have full control of your body either.

Yes, we can influence the mind and the body but we are more than the mind and the body. Your mind doesn't wander, it moves toward what it finds most interesting. If you want to focus better become more curious about what's in front of you.

Every time I find myself having things that are top of mind that I do not desire, that are negative or counter productive. I choose to continue to shift my focus and become more curious about what's in front of me at the present moment. And that is my practice, a constant practice.

It is also liberating to know that I am unable to control these thoughts because then when these undesirable thoughts arrive. I know that it's also not my fault all I need to do is simply shift focus because that is all I can do, every day.

Thank you, everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share a piece by Cory Muscara,"If you don't train your mind to appreciate what is good, you'll continue to look for something better in the future, even when things are great."

"The belief that there is some future moments more worth our presence than the one we're in right now is why we miss our lives."

These two quotes by Corey serve as reminder for me, regardless of how difficult things are I should always appreciate the present moment and be grateful for it. Because this is part of the lifestyle that I chose, I have to keep pulling myself back from living for the end goal versus the lifestyle I have to go through in order to achieve that goal. And if I am not willing to go through this lifestyle in this process then maybe it's time to reconsider the end goal. Better yet become grateful for the process, become grateful for the current lifestyle because that is the journey. Because once I get to that goal I know I'll just set another goal and then back I am at square one, striving to get to the next goal so make the process and lifestyle enjoyable and if that doesn't work pick something else.

Thank you everyone for listening

Today I'd like to share a concept and experience by Oliver Burkeman.

This is an observation that many people seem to feel as if they start off each morning in a kind of productivity debt. Which they must struggle to pay off through the day in hopes of reaching a zero balance by the time evening comes. It's as if you need to justify your existence by staying on top of things in order to starve off some I'll defined catastrophe that might otherwise come crashing down upon your head.

Many of us have a to-do list that we need to try to get done, what Oliver Burkeman shares is what if instead we had a done list. So instead of starting with a list that we are in debt off, instead we start to list things starting from zero. So that throughout the day we have small wins or big wins and it builds momentum day to day.

And so the counter thought of this is if you're working towards something you need to have a list of things to do in order to achieve and that is fair enough but I believe the power in this is also the reflection of what you have done throughout the day. Because if you're constantly doing and not reflecting that these are the things that you have achieved, it can often feel you're in a constant state of debt trying to balance things out. And that is an ongoing cycle versus reflecting at the end of the day thinking this is what I've done, this is what I've completed, no matter how small or big.

Reflection in terms of wins throughout the day, is way better than catching up to things that you still need to do.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to talk about the Eisenhower two by two decision matrix.

Lately I've been finding myself inundated with a lot of tasks and I've been getting lost in the process. So I recently revisited, the Eisenhower two by two matrix and that is grouping tasks into either: urgent and important, urgent not important, important not urgent and finally not important not urgent. And as a quick summary, important and urgent is something you need to do now. Important and not urgent is something you can reschedule. Urgent and not important you can try to delegate. And of course not important and not urgent try to eliminate.

This has really helped me take a higher level overview of my daily tasks that I need to get through and prioritise them.

Another element that I add at the end of the day is putting next to these task items that I do end up completing. If they end up using my unique ability or is it something I'm excellent at, but I don't have passion for it. Or am I simply competent at it and finally if it's something I am incompetent at. By adding this level of detail I'm better able to audit my week. By seeing how many important tasks I'm actually doing and if these important tasks aligned with my unique ability. The goal for me is to spend majority of my time doing important tasks that utilise or nurture and grow my unique ability.

Thank you everyone for listening

Today I have a quote by author and screenwriter Ray Bradbury, "Action is hope. At the end of each day when you've done your work, you lie there and think, well, I'll be damned I did this today. It doesn't matter how good it is or how bad you did it. At the end of the week, you'll have a certain amount of accumulation. At the end of a year, you look back and say, I'll be damned, it's been a good year."

This reminds me of something I heard before. The job of a creator is to create, not to judge.

Despite the challenging times I feel like I'm going through at the moment. The only thing I can rely on is action, doing the best that I can with the conditions that I'm in, at least by the end of it. I knew I did the best that I could because action gives me hope.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I share a popular rule in the aviation industry, the 1 in 60 rule. Simply put the rule is that for every one degree you are off course, you end up being one mile off course after traveling 60 miles. Basically getting just one degree off course at the start will result you becoming farther off course the longer you travel.

Every week at the end of the week I make time to check in, to make sure that my actions have aligned with my goals. If what I've been doing over the past week is moving the needle forward towards my quarterly goals, which is based off my yearly goals, which is based on my three year goals, which is based off my 10 year goals.

This process helps keep me in check because I understand that if I don't regularly check in on what I am doing, it's very easy for me to get off course and do other things. And then eventually not end up where I wanted to be. This way it keeps me personally accountable by checking in regularly every week.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I have a quote by John Steinbeck, "Life is like an empty field. With intention it becomes a garden, without it weeds and debris will take over. Something will grow either way, but it's your choice what takes root."

Every day when I wake up I visualise my intentions. This gives me the strength, the confidence, the energy and more importantly, the reminder that this is what I want in my life. It helps me keep on track and through the rough times, remember why I'm doing what I do.

I hope with the beginning of the new year, the intentions are strong.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'm getting married and so I wanted to share the concept of marrying up.

I'm very grateful and thankful to be marrying someone who's much more intelligent, smarter than I am. She is much stronger in ways that I am not. She excels in areas where my shortfalls are.

I am grateful and thankful that I have a life partner like her. As I know she'll continue to push me and we'll be able to support each other through thick and thin.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I have a quote from Tom Rath, "You cannot be anything you want to be, but you can be a lot more of who you already are."

I think that a lot of what society has brought us up to think is to work on your weaknesses, to work on your shortcomings and regardless of where you are at. If you put your mind to it you can achieve anything. Yes if you put your mind to it, you can achieve greatness in whatever it is that you wish or desire but I think everyone has their own unique talents. And if we had spent more time honing our own unique talents, we could reach much further than we could ever possibly dream of. And for our weaknesses, for our shortcomings, we can collaborate with others, with their unique talents that lies in that space. Giving them the spotlight to shine and together we'll achieve greatness.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I have a piece from Sahil Bloom's blog.

There's a quote attributed to Mark Twain that I absolutely love, " It ain't what you don't know that gets you in trouble, it's what you know for sure, that just ain't so.

We all walk through the world in a natural state of hard wired arrogance. It basically tells us that we are great and correct and everyone else is not so great and wrong.

It is easier for us to have a hundred percent certain view of the world, to allow every new fact to either:

Confirm our view of reality and be absorbed. Or refute our view of reality and be bounced off into oblivion.

But easy does not equal correct.

When we allow our arrogance to win, we are the prisoner completely unaware of our state of imprisonment. When we fight the arrogance. When we learn to question, some of our baseline certainties, we experience a richer, more complex and more dynamic existence.

I think from time to time, it's important to question our own beliefs, what we believe is certain. Because to hold on to certain beliefs without question can be naive. Be open, learn everything, take in different perspectives, understand the for and against and with as much information as you have on hand. Make your own decisions, build your own opinions.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I have one of my favorite quotes from Victor Frankl, " Everything can be taken from a man, but one thing: the last of the human freedoms to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances. To choose one's own way."

I believe I am quite lucky, I have my health, I have family, I have a loving partner, I have friends, I have work, I have a roof over my head. But still like everyone else, doubts still creeps in, anxiety still creeps in, stress still creeps in. It is a constant check-in of the circumstance that I'm in. Because you can't control your circumstances but you can control how you react to them.

Bring gratitude into your life and reframe your circumstance.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share a post by Alex Brogan, the inside outside view. We have a natural tendency to favor the inside view. Our own independent solutions to a problem that incorporates all of our hidden biases.

To make better decisions, we should favor the outside view. One that incorporates the best available data.

