I've just finished reading Hector & The Search for Happiness, an engaging story of a psychiatrist who was searching for... happiness. More precisely, he was looking for rules of happiness.
He discovered many different rules, and each one has its own ring of truth around it. It's not meant to be heavy, but sometimes we all need a little nudge to make us realize what makes us really happy in life.
I like it that his first rule is "Making comparisons can spoil your happiness". That, to me, is the problem with a lot of people, including myself. While making comparisons allow us to innovate and create and generally improve ourselves, at the end of the day, does it really make us happy?
Anyway, I wish to highlight an important conversation Hector had with another expert on happiness. Apparently, there's a simple way to "measure" your level of happiness. Just ask yourself these three questions (I'm paraphrasing...):
1. Where are you now as compared to how you see yourself should be?
2. How are you now and how were you in your best moment in your past?
3. What do you have now and what would you like to have in the future? (I'm not sure this is what they have in the book, but it kinda make sense)
The gap in your answers practically shows how happy you are presently.
If for example, at this moment you're an up-and-coming executive, and that's how you imagined life would be, then the gap is virtually non-present, making you at least happy in one aspect of your life. But if you're single, but you imagine you'd be married by now, then definitely it will cause some measure of unhappiness.
The 2nd question is a little bit different. Closing the gap is pretty good (meaning that you're as happy now as you were when you were happiest before) but it would be great if your present self is far happier than your previous self ever was.
My only problem is closing the gap of what I have now and what I want in the future. Being too ambitious is a double-edge sword in that you seldom feel satisfied with what you have, even though what you have is beyond your expectation. I've gotta be mindful of that.
In any case, I am blessed, and if I were to die today, I wouldn't have much regret. Can you say the same?
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Transporting WHO for WHAT?
Another massive jam today. And another fuel price hike. At this point in time, I would be slaughtered if I suggested that we may be wasting RM 40 billion in the next 5 years developing the MRT.
It's funny how many people talk about having an efficient public transport system as the priority for Malaysia to become a developed nation. No doubt, being stuck in a jam is no joke. I, for one, am extremely agitated in a gridlock. I'm the type of person who'd rather be driving for 1 hour to get to point B than be stuck in a crawl for 30 minutes heading to the same place.
So let me begin by saying that I am NOT against having a better public transport system. It's just I am extremely annoyed to see the general public being sucked into a simple answer when asked what they'd want from the Government: "Better public transport". For me, this is such a lazy answer.
First, someone has to explain to me the DIRECT correlation between having an efficient public transportation system and economic growth leading to developed nation status. Is it a case of being a developed nation BECAUSE you have an efficient public transport system OR you have an efficient system BECAUSE you're a developed nation? There is a marked difference between the two, and I suspect the truth is there are more pressing issues that requires our focus and limited resources to become a developed nation than building an underground tunnel.
Beijing, Moscow, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Sao Paulo are all cities that are ranked far worse than us Malaysia (we don't even get a mention, and I'll with this later), and yet all (with the exception of LA), experience economic growth far greater than ours (in sum, not as a percentage growth) in the last few years than us.
Secondly, I think it's pretty selfish to assume that if KL is less congested, our whole nation's economy would prosper. Malaysia is not Singapore because we are NOT Singapore. Linking up Kuala Lumpur like it's Singapore may be great for some of us, but what about the rest of the country? To achieve developed nation status or economic growth requires the participation of every segment of our society to move up the value chain, from those staying in Kota Damansara all the way to those growing up in Segi Tiga Jengka. How does this RM 40 billion budgeted help my Kuala Lipis graduates?
Thirdly, what is the actual impact of this MRT project? I mean, think about it. Okay, we all get to go to work faster, presumably on the pretext that the MRT line would accommodate for the increase in urban population and number of vehicles on the road and actually ease overall congestion (I think it will, but not to the extent that you think it will). So? Do office hours actually increase? The vast majority of people using the MRT would still, as a measure of productivity, work 8 hours a day.
Yes, they'll go a bit later to work, and probably get back earlier. For what? Watch more TV? Spend more time hanging out with friends? Having dinner with the family? Good. I think these are great benefits. But are they really all we could expect? Can someone show me the link between having such transport system and an increase in productivity? I suspect that any time saved would be spent on other things NOT related to work. Beneficial in some way to our nation no doubt, but is it the kind of benefits that we look for when we spend RM 40 billion?
