When Less is More

By Shazad

We all crave more of things. More money. More Time. More food. We have been conditioned to want more because that is what society keeps telling us to think. What if we changed the thinking and focused on the Minimum Effective Dose of something to make us healthy, happy and educated?

This does not mean being illiterate, indifferent or starving yourself. Look at what you consume in terms of information, products and food and think how much is enough? Do the “Enough” amount and stop. Don’t go overboard on food or shopping or even on consuming media. Just stop at enough and realize how much life can be when you stop wanting more for the sake of more.

What if All of Us were "Good with Words"?

By Shazad

I’m not an English major or a famous writer…yet. I have been told by a few people that I’m “good with words” because they appreciate the way I communicate in meetings, training workshops or via instant messaging and email. I thought about this a little and found it very strange that more people do not speak or write well enough to be complimented in this way. What makes us human is the ability to clearly express ourselves in verbal and written communication. So much of human history is shared and enjoyed because we can speak about amazing things and write about historical events or possibilities of the future.

I challenge everyone who thinks that only some people can speak or write well. Communication is something we all learn at a very young age. It’s not a talent but an acquired skill. Everyone can become better at communicating ideas more clearly and in multiple forms whether that is audio, video or in writing. We all have some talent in a certain kind of communication and it’s easy to just focus on that but that is limiting yourself. I'm an introvert and was not very good in English class nor was I able to stand in front of people to say anything meaningful until my mid-20's. I realized that I need to get over my fear of speaking and develop myself. I still challenge myself to become more skilled in every kind of communication and variations of communications such as short and long-form writing along with speaking. This helps me to learn new skills and effectively share ideas with peers and friends. Being an effective communicator also makes personal relationships better and richer which is what everyone wants!

Let’s make communications excellence the norm for the benefit of our professional and personal lives. Being a capable communicator should eventually become as routine as having good posture, personal grooming or kindness. Everything we do as human beings and our interaction with technology revolves around effective communication at it's core so let’s make an intentional effort to constantly refine our abilities on a daily basis. Let's make sure all of us become "good with words"!

Here are 3 steps to being better at communication:

1. Communicate often and pay attention to your words. Record yourself on video and keep your old writings.

2. Read your own writing and listen to recordings of yourself to see how you sound. Compare to your past writings or audio to see how far you have come.

3. Ask for regular feedback from trusted friends and peers regarding how clearly and effectively you express your ideas.

4. Practice explaining complex things in the simplest terms and ask for feedback. If your audience understands you, you will be successful.

Bonus: Watch videos of great communicators from the past and modern times to see what they do to Inform, Inspire or Instruct.

Don't Blame Technology for Human Nature

By Shazad

We live in a very advanced and fast-moving world. Some people are very concerned about how much technology is around us and how people are using it. The concerns are worth paying attention to but not because of technology alone. As long as humans have existed, there has been bad behaviour and abuse of leadership, tools, and communication. That is just part of the human experience.

Today’s Internet with Social Media and Wireless Internet (WiFi) technology isn’t causing people to behave good or bad…it is exposing those that know how to use the technology for either good or evil. Everything that used to happen in the past is happening faster these days. None of the gossiping, lies or personal attacks on people is new to anyone living in any human society. Likewise, many people are using technology to provide learning opportunities, mentoring and encouragement to people all across the world. People who could never get the right information to make a business decision or even basic education are benefiting every day from the global reach of the Internet.

Long before Social Media, people were able to spread lies in newspapers as well as by telephone. Long before these technologies, humans wrote vicious lies and total nonsense in books, on flyers and on building signs. Many fictional stories and biased historical records were recorded to make some other group or nation look bad. Similarly, when most of the communication was verbal, people said many foul things about each other and pretended they were ignorant of facts. This doesn’t mean that speaking, writing or reading is bad. We don’t suddenly decide to burn all the books and ban newspapers because some of them contain false or insulting writing. Likewise, we shouldn’t try to ban the Internet or social media because or any other technology because that is NOT the source of the problem! People who are going to be cruel, hostile and tell lies in real life will use Social Media to do the same. The kind, intelligent and honest people of the world wont suddenly be a different person online.

Technology is a neutral tool like a hammer, pen or microphone. It’s how we choose to use or abuse the modern tools that determine what the end result will be. Computers and the Internet don’t have any morality -they don’t know right or wrong. The people who use these tools are the ones responsible for what happens. Always demonstrate the best behaviour in person or online with whatever tool you happen to use so that you will have nothing but Awesome results!

