10 Ways to Achieve Bigger Success in 2015

Happy New Year 2015!

When we talk about success, I believe we should not do exactly what successful people do. Because all successful people do things differently. No one successful people whom I know do exactly what another successful people did yet they became as successful as the former. But what I do believe is we should learn what are the principles behind the successful people.

Andrew Carnegie was one of the richest man in history. According to one article by Business Insider, Andrew Carnegie ranked no. 2 of the wealthiest people in history after J. D. Rockefeller. Even richer than Bill Gates, if the amount was adjusted to the inflation. So it makes sense to learn some principles from one of the most wealthiest people in history. And most people know, Napoleon Hill was been assigned by Carnegie to study successful people (in terms of wealth). He did document it in one of his book - The Science of Success. Here are the 10 principles of success.

1. Define Your Purpose
One should define their purpose of living in this world. How they can look at things which can be better and start to add values based on your purpose. Put them into action! Defining a purpose is what I call defining a "Passion Statement". Passion creates desire and desire according to Hill, is the starting point of all achievement.

2. Create a "Master-Mind-Alliance"
Master Mind is a group of people who share with each other their thoughts. A group of people who have what you haven't. Master Mind works like multiplying your brain power. It works like a battery to provide that extra voltage to the electricity. Create your own "Master-Mind-Alliance" with people who have the same vision.

3. Go the extra mile
Hill said, "The man who does more than he is paid for will soon be paid for more than he does." Go the extra mile and continue to add value. Soon you will be paid more that what you earn. Scorpions sum up in a better words - What You Give, You Get Back.

4. Practice "Applied Faith"
Believe in yourself. Believe things will happen. Mohamad Ali said, "To become a great champion, you must believe that you are the best. If you're not, pretend you are!" Have faith in yourself, have faith the world is acting good towards you and believe it with confidence.

5. Have Personal Initiatives
Start to do something today. Do not wait for others to push you. Create some activities that will help to achieve your defined purpose. Stop blaming your boss when things goes wrong. Do something instead.

3 Lessons in Branding

Branding... It is important in business because branding create perception. Our brain work with association. Whatever our brain associate, it will tend to make generalization.

Branding is important for organization, product and personal as well. But why we need branding?

1. Visibility is more important than ability
Last week I attended an exhibition, MAHA 2014. Large exhibition with international participation. They have this band playing at the food court to entertain those who are enjoying the meal. I was there with my family listening to the band playing with some wrong chords, not so in tune vocalist and drummer who once in a while out of tempo. I was asking myself, I could play better with my ex-band. But I think again, why didn't they called me? Because I was not visible to the organizer.

How many times have you join a seminar and turns out the speaker was not as good as you expect and with information that you think unvaluable to you. At the same time the person sit next to you have the same opinion with you. And you think I could do better than that. But why didn't the organizer invite you instead? Because you are not visible. I have seen the same person from a seminar to a seminar and I think that he is not that competent enough, but still he was everywhere. Because he is more visible than any other options.