And does the job scope or type of work that people do change because of the way they are transported? Does it make our workforce brighter and smarter? Would it spur innovation and creativity? Would it create new self-sustaining industries that could compete globally? I think it won't. It just makes the job of transporting the current workforce, with their current mentality and skills, faster. But it doesn't change the nature of our endeavors.
Let's not forget the increase in land value of the areas surrounding MRT routes, which benefits property developers, spurring even more development in those areas, but at a price far inflated for the average people using the MRT to actually afford without running huge debts.
Finally, how bad is the situation in KL? Please, I've worked in KL before for more than a year, as a regular executive. I know about the whole morning jam (heck, I was from USJ!) and how the evening traffic can be a killer. How expensive it is to find parking and pay for toll. But the reality is that I was once stuck for 3 hours in a WEEKEND crawl in Jakarta. Traffic in Bangkok ain't much better. And on some weekends, it wasn't that smooth sailing in Singapore either. In other words, are we really focusing on the real issue here, or is this just another typical simplistic Malaysia-style band-aid solution to avoid confronting real issues with real solutions.
Like maybe spending money for 5 years to create truly world class universities? Or allocating funds in easy loan program for entrepreneurs to kick start their business, especially in high-value, high-multiplier economic activities? Or ACTUALLY allocating more funds for R&D by local labs? Or can you actually do all these, and still have some spare change to implement non-intrusive, low-capital traffic solutions LIKE:
1. Spreading development from KL to its outskirts therefore spreading traffic concentration
2. Re-look into single school system (Example: 9.30 am - 3.30 pm)
3. Strict town planning and permit approval for new developments
I'm sure there's more but I'm lazy to think too much about it. The Government and the rest of the Rakyat shouldn't be. Remember, HOW you transport is only part of the equation. There's always the WHO and WHAT.
Have fun guys!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
What is Right, and What is Wrong?
This video that I chose is the 2nd in a 8 part lecture series by Dr. Albert A. Bartlett's lecture on "Arithmetic, Population, and Energy".
The first video talked about the power of exponential growth. It raises an interesting question about whether we are aware what it means when we say 6% or 5% growth.
The second one raises an important question on population issue and how to solve it. If you choose law and order, be prepared for the world to be over-populated. Choose war if you want to balance population growth. Are you willing to do that?
I guess my point is that in choosing to promote something, whether in politics or even your own career, we often fail to consider the full consequences of our choices. For example, while minimum wage is a noble idea, has anyone fully considered the impact of such measure on long-term inflation and subsequent increase in personal debt, and how that ultimately leads to a bubble, and...well, you get my point.
Think hard, think smart.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Education First
Have you guys heard of Education First (EF)? It's a Swedish company that's dominating the world in private education. It has over 25000 teachers and 15 million students all over the world.
They're focused on providing language education in a unique way that emphasizes conversational skills rather than rote learning. Being Swedish, their training centers are also a lesson in design integration as part of the training process.
The global language training industry is estimated to be around Euro 54 billion a year.
Another below the radar business opportunity that a lot of people don't even know about.
(Discovered them while reading Monocle, a huge magazine that takes longer to go through than most novels. It's a different type of magazine than most are used to, but it's got some left-field coverage...A bit like Off The Edge meets The Edge Weekly)
How about this as an idea - a prep school that focuses on career advice,communication skills,and entrepreneurial knowledge for 3 categories - pre-SPM, post-SPM, post-Degree?
They're focused on providing language education in a unique way that emphasizes conversational skills rather than rote learning. Being Swedish, their training centers are also a lesson in design integration as part of the training process.
The global language training industry is estimated to be around Euro 54 billion a year.
Another below the radar business opportunity that a lot of people don't even know about.
(Discovered them while reading Monocle, a huge magazine that takes longer to go through than most novels. It's a different type of magazine than most are used to, but it's got some left-field coverage...A bit like Off The Edge meets The Edge Weekly)
How about this as an idea - a prep school that focuses on career advice,communication skills,and entrepreneurial knowledge for 3 categories - pre-SPM, post-SPM, post-Degree?
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Just When Things Are Good...