An inside view considers as a problem by focusing on the specific task and by using information that is close at hand and it makes predictions based on that narrow and unique set of inputs. These inputs may include anecdotal evidence and fallacious perceptions. This is the approach that most people use in building models of the future and is indeed common for all forms of planning.

The outside view asks if there are similar situations that can provide a statistical basis for making a decision. Rather than seeing a problem as unique. The outside view wants to know if others have faced comparable problems and if so, what happened? The outside view is an unnatural way to think. Precisely because it forces people to set aside all the cherished information they have captured.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I have a piece from Chris Hladczuk.

How Jeff Bezos from Amazon makes decisions. Is it a one-way or two-way door?

One way means you can't reverse, so make them slowly and carefully.

Two way means reversible, so make them fast.

A lot of people who experience decision fatigue or paralysis by analysis it's because they're using the slow one way door process for a two way decision.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I am quoting Sahil Bloom, "When you think something nice about someone let them know. It's a shame that we often wait until a person's funeral to say all of the nice things we thought about them. The next time you have a positive thought about someone, tell them right then."

I'd like to propose a challenge for the next week. For three days, find three different people and tell them why you are grateful and thankful for them. And why, what they did meant a lot to you.

Don't wait to share appreciation and thanks.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I would like to share this snippet from the Almanac of Naval Ravikant.

Every desire is a chosen unhappiness.

Looking outside yourself for anything is the fundamental delusion. Not to say you shouldn't do things on the outside. You absolutely should. You're a living creature. There are things you do, you locally reverse entropy. That's why you're here.

You were meant to do something. You are not just meant to lie there in the sand and meditate all day long. You should self-actualise. You should do what you are meant to do.

The idea you are going to change something in the outside world and that is going to bring you the peace, everlasting, joy and happiness you deserve is a fundamental delusion. We all suffer from, including me.

The mistake over and over is to say, "Oh, I'll be happy when I get that thing." whatever it is. That is the fundamental mistake, we all make ,24/7, all day long.

Desire is a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want. I don't think most of us realise that's what it is. I think we go about desiring things all day long and then wonder why we're unhappy.

I like to stay aware of it because then I can choose my desires very carefully. I try not to have more than one big desire in my life at any given time. And I also recognise it is the axis of my suffering. I realised the area where I have chosen to be unhappy.

One thing I've learnt recently, It's way more important to perfect your desires then to try to do something you don't 100% desire.

When you're young and healthy, you can do more. By doing more, you're actually taking on more and more desires. You don't realise this. You don't realise this is slowly destroying your happiness. I find younger people are less happy, but more healthy. Older people are more happy but less healthy. When you were young, you have time, you have health but you have no money. When you're middle age, you have money and you have health, but you have no time. When you're old, you have money and you have time, but you have no health. So the trifecta is trying to get all three at once.

By the time people realise that they have enough money, they've lost their time and health.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today, I'd like to share a part of a Twitter storm by David Morris.

I'm grateful for you.

A friend starts his day by writing five things he's grateful for about his wife. Then shares one with her. It's been transformational. Annoyance has disappeared. Problems feel smaller. Gratitude is undefeated. Tell your spouse you appreciate them.

Over the past 10 days, I started writing letters each night to my partner. I'd write a few things that I'm grateful and thankful for her to and what has been on my mind.

I plan to continue this practice and hope that we can continue to stay connected and grateful for each other.

Thank you, everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share with you an exercise I often do, I call it future projecting.

At times I get offered shiny objects and these are opportunities that present themselves. One way I use to weigh out which direction to go or whether I should take it up is thinking about the end goal. If I forward and future project what the end result may be I can get a feeling for if I put in all this hard work and in the end this is where I'll be. It gives me insight into the lifestyle, what it's like to be in that position at the endpoint. Is it something that I would enjoy? Would I be happy? What would have I learnt? What relationships would I have built? Or would I be miserable? And would it take more time away from my family? I guess you can also consider this daydreaming but with a specific goal in mind.

Thank you everyone for listening.

"You cannot see your reflection in boiling water. Similarly, you cannot see truth in a state of anger."

For myself when events arise that start to irritate me or make me angry. First I try to keep quiet, it's not always the best solution but for me, it keeps me from reacting. And by keeping quiet I can look inside and slowly reflect, then it comes to a point where I'm able to let go and think. Could I be in the wrong? Could that person or that event or that thing be right? Can I see their perspective in their shoes. Can I take responsibility for this?

When I'm able to shift the responsibility over to myself and stop blaming the other side. A sense of peace starts to enter my body and calms my mind.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to read a post from Andrew Huberman.

Do you feel your eyes are tired? Experiencing headaches? Or have an eyebag sag.

Ask yourself how much of your waking time each day is spent looking at things further than three meters away? Chances are you are forcing your visual system, eye and face muscles to fatigue by close viewing. Look into the distance greater than six meters at least 90 minutes per day.

It doesn't have to be all at once but if you're taking walks while looking at your phone, then in your car, looking at Google maps, then a computer, then at your phone, then at your computer and then looking at someone's face up close, and then on your iPad. This is not good

In today's lifestyle we are constantly focusing on things close to us. We're either looking at our computers or we're looking at our phones, even when we're traveling, we're looking at something close. So take the time each day, break it up, look at things at least six meters away, even better look into the distance, spend at least 90 minutes throughout the day.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share a quote by Naval Ravikant, "Become the best in the world at what you do. Keep redefining what you do until this is true."

Part of the process to do this is to find and build specific knowledge. Specific knowledge cannot be taught, but it can be learned. When he talks about specific knowledge, he means to figure out what you were doing as a kid or teenager, almost effortlessly. Something you didn't even consider a skill but people around you noticed. Your mother or your best friend growing up would know.

Examples of what your specific knowledge could be:

* Sales skills

* Musicals talent: with the ability to pick up any instrument.

* An obsessive personality: You dive into things and remember them quickly.

* Love for science fiction. You were into reading sci-fi which means you absorbed a lot of knowledge very quickly.

* Playing a lot of games. You understand game theory pretty well.

* Gossiping digging into your friends network. That might make you into a very interesting journalist.

The specific knowledge is sort of this weird combination of unique traits from your DNA, your unique upbringing and your response to it. It's almost baked into your personality and your identity. Then you can hone it.

Remember "No one can compete with you on being you. Most of life is a search for who and what needs you the most."

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share a segment from a Twitter storm from Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Effort vs Joy. It's not about how much money you spend but the trade off with effort. Earning giant mansions, keeping multiple residences or owning a private jet. It requires maintenance and manpower... but is it really worth all the effort and does it actually bring joy? For any significant expense above $5,000. Does it require extra time and energy? Does it affect our existing relationships? Does it require new relationships? If the answer is yes to these questions, then he avoids the expense. Mostly because it would be a pain in the ass.

Thank you everyone for listening

Today I have a snippet from Chip Conley's book, Peak. Leaders are the emotional thermostats of those they lead. The moment you truly own that sentence, you realise that you're a role model. Stop calling yourself a leader and start calling yourself a role model. Truly try this for a week, ask your role model team not your leadership team, what it feels like to be addressed in this new way. I'm sure it will be awkward initially but you'll find it magical over time as being a role model forces you to realise the impact that you have on others.

Thank you everyone for listening

Last night I was going through some YouTube videos and I stumbled across a video with Lex Fridman and Elon Musk. It was a piece on advice to young people and essentially it was to be useful. This is very simple advice but it is very difficult to do.

I started to reflect on my own activities, my own work, my own projects. What impact am I actually making? What value are people actually getting? Am I creating more than I am consuming? How can you become net positive?

These were some tough questions to answer but it gave me the insight into the actions I am making and where I can pivot in the future as well as where I should focus my energy on.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to bring up the concept of scorecards. If you've worked in a large company, you've most likely been given KPI's and you have these targets that you need to reach.

Now the question is how about your personal scorecard? What is your scorecard in life? What do you measure on a weekly basis?

Now if it's related to the amount of material that you have i.e. how many houses, how many cars that you have, if you've defined your success by that kind of scorecard. Everything becomes really difficult.

