Leadership is not about position

1. In the past, the famous success formula, "Go to school, get a good grades, secure a job with a reputable organisation, then you will be successful." Once you have a college degree, you might end up with an executive position. When the time comes, you will secured an important position. And you can use that position of power in the way that you want. The position is very much stable, and you don't have to worry for a long period of time.

2. But now things have changed, the position is no longer a means for you to do whatever you want within your authority. Your position is very much fragile. Even if you know how to play your card right, if something happens externally which is beyond your control, you might be losing your position.

3. In today's world, a position is no longer about seniority. In the past, just because you have enough experience, you can do whatever you want and the rest have to listen and follow. Today, if someone can do it cheaper than you, or if technology can replicate the same results that you produce, you are out of the game.

4. If you think experience alone can get you further in your life, let's think back again. Experience alone does not count in the 21st century. Routine work can always be outsourced or automate.

Fear of failure and how to overcome this obstacle of success

One of the main reason why people don't live up to their potential is Atychiphobia or the fear of failure. According to Brian Tracy, fear of failure is the biggest single obstacle to success and happiness in adult life. It is not the failure itself. Everyone have gone through failure in one way or another. But the fear of failure is the one that holding most people back.

Fear of failure may act like a brake pedal that stops most of us from achieving our potential. Because of this fear of failure, people stop to take action and they procrastinate what they wanted to do. And as a result, they don't achieve what they intended to achieve.

What causes the fear of failure?

There are many causes, but the main cause is how we were brought

up. When we were kids, we don't have this kind of fear, until we experience something bad, or perhaps someone told us not to do certain things because of their experience of failure. And one of them is our education system where failure is bad, and if we failed it is a bad thing. We believe that fail is bad, and we don't want to fail in any area of our life.

How do we know if we are fear of failure?

How to be successful learning from nature

Most people wanted to become successful. And most of us have a different definition of being successful. But how do we really become successful?

If we learn from the nature we might be able to find the answer. Think about it, nothing in nature lives for itself.

• Rivers don't drink their own water. 
• Trees don't eat their own fruit. 
• The sun doesn't shine for itself. 
• A flower fragrance is not for itself. 

The rule of nature is how much value we can provide to others. The more value we can provide to others, the more contribution that we do, that is the true measure of success in life.

What is your definition of success?
What value do you provide to others?

Everyone Can Become A Leader

Everyone can become a leader. But that is not the question. The question is whether they want to or they don't. Leadership is a choice and I do believe that it is your responsibility to decide whether you want to be one, or you just want to follow someone, or some organization.

Tipping Point
Some people change after there was a situation that force them to change. I remembered Jim Rohn's story of how he changed after being broke and not able to buy a cookies from a girl scout. Worst, he was lying saying that he has one. That is his turning point of his life. Some people change because of frustration and some because of inspiration. Both are good change agents.

Vision and Mission
Most companies have this nice frame on the wall mentioning vision and mission. But some companies did it because all other companies have it, and it looks weird if they don't. Some did it because their consultant asked them to do so, without understanding the purpose of having it. To me, leaders must have a vision. Something that they wanted to change. From that vision, they create missions to support their intention. This will drive them internally to pursue their dreams. I believe people are not a lazy creature. They just don't have a clear vision of their life, or finding their purpose of their life.

Inside the Mind of Cheryl Yeoh: 5 Powerful Lessons from the CEO of Magic

Successful people have a certain pattern that makes them successful. By learning some of the thought, we can take some valuable lessons. Most of the successful people might do it unconsciously but when they share their stories, we can can conclude into some certain principles.

Today, I attended Mindvalley's Project Renaissance featuring Cheryl Yeoh the CEO of Magic. Moderated by the founder of Mindvalley, Vishen Lakhiani (which was very awesome at hosting the session), Cheryl share some of her journey before becoming the CEO.

One of the accomplishment made by Cheryl was to build an app company called Reclip.It and managed to sold the business to the Wallmart. Some of the lesson shared during the session:

1. Entrepreneurship starts from young age
She learn to become an entrepreneur since the age of 8, where her mother made some unique batu seremban. She saw that opportunity and sold it to their friends at school. However, the teachers found out and doesn't like the idea. I remembered Roshan Thiran, the CEO of Leaderonomics shared about how in the US, kids were encouraged to become an entrepreneur. They sell lemonade since kids in front of their home. When nobody bought it, they learn an important lesson - location, location, location. Then they can improve from there. But us in Malaysia, most doesn't allow their kids to perform the act of entrepreneurship, including myself. I remembered when I started my business of trading sweets at the age of 10. When my grandfather found out, he asked me to stop doing it and focusing on studying. He said, if I don't have money, ask from him. But now, if I don't have money, who do I ask from? Perhaps BR1M can give some hope.

2. Selling is one of the crucial skills
Cheryl learn how to sell at a very young age. He went to one of the apartment at Glomac, Kelana Jaya and told the security that she was delivering something to someone staying there. She then knock from door-to-door selling his cabinet solutions. It turns out, to her, the ability to sell is one of the important skills to be successful. She added in one of the book she read that the author is not happy with Standford University because there is no selling course thought at the university level. How come the most important skills was not been taught in the university? She also jokingly mentioned that his father comes out with the 3 Cs of selling. 1. Convince. If you don't manage to convince step 2 is to Confuse. And you still didn't manage to sell then the third C is to Con.

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.