Life?

2008-07-23T13:55:00.013+08:00

iPhone3g.. aaa.. everyone is talking about it.. what is so great about this phone?

iPhone3G Technical Specifications

Size and weight
Height:
4.5 inches (115.5 mm)
Width:
2.4 inches (62.1 mm)
Depth:
0.48 inch (12.3 mm)
Weight:
4.7 ounces (133 grams)
Color
• 8GB model: Black
• 16GB model: Black or white

Capacity2
• 8GB or 16GB flash drive

Cellular and wireless
• UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
• GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
• Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
• Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR

GPS
• Assisted GPS

Video
Video formats supported: H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Low-Complexity version of the H.264 Baseline Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; H.264 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Baseline Profile up to Level 3.0 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps,

Audio
• Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
• Audio formats supported: AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 1, 2, and 3), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
• User-configurable maximum volume limit

Display
• 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display
• 480-by-320-pixel resolution at 163 ppi
• Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

In the box
• iPhone 3G
• Stereo Headset with mic
• Dock Connector to USB Cable
• USB Power Adapter
• Documentation
• Cleaning/polishing cloth
• SIM eject tool

Environmental Status Report
iPhone 3G embodies Apple’s continuing environmental progress. It is designed with the following features to reduce environmental impact:
• PVC-free handset
• PVC-free headphones
• PVC-free USB cable
• Bromine-free printed circuit boards
• Mercury-free LCD display
• Majority of packaging made from post-consumer recycled fiberboard and biobased materials
• Power adapter outperforms strictest global energy efficiency standards

Camera and photos
• 2.0 megapixels
• Photo geotagging
• iPhone and third-party application integration

Language support
• Language support for English, French, German, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian, and Polish
• International keyboard and dictionary support for English (U.S.), English (UK), French (France), French (Canada), German, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Portugal), Portuguese (Brazil), Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Korean (no dictionary), Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian, and Polish

Mail attachment support
• Viewable document types: .jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel)

iPhone Accessories

iPhone Bluetooth Headset
Answer iPhone calls wirelessly with this compact, lightweight Bluetooth headset. A single button lets you answer and end calls easily. And the lithium-ion battery delivers up to 5.5 hours of talk time and up to 72 hours of standby time.1

MobileMe Subscription
With a MobileMe subscription, you have everything you need, anywhere you are. Your email accounts, calendar, and contacts stay up to date on your iPhone and your computer — automatically.

iPhone 3G Dock
Get fast access to USB charging, syncing, and audio out with the iPhone 3G Dock. Even conduct speakerphone calls when your iPhone is in the dock.

Apple USB Power Adapter
Charge your iPhone on the go with this new, ultracompact USB power adapter. Includes an Apple Dock Connector to USB Cable.

Questions I Ask Myself

2007-03-05T22:36:00.000+08:00

Questions I Ask Myself

Children astound me with their inquisitive minds. The world is wide and mysterious to them, and as they piece together the puzzle of life, they ask “Why?” ceaselessly. Why can’t they have another cookie? Why can’t they stay up after 9:00 pm? Why do they have to share their toys? Why does grandpa have white hair?

As we age, it seems our childlike curiosity diminishes. Yet, after all I have learned, I realize there’s even more I’ve not yet discovered. Through my leadership journey I’ve tried to keep my mind open to growth by continuing to probe for new ideas. In this edition of Leadership Wired, I’d like to share with you the questions I regularly ask myself as a leader.

Questions I Ask Myself

Am I investing in myself?
This is a personal growth question.

Lifelong learners have a common set of characteristics:

(1) They develop a personal growth plan.
(2) They possess a teachable attitude.
(3) They invest in growth-oriented resources and relationships.
(4) They continually leave their comfort zone.
(5) They capture what they learn by applying their knowledge.
(6) They reflect on what they learn and turn experience into insight.
(7) They pass on what they learn to others.

Am I Genuinely Interested In Others?
This is a motive question.

Leaders see before others see, and they see more than others see. Since leaders “figure it out” first, they can be tempted to take advantage of others. Self-centered leaders manipulate when they move people for personal benefit. Mature leaders motivate by moving people for mutual benefit. They place what’s best for others above themselves.

Am I Doing What I Love and Loving What I Do?
This is a passion question.

You will never fulfill your destiny doing work you despise. You are nothing unless it comes from your heart. If you go to work only to cycle through rote processes and functions, then you are effectively retired. It scares me when most people I see, by age 28, are retired. To be a difference-maker, you have to bring passion, commitment, and caring to your career. Passion gives you the energy advantage over others.

Am I Investing My Time with the Right People?
This is a relationship question.

Most people can trace their successes and failures to the relationships in their lives. Be selective about who you join with on the leadership journey. Choose companions with a commitment to personal growth, a healthy attitude, and high potential.

Am I Staying in My Strength Zone?
This is an effectiveness question.

Effective leaders stop working on their weaknesses and diligently develop their strengths. You don’t have to be a jack of all trades. Delegation frees you to focus on what only you can offer to your organization.

Am I Taking Others to a Higher Level?
This is a mission question.

My success is determined by the seeds I sow, not the harvest I reap. My life mission is to add value to leaders who will multiply value to others. Leaders add value to others rather than accumulating value for themselves.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best: “Life's most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?”

Am I Taking Care of Today?
This is a success question.

The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda. Are the habits in your life steering your toward success or simply frittering away your time? Be serious about making each day count.

Am I Taking Time To Think?
This is a leadership question.

A minute of thought is greater than an hour of talk. Taking time to think allows you to live life purposefully. Don’t let life’s circumstances dictate your path or allow the expectations of others to determine your course. Author your own life by clearing your schedule for thinking.

Am I Developing Leaders?
This is a legacy question.

“The ultimate test for a leader is not whether he or she makes smart decisions and takes decisive action, but whether he or she teaches others to be leaders and builds an organization that can sustain its success even when he or she is not around. True leaders put ego aside and strive to create successors who go beyond them.”

~ Lorin Woolfe

Am I Pleasing God?
This is an eternity question.

In the light of history, our years are short and our days are few. Yet, our lives have greater significance than we can imagine. As the Roman general, Maximus, exhorts his men in Gladiator, “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” Live your life honorably and with a clean conscience before God and your fellow man. Focus your effort on worthwhile causes that will outlast your time on this planet.

Pride - A Leader's Greatest Problem

2007-03-05T22:30:00.000+08:00

Pride - A Leader's Greatest Problem

Pull a 10-dollar bill from your pocket, and you will see the face of Alexander Hamilton on the front. By merit of his accomplishments, Hamilton should be one of our greatest national heroes. Consider his contributions to America:

• Revolutionary War hero
• George Washington’s chief of staff by age 22
• America’s first Secretary of the Treasury
• Co-author of The Federalist Papers
• Creator of the Coast Guard
• Designer of the nation’s banking and finance system
• Architect of a system of tax collection to bring revenue to the U.S. Government
• Builder of the infrastructure for an industrial economy

Yet, despite displaying the greatest blend of legal, political, and financial knowledge of the founding fathers, Hamilton does not rank among the foremost heroes of our country’s history. Why? Pride. Hamilton’s self-importance and inability to take an insult alienated those around him and sabotaged his career. His ego literally killed him. Far too vain to patch up differences with fellow politician, Aaron Burr, Hamilton was shot and killed by Burr in a duel at the age of 49.

Pride—A Leader’s Greatest Problem

Before diving into the body of this lesson, I’d like to credit my friend Dave Anderson, founder of LearntoLead.com. Many of his thoughts resonate throughout this edition of LW.

I agree with Dave when he suggests pride is the leading culprit of managerial ineffectiveness:

“There are many reasons managers fail. For some, the organization outgrows them. Others don’t change with the times. Some spread themselves too thin and work long and hard but not smart. Many abandon the priorities and disciplines that once made them great and never get back to them. A few make poor character choices…But all these causes for management failure have their root in one common cause: pride. In the simplest terms, pride is devastating. I’m not talking about the pride one has in their work or their accomplishments. I’m indicting the pride that inflates your sense of self-worth and distorts your perspective of reality.” ~ Dave Anderson

There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad. “Good pride” represents our dignity and self-respect. “Bad pride” is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance. When you look at the word pride, notice the middle letter is “I”. When you are full of pride on the inside, it makes you stiff, stubborn, and creates strife with others.

The Problems of Pride

1. Pride Stops Us from Building a Team.

Prideful leaders readily contract “Superman Syndrome” and devalue the benefits of teamwork. They rely on their own prowess to solve problems and advance the organization. Blinded by their self-centeredness, arrogant leaders are unable to appreciate the strengths in others.

2. Pride Renders Us Unteachable.

Leaders who are assured they know everything don’t bother about personal growth. Their ego convinces them that they have arrived, and they quit searching for life’s lessons in the people and circumstances around them.

3. Pride Closes Our Mind to Feedback.

Pride deafens us to the advice or warnings of those around us. As Stephen Covey has said, “It takes humility to seek feedback. It takes wisdom to understand it, analyze it, and appropriately act on it.” Without humility, we care about only one opinion—our own.

4. Pride Prevents Us from Admitting Mistakes.

The Duke of Wellington once haughtily drew himself up to his full height and thundered to one of his staff officers, “God knows I have many faults, but being wrong is not one of them!” Pride won’t allow for failure. The egotistical leader blames mistakes on others, justifies them as inevitable, or refuses to acknowledge them.

5. Pride Keeps Us from Making Changes.

Pride will cause leaders to pledge allegiance to the status quo rather than opening themselves to change; especially if the change alters a system they built. Since leaders have emotional equity in their own work, they will justify living with broken systems rather than changing them.

6. Pride Encourages Poor Character Choices

Because of arrogance, ignorance, or a little of both, leaders start taking shortcuts that compromise their values. In their conceit, they think they’re above the rules or are too smart to get caught.

As flawed human beings, we all fall into prideful traps from time to time. However, failing to recognize the error of pride and change course will doom our leadership. Pride is a fatal character flaw and leaders that leave legacies have their character in tact. Leaders who fail to prune their pride will meet demise. That’s not a guess, it’s a guarantee. With pride, it’s not a matter of “if” we will fall, but “when.” There are no exceptions.

7. Pride Hinders Us from Reaching Our Potential.

For leaders to reach full potential, they must be aware of areas in which they can improve. Unfortunately, pride blocks honest self-assessment and prevents leaders from finding the path to better performance.

8. Pride Destroys Relationships.

The opposite of loving others is not hating others but rather obsessing over oneself. When we become self-absorbed, we cut ourselves off from the enjoyment of the relationships in our life. What I call, “The Celebration Principle” says that the true test of relationships is not how loyal we are when friends fail, but how thrilled we are when they succeed. If we can’t get excited about the accomplishments of our friends, we had better do some soul-searching.

9. Pride Distorts Your Perspective on Reality

Constantly viewing life through the lens of selfish ambition colors a leader’s outlook. Many problems in business are caused by the ego interfering with judgment. Choices that should be clear to the leader become clouded by an obsession with self advancement.

How to Correct the Pride Problem

1. Recognize Your Pride

“If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, you are very conceited indeed.”

~ C. S. Lewis

2. Admit Your Pride

“There is perhaps not one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive. Even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

3. Express Your Gratitude

“A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves.”

~ Henry Ward Beecher

4. Say Your Prayers

“Lord, when I am wrong, make me willing to change, and when I am right, make me easy to live with.”

~ Anonymous

5. Practice Serving Others

“The high destiny of the individual is to serve rather than to rule.”

~ Albert Einstein

6. Learn to Laugh at Yourself

“Blessed are they that laugh at themselves, they shall never cease to be entertained.”

~ Chinese Beatitude

Leaving a Legitimate Leadership Legacy

2007-03-05T22:28:00.001+08:00

Leaving a Legitimate Leadership Legacy

As I begin this lesson, I would be remiss not to mention the tremendous contribution of my friend Dick Biggs has made in shaping my thoughts on succession. Several of Dick’s ideas are woven into this edition of Leadership Wired.

A LEGACY OF FREEDOM

President Abraham Lincoln’s leadership through the painful trial of Civil War saved the United States of America and ended the deplorable institution of slavery. In the war’s aftermath, Lincoln faced the challenge of rebuilding the South without restoring its system of white supremacy. Balancing goodwill toward freed blacks and a conciliatory stance toward the former Confederate states, Lincoln appeared to have the perfect temperament to ease the South through a time of healing and into a period of prosperity and equality.

Abraham Lincoln’s assassination plunged the fragile future of the South into uncertainty. His successor, President Andrew Johnson, continued policies of conciliation toward the Southern states, but he did not share Lincoln’s regard for black Americans. By pardoning key leaders of the Confederacy and placing power back in the hands of state legislators in the South, Andrew Johnson reconstructed the South’s oppressive system of white domination. Johnson’s personal racism and inept leadership was responsible for stunting the progress of the civil rights movement and perpetuating injustice in the South for another 100 years.

Abraham Lincoln’s tragic death followed by Andrew Johnson’s deficiencies in rebuilding the South is a testament to the Law of Legacy:

“A Leader’s Lasting Value is Measured by Succession.”

Who knows how far or how quickly the USA may have progressed toward racial equality had Lincoln been able to pass the reins of the government to a like-minded leader?

LEAVING A LEGACY

A turning point in my leadership came when I began to understand the meaning of leaving a legacy. A catalyst for me was a simple statement from management expert, Peter Drucker:
“There is no success without a successor.”

