When Can Right Believing Still Fail?

"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" James 2:17 NIV

How important is believing the right thing?

Very (!), considering that what we believe normally affects our lives. Take for example, the "Placebo effect" concept. It says that, if we believe we will receive positive benefits from a particular medicine, then most likely, that is how it will turn out for us. EVEN IF what we believed as beneficial medicine is nothing more than sugared water - something that has no medical qualities at all!

So it's vital that we believe the right thing. I'm all for it. Given a choice, I would rather believe the right thing rather than the wrong one, wouldn't you agree?

HOWEVER, is it possible to believe the right thing ... and ... still fail?

To answer that, let me tell a story which I heard many years ago. It's about a man who was rescued from the ocean. Apparently, he had been adrift at sea for many days. When he was spotted and brought aboard a ship, he was in very bad shape.

Although very weak, he was happy at being rescued. He kept smiling and telling anyone who cared to listen about his good fortune at being saved.

After the ship's doctor examined him, he told the captain that the man was suffering from extreme starvation. He needed to eat immediately. If he didn't eat within the next twenty minutes, he would die.

The captain instructed that a simple meal be brought to him at once. However, even though the food was brought to him, he was still chatting with everyone. The captain interrupted him and said, "Sir, we can talk later if you wish. But right now, you've got to eat. The doctor told me that if you've got to eat within the next ..." he looks at his watch "... uh, ten minutes ... that's right ... ten minutes have gone by since the doc said you needed to eat to survive."

"Yes ... yes ... thank you! Thank you! I believe if I eat this, I will not die but live!" He exclaimed. "Do you guys hear that? I really thank you for helping me! I thought I was a goner, but now I have another chance!"

"Sir!" The captain broke in, "You need to eat now. The doc said ...."

"Yes, yes! I know. If I eat this, I believe I'll live and not die. But I'm just so happy I need to tell all you guys. I had no one to talk to all those days at sea. So I just gotta tell you guys. But don't you worry, I'm gonna eat this. Know why? Cause I believe when I eat this, I'm gonna live!"

He just kept talking ... and the minutes kept ticking. The captain kept pleading. But the man just kept on and on. Finally, with a 2 seconds to go, the man said, "I believe that if I eat this, I will not ... not ... not ...." He falls down - dead!

Absurd story, right? Yeah, but it sure makes its point!

The guy believed right, that if he ate the food before him, he would not die but live. So why didn't he live?

Because He DIDN'T ACT ON THE TRUTH HE SAID HE BELIEVED!

Conviction without follow-up actions is meaningless and delusional.

To put a different spin on a movie director's mantra,

"LIGHTS!" - When you get a "light-bulb" moment.

"CAMERA!" - When you focus on the goal before you.

"ACTION!" - Go get 'em, tiger!

"The important thing is to dare to dream big, then take action to make it come true." Joe Girard

Cheers!
primeprojects

Make Information Profit You!

"Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then, by God, do something. Don't just stand there, make something happen." Lee Iacocca

We're living in an information age. Thanks to technology, it's easier to get information now than before. We could get good information, or bad information, but we can never complain of not having information. In fact, what some complain about today is, information overload.

Today, everyone has access to information that will help make their lives better. In just a few hours, I've scanned over some articles providing helpful information. Here are just a few titles I've come across:

"How To Pray For Results"

"3 Things You Can Do To For A Better Memory"

"How To Develop Habits That Lead To Success"

"How To Make Money Online"

"How To Lose Weight And Keep It Off!"

You get the idea. Helpful information that covers every kind of need, whether it's spiritual, physical or material, is available to anyone who has a computer and an internet access!

If that's the case, why is it then that not everyone is being helped by all this available information?

Well, you see, having information, even great and profitable information, is not enough. Info that others are willing to die for, or pay big bucks for, isn't going to do us much good, if all we can say about it is that we have it. Something else needs to be mixed in to make this information profit us.

About 2 years ago, around 30 ladies gathered in our community to learn how to cook gourmet food. It was a "show and do it" activity. They were taught and shown how to make them, and then they actually cooked the food themselves. All 30 ladies received valuable information and know-how concerning these food preparations.

Of the 30 ladies who learned to do gourmet cooking, only 5 made good use of this information. Of the 5, 4 of them used what they learned in cooking for their families. They shared stories of how they wowed their families and friends with the food they served.

