Sui Generis

Merry Christmas

Dec 25, 2008 Announcements, Personal, blogging

Thanks for visiting! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to by RSS, or by Email. And if there's anything else I can do for you, feel free to drop me a line.

I know I haven’t been around for a while. And I’m sorry for that, really. I’m really sorry I’ve been very on-and-off for months. And yeah, I just thought I should take some time off to just really sort out everything that’s on my mind and all.

But yeah, just wanted to wish you guys a Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays. =).

I was already sort of planning on doing this (and I have already been quiet here for a while), but since Richard Millington blogged about “shutting your community down“, I figured I might as well come by and announce it.

So don’t worry, I’m still alive. And you can still contact me if you want to - I’ll still be glad to hear from and talk to you guys. I’ll be back, probably on January 1, 2009 - and hopefully better than ever.

Tags: blogging, break, Holidays, Merry Christmas

Leadership

Dec 15, 2008 Sports

I’ve been thinking about Arsenal’s season so far. It’s been a tough season, for sure. The team hasn’t performed as well and as consistently as the fans would like.

Here’s what I think is missing from Arsenal’s current team: match winners. A player (or players) who can make something out of nothing. A player who can produce one moment of magic and win a game for his team when things are tough. A player who steps up and makes things happen.

Manchester United have many players who are capable of that - Ronaldo, Rooney, even Giggs and Scholes. Liverpool have the likes of Torres and Gerrard. Chelsea have Lampard, Drogba, perhaps Deco.

That’s what Arsenal lack. A player with that quality. The technical ability in the team is there, there just isn’t that one magic player who you can count on to make things happen when things get tough.

That’s the essence of leadership, in my opinion. And it’s important in any organization, company or team. No matter what you’re doing, you need leaders. Not managers, but leaders - who take initiative to drive the team forward.

Those leaders, the people who make things happen, can bring the group to a whole new level.

Are you leading?

Tags: arsenal, Leadership, soccer, team building

Job Dedication

Dec 9, 2008 People

A few days ago I wrote about doing what you love.

And doing what you love is not just important for you, as an individual, it’s also important for the company you work for.

Yes, you can do decent work doing something you don’t love. But you will never get dedication like this.

Tags: dedication, job, love, nonsociety, passion

There is Hope

Dec 8, 2008 Random

A short, simple and yet really powerful video, that I just had to share.

To all the other Gen-Ys and youths out there: Don’t listen to the likes of Mark Bauerlein. Our generation can make as much of a difference as we want to. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.

We are definitely not a lost generation. Far from it. You can change the world, if you want to.

Tags: change, difference, generation, youth

Ever Dream of Being a Janitor?

Dec 7, 2008 People

Few of us would even consider that as a possibility. But John Andersen did, and he shares the joys of janitorhood.

His is a great example of someone who’s doing what he loves, not for the money, but because of passion, and because of the fulfillment it gives him.

John writes:

clipped from www.unconventionalideas.com

It’s just that before you dismiss a career because you think it’s beneath your abilities, it sometimes makes sense to investigate further. Look inside yourself. You may find like I have, that something as “lowly” as janitorhood can be a hidden gem, a key to unlocking the door to a rich and fulfilling lifestyle, the likes of which you had never before dreamed possible.

Are you overlooking hidden opportunities around you?

Tags: career, janitor, job, Lifestyle, opportunities

Doing What You Love

Dec 5, 2008 Personal

About a week ago, I was invited to join a Multi-Level Marketing company here. I won’t reveal the name of the company, but I rejected the offer. It has nothing to do with the company itself. It’s a legitimate company, and despite the skepticism of many Singaporeans, I do believe that MLM is a legitimate business model - and one that it’s possible to earn a lot from.

So why did I reject the offer? Because I don’t believe in the product. I’m not passionate about what they are selling. And that’s the most important thing for me.

Yes, I was tempted by the money, I’m not going to deny that. I was definitely very tempted. But after talking to Connie Bensen about it (thanks for the advice, Connie), she helped me realize that it wouldn’t be worth doing if I wasn’t passionate about it.

You can make money doing a lot of things. But is it really worth it if you’re not doing something you love?

Tags: Multi-level marketing, passion, work