I had always wanted to create lasting value through my life and leadership, so I decided to take seriously the cultivation of successors. I resolved to produce leaders rather than attract followers, and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my leadership. In this lesson, I’d like to explore four aspects of shaping a legitimate leadership legacy:

1. Character
2. Choices
3. Conduct
4. Consequences

Character – Being and becoming a moral example

The two words most commonly linked to character are integrity and honesty. Integrity involves being true to oneself, while honesty means being truthful with others. Each involves being real not fake, genuine not artificial, transparent not deceitful.

You can’t spell integrity without the word grit which is defined as “a firmness of mind,” or “unyielding courage.” It takes a great deal of courage or grit to be true to self. In the end, though, it’s worth the effort because our legacies are going to be impacted greatly by our integrity or lack thereof.

Choices – Thinking clearly and making wise decisions

Careful decision-making requires a sense of right and wrong rooted in character. To make the right decisions consistently, we can’t let external influence or peer pressure cause us to do something wrong when our internal conscience is telling us to do what is right. To violate conscience undermines our self-respect and shatters not only our moral authority, but our confidence as leaders.

We must also understand how pleasure and pain impact our choices. In short, if we enjoy temporary pleasure with a disregard for its harmful effects on us and other people, we’re going to suffer long-term pain. Leadership demands sacrifices for the near-term to receive lasting benefits. The longer we wait to make sacrifices, the harder they become. Successful people make important decisions early in their life, then manage those decisions the rest of their lives.

Conduct – Doing the right things consistently well

Conduct is defined as “a mode of personal behavior.” Only individuals can behave. The conduct of a company, government agency, sports team, or church is a reflection of the conduct of the individuals making up the organization.

To shape the conduct of the individuals who follow us, we must be able to hold them accountable for their behavior. But first, we must be held accountable ourselves. Author Chuck Swindoll says accountability is “a willingness to explain your actions.” If our actions are indefensible, we’ll be stripped of the real authority to exercise moral leadership. We must submit our behavior to the scrutiny of trusted advisors before dictating the conduct of those we lead.

As leaders, we set the tone for the conduct of the individuals in our organization. People do what people see. Conduct is learned through observation. As Dr. Michael Guido says, “The world pays more attention to your conduct than it does to your creed.” As leaders, we teach what we know, but we reproduce who we are.

Consequences – Receiving the results of seeds that we sow

The success of my day is based on the seeds that I sow, not the harvest I reap. Too often, leaders bypass the process of sowing seeds in favor of shortcuts for results. Sadly, the end begins to justify the means, and principles are tossed out for more expedient behavior.

I’ve found submitting to the process of sowing the right seeds will meet with tremendous rewards—whether I see the fruits firsthand or not. Here are five reasons I believe in keeping my attention on sowing well rather than seeing instant results:

(1) The seeds I sow will determine the harvest I reap.
(2) There is no reaping unless I have been sowing.
(3) Sowers are committed to giving before receiving.
(4) Sowers enjoy giving more than receiving.
(5) Sowing daily into the lives of others will compound over time.

We spend our day either preparing or repairing. Preparing allows us to focus on today, while repairing forces us to clean up yesterday. Preparing invests for the future, repairing pays down past debts. Preparing increases efficiency, but repairing consumes precious time. Preparing increases confidence, while repairing breeds discouragement. Cherish each day to grow and develop, and avoid making mistakes which will return to haunt you. Remember: the secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda.

Reach Out and Ask Someone

2007-03-05T22:21:00.000+08:00

Reach Out and Ask Someone

By nature, leaders are decision-makers. The more influential the leader, the more consequential their decisions will be. Leaders are out in front because they have proven their ability to choose the appropriate course of action when faced with big decisions.

However, when a leader begins to rely solely on personal observation and intuition, that leader is headed for trouble. Even the wisest among us has a limited perspective, and we will miss important decision-making clues if we become entirely self-reliant.

In this edition of LW, I am indebted to the brilliant thought of Dr. Saj-nicole A. Joni in her book, The Third Opinion. An extremely well-written text, The Third Opinion makes the case for the value of outside insight to the performance of a leader. In her book, Dr. Joni identifies four signs that the time is right to consult decision-making advice.

• When multiple decisions need to be made, and you don’t have the required amount of time to focus fully on each one.

• When the implications of the decision are far-reaching, and you know your organization will be in serious trouble if you don’t do the right thing.

• When you lack the expertise to tackle the issue on your own, regardless of whether you have the time.

• When you are capable of taking action, but you know the decision will be better off if you consult the experiences and insights of someone else.

As a leader, once you’ve determined to seek advice, how do you go about doing it? How can you most effectively glean insights from the thinking of advisors?

To Successfully Engage Others to Gain Insight Requires …

1. The Security of the Leader
2. The Credibility of the Process
3. The Quality of the Questions
4. The Ability of the Team

The Security of the Leader
Advice is seldom welcome, and those who need it most like it least.
-- Dr. Samuel Johnson

Leaders can be stubborn when it comes to seeking advice. Insecure leaders who worry about their status, position, or power tend to reject the ideas of others, protect their turf, and keep people at bay. It takes a secure leader to admit their assumptions may be wrong, or to defer to the expertise of another.

Secure leaders routinely practice simple, but essential exercises to benefit from the advice of others. They create an environment where it’s safe to voice any opinion, regardless of its popularity. They listen, and they consult others with a genuine desire to learn and to broaden their vision. Secure leaders are willing to be wrong. They defer to the strength of an idea regardless of who the idea came from. Finally, leaders share the spotlight when a decision is successful and take the blame when it fails. By doing so, they earn the trust of advisors and keep the channels of communication open for future dialogue.

The Credibility of the Process

He that is taught only by himself has a fool for a master.
— Ben Johnson

The decision-making process unravels when the leader gravitates toward either of two extremes: refusing everyone’s advice or accepting everyone’s advice. Ignoring the advice of others results in a dictatorial leader who is limited by the confines of their own perspective. Accepting all advice leads to paralyzing groupthink, devoid of the critical thinking necessary to weed out poor or unrealistic ideas.

A wise leader builds a climate of shared thinking in which all opinions are welcome, but each is closely scrutinized before being accepted. Such a leader buys into the slogan, “none of us is as smart as all of us.” Shared thinking sparks innovation by opening multiple avenues for creative ideas rather than locking into ideas in the mind of a single leader. Shared thinking also gives ideas a chance to mature as they are polished and expanded in the sphere of team discussion.

The Quality of the Questions

When you stop wondering you might as well put your rocker on the front porch and call it a day.
— Johnny Carson

Perhaps, the hardest part of leadership is to keep sustained focus on essential topics and data above the urgent, immediate needs. When too much of the workday becomes urgent, leaders are sidetracked from following a central vision and careen aimlessly from crisis to crisis.

Leaders devote their most precious resource—unscheduled time—to the most important issues affecting the organization. They purposefully reflect and inquire about opportunities that hold the greatest potential to yield highest returns over time. The gravitational force of the workday gives immediate tasks too much pull. In the absence of careful planning, leaders will become starved for time.

The Ability of the Team

In seeking someone for advice, one of the biggest temptations is to assume that a person who verbalizes well also analyzes well. It’s not true. Good talkers aren’t always good thinkers.
— Fred Smith

Wisdom isn’t in the multitude of voices – it’s in listening to the right one. To maximize the value of shared thinking, leaders place people around the table who bring something to the table. As you prepare to ask people to participate in shared thinking, use the following criteria for the selection process. Choose…

People whose greatest desire is the success of the ideas.
People who can add value to another’s thoughts.
People who can emotionally handle quick changes in the conversation.
People who appreciate the strengths of others in areas where they are weak.
People who understand their place of value at the table.
People who possess maturity, experience, and success in the issue under discussion.
People who will take ownership and responsibility for decisions.
People who will leave the table with a “we” attitude, not a “me” attitude.
Too often, leaders select brainstorming partners based on feelings of camaraderie, circumstances, or convenience. To discover and create ideas of the highest order, the people invited to the table of thought make all the difference.

Let’s recap. Leaders remove the lid of limited perspective from their leadership when they consult the insight of others. To successfully engage others to gain insight requires…

1. The Security of the Leader
2. The Credibility of the Process
3. The Quality of the Questions
4. The Ability of the Team

Timing Time

2007-03-05T22:18:00.000+08:00

Taming Time

Time is precious. Ask the coach whose team is behind in the final seconds of a game. Ask the air traffic controller in charge of scheduling takeoffs and landings at a major airport. Ask the news reporter who has just received a breaking story from the AP wire. Ask the cancer patient who has recently learned they have only two months left to live.

Time management is an oxymoron. Time is beyond our control, and the clock keeps ticking regardless of how we lead our lives. Priority management is the answer to maximizing the time we have. Our days are identical suitcases—all the same size—but some can pack more into them than others. No one has a magical ability to make time, but if our lives have direction, we can make the most of the moments we have been given.

Time is more valuable than money, because time is irreplaceable. “You don’t really pay for things with money,” says author Charles Spezzano in What to Do between Birth and Death. “You pay for them with time.” We exchange our time for dollars when we go to work and then trade our dollars for everything we purchase and accumulate. In essence, all we possess can be traced back to an investment of time. Time stewardship is perhaps a leader’s greatest responsibility. In the words of Peter Drucker, “Nothing else distinguishes effective executives as much as their tender loving care of time.”

In this edition of LW, we’ll look at five characteristics of people who use time wisely. The goal of the lesson is for us to understand how to maximize the precious minutes given to us each day.

Five Characteristics of a Wise Steward of Time

#1 Purposeful

People who use time wisely spend it on activities that advance their overall purpose in life. By consistently channeling time and energy toward an overarching purpose, a person most fully realizes their potential.

We cannot reach peak performance without a peak purpose. Purpose enlivens all that we do. In fact, I believe the two greatest days in a person’s life are the day they are born and the day they discover why. Uncovering purpose helps to refine passion, focus efforts, and sharpen commitments. The cumulative result is to amplify the achievements of the wise steward of time.

#2 Committed to Values

People who use time correctly underscore their values with the time they spend. By acting in accordance with their beliefs, they find fulfillment. Failure to identify values leads to a rudderless existence in which a person drifts through life, uncertain as to what they hold dear. Clarity of values is like a beacon of light, guiding the way through life’s twists and turns.

When extended to an organization, values inspire a sense of broader purpose. They make work worthwhile. In an organization, if vision is the head and mission is the heart, then values are the soul. Values endow day-to-day operations and transactions with meaning.

#3 Attuned to Strengths

People who use time correctly play to their strengths. By doing so, they are most effective. People don’t pay for average. If your skill level is a two, don’t waste substantial time trying to improve since you’ll likely never grow beyond a four. However, if you’re a seven in an area, hone that skill, because when you become a nine, you’ve reached a rare level of expertise. As Jim Sundberg says, “Discover your uniqueness; then discipline yourself to develop it.” You are blessed with a unique set of skills and talents. Find them, refine them, and let them carry you toward success.
I have identified four main strengths in my life. I lead well, create, communicate, and network. That’s it. I stick with those strengths and avoid getting caught up in commitments outside of those areas. By narrowing my focus to four strengths, I gain the greatest return on my investments of time.

#4 Choosers of Happiness

People who use time correctly choose happiness by prioritizing relationships and recreation. While choosing happiness may seem simple and obvious, far too many leaders are trying to prove themselves and validate their worth. These leaders chase after power and prestige, and along the way, their friendships wither, their family is ignored, and they skip vacation after vacation. In the end, any success they earn is a hollow and lonely achievement.

Family and friendships are two of the greatest facilitators of happiness. Prioritizing time to cultivate relationships is a hallmark of a healthy leader. Likewise, scheduling leisure combats stress and allows us to delight in the hobbies that bring us joy. However, in the end, happiness is an inside job. We are wise to surround ourselves with family, friends, and fun, but ultimately we determine our internal response to the people and circumstances in our lives.

#5 Equippers

People who use time correctly equip others in order to compound their productivity. They realize the limitations of individual attainment, and they build teams to expand their impact. By developing an inner circle of leaders and investing in them, wise time-users multiply their influence.

Equippers recognize that legacies are carried on by people, not trophies. They pour themselves into the lives of others and watch the ripple effect of their leadership spread through those they have taught and mentored. Equippers seek significance over the long term, which causes them to have a vested interest in the success of their successors.

Review

As much as we would like, we can’t find more time—it’s a finite and constantly diminishing resource. However, we can learn to spend time wisely.

People who use time correctly are…

1. Purposeful
2. Committed to Values
3. Attuned to Strengths
4. Choosers of Happiness
5. Equippers

Quick Quotes

2006-08-16T17:41:00.000+08:00

LISTENING

“The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people."~ Woodrow Wilson

“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand.”~ Karl Menninger

“Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak.”~ Epictetus

Whatever It Takes—The Keys to Unlocking a Can-Do Attitude

2006-08-16T17:31:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum...dear leaders of the world.. just some article from J.C.Maxwell to share with u guys.. enjoy

Whatever It Takes—The Keys to Unlocking a Can-Do Attitude

A faint but discernable dividing line separates achievers from dreamers. At first glance this line may be difficult to distinguish. You may be tricked into believing that talents, titles, or resources draw the line between the doers and dreamers. However, if you spent a significant length of time with a group of leaders, the line splitting the achievers from the dreamers would become crystal clear.

What makes the difference? Attitude. Achievers have a can-do attitude that sets them apart from mere dreamers. Achievers are sold out to success—no matter the obstacles—and they are willing to put forth the effort and pay the price of success.

In my days observing leaders, I have identified four main groups.

1. Cop-outs
These people set no goals and make no decisions.

2. Holdouts
These people have beautiful dreams, but they are afraid to respond to challenges because they lack the self-confidence to overcome difficulties.

