You are your own brand

I have never been a charitable guy. It doesn't mean I'm not compassionate, I just rather overpay to good people who make an effort to sell, rather than some slacker who sits there doing nothing expecting cash for sympathy.

So the story goes, I was on my way back home from the MRT station when this girl walks up to me. She wasn't pretty, but she was calm and reassuring. Before I had the chance to give her the "talk to my hand" signal, she reassured me that she wasn't selling anything (ya, right) and started hypnotising me with a genuine smile.

She asked me to give her 5 minutes to let her explain what she does, and I ended up giving her 15 minutes unknowingly. By the end of the talk, I'm now a monthly donor of the Singapore Cancer Society. I must admit I wasn't exactly giving because "I'm feeling charitable", but rather, I donated because I was buying into her story of why the charity needs to be supported.

We are our own brands. If you are pleased with the service that your real estate agent offers you, chances are good that you will still patronise him after he switched to an insurance agent or salesman.

When a salesman approach you with a product, there are 2 things that he is selling - the product, and himself. Don't believe it? Imagine a grumpy old salesman selling you the best stuff ever. Will you buy it? Conversely, imagine a charismatic auntie-killer salesman try to sell you something mediocre, will you buy it? =p

Say you want to start a business, and you are looking for partners with no particular skillset, who do you look for? Yes, people that you trust. So if you have established yourself as a reliable brand, it is more likely you will chance upon better lobangs in life.

For me, I like to associate my brand with my values - the knowledgable and optimistic problem-solver. It doesn't matter what you get me to do, you can ALWAYS expect me to get quality, and save time with what I have to offer.

So when I introduce a friend of mine to join a friend's company recently, they can jolly well trust my recommendation - I'm putting my entire reputation on it. And when you get me to introduce you a housing agent, you know that I'll either recommend you a GREAT agent, or none at all.

Building your brand has the following cause-and-effect. As you build up a stronger brand for yourself, people buy into you and give you more lobangs, and you just have to reciprocate - by working harder to justify it.

Think Tony Fernandes from AirAsia. Or my favourite Richard Branson. These guys have the word "no frills" and "smart businessman" written all over their face.

So what are some of the words that your friends associate you with? That is your brand, my friends.

Christmas card from Little Stefbunny

Stefanie is one of my earlier blogging friends I got to know on the blogosphere, and she recently sent me and Wifey a Christmas card. ^_^





I just like little Stefbunny to know that this card is sitting on my writing table. Thanks so much!

Retirement plans

Despite quitting active gaming for almost a year (which was also the best decision I ever made), I must admit every now and then, I do miss it, and still have the urge to reinstall World of Warcraft and start gaming again.

But I keep rationalising and reminding myself of all the harm I have done to myself because of gaming - I don't want to waste another 20 years trying to quit this addiction.

So I have decided. I should wait till I get old and my senses start to fail me, then maybe, just maybe, I might reconsider picking up gaming again. I will be the cool grand-dad who thrashes his young opponents on the gaming world. =p

For now, I should see what the world has to offer, dance and travel while my legs are willing, kiss and hug while my Wifey is still with me, mingle while I am still not grumpy and obnoxious, ogle at sweet young things, write and learn while I am still senile, and so on....

So what are your retirement plans, my dear friends?

1212

(1) Birthdays don't make you one year older. They are just like any other day, which means you are just one day older. After all, age is a continuous function, not a discrete one.

(2) I don't grow older with age, I grow wiser. I'm a red wine, I get better with age.

(3) I read somewhere that you shouldn't celebrate belated birthdays, is it true?

Anyway, happy birthday to me.

I sent a birthday card to myself last week, I wonder why it hasn't arrive. (kidding)

About the Author: Shingo T got an Ipod Nano as a present from his Wifey, his first ever Apple product. Now he is wondering how much was charged on to his credit card.

17 ways that the Rich think differently

I am reading this book called Secrets of the Millionaire Mind", by T. Harv Eker. This is supposed to be one of those classic books, very much like "Rich Dad, Poor Dad".

In it is a chapter which states 17 ways that rich people think differently from us. Below are the 17 points, without the elaboration. Go get the book if you are keen to know more.

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(1) Rich people believe: “I create my life.” Poor people believe: “Life happens to me.”

(2) Rich people play the money game to win. Poor people play the money game to not lose.

(3) Rich people are committed to being rich. Poor people want to be rich.

(4) Rich people think big. Poor people think small.

(5) Rich people focus on opportunities. Poor people focus on obstacles.

(6) Rich people admire other rich and successful people. Poor people resent rich and successful people.

(7) Rich people associate with positive, successful people. Poor people associate with negative or unsuccessful people.

(8) Rich people are willing to promote themselves and their value. Poor people think negatively about selling and promotion.