There are other ways to look at it. Personally, I track what is my weekly resting heart rate, my heart rate, variability, what is my average sleeping hours, workout activity each week. How many creative hours I spend, how many hours I spend at work, how many hours I spend with my family and partner.

These are my weekly scorecard metrics because health to me is my scorecard. Creative hours to me is my scorecard, time with work and family is my scorecard. And because I'm not focusing on the material it allows me to focus on the progress. Giving me room to create, allowing me to expand my capabilities, my creativity, my connections and my credibility.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I have something shared by Dharmesh Shah, he's the co-founder of HubSpot. Through one of his interviews, he shares a mental model about the interconnecting circles of skills. He begins with listing your top skills, what are you good at? What are you passionate about? And if you were to narrow a few down and combine some of those top skills. How rare is that combination? Finally, do those skills reinforce each other? For example, being an olympic swimmer and a very good programmer might be two very different fields and may not compliment each other. But if you have certain skills such as public speaking and teaching. The combination of those two reinforce each other well. So from your unique combination of skillsets what service, offering, product or value add can you develop?

Thank you everyone for listening

Today I'd like to share two parts from Kevin Kelly. Habit is far more dependable than inspiration. Make progress by making habits. Don't focus on getting into shape. Focus on becoming the kind of person who never misses a workout. I love this so much, I think sitting around waiting for inspiration to strike is essentially procrastination. If you can simply make progress each day. I believe that inspiration will come and I think this ties very well with:

If you repeated what you did today 365 more times, will you be where you want to be next year?

To be consistent in building a habit I don't believe is enough. Is it in the right direction? Is what you're doing every single day going to get you where you want to be?

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to talk about growth, " If you become satisfied, growth stops."

To continue on with this, I wanted to share some laws written by Dan Sullivan and Catherine Nomura from the book 10 laws of lifetime growth.

Some of my favourites are:

Always make your questions bigger than your answers. All growth lies in the territory of the unknown. What we already know is in the past. What we have yet to discover is the future. Always make your questions bigger than your answers and you keep drawing yourself into a bigger future with new possibilities.

Always make your confidence greater than your comfort. Many successful people start off life as dreamers and risk-takers but the moment they become successful, they start seeking greater security and comfort as their main goal. This attitude puts them to sleep motivationally and they lose the confidence that made them so successful.

Finally always make your cooperation greater than your status. Working with others and creating opportunities for increased cooperation makes greater things possible in our lives and in the world.

I hope some of these laws have resonated with you. Thank you, everyone for listening.

Today I have an exercise for entrepreneurs. Review over the last 12 months your top five biggest paying cheques. Now I want you to then average the amount to work out your largest paying cheque. So if you add up your top five biggest cheques then divided by five, that will give you your current maximum paying cheque. The idea is that you should be focusing your time and effort increasing this largest check every 12 months for either the same or less amount of time.

You can also do this to work out your minimum cheque and then either decide for the minimum cheque or below to let go of those clients or delegate. And if you want to have a bit of fun think of your dream cheque, give yourself a monstrous number that scares you and have a go at working backwards from that.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share a quote from Kevin Kelly, "The only productive way to answer, what should I do now? Is to first tackle the question of who should I become?"

When you are stuck and not sure what to do next or what to do now at this point in time. Have a go and ask yourself who should I become first? What values do you want to embody? What kind of person do you want to become? Who do you want to be a hero to? You can use this in combination with some of the previous exercises of moving into the future. Having a play visualising who you could be three months from now? One year from now? Three years from now? 10 years from now?

Have fun and enjoy the process. Thank you all for listening.

I've just come back from Bali and had some time to reflect. One of the exercises I went through is called the moving future, this is also by Dan Sullivan. You look at your current situation and note down where you currently are? What mindset you're in? And then you go back three months. Three months ago what were you doing? Where were you? Who were you with? What was your mindset like? And from then till today, What were your gains? What were the positive things that have happened that have you accomplish or the progress you've made? I had noticed and it had surprised me the amount of work, amount of effort, the amount of things that have changed. The beliefs that I had three months ago no longer exists today. From here you can choose to look three months into the future. What would you like to achieve in the next three months? Where would you like to be? What things would you like to change? Give yourself some time and space to do this every three months, so you can look back into the past and into the future. Appreciate your wins, the progress you've made and be happy where you are right now.

Thank you everyone for listening

Today I'd like to talk about mental subtraction. Often we are recommended to have a gratitude practice to help us shift our mindsets to a more positive state by thinking of the things that we're grateful and thankful for. But even with a gratitude practice sometimes people can still take things for granted and that's where mental subtraction comes in.

Mental subtraction is a visual exercise that takes away someone or something important in your life to help you appreciate more, those relationships or anything else that is in your life. This process can help you improve your positivity and appreciation.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I have a quote by Dan Sullivan, "Procrastination is wisdom." How can procrastination become wisdom? Naturally when we think about procrastination it is unproductive and not a desirable state of mind. We put off things that we think we should do or need to do and then eventually if it has to be done we get around to it. Finishing the task while feeling low and once we've completed it we think, why didn't we do it earlier?

Instead we can use procrastination as a sign that maybe what needs to be done is not for you. We should ask, who can help us achieve this task? Who can help you? Thus accelerating results. Remember this is with any part of your life? Whether it's health and you want to get fit, you want to eat better? You don't always have to figure out how, you should ask who? Or find somebody who can find you who. As Dan Sullivan says. Every who needs a who including you.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today, I'd like to pose an exercise and a few questions. Let's begin by listing everything that you do at work from the smallest things to the biggest things, the order doesn't matter.

After you've listed everything draw up a table of four quadrants: On the upper left-hand side write work that you love and that you're great at. Upper right hand side work that you like to do and you're good at. Bottom left hand side work that you don't like, but you are good at. Bottom right-hand side work that you don't like and you're not good at.

Now take your time and allocate all of the activities that you've listed into the right categories. I'm not sure what yours look like? But I have a lot of activities on the bottom right-hand corner. Now let's further imagine, what would life look like if we were able to delegate all the activities in the bottom right hand, bottom left-hand, possibly even in the top right-hand corner to other people? And that we spent 100% of our working time on the top left-hand side of the quadrant, doing the work that we're great at and that we love. Imagine the impact , imagine the progress, imagine the life. And I'd like to leave you with a final question. What is one thing you can do in the next seven days to help you get closer to spending more time in quadrant one?

Thank you, everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share a quote by Kevin Kelly, "The consistency of your endeavours (i.e exercise, companionship, work) is more important than the quantity. Nothing beats small things done every day, which is way more important than what you do occasionally.

Consistency is my daily mantra, it allows me to begin small, get started quick and do it on a regular basis. Over time it almost always amounts to larger results. I urge you to begin now, to begin small and do it consistently.

Thank you all for listening.

I'd like to start with an unknown quote, "Once she stopped rushing through life, she was amazed how much more life she had time for."

In a world that moves so fast it's important for us to slow down. We literally cannot keep up with the pace that technology's moving at. How many messages, emails, calls, the expectations of our schedules. The amount of stimulus that we're exposed to, the screens that we have.

As I've been checking in lately I've noticed that I feel rushed many times throughout the day because I'm trying to move from one to the next or trying to tackle the tasks on my list. Yes there are things that we have to do but is feeling rushed necessary? So I started to ask myself, why am I feeling rushed? What can I do to avoid that feeling? And it's amazing how simple, small things can make such a seismic shift in my week and the way that I navigate through it.

It releases so much more energy for me to focus on more important things or this case, realise how much more life I have time for.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share an idea written by Paul Graham. What is the best way to solve a creative challenge? It is to think about it, stew on it, brainstorm about it and think about it so much that eventually the solution comes to light. Essentially that creative challenge has become top of mind for you and so what is currently top of mind for you? What do you think about when you're in the shower? What unconsciously pops up? What do you catch yourself thinking throughout the day?