The other 1 of the 5, used what she learned in taking orders and getting paid for them. To this day, she is earning some serious money based on that one community activity.

And what about the rest, the other 25 gals who were taught the same thing? Nothing! They did nothing with the information they learned. Consequently, they, their families and friends, and their financial situation did not benefit from the great information they received!

So, what is the one thing that needs to be added to convert information into a profitable experience for us?

ACTION!

Information by itself, no matter how revealing and profitable, will not benefit us unless we act on it!

How many blogs, articles, and newsletters have we read? How much information have we collected?

It's ok to keep learning. But in all our learning, we need to start acting on them.

"Just do it." Nike

Cheers!
primeprojects

Waiting For Perfect Conditions?

"He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap" - Eccl 11:4

This was written thousands of years ago, and yet the wisdom it brings us is timeless. This brief statement exposes the mistake of putting off decisions because of waiting for perfect conditions.

Instead of planting, the sower mentioned above kept procrastinating. Why? Well, maybe the wind was too strong, too weak, or it just may not feel quite right. He was not going to do anything unless everything was perfect.

Of course we want to prepare properly for our plans. Of course we want everything to be just right and perfect.

But how perfectly prepared do we have to be to finally act? How perfect should everything be before we decide?

I remember having a talk with someone who spoke of having a lucrative business based on a hobby he was good at and passionate about. Some years ago, he talked about a wonderful service he could provide others for a fee, if only he had the right knowledge and equipment.

He was producing some amazing presentations with just a simple computer and his supposedly, limited knowledge. Fact was, when some people saw what he was producing, they were putting in orders which could have jump-started his business.

But he turned down these opportunities. He said that he wasn't prepared without the right know-how and equipment. Ok, that's understandable. Aside from his raw talent and imagination, he needed training and equipping.

Some saw his potential, and decided to sponsor him so he could finally launch his business. The training wasn't cheap, but they felt he was worth it. Not only did they put up the money for his education, but also upgraded his computer system.

Later on, these sponsors were gratified when they saw that his latest productions were even more awesome than before. But to their surprise, he was still turning down orders!

He just kept saying that although he had learned much from his training, it wasn't enough. He had to know more. Although he had a more powerful computer than before, he claimed he had to have a complete, state-of-the-art system before he could launch his business.

But the problem is, he's been saying this for some years now. The years have gone by, his knowledge and skills have increased, his equipment has been upgraded, and his productions have intensified ... BUT(!), his planned business and its projected profits are still nowhere near reality!

I discussed with him the possibility of starting small. Use what he had available and build from there. The business may not be perfect at the beginning, but it would be a start. I mean, just get it going and get some momentum working for him. Earning while he learns. While he didn't have everything yet, he did have what was necessary to start on a limited basis.

His response? No, not yet. Everything has to be there. Conditions needed to be perfect.

Meantime, time is quickly passing by and still, nothing seems to be happening where his business is concerned.

Fence-sitters may have the greatest and noblest intentions there are. But without decisive actions, they will always be fence-sitters.

Why be a fence-sitter when you could be an achiever, right?

Dream! Decide! Act!

Cheers,
primeprojects

Success Insights From A Birthday Party

We just celebrated our mom's 75th birthday this weekend, and it was a smashing success! Families and relatives shared this moment with her. Old friends whom she's lost touched with over time, and loved ones living abroad came and made for touching and poignant reunions.

The stories, the laughter, the tears, the food, the wine, the songs and the music all flowed memorably to make up a night that could only be summed up in one word - UNFORGETTABLE!

And all thanks to the organizing and systematic planning of my three sisters - Chinky, Yellie, and Annette.

It would have been so easy to just set the date, do nothing, and hoped things turned out right. But without the constant follow-ups they made through texts, chats, emails and telephone calls to family, friends, classmates, hotel managers, owners, caterers, techinicians, band, performers, and a whole galaxy of who needs to be there, the night would have been a big, fat, flop!

And I'm not writing this to campaign for my sisters' elevation to the status of demi-goddesses (maybe in an alternate universe, but definitely, not here!), but to bring out some tips that brought about desired results.

1. They Knew What They Wanted

It wasn't a case of just hoping something good would turn up. They defined what they wanted. They had a GOAL.

