Steve Jobs and his Question

I am sure many of you knows who is Steve Jobs. He started his billion dollar business in garage during his early twenties. Before he passed on, he is already the leader of 3 separate industries: Music - Ipod, Movies - Pixar, Computing - Mac)

What really gets my respects about him is his Philosophy. Jobs always ask himself this question everytime he is faced with a big choice. "What would I do if this was the last day of my life.?" And there, he met his wife.

He was giving a university address while she was sitting among the audience. He fell for her and approached her for her number. She agreed. He wanted to take her out for dinner that night but had a business meeting. So, he ask himself this magical questions. The next moment, he found himself running back to the auditorium and took her out for dinner instead. They have been together ever since.

Try it for yourself, and maybe you will realise how this questions can change your life. Remember, connecting to the end can keep you focused on what is most important to you before it's too late.

Who's Playing?

I always think that children are our teachers. Why? Because they know how to play! I was on my way home that day thinking the importance of play. What was the response when you ask an adult "What you gonna do today?". I doubt any of them will be exclaiming "play!"

Think about it. What will your life look like if there was more play? What would your experience of work be like if you had more fun doing your job? What would your relationship become with more spontaneous & laughter?

As adult, we stop playing once we assume responsibilties of life. Adults are nothing more than deteriorated children. It doesnt have to be that way. Take some time off and make time for play. Find the time to be little reckless and silly. Be imaginative at work and bring curiosity back to your daily lives.

How life will be so fun if we can get back that sense of wonder you knew when life was all about make believe and enjoying every second of the journey. This is call living! The next time someone looks at you with your briefcase, business suit and serious face, asking what you gonna do today, I challenge you to reply them "I am going out to play today!"

Have You Start Reading Obituaries?

I have start to become more philosophical these days, as I realised time is ticking by so fast...I am less willing to waste my time, less willing to listen to negative people. I am even less willing to miss an opportunity to be loving, champion another human being, get closer to my dreams, or have some genuine fun. And...I started reading obituaries too. 

When I read of the lives others have lived , I am offered clues on whats most important in life. I realised that obituaries of lives well lived often share certain consistent pattern. 

• Family
• Friendship
• Contribution to community 
• Taking calculated risk 
• Kindness through small, simple acts 
• Love

The greatest of all i read speaks of being close to loved ones and of the impact the deceased had on the world around them. 

Leading a beautiful life, I always ask the kinds of questions that will provoke me to think deeply ad connect with what matters most. One of the dominant traits of so many of the extraordinary people I know is the discipline of bring more reflective than most of us. So ask profound questions. Good questions lead to excellent answers and greater clarity. And greater clarity is the DNA of authentic success and personal greatness. 

There are 5 questions that I hope will cause you to go deep and become more philosophical about what truly counts in your life. Most people don't discover how to love until it's time to die. By then it's too late...Start writing your answers down in journal, ask yourself on a daily basis and get yourself align!

• Did I Dream Big Enough?
• Did I Live Fully to the Extend of What I am Capable of?
• Did I Learn to Let Go of Those Thinking that Does not Support Me?
• Did I Love Well?
• Did I Leave the Earth a Better Place?

I hope the answers you arrive at will help you live with more passion and joy. Clarity does precede success. You can't hit a target you can't even see. And we are really not here that long, if you think about it. We'll all be dust before you know it! So live and maximise your potential now!

True Innovator.

True Innovator has a mantra they belief in...The enemy of best is good. They are constantly getting to make things better. What others call impossible they see as probable. They live out of their imaginations. They live to challenge the commonly accepted. They assume nothing. They see no limits. To them, everything is possible.

If you want to be a leader, I have a simple suggestion: Just keep innovating. Innovate at work. Innovate at home. Innovate in your relationships. Innovate in the way you see your life and innovate the way you see the world. To become stagnant is the beginning of death. Growth, Evolution and Reinvention sustain life. Sure it can be scary. But wouldn't you rather feel your fear than play small in life?

Of course, while you innovate and refuse to be bound by the chains of complacency, there will have chances that we will still fail. Not every risk we take and not everything will work out as planned. I mean that's just life. Failure is the essential to success and the more we stretch, the further we will growth. Failure is a gift. It has been so helpful to me. It took me closer to my dreams, equipped me with more knowledge and toughened me so much that i will be prepared. Success and Failure go hand in hand, like a business partner.