Aim for Awesome and Not Perfection

By Shazad

 "When you aim for perfection, you discover it's a moving target." > George Fisher

Having people in our lives that are real experts with almost perfect knowledge can literally be life-saving. We all want our Doctor to be an A+ student with a perfect reputation before prescribing some medicine to us. We also wish civil engineers to be the best in their field and be 100% certain the bridge or building they are constructing won’t suddenly fall down.  These are examples of life and death situations where the very best information, education and expertise is required. Sometimes, we want nothing less than perfect.

Fortunately, we don't need this level of perfection for most of the other aspects of life such as work, relationships, business or sports.  We need to be reasonably sure about what we can deliver. We'll never have complete or perfect information, so it's not worth demanding this from others either.

Rather than trying to be perfect, we have to make that leap of faith once we believe we have done all we can. This could mean we have 70% certainty about our work or that of others we rely on. This level of confidence may be enough to move forward. Yes, it is a gamble but so is most of life. We can’t be paralyzed or delayed by lack of perfect info.

Our daily decisions are full of risk, but we manage to make things work out. When something does go wrong, we can adapt and correct many of the problems. In the process, we learn valuable lessons. In short, we move the human race forward.

To make your life move in the right direction, you should demand excellence by pursuing Awesome results, but within reason. Trying to be 100% perfect delays progress and can become a stumbling block to finish. The world needs more finishers, not just starters. Being too demanding of perfection is ignoring the process of adjusting course and reworking plans.

To have something achieved, be it a personal accomplishment or of someone you rely on is what we all want. Instead, why not try the idea of "enough." No amount of effort or decision making can ever be enough if our standard is perfection. Perhaps, we can be happier and to move closer to perfection, if we work hard enough and avoid needing to be perfect.

We can make progress in our personal and professional lives using the best available facts and ideas combined with effort. Progress in the right direction, not perfection for perfection’s sake, can perfect one’s perfection…and give you Awesome results along the way!

Awesome Life Lessons From A Bicycle Mechanic

By Ahsan

You know how you put off doing things around the house for days and months, and then you say to yourself, "man, I got to put those pictures up on the wall, and grease the garage doors, clean up that closet and get those bikes fixed up." Well just last week, I started on my list and started with the bikes.

I had bought a couple bikes from a fellow who worked out of his home a few years ago and decided to call on him again. To my good fortune, he called me back and said that he had moved and was still fixing bikes. I called my buddy to join me, and the two of us loaded our bikes that needed a tune-up. And so, off we went on a 30-minute trek.

So far, you may be thinking that my story is moving slowly and that there is nothing unusual to share. You would be wrong because what you don't know is that Angelo the Bicycle Mechanic is 82 years young and he started his vocation at age 60 after spending over 20 years in the Pizza Restaurant business!

We were at his house at 10 am on a Saturday morning, and he was waiting for us. He has everything set up in his garage. On one end is a row of new and used bikes for sale and on the other side is his work area. He got to work right away and lifted the bikes on to the repair stand that is three feet off the ground. I stood in amazement when I saw how he took apart the bikes and put them back together again. His hands had the precision of a surgeon and the strength for twisting a wrench of a much younger man.

We were there for 2 hours, and he fixed 3 bikes in that time. Both my friend and I were in awe of Angelo, here he is fixing bikes at an age when most people are frail, slowing down or can barely move without a cane or a walker. Not Angelo!

I had a bunch of questions I wanted to ask him, and he obliged. Thanks, Angelo!

The only thing more surprising than Angelo is his 92-year-old wife. You read that right, she came over near the end of our visit to call him in for lunch. She too was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and engaged us in a lovely conversation before we left. The other cool thing is that they were born in Italy but met in Switzerland when they both worked in the restaurant industry and have been married 60 years!

So….here is what Angelo shared with me:

 You don't have to retire! Starting a new thing at age 60 is a great idea, and you can make some money at the same time.

 The secret to a long life is to eat healthily and keep moving. Angelo says he is either fixing bikes or out in the garden tending to his vegetables and flowers.

 Go after your dreams, no matter what your circumstances. Angelo only has a grade 5 education. Despite this so-called disadvantage, he told me he has more money than he can ever spend. He emigrated to Canada in 1966, and within two years of arriving, he opened his own Pizza Restaurant.