3. Dropouts
These individuals clearly define their goals, and, in the beginning, they work hard to make their dreams come true. However, when the going gets tough, they quit.

4. All-Outs
These are the stars. They want to shine out as an inspiration to others. Once all-outs have set their goals, they never quit. Even when the price gets high and the challenges mount, they’re dedicated. Their can-do attitudes carry them to greatness.

Here are 10 keys to cultivating a can-do attitude.

Key #1: Disown Your Helplessness
Can-do people aggressively pursue solutions, and, in the process, uncover creative solutions others never even try to find. Can-do leaders take responsibility for the future, whereas lesser leaders blame circumstances or other people when facing roadblocks. Rather than wallowing in helplessness, can-do leaders search diligently to overcome the obstacles in front of them.

Key #2: Take the Bull By the Horns.
Can-do people are fearless. They go straight to the source of their solution. Their very effort commands attention as they wrestle a problem to the ground with expediency. I have discovered that people with a can-do attitude have an aggressiveness about them. They take the bull by the horns. When they enter into the arena of action, they don’t wait, they initiate.

Key #3: Enter the No Whining Zone.
Can-do people abstain from complaining. They recognize its futility and guard their minds and mouths against indulging in this time-wasting activity. As George Washington Carver observed, “Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses.”

Key #4: Put On Another’s Pair of Shoes.
Can-do people empathize with others. They attempt to see any predicament from the other person’s perspective in order to make the best decisions. In my book Winning with People, one the 25 People Principles is the Exchange Principle, which says that instead of putting others in their place, we must put ourselves in their place.

Leaders see the world from their perspective and others’ perspectives. They use their own perspective to give direction, and they use others’ perspectives to forge relational connection. Both direction and connection are indispensable to taking the team on a successful journey.

Key #5: Nurture Your Passion.
Can-do people are immune to burnout. They love what they do because they’ve learned how to fuel the fire that keeps them moving. In leadership, the prize is not given to the person who’s the smartest, nor to the person with the advantages in resources and position, but the prize goes to the person with passion.

Key #6: Walk the Second Mile.
Can-do people exceed expectations. While others settle for an acceptable solution, they aren’t satisfied until they have achieved the unimagined. They set expectations for themselves higher than what is dictated by the people or situations around them.

Key #7: Quit Stewing and Start Doing.
Can-do people take action. While others are crippled by worry, fear, and anxiety, they have the fortitude to press forward. The perfect moment when all is safe and assured may never arrive, so why wait for it? Can-do leaders take risks.

Key #8: Go With the Flow.
Can-do people can adjust to change. They don’t get caught griping about an unexpected curve in the road. They accept transition with an optimistic outlook. They realize it’s less important what happens TO them, than it is what happens IN them.

Key #9: Follow Through to the End.
Can-do people not only initiate, they finish. They are self-starters with the capacity to close the deal.

Key #10: Expect a Return as a Result of Your Commitment.
If you make an all out commitment with a can-do attitude, expect a return. Passionate commitment is contagious, and resources follow resolve. Committed leaders will reap rewards and find open doors as others are drawn to the excitement and energy emanating from them.

Rahsia jadi ayah yang berkesan

2006-07-19T14:48:00.000+08:00

Rahsia jadi ayah yang berkesan

BEBERAPA kajian menunjukkan bahawa kehadiran ayah menyumbang terhadap kejayaan anak dalam setiap fasa kehidupan mereka. Kajian itu disimpulkan dalam Father Facts, Edisi Ketiga (1998), antaranya:

· Bayi yang mempunyai ayah yang selalu bersama-sama anaknya di lapan minggu pertama, lebih berkemampuan menangani tekanan di alam persekolahan
· Anak yang rapat dengan ayahnya pada zaman kanak-kanak menjadi ejen ?penyelesai masalah' yang baik apabila dewasa berbanding kanak-kanak yang tidak dipedulikan oleh ayahnya
· Apabila anak lelaki dan perempuan dididik dan dibelai oleh ayahnya serta sentiasa di sampingnya, sikap mereka apabila dewasa menjadi lebih berinisiatif dan mampu mengawal diri
· Kanak-kanak yang mempunyai hubungan rapat dengan ayahnya ketikazaman tumbesarannya akan menjadi seorang remaja dan orang dewasa yang seimbang.

Rahsia menjadi ayah yang berkesan.
Ramai lelaki terbilang berjaya dan berbangga kerana menjadi seorang ayah cemerlang dan berkesan. Menurut kajian Dr Ken Canfield, pengasas dan juga Presiden Pusat Kebapaan Kebangsaan dalam penyelidikannya mengenai `kebapaan' ada beberapa rahsia menjadi ayah yang berkesan:-

Bapa yang komited dan bertanggungjawab.
Jalankan tugas bapa dengan penuh dedikasi dan bertanggungjawab
Kenal pasti apakah tugas anda sebagai bapa dalam rumah tangga ? jangan lah sampai bapa tu sendiri confuse dgn peranan dia.

Tunjukkan dan beritahu anak bahawa anda juga ada tugas dalam rumahtangga, disamping ibu mereka ? setakat beritahu tak cukup, tunjuk tu yang penting, nih basuh pinggan pun tak, kesian kat bini, nanti anak ingat basuh pinggan je keje mak dia. Tak jatuh nye macho kalau basuh pinggan..

Anda bukan hanya bertugas di luar. Sekali-sekala berikan mereka peluang untuk mengutarakan pandangan atau menegur anda jika anda terlupa atau terlalai melakukan tugas anda di rumah ? ini tidak bila anak tegur kita naik angin sedangkan dia perlu tahu yang mana kesilapan dan cara untuk mengelakkannya..

Selalu memeriksa dan memantau apakah anda telah melaksanakan tugas dirumah. Bayangkan `hadiah' atau `anugerah' yang bakal didapati (sama ada di dunia atau akhirat) jika anda menjadi ayah cemerlang! ? ini bukan setakat saja-saja taknak kasi anak jadik jahat ke pelik ke tapi adalah untuk menunaikan amanah ALLAH

Kenali anak anda.
Ambil masa untuk mengenali secara khusus keunikan dan kualiti anak anda
Libatkan diri dalam dunia mereka, hadiah yang mereka sukai, ketakutan, kekecewaan malah impian dan cita-cita mereka ? malang sungguh bagi bapa yang hanya diam tak beri respon dgn setiap kelakuan anak. Belajarlah berkomunikasi dengan anak

Cuba ingatkan semua nama kawan mereka serta pembawaan masing masing ? yang ni memang penting sbb dengan cara ni, anak2 tidak akan pergi jauh dari kita dan kita pulak banyak reporter tentang sebarang kelakuan mereka. Lagipun, kan lebih baik rumah kita dijadikan port untuk anak2 dan kawan mereka dari mereka membuang masa di tempat yang kita tak tau
Kenal pasti apa yang selalu mengecewakan, ditakuti, dibenci, paling memalukan serta yang boleh memberi motivasi dan perangsang kepada mereka

Istiqamah (tetap pendirian)
Apabila anak tahu apa yang bapa mahukan, mereka akan lebih berasa yakin serta boleh menyesuaikannya dengan kehendak anda. Jadi, istiqamah, tetap pendirian serta konsisten. Ada enam tempat anda perlu konsisten iaitu hadkan perubahan mood (jangan terlalu mengikuti perasaan) ? ini tidak, sikit2 melenting macam nak rak padahal salah anak ciput aje. Bab ni, mungkin suami isteri perlu saling tegur menegur tentang cara komunikasi dengan anak-anak
sentiasa ada di rumah (selalu menghadirkan diri dalam acara kekeluargaan) ? buatla agenda harian (eg solat jemaah subuh), agenda mingguan (eg ramai2 ke pasar), bulanan (eg gotong royong) dan jadilah orang yang paling disiplin sekali supaya anak mesra dgn kita kotakan apa yang dikata, bukan cakap tidak serupa bikin; sentiasa menjaga moral dan adab sopan; mempunyai atur cara kehidupan teratur serta ada hobi dan kegemaran baik yang boleh dilihat dan diikuti.

Melindungi, menyara dan mendoakan ? doa kita dan restu kita akan mengiringi anak2?sayangilah mereka

Sediakan suasana dan rasa selamat dalam rumah dengan memberikan respon yang positif setiap kali berlaku krisis dan permasalahan dalam rumah

Paling penting anda memberikan saraan yang cukup kepada mereka. Bapa tidak boleh menghalang berlakunya krisis, tetapi tindakan anda ketika berlaku krisis dan mengembalikan suasana normal, sebenarnya `mengajar' anak menangani krisis

Jangan lupa doakan untuk anak selepas solat

Mencintai ibu mereka. Zahirkan cinta anda kepada isteri anda di depan anak untuk menunjukkan satu hubungan suami isteri yang intim dan bermakna

Jadikan diri anda sebagai anggota dalam pasukan `keibubapaan', bukan hanya ibu. Inilah langkah dan hadiah terbaik untuk anak. Dalam jangka panjang, anak mendapat manfaat yang sangat bernilai daripada hubungan ibu bapa yang hormat menghormati, bekerjasama dan berkasih sayang.

Menjadi pendengar yang baik
Sedarlah bahawa anak mudah tersesat atau terpesong dalam arus dunia
Dengar apa yang mereka katakan dan apa yang tidak terluahkan
Tunjukkan kepada mereka bahwa mereka berhak untuk didengari dan diberi perhatian

Jadikan diri anda `pemimpin' kerohanian.
Beri peluang anak anda mengenali Allah dengan menunjukkan `keimanan' dan amal harian anda yang selari dengan tuntutan agama

Bersolat bersama-sama dan jadi imam dalam solat lima waktu di rumah
Bawalah mereka bersama-sama menunaikan solat berjemaah di masjid
Selalu bercerita mengenai makhluk yang dicintai Allah di bumi dan langit

Cash Flow Quadrant! - Great Book to open up your mind towards FINANCIAL FREEDOM!

2006-07-14T00:59:00.000+08:00

Guys this a must read book for everybody...
Here is the synopsis...
Go and get one from book store...

The greatest investment in our life is the book that we read and the people that we meet....

Chapter One

“Why Don’t You Get A Job?”

In 1985, my wife, Kim, and I were homeless. We were unemployed and had little money left from our savings; our credit cards were exhausted; and we lived in an old brown Toyota with reclining seats that served as beds. At the end of one week, the harsh reality of who we were, what we were doing, and where we were headed began to sink in.

Our homelessness lasted for another two weeks. A friend, when she realized our desperate financial situation, offered us a room in her basement. We lived there for nine months.

We kept our situation quiet. For the most part, my wife and I looked quite normal on the surface. When friends and family were informed of our plight, the first question was always, “Why don’t you get a job?”

At first we attempted to explain, but in most instances, we failed to clarify our reasons. To someone who values a job, it is difficult to explain why you might not want a job.

Occasionally, we did a few odd jobs and earned a few dollars here and there. But we did that only to keep food in our stomachs and gas in the car. Those few extra dollars were only fuel to keep us going toward our singular goal. I must admit that during moments of deep personal doubt, the idea of a safe, secure job with a paycheck was appealing. But because job security was not what we were looking for, we kept pushing on, living day to day, on the brink of the financial abyss.

That year, 1985, was the worst of our lives, as well as one of the longest. Anyone who says that money isn’t important obviously has not been without it for long. Kim and I fought and argued often. Fear, uncertainty and hunger shortens the human emotional fuse, and often we fight with the person who loves us the most. Yet, love held the two of us together and our bond as a couple grew stronger because of the adversity. We knew where we were going; we just did not know if we would ever get there.

We knew we could always find a safe, secure, high-paying job. Both of us were college graduates with good job skills and solid work ethics. But we were not going for job security. We were going for financial freedom.

By 1989, we were millionaires. Although financially successful in some people’s eyes, we still had not reached our dreams. We had not yet achieved true financial freedom. That took until 1994. By then, we never had to work again for the rest of our lives. Barring and unforeseen financial disaster, we were both financially free. Kim was 37, and I was 47.

IT DOESN’T TAKE MONEY TO MAKE MONEY
I started this book about being homeless and having nothing because I often hear people say, “It takes money to make money.”

I disagree. To get from homeless in 1985 to rich in 1989 and then to become financially free by 1994 did not take money. We had no money when we stated, and we were in debt.

It also does not take a good formal education. I have a college degree, and I can honestly say that achieving financial freedom had nothing to do with what I learned in college. I did not find much call for my years of studying calculus, spherical trigonometry, chemistry, physics, French, and English literature.

Many successful people have left school without receiving a college degree. People such as Thomas Edison, founder of General Electric; Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Co.; Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft; Ted Turner, founder of CNN; Michael Dell, founder of Dell Computers; Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Computer; and Ralph Lauren, founder of Polo. A college education is important for traditional professions, but not for how these people found great wealth. They developed their own successful businesses and that was what Kim and I were striving for.

SO WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
I am often asked, “If it doesn’t take money to make money, and schools do not teach you how to become financially free, then what does it take?

My answer: It takes a dream, a lot of determination, a willingness to learn quickly, and the ability to use your God-given assets properly and to know which sector of the CASHFLOW Quadrant to generate your income from.

WHAT IS THE CASHFLOW QUADRANT?
The diagram below is the CASHFLOW Quadrant

The letters in each quadrant represent:
E for employee
S for self-employed
B for business owner
I for investor

WHICH QUADRANT DO YOU GENERATE YOUR INCOME FROM?
The CASHFLOW Quadrant represents the different methods by which income or money is generated. For example, an employee earns money by holding a job and working for someone else or a company. Self-employed people earn money working for themselves. A business owner owns a business that generates money, and investors earn money from their various investments–in other words, money generating more money.