I don't listen to radio that much these days. The new car's full media integration with USB drive AND SD Card (in addition to a 6-disc changer, but who uses CD now anyway) makes radio a truly alternative choice, especially with the endless advertisements, staid selections AND idiotic deejays.
If I was to tune in to anything, it would normally be either XFM (103.0) or BFM (89.9). Most often I would just let XFM play me the best that local music could offer. I like XFM because (1) not much advertising (2) minimal deejay interruption (3) great songs.
I think Malaysian music is undergoing a sort of renaissance. Its cyclical in nature. We used to be ahead of the Indonesians, then we sort of lost our way with the focus on mono-syllabic named bands like Spin, Spoon, Scoin. Then everybody was into hip-hop, but it never really fit in with the older set, which kinda explains how Siti Nurhaliza (which came out at around the same time as Poetic Ammon & Too Phat) could dominate for so long. Yes, kids love hip-hop, but only parents had the money to buy an album.
Now, we finally have a mature, creative era of great songs sung by relevant artistes that transcends age, culture and language. Kids and their parents can dig Faizal Tahir, Yuna & Aizat. Our hip-hop has gone beyond the lame cliche of old and now contains sublime rhymes carried out by people like Malique, Altimet and Joe. We've even basically thrown away soapy jiwang karat rock away with a whole new bunch of "indie" bands making it big on the mainstream.
Tell me you didn't bob your head when you hear Bunkface and I'll tell you you've lost your groove. We've got young and upcoming vocalists who no longer subscribe to Siti's scream it if you mean it mantra like Ana Raffali, Zee Avi & Liyana Fizi.
It's all great news for the fans. I think the quality's up to the par of anything I can pick out from the Indonesians these days. Unfortunately, I think it's too late.
Just when our music standard has been raised to a level where everyone could be proud of, our artistes will no longer be financially rewarded for their work. Long gone are the days where a popular Juara Lagu winner will sell more than a million album (Raihan did that), have sold-out stadium concerts (Search, Wings used to, and still is, packing in the fans), or basically become a freaking rock star.
With parents also now in tune to digital downloads, and kids being kids wanting things for free, it is almost impossible to find anyone actually purchasing an album, even from foreign artist. Without album sales, it's almost impossible for record companies to think about organizing a concert.
No corporate sponsors want to sponsor a concert of an artist who couldn't sell records, without realizing that in today's day and age, the lack of record sales doesn't automatically make an artist unpopular.
It's sad that it has come down to this, but the future is even bleaker. Unless of course there is a significant change in the way record companies and artistes approach the problem. But let's just hope for now, despite not making as much money as Slam ever did, our new crop of singers, songwriters, producers and musicians continue doing it for the sake of us music lovers. If you do, trust us, we'll promise to download your song.
If I was to tune in to anything, it would normally be either XFM (103.0) or BFM (89.9). Most often I would just let XFM play me the best that local music could offer. I like XFM because (1) not much advertising (2) minimal deejay interruption (3) great songs.
I think Malaysian music is undergoing a sort of renaissance. Its cyclical in nature. We used to be ahead of the Indonesians, then we sort of lost our way with the focus on mono-syllabic named bands like Spin, Spoon, Scoin. Then everybody was into hip-hop, but it never really fit in with the older set, which kinda explains how Siti Nurhaliza (which came out at around the same time as Poetic Ammon & Too Phat) could dominate for so long. Yes, kids love hip-hop, but only parents had the money to buy an album.
Now, we finally have a mature, creative era of great songs sung by relevant artistes that transcends age, culture and language. Kids and their parents can dig Faizal Tahir, Yuna & Aizat. Our hip-hop has gone beyond the lame cliche of old and now contains sublime rhymes carried out by people like Malique, Altimet and Joe. We've even basically thrown away soapy jiwang karat rock away with a whole new bunch of "indie" bands making it big on the mainstream.
Tell me you didn't bob your head when you hear Bunkface and I'll tell you you've lost your groove. We've got young and upcoming vocalists who no longer subscribe to Siti's scream it if you mean it mantra like Ana Raffali, Zee Avi & Liyana Fizi.
It's all great news for the fans. I think the quality's up to the par of anything I can pick out from the Indonesians these days. Unfortunately, I think it's too late.
