The Daily Grind

It is so easy to forget what really matters. The day to day demands of living eat away at us.

I find it hard to put the wisdom that I have documented into practice each and every day. I realise the concepts are true, but I will be engaged in an activity and the concepts quickly forgotten. Additionally, the concepts are sometimes difficult to translate into the real world.

It is useful to regularly remind myself of what is most important to me. I can do this by reading and listening to what is important to me. I had one of the longest period of happy days when I put this into practice.

The Problem with Economic Development

Economic development does not necessarily promote what is best for the people. It may inadvertently create incentives that harm the world, such as foods that promote obesity, production that destroys the forests, and media that misinforms the public.

Economic development does not make people feel meaningfully better or increase well being.  It does not concern itself with ethics or morality. It brings about a greater focus on career and materialism.

Countries that are less well-off economically may be better off mentally, spiritually or in other areas. Studies show that if richer and poorer countries are compared at a point in time, life satisfaction increases with the absolute amount of GDP per capita, but at a diminishing rate. However, there is no significant relationship between the improvement in happiness and the long term rate of growth of GDP per capita. Time series studies reporting a positive relationship confuse a short-term positive association between the growth of happiness and income, arising from fluctuations in macroeconomic conditions, with the long-term relationship, which is nil.

I have noticed that people can be more content, healthier and family orientated in some less developed countries. I see people enjoying themselves in the park, in the town square and by the sea.

A Reflection and Regrets

I have lived a good life but didn't realise it. I have accomplished what I set out to accomplish.

I have lived over 10,000 days. I am blessed to be born in the lucky country and to be given the opportunities I have been given. I have achieved many things that I am proud of: an IQ of over 120, knowledgeable in many disciplines, high distinctions in math, science and geography competitions, 99 ATAR, won a university scholarship, completed commerce and engineering degrees with honours from the best university in Australia, H1 average for university final year project, won earth 2025, won a trivia competition, won an art competition, downball champion, fastest speed writing, quickest in arithmetic, worked in a hedge fund, private equity, banking, and government, worked in many industries including healthcare, agriculture, transport, education, consulting, retail, sales, design, and start-ups, started 3 semi-successful businesses with two profitable exits and the other a social start-up achieving over 5,000 users, started a profitable hedge fund, owning properties in three major cities, completed several profitable property developments, read the Bible three times, volunteered for over 5 organisations, travelled to over 60 countries, lived overseas, attended the world cup, attended many top festivals, dated many amazing women, attained financial freedom, retired before 30, achieved over $1m net worth before 30, worked in a $100k job, eating and living healthily and maintaining a healthy weight, healthy body metrics, being fit and competitive in most sports, ran a marathon in 4 hours, won a football championship, completed over 50 push ups and sit ups in one set, performed in front of over 100,000 people, undertaken major presentations and TV and radio interviews, played piano and guitar, recorded several songs, worked as a restaurant critic and ate at all the top restaurants in my city, owned an Audi, participated in many activities, good socialiser and communicator, having good family, having good friends, building strong self worth, and realising the power of now (Updated January 2017). All of these achievements did not come without pain. There is no gain without pain. I would not have achieved them without setting goals.

I used to have many goals I wanted to achieve. I had many goals that I was striving for at the one time, but they did not make me happy. The achievements are temporarily satisfying, but ultimately vain.

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To achieve the extraordinary, you have to work hard and give up all other areas of your life. Sooner or later, the great men turn out to be all alike. They never stop working. They never lose a minute. It is very depressing.

To become an expert in a field takes a long time and requires continuous learning and application. At the same time, you forget some of your expertise or your skills become rusty if you take a long break from it. This has happened to me with my engineering course work, Christianity readings, and running regimen.

This is a key difference between myself and those geniuses. Working hard in my chosen fields does not make me happy.

In fact, it has been shown that achievements do not increase long-term happiness. Even when you accomplish something great the high won't last. It won't make you happy on its own. You have to work to make and keep yourself happy.

While I have achieved almost every goal I have set out to accomplish, I understand that happiness matters more.