Companies that don't innovate wont survive, so the key is driving this innovation. The lesson is especially important when things are going well. Though it doesn't make sense but successfully company needs to me twice as innovative as their competitors to ensure they stays at the top. Leaders that don't innovate are displaced by those willing to take risks.

So go to work each day and refuse to do the same thing you did yesterday. Keep challenging yourself to think better, do better and be better. Shake things up a bit and confront your limitations. Refuse to in mediocre, stand up for whats best and commit to being great in all you do. And then you will realise how great you have become!  

Let's Get Up Early?

I was reading on the internet when I bump into this article. This is an awesome article about waking up early and how it impacts productivity, thus success.  

For 15 years, Starbucks President Michelle Gaas has set her alarm for 4:30 a.m. to go running. Gretchen Ruben, popular author of The Happiness Project (Harper Perennial, 2011) wakes up at 6 a.m. and works for an hour before her family rises. Time-management expert Laura Vanderkam highlights what makes mornings special and how we can use them more efficiently in her book What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast. Here are a few benefits to getting out of bed earlier. 

You are less likely to get distracted in the morning. An entrepreneur's day fills up fast. If you wait until the afternoon or evening to do something meaningful for yourself such as exercising or reading, you’re likely to push it off the to-do list altogether. “There are going to be reasons why you can't tackle a personal priority at 4 p.m. -- things have a lot less likelihood of coming up at 6 a.m.," says Vanderkam.

You have more willpower early in the day. Even if you aren't a morning person, you may have more willpower in the early hours than later in the day. "Willpower is like a muscle [that] becomes fatigued with over-use," says Vanderkam. During the course of the day as you're dealing with difficult people, making decisions and battling traffic, you use up your willpower, leaving you feeling depleted toward the end of the day.

Mornings give you the opportunity to set a positive tone for the day. If you've ever slept in past your alarm clock or forgotten your kids' lunches on the counter, you know that starting off the day with a failure can bring down your mood and affect your productivity at work. Vanderkam says waking up earlier allows you to start the day with a victory and set the tone for a happier and more productive day.

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If the thought of waking up at sunrise makes you cringe, Vanderkam recommends these four steps to transform even a habitual night owl into a morning person.

1. Keep a time journal. Vanderkam says one of the reasons people say they don't like mornings is that they stay up too late. She recommends keeping a time journal for a week to show where you may be using your time inefficiently. Vanderkam finds when many self-professed night owls look at their time journals, they often find they aren't spending their evening hours productively or doing anything particularly enjoyable.

2. Imagine your perfect morning. Imagine what you would do if you had an extra hour in the day. Would you exercise? Read the newspaper rather than simply skimming the headlines? "[Getting up earlier] isn't about punishing yourself. You will not get out of bed if you don’t have a good reason to do it," says Vanderkam.

3. Plan your morning. Once you have decided what you want to do with your extra time, plan how to execute it, and set as much up as possible the night before. For example, if you want to exercise in the morning, lay out your clothes the night before, or gather the ingredients for your breakfast.

4. Build the habit slowly. Vanderkam says you will likely hit the snooze button and sleep in if you try to switch your habits drastically. So instead of setting your alarm for 5 a.m. when you normally get up at 7: 30 a.m. set the alarm for 10 minutes earlier each day. To make sure you don't lose sleep, go to bed 10 minutes earlier each night. If you have trouble hitting the sack on time, set a bedtime alarm.

Having seen all this, Let's get ourselves to wake up early now!

I Want The Best, How About You?

One of the habits I consistently observed within those star performers and extraordinary leaders are their commitment to world class. They drive the highest quality class, live in the best house and wear the finest clothes. Their philosophy generally seems to be " I stand for being the best so it only make sense that I should invest in the best." And they held the belief even before they are successful.

Greatness is a state of mind. You need to believe in your potential and power before you can bring them to life. You need to feel like you are extraordinary before you can become extraordinary. I call this "emotional blueprinting" To see spectacular results in your external life, you have to emotionally create a blueprint of your vision within your inner life.

One of the best way I have discovered to achieve this feeling is to ensure that you surround yourself with the highest level. I remember reading a book years ago, written by Al Koran, called Bring out the magic in your mind. One of the ideas that stayed with me is : In order to be successful, it's important to go where the successful people are. Even if you have on $10, go have a coffee at the best restaurant in your city. His point? Your surrounding shape the way you feel. And the way you feel drives what you do. Feel world class and you behave world class.