Different methods of income generation require different frames of mind, different technical skills, different educational paths, and different types of people. Different people are attracted the different quadrants.

While money is all the same, the way it is earned can be vastly different. If you begin to look at the four different labels for each quadrant, you might want to ask yourself, “Which quadrant do you generate the majority of your income from?”

Each quadrant is different. To generate income from different quadrants requires different skills and a different personality, even if the person found in each quadrant is the same. Changing from quadrant to quadrant is like playing golf in the morning and then attending the ballet at night.

YOU CAN EARN INCOME IN ALL FOUR QUADRANTS
Most of us have the potential to generate income from all four quadrants. Which quadrant you or I choose to earn our primary income from is not so much what we learned in school; it is more about who we are at the core-our core values, strengths, weaknesses and interest. It is these core differences that attract us to or repel us from the four quadrants.

Yet, regardless of what we “do” professionally, we can still work in all four quadrants. For example, a medical doctor could choose to earn income as an “E,” and employee, and join the staff of a large hospital, or work for the government in the public health service, become a military doctor, or join staff of an insurance company needing a doctor on its staff.

The same doctor could also decide to earn income as an “S”, a self-employed person, and start a private practice, setting up an office, hiring staff and building a private list of clients.

Or the doctor could decide to become a “B” and own a clinic or laboratory and have other doctors on staff. This doctor probably would hire a business manger to run the organization. In this case, the doctor would own the business, but not have to work in it. The doctor also could decide to own a business that has nothing to do with the medical field, while still practicing medicine somewhere else. In this case, the doctor would be earning income as both and “E” and as a “B.”

As an “I,” the doctor also could generate income from being an investor in someone else’s business or in vehicles like the stock market, bond market and real estate.

The important words are “generate income from.” It is not so much what we do, but more how we generate income.

DIFFERENT METHODS OF INCOME GENERATION
More than anything, it is the internal differences of our core values, strengths, weaknesses and interests that affect which quadrant we decide to generate our income from. Some people love being employees, while others hate it. Some people love owning companies, but do not want to run them. Others love owning companies and also love running them. Certain people love investing, while others only see the risk of losing money. Most of us are a little of each of these characters. Being successful in the four quadrants often means redirecting some internal core values.

YOU CAN BE RICH OR POOR IN ALL FOUR QUADRANTS
It also is important to note that you can be rich or poor in all four quadrants. There are people who earn millions and people who go bankrupt in each of the quadrants. Being in one quadrant or the other does not necessarily guarantee financial success.

NOT ALL QUADRANTS ARE EQUAL
By knowing the different features of each quadrant, you’ll have a better idea as to which quadrant, or quadrants, might be best for you.

For example, one of the many reasons I chose to work predominantly in the “B” and “I” quadrants is because of tax advantages. For most people working on the left side of the Quadrant, there are few legal tax breaks available. Yet, legal tax breaks abound on the right side of the Quadrant. By working to generate income in the “B” and “I” quadrants, I could acquire money faster and keep that money working for me longer, without losing large chunks to pay taxes.

DIFFERENT WAYS OF EARNING MONEY
When people ask why Kim and I were homeless, I tell them it was because of what my rich dad taught me about money. For me, money is important, yet I did not want to spend my life working for it. That is why I did not want a job. If we were going to be responsible citizens, Kim and I wanted to have our money work for us rather than spend our lives physically working for money.

That is why the CASHFLOW Quadrant is important. It distinguishes between the different ways in which money is generated. There are ways of being responsible and creating money, other than physically working for it.

DIFFERENT FATHERS-DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT MONEY
My highly educated dad had a strong belief that the love of money was evil. That to profit excessively meant you were greedy. He felt embarrassed when the newspapers published how much he made, because he felt he was too highly paid when compared with the schoolteachers who worked for him. He was a good, honest, hard working man who did his best to defend his point of view that money was not important to his life.
My highly educated, yet poor, dad constantly said,
“I’m not that interested in money.”
“I’ll never be rich.”
“I can’t afford it.”
“Investing is risky.”
“Money isn’t everything.”

MONEY SUPPORT LIFE
My rich dad had a different point of view. He thought it foolish to spend you life working for money and to pretend that money was not important. Rich dad believed that life was more important than money, but money was important for supporting life. He often said, “You only have so many hours in a day and you can only work so hard. So why work hard for money? Learn to have money and people work hard for you, and you can be free to do the things that are important.”
To my rich dad, what was important was:
Having lots of time to raise his kids.
Having money to donate to charities and projects he supported.
Bringing jobs and financial stability to the community.
Having time and money to take care of his health.
Being able to travel the world with his family.

“Those things take money,” said rich dad. “That is why money is important to me. Money is important, but I don’t want to spend my life working for it.”

CHOOSING THE QUADRANTS
One reason my wife and I focused on the “B” and “I” quadrants while we were homeless was because I had more training and education in those quadrants. It was because of my rich dad’s guidance that I knew the different financial and professional advantages of each quadrant. For me, the quadrants of the right side, the “B” and “I” quadrants, offered the best opportunity for financial success and financial freedom.

Also, at 37 years old, I had experienced successes and failures in all four quadrants, which allowed me some degree of understanding about my own personal temperament, likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. I knew which quadrants I did best in.

PARENTS ARE TEACHERS
It was my rich dad who often referred to the CASHLFOW Quadrant when I was a young boy. He would explain to me the difference between someone who was successful on the left side vs. the right side. Yet being young, I really did not pay much attention to what he said. I did not understand the difference between an employee’s mind-set and a business owner’s mind-set. I was just trying to survive in school.

Yet, I did hear his words, and soon his words began to make sense. Having two dynamic and successful father figures around me gave meaning to what each was saying. But it was what they were doing that allowed me to begin to notice the differences between the “E-S” side of the Quadrant and the “B-I” side. At first the differences were subtle, and then they became glaring.

For example, one painful lesson I experienced as a young boy was simply how much time one dad had available to spend with me vs. the other. As the success and prominence of both dads grew, it was obvious tat one dad had less and less time to spend with his wife and four children. My real dad was always on the road, at meetings, or dashing off to the airport for more meetings. The more successful he got, the fewer dinners we had together as a family. Weekends, he spent at home in his crowded little office, buried under paperwork.

My rich dad, on the other hand, had more and more free time as his success grew. One of the reasons I learned so much about money, finance, business and life was simply because my rich dad had more and more free time for his children and me.

Another example is that both dads made more and more money as they became successful, but my real dad, the educated one, also got further into debt. So he’d work harder and suddenly find himself in a higher income-tax bracket. His banker and accountant would then tell him to buy a bigger house, and soon he was working harder than ever so he could make more money to pay for the new house… taking him even further away from his family.

My rich dad was different. He made more and more money, but paid less in taxes. He, too, had bankers and accountants, but he was getting the same advice my highly educated dad was getting.

THE MAIN REASON
Yet, the driving force that would not allow me to stay on the left side of the Quadrant was what happened to my highly educated but poor dad at the peak of his career.

In the early 1970s, I was already out of college and in Pensacola, Florida, going through pilot training for the Marine Corps, on my way to Vietnam. My educated dad was now the Superintendent of Education for the State of Hawaii and a member of the governor’s staff. One evening, my dad phoned me in my room on base.

“Son,” he said. “I’m going to resign from my job and run for lieutenant governor of the state of Hawaii for the Republican Party.”

I gulped and then said, “You’re going to run for office against your boss?”

”That’s right,” he replied.

“Why?” I asked. “Republicans do not have a chance in Hawaii. The Democratic Party and the labor unions are too strong.”

“I know, son. I also know that we do not have a prayer of winning. Judge Samuel King will be the candidate for governor, and I will be his running mate.”

“Why?” I asked again. “Why run against your boss if you know you’re going to lose?”

“Because my conscience won’t let me do anything else. The games these politicians are playing disturb me.”

“Are you saying they’re corrupt?” I asked.

“I don’t want to say that,“ said my real dad. He was an honest and moral man who rarely spoke badly about anyone. He was always a diplomat. Yet, I could tell from his voice that he was angry and upset when he said, “I’ll just say that my conscience bothers me when I see what goes on behind the scenes. I could not live with myself if I tuned a blind eye and did nothing. My job and paycheck are not as important as my conscience.”

After a long silence, I realized that my dad’s mind was made up. “Good luck,” I said quietly. “I’m proud of you for your courage, and I’m proud to be your son.”

My dad and the Republican ticket were crushed, as expected. The re-elected governor sent the word out that my dad was never to get a job again with the government for the state of Hawaii… and he never did. At the age of 54, my dad went looking for a job, and I was on my way to Vietnam.

At middle age my dad was looking for a new job. He went from jobs with big titles and low pay to more jobs with big titles and low pay. Jobs where he was the executive director of XYZ Services, a nonprofit organization, or managing director of ABC Services, another nonprofit.

He was a tall, brilliant and dynamic man who was no longer welcome in the only world he knew, the world of government employees. He tried starting several small businesses. He was a consultant for a while, and even bought a famous franchise, but they all failed. As he grew older, and his strength slipped away, so did his drive to start over again; his lack of will became even more pronounced after each business failure. He as a successful “E” trying to survive as an “S,” a quadrant in which he had no training or experience and for which he had no heart. He loved the world of public education, but he could not find a way to get back in. The ban on his employment in the state government was silently in place. In some circle, the word is called “blacklisted.”

If not for Social Security and Medicare, the last years of his life would have been a complete disaster. He died frustrated and a little angry, yet he died with a clear conscience.

So what kept me going in the darkest of hours? It was the haunting memory of med educated dad sitting at home, waiting for the phone to ring, trying to succeed in the world of business, a world he knew nothing about.

That, and the joyous memory of seeing my rich dad grow happier and more successful as his years went on inspired me. Instead of declining at age 54, rich dad blossomed. He had become rich years before that, but now he was becoming mega-rich. He was constantly in the newspapers as the man who was buying up Waikiki and Maui. His years methodically building businesses and investing was paying off, and he was on his way to becoming one of the richest men in the Islands.

SMALL DIFFERENCES BECOME LARGE DIFFERENCES
Because my rich dad had explained the Quadrant to me, I was better able to see the small differences that grew into large difference when measured over the years a person spends working. Because of the Quadrant, I knew it was better to decide not so much what I wanted to do, but more who I wanted to become as my working years progressed. In the darkest hours, it was this deep knowledge, and lessons from two powerful dads, that kept me going.

IT IS MORE THAN THE QUADRANT
The CASHFLOW Quadrant is more than two lines and some letters.

If you look below the surface of this simple diagram, you will find completely different worlds as well as different ways of looking at the world. As a person who has looked at the world from both the left side of the Quadrant and the right side, I can honestly say the world looks much different depending on which side you are on… and those differences are what this book is about.

One quadrant is not better than another… each has strengths, and each has weaknesses. This book is written to allow you to glimpse into the different quadrants, and into the personal development required to be financially successful in each of them. It is my hope that you will gain further insights into choosing the financial life path that is best suited for you.

Many of the skills essential to be successful in the right side of the Quadrant are not taught in school, which might explain why people like Bill Gates of Microsoft, and Ted Turner of CNN, and Thomas Edison left school early. This book will identify the skills, as well as the personal core temperament, that are necessary to find success on the “B” and “I” side of the Quadrant.

First, I offer a broad overview of the four quadrants and then a closer focus on the “B” and “I” side. There are already plenty of books written about what is takes to be successful on the “E” and “S” side.

After reading this book, some of you might want to make a change in how you earn your income, and some of you will be happy to stay just where you are. You might choose to operate in more than one quadrant, and maybe in all four quadrants. We are all different, and one quadrant is not more important or better than another. In every village, town, city and nation in the world, there is need for people operating in all four quadrants to ensure the financial stability of the community.

Also, as we grow older and gain different experiences, our interests change. For example, I notice that many young people right out of school are often happy to get a job. Yet, after a couple of years, a few of them decide they are not interested in climbing the corporate ladder, or they lose interest in the field of business they are in. These changes of age and experience often cause a person to search for new avenues of growth, challenge, financial reward and personal happiness. I hope this book offers some fresh ideas for attaining those goals.

In short, this book is not about homelessness but about finding a home…a home in a quadrant or quadrants

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM LEWIS & CLARK (PART 1)

2006-06-15T12:01:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum.. friends and families.. lately i'm bit full.. my schedule are tight.. but i still wanted to share this article with you guys.. happy reading..

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM LEWIS & CLARK (PART 1)
By Dr. John C. Maxwell

Before beginning, I'd like to thank my friend Ed Rowell. His research and thoughts played a major role in this study.

On May 21, 2004, Americans celebrated the beginning of perhaps the most amazing journey in American history. Two hundred years prior, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark left St. Louis, Missouri at 3:30 in the afternoon heading upstream on the Missouri River.

Their expedition, dubbed the Corps of Discovery, had been commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to find the mythical "Northwest Passage," an all-water trade route across the continent to the Pacific Ocean that explorers had searched for almost 300 years. At stake was the fur trade, the continent's most easy exploitable natural resource.

Lewis and Clark had never seen the Pacific Ocean, nor did they have an accurate sense of how far west the continent stretched. Once they were a few days west of St. Lewis, their opportunities for communication with home were nonexistent.

When they returned to St. Louis down the same river, they'd covered more than 8,000 miles and been gone for 28 months. Long feared dead, they came home as national heroes. Even today, their journey overland across the continent is among the most courageous journeys ever conceived and attempted.

Along the way they were to develop an accurate map of the Missouri River basin, record all available information about natural history and geology, and report on and begin building relationships with native tribes they encountered.