 Everyone has problems and stress in life. Use your friends and family to get through these times. Be close to your family. Consult them. He always spoke to his wife and kids about issues and then made his own judgement on what to do, to fix things.

 Be positive always, even if you have the most problems in the world. Stay calm and try to fix or resolve your issues. No point in worrying. Never say, "why me." That's when depression sets in and the drinking begins. One of Angelo’s children had an ailment at age 3 and has had a tough go from this throughout life.

 On marriage, he said both he and his wife care for each other. Spend your time with your family and be honest with each other. Just like in business, if one partner is not trustworthy, the outcome is a breakup. Create peace in your house. You fight with the world during the day and when you come home, provide comfort for each other. Don’t focus on money or material things either.

 Be a leader for your family. Know your responsibilities and make decisions.

 As for regrets, he said he wished he had more education. He feels that he would be 10 times better off if he had the chance.

 In the same breath, he said he is very proud of his accomplishments and very happy. He always tried to learn from his mistakes.

 His closing remark to us was, “I am happy in every way and am still here to help a lot of people.”

Angelo, you are an inspiration to the many people who will read this article and me.

Thanks for sharing your story Signore!

I Wish Someone Told me...

By Shazad

Ever since I reached my 40’s I realized so many things I thought were true or ‘normal’ back in my 20’s were wrong. Here’s a list of things I wish someone had told me back then that I believe many people will agree with or at least start to consider.

I wish someone told me that this life is a marathon and not a sprint. We need to pace ourselves and build strength as well as endurance in youth to be able to keep going the distance later in life. Health is the most important thing all through life but it’s especially true as we age.

I wish someone told me that all the ‘flexing’ and showing off too much in youth is a waste of time and resources. Spending money we don’t have to impress people we don’t know or even like, is destructive and pointless. The people who really care about us don’t need to be impressed by fancy things. No one in their 20’s should be buying new cars or expensive toys/clothes of any kind. All the time in youth should be spent in building experience, skills and having minimal or no debt of any kind.

I wish someone told me that too much comfort and ease is destructive. Youth should be spent on being uncomfortable on regular basis to make sure we don’t get too comfortable. Weight gain, depression and lack of motivation in life is an outcome of being too comfortable. We all need to be hungry in youth and be driven which means not having everything we wanted to have. Struggle in youth to have a better life in later years.

I wish someone told me that being a healthy 40-something is like being like in your 20’s but with more life experience and some wisdom. Being patient enough to buy certain ‘luxury’ items once you are established in your 40’s is a lot more fulfilling than rushing to buy them in youth when you can’t really afford them. When you work hard and take care of your responsibilities first, the fancy things in life feel like you have earned them.

I wish someone told me that my parents don’t owe me any inheritance or property while they are alive or after they have passed away. I should have no expectations of any material gain from my parents and neither should anyone else. Parents have a responsibility to provide some food, shelter, clothes and love to their kids. They also have a duty to provide education and motivation for personal development. We each have to figure out how to get higher education and build assets we need based on our own intelligence and hard work. Parents are not responsible for paying for everything.

I wish someone told me that that my opinion of myself is what really matters. The opinions of others can be positive but is usually negative and based on their own personal weaknesses or biases. What I think of myself is the most important. I need to like myself and take care of my own mental well being because no one else knows me better than I know myself. The voice in my head is the one that matters the most to me.

I wish someone told me that the more freedom I have in life, the more responsibility I have. Self Discipline is true freedom in life. We will never have freedom from responsibilities and that’s ok. The idea is to be a more responsible person as we mature and have self control.

I wish someone told me that true satisfaction in life comes from serving others. Simply focusing on my own happiness and desires is not fulfilling in the long run. Everyone important in your life is part of your personal fulfillment in life. By helping other people you care about, you become a better human being and that leads to true satisfaction in life. We exist to work together and help each other which is How We All WIN in Life.

What do you wish someone told you when you were younger?

Make a Statement with your LIFE

By Shazad

Whether you know it or not, you are making a statement every single day. The things you do, say, wear and express online are speaking volumes about you. Why not be proactive and intentional about the statement your life is making? The word LIFE can represent some core statements about what you want to communicate. For example, L=Love. I=Integrity, F=Fitness. E=Empathy. Make your own LIFE statement clear and consistent.