Invest in the best. Buy the highest quality goods you can possibly afford. Better to buy one superb pair of shoe than three cheap ones. "Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten." When I just started out, I took part of my first pay check and invest in a great watch. It wasn't a rolex or cartier but it was a good one. My thinking was that it would last for years, make me feel successful while I wore it and actually end up saving me money because it would rarely need repairs. One of my friends who always looked for the cheapest deal laughed at me. But I turned out to be right. He changed 6 watches along the way, and mine is still working great!

I am in no way encouraging a senseless addiction to material things. All I am saying is that if you are serious about standing for the best. Rewarding yourself with the good things sends a message to the deepest and highest part of you. One that say I am worth it and I deserve it. It will inspire you to reach even higher, work even harder and be even better. To anyone who says that our self worth should be so strong that high quality goods won't affect how we feel, I respectfully suggest that such a statement misses the reality of human nature. Every one of us like nice things, they appeal to our senses just like a beautiful sunset, magnificent mountain.

The best investment we can have is to be the best. You might not agree but I owe you the truth. My tastes are simple, I just want the best, how about you?

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

It has been a very eventful year and that's what makes life more exciting isn't it? During this time of the year, many will start doing their end of the year reflection. I believe everyone need to be accountable in one way or another and reflection is the best way of accountability.

The year started tough and solid. Its like an uphill straight in my face even before it start. Looking back on the last few years, I felt those are just training for days like this. I take a turn in perspective and choose to feel blessed instead. It is only in those times, when I become more vigilant and focus. It is like a mental workout and yes I am right!

The beginning of the year, my team mates ain't around, some were on leave. Those who was supposed to be around tender their resignation and were gone while the other gotten into MC. Just when I thought everything was against me it was actually a blessing in disguise. My fellow colleagues literally treat me like 'King'. They make sure I never go hungry and those unimportant things they will settled themselves so I can focus on running my core work and get the events delivered.

I finally did it! I went to Macchu Picchu, the world famous UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven wonders of the world! It was a last minute decision as Tibet was suddenly closed off from foreigners, hence the switch. The best part, I am able to pull off the change one week before flying off! Talking about lucky!

I always wanted to learn speed reading. Even though I know the technique, but I couldnt understand how to digest the information by reading so fast? Is it lasting? The opportunity comes when Nicole arranged a photo reading session the coaches. The best take away from this course ~ What is the objective you want from reading this book? This is the first thing the instructor taught us. Always know why you want to read this book. I realise, this is so important in every aspect of our life! What we expect is what we get!

Next year is going to be so different! So much blessing, so much abundance and the wonderful things will start blooming. This time of the week, is usually where I start penning down my goals for the next year! Share with me your goals for next year and in the meantime, Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Why Am I Important?

I saw this story online. This is something light for everyone during this Holiday Season! Have a good read and...Why am I important?

 

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A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed..

‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—-your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions—-and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.. The sand is everything else—-the small stuff.

‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.

Take care of the golf balls first—-the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’ The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.

 

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I hope you have a good laugh and found out on your focus area for the important stuff. Cheers to Holiday Season!

Faith and Beliefs

Faith and Beliefs move mountains. I always emphasis, all you have to do is to Believe. If you don't believe that an idea will work, then there is no chance you will act on it. And if you don't act on it, you won't see any results. Thought is the mother of action and your beliefs really do become your self fulfilling prophecies.

I hang around with people making changes for others. But first of all the others must be willing for the changes to begin with. Some ask, I want to change but I don't see it. Or there are some who wants to do it but have no idea how to get started. Let's use the metaphor on mountain climbing to help illustrate how to get started with change.

Define what the mountain top looks like. I suggest you articulate, in writing, what success looks like to you. Note what needs to make adjustment in your life for you to feel spectacularly successful and what will happen if you don't. Record your goals for all key areas of your life. Write out what you want your reality to appear as five years from now. List the values you want to stand for. Clarity precedes success and awareness precedes transformation.

Start Climbing. There's great power in starting. A single act done now sets forces into play. It generates momentum. And with the action you begin to experience results. That begins a feedback loop - more action, more results. And in turn promotes confidence.

Take small steps. You can't get to the top of Everest by jumping up the mountain. You get to the mountaintop by taking incremental steps. Step by step you get to the goal. Every step gets you closer to the dream. Life's like that too. Small steps each day get you to greatness over time. Days become weeks and weeks become months and months become years. You will get to the end of life anyway, so why not reach it as an extraordinary place.

Life...