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I don't have many regrets. Looking back, the two main regrets are that I didn't have rock hard self belief and that I didn't go out much when I was younger (such as going on exchange). I used to have a small regret that I had 'made it' yet, but now I feel like I have. I don't have real regrets in health, career, university (made a few good friends), investments, family and faith. I don't have much I am missing in my life, except regular companion(s) and a relationship with God.

Richard Branson said that the best advice he has ever received is to 'have no regrets'. This piece of advice has informed every aspect of his life and every business he ever made. He is astounded by the amount of time people spend looking back on failed projects rather than learning and looking forward.

If you think you’re going to regret not doing something, you should probably do it.

Regrets are about not doing something and it is the worst feeling. Most people regret far more things they didn’t do than things they did do.

Older people say that the most important lesson in life is to not stay in a job you dislike. I read one piece of wisdom from a hospice care worker from her years tending to the dying... at the end of their lives, people very rarely regret the things they have done. They almost always regret the things they haven't done. A palliative nurse who cared for patients in their final weeks recorded the top five regrets of the dying:

• I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me;
• I wish I hadn't worked so hard;
• I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings;
• I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends;
• I wish that I had let myself be happier.

​Don’t ignore your dreams; don’t work too much; say what you think; cultivate friendships; be happy.

Relationships are key for people who are dying. It is common for them to ask 'have I loved enough in my life?'. Memories are important too. They identify who they are today by how they have been shaped by their experiences.

To have no regrets, it is worth asking yourself: these two questions

• Do I wake up in morning looking forward to the day (or work)?
• What can I do right now that would be the most powerful use of this day (or moment)?

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I have been instilled to work hard but I don't feel better, even though in many ways I am.  I constantly find myself wanting more net worth. But for what purpose? Don't I currently have a decent house? Plus a few mod cons. But it's not the life I want.

What do my achievements career-wise mean to me in the end? The desire to achieve or change the world satisfies the ego. It might be glamorous and it strokes my ego but it's deceptive. It's empty. It's very easy to be sucked into all work and no life for 10 or more years. In short, work and business just doesn't make me happy.

Life goes by when you are continually stuck in thought. I keep thinking about what to do with my future, but there is no one big answer. I'd like to retire to have options, travel, and have kids. However, at present there is no big passion or dream and that is ok. I think volunteering and helping others may be key. Volunteering to help others will probably uncover passions and I can combine this with my property interests.

I haven't found anyone like me, a friend who I truly connect with. I have not found someone with the same diverse taste in music as me. I have not found someone with the same strong desire to be alone and with others at the same time. It has always been my way or the highway.

I am smart and have always topped the class. I know can succeed in whatever I set my eyes upon, but I don't know if that is what I truly want.

The Love of Travelling

There is something special about travelling. The experiences. The memories.

Travelling combines my loves. I love geography, road trips, exploring.  

In every country I see people living their lives. Many people all around the planet all doing their own thing. Given enough time, humans find it possible to adjust to almost anything, good or bad. Some people having a blast with little. I see that life is what we choose to make of it.

All countries have the good and the bad. All forms of government have the good and the bad. All experiences have the good and the bad.

I need to take a break at least once an year. I also feel that I haven't spent enough time travelling as I would have liked and want to do more.

Travelling does make me feel somewhat fulfilled. I prefer to be in a dirty boat in the middle of the sea than in my job. However, even though I enjoy travelling, my energy and happiness levels are not as high as they have the potential to be.

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2022 update:

I drew a map of all the countries in the world when I was around 5

I scored in the top percentile in the Geography Competition in school when I saw other kids taking it and decided to try it out

I read the Melways (street directory) all day long and followed all the major roads on my city. I used to have a favourite road and would play games with the roads. I thought I would take the Melways with me if I was held somewhere

I volunteered for a charity for children with disabilities as one of my motivations was going on trips and camps

I knew every suburb in my city and then proceeded to visit every suburb in my city

I then visited every major town in my state

I then visited every major city in my country

I then visited every major country in the world

I want to visit every geographical land mass

I take photos of all the landscapes through the plane window

I visited many far flung places just to see the geography

I visited over 1000 cities and 100 countries

I love looking at maps

My favourite Facebook widget was Cities I have visited by TripAdvisor and I was always excited pinning cities and being higher on the list than my friends

My favourite day in my life was visiting Window of the World in Shenzhen where I could visit miniature versions of the famous attractions of the world

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Along with mountaineering where over 6,500 people have now summitted Everest, extreme travel has taken off in recent years.