They discovered 120 new species of animals and 178 new species of plants. They were the first Europeans to cross the Continental Divide. They were the first to see herds of buffalo, numbering in the thousands, grazing on the largest grassland in the world, and they were the first white men that most of the tribes they met had ever seen.

One of the most remarkable accomplishments is that in spite of the brutal grind of moving people, boats and tons of gear upstream, serious accidents, life-threatening weather, and less than peaceful contact with some of the continent's earliest residents, the Corps of Discovery experienced just one casualty.

It was a grand journey that still inspires and awes after two hundred years. But there are no great journeys without great leadership. And the journey across the American Continent is a case study in leading where no one has gone before.

Without trust, the journey is over before it begins.

When asked to lead the expedition, Meriwether Lewis immediately contacted a man that he had served under in the army, William Clark. Lewis was a self-aware man, and he recognized that Clark's strengths would counter each of his own weaknesses. Four years older, Clark had a strong leadership resume, having served as a company commander. He was a popular, tough, and a fearless woodsman. Clark had been raised in Kentucky, was an accomplished river explorer who was usually with the fleet. Lewis, on the other hand, was of Virginia aristocracy, having lived much of his life among the educated, successful gentry of the day. Lewis loved to walk and was often out front, days ahead, scouting out the route. And when it came time to buy horses to get across the mountains, he knew a good animal when he saw it. Lewis was the camp doctor, Clark the camp counselor.

Most importantly, Clark offered a stability that Lewis was unable to give. Lewis suffered, as his father had, from a "melancholic spirit," or "depressions of the mind." Most modern scholars look at the evidence and believe that he was bi-polar, or manic-depressive. The journey gave him reason to shove back the darkness, and his ability to keep going is a testimony to his sheer strength and will.

Lewis' offer to Clark was to be an equal leader in every conceivable way, including rank and pay. Because the army bureaucracy refused to recognize a co-commander, Clark did not receive his promised captain's commission. The two leaders never mentioned it to the men, and for the next seven years, only Lewis Clark, and Jefferson, and a clerk or two at the War Department knew the truth. When asked as an old man to describe their relationship, Clark replied, "Equal in every point of view."

"Most of all, Lewis knew that Clark was competent to the task, that his word was his bond, and that his back was steel. And Clark knew the same about Lewis. Their trust in each other was complete, even before they took the first step west together. How this closeness came about cannot be known in any detail, but that it clearly was a long time before the expedition—that cannot be doubted."

Our true self-awareness forces us to place trust in others.

Lewis knew his limitations, and he sought a leader with abilities to complement his strengths and weaknesses. In selecting Clark, Lewis showed maturity in realizing he could not lead the way alone. In allowing Clark equal rank and an equal share of the credit, Lewis demonstrated remarkable security.

Competence is essential if trust is to be continued.

Lewis and Clark had differing skills, but each was a greatly talented man. From their diaries, it is obvious that as the journey progressed, their trust in each other deepened. They had a sense of great security because of the mutual confidence they placed in each other. Trust is not unfounded. Trust must be built upon competence.

Trust is strengthened when trust is proven.

The two officers would have one opportunity after another in which they literally put their lives into the hands of others on the expedition. Surmounting each challenge, their trust increased as they proved their merit.

The highest level of trust is expressed in obedience and submission, even when there is a lack of understanding or agreement.

At one point on the journey, the explorers came to two rivers and had to decide which one was the Missouri River. Lewis and Clark's choice went against the general consensus of their men. Even while disagreeing, the men were willing to trust the judgment of their leadership. The submission of the team at such a critical juncture demonstrates their absolute faith in their leaders.

The reward of trust is an intimate relationship that few ever experience.
There is an intimacy when proven by time and experience and competence, that only people that have gone through that trusting experience ever realize. The attitude of the men displayed their intimacy: "they would triumph together or they would die together".

Special Clauses

2006-05-22T20:18:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum.. brothers and sisters.. how was it today? just remember my friends.. we're gonna fly everyday. There are few clauses from lots of writers that i want to share with u guys today..

"On every challenges, there are opportunity awaits."

"Leadership developes daily, not in a day - John C. Maxwell" Let's all grow to become great leaders daily!

"A man who has to be convinced to act before he acts is not a man of action - Clemeceau"

"To accomplished great things, we must not only act, but dream, not only plan, but also believe - Alexander Graham Bell"

"Leadership is about you leading yourself first. The rest will follow when uyou have lead yourself well. Leaders are like eagels, they don't flock."

Think about it and believe..

Wassalam

Personal Growth

2006-05-17T14:46:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum.. brothers and sisters.. sorry for the long vacation that i took to add new articles and few comments.. life been full lately.. live life the fullest they say..

Just want to share an article again from J.C. Maxwell.. love his writing on leadership.. read and enjoy them..its about:

PERSONAL GROWTH
By Dr. John C. Maxwell

I vividly remember a conversation I had many years ago in 1974, which marked a turning point in my leadership journey. I was sitting at a Holiday Inn with my friend, Kurt Campmeyer, when he asked me if I had a personal growth plan. I didn't. In fact, I didn't even know you were supposed to have one.

Up until that point, the best term for my growth would be "accidental growth." I didn't grow on purpose, but I loved people and worked hard so that I caught a few things along the way.
That night with Kurt, I realized that to grow like I wanted, my personal development couldn't be hit-and-miss. I needed to initiate and activate. I made a decision to devote myself to personal growth. I literally made personal growth my personal mission.

In my book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, I talk about the Law of Process, which says, "Leaders develop daily, not in a day." Our natural inclination is to overestimate the event and underestimate the process. We wait for a special occasion or an intense experience to boost our growth instead of appreciating the process. In the words of my friend Kevin Myers: "Everyone is looking for a quick fix, but what they really need is fitness."

We don't mature momentarily, but over the long-term. As we continue on our quest to become more skillful as leaders, let's look at seven statements about the growth process.

1. Growth is not automatic. Paul Harvey said it best: "You can tell you're on the road to success; it's uphill all the way." You can't coast uphill. Growth doesn't happen by itself; it requires an active investment of time.

Earl Nightengale said, "If you'll spend one hour a day, every day for five years on a given subject, within five years you'll become an expert on that subject." In 1974, I made that decision—to set aside one hour per day for personal growth. Over thirty years later, I find that the more I learn and grow, the more precious that hour is to me.

2. Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and those who do not. When I see a person beginning to separate themselves from the pack, it's almost always due to personal growth. As Bennis & Nanus say, "It is the capacity to develop and improve their skills that distinguishes leaders from followers."

When I went to college, there was no gap between me and my peers, none at all. Since 1974, I have diligently followed through on my commitment to grow an hour every day, and now the gap, in most cases, is wide. Am I smarter than my former classmates? Not at all. Many of them danced circles around me academically. The growth factor—my long-term commitment to personal development—made the difference.

3. Growth takes time, and only time can reveal certain lessons to us. We've all heard, "Experience is the best teacher," but it never has been and never will be. Evaluated experience is the best teacher. Reflective thinking is required to turn experience into insight. If you're a young LW subscriber without a wealth of personal experience, borrow the experience. Ask questions, listen, and learn from a successful leader that has gone before you.

4. The more we grow, the more we know we need to grow. In other words, when you start developing yourself, instead of feeling wise, you'll be struck by how much you don't know. Alvin Toffler, in Future Shock, once observed, "The illiterate of the future are not those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn."

5. Growth equals change. To develop, we must step away from comfort and welcome fresh and challenging experiences. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security. It may mean giving up familiar but limiting patterns, safe but unrewarding work, values no longer believed in, and relationships that have lost their meaning.

6. Growth inside fuels growth outside. The highest reward of our toil is not what we get for it, but what we become by it. At the age of 17, I decided to read extensively, file my favorite articles, and prepare lessons. Little did I realize that out of the simple discipline of reading, filing, and preparing lessons, I would receive content, develop creativity, begin to speak, and eventually author numerous books.

7. Choose to grow in the areas of your strengths, not in the areas of your weakness. There are only four things I do well, just four, and I focus exclusively on them. I lead, communicate, create, and network. That's it. I spend all of my time on one of those four strength zones. The secret of successful people lies in their ability to discover their strengths and to organize their life so that these strengths can be applied.

Benjamin Franklin personifies the spirit of inventiveness of the modern world. His accomplishments read like an almanac of greatness:

Inventor; poet; philosopher; pamphleteer; distinguished member of three national academies of science; America's first Postmaster General; founder of Philadelphia's first police force, lending library, and the academy later to become the University of Pennsylvania; founder of the first fire insurance company; delegate to the Constitutional Convention; Drafter of the Declaration of Independence; one of America's most effective statesmen and ambassadors.

Yet for all of his achievements, the epitaph that Franklin wrote for himself simply reads, "Here lies the body of Ben Franklin, printer."

In honoring his humble roots as a printer's apprentice, Benjamin Franklin reveals the mystery to his greatness. It was in the world of printing where Franklin was first exposed to new books, writers, and ideas. His fame, accomplishments, and accolades would never have been possible without the love of learning and habits of growth imprinted in his life during his early days as a printer.

10 Keys how to develop your LEADERSHIP

2006-03-16T03:45:00.000+08:00

Leaders... its so interesting talking on leadership.. well.. this might help a little.. 10 Keys of discovering leadership in you.. The Leadership development plan.. enjoy!

The Leadership Development Plan

Many people are born leaders, yet the ability to lead is actually an art and an amazing collection of skills which can be learned and sharpened through a series of daily habits and activities. The following ten keys will provide the foundation for a powerful leadership development plan and can be your guide in expanding what is possible in your life personally, professionally, and spiritually.

1. Start your day with Intention.

There is a direct correlation with how you start your day and the quality of your life. Most people start the day in a hurry and as a result play catch up all day long. Unless you try something different this sense of not being able to get it all done won’t change. Here is a suggestion. Spend 10-15 minutes each morning for daily reflection looking at the major areas of your life: career, relationship, family, community, and spirituality. Ask yourself what are you grateful for and what do you intend to accomplish. Then ask yourself what will be the highlight of your day. By asking yourself this question you will have created a positive expectation throughout the day. No matter what is going on or who you are interacting with, you can always ask yourself this question. Remember this time in the morning is your time and no one else’s so it is essential to take this time before listening to the news or reading the paper. This practice becomes a spiritual practice and mental discipline so that your ability to focus and concentrate increases dramatically. You also expand your ability to say no to limiting beliefs.

2. Be dedicated to a high level of learning.

Great leaders are highly competent, because they are dedicated to a high level of learning, growth, and improvement. They know the worse thing they can do is to be too comfortable. Spend 15-20 minutes each day devoted to learning something new. Do not settle for knowing "how" to do something. Dig deeper by asking the question "why" and then go find the answer. Search the internet, consult with experts, or take a day trip to find the answer to a question that is on your mind or the minds of those who follow you. Don’t hesitate to hire a consultant, coach or expert in your field. At the end of the day ask yourself "what did I learn today?"

3. Follow a regular exercise routine.

One of the most beneficial and practical habits you can develop is a regular exercise routine. There is no question that regular exercise has many benefits. The most energetic people that I come in contact with all exercise. They look better, feel better and always seem to have time to do what they want. From a time management perspective they are mentally alert, more efficient and able to get more done in less time. From a health prospective there are numerous studies that document the value of exercise….just read any of the bulletins from the American Heart Association. An additional benefit is that many leaders have asserted that during exercise solutions to challenges are revealed.

4. Discover your strengths.

The strengths profile finder from the book NOW! Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. is a revolutionary program which can show you how to discover and then develop your unique talents and gifts. One of the secrets to discovering your leadership potential lies in your ability to exercise your strengths, not in dwelling on your weaknesses. This tool by Buckingham and Clifton can guide you to becoming a high performing and empowered individual.

5. Be an innovator by tapping into your creativity.

Many adults move through life thinking "I am not creative," and wondering "What if?" As humans, we all have the ability to be wildly creative, and sometimes, this requires practice. By spending time each day with the support of tools such as "Five Star Mind" by Tom Wujec, you can begin to unlock and expand the creative potential that lies deep within you. Using puzzles, mind-mapping, word association, and the power of curiosity, you can stimulate your intuition, innovation, and creative expression. As Napoleon Hill stated "All the 'breaks' you need in life wait within your imagination. Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind-energy into accomplishment and wealth." As your creativity soars, you will find that others will view you as a leader and will be attracted to you for your amazing ability to be innovative.

6. Be willing to interrupt your thought patterns.

Herbert Benson, M.D., a Harvard cardiologist, in his latest bestseller The Breakout Principle, describes a four stage process in which new insights and peak experiences are achieved. According to Benson and his researchers, the first stage in this process occurs when there is a crisis or a problem that you are attempting to solve. In the second stage what is important is to interrupt your thought pattern by breaking away from your predicament and doing something totally different. You might leave the building and take a walk, go to the gym, or listen to some music. In the third phase, when the mind is less stressed and less cluttered, the peak experience or solution occurs quite often accompanied by something unexpected-a surprise that produces new ideas or higher levels of performance. In the fourth phase you incorporate your new insights and improved performance into your everyday way of life and live from this new standard.

7. Start or join a Master Mind Group.

Did you know that Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone were all members of a Mastermind Group? This group of Leaders knew something many of us do not know. They knew that the key to their success was in their ability to rely on each other for feedback, ideas, accountability, and above all...support! These men controlled much of the industry of the United States during the height of their careers. Innovation and expansion in human thought often result from teams that mentally capitalize on the principle of collaborative thinking. With spontaneous expression and interchange of thoughts with folks who are up to big things in life, a mastermind group can shift your awareness, expand your thinking, and can take you to unprecedented levels of leadership.