I am 30 years old this year. Looking back at how times fly past for the last 3 decades, I realised I am so lack behind. I am halfway through the adventure I call my life. I have become more philosophical these days. I am less willing to waste my time. Less willing to listen to negative people. Less willing to miss an opportunity to be loving, champion another human being, get closer to my dreams, or have some genuine fun. I have also started reading obituaries.

Often while I read the lives of others, they offered clues on whats most important in life. Family, friendships, contribution to community, kindness through small simple acts and love. I have yet to read anything that's says anyone dies peacefully surrounded by his lawyer, stockbroker and accountant.

The great ones all speak of being close to loved ones and of the impact the deceased had on the world around them. To lead a beautiful life, I suggest that you need to ask the kinds of questions that will provoke you to think deeply and connect with what matters most. One of the dominant traits of so many extraordinary people is self-reflection. Often good questions lead to excellent answers and greater clarity. And greater clarity is the DNA of authentic success and personal greatness.

Here are five big questions that I hope will cause you to go deep and understand what truly counts in your life. Most people don't discover how to live until it's time to die. But by then, it's too late. Ask yourself these five questions today. Write your answers in the journal. Talk about them, think about them, imagine that today is the last day of your life and you are lying on the deathbed. Then ask yourself

Did I dream big?
Did I live fully?
Did I learn to let go?
Did I love well?

My hope is that the answers you arrive at will help you live with more authenticity, passion and joy. Clarity really does precede success. you can't hit a target that can't be seen. And we're really not here that long. We'll all be dust before you know it. So live your potential now. The chinese say it so well "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. But the best time is now. "

Success as being Significance.

Many people believe that there's something wrong with aiming to be really successful. While some people put down productive achievement. While the rest snicker at go-getters who set their goals and then devote themselves to realising them. I have heard it a lot these days, the suggestion that if you strive for success, you must not be all that concerned with making a difference and being significant. It's almost as if being a go-getter is incompatible with being compassionate, socially conscious and a good person. This is so nonsense.

I would rather think an extraordinary life contains both success and significant. The essence of life is balance. Without success, I have a sense that the best part of you will feel hollow. Part of what makes us human is the hunger to realise our greatest gifts and to live life fully. We were built to be great. And high achievement is simply a reflection of creativity in action. The more worthwhile things you are doing, the more of your natural creativity you are unleashing.

Success is a creative act. It's also one of the best routes to fulfillment, if blended with a healthy respect for work life balance. I have found that few things feel as great as the feeling I get when I complete something worthwhile. Doing important things promotes happiness. Success awakens joy.

Without significance, I believe that we will feel that we have walked the planet in vain. Success alone, without feeling that you have made a meaningful contribution, will leave the heart feeling empty.

There's nothing wrong with being an elite performer and taking the steps to become remarkable success in this world. But while you chase success, I urge you to stay devoted to elevating the lives you touch and leaving your world better than you found it. That's the significance piece. With both, you'll discover your greatest life!

Branding

To win in the market space, the organisation needs to develop a magnificently cherished and well respected brand. And for you to get to professional greatness, I suggest that you work on, polish and protect your personal brand; your good name. It could take 30 years to build a great reputation and 3 seconds to lose it, just with one act of poor judgement.

Everyone into brand building these days. Law firms. Accounting enterprises. Retail organisations. And even Paris Hilton said:"I am a Brand"

This raises the question "How can we get our brand from where it now is to where we want it to be?" My answer...study the hip hop artiste!

We can read the books out there, and we can invest in getting our brand managers to world class. But I will save some money with a simple suggestion. Study the Hip Hop artiste. You'll learn all you need to learn about taking a brand to the top of the mountain. These guys are amazing.

"I'm not a businessman. I'm a business, man."

Constantly reinventing. relentlessly innovating. Endlessly improving. They have one in record that drives their name; their brand into the public consciousness and then extend their line into clothes, books, movie, colognes and etc. Study the way their build community, cement loyalty and tattoo what they stand for onto people's brain cell.

The Power of Focus

There's a great power in focusing on what you want. This may seems like such an obvious statement, yet most of us miss it. Dreams can come true. You can get to a place called Extraordinary in your career. You can find love deeper than you have ever imagined. You can realise world class vitality and find lasting fulfilment. But you need to focus. The person who tries to do everything accomplishes nothing. Most people try to be all things to everyone. And so they end up nothing to anyone. Confucius nailed the point: " Person who chases two rabbits catches neither."

What you focus on grows. What you concentrate on is what you see more in your life. Think about that line. Focus on financial mastery and you'll see your economic life improve.