In 2017 Cassie de Pecol became perhaps the second woman to have visited every country in the world. In the space of five years, we have witnessed around 15 to 20 women achieve this feat.

When Harry Mitsidis, founder of Nomad Mania, completed every country in the world in 2008, only around 20 people had completed it. As of 2022, there are 280 to 300 names on Nomad Mania and Most Travelled People. Add in people who don't participate in these communities, and the number could be 400 to 500.

For me travelling has been an addiction. Watching many people travelling inspires curiosity, jealousy, and some bitterness. This year travelling has been more draining for me than enjoyable. While travelling, I don't feel the same joy as I used to. There are other things that are important. As Mitsidis said 'So many of the big travellers are single or divorced and that's fine if it's a choice but for me, the art of being a traveller is to successfully keep my foot in both camps'

Your Image

While watching Beyonce perform 'I Was Here' I was struck by how calm and assured she appeared.

It was amazing to watch.

The way you carry yourself and your appearance speaks volumes about your character.

Daily Happiness Exercises

My mum told me that life is so short. Don't work too hard. Remember to have a good time, live a good life and smell the roses. Nobody knows what's going to happen at the end of the line, so you might as well enjoy the trip.

Happiness is a skill to be learned for every day living. The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts around it. Pleasure is always derived from something outside you, and will invariably turn into pain. A man of awareness is unattached to both pleasure and pain - he lives in bliss and remains untouched by the world whereever he is.

Why do I want to be happy?

Happy people live longer, are more productive, healthier, popular, and successful. I like positive energy, positive people, and smiles. Good moments in my life were happy. Achievements make me feel happy. I don't like being sad, down, or wasting my life being sad. No matter what happens in life, I will learn to appreciate it. When I do anything, enjoy it with energy. Be in a state of happy or super happy.

What do I need to do daily?

Be aware of my thoughts and emotions as they happen (awareness is 95% of the journey). Be present throughout the day.

3 deep breathes letting go (being present and at one with now). 3 acts of kindness and smiles. 3 grateful things and visualise the best possible version of myself. Stand in a posture of confidence. Love, appreciate, accept, embrace uncertainty, focus on my purpose to enjoy life, spend time with people I like, do what makes me happy (be active doing the top 5 things I like, ask what option will maximise my utility now, the process and experience, rather than simply the goal and benefits), do what I am good at (master skills, my skills are judgement and curiosity), be optimistic, dwelling on the positive and sharing these with others (not the negative, not dependent on situations, keeping problems in perspective). All we have is now. [Upon reflection apart from the the 3-3-3 the rest are not practical]

Don't worry or want. Don't hate or regret. Don't chase happiness.

* An Awakening, Turning Point, Healthy Living, Anatomy of Happiness, Music and Life, A Reflection and Regrets

Secrets of the Rich

All 25 of the top 25 of the Forbes rich list ran a business. Only 5 of the top 50 derived wealth from investments.

They started or ran their own business, and that means hard work. They put work first. They probably don't hold a lot of cash: everything is tied up in the business or investments. Their business is usually in a growing industry where they can capture a large market share and they are experts in their field.

Few seem to have built their wealth from the sharemarket, except for stock in their own company if it is listed. The rich buy their own property early on and from there speculate on property.

If there's one thing millionaires are constantly doing, it's networking and mixing with other millionaires. They achieve maximum leverage by utilising other people's money, time, knowledge, ideas and labour.

They also know how to bounce back from misfortune. It's amazing how many of the self-made rich failed at some point only to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and go on to make a fortune. They believe in themselves. Business is all about turning negative situations into positive ones.

They avoid the crowds. They start with a big goal in mind. They learn relentlessly. They sell by communicating. They are patient.

They're tight. The rich will always drive a hard bargain. Although, they don't need to be overly frugal. They take smart, calculated risks, while always having good risk management in place.