Tell the world what you like and better yet, what you love! Express yourself in genuine ways every day whether through verbal or written methods. Move with humility and purpose when you go about your day. Show everyone what matters to you and what you believe in. Take time out of your busy life to give a part of yourself to the people and causes you claim are important to you. Let’s stop paying lip service to things like family, neighbours and the environment. Let’s actually do the hard work of making an intentional statement every day that speaks for itself. This is how we live a genuine and fulfilling life.

What statement will you make with your LIFE?

Two Tips To Unlock Success In Your Career

By Ahsan

Let’s make this quick. You and I both need real and applicable ideas so we can be our best. At work or otherwise, please consider these two gems:

1.Time Warp: In doing a project, we often have a deadline. However, we often procrastinate. Yet, when the deadline approaches, we put on the turbo engine and do incredible amounts of work. The feeling is exhilarating, but the result is less than what it could be. The solution? Start by putting the deadline feeling at the start of the project. Work like crazy up front and then have several days to do the real polishing. This way, your result is more amazing because it is not a rush job.

2. Focus Work: Try to sit with your task and shut out the world. If you work on something for 30 minutes without interruption from phone calls, emails, or chatty colleagues, you will produce more results in less time. We all actually do only a few hours of work in an entire 8-hour workday. Get honest with yourself.

Summary:

Flip the deadline around to the start of your projects!

When you work, do the work with laser focus, for at least 30 minutes!

Action Steps:

a) Put this note somewhere where you can see it.

b) Implement the 2 Tips every day.

c) Set up a three-week challenge to stick to the new methods described.

d) If it works for you, keep doing it.

The Real Life

By Shazad

When you spend time alone and in prayer on regular basis, you understand what the REAL life is. You forget about all the running around and materialistic things of this world. All the small disputes, jealousies, complaints and total nonsense. Other people’s drama, doubts and power games don’t bother you. You are not attached to the outcomes of this world. That is freedom. This is what we really want!

You understand the real life is yet to come and everything we are doing now prevents us from getting the best experience or, it helps us because we Live this life in the Best way.

Stop and reflect on what’s important...do this often and Be free to live a real life. Help others with your awareness of what is Real. Live Awesome!

Work and Play with the End in Mind

By Shazad

Are you a GIVER or a TAKER? What do you want people to say when your time on Earth runs out? Death and our funeral is coming for us all so how should we live with that common End In Mind?

One way is to GIVE MORE than you TAKE, every single day. Second, surround yourself with people, work and ideas that matter the MOST to you. Cut out or at least limit those people and things that don’t matter as much. Third and most important, become the person you are supposed to be TODAY and for the rest of your existence because we all know how this ends…No one gets out alive but we all get a chance to Work and Play the way we decide. Follow these 3 steps from now on and you will change your life for the better.

Leave the world with an Abundance once you are gone rather than a lifetime of debt, regret and frets.

Live Awesome!

How To Get More Awesome Results

By Shazad

What did your parents measure when you were a child? Your Grades in school? How pretty/handsome you were? How well you played sports? Like many children, we all try to live up to our parents expectations on what they thought was important in life. When we are adults, we also try to live up to some things our parents taught us and we add the yardsticks our friends and society. As a result, we are always trying to measure up to OTHER people’s metrics…and they are often materialistic, incomplete or superficial in nature.

To get more Awesome outcomes in life, you have to watch for and measure those things that really make people Awesome in your eyes and according to your true values. Things that don’t depend on fame or money or power and are open to everyone. Character, Integrity, Resilience, Honesty and Kindness are some of the most Awesome attributes that many would people agree are worth having. Working hard, giving full effort to good causes and constantly learning - especially from mistakes, are also very important. A person who is persistent and doesn’t give up easily or complain often is also considered superior to one who doesn’t have these abilities even if the latter person has wealthy background and a famous family name.

I am very blessed to have parents who helped me on the road to Awesome by NOT telling me to focus on how much money I’m earning, the assets I’m building, the grade I earned in school or how well I played a sport. Instead, my parents encouraged me to become MY BEST SELF through the attention to and the measurement of very important life skills such as Hard Work, Generosity, Humility, Courage, and Patience. These are some of the qualities of a great human being that I learned from them and these are ones that anyone can possess if you invest the time to measure these things in your life.