Paul Graham mentions that there are two things that are essentially black holes. One is about money and the other is about disputes. If you are always worried about money or emotional disputes. How is it then that there is any space for any creative challenges? Allow yourself to become aware of this and throughout the day catch yourself, if you were thinking about one or the other. Unless it's particularly urgent try to shift yourself, back to a creative challenge. Consciously pick the creative challenge to be top of mind.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share a quote by Epicurus "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not. Remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."

This quote reminds me of a lesson that I learnt from Vishen Lakhiani about the happiness gap. There will always be things that we want to strive for like goals, ambitions but of course we are in the present when we are yet to have those things.

Where the struggle is though we constantly have those ambitions and visions in our mind. Our desire for it is so great that we begin to suffer in the present moment. Instead if we can pause and practice what we are grateful for each day for the things that we have now because once they were also things that we dreamed of having. By achieving happiness in the present moment and keeping the future vision in mind, we can close the gap of happiness.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share an emotional equation by Chip Conley.

Curiosity = Wonder + Awe

Whenever I feel like I'm lacking inspiration it is generally because I am lacking curiosity and so rather than seeking what inspires me, I begin with a question, what conditions make me less curious?

From there I can begin a process of elimination so I can create a better environment which I am more conducive to becoming more curious.

Thank you, everyone for listening.

I'd like to share a quote about saying no, "You have to say no to good things, to be able to say yes to important things. You can't possibly do it all. Be mindful and choose wisely today. Remind yourself that the quality of your life 10 years from now will greatly depend on how well you respect your present priorities."

This quote was a great reminder for me this week being presented with a new opportunity but the question became do I want to trade my valuable resource, my time and energy for this? Do I see myself doing this 5 or 10 years from now? It's something that I need to continue to sit with but reframing this as a potential long-term future project, if I don't want to do it now then why would I want to do it later?

Thank you for listening.

Today I have a quote by Friedrich Nietzsche, " There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy."

Growing up as a male I often with hold my emotions and shielded them from the world. Only as I grew older I started to understand the power of emotions.

When you're feeling anger, it's telling you where you feel powerless. Your anxiety, it's telling you that something in your life is off balance. Your fear, it's telling you what you care about. You apathy, it's telling you where you are overextended and burnt out. Your feelings aren't random, they are messages and if you want to get anywhere. You need to be able to let them speak to you and tell you what you really need.

Thank you all for listening

This week for me has been a great reminder of a quote being kind is greater than being right.

Many times when we find ourselves in arguments whether it's at the workplace or with loved ones. Often our ego gets in the way and it becomes a battle about being right. I think it's important that we step back, we listen and if it's for the overall good being kind is better than being right.

So the next time you find yourself in an argument with someone you care about. Would you rather be right? Or are you willing to work on this relationship together and be kind?

Thank you for listening

Today I would like to share a quote by Peter Drucker, he says "You spend too much time thinking about if you'll be successful. It's the wrong question. The question is how to be useful."

For a long time, possibly because of the way I grew up being successful was important coming from an immigrant family and that was something that I heavily sought, constantly striving on how to be successful. But what I've found over time that gave me a lot of peace was reframing to focus on the process. How to become useful rather than giving too much weight on being successful. And the more that I found that I was able to be useful, success has generally followed. So shift from focusing on being successful to becoming useful by thinking about how you are spending your time.

Thank you all for listening.

Today I'd like to share one of my favorite quotes by Agnes Martin. Happiness is everywhere. When we are unhappy, it is because something is covering our minds and we are not able to be aware of happiness. When the difficulty is past. We find happiness again. Happiness is unattached. Always the same. It does not appear and disappear. It is not sometimes more and sometimes less. It is our awareness of happiness that goes up and down. Happiness is our real condition. It is reality. It is life.

For over the past five years I've been keeping a daily log of the activities I do but more importantly my happiness levels next to it on a scale of a negative two to be end of the world, to positive two, being a really happy day.

What I've noticed logging my happiness levels over the last few years is there is always something good that happens in the day that makes me happy. And it's whether I choose to focus on what has made me happy or rather if I let the negative of the day takeover. Which decides what I to score that day out of. And so the question is. Is your radar looking for happiness or is it seeking negativity?

Thank you all for listening.

Today I'd like to share a quote from Jocko Willink, "Don't expect to be motivated every day to get out there and make things happen. You won't be. Don't count on motivation. Count on discipline."

There are just days when you won't be inspired or really want to do much of anything at work. It happens but don't let it discourage you. As a leader you can't just sit back in those hard moments of being unmotivated because time waits for no one. Especially in a competitive industry.

A good leader knows they can only count on their own determination, resolve and willpower to see themselves and their team through any roadblocks, tough moments or new challenges. The only thing that has your back during these times is your discipline. Whether it be one small action each day. Build habits. Build the discipline. So that regardless of how you're feeling there is always progress.

Thank you all for listening.

Today I'd like to share a quote taken from the Sam Parr podcast. In the podcast they were sharing that it is difficult when asking for a winning formula from someone successful. The answer usually involves it depends, circumstances are always different and generally it's hard to find a winning formula. However if you ask for the mistakes and avoid that, you're in a much better position to succeed as you can avoid the pitfalls that they've learned sharing their wisdom with you.

So rather than always asking for how they did it? Ask for the failures they've had and the challenges they've had to overcome.

Thank you for listening.

Today I'd like to talk about energy management, everyone has the same amount of time, 24 hours in a day and so being equals in that level then it's all about how you manage your energy.

With low energy what you end up doing in 10 years may feel like you haven't done much or achieved much on this earth but with high energy what you could achieve in 10 years may feel like you've made 50 years worth of impact.

I've shared in the past a blog about life audit, today I'd like to get a bit more granular into something you can use more day to day and that's an app called mood app. It allows you to check in each day to see how you are feeling, whether you're high energy, low energy and logging what kind of emotion you're experiencing. By building this database and awareness over time. You're able to pinpoint further the activities that give you energy or that drain you of energy and from there armed with this knowledge, you can make different choices, to lead a life with high energy and high impact.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Growing up in an immigrant family, I watched and observed how my parents were able to navigate through a country where they couldn't speak the language. They weren't exactly completely happy with their lives but they worked hard, they saved and they provided for the family in need.

Watching their hardships and growing up in housing commission area, I realise that I had built a natural resilience to life's challenges. And now, as I'm on an entrepreneurial journey I continue to face issues and challenges. But I start to distinguish between the people that shut down emotionally when the tough gets going versus the people that have the resilience to power through.

I've been thinking about the people that make a positive impact in this world and the challenges and the struggles that they had to go through in order to make developments in their industry. How everything would have been so different if they had given up early in the game.

I truly believe that resilience is one of the biggest factors for success, not just monetary success but any success. And so whether we are born into resilience or it's something that we build. I believe that thinking about the bigger picture always helps. Will you let this struggle, this challenge stop you right here right now, from achieving your ultimate goal?

Thank you, everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share some advice about shifting your mental state. There's challenging times at the moment with grief going on around the world, on top of an already challenging time with COVID pandemic. When people are mentally down, it is very difficult to will your way out of it, to challenge the mind with the mind. However it is a lot easier to shift the mind with the body. And what I mean by that is, as hard as it may be, if you try to get up and go for a short run or go to a yoga class or even stretching. These movements, promoting blood flow around the body towards the brain. Will really help you begin to shift your mindset. That's why people often feel better after a great session at the gym or a yoga class. And if you want to try something different, some low cost ways are cold showers, ice baths and different types of breath work practices.

Explore have a play and keep some tools for yourself. So when you're feeling down, you can use those tools to shift your physiology and the mind will follow.

Thank you, everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share the hedgehog concept by one of my favorite mentors, Jim Collins. This one is from his book Good to Great.

The hedgehog concept is an intersection of three circles. Firstly, what are you deeply passionate about? Two, what you can be the best in the world at? And three, what best drives your economic and resource engine?