Finally, the rich pay as little tax as they can get away with.

An Awakening

At the break of dawn I awoke from my sleep. I couldn't get back to sleep so I visualised my future. I counted the years from my birth to the present and then pictured how life looks in the future. I saw a fit and healthy me at 40 standing by the side of a pool in a resort with a beautiful fit wife by my side and a smile across my face. I saw myself having a exquisite dinner with my wife and two children at 60 in the warm glow of our dining room. I saw myself kissing my wife on the forehead at 80 and reflecting upon the happiness in my life thinking back to today when I made a decision to myself that changed my life forever.

I have experienced many happy days this year, but through it all I felt weighed down by the expectation, stress and pressure on my shoulders.

When I awoke today I felt my heart leap for joy. I had an epiphany. It sent my world spinning.

Don't worry/want. Be happy. Let go. (Paul Van Dyke)

From this day on-wards, I make a decision to let go of all worry and stress, want and need, and ego with its associated fears and expectations. 

The big enemy of happiness is worry, which comes from focusing on events that are outside your control rather than what you can do. Jesus taught us not to worry about our life or tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Worry never ends. Over all the years of my life I have had worries come, go, and come again. I worried about my exams, games, girls, jobs, finances, and family. Some advice on stress minimisation is found in (Healthy Living).

I documented some of my worries after an appointment with a psychologist (August 2013). My psychologist said that they were pretty normal and fairly common. The worries are minor when I look at them. There was no point in getting worried about them in the first place. The bottom line is that worry does not make me happy.

• Things are are not going right today, so I want to leave the risk out until tomorrow. I feel uncertain and need validation.
• A girl is not responding to me when I thought she'd respond. I regret not talking to more girls in a venue.
• I left a banana at work today and it may go rotten. I also should have spoken to my manager about taking leave today.

I have attained pretty much all the goals I set but they don't bring me happiness, instead I keep wanting more. Achieving what I wanted never brought me lasting happiness. It just leaves me wanting more. It is a constant cycle of setting goals, achieving them, setting more ambitious goals, and never experiencing true joy. After returning to work for the past month and being left broken, I learn not to let my want for a new job control my life (November 2012). I will learn to ‘dream and not make dreams your master’ and let go of the attachment to the want.

People say 'I want happiness'. First remove the 'I', that's ego, then remove 'want', that's desire. Then all you are left with is happiness.

The only certainties I have are that I don't like darkness (with Jesus being my last resort)* and my primary aim is happiness. I don't have other certainties. I don't know if the world exists, if I exist, if time exists, if money exists, if God exists, if anything is real.

I make a decision starting today to put an end to worry and want no matter what. The outcome does not matter, neither does money nor other people. I realise there is no time to waste to enjoy and appreciate everything that life has to offer, including all the highs and the lows, especially since there are only 20,000 days left in my life.

* I had a nightmare where darkness enveloped me and I was very scared. I screamed twice and called out to Jesus for help and it went away. I had another nightmare where I was stopped by a woman outside a whorehouse. My heart dropped. I was very scared and shivering, and my heart was racing for a long time. I had been feeling strong earlier that day, but my hands felt cold. I called out to Jesus and the Bible. I know that Jesus is my last resort. I don't know whether this was something I dreamed up internally or whether it is something external. There may be something bigger out there outside the physical world.

A New Chapter

Quitting is always very hard. I made the decision this week to move on from the start-up with my two friends and move on to the next journey.

I made the decision because of personal and family reasons, a new business opportunity, and the lack of resources in the current start-up in terms of the time to reach critical mass (from other start-up examples and our own experience) and the team.

I am taking some time off to regroup, recharge, and figure out what I am passionate about.

Personally, I am in a fortunate position where I have opportunities. I can think about travelling and making a difference. I don't want to defer my life anymore. I want to travel while I am young and single and live overseas during the warmer seasons, although at the same time I cannot damage my career as my family keeps telling me.

I want to enjoy life and live my happiness year, not struggle and forgo the things I love about life. I want to remember that I lived a good happy life shared with the people I love when I look back on my life.