If you didn’t have Awesome parents like me, how do you develop these important qualities in yourself? You can start by developing friendships with those people who have the qualities you want more of so you can learn from them. You can find one or more mentors to help you develop certain measurable life skills to improve yourself. You can also practice being more of the kind of person you want to become, with the people around you. You have to be around people who are a model for you to follow and you must immerse yourself in the doing of those things that will change your personality for the better. Just knowing these good things and watching others perform at their best is not enough to change your condition. You must actively be involved in changing yourself and measuring your results along the way.

We all know that having lots of assets or money in the bank or many properties DO NOT “automagically” make a good human being, despite what society or some of our friends say. In fact, many sad examples of people exist who have worldly things but not much of the truly valuable assets that are important to life. Such people are often unhappy, have bad relationships and end up losing their worldly assets because of many bad decisions as a result of weaknesses in their character. Don’t be like these supposedly ‘successful’ people!

Becoming measurably Awesome is not a destination… we all need to keep working on it for the rest of our lives. I’m constantly trying to level up my skill level on each of those valuable attributes that really matter to me and you can do the same. Anyone can be part of their own life transformation towards more Awesomeness. Just stop and reflect on what you want to measure and become more of in life and then figure out what you are going to do to become the most Awesome at all of those things.

Good News For People With Anxious Thoughts!

By Ahsan

Are you one of the 7 billion people on the planet who experiences anxious thoughts?

Do you get concerned about your health?

Does meeting new people cause your tummy to turn?

When your boss calls you for a meeting, do you get a sinking feeling?

If so, consider yourself normal because every person on the planet feels anxious at one time or another. The exciting thing is, however, some of us have learned how to contain their anxious thoughts while others let them run wild.

It comes with a price because the anxious thought dominates them.

My friend, life is hard enough. Don’t live that way.

"Easier said than done," you say? I couldn't agree more.

Let’s give it the old college try, shall we?

Here is a common situation many people experience:

It goes something like this. Your thoughts cause feelings that further cause actions. For example, you dread meeting new people, the thought of going to an event makes you feel nervous and unsettled, and due to the feeling, you decide to skip the event altogether and miss meeting some really cool people.

How do you overcome this?

The Usual Strategy: Respond vs. React

You have probably heard of the idea of responding to a situation or thought as an ideal way to handle anxious thoughts. Rather than react to your thoughts of "I don't like meeting new people because I feel nervous when I do," why not consider responding to your thought with a counter thought? Be like Bruce Lee, flow with the river, become like the water!

The Ninja Counter Thought: "I do feel nervous when I meet new people, but I also get past that feeling quickly because most people are nice and meeting people gives me a good feeling!“

The idea is to accept the intruding and debilitating thought and not deny it. Just don’t give it power. Challenge the damn thought, okay! Add in whatever logical override that comes to mind because you need to do this if you are ever going to diffuse your bullying thought.

So is this the good news?

No.

Here it is: Interpretation is your key to turning anxious thoughts into passing thoughts.

The good news is that you, my friend, can and should interpret life events, challenges, tragedies, hardships and most of all, scary thoughts any way you like.

You can look at a windy day as a nuisance or as a great day to fly a kite.

You could look at flying eight hours in a plane, as a scary experience filled with potential danger or you could see it as a short flight and look forward to spending time with your favourite cousin whom you haven’t seen in four years. You could interpret any situation or thought as you like.

Try to use this acronym to remember your new strategy:

MRI

Get an MRI:

Most Relaxing Interpretation: Interpret life in the most relaxing way. Don’t jump to conclusions and quick judgments about things. Find a way to interpret the situation or difficulty in a way that is most empowering. Look at it from a point of view that creates a sense of relaxation rather than anxiety. Interpret things; don’t react to them.

Easier said than done, I agree. And, like all things, practice makes perfect. Separate yourself from the billions of people who don’t know this good news.

Learn the skill of interpreting things rather than succumbing to anxious thoughts.

If you know someone who should read this article. Please share it.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be King…of the world?

By Ahsan

I had the pleasure of attending a dinner where an Imam addressed the audience. He began with the recitation of the Holy Quran and offered a prayer reminding the audience to supplicate for themselves and for humanity at large.

Two things really stood out about this Imam. One was his engaging style of speaking, and two was his expert use of story-telling to make a point.

I would like to share a story he recounted. This story has endured millennia because it is truly a universal message for all people.

The story goes like this: four young men were sitting near the K'aaba (the holy shrine in Mecca), talking about life in general and what they planned on doing in the future. Three of them were brothers, and the other was their friend.