Now points one and three. What you were passionate about? And an economic driver, we can work out. The toughest I find is point 2, what you can be the best in the world at. And it is very difficult to be the number one in the world at something. The amount of time and sacrifice one has to give up in order to become number one but I think that the other way around this is doing what you can uniquely do. And a framework that I often look towards is if you can become the top 20% in three different categories and uniquely combine them. That's in it's own can propel you to become the number one in a new unique field because it is rare that anyone is in the top 20% of those three categories specifically. I'm not saying that it's easy because to become the top 20% isn't a small feat but the challenge of becoming number one in a particular category often saturated is very challenging. So if you can combine points one, two and three, execute that, accumulating one upon another, over a long period of time.

That is part of the recipe from going good to great.

Thank you for listening.

Today I'd like to share some thoughts that I've been thinking about. It's been playing on my mind for quite a while and that's about becoming more global.

Why go global? I think we're at the perfect intersection of time and technology at this point. The whole thing was sped up by the COVID pandemic. Making us join more zoom calls, be more digital, be more online. At first I was quite resistive, I thought maybe this is not the way it should be but in hindsight two years later. It had pushed me to connect with people outside of my usual sphere limited by location, geography. I was able to expand my network to overseas, connecting with amazing people from around the world. And with whatever project you were working on. Think about how can you be more global? Not only is it easier to reach out to and connect with people? It is becoming more of the norm and the technology of transactions is becoming much easier. More importantly so becoming more global allows you to impact more people.

Become a person of "the world".

Thank you, everyone for listening.

I think in today's environment we often have the feeling to do things quickly. When we set goals, we want them done quickly but I think if we reframe them, take a step back and choose to do it over a long run. For example, instead of getting a project done within the next few months or the next year. How about thinking about this project over the next five to ten years?

I know that the results are often required in a shorter timeframe but then if it's a personal project or if it's something that you are working towards. How about looking at a longer timeframe?

When I go through this process it often takes off a lot of pressure from me. I feel like I'm able to focus more and really put down quality work to make an impact.

Thank you all for listening.

People that take to take.

People who take to give.

Those who give to take.

And finally those who give to give.

I think these are a great indicator of what kind of mindset you're in, whether you're in an abundant mindset or you're in a scarcity mindset. It's great to check in with yourself and become more aware of when you're placed in these situations. Which category do you fall most in? And if you're not happy in it. How will you move towards a more abundant mindset? Justin also shares it's important to give to give to those that deserve it. So let us continue the rest of the year, thinking about how do we give to give versus taking to take.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share a tool that I use every day. I learnt this from Jim Collins, one of my favourite teachers and hence I called it the JC log.

So it is a tool that helps you bring awareness to your emotional states each day in relation to your activities. I use a Google sheet and every day at the end of the day, I pop in the date, I log what I've done that day, certain activities that stand out to me. And then I log next to it the amount of creative hours, the amount of time that I've spent doing and creating things that I love and enjoy. And finally in the last column would be a rating between minus two to positive two, zero being neutral. And this is related to emotional state, how I felt overall that day. Two being really good, negative two being, I'm feeling like it's almost the end of the world.

I have been doing this for the past three years and I found it an amazing awareness piece for myself. That I'm able to then consider and see what activities in my life impact me in a negative way and over time that will allow me to then work out, how do I reduce or negate those activities all together? And vice versa, what activities give me joy.

Hope you have a play with this process and please do let me know and reach out if you have any feedback on this process or any questions.

Thank you all for listening.

Today I'd like to share a tribute of Thich Nhat Hanh, one of my favorite buddhist teachers.

His recent passing has got me searching for my favorite quotes from his books and today I'd like to share the few quotes that have made quite the impact in my life. And I hope that you will enjoy them as well.

"Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor,"

“Many people think excitement is happiness...But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace,"

"If you love someone but rarely make yourself available to him or her, that is not true love,"

"Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today,"

“My actions are my only true belongings.”

"If you suffer and make your loved ones suffer, there is nothing that can justify your desire,"

"When you love someone, you have to offer that person the best you have. The best thing we can offer another person is our true presence,"

May Thich Nhat Hanh rest in peace.

Thank you everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share a post about first principles, in particular a quote that says "Show me the incentives and I'll tell you the outcomes." This is generally geared towards teams and other people, to set incentives to produce an outcome but today I'd like you to reflect.

On what could possibly be the incentives in your own life? What is driving you? And see if we can possibly plan for the outcomes from those incentives. I believe this awareness piece is important, you can shed light on how and where your incentives have been set. And from there you could possibly renew your incentives, position where you want them to be. To produce the outcomes that you want.

Thank you all for listening.

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and New Years break. I trust that you've had some time to reflect on the previous year, possibly set some new goals for the new year.

Today, I'd like to pose some more questions for you to help you reflect deeper and possibly something for you to take into the new year.

Some questions that I asked myself when I was reflecting from 2021. What are some key lessons that I've learnt? What is my new mantra or quote for 2022? What is the one thing you can do to reduce 80% of your negative experience? Or the one thing that will bring much more happiness into your life?

These are some pretty deep questions but are highly personal. If you take the time to reflect I hope that you can take something else that you haven't already come across, into this new year.

Thank you all for listening.

Today I'd like to share a quote by David Lynch, "I dream, but I don't go by nighttime dreams, it's daydreams that I love. Sinking down, sitting comfortably in the chair where you might be controlling some of the thoughts and directing yourself here or there but at a certain point. The dream takes over and you enter into a place where things are unraveling before you, without your intervention. And many things can present themselves that way. Sometimes ideas that you fall in love with. "

I love the process of daydreaming, I daydream during the day, I daydream in the evening. Purposely not in a way that I think it's unproductive. The way I daydream is I think of the projects that I am excited about or I'm passionate about. And I put myself in a position where if I had all the resources I needed for that. What would it look like? Where would I end up? Who would I meet? What would I be doing?

This process of daydreaming allows me to think of possibilities and many times when I get to the end I realise, is that it? Maybe this wasn't what I really wanted. Maybe this isn't what I was really passionate about and then I go down a different rabbit hole.

I hope you can enjoy the process of daydreaming as well and wishing everyone a safe and happy upcoming holiday. Thank you all for listening.

This podcast is sponsored by Altitude Tea. They are having a special Neoclassical Piano & Tea Experience with Animal Feelings (Oli Chang). An experience designed to take you on a sensory journey incorporating sound, sight, taste, touch and smell inside a cozy octagon shaped art decor house designed by architect Walter Griffins. Only 2 spots left! You can find more information by following the link below:

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Today I'd like to share a quote by Paul Graham, "People are bad at looking at seeds and guessing what size tree will grow out of them. The way you'll get big ideas in say healthcare is by starting out with small ideas. If you tried to do some big thing, you don't just need it to be big. You need it to be good and it's really hard to do big and good simultaneously. So what that means is you can either do something small and good and then gradually make it bigger. Or do something big and bad and gradually make it better. And you know what? Empirically starting big, just does not work. That's the way the government does things. They do something really big, that's really bad and they think, well, we'll make it better and then it never gets better."

With this I can talk from experience. Whenever I've started out big, I've always made some very expensive lessons. You just start small, build a community, develop something good. Then from there, you can decide to scale because even then you will run into challenges but at least you have a strong foundation, a community, the support to help you so that you can make it bigger and better.

I hope you all have a wonderful up coming week. Thank you all for listening.

Today I'd like to share a tweet by Barack Obama, " We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it."

For myself, when I had turned 30, something had clicked in me. Something had changed. I had this moral uprising that I felt like I had to do something more. Something to do with the environment, I felt responsible.

We always see advertising things about reduce plastic and reduce waste and it's always been at the back of my mind but I never had really consciously done anything about it.

When that shifted in me I just decided, ok I'm more than just myself. I have small businesses that I run, that I can help make an impact. So I further began to reduce plastic use, waste. Started to think about ways how to work with the community to reduce it even further. And then I came across the net zero by 2050 initiative. Where countries are signing on to reduce greenhouse gases by 2050, because if we don't we're in big trouble. The thing is though the time pressure is even more. There are milestones that we need to hit by 2030, 2040 before 2050 is even considered and so it seems to be a race.