8. Don't be a one trick pony.

Most people spend too much time working. They don’t realize they have a choice. If you spend all your time and energy working, you limit your understanding of yourself and of people in general. You will be unable to see the big picture. From this limited perspective you will find it difficult to connect with other people and to enroll them in your vision. Have an open mind and develop interests and hobbies and become a complete person. Become involved in your community and become interested in how you can contribute. Quite often it is outside the office when you make the key strategic alliances.

9. Develop the ability to fully express yourself and be a better communicator.

Have you ever had a meeting or encounter with someone and as soon as it was over, you said to yourself "why didn’t I say that?" If you haven’t had that experience you are unique. The ability to express ourselves is an essential tool in our ability to create impact. Develop this skill. Be aware of what you are really feeling in the particular moment so that you do not make agreements you do not intend to keep. You might want to consider joining Toastmasters or Speaking Circles to fine tune your ability to speak on your feet.

10. Embrace change.

It’s happens everyday…. that is change. Prepare to adapt to what is happening. Have you ever noticed how rapidly children change and we as adults try to put the brakes on change. Studies show that the average person has at least five different careers. Change can lead to innovation and can be exciting. Ask yourself what is possible. Ask yourself what can I create? Prepare yourself for change. Try something like yoga. It makes your mind more flexible and as a result you look at life differently.

May ALLAH Blessed.. AMIN

ADVICE FOR THE ROAD by J.C.Maxwell

2006-03-16T03:21:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum.. brothers and sisters.. its the time for us to move forward.. doesn't matter how bad was yesterday.. they are gone and the bad times come to move us to a better location...

ADVICE FOR THE ROAD
By Dr. John C. Maxwell

If you were to sketch your life on paper, using only a solid line to represent your journey, what would it look like?

If you were totally honest with yourself, your line (like mine) would probably include many U-turns—occasions when you started going one way and then had to stop and change directions because your original plan wasn't working.

Some people might look at these U-turns as frustrating inconveniences that keep them from getting to their destinations on time. To me, however, they represent change—an inevitable and often critical part of achieving success and fulfillment in life. While change for the sake of change just equals whiplash, changing when you need to change (or, better yet, before you need to) equals victory.

In the series about traveling through life that we began several issues ago, we've talked about traveling light (getting rid of excess emotional baggage and keeping "short accounts"), taking someone with you, taking the high road (forgiving quickly), following the roadmap (knowing where you are and where you're going) and stopping to ask for directions (seeking credible advice). I know this material has been a bit more reflective and philosophical than what you usually read in this column, but as we approach the end of another year, I hope you have found it to be both appropriate and thought-provoking.

Today, I'll bring this series to a close with several more travel tips, including the one I just alluded to: Make U-turns when necessary. Change is hard, and most people resist it. But if you put it off too long, you'll have a difficult time reaching your destination. So rather than griping about U-turns, embrace them as opportunities to get back on the right track.
Now let's round out this travel package with four more tips that I have found to be extremely helpful on my own journey through life.

1. Appreciate the detours.

To be honest, this one is really hard for me. But problems are a part of life, and having a positive attitude about them can mean the difference between success and failure. Here's what actress Gilda Radner had to say about this: "I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned the hard way that some poems don't rhyme and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it without knowing what's going to happen next."

2. Take pictures.

Don't be in such a rush through life that you fail to create memories along the way. Make time for fun. And then stop every now and then to remember those fun times.

3. Go the extra mile.

People who go the extra mile do their job and then some. They do what's required of them and then some. They do what other people expect of them and then some. It's all about commitment.

4. Stop to smell the roses.

In his wonderful essay, "The Station," Robert J. Hastings talks about how our natural tendency to live for some future event often keeps us from enjoying life in the here and now. "Sooner or later we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all," he writes "The true joy of life is the trip." Whatever you do, don't fall into the trap of always waiting for the station. Make it a point to experience each day to the fullest. As Leo Buscaglia so aptly put it, "Life lived for tomorrow will always be just a day away from being realized."

These traveling tips I've given you over the last few months have been pretty simple, but they've guided me well on my journey and I trust they will help you on yours. As we close this series, I want to encourage you to have an abundance mentality as you go through life, not a scarcity mentality. You can believe that there's enough to go around, which leads you to be a sharing, giving person, or you can fool yourself into thinking there's not enough to go around, which forces you to grab what's yours, hold on to it and keep it for yourself.

I know you don't need me to tell you which path leads to a productive, fulfilled life. As you journey through life, take the road less traveled by, and (to paraphrase Robert Frost) you'll find that it really does make all the difference.

REPLACING COMPLACENCY

2006-02-27T12:43:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum... brothers and sisters... what do u find in the article below? lust read it togather..

REPLACING COMPLACENCY
By Dr. John C. Maxwell

One of the biggest temptations leaders of successful organizations face is to stop thinking big. After a taste of success, even the best and brightest leaders suddenly start to think complacently. When a company gets on a roll, some leaders tighten up and start playing it safe. They stop playing to win and begin playing not to lose. Where they once thought big and new, now they think incrementally.

This temptation is a reality with a lot of sports teams. How many times have we seen teams lose their momentum and then lose the game because instead of playing to win, they began to play not to lose? They get ahead, but then they pull back and stop playing with the intensity that earned them the lead.

The same temptation traps company executives. With the organization exceeding expectations and making record profits, the leadership gets excited. The organization appears to be cruising toward its best year ever, when all of a sudden the focus shifts from gaining momentum to sustaining momentum. The moment leadership changes focus, momentum vanishes.

I like to think of momentum as the great exaggerator. When you have it, people think you're better than you are. You're on a roll and everybody is amazed by your success. When you lose momentum, people think you're worse than you are. Momentum magnifies your performance, and positive momentum can be a potent force to push you forward.

When things are on a roll, don't sit on the ball—run up the score! In other words, when you've got momentum going for you, put the pedal to the metal. Take off. Ignite momentum. As I wrote in "Thinking for a Change", "We are today where our thoughts brought us, and we will be tomorrow where our thoughts take us." When we stop thinking big as leaders and dwell upon protecting past successes, we start to think conservatively. The big thoughts that gave us a big year are replaced by conservative thoughts which will give us a mediocre year.

Let me give you four strategies that will keep your momentum moving in the right direction.

1. When you're doing well, go shopping.

When you're doing well, instead of patting yourself on the back, go shopping. Look around for somebody that's bigger, better, faster, and smarter than you are. Study their successes and benchmark your results against theirs. I did this as a young leader, because very quickly in my field I had successes. Instead of being content as the number one leader in my organization, I started going to other organizations where I wouldn't be in the top 100. It was an exercise in humility; but I immediately realized the way to refocus wasn't to compare myself against everyone I was beating, but to compare myself with somebody better than I was.

2. Stir up inspirational dissatisfaction.

Inspirational dissatisfaction does not mean you are never pleased or satisfied. Nor is it a license to beat yourself up or come down hard on your people. Instead, it's a creative awareness that you can do better. You can do more to improve personally and to invest exhaustively in the growth of your team. This state of mind unlocks your comfort zone and prompts you to keep on stretching.

3. Develop a daily dose of paranoia.

There's a difference between a daily dose and an overdose of paranoia. An overdose makes you and everyone around you miserable. A daily dose is an inner rustling—a pebble in the shoe—that creates just enough discomfort to keep you continually alert and engaged. In fact, the best leaders act as though someone is out to get them, like they're on the verge of losing every customer every day.

4. Continue to set goals that stretch your team.

If you can reach your goals with a "business as usual" approach, then your goals are too small. A goal is only effective when it forces changes, big decisions, and bold action.

The thinking of a leader is contagious to the team. As a leader, you broadcast your way of thinking to your people, and they are going to pick up on your signals immediately. Unsuccessful leaders focus their thinking on survival—"If I can just make it through the year." Average leaders focus their thinking on maintenance—"If I can just hold on to what I have." Successful leaders focus their thinking on continual progress.

If you're a manager who concentrates more on holding your own than on moving forward, then it's time to seize the offensive. Don't settle for what conditions force upon you. As Marcus Buckingham says, "The only thing that leaders have in common is leaders break all the rules." Great leaders don't just buy into what everybody else is saying, and they don't follow the beaten path. Great leaders are constantly creating their own conditions for success by blazing new trails.

May ALLAH blessed.. insyaALLAH.. Wassalamualaikum..

Characterisrics of Barrier-breakers (1)

2006-01-25T11:01:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum... brothers and sisters...

Being burdend with end of year closing, internal auditing, meeting, meeting, meeting... submission to auditors... just pause and think, what we've done for our selves? Is it much compare to what we've done to our job? To our bosses? Yeah... yeah... it's the job that important!?! Is it? What we have to offer to our selves for 2006? Freedom? Or its gonna be the same just like 05, 04, 03, 02,... Who are copying actually?the rich? the middle earner? or the poor? Why dont we copy cat the rich... insyaALLAH we'll be rich!!

Sharing is what i can offer to you guys... the characteristics of berrier breakers...

#1 Barreir-breakers possess uncompromising integrity. Doesn't matter in good times or lean times, they don't cut corners! Their value remain the same.

#2 Barreir-breakers develop and maintain extreamly high personalenergy levels. They focus on people and things that energised tham and they usually energise others in the process.

#3 Barreir-breakers are good at working priorities. They don't have no.2 priorities. List the work according the priorities, after finishing the first, they'll move to no.2 and treat it as their no.1 priorities.

A simple story

2006-01-13T22:17:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum, friends and family.. been a long energetic time.. working as hard as possible; coz i believe i'm the winner... people that are going places... and the great achievers. It does remind me of the "Breaking the Barriers" the story of Danny Cox.

Consistantly maintaining the attitude is one of the major key drive for success, friends, we are not born with it, but we learn. Its a process that each one of us can master, its all depends on us, the choice is ours..

We must choose the attititude in all circumstances; positive attitude brings efficientcy, effectiveness, and success.

Basically it comes back to the main point... WHY?! and DREAMS.. is your dream big enough? Why? Its simple..

Ferrari = big engine. Kancil = small engine. KANCIL at the highest speed making a noisy sound and yet didn't go that far. On the otherhand FERRARI with big engine go faster and smoother. To relate with the above, small dreamers do lots of complains (noisy) but the big dreamers always run and do. The fuel is passion and how much do you believe in you dream. And belive DREAM do come TRUE.

"Life is no brief candle to me, its a sort of splendid torch wich i want to make burn as brightly as possible before handling it on to future generations - George burnet"

May ALLAH Blessed...insyaALLAH.

Wassalamualaikumwarahmatullah...

Attracting Others To YOU

2005-12-30T19:55:00.000+08:00

Attracting Others to YOU... hemm... what can i say... attracting people... basically we will attract people like we do... so, the main question is not how... but why.. and it doesn't matter what is your answer is because it will come to one point that is LIVING A LIFE WITH PESSION!!

How to attract people better than us? how to attract people that we want to become or we wish to have for a life time... How to will come when you start knowing the whys....

Well... here are some suggestions that might help you to develop some skill internally and externally... What i would love to touch today is this 2 section where we can improve ourselves...

1. External Factor of Us

a) Basically it is all about our fizical appearances. right folks? Eventhougt they say dont judge a book by its cover... but everyone have their own first impression of someone they just met.. Why dont we just improve ourselves in these areas and we'll get such a warm welcome...

i. Well Groomed
ii. Modestly Dressed (clean and neat)
iii. Personal Higuene
iv. Good Body Posture ~ air of confidance
v. Big and Wonderful Smiles
vi. Good Eye Contact
vii. Sincere Firm Handshake
viii. Positive Body Language
ix. Apprpriate Fizical Touch ~elbow or sholder
x. Displaying Energy & Assets for Life ~ undercontrol

b) Personal & Relationship Skills
i. Positive Attitude ~ feel good and out lifting
ii. We are Other People Focus ~ We are not just focusing in ME; its all about WE
iii. Display Sincere People Skill ~ the motive is pure (e.g. the use of knowladge)
iv. Always Addressed People by Their Names ~ Feel like a V.I.P.
v. Remember Things About Them ~ No of children, events they go & etc; show the interest and care

c) Good at Asking Questions
i. Get to know where they at
ii. Listen and don't interrupt
iii. Innitiating Conversation ~ Always a 2 way communication

d) Walk The Talk

e) Lead The Way

d) Addify them to your supperior friends (they feel important)

the second factor will be continued...

"Life is no brief of candle to me, it is a sort of splendid torch which i want to make burn as brightly as possible before handling it on to future GENERATIONS - George Burnette"

3 Ways to CURE Intelligence Excusitis

2005-11-21T18:49:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum... its been quite a while since the last story.. isn't it great to read such wonderful articles.. right?

Well.. i've been reading this book, and it stated that "Knowladge is Power when you use it constructively. Closely allied to intelligence excusitis is some incorrect thinking about knowledge." We often hear that knowledge is power. But this statement only a half truth. KNOWLEGE IS ONLY POTENTIAL POWER. Why? Knowledge is power when only we put to use - and then only when the use made of it is constructively.

There are three ways to cure Inelligent Excusitis (D.J. Schwartz):

1. Never underestimate your own itelligence and never overestimate the intelligence of others;

2. Remind your self several times daily "My attitudes are more important than my intelligence";

and

3. Remember that the ability to think is of much greater value than the ability to memorize facts.

Yesterday and the day before i went to our organisation meeting The Executives Club Meeting and on Sunday i attend our convention. The speakers were the best and what did they focused on? Yeah!!! The attitude... Think about it our attitude is the main factor where are we now in life. Do you really like where are you now? Think about it bro.. just close your eyes and think, imagine where are you now? Where you wanna be in 2-3 years from now... financially free is the key isn't it? Money is not everything, but everything needs money! Right? I dream of spending my time with my wife and son every single moment.. enjoying this gift of god.. LIFE!!!... giving to the needy.. imagine.. every month we are able to give the money that we pick up from the pocket without concerning the amount, the smile in others.. oh i miss that one!!