Lessons from the post-mortem

I feel a sadness because I failed to acquire 100k users in the time I had and only launched in August. I felt disheartened during my time in the start-up. I tried my best and I put my soul into it, but it was not meant to be. When I reflect on it, it was good that we set a commitment date which prompted me to review how we were going and make the decision to leave. It is true that less than 5% of Australian tech startups reach scale stage. These companies are still not sustainable, they are only starting to grow around a known business model.

While I was in the start-up, I realised that I prefer living the dream to doing a start-up. Start-up life is draining and I give up other areas of life such as my health and relationships. My life is consumed by the start-up. There is little time off. I think about it all the time.

1. Speed (50%) - planned to have launched by April to gear up for 10k users by August, but didn't happen. We should make quick decisions, launch quickly and refine, not wait around for the perfect moment. Take a chance and if it succeeds great, but if we fail then don't end up over-investing time in it so that we can move on and do the next thing. Reduce the amount of documents, processes, emails, and meeting time.

2. Team (40%) - difference of opinion on strategy and investment, didn't stick with the outputs I produced such as the marketing plan and it resulted in duplication, didn't follow the outcomes of team reviews, was depressed and lacked belief, not optimistic. Good that we were focused on our portfolio and reported on it weekly. I shouldn't find a co-founder just because we are missing a skill. Have the right people on the bus.

3. Focus (10%) - changed ideas multiple times based on limited customer feedback, no vision or set direction. We must know exactly what to focus on and only pursue that idea.

4. Need - it's good that we built to a customer need, and had the metric that the need should score an '8' on average or 40%+ very disappointed without it. We didn't love the product or were users ourselves, although it's good we listened to customer feedback. Understood that need and business may be temporary, especially in technology. Built to sell as things move too quickly and too many competitors.

5. Virality - get viral coefficient above 1, do whatever it takes to tip, break some rules to get there

30,000 days

Life in the developed world is made up of 30,000 days or 82 years.

It is a very small number if you think about it. At retirement, a 65 year old has 17 years remaining, with around 5 of those years restricted by a severe or profound limitation. Every single day is so important. Life is over in a flash. 

Now is the only time there is. I might wish I was young again or I might wish there was something I did or said, but it is not going to bring the time back. There is only one time. And that time is now. Make it count.

Living On A Prayer

I decided to take this year off because I believe I have an opportunity to make it for myself and make a difference in this world. There exists an opportunity for me to benefit others, not just myself. An opportunity to help the poor and change their lives for the better.

The reality is that if my ventures do not take off, I would probably spend my life living for myself. I would likely accumulate a few investment properties and live off that income. It is selfish, but then again, I don't know if there will come another opportunity.

I have put in a crazy amount of time into the start-up and forgone a lot of the pleasures in life. I have undergone a struggle mentally, physically and emotionally. I have not exercised as much as I would have liked. I have not met up with friends or pursued relationships as much as I would have liked. I have not taken time out to live life as much as I would have liked. I don't know if I am prepared to put myself through this again. [In hindsight, I over-worked myself. I must never do this to myself again even if I am making a difference because my other purpose in life is to enjoy life.]

Right now, I am half-way there. I have put all my time and effort to give myself the best chance of success.

I keep praying to Jesus and I keep believing in faith. I felt Jesus in my heart. I believe that He has a purpose for my life to benefit many people.

Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. We do not belong to those who turn back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Faith takes a reality in heaven and makes it exist on earth. I have faith for my future, for prosperity and success, and I claim it. I will start living what God says for me, not just asking God to feed me once a week or listening to the devil who challenges my faith.

I am thankful everyday. Thankful for the good and the bad, for the people around me. Thankful that Jesus is there for me.

Staying Healthy

After a week of being sick with the flu, fever, shivering, head ache, stomach ache, diarrhea, and bleeding, I write this post.

It's been so tough being sick.

Not being able to do anything because you need to rest. Sleeping away the whole day. Operating at a reduced capacity, if any. No brain capacity to think, let alone analyse. Loss of work ethic. Dulling ambition.

That and the physical battle. Not knowing when your body can overcome the illness. How much worse off you are when the battle is won. How emotionally spent you become.

Where nothing else matters. Just overcoming the illness.

Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it. It's what's on the inside that counts.

Those Close to Us

I don't interact with almost all of my friends. There are so many people I don't keep in touch with.

Less than 5 people on this planet truly care about me. Less than 5 people on this planet who I truly care for.

There are few true friends and relationships. The ones that you care about on a deeper level.

Everyone else comes and goes. They all pass away.

In the end, we only have ourselves, and if we are lucky, a few people close to us.

I ponder this after watching two acquaintances pass away of cancer in the prime of their life.

My youth has passed me by. Everyone is getting older. We are born. We are married. We have children. We die.

On Making A Difference

I always believed in making a difference.

For myself, business is probably the most effective way to make a continuous and lasting difference unless I can lead entire populations to change or make an impact in another field [1, 2]

The vision of entrepreneurs creates what we take for granted today. It creates everyday products. It creates jobs. It enables us to donate and give back.

Business in general is hard. It is draining. It consumes your life. It wears you out. There is little time off. I think about it all the time.

The reason why I do it is because I see a better future. I am innovating and I have a chance to make a huge impact. I am going big. There is something beautiful in the struggle that is worth fighting for.

Great entrepreneurs are afraid of failing, but they’re even more afraid of failing to try.

Dustin Moskovitz, a co-founder of Facebook put the pursuit of making a difference this way: "Everyone is mission-oriented. They want to do something that will touch everyone on Earth."

While making a difference is all well and good, it is not permanent. People grow, age, and die. Cultures, trends, and businesses gain and lose their influence. Countries form and divide. Relationships begin and end. Emotions rise and fall. Change is inevitable.

The pace of change is accelerating. The average lifespan of a company in the S&P 500 was 61 years in 1958 compared to 18 years in 2012.

One cannot make a difference in the long term (1,000+ years), only a contribution. Despite this, one can still aspire to something and find value in the pursuit of it, knowing that it is ultimately fruitless.

Many people who have achieved their version of success are trying to figure out what to do next. The answer is simple. Enjoy everything that is front of you and pay attention to whatever you are doing in the given moment. So just enjoy life. 

Success with NLP

According to Psychology Today, NLP is the most powerful tool for change that exists today. NLP allows you to manage your feelings and internal thinking.

Be intimate with your body. Emphasis where you feel confident and passionate while picturing the nervous part of body getting smaller and take away the credibility of its voice.

Imagine yourself just achieving a goal and see it and feel it. See yourself in your goal while floating in the river with calm music in the background and feel it. Reinforcing a time where you experienced high energy through clapping. Lift energy level with a shock hand shake. Picture you in a car you want and feeling to find out your values. Decide your life by imagine what you will think and feel as a billionaire.

Accept it as it is, detach from what you don’t want and decide on what you want to be instead. Replace a bad habit by knowing price to pay, commitment, picture desire for habit with words, sounds, smell, feeling inside and replace it with something similar you don't like.

Energy determines everything. Have unstoppable level 10 energy. People read energy more than anything else. High energy creates high performance.

90% of success is in the mindset. 100% of success is how you show up. Have a growth mindset. Not perfection but action. The Secret +do work+time. Self-sabotage is mainly due to low self-esteem. Grow self-esteem by giving to others.

What do I want to devote my life (and next few years) to? Power of vision - see your life 3 months, 1 year, 5 years, 1000 years from now.

Create your dream. A dream is why you create goals. Create a plan otherwise you fall into fear or other people's plan. Accept where you are now. Choose where you see yourself. Journey is more important than the goal. It's about you. Choose to have happiness now. What other people think about you is none of your business. Be an actor in your life, tell yourself a story and who cares if is completely wrong.

1. What do I want (and the state and focus I need)?
2. Why do I want it (the personal benefit to me)?
3. What do I need to do (key drivers to get to where I want)?
4. Who knows how to do my what (build rapport and be the type of person I want to attract)?
5. When will I do it (act immediately and remove limits)?

What you really want comes from the heart. Our beliefs, values, attitude, feeling and thinking determine our action. Attitudes -> actions -> skills -> systems. What you focus on grows and is determined by what you value the most. The four basic needs are food, flight, fight and family. Neurofilters can stop you from reaching your goal - be flexible with language, reframe past unpleasant memories as learnings as memory of past times is state dependent, be neurologically aligned goals with values and beliefs.