I feel by educating ourselves and people around us, is at least the first step but then as a community, we need to collectively figure out ways we can further reduce emissions and the impacts of global warming. This is not just for ourselves, but for our future generations.

I hope that you will consider what kind of impact we can all do and I wanted to leave it out there that if you have any ideas and initiatives that you're working on in reducing greenhouse emissions, please let me know. Reach out and I hope to collaborate.

Thank you all for listening.

Today’s newsletter is sponsored by Altitude Tea.

Altitude Tea specialises in rare and exotic teas you can't find on supermarket shelves. Teas grown on high altitudes are more nutrient dense due to the cold nights and misty peaks that slows the growth of the tea plant leading to a higher concentration of aromatic oils and richer flavours. They are located in Waterloo and they do private tea ceremonies where you can learn how to drink tea mindfully using a traditional gongfu set and have over 20 varieties of tea to choose from. 

For our readers and listeners you can use the code “Beyond” at checkout for 15% off.

Today I'd like to share with you a quote by Nick Pettit, "You can always make more ideas, but you can't make more time. If you decide to work on an idea, make sure you're serious about it. Sleep on it, think about it, share it with other people. If you're still crazy passionate about it, then do it.

I love this because generally I have a lot of projects going on and I love speaking ideas. I spend time speaking ideas with my partner , my friends, the community. And so how do you choose which one that you want to go with?

In addition to the quote, one other thing that I normally go by is. Will this give you energy? Or will it drain you? So for those of us out there, who are constantly full of ideas, remember, which one is worth you spending your energy and your limited time on.

Thank you for listening.

Today’s newsletter is sponsored by Altitude Tea.

Altitude Tea specialises in rare and exotic teas you can't find on supermarket shelves. Teas grown on high altitudes are more nutrient dense due to the cold nights and misty peaks that slows the growth of the tea plant leading to a higher concentration of aromatic oils and richer flavours. They are located in Waterloo and they do private tea ceremonies where you can learn how to drink tea mindfully using a traditional gongfu set and have over 20 varieties of tea to choose from. 

For our readers and listeners you can use the code “Beyond” at checkout for 15% off.

Today I'd like to share a line from the Daily Stoic, Marcus Aurelius's line "That's what's bad for the hive is bad for the bee."

This quote is about a strong sense of community and connection that we struggle to hold on to today. The Stoics believed we were put on this planet for each other. That we each had a role to play in the larger whole. That we must constantly meditate on our mutual interdependence.

What good is that success if it comes at the expense of others? What good are we if we can't help others? What are we all bound up in this thing called life together? If we forget that. We are not only not as advanced or evolved as we think we are but we are turning our backs on an ancient truth as well.

This ties in beautifully with an idea that I came across. If I give you a million dollars tomorrow, you would still have the same problems except with an extra million dollars, but if I gave you an extra a hundred people, you would have a community. A community that could solve problems. Focus on people, not money.

I hope I gave you all something to think about this coming week. Thank you for listening.

He shares "Cool, calm and collected is a visceral meaning. Keeping the palms, feet and face cool to help you regulate temperature. Will also help you keep calm and collected for mental output."

This work is based off the research from Dr. Craig Hella. I have been using this method over the past few months, during high intensity creative blocks, periods of high stress and even my workouts.

What I personally do is wrap a thin towel around an ice pack and then I will hold that for about three minutes at a time. It's important however, to experiment with this because it can't be too cold as you will begin to vasoconstrict and it would diminish the benefits. And obviously if it's not cold enough, it doesn't work. A quick way to test this is after the three minutes. If you were to touch somebody else with your hands and if they could feel the coldness, then it would be too cold.

I wanted to share this piece as we're reaching the tail end of this year, with lots to do before our break and everyone is busy. Hopefully with some experimenting this will help you keep cool, calm and collected.

Wishing you all an amazing week ahead, thank you all for listening.

Today’s newsletter is sponsored by Altitude Tea.

Altitude Tea specialises in rare and exotic teas you can't find on supermarket shelves. Teas grown on high altitudes are more nutrient dense due to the cold nights and misty peaks that slows the growth of the tea plant leading to a higher concentration of aromatic oils and richer flavours. They are located in Waterloo and they do private tea ceremonies where you can learn how to drink tea mindfully using a traditional gongfu set and have over 20 varieties of tea to choose from. 

For our readers and listeners you can use the code “Beyond” at checkout for 15% off.

He shares to be a successful creator you don't need millions. You don't need millions of dollars or millions of customers, millions of clients, or millions of fans. To make a living as a craftsperson, photographer, musician, designer, author, animator entrepreneur or inventor. You need only thousands of true fans.

Essentially the takeaway is 1000 true fans is an alternative path to success other than stardom. Instead of trying to reach the narrow and unlikely peaks of platinum bestseller hits, blockbusters and celebrity status. You can aim for direct connection with a thousand true fans. On your way, no matter how many fans you actually succeed in gaining, you'll be surrounded not by faddish infatuation but by genuine and true appreciation. It's a much saner destiny to hope for and you are much more likely to actually arrive there. And together with this, I agree with some of the comments made on the blog posts. That you can be some places where you are recognised and adored. And at the same time can go many more places like the movies, restaurants and the beach without being mobbed or having people hounding you for pictures.

This isn't about making a fortune but more about making a living you can be content with. How do you begin? I suggest get the audience of one, which is you. What excites you? What do you fear? What annoys you? Begin with creating something that you enjoy.

Thank you all for listening.

Today’s newsletter is sponsored by Altitude Tea.

Altitude Tea specialises in rare and exotic teas you can't find on supermarket shelves. Teas grown on high altitudes are more nutrient dense due to the cold nights and misty peaks that slows the growth of the tea plant leading to a higher concentration of aromatic oils and richer flavours. They are located in Waterloo and they do private tea ceremonies where you can learn how to drink tea mindfully using a traditional gongfu set and have over 20 varieties of tea to choose from. 

For our readers and listeners you can use the code “Beyond” at checkout for 15% off.

Looking back through my notes I came across this line that I had written down. If you become too regimented, there becomes no space for any give. If something doesn't have any give, it can break easier. Plus it's no fun not having any give.

I wanted to share this today because upon reflection my personality is quite regimented, I like to schedule, I like to have things in place and sometimes I don't give my schedule much slack. And when it doesn't go according to my schedule I beat myself up about it, I get disappointed and I catch myself again and again thinking why am I feeling this way? It's been a great day, I've been so productive, I've had many happy moments yet when something disrupts my schedule I feel like I'm off track.

I think it's important for those of us who follow stringent schedules to really create some slack. If you can even schedule in time to pursue your creative and inner passions, I think it really helps refills your tank. For those of us who have a busy schedule next week I hope you can stop, reflect and build some slack into your system. And a reminder to myself as well to not beat yourself up when you're not on schedule.

Thank you, everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share a quote that I'd written in my notes but I'm not too sure where it was from. It says the "Universe is conspiring behind your back to make you a success. This will be much easier to do if you embrace this pronoia." And in this case, pronoia is the opposite of paranoia. It is the delusion that others think well of one. Actions and the products of one's efforts are thought to be well-received and praised by others who, when they talk behind one's back must be saying good things, not bad.

When I was reading through this it reminded me of a Tony Robbins event that I attended. He shared this beautiful story about how what if life is happening for you and not to you?

And I think this ties in very well with Steve Jobs quote about connecting the dots backwards. You can never trace it forward but you can always connect it backwards. So in similar, if you were to take a perspective on that life is happening for you and not to you. In hindsight, you'll always be able to draw and connect the dots backwards.

And if you ever find yourself stagnant, that is because inaction breeds, doubt and fear. Action breeds, confidence and courage. If you want to conquer the negative elements in your life. Don't sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

I think if you reflect at this point in time of your life, about some of the relationships that you're in. The people you've met. The opportunities that you were given. How many points of contact? How many synchronicities have had to happen? For it to all connect and be where you are now.