We may not be having parties at the moment, but this principle applies to just about any area of our lives. We have a choice - just to drift through life, or navigate towards our expectations. But it goes without saying, to reach our expectations, we need to know what those expectations are.

We need to define our objectives. We need to be clear about what we want and where we want to go. Without a target, we wouldn't know where to aim. In other words, we simply must have GOALS to shoot for.

Therefore, let's set some quality time to discover what GOALS we want for our lives.

2. They Planned How To Get What They Wanted

Now that they knew what they wanted, they planned how to get there. From a list of possible selections, they chose the elements that would most likely bring about what they were aiming for. The choice of locations, the decor, the resource persons to contact, the music and songs, the ambience, and the program script were carefully planned out.

We may know what we want, but if we just sit down in a corner somewhere, twiddle our thumbs, and just wish that we'd get what we want, the odds of us getting what we want are stacked against us. I mean, if that's all we needed to do to get what we want, then nobody has to work to get them, right?

I was talking with someone about a business objective. This person is immensely talented in what he does. But for some years now, he's been lamenting about how he could make profits if he only had the needed equipment.

But what he doesn't realize is that he's been making some darn, good products with the basic equipment he has now. Sure it takes him longer, and he probably wouldn't be able to take as many orders, but he at least has something to work with.

We discussed the possibility of starting on a limited basis. Maybe 2 orders a month would be all he could do at the moment. But from the earnings he'll make from this, he could build up the equipment he needed. He could at least start right away, instead of adding another year to the countless years he talks about what he wants to do.

I was suggesting a simple plan that would allow him to start right away. He seemed doubtful, and simply whined about not having the right equipment. It's a pity because others with lesser talents, opportunities, and equipment are actually making money with the little they have.

Let's chart a course towards our objectives. It may not be a perfect plan, but it's better than nothing.

3. They Went After What They Wanted

Now that they figured out what they wanted and how they would go about getting it, they put their plan into motion. People were called, appointments made, deals sealed, reservations confirmed, contracts signed and deposits paid. And the rest, as they say, is history!

And this is possibly one of the most crucial, if not the most crucial, part of the success journey. After defining the goal and formulating the plan, some get cold feet and fail to act on their plan.

Great intentions will never see the light of day without the needed action!

Don't wait for circumstances to mystically align according to your liking. Normally they don't. And even if they do, it's not something you can count on on a consistent basis.

Don't wait for your goals to come to you as if by magic; go after them!

Make these simple tips your footholds to achieve your favorable outcomes.

Cheers!
primeprojects

How Do You Eat An Elephant?

One bite at a time!

Old joke. But in it, is a simple, yet timeless nugget of wisdom.

When we set goals, they shouldn't be too small that they fail to challenge us. But sometimes, a goal worthy of our time and efforts may be so big, that it overwhelms us. It could be so daunting that just leaves us staring and wondering how we can do it.

What's the secret in mastering this?

The answer is so shockingly simple, that if we're not careful, we just might underestimate and dismiss it.

Break down that big goal into small, manageable, "bite-sized" steps!

I have a brother who noticed one day, some joggers doing their daily running exercises near the house. Joey thought, "I'm going to do that!" So donning some jogging clothes, he began to run.

Well, attempted to run was more like it. He found to his dismay that he couldn't go more than a few steps without gasping desperately for breath! He wasn't as fit as the other joggers who had been doing their runs for years now. What looked like an easy thing for them at that time seemed daunting to Joey.

Did he give up? Nah! He decided that if he couldn't do what they could do yet, then he was going to concentrate on what he could do at that moment and build from there.

Joey decided that he was going to walk casually around the mini-park, and at least finish one round for the day. He continued to do this until he could walk briskly while doing his rounds. After a few days, he started mixing brisk walking and light jogging.

He kept doing that for weeks until he could maintain a light, steady jogging pace. He did what he could, but continued to challenge himself in increasing his speed, his stamina, and the length of time he could run without breaking into a walk.

Before he knew it, a running club noticed him and invited him to become a member. Soon, he was running in local marathons and cross-country runs. He even had a stint in a Hongkong marathon.

No, you won't see his name with the top finishers. But for Joey, to be able to do what he did was accomplishment enough!

It took time to get there. And in getting there, he had to break his goal into mini-goals. But he got there.

And by applying this simple truth, we can accomplish just about any goal we set before us.

Enjoy your elephant!

Cheers!
primeprojects