Just when our music standard has been raised to a level where everyone could be proud of, our artistes will no longer be financially rewarded for their work. Long gone are the days where a popular Juara Lagu winner will sell more than a million album (Raihan did that), have sold-out stadium concerts (Search, Wings used to, and still is, packing in the fans), or basically become a freaking rock star.
With parents also now in tune to digital downloads, and kids being kids wanting things for free, it is almost impossible to find anyone actually purchasing an album, even from foreign artist. Without album sales, it's almost impossible for record companies to think about organizing a concert.
No corporate sponsors want to sponsor a concert of an artist who couldn't sell records, without realizing that in today's day and age, the lack of record sales doesn't automatically make an artist unpopular.
It's sad that it has come down to this, but the future is even bleaker. Unless of course there is a significant change in the way record companies and artistes approach the problem. But let's just hope for now, despite not making as much money as Slam ever did, our new crop of singers, songwriters, producers and musicians continue doing it for the sake of us music lovers. If you do, trust us, we'll promise to download your song.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
From Tadashi Yanai
Tadashi Yanai is the Chairman/CEO of Fast Retailing (owners of Uniqlo).
"The worst people in the world are those that neither succeed nor fail. These people don't do anything and accomplish nothing.
The second worst type are those that continuously fail. They never learn from their mistake and never succeed."
Sent via BlackBerry from Maxis
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Between Raya and today...(Me,Myself & I...)
I checked my last post. It was before Raya. And all the things I said about Raya was true. But I didn't have time to update this blog, my dear readers, because I just got my second son (so matter of fact and casual). And just like my first son, he is the most handsome, brightest, charming human being I've ever seen. Until the next one comes along.
But just more than a week before that, I took delivery of my materialistic baby - a new car. It's new, shiny, and thus far, the best I've ever driven. Not because it's new and shiny mind you. I plumped myself into another new and shiny car my mom got for herself. And I wouldn't put it even in the top 3 cars I've driven. No, the reason my new car is the best is simply because it is - pace, power, refinement and looks. Man, it's lame, but when I park this new set of wheels, I still stare at it a bit when I walk off.
The only bad thing about getting a new car is getting your friends' reaction. I've had this problem ever since I drove my first car. "Why didn't you buy this?", "Why did you get this color?","Rugi beli brand-new..."...the idiotic kind of comments coming from people who have never even come close to having the choices I have. Maybe it's about living vicariously. Dude, my best mate just got himself a dull as clorox Toyota, and I still pretended to be excited over it all. Nah, no worries. I'm not angry or bitter. Just peeved. Don't blame them though, most people do this.
Anyway, with a new car and a new baby, I needed a new wife. Wrong sentence. I needed a new hobby.
I've picked up walking, of all things. I only enjoy exercise if it's fun. And it's only fun when someone keeps score. So I can play futsal forever, but I wouldn't last a few weeks if I picked up jogging. Too lonely. And I have weak knees. People say it's because of...well, I wouldn't know about that;)
Unfortunately, futsal's usually played late at night. I need to be with the two boys. So I found something I could probably do continuously, but it's not really exercising as I know it, so I wouldn't feel pressured to perform. So walking it is. That's why I call it a hobby.
Because when I walk, I don't think about walking, I think about everything else. I'm an observer, if you've observed. Some of the interesting things I've discovered while walking around my area in Shah Alam (I usually brisk walk/explore for about 1 hour to 1.5 hours) are:
1. Not everyone who stays in a bungalow drive nice cars
2. Not everyone who drives a normal car stays in a small house
3. The fact that I've seen a few purple/police blue houses just goes to show how weird and irrational human beings are
4. Even though Shah Alam is a predominantly Malay area, a lot of the nice houses here belong to Chinese
5. The roads in Shah Alam, even in a VIP-dominated area, are pretty badly maintained (apparently, since PR took over)
I've also discovered that the police on patrol love to "rest" in their car on top of the hill where my house is located. While this is good news for me, I wonder if my neighbors are happy about it.
Other than this new hobby, I've intensified my existing hobby of reading. I read a lot. Maybe not as much as some of you, but definitely more than most. I buy an average of 3-5 books a month. Not only that, my subscription to Time, Fortune and Bloomberg BusinessWeek ensures that every week I'd have something new to read. I also pick up a lot of magazines off the shelf like Fast Company (GREAT MAGAZINE), Entrepreneur (not so great,but some nice ideas), INC. (soon to be GREAT MAGAZINE) and my regular fix of Top Gear Malaysia and Autocar Malaysia. So in a month I'd cover 3 books, 10 subscription magazines, 5 off-the-shelf magazines...and Off The Edge every week.