Thank you all for listening.

This was our first week since freedom day and since I've had some time to reflect on the past week. It was sweetly painful over the past four months of the pandemic lockdown to get more than a year's worth of time with my partner, to get an uninterrupted streak of morning walks and study blocks during my most valuable time of learning. It was sweet because I loved every minute of it. It was painful because I had chosen not to have this before, I had so often chosen the other things. The less important things we throw into that bucket of “work responsibilities”. It is intimidating to contemplate how easily it will be to slip back into the old way of doing things too.

This awkward feeling of coming out of lockdown for me has really got me thinking of moving certain activities into my non-negotiable list. Rather than allowing “work” to sidetrack what is really important to me.

This week I'd like to leave you with, what is your non-negotiable list? And if you already have one, is it time for an update?

Thank you all for listening.

He shares "What made Steve jobs, Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk succeed? Was it the technology or their mindset?

Your mindset is the filter through which you see the world. It determines how you spend your time, what decisions you make and where you invest your resources.

Before you choose which mindsets to focus on it helps to understand how mindsets work. Here's an analogy, if you've been following developments in AI you know that we can train neuro nets to do image recognition. The challenge with these neuro nets is that they're only as good as the data you feed them.

For example, if you showed the neuro nets thousands of pictures of cats and then you show them a picture of a dog. The algorithm will tell you that the dog is actually a cat. It doesn't know any better.

The same is true for our brains, which are also neural nets. If you constantly feed your brain with negative perspectives, your outlook will be negative, you won't know any better. So how are you training your neural net?

Most of us don't realise that we're doing this training. It operates in the background, for example through social media echo chambers or in our daily news intake of the CNN: crisis news network. So what shapes your mindset? What are the things that have you trapped thinking the way you do? What would you need to change?

The two key inputs that shape our mindsets are the people we spend time with and the media we consume. If you want to be fit, hang out with friends who exercise. If you want to think big and aspire to change the world, hang out with people who have moonshots and a massively transformative purpose.

The other point is garbage in equals garbage out. The news and media we consume are data that we allow to flow into our brains AKA our neural nets. What is your news diet? What kind of movies or documentaries are you watching? What books or blogs are you reading?

Do these inputs reinforce the mindsets you want? Or do they reinforce mindsets you're trying to avoid?"

I hope this blog will inspire you to reconsider, what you are feeding into your neural network this coming week? Thank you all for listening.

Today I would like to share a quote by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk.

"To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment. To appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now."

I think often we are encouraged to be more present, more aware, more grounded but at the same time we aren't really given the understanding of how to do that. Through my limited experience, one way that I hope to become more present and more aware. Is that I've realised that when you ask the mind a question. Generally it will automatically try to give you an answer and so a question that I ask to help me become more aware and present is to begin with my senses. I start with my visual sense and ask, what don't I see? And I look around.

When I asked that question my mind automatically starts to look for things, that I haven't seen before. I've become more aware of my surroundings, I start to become more present in this moment. And then I might move on to my sense of hearing. I close my eyes and then I ask myself what don't I hear? I give myself a moment to settle and then I start to notice sounds that I didn't notice before.

My awareness expands, my presence expands. And then when I'm eating sometimes to expand my experience, I asked myself what don't I smell or what don't I taste?

I hope that you ask yourself some of these questions this coming week and hopefully it will expand your experience of becoming more present and more aware. And that it will help you appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now.

Thank you, everyone for listening.

Today I'd like to share a concept I often share with my peers, it's called the life audit. I previously learned this lesson from Tom Chi the founder of Google X and was the first person to prototype the Google glasses. He shared with me, that life is consisted of either A, B or C type activities. A type activities energise you, give you energy when you do them. B top activities are neutral so it might be just watching TV while you're chilling out after work. You don't gain or lose energy, you just relax. And finally C type activities, they're the ones that drain you. Those are the ones that you generally don't look forward to doing.

So now if you look back over your previous weeks or months and look at what your schedule was like, what have you been up to. And then you draw up three columns A, B and C and start putting the activities in the columns that associated with the energy patterns. At the end, when you look at it, where is the majority of your time and energy placed? Are they in A, B or C?

I find that this is a great awareness piece to understand where you place your time and energy. And that may well depict how you feel generally week to week. Obviously if you're spending a lot of time in A then that's great continue to do what you love to do. If you're spending a lot of time in C it's quite obvious you're spending a lot of time and activities that drain you. Then it's time to start considering how to change things around? But how about if you're spending a lot of time in B? Then the question becomes, why are you spending so much time in B? Is it because of a particular C type activity? That you need to just mellow out and chill. This will continue to give you insight into what activities you want to avoid.

This process can be further broken down into a weekly audit. What activities are you doing on a weekly basis that move the needle towards what you were working on? And what you are working on doesn't necessarily mean a business or a project, it could be simply a habit or a trait that you want to change. And finally I take this process to the daily, I write down what is the one thing that I've done today that will help me move the needle towards what I am working on?

You could say it's a small accountability piece but it's also a process that breaks your months into weeks and into days. And so in this new week that's coming, I encourage you to consciously consider your activities of the week. I hope it will give you a deeper insight into your activities and from that grow inspiration into new activities.

Thank you for listening.

Today I'd like to start with a quote by psychologist William James "With no attempt there can be no failure; with no failure no humiliation. So our self-esteem in this world depends entirely on what we back ourselves to be and do." Thus it is determined by the ratio of our actualities to our suppose potentiality. Therefore self-esteem equals success divided by expectations.

Following an extract by Alain De Botton "The problem with our world is that it does not stop emphasising that success, calm, happiness and fulfilment could somehow, one day be ours. And in this way it never ceases to torture us. As with optimists, pessimists would like things to go well. But by recognising that many things can and probably will go wrong. The pessimist is adroitly placed to secure the good outcome both parties ultimately seek. It is the pessimist who have never expected anything to go right, ends up with one or two things to smile about.

So if you were to expect nothing like a pessimist and expect everything to go wrong. And only then you would have something to smile about then that's not the way. Rather, I think let's trade expectations for appreciation, as Tony Robbins often says. In that way we lose expectation but we also gain appreciation and gratitude. Then the formulae becomes self-esteem equals success divided by appreciation. With that formula in hand you're much more likely to increase your self-esteem. As you become more appreciative of the things that you have, rather than have these expectations that will undoubtedly disappoint you.

May this following week be full of appreciation rather than expectations. Thank you, everyone for listening.

Often we are told to have a gratitude practice. Write down three things that you're grateful and thankful for or maybe even in a prayer format, say thanks or in meditations, what are you grateful for? But instead of just thinking about it, are you feeling the emotion of gratitude?

A tool that I use often to help me feel the emotional gratitude is asking why? So I list what I'm grateful for but then I also ask why am I grateful for that? Sometimes I may ask it even two more times, so it gets into a deeper of level of why I'm actually grateful. It really helps me bring out the emotion of gratitude, not just thinking about gratitude.

Also as a small exercise, may you send a piece of gratitude to someone around you? friend, family, acquaintance, colleague. Share with them what you're grateful for and why you are grateful for it.

Thank you all for listening, may your week be filled with gratitude.

A few years ago, I went to a conference called Mind valley and I had learned to ancient Hawaiian technique, it was called ho'oponopono.

It consists of four phases and I'd like to share with you very quickly here. So as you find a quiet place and relax and sit down. I like to visualise someone you have feelings of hatred for or somebody you've done wrong by.

The first step is to visualise them in front of you and then to say that you're sorry, I'm sorry. Sit there for a moment, allow them to receive that. It's okay, they don't need to reply, just say it to them.

Secondly ask for forgiveness, please forgive me, you can say it more than one time. You don't have to visualise them forgiving you. You just need to say it to them.

Thirdly, with gratitude say I thank you. And finally to share love, I love you. Say it and feel that emanate from your whole body.