Focus on being more loving and your relationship will improve. Focus on your physical dimension by exercising and following a superb diet and your health will improve. Focus. Focus. Focus. That's what the best of the best do. Tunnel vision around their biggest TO DO. They stick to their knitting rather than scattering their brilliance. A few months ago I read about a billionaire interview. They asked him what was the single best thing he did to get to his financial mastery. "I made this goal my sole reference point," came his reply.

Sponge Bob Square Pants

Sponge Bob Square Pants is an amazing character. The kids were enjoying the cartoon when this little boy brought up the subject on this little cartoon character. "Is Sponge Bob a real person?" This made me laugh. Then it made me think. If Sponge Bob were a human being, this world
would be a better place. Seriously, There are four lessons I gather out from him.

The Eternal Optimist. This guy always see the best in any situation. Your thinking really does shape your reality. And because Sponge Bob looks for the best, he finds it.

Value People. Sponge Bob knows what friendships means. He loves his pal. Sponge Bob knows about respect and putting people first are two of the most important element for strong relationships.

Being Original. Sponge Bob is one of a kind. Too many among us are afraid to be ourselves. So we give up our dreams to follow the crowd. This is tragic. "to thine own self be true," say Shakespeare. Have the courage to be your true and greatest you.

Have Fun. There is no point in being successful but sad. Makes no sense. Yes, reach for the mountain top. But enjoy the climb as well. Life wasn't meant to be an ordeal. It was meant to be a celebration. So have big time fun as you chase and catch your most cherished dreams

Get in World Class Condition

You know, I am with the idea of being fit if you want to be at your best. Getting into world class physical condition is one of the smartest moves you can ever made. Exercising will make you look better, feel stronger and fill you with boundless energy. Staying fit will make you even happier.

The past week has been a time of change for me. I am coaching my team so that they know the new standards and goals. I am pushing myself harder to get more done and generate better results. And I am lifting the bar on the size of my dreams. I need to make a difference. I passionately feel that. As I go through all this, one of the practices that is serving me so well is my exercising routine.

I remember a a friend sharing "Exercise is an insurance policy I have taken out on my health. And each day that I go to gym, I am paying a premium." Another friend quoting " Good health is a crown on the head of a well person that only sick person can see. Great friends. Smart point.

No matter how busy I get or how much pressure is on my shoulders, a good workout makes me feel at ease. I come off the thread feeling relaxed, full of joy and with a sense of perspective over the issues on my plate. I get so many big ideas while I am running and such clarity while I am exercising. The best part ~ staying fit keeps me happy and positive. I know i can never be Mr universe but my life will be a lot better, more productive and longer than if I didn't. And that's good enough for me.

30 seconds of drawing

One day, Pablo Picasso was out in the market finding innovation and inspiration for his next masterpiece. While turning round a corner, a woman saw him, her idol the great Pablo Picasso. Enthusiastic and excited, she approaches him with a piece of paper.

"Mr Picasso, I am a big fan of yours. Can you please do a little drawing for me?" Picasso happily complied and etched out a drawing on the paper. After sketching and drawing for 30 seconds, he smiled and handed it back to her. He added on saying "That would be a million dollars, mdm."

"But Mr Picasso, it only took you 30 seconds to do this little drawing." replied the fluster woman unsure what to do. Picasso laughed and said" This may be a drawing drawn in 30 seconds, but it took me 30 years to achieve that."

Behind all those greatness, lies the hardwork and commitment that seldom people see. Its only when we are able to dedicate and focus our time for something we believe in can then greatness prevail.

Genius

Genius is not the sole domain of a rare breed of person. Both you and I are entitled to that label and to play in that space. Here's the BIG idea: Focus on any area or skill with a relentless devotion to daily improvement and a passion for excellence and within 3 to 5 years, you will be operating at a level of competence such that people call you genius.

Focus + Daily Improvement + Time = Genius.

Michael Jordan was a basket ball genius. Was his spectacular success on court purely the result of natural gifts? Absolutely not! He took what nature gave him and ran the formula. He was branded as one of the worst player while in school! This didn't stop him. He didn't scatter his focus. He just got devoted to being brilliant at basketball. 

Thomas Edison registered a stunning 1093 patents over his lifetime and invented the light bulb as well as phonograph. He was labeled as a slow learner in school. He continued working on his passion and focused on his inventions. He improved daily. And he let time work its magic. Genius came knocking.