(I wouldn't even bother quantifying the newspaper, news website, blogs, sports reports that I read on a daily basis)
It has led me to wonder whether I'm suffering from information overload. It's so bad that sometimes I can't remember the title of the book I was reading (no worries, now reading The Game by Neil Strauss. Not for information, but to compare notes...hahahahaha).
The best thing about reading is that it opens up your mind to new possibilities. Which leads me to another NEW thing - a new business venture. I can't say what, I can't say who, I can't say when, I can't say how. I just want to make money. Now that is NOT new.
....
But just more than a week before that, I took delivery of my materialistic baby - a new car. It's new, shiny, and thus far, the best I've ever driven. Not because it's new and shiny mind you. I plumped myself into another new and shiny car my mom got for herself. And I wouldn't put it even in the top 3 cars I've driven. No, the reason my new car is the best is simply because it is - pace, power, refinement and looks. Man, it's lame, but when I park this new set of wheels, I still stare at it a bit when I walk off.
The only bad thing about getting a new car is getting your friends' reaction. I've had this problem ever since I drove my first car. "Why didn't you buy this?", "Why did you get this color?","Rugi beli brand-new..."...the idiotic kind of comments coming from people who have never even come close to having the choices I have. Maybe it's about living vicariously. Dude, my best mate just got himself a dull as clorox Toyota, and I still pretended to be excited over it all. Nah, no worries. I'm not angry or bitter. Just peeved. Don't blame them though, most people do this.
Anyway, with a new car and a new baby, I needed a new wife. Wrong sentence. I needed a new hobby.
I've picked up walking, of all things. I only enjoy exercise if it's fun. And it's only fun when someone keeps score. So I can play futsal forever, but I wouldn't last a few weeks if I picked up jogging. Too lonely. And I have weak knees. People say it's because of...well, I wouldn't know about that;)
Unfortunately, futsal's usually played late at night. I need to be with the two boys. So I found something I could probably do continuously, but it's not really exercising as I know it, so I wouldn't feel pressured to perform. So walking it is. That's why I call it a hobby.
Because when I walk, I don't think about walking, I think about everything else. I'm an observer, if you've observed. Some of the interesting things I've discovered while walking around my area in Shah Alam (I usually brisk walk/explore for about 1 hour to 1.5 hours) are:
1. Not everyone who stays in a bungalow drive nice cars
2. Not everyone who drives a normal car stays in a small house
3. The fact that I've seen a few purple/police blue houses just goes to show how weird and irrational human beings are
4. Even though Shah Alam is a predominantly Malay area, a lot of the nice houses here belong to Chinese
5. The roads in Shah Alam, even in a VIP-dominated area, are pretty badly maintained (apparently, since PR took over)
I've also discovered that the police on patrol love to "rest" in their car on top of the hill where my house is located. While this is good news for me, I wonder if my neighbors are happy about it.
Other than this new hobby, I've intensified my existing hobby of reading. I read a lot. Maybe not as much as some of you, but definitely more than most. I buy an average of 3-5 books a month. Not only that, my subscription to Time, Fortune and Bloomberg BusinessWeek ensures that every week I'd have something new to read. I also pick up a lot of magazines off the shelf like Fast Company (GREAT MAGAZINE), Entrepreneur (not so great,but some nice ideas), INC. (soon to be GREAT MAGAZINE) and my regular fix of Top Gear Malaysia and Autocar Malaysia. So in a month I'd cover 3 books, 10 subscription magazines, 5 off-the-shelf magazines...and Off The Edge every week.
(I wouldn't even bother quantifying the newspaper, news website, blogs, sports reports that I read on a daily basis)
It has led me to wonder whether I'm suffering from information overload. It's so bad that sometimes I can't remember the title of the book I was reading (no worries, now reading The Game by Neil Strauss. Not for information, but to compare notes...hahahahaha).
The best thing about reading is that it opens up your mind to new possibilities. Which leads me to another NEW thing - a new business venture. I can't say what, I can't say who, I can't say when, I can't say how. I just want to make money. Now that is NOT new.
....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)