Nov 10, 2009
* Have You Fed Your Mind and Soul Today?
Most of us eat to feed our stomachs at least 2-3 times day. It has become a habit and something we do to satisfy our body’s hunger.
However, have you considered how often you feed your mind and your soul? If you want to grow in terms of your emotional strength and mental strength and abilities, then you have to constantly feed your mind and soul as often as you feed your body. If not, the only growth you will achieve is in growing fat.
Feeding Your Mind
One of the things that has really helped me to become successful is that since I was aged 13, I got into the habit of constantly feeding my mind everyday. I would constantly read books on success, money, sales, marketing, leadership, NLP etc.. I would also read lots of biographies. My favourite ones are on Lee Kwan Yew, Richard Branson, Steve Jobs and Donald Trump. I always felt that by reading Lee Kwan Yew’s biography (from third world to first: the Singapore Story), it was like I downloaded 80 years of his knowledge, experience, wisdom and past decisions to my brain.
So, although I am only 35 years old now, I am able to make great decisions because I feel like I have got a few hundred years of experience in my brain (Lee Kwan Yew 80 years + Steve Jobs 50 years + Donald Trump 40 years + etc…). How did I find the time to read so much? My habit has always been to carry a book in my bag at all times. So, every time I am waiting for someone, taking the bus (when I was a student), in the toilet etc… I would grab the book and start reading. Doing this, I would be able to finish at least 1-2 books a week. Today, I read alot when I am on the plane, waiting at the airport and when I am driving (I listen to audio books).
Be careful also about what you feed into your mind. When you keep eating junk food, it will spoil your health and making you slow and lethargic. At the same time, you have to ask yourself what you are feeding your mind everyday. What magazines do you read? Which websites do you visit? What shows do you watch? What are the last 5 books you have read.
When people tell me that they want to become rich, I am shocked to learn that they never read information that will feed their mind in the right way. They don’t read magazines like Forbes, The Edge, The Economist. They don’t watch programmes like CNBC, CNN Money. They don’t got to websites like cnbc.com, moneycentral.com or cnn.com/money. They don’t read books on investing, financial planning, property etc… They don’t read the money pages on the newspapers. Instead they feed their minds with FHM, Sports Pages, Lifestyle etc… Nothing wrong with all theses things, It’s just that it will not feed your mind to become rich, just entertained.
Feed Your Soul
In order to constantly feel inspired, re-charged, fulfilled and motivated, we also have to constantly feed and nourish our soul. Different people feed their souls in different ways. Some people pray, others meditate, others write journals and some go on nature walks. I read inspirational books, play with my children and spend time with my wife and family.
If you constantly feel stressed, drained or unfulfilled, you probably have not allocated the time to nourish your soul and spirit daily. So, feed your mind and soul today to create the mental and emotional strength you need.
By Adam Khoo In Personal Success !
By Adam Khoo In Personal Success !
* Power of Money !!!
Some of you may already know that I travel around the region pretty frequently, having to visit and conduct seminars at my offices in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Suzhou (China). I am in the airport almost every other week so I get to bump into many people who have attended my seminars or have read my books.
Recently, someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather shocked. He asked, 'How come a millionaire like you is traveling economy?' My reply was, 'That's why I am a millionaire. ' He still looked pretty confused.
This again confirms that greatest lie ever told about wealth (which I wrote about in my latest book 'Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires' ). Many people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to wear Gucci, Hugo Boss, Rolex, and sit on first class in air travel. This is why so many people never become rich because the moment that earn more money, they think that it is only natural that they spend more, putting them back to square one.
The truth is that most self-made millionaires are frugal and only spend on what is necessary and of value. That is why they are able to accumulate and multiply their wealth so much faster.
Over the last 7 years, I have saved about 80% of my income while today I save only about 60% (because I have my wife, mother in law, 2 maids, 2 kids, etc. to support). Still, it is way above most people who save 10% of their income (if they are lucky).
I refuse to buy a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I think that it is a complete waste of money. However, I happily pay $1,300 to send my 2-year old daughter to Julia Gabriel Speech and Drama without thinking twice.
When I joined the YEO (Young Entrepreneur' s Orgn) a few years back (YEO is an exclusive club open to those who are under 40 and make over $1m a year in their own business) I discovered that those who were self-made thought like me. Many of them with net worth well over $5m, travelled economy class, and some even drove Toyotas and Nissans, not Audis, Mercs, BMWs.
I noticed that it was only those who never had to work hard to build their own wealth (there were also a few ministers' and tycoons' sons in the club) who spent like there was no tomorrow. Somehow, when you did not have to build everything from scratch, you do not really value money. This is precisely the reason why a family's wealth (no matter how much) rarely lasts past the third generation.
Thank God my rich dad foresaw this terrible possibility and refused to give me a cent to start my business. Then some people ask me, 'What is the point in making so much money if you don't enjoy it?' The thing is that I don't really find happiness in buying branded clothes, jewellery or sitting first class. Even if buying something makes me happy it is only for a while, it does not last.
Material happiness never lasts, it just give you a quick fix. After a while you feel lousy again and have to buy the next thing which you think will make you happy. I always think that if you need material things to make you happy, then you live a pretty sad and unfulfilled life.
Instead, what makes me happy is when I see my children laughing and playing and learning so fast. What makes me happy is when I see my companies and trainers reaching more and more people every year in so many more countries. What makes me really happy is when I read all the emails about how my books and seminars have touched and inspired someone's life.
What makes me really happy is reading all your wonderful posts about how this blog is inspiring you. This happiness makes me feel really good for a long time, much much more than what a Rolex would do for me.
I think the point I want to put across is that happiness must come from doing your life's work (be it teaching, building homes, designing, trading, winning tournaments etc.) and the money that comes is only a by-product.
If you hate what you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make you happy by buying stuff, then I think that you are living a life of meaninglessness.
Nov 4, 2009
Oct 29, 2009
* God Moves In Mysterious Ways !!
[ Psalm 27:5]"For in the day of trouble he [God] will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock."
I have read that William Cowper, like many people today, suffered from times of deep melancholy and depression. One night when he was in a particularly dark mood of despair, he decided to take his life by jumping into the Thames River.
That night the city of London was blanketed with an extremely heavy fog and Mr. Cowper, searching to find the river, lost his way. Stumbling blindly through the fog he was dumbfounded when he found himself on the doorstep of his own home. Going to his room he penned the words of the beautiful hymn:
" God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower."
"Dear God, please help me in my times of despair and depression to trust in you. Hide me in the shelter of your love and lead me to the place of help that I need. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
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