For things to change, we must change first!! And changes will be influence by the right attitude. If not, nothing will happened.

Most of us are still loking for the opportunity, but unfortunately we are not aware that the opportunity is there... everywhere... we are the one that doing the "to many thingking" and do believe me that the decision that we made mostly not based on our adult thinking... we fear to much!!! F.E.A.R.... False Evidance Appearing Real... is that we scared most? WOoooooo.... Good!!

Gotta go friends.. i'm special, i'm important, and i'm the superman... why? Because i BELIEVE..

Wassalam

THE DIFFERENCE By Dr. John C. Maxwell

2005-11-17T10:13:00.000+08:00

THE DIFFERENCE
By Dr. John C. Maxwell

Football season is barely underway, but it's never too soon to start speculating about which NFL team is going to win the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy next February.

Will the New England Patriots continue their domination of the big game and win their third Super Bowl in a row? Or, come January, will some wildcard team that has received little recognition surge to the front of the pack and surprise everyone with a Super Bowl victory?

In the NFL, you just never know. That's because when it comes to parity, no other professional sport is as equal as pro football. On any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team. And although the Patriots have dominated recently, the fact that eight different teams have played in the last five Super Bowls is another indication that the better teams in the league are on fairly equal footing when it comes to talent.

So what sets one talented team apart from another equally gifted team? In a word, leadership.

All other things being equal, the team with the best leaders will always win. Or, as one of my 17 Laws of Teamwork states, the difference between two equally talented teams is leadership. It's the Law of the Edge, and it's an incredibly powerful concept. Whether the team is made up of professional football players, military personnel or business people, everything rises and falls on leadership.

We've spent the last several issues of Leadership Wired talking about various aspects of teamwork— putting the right players in the right places, what a good team does for a leader, how to transfer a vision to your team, the necessity of a strong set of values, etc. As you reflect on these issues and think about how you can lead your team better, here are some practical suggestions that will help pave your way—and your team's way—to success.

1. Make a decision to build a team. Teams just don't build themselves. If you want to see your dream come to fruition, dedicate yourself to team building. Take care of the team, and it will take care of the dream.

2. Gather the best players possible. The better the players on the team, the greater the team's potential for success. The bigger the dream, the better the team you need. Start well, and the rest of the process is much easier.

3. Pay the price to develop the team. Team building has a price—it costs energy, money and time. And when you build a team, you pay with your life. But if you do, in return you receive a better life.

4. Do things together as a team. Good team leaders know that you touch a heart before you ask for a hand. That's the Law of Connection. And the way you create that connection is by doing things together.

5. Empower team members with responsibility and authority. A team can achieve only when its individual members are vested with responsibility and authority. Responsibility gives them the desire; authority gives them the means. Empowered team members accomplish more and help the team to continually improve.

6. Give credit for success to the team. Too many leaders steal their team's ego food. If you want your team to keep fighting for the dream, remember that nothing motivates a team like recognition. Put the credit where it belongs—with the people who get the job done.

7. Watch to see that the investment in the team is paying off. As a leader, you can never afford to stop investing in your people. Everyone doesn't naturally grow on his or her own. Activity does not always mean accomplishment, however. You need to measure your investment. Be sure that you're doing the right things to help your people. You can do that by paying attention to what's paying off.

8. Stop investing in players who do not grow. It's sad to say, but not every investment in people pays off. When that happens, you must stop giving your best attention to those who aren't growing. Life is short, and for every person who won't—or can't—grow, there is someone else who would love to benefit from what you have to give.

9. Create new opportunities for the team. One of the roles of team members is to help the team succeed. That means finding new opportunities for the team. No matter how long your team has been together or how successful you've been in the past, never let a day go by that you're not looking for ways to help your team keep moving forward.

10. Finally, give the team the best possible chance to succeed. In the end, the team fails or succeeds together, and the best way to serve the individuals on the team is to see that the whole team wins. Do that, and dreams can come true for everyone.

Succes comes from belief

2005-11-16T17:28:00.000+08:00

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.. Assalamualaikum.

Success means many wonderful, beautiful, positive things which means personal prosperity: a wonderful home, vacation,travel, new things, financial security, giving our kids maximum advantages and lots and lots of happiness, unbelievable moments!!..

Success also means winning admiration, leadership, being looked up by society, able to do more for those who depends on you... and this all state a firm defination which is SUCCESS MEANS WINNING - Achieving - is the GOAL of LIFE!!

Do you know.. really really know that to be successful just need one small words that means huge... BELIEVES.. the word that people often confused with wish...

How-to-do-it will always comes to a person who believes he can do it. Belief, STRONG BELIEF, triggers the mind to figuring ways and means and how-to. It triggers the power to do.

What is the different between You, Me and him? Super intelligent? Superman? Bionicman?... nor super anything...except super confident!! That what makes the different! The believes will put you among the best and acts the best and performing the best!!

It's well to respect the leader, learn from him, observe him, but not worship him.Believe you can surpass and believe you can go beyond. Those who harbor the second-best attitudeare invariably second-best doers. Are you?

Remember inside each and everyone of us there is Mr Triumph & Mr Defeat. Which one of these we oftenly used? The more frequent the usage, that'll be the attitude. If success the choice, choose Mr Triumph.. go positive and believes.

According to David J Schwartz, there are 3 basic things in developing the belief:
The Guideline are as follows:

1 Think Success, don't think failure

2 Remind your self regularly, that you are better than you think you are; and

3 Believe Big. The size of your success determined by the size of your believes.

Well.. its just the beginning.. Plenty more to come!! Just close your eyes and think for it for a few minutes and set your goals. One, Two, Three.. go for it!!

May ALLAH blessed...

Wassalamualaikum warahmatullah

The Magic of Thinking Big

2005-11-15T18:22:00.000+08:00

Hi all... its been quite a busy day this few weeks.. and suddenly came a curierman give me this book that i've ordered last week... THE MAGIC OF THINKING BIG... by Dr. David J. Schwartz.. oooohhh... can't wait to read it.. Just think about this words..

Set Your GOALS High... Then EXCEED Them!!...

What will you gonna be then? Answer it your self!!

First learn how to THINK BIG.. chiow...

OMEGATREND; The People Business

2005-11-10T13:55:00.000+08:00

Greetings fellowship of the ring.. Do you know that every day is different from each day that had past? Or we just ignore it and don't cherish it... What a waste. Enjoy now moment!! If you are in deep sheet now... With all the bad luck, bad this and bad that.. If you don't enjoy it.. u'll crack my friend. Cherish the moment and understand it. Then u'll learn from it, not by ignoring, running away from it.

Life is just a wheel, sometimes up sometimes down. And u know what, its u that makes it happen. Coz u r the one who make the decision from the choices..

Do you know and realized that each of our salary or income goes to our basic needs and only a little people had extra for their life style? Why? Studies shows that all of our income goes to the basics; House and house related, Transport and Communications, General daily expenses (e.g. clothes, medical, recreation, EDUCATION).. So? Is there is any left overs? Where is your savings? Where is your investments? How about your RETIREMENT? and do you still have the LIFE STYLE that u ever dream of? Like Robert T Kiyosaki said.. pay your self first.. one of the way looking of it, by being a smarter consumer by paying your self first.. right?

So.. I would really love to introduce to you the only organization that wants us to be the smartest consumer..

Omegatrend... what is it? It is a business which provides an opportunity for people [that is YOU] to enhance their [YOUR] lives so they [YOU] might improve their [YOUR] world. Where can you find a mission statement like this in our current business?! It must always be the COMPANY... COMPANY PROFIT, COMPANY NAME, bla bla bla...

It is a GLOBAL marketing business opportunity with 15 year track record. Started in Australia in 1990, expend to New Zealand in 1995, move to South East Asian market by entering MALAYSIA in 1997 (what a recession in those days.. right guys?!), and Singapore in 2003. In 1st July 2005 OMEGATREND opend to the WORLD by entering 6 more HUGE and POWERFUL country. They are : United Kingdom, United States of America, Brunei, Philipnes, Hong Kong and South Africa.

How those it works? Simple!

Omegatrend HELPS PEOPLE develop a business by turning everyday household expenditure into REWARDS and INCOMES. In a simple word; Omegatrend helps you turn your expenditure into INCOME. Which means that every penny ($) that goes out will come back in terms of rewards (gift) and income ($).

Just be the smartest consumer.

The theory is like this:
You have your own supermarket where you can shop your consumable products. Where you'll spend your daily expenditure? Your Supermarket or Tesco, Jusco, CO? Of course yours right?! the "paying your self" do apply here. And you'll recieve your profit sharing from the sales of your supermarket i.e profit made. Right?

And now your supermarket name is Omegatrend, your product name is Senden Brook, product range from Skincare and cosmetics, Personal & Hair care, Household cleaning and fine food and gifts. The best part is: 1. all your purchases are value for money and save. 2. Satisfaction guranteed; you do have 14 days moneyback guarantee eventhough you have used them more than half. 3. Direct home delivery

Not ony that, Omegatrend also offer alliances.. for example in Malaysia they offer ING insurance & investments, RedTone which provide phone line, Courts Mammoth - one of the biggest furniture and electric supplies, Advantage Resources - Kitchen Appliances, Tenco Resort Berhad - Holidays package and Golden Holidays - Holidays package from Malaysian Airlines. What does it means? Each time you spent your money here, you'll get cash and rewards back!!

Each time you spend, you pay your self in return. What if Mc Donalds join? how is it gona be if those big services company join? Then you'll know what have you missed!!.. The big company joined Omegatrend as an Alliance partners shows how big they are.. what a VISION..

Where does the money come from to pay all the members? Here, let me show you...

normal distribution chain:
manufacturer --> wholeseller --> distributor --> retailer --> consumer (you)

Omegatrend distribution chain:
Manufacturer ---> Omegatrend distribution centre ---> consumer (you as a member)

part of the income made by Omegatrend given back to member in term money, holidays and vouchers (rewards). Ist it wonderfull?!

The lates Holidays are Free Holiday for 2 to Disneyland, US in March 2006 and Free airline tickets for 2 person in May 2006. This is Holidays not OUTSTATION.. paid for?! Better believe it!!

What a wonderful business... live the life of your dreams..you deserve it..

Thank You

The Paradoxical Commandments

2005-11-08T15:15:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum.. guys.. please read and understand these messages.. by Kent M. Keith...

The Paradoxical Commendments:

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self centered; Love them anyway

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives; Do good anyway

3. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies; Succeed anyway

4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow; Do good anyway

5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable; Be honest anyway

6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds; Think big anyway

7. People favor underdogsbut follow only top dogs; Fight for a few underdogs anyway

8. What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight; Build anyway

9. People really need helpbut may attact you if you do help them; Help people anyway

10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth; Give the world the best you have anyway.

So guys, its up to us living the paradoxical life in this crazy WORLD

THE HISTORY OF HONDA – SOICHIRO HONDA

2005-11-08T12:21:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum...

Just running through the net.. walla... u know what i found? the simple article that my Sifu.. told me last night the story of success... so, i would like to take this opportunity to share it with my friends and readers..