Know what you can excel at. Discover your talents and then work like crazy to polish them. One of the most important of all personal leadership skills is self awareness. Know what you are great at. Reflect on those abilities that others admire in you. Think of those capabilities that just come easily to you and that flow effortlessly from you. This could be a fantastic communicator or have a way with people. You might possess an extraordinary ability to execute and get things done. Perhaps your special talent lies in innovation and creativity and seeing what everyone else sees but thinking a different thought.

Find your genius point and then develop them. Put the formula in. Start today and in 3 to 5 years time people will be writing about you. Calling you a genius. Celebrating your magnificence. And I would be one of them.

The Bucket List

The Bucket List is a powerful concept. I got this inspiration from the movie - The Bucket List. This story is about 2 men. 1 guy has all the money in the world and the other one leads a normal life. They got to know each other in a hospital which was about to die.

They both decided they will not leave life with regrets, and their journey begins. They travel to different part of the world, experience things they never done before...This show touched me so deep that I immediately start thinking about my bucket list after it ends. Since then, I know life is never about just living and leaving. Its an opportunity to experience it to the fullest; doing things we never done, facing fear and doing what we subscribe to!
It never ceases to amaze me how powerful this concept is. Just ask anyone who reviews it on a consistent basis. Some of the people I know, whose list included everything from starting a family to owning a professional sports franchise, has accomplished 2/3 of the objectives they wrote down. Clarity clearly does precede success. And with heightened awareness of what's most important comes wiser choices.

As for me, I am still in hot pursuit of my dreams. But so many of my goals on my list have been achieved. But I am just getting started enjoying my bucket list. How about you?

Brilliant Idea that works!

Here's a brilliant idea that has worked brilliantly for many people. "If you want to be more happier, do more of the things that make you happy." I know that seems like an obvious point - but its not.

After we leave the wonder years of childhood, most of us stop doing the things that make our hearts sing. Someone told me recently that when he was young, he used to love to take solo rides on his bicycle. "I stopped doing that when we had kids and work demands took over. Life got busier. But those moments out on the bike came from some of the best days of my life."

Another one, a phenomenally successful entrepenuer, shared that his passion used to be playing his drums in a rock band. "Those were incredible times. Then I started my business and it began to consume me. I miss playing music. I'd lose myself in it.

Here's your to do: Make a list of your 10 Greatest Passions, 10 activities that fill your heart with joy and remind you of how good life can be. And then, over the coming 10 weeks, inject one of those pursuits into your weekly schedule.

Powerful thought; "The things that get scheduled are the things that get get done." Until you schedule something, it's only a concept - and extraordinary people don't build remarkable lives on concept. They build their greatness on action and near flawless execution around their deliverables. They get things done.

This 10 week program works. When you get back to doing those things that lifted your spirit and sent you soaring, you reconnect with that state of happiness that you may have lost. And part of the purpose of life is to be happy. Really Happy!

Let's start failing!

I failed like most people. I fail all the time. I have failures in relationships. I have failures in life. I used to wonder why this happened. I used to play poor me and suffer from the dreaded disease of victim.

Now I get it! I have been stumbling towards my best life. Failure is the price of greatness. Failure is an essential ingredient for a high achievement. As innovation guru David Kelley wrote "Fail faster. Succeed sooner"

We can't win without leaving our safety zone and taking some calculated risks. No risk, no reward. And more risks we take in the pursuit of our dreams, the more we are going to fail. Thats for sure.

Too many among us live in what I call the safe harbour of the known. Same breakfast for 20 years. Same drive to work for 20 years. Same conversation for 20 years. Same thinking for 20 years. I have no judgement on that kind of life. If it makes you happy, that's great. But I don't know of anyone who is happy living that.

If you keep doing what you have been doing, you will keep getting what you have been getting. Einstein defined insanity as doing the same things over and again but expecting different results. Yet, most people rule their lives that way. True joy comes when you put some skin in the game and take some chances. Yes, you will start to experience more failure. but guess what? Success also starts to pay more visit.

Failure is just part of the process of getting to world class. "Screw-ups are the mark of excellence" said management consultant Tom Peters. The best companies on the planet have failed more than the average ones.

The most successful people on the planet have failed more than the ordinary ones. To me, the only failure is the failure to try and dream and dare. The real risk lies in riskless living. Mark Twain made the point perfectly when he observed " Twenty years from now on you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did."

So go ahead, stretch today. Ask for the best table in your favourite resturant. Ask for an upgrade to first class on your next flight. Ask your teammate at work for more understanding. Ask you sweetheart at home for more love. Do it. I dare you. And remember, you can't win a game that you don't even play!