(9) Rich people are bigger than their problems. Poor people are smaller than their problems.

(10) Rich people are excellent receivers. Poor people are poor receivers.

(11) Rich people choose to get paid based on results. Poor people choose to get paid based on time.

(12) Rich people think “both”. Poor people think “either/or”.

(13) Rich people focus on their net worth. Poor people focus on their working income.

(14) Rich people manage their money well. Poor people mismanage their money well.

(15) Rich people have their money work hard for them. Poor people work hard for their money.

(16) Rich people act in spite of fear. Poor people let fear stop them.

(17) Rich people constantly learn and grow. Poor people think they already know.

Sleepless at 1am

I have 3 admin assistants at work, who I nicknamed as "Left hand", "Right Hand" and "Tail", because they are integral parts of me, helping so much to reduce my workload.

Yesterday night, being Friday night, the 3 of them got me out for an early birthday dinner. Wifey took the chance to go out with her group of colleagues - she doesn't like to eat alone.

After an enjoyable night, I got home close to 10pm, and manage to enjoy some of "me time" surfing the usual forums and watching dance videos on Youtube (Quest Crew rockz!).

At 11pm, I called Wifey to check where she is, and she told me she was going to get a cab back.

By 11.30pm, she was not home, so I thought she had hang around a little longer with her friends.

By 12 midnight, there was no sign of her, and I started calling her, and received an instant "Please leave a message".

At 1am, which is far past my sleeping time at 12 midnight, she has still not returned home. And she has almost never returned home past 1am. I was tired after a long night, but still, I was REALLY worried.

So I walked down the steps of my flat, stopping to hear any suspicious shouts or screams in the silence of the night at every storey. I know I was imagining things, but her being uncontactable was freaking me out.

At the ground floor, I started pacing around at the lift lobby, tired but alert to any movements. Gave a few more calls yo her phone, and received the same "Please leave a message" autoreply, which was getting irritating to my ears. I wanted to call her colleagues, but then I don't have their numbers.

I hope I wasn't mistaken for a pervert or anything loitering at the lift lobby. You know, those predators that dash into the lift when yummy yum yums step into the lift. So when ladies approached the lift, I walked away from the lift, didn't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

Coming back to the story, I had pondered about calling her brother and parents, but I didn't, knowing that this will achieve nothing but panic.

For the next 45 minutes, I watched cars and taxis come and go into the carpark, each time with expectation followed by disappointment.

What if something happened to her? Singapore may be low crime, but it isn't no crime. And there are always crazy drunk drivers out there who could .... oh never mind.

My feelings were tinged with both fear and anger. Fear that something bad might happen to her. And anger that I wasn't notified by her regardless of her reason for being this late.

As time went by, I rationalise and bargained, all I want is her to come home safely. If she does comes back safely (please do), I won't raise my voice at her.

And she did, coming out of a taxi closer to 2am. She was surprised to see me, and greeted me with a smile, explaining that she was late because they were too engrossed in their chats, and it's hard to get a cab.

I had to keep my side of the bargain now that she returned safe. But just because I don't scold her doesn't mean I can't tell her how displeased I was.

As a married couple, she is accountable for your own safety to me. This is basic responsibility. I need to be notified should there be any cause for me to worry.

She apologised, saying that she realised much later that her handphone battery went flat, and didn't call me using her friend's handphone because she knows I normally drop dead on the bed at the touch of midnight - the sweet girl doesn't want to wake me up.

Moral of the story - Married lady friends, please know this. If you have to return home late, you HAVE TO inform your significant other, even if that means you have to wake him up from bed. Don't let him worry about you. Thanks!

Law of Precession

Like my good blogging friend Wenny, I apply alot of the Law of Attraction in my life. Recently, I got to know about the Law of Precession, and realised that it is also something that I apply unknowingly, as it is aligned with my values, though I somehow feel these 2 laws can kind of contradict each other.

Anyway, the Law of Precession was first stated by Buckminster Fuller, and it goes like this.

For every action we take there will be a side effect arising at 90 degree to the line of the our action. And this effect will be equal to or greater than the original attraction.

Wow, sounds a little abstract, isn't it?

There are 2 classic examples used to illustrate this law when you surf the Net about this subject.
(1) When you drop stones in a water, ripples are produced.
(2) When bees collect pollens from flowers, they unknowingly help cross-fertilise flowers.

So how is this law applicable in our lives?

The harder you try something, the harder it is to achieve. When you pursue money, the side effect produced is greed. And you might just end up losing more than you gain.

Instead, try adding value to those people around you. The side effect in this case is that you will gain more, either monetary or in other ways. The more selfless you are in helping others, the more you will gain.

Some of you may find this weird, isn't it? But I know of a few entrepenuers who swear by this law as the secret of their success.

Help others and you end up helping yourself in return.
Sounds good, isn't it?