THE HISTORY OF HONDA – SOICHIRO HONDA
The history of the Honda Motor Company began with an autophile and his dream. Japanese entrepreneur Soichiro Honda had loved motor vehicles almost since birth. When he was fifteen, he became part of an auto repair shop, and the passion grew. His greatest dream was to become a world-renowned car racer, and it was an ambition which he would fulfill in time. But first, the auto lover found himself employed as a technician. During his free time, he nurtured his growing interest in motor vehicles by building race cars and tooling with his Harley motorcycle.
Honda possessed a natural talent for anything motorized, and his skills allowed him to open the doors of his very own repair shop in 1928. As his curiosity grew, he attended technical school in order to discover the perfect way to manufacture a piston ring. Honda combined his inborn knowledge with his new technical knowledge to take the first tentative steps toward entrepreneurial success. He utilized what he had learned about piston rings to form the Tokai Seiki Company.
In 1928, he secured his first of many patents (for automobile wheel spokes). Then, as World War II ravaged Japan, Honda cornered the market on badly needed generator motors. His growing capital allowed him to break ground on the Honda Technical Research Laboratory in 1946. Just two short years later, the Honda Motor Company, Ltd. would open its doors in Hamanatsu. The motor world would never be the same. The company initially found its niche in the manufacture of motorcycles. Following the launch of the company’s first success—the “C” model motorcycle—Honda and his then-twenty employees launched themselves into motor history with the three horsepower, two-speed transmission “D” model. The motorcycle was aptly named the “Dream D” after jubilant employees allegedly shouted “It’s like a dream!” upon its completion. And a dream it was. The “Dream D” was like a dream come true for the war-recovering Japanese society: it was inexpensive; it conserved valuable fuel; and, perhaps most importantly, it provided a temporary escape from the surrounding troubles. The overwhelming success of the “D” model and the later “E” model helped Honda build a reputation for quality and design supremacy, even when an early-1950s economic depression threatened to dim the company’s shining star.
By 1955, Honda had weathered the storm and saw his dream at least partially realized when his company became the top motorcycle manufacturer in Japan. When those top sales figures expanded to include the world in 1959, Honda began to realize the enormous potential in a global expansion of his empire. While his business associates encouraged him to open a plant in either Europe or Southern Asia, Honda saw potential in another market: the American market. Marketing experts pleaded with Honda to change his mind, citing the low sales figures for motorcycles in the United States. But Honda and his trusted advisor Fujisawa ignored the pleas, realizing that America was becoming an increasingly important presence in the global marketplace.
In 1959, newly appointed Executive Vice President and General Manager Kihachiro Kawashima officially introduced American Honda Motor Company to the American public. With a $250,000 “allowance,” the time was now or never for Honda America. Due to the disinterest of skeptical American dealers, AHMC set up shop in various hardware stores and sporting good stores. The new enterprise faced a hard sell to dealers and the public alike: the name Japan still held negative connotations for an American society struggling with its own wartime memories; fuel efficiency was not foremost in the minds of much of the public; and the vehicles of America were expected to be faster and leaner than their Japanese counterparts. However, at the same time AHMC was experiencing the growing pains of a rookie company, Soichiro Honda was fulfilling his lifelong dream of mastery on the racing circuit.
He won the Isle of Man in the early 1960s, and continued a steadily rising string of successes on the race course. This publicity helped boost the Honda image in America, and Honda’s reputation was further boosted when it was honored with its first manufacturer’s award in 1962. The company also reached out to a weary public through an ambitious magazine advertising campaign that emphasized Honda’s strengths: dependability, fuel efficiency, simplicity, easy maintenance, and a unique (rebellious?) design. AHMC struck one final blow to the competition with its risky—and expensive!—advertising onslaught during the 1964 Academy Awards. But the ploy worked, jumpstarting sales by millions. Despite its slow start, AHMC was dominating sales in the same manner as its Japanese counterpart by the end of its fifth year (matching the original HMC’s 65% share of the market with its own impressive 62% share). Soon, the company would become the standard bearer in the industry, pioneering both the Motorcycle Industry Council and the Motorcycle Safety Council. It would also solidify its image with a series of philanthropic efforts. With the success of the American Honda Motor Company, Honda felt more confident than ever in his next goal: dominance in the automobile industry. He faced hurdles from the government, which delayed its approval for Honda's entrance into automobile manufacturing. Part of the reason for this hesitation was Honda’s subsidization of its US market, which led to questionable pricing practices in Japan.
In spite of the initial delays, Honda unveiled its first automobile and truck products in 192. In 1969, American Honda also introduced its first automobile import, the N600 Sedan. The story was much the same: initial skepticism (could a motorcycle man really make effective automobiles?), followed by eventual success. The enormous popularity of Honda’s “CB” model motorcycles helped convince the public that their faith in Honda was well-placed. So, when Honda embarrassed the competition with his environmental-friendly Civic automobile (in a time of growing pollution concerns) in 1972, both the American public and the American government were more than receptive. Soon, Honda International Trading was exporting its now-successful American creations to Japan, closing the circle of success. When the top-selling Accord made its way onto American streets a few short months later, the Honda success story was finally complete: Japanese motorcycle supremacy, worldwide motorcycle supremacy, and now automobile supremacy.
His vision finally fulfilled, Honda retired in 1973, leaving Kiyoshi Kawashima to carry on his legacy. Honda would witness the birth of yet another successful corporation (Honda of America Manufacturing in Marysville, Ohio), which would revolutionize the workplace with its emphasis on teamwork and cooperativeness. Honda would also be on hand for a Team Honda first-place victory in world motocross in 1981, for the crowning of a new American Honda president (Tetsuo Chino) in 1983, for a series of honorary distinctions (including a clean sweep of the Motor Trend Import Cars of the Year selections), and for a most fitting 25th anniversary present of record-setting sales. For all of his contributions and milestones, Soichiro Honda set another standard when he became the first Asian to be inducted into the U.S. Automotive Hall of Fame. Today, Honda’s selection of Accords, Civics, Preludes, Passports, Acuras, and Odysseys bear the Honda seal of excellence. Millions of motorcycle and automobile lovers around the world can attest to that excellence.

Author: Tiffany Carrier

About Author: Writer/Researcher: Tiffany Carrier holds a B.A. in English from Virginia Intermont College. She has researched and written on a wide range of subjects, from marketing to travel. She currently works as a freelance copywriter.

Selamat Hari Raya... bahagian 1 - Kg Ku

2005-11-08T09:30:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum... Greetings... Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Maaf Zahir dan Batin...

Hemm... kali ni aku nak ketengahkan perjalan aku berhari raya... boleh kata setiap tahun ini lah aktivitinya.. kecuali berhari raya di IPOH..

Isnin 31.10.2005 - Setelah penat bekerja... bukak posa, jumpa nata ngan finas kat midvelly buat "closing", Aku berkesempatan untuk final shopping ngan finas.. pegi beli selipar raya.. hahahah raya pun ada selipar tau!!.. thanx finas... jam dah menunjukkan tepat kul 10 malam masa untuk berangkat pulang ke kampong halaman... ipoh. sesampai je di rumah kat tmn permata aku jemput along aku en Hafeez, dan achik aku en Fadhil... vroooommmm.. deruman enjin dan ekzos ala ala sporti mengaum menggeruni jalan MRR2, mulut Highway utara selatan di sg buluh dituju.. banyak jugak kereta.. aduh!! kompom penoh nyer hentian2 makan kat highway.. takpe.. asalkan bekalan asap ada smua OK!!.. aku bawak Wira Aeroback Hitam Special Edition 1.5 dengan kelajuan maksimum 110 km sejam.. heheh.. kadang2 tu terlajak gak ke 120, 130 km... tp untuk tempat2 gelap je la.. sampai... minyak dalam 45 ringgit dan tol dalam 23.30 sen.. resit kena simpan leh claim nanti, biasala co sendri la katakan.. hehhehehe... Sampai ipoh je kami minum dulu teh tarik kat stesen bas baru medan gopeng... oh ya... no more medan kid... yeah!! tempat gua gak power!!.. Sampai umah dalam kul 3 pagi la...

Selasa 01.11.2005 - Apa buat? Membongkang? Tak dapat!! kena la kemas2 umah... kena la angkat itu, ini, pasang langsir.. tukar karpet.. pergh!!! pegi pasar ramadahan kat medan gopeng mencari karemel.. last2 cuma dapat kuih k.... alamak tak ingat lak... tapi karemel nye pasal sampai taman cempaka aku jejak... nak buat camner rezeki takde.. Lepas bebuka.. solat maghrib berjemaah kat ruang tamu yang dah menjadi bilik achu.. en lutfi.. then achu dah lesap ngan member2 konon nak terawikh kat masjid.. yang aku rasa dia cuma buat 8 je.. hheeheheh... lpas tu gi main mercun agak nye... fuh teringat zaman bebudak dulu... gi terawikh, 8 je... then tunggu moree, makan free sapa tak nak... then ke rumah Fadhil bin Dato Azman untuk layan mercun... pergh!!! Aku, along, Mat, fadhil, sham.. itu la kawan aku.. yg skarang entah kat mana tak dapat aku nak trace... fadhil... ada, aku segan.. bawak m5, anak dato.. duduk rumah macam istana.. lg pun budak MC... tak gitu nata? Hahahaha..

Rabu 02.11.2005 - Best nyee.... tinggal beberapa hari je lagi nak raya... oopsss tinggal beberapa jam lagi la!!... baru aku sedar... lepas buka, solat maghrib.. suasana malam raya tu takde.. macam smua org tak excited lak... biasa kat kampong kami ramai2 tunggu depan TV.. pengumuman raya.. kalau kat Kuala Kangsar... lepas pengumuman je bergegas ke Istana ada jamuan Hari Raya... ikut la berarak blakang van sambil bertakbir... kalo kat kulim lak.. kami gi masjid bertakbir, then main merim dulu.. gi minum teh tarik seraond... jaga lemang.. kalo kat sg besar lak.. duduk kat surau parit 1 tu bertakbir.. balik masak ketupat dan rendang... sambik mendengar dentuman meriam buluh!!! pergh!! hari raya!!.. tp kali ni kat ipoh.. sunyi.. tinggal aku ngan adam je yang ngadap TV tunggu pengumuman raya... YEAH!!! Esok raya terus ku jerit!!! lepas tu secara sepontan bertakbir sorang2... lpas tu along datang join then ateh datang... achu?... dah hilang gi umah kawan kata nya.. mercun la tu apa lagi... achik dah hilang ke umah anak datuk mazlan.. makan kek raya kata nye.. lantak la.. dan 1 lagi yang lain ialah.. orang lain sebok menggosok baju melayu raya... aku rupa2 nye tak de.. baju melayu kawin aku yang nak ku pakai rupa2nya ada kesan terbakar.. argh!!! tensen... so.. pakai baju omputeh la... Bini ku, pNot tengah sebok menjahit baju... aku suruh beli tak nak.. kan dah terkial2 menjahit... nak cepat siap... ye la... nak kena tolong ummi masak untuk esok lak...

Khamis 03.11.2005 - Se awal 6 pagi dah bangun... health, wealth, success... kan nata? siap mandi... solat subuh, makan, mandi kan adam, siap ke masjid... alamak.. rupanya dah 8 stengah... bergegas capai kunci kreta dan trus ke MASJID SULTAN YUSOF Rapat Setia... aduh, solat kat jalan lagi... boleh kata tiap2 tahun solat kat jalan... tu la sapa suruh lambat yeop... Lepas solat makan... dan bermula la sesi perjalanan yg panjang... Kuala Kangsar, Taiping, Kulim(umah tok... bapak abah aku + mak tiri dia), Sg Petani...

Jumaat 04.11.2005 - Hari ini renda2 sg petani... ke rumah tok itu, tok ini... lepas solat jumaat berangkat ke kota kuala muda(umah mak tok...mak abah aku + bapak tiri dia), dalam kul 9 malam bertolak lah aku ke Sg Besar selangor... penat sungguh!! sampai kul 3 pagi.. macam2 dugaan aku lalui semasa dalam perjalan ke sg besar... dengan kerbau melintas ketika aku bawak dalam 110km... lembu terbaring tengah jalan... keta eksiden ngan kembu lagi... road block selepas selekoh tajam... nyaris nak terlanggar polis tu... "nak gi mana dik?" "sg besar"... muka berkerut... "sg besar kenapa lalu kot sini?".. "jalan potong". Ipoh - Bt Gajah - Tanjung Tualang - Kg Gajah - changkat lada - ulu dedap - hutan melintang - sabak bernam - sg besar... ini la pitstop tak pun target place untuk aku race... tak la boring sangat... ala macam main relly keta... hehehe... macam power je rasa nya.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

2005-10-31T19:42:00.000+08:00

Dino iki.. doni senin.. aku arek lungo Ipoh... balik raya... b4 that kena la closing dulu.. so.. bangsar la jawab nye. Hemmmm... berbuka sedang2 je.. rokok 2 3 batang... solat maghrib.. chiow!!!...

Dalam kul 10 gerak pulang dan mingkun selama seminggu aku tak dapat nak tatap pc dan meneruskan tulisan ni... aku, along ngan achik..

So... kalo aku ada buat salah dan silap kat korang, aku mintak maap le bebanyak... halalkan makan dan minum.. zahir dan batin...

Don't drink and drive....wassalam

Tulisan pertama

2005-10-30T20:51:00.000+08:00

Aidilfitri cuma tinggal bilangan jari je lagi. Itu tak penting... yang perlu difikirkan, direnungkan, diiktibarkan... bagaimana RAMADHAN kita tahun ini? Belum tentu lagi RAMADHAN tahu hadapan kita rasai... Berapa kali kita sahur tahun ni? Tahu tak yang Rasulullah pernah bersabda; waktu yang paling afdhal bersahur ialah kira kira 50 kali membaca ayat Al Quran... hemm dalam 15 ke 20 minit... mengapa sahur? di situ lah adanya dan datangnye keberkatan dalam ramadhan... so, sesiapa yg bersahur tu tahniah la... ada keberkatan hari ni...

Tadi melepak ngan sifu.. merenung, memikirkan, memberi pendapat... mengapa dan apa kekurangan kita dalam seharian... orang akan follow kita bila nampak perubahan yang baik. So, apa yang perlu kita buat... "Kita mempunyai pilihan untuk itu dan ini setiap hari. Setiap pagi kita bangun dengan pilihan. Kita yang menentukan untuk HAPPY atau MOODY..." kata sifu... Pay your self first.. betul?

Dreams.... in or out?... believe... kenali diri... so... macam mana ko describe diri ko? [aku setia, fokus, krietif, loving, will power...ini contoh, contoh, contoh la...ok?] gunakan untuk kebaikan... untuk setiap situasi, ia akan membantu... ya...

Aku ada terbaca dalam buku; tajuk tak ingat la plak; katanya kita manusia tidak membuat kesilapan dalam membuat keputusan, cuma informasi yang kita ada, salah dan itu mendorong kesilapan keputusan yang kita buat... correct me if i'm wrong... leh?

So.. aku tinggal korang dengan satu ayat untuk direnungkan.... "People are illogocal, unreasonable and self contered ~ Love them anyway"

Nukilan...

2005-10-30T02:31:00.000+08:00

Ahlan wasahlan ya marhaban... Assalamualaikum warahmatullah... khafahalukum?.. Macam mana opening? Macam lain ke lain macam?.. Well... inilah 1 permulaan.. kpd apa? semuanya lah... life, sesuatu yang terindah yg mempunyai maksud2 tertentu mengikut pandangan masing2. Setiap org nampak satu perkara dengan fahaman masing2... pandangan masing2.. pemikiran masing2... itulah UNIK!

Ridha membuka bicara.. cerita kehidupan boleh menjadi tauladan.. tak semua liku2 hidup kita tempuhi.. tp kita boleh belajar dari org lain.