The first brother said I plan on becoming the ruler of the Arabian Peninsula one day. The others replied with encouraging words and prayed for his success. The second brother declared he would become the ruler of the vaster Persian Empire, and the others responded with the same encouragement and prayers for ultimate success. The third brother, not to be outdone, said he would one day become the King of the world, and the rest replied again with best wishes and prayers of success.

The fourth lad, their friend, was the quiet and reflective person of the group. He did not offer what he wanted to do, but when pressed, he replied: I admire the worldly goals you have set for yourself, and I sincerely hope you achieve them. As for me, I want to learn the ways of Allah and live according to the example of our Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, so when I leave this world, there is a smile on my face and a few tears in the eyes of those I leave behind.

 The Imam was addressing the youth in the audience and was encouraging them to make lofty goals for their future, to pursue all their dreams of wealth and fame but not to forego the opportunity to serve humanity first with their best abilities based on good living, service to others and absolute justice for all.

He closed by saying that when we are born, we come in crying while others are smiling and it might be the best thing to flip that around when we make our exit.

Life is short my friends….be Awesome!

What's The Point of Higher Education?

By Shazad

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

It’s that time again…many college and university students as well as children in lower grades are graduating from another year or perhaps the final year of their formal studies. Why do we go to school? What are we supposed to get out of it? When does academic learning stop and practical living start? These are some very key questions I have been wondering for about 3 decades. Below I share some ideas and suggestions to consider.

First, education is Awesome! To learn, understand and know things is so much better than ignorance about the world. Everyone needs some basic framework of knowledge such as literacy in one or more languages, the basic concepts of math and physics, and the ability to challenge ideas that are not fully understood or sensible.

Second, life is continuous learning or ‘education’ for the person with the right mindset. Long after we have graduated with a Bachelors or Masters or even a PhD, we continue to learn and understand the world around us. Learning is never ‘done’ or completed. If it were, many would be geniuses living perfect lives in their late 20’s or by the time they are 30 years old. That is not the reality of even the most educated people living in the most literate countries of the world.

Third, and this is the most important point I want you to consider is the purpose of all this higher schooling. What I believe I have been able to do and what the essence of school is about is to encourage MORE learning. The education we start to get from our homes to elementary school and then high-school is building a framework of knowledge to understand the world but it’s also encouraging us to learn more. Curiosity and seeking more knowledge is what drives many to higher education..and this is a good thing!. There should be a desire in all of us to learn how to learn new things and keep sharpening our understanding of things. We should also pursue knowledge and wisdom as adults for the sake of becoming better human beings. When you know better, you should do better and be better!

One or more degrees or diplomas should not be the end goal of someone’s education. Rather, it should be the LOVE of wanting to learn and understand more along with the realization of how ignorant we still are so we keep learning. I don’t mean in a mechanical way to simply absorb facts and info - that’s something any computer can do. I’m talking about extracting the right meaning from the learning we have received so far and building on it to have even better understanding of how things work.

Let’s use all of our formal and informal learning time to create the best lives for ourselves by continuously learning, developing critical thinking skills, and loving the process of becoming a little better each day. Education never ends as long as we are breathing so let’s keep pursuing it inside and outside the classroom.

What Does Erin Brockovich Have In Common With An Everest Mountain Climber?

By Ahsan

Think back to a time in your life when you wanted to do something but felt a twinge of fear and doubt in moving forward. Perhaps you felt that the task was too hard for you, or that you did not have the skills, or that your will to win was big, but the odds were against you. Did you do it anyway? Or, did you shy away and justify your decision in one of a dozen logical ways?

What if you chose not to go ahead versus trying? What did it truly cost you?

Let’s say you dared not go for a promotion at work? Did it cost you the difference in pay, the hit to your confidence, or the example you set for your children or friends about being brave despite having some natural hesitancy?

I trust you get the point. So what about Erin and the Everest Mountain Climber?

For those of you who missed the movie, Erin Brockovich, Erin was at the time a newly minted legal secretary, who brought down a corporation that was responsible for poisoning the local water supply of a town, causing sickness and death to its residents. The compensation paid in 1996 was USD 333 million, the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in U.S. history. To know what she is up to today, visit www.brockovich.com

Who was she to think that she, a mere secretary, uneducated in the ways of corporate legal tactics, a single mother and a complete amateur, should be able to challenge and topple a Goliath?

What about the Everest Mountain Climber?