Allowing yourself to bathe through the process and it's okay if you need to do it again. And this one it doesn't matter if the person actually in real life forgives you or not. It is a process that helps you let go from within.

I hope you enjoy this practice and I'm wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead. Thank you for listening.

Firstly, the one with Peter Drucker. He says, tell me what you value and I might believe you. But show me your calendar and your bank statement, and I'll show you what you really value.

The other one is about who you spend your time with? It's the classic. You are the average of the top five people you spend the most time with?

And now I'd like to tie in how those quotes are related.

Remember you are what you do, not what you say, not what you believe, not how you vote but what you spend your time on.

Have a good think about that and do a personal audit check, on your calendar, on your bank statements. The people who you spend the most time with and your activities. What does it all come up to?

Where are you putting your most precious time and resource?

What is the best question that you can ask your mind today? Better questions lead to better answers. If we're asking ourselves, "What should I do?" Or "How am I going to get there?" Then it's not surprising when our minds tell us what we want them to, as opposed to where they might be more valuable.

Consciously choosing your thoughts and emotions will help make a big difference in how happy you are with yourself every day.

What questions are you asking yourself today?

This passage I have here, I think it's from a book by Sadghuru, Inner engineering.

It's about an illusion that we perceive. He says, it is important to be respectable, to be loved and appreciated, to be important. We have a natural urge to be free. A natural urge to love, but not to be loved.

You mean, you never have any moments where you forget you're not loved and you let go and you're happy? Of course you have! For example when you go to the movies and experience joy with your girlfriend. Then afterwards, she heads off with her boyfriend and you feel lonely and not loved. Before she left with her boyfriend you were able to experience joy, right?

When you are stressed, when you're focused on something very particular. You start to tunnel vision, your pupils contract. Whereas when you are relaxed, your pupils dilate your vision expands.

So sometimes when you're feeling stressed or tired, literally go outside and look into the horizon. Increase your scope of vision, include your peripherals.

Using your sight you can then switch your state from a stressed to a more relaxed state from the outside in. Helping you increase your creativity by broadening your vision.

That's why I make it a personal mantra of mine, to focus on the quality of my experiences and the impact of my activity.

With any great project it requires a team, rarely it is just one person. And so at the beginning it's not about what can you do? But who do you need on board?

If you get the right people on the bus, you can always figure out what to do. Even if it's just getting the right people in the right space first and then figuring out where to go from there rather than even the idea to begin with.

This also goes for challenges and problems, when you have an issue, think about who can help you with this versus what is the solution? With a great team with the right people in the bus, anything is possible.

This week I wanted to share the strategy of preeminence by one of my favourite teachers, Jay Abraham.

Essentially the strategy of preeminence is putting your client's needs first and foremost, before your own.

Now what that means is, treating a client like a friend. Putting what they need or figuring out, what is best for them. Even if it means your service or product does not suit them, because then they can look at you as a trusted advisor for most things, if not all things. Because they know that you have their best interest at heart.

It reminds me of this other quote that I came across recently. And it says to succeed, get other people to pay you. To become wealthy, help other people to succeed. And that is essentially what the strategy of preeminence is about, it's about helping other people succeed.

Now why is a wandering mind an unhappy mind?

Science shares that often, not all the time, but often when we allow our minds to wander. You start to think about the past and typically when we think about the past. It's about things that we could've done better or things that make us unhappy.

So as we allow our minds to wander we start to automatically dip into the past into things that make us unhappy.

To feel emotion and analyse what is happening is not the problem. It becomes a problem though when you're trapped in an infinity loop that takes you deeper because you suffer, then analyse then continuing suffering. And more analysing and it goes on and on, at that point you need to hover above it all and observe the insanity that is happening. Distance yourself and it shall dissipate.

Now, my friend Brian Lai often shares about how your breath control, controls your life. When you're fatigued when you're stressed. When you are going through anxiety. All has a particular breathing pattern, if you become aware enough to notice it. If you shift that breath and go into a deep breath, meaning breathing deep into your diaphragm. Then you're able to shift your state.

And that goes for any state, whether you're crying, whether you're upset. Whatever it may be, shift your breath, change your life.

Today's phrase is something that I learned from one of my mentors Pauline Nguyen. She says, how do you feel the way you want to feel? Who do you need in your orbit to feel the way you want to feel? What environment do you need to be in to feel the way you want to feel?

So if you hone in on how you want to feel. Then you can start to choose and pick your environment. Who you surround yourself with that promotes how you want to feel.

This ties in very well with, you are the average of the top five people you spend your time with. And this is generally very true.

Check in with yourself now. Are you feeling the way you want to feel? Is the environment around you, promoting the way you want to feel? Are the people in your orbit helping you feel the way you want to feel?

Now, I allude that to also another learning that I've applied more and more over the years, and that's single versus perpetual.

What are you doing one time and then you have to do it again?

Or can you apply something consistently and perpetually continue through for as long as you set it to be. For example, can you schedule payments to go out? Instead of making a single payment every single time. Creating a direct debit would also be perpetual.

Or can you make a decision to let people know that you are no longer taking emails on this matter. Or you've decided to go off socials altogether. Whatever it may be. Consider the time and energy it takes. Out of the activities that you were consistently doing, are you doing it for only once? Is it a single activity? Or have you turned it into a perpetual activity?

I want to continue a little further on this phrase and it is about. A lesson I learned from Tom Chi who's a co-founder of Google X.

And he mentioned that. With your to-do lists.

Knock out. The items that are most energetically taxing.

Once you get rid of that, you will have a lot more energy to tackle the rest of the items. So typically advice is do the hardest first, but in this case, do that the hardest emotionally first.

Have a play with it. Think about what do you really want to achieve in 10 years? And then go for gold and think of how the hell are you going to do this in six months? It's not about actually doing it. It's a thought process of it through the process of thinking about this journey, there'll be insights that you've never really thought of.

It's a very interesting process. Hope you enjoy the exercise.

He shares.

Don't create things to make money. Make money so you can create things. The reward for good work is more work.

Tony Robbins, Often shares burn your boats. Leave everything behind. So you can focus on what you can solely create. Now I think. That is not an option for everyone. We all have responsibilities. Sometimes it's not an option to burn all boats to purely focus on your new creative project.

I think it's great and important. That you stick with what you're good at and what you can make money with. So that you can create .

And then while you create.

If you do good work. You'll be rewarded with more good work.

And so as that cycle continues and as it compounds, From there. You can consider leaving the rest behind. Otherwise. Don't be ashamed. Or don't be too hard on yourself. That you haven't left everything behind to pursue a new creative project. Make money. So that you can create. Not the other way around.

Visualize and imagine what the press release would look like.

Start backwards. So that's something that Amazon does first before anything else. They always start with the press release. Then they reverse engineer it. Ask yourself, who are you targeting? What problem are you solving and why is your solution the best in the business. If your press release isn't convincing enough then change it.

Now, this statement is something I would consider my mantra.

I openly am trying to share more than what I have. Because I know that. It always comes back in folds.

So be generous, share more and you would get more of it.

I'm also often considered a teacher. And that's because the best way to learn something. Is to teach it. Because when you try to teach it. You have to learn to articulate it. And understand its process.

It's on the veins of. If you focus on what you have. You gain what you lack. If you focus on what you lack, you lose what you have.

Essentially, all this means is start from a space of positive emotions. Start with gratitude. And watch everything else fall into place.

So when you meet people, And in the toughest situations, if they treat people poorly, Even though they're your friends, you know that one day. They can treat you like that too. Be careful. And choose your friends carefully. Choose the kind ones.

Now. I believe in this phrase of quite a lot, because often you hear people waiting for inspiration to strike. And who knows when that'll be. They're waiting for the moment. The right environment, the right people to come. How about, let us begin the process now. What if we keep trying. If we keep trying and we keep at the process, what will happen? It's a muse to show up more and more often So instead of waiting for the muse How about We get started?