Anyone can tell you that climbing Mount Everest comes with a possible cost⎯your life! The first successful attempt was made by Sherpa Tenzing and Edmund Hillary in 1953. Since then, 300 climbers have died in their effort to climb the world’s highest mountain peak.

There are no shortages of dangers that await, including altitude sickness, winds, cold, avalanches and the climbers' mind-set.

To get a sense of the danger, look up: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_(2015_film)

Having listened to both individuals in a conference setting, I made my notes and here is what I found to be their common trait: an indomitable mind-set rooted in self-belief.

Erin grew up with dyslexia but had a supportive mother and father, who advocated for her in school, got her teacher to give her more oral tests and hence helped her to develop a high level of self-esteem.

The mountain climber, did everything he could to be in control of his situation, through years of training and always seeing the glass as half-full.

Erin was full of dogged-persistence, the "little engine," that said, "I know I can." According to Erin, you are not born with "sticktoitiveness” you develop it⎯you face the challenge, you don’t give up.

I love her message: Don’t let people make you feel less than! Rather than let people put you in a defined box, get rooted in what you see and feel; from there, like the story of the Wizard of Oz, find your courage, brains and heart, and use the power of the team around you, even if it is the power of one.

When I asked the mountain climber what was his crucial mind-set as he set off at 11pm for the final 9 hours of the summit attempt, he replied: "I earned the right to be on that mountain" and that he simply believed he could do it. Not bad for a 64-year-old. His name is John Oldring.

Over to you now. Anyone who is anyone that ever achieved anything believed they could.

It’s that simple, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

You Can't Take it With You!

By Shazad

So many people are focused on making lots of money and accumulating wealth through real estate, precious minerals, stocks or bonds and even digital currencies. Have you thought about what it’s all for? How much money or wealth do we actually need for today and for our later years? Perhaps we are missing the point of living well with what we have and ignoring the true riches in life. Here are 3 keys to real wealth that I think we should focus on Legacy, Time, and Energy.

When we are young, we have lots of time, energy and very little idea of a legacy. We share this time and energy with our parents who are the ‘banks’ we withdraw from. When we grow up and our parents are seniors, they are entitled and deserving to withdraw from our accounts as part of their living legacy. In reality, our assets and those of our parents are form the same pool just like the common air, light and feelings in the room. We can’t divide the air into what I’m breathing in vs. my father or mother is breathing in. It’s also not possible to say who gets to the natural sunlight shining into the room. The happy feelings and love in the room is also not something that can be partitioned and assigned to one person or another. We are all part of one big whole and share in a common legacy of memories and history.

When you think about life like this, how should you live to maximize your wealth? I suggest we forget about building material wealth through properties, cash, gold or something else. Instead, focus on how you can maximize your time, energy to build a happy legacy with your family members. Give more time to family and worry less about how much money is in your savings account. Forget about how much money your property is worth or what the current price of gold is. It won’t really matter when you are dead. Live with sincerity, kindness and acceptance that you are here for a short time so you should realize your true wealth is not something you can easily measure or calculate. Spend your valuable time, energy and love fully in this world without any holding back. Even if that means you die financially ‘broke’ or poor from the worldly point of view. The richness of life that you have lived will leave a powerful and truly rich history. That is the best thing you can leave behind to the generations that come after you. So, How will you spend your riches while you still have time?

Tiger Should Not Have Won The 2019 Masters

By Ahsan Khan

I love to play golf. Hitting a ball pure and crisp is one of the most amazing feelings in the world.

I also have an idea of what it takes to hit consistently straight shots and win a tournament. Notice I said idea, not that I ever won a championship.  

One thing is for sure, golf is a hard game, and it’s hard to master let alone win the Masters.

Why do I opine that Tiger should have not won? I opine because of the state of his spine.

In case you did not know, Tiger has had a few back issues and recently had his fourth surgery to fuse two vertebrae! Yikes!

Friends, back surgery is no joke and to be able to swing a club after back surgery with the kind of shearing force Tiger inflicts on his spine, is unfathomable. You may enjoy reading this article in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/sports/golf/tiger-woods-masters.html

Based on his back surgery, he probably should not have won!

The fact is that he did and what does that mean for us?

It should mean, and it could mean that don’t count yourself out when it comes to overcoming impossible odds in pursuit of your goals.

What need did Tiger have for winning?

He already has wealth, fame and a few stories to tell. He could have retired, become a paid speaker or sports newscaster. In my books, Tiger won against the odds because he exhibits what we all need in our life. A focused mind and unbreakable spirit.

Here are three things that Tiger does and we should too:

1. Vision

2. Plan

3. Work

Vision: See himself winning the 2019 Masters in vivid detail; mixed with a real feeling of desire.

Plan: A custom plan for rehabilitating his back and strengthening his core. A method for practice and training. And mindset to be coachable.

Work: Here is the most critical ingredient: Doing and implementing.  

To achieve success, we need to follow this simple recipe too! The most crucial part is Do The Work.

Most people get motivated, do research on how and fall short of the action part.

We witnessed greatness at the Masters this year. Tiger is truly a phenomenon.

I’m glad he won because he reminded me and inspired me to know that we are all capable of reaching our goals. That is, if we have a vision, make a plan to achieve our vision and are willing to do the work

All the best to you and may all your deepest goals be achieved.

It's all about Human Transformation

By Shazad

Many people have asked what is the purpose of life and why are we here. Various ideologies, philosophies and points of view exist to attempt to answer this kind of fundamental question of human existence. Some of these are very similar to each other while some are polar opposites and depend on the questioner’s belief in religion, an afterlife, freedom of choice and a variety of other things.

In the end, it is the individual that must come up with the best answer for themselves based on their life experiences and understanding of the world. I will offer my point of view for consideration that I believe everyone can appreciate. We are all here to improve ourselves and each other, every day. Once we know better, we should do better than yesterday. Empathy, self awareness and gratitude are fundamental to this concept which I’m calling human transformation. Knowing that you can improve and making it a mission in life to do so, will be the most important motivation you need. The satisfaction of constantly levelling up to the next best version of yourself is the ultimate prize on this grand journey called life. So, where are you on this journey?

The Imperfect Road to Awesome

By Shazad

“Don’t Wish it was easier, wish you were better” Jim Rohn

Many times we look at the great people of history and business and think that they must have had perfect lives. They probably had the most ideal homes and parents as well as best schooling experience. We imagine their coming of age as teenagers and then young adults was picture perfect with glowing recommendations from the whole society. This is often a false story and the reality of many of the most successful people is nothing like what we could imagine.

The great ones of society often had many struggles in life and were full of doubt at many times of their lives. They may have been adopted or were raised by single parents. Often times, their financial situation was like that of a low income family or worse. The top performers of the world often didn’t even attend college or university and those that did, usually dropped out without completing their education. They may even have a learning difficulty or challenge simply reading this paragraph. The friends and even family of these highly successful people didn’t think they would amount to much and wanted them to have average lives doing manual labour or clerical work. To say their life story is heart breaking may be an understatement! The reality of their lives is far from perfect and much tougher than what many of us have gone through…and yet, they rise above their circumstances to become the great ones like Oprah, Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Tony Robbins, Jim Carrey and so many others have had anything but perfect childhoods or families and yet they succeeded.

These great celebrities and top earners are not just among the rich and famous people of the world. They are all living legends of our time and a great testimony to the fact that from struggle, hardship and persistence can come great things and great people. Study their childhood and early years as adults and you will realize that it is possible to change your life regardless of where you may be at today. Human beings have a great capacity to learn, grow, adapt and transform themselves into the best versions of themselves so don’t give up on your journey to becoming your most Awesome self.

Look at your own struggles and challenges in life and realize they were the foundation to make you a better person. Be grateful for this solid foundation built on hardship and develop the courage to keep going. Make the rest of your life, the best of your life knowing that many people with far worse circumstances rose to Awesome heights and so can you!

What's the BEST that could happen?

By Shazad

Many times in life we ask ourselves questions like, “What will happen if I do this?” or “What will people say?”

I challenge you all to ask another kind of question whenever you are thinking about personal change or other big decision in life. Ask yourself, “What’s the Best that could happen if I do this?”. Go deep into all the benefits and all the feelings of what it’s going to be like to achieve your goal. Look at all the positive benefits of how it will change your life from personal and professional point of view.

As a counter point, ask yourself another useful question. “What’s the worst that will happen if I DONT DO This?” List all the things that you will be denying yourself and all the ways you may be stuck in a situation or problem. When you do this exercise with honesty and detailed clarity of the outcomes, you will have the right motivation to move forward and keep moving forward to the completion of your task.

Good Luck and Live Awesome!