Belief, visualise, focus, envisioned success, just do it, never give up, faith, follow the steps and strategy, expect success, excited, tough, persist, committed, determined, failure is ok, go again, ask for help, energy, action, relax, trust, courage, will, confidence.

Belief is the most potent thing. It's the formula for getting anything you want. It determines your success/non-success. Knowing it all loses the transformational ability called faith.

People decide whether they win or lose at the start of the race. If you don't get your goal, get excited. Learn to love want you want so much you can't let it go. How you do one thing is how you approach or do other things. Reward yourself when you achieve a goal. Success is easy not hard, just do the best you can, don’t look for hard ways or be too smart. Most of the effort is involved in the beginning similar to a jet taking off and not much effort required when it is off. Let go of the outcome. It’s about the passion inside you, not the money. Be resourceful. Never give up is the most effective strategy, keep going until you get success.

People who create the biggest wealth solve the major problems and create value for others. Wealth is value multiplied by leverage. Need an investment or business vehicle. Read material. Be resourceful. Collaborate with others by finding someone who believes in you, no one has created enormous wealth on their own. The greatest advocate comes from referrals. Do more of the activity that you earn the most money. Biggest problem in business is running out of money. Most people quit, it's lonely at the top.

Life is simple but we overcomplicate it. Schedule time for the most important things in your calendar first (health days, dates, family time). Time is our true limited resource. The reason why we are here according to someone who came back to life from a near death experience is: to learn to love everything.

Never Say Die

Watching the Australian Open semi finals and grand final taught me self belief.

This month has been a topsy turvy one, one where I had to pivot twice. I felt lost. I didn't have a vision. I was planning, testing, and going back to the drawing board, and I was learning. However, I had no strong belief. Belief was something I had in bursts, but I had lost it in a dead end job. It was something I had in the past that I was trying to relive, but work had slowly grated away at it.

This year I started to listen to the advice around me and trusting myself again. I read about the relentless hard work put in by Snoop Dogg and Kanye West in the studio. I was emboldened by the powerful sermons at church. I saw inspiration. It's clichéd, but if you follow your passion and focus on what you love to do with a burning desire and a no-quit attitude, then success is inevitable.

A study of thousands of successful people found that grit is the one characteristic that is the predictor of success. Grit is the perseverance and passion to achieve long term goals, having the stamina to stick with your future day in and day out and working hard to make that future a reality.

Seeing the top tennis players in action helped me relearn the concept of self belief. Belief in oneself is what separates the winners from the losers. There was never doubt in the eyes in Djokovic and Nadal as they closed out their finals. They believed. They fought. They won.

Dreams of The Mortal

At night I wax poetic. Semi-conscious musings. Perceived clarity.

As humans, we have a longing to express. To be near another body. To touch. To satisfy. Lustful urging. Human connection.*

As you grow up you face your mortality. It was something I never wanted to confront, but with age comes an acceptance.

When you are young you think you are invincible. Bruises from a football match always heal. However, the exuberant leafs of youth gradually disappear. Replaced with the first signs of aches and pains where there were none, tiredness, wrinkles, scars, hair loss and grey hairs.

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Memories flash. Looking back through all my friends. Times in the past. With age comes a sense of wisdom. It teaches me that nothing really matters, there is no point getting worked up over nothing.

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God always comes to mind. Last week when I hit 666 friends on Facebook, I suffered the biggest loss I ever had ($11k versus the next closest of $3k). I pondered over whether it was the supernatural.

At night I prayed. Tingling and goosebumps spread through my body like never before when I uttered the word 'Bible'. I called out to Jesus in prayer. I felt Jesus more than as long as I can remember. I prayed for a fruitful 2012. A seed being planted to blossom into a large tree with it's shade benefiting many.

My goal is Olympic gold. My goal is to do good. My goal is God.

But how can I trust God? Unanswered prayers come back to haunt me. Maybe I was not righteous back then. Honestly, I don't know. What about now? Has anything changed? Deep down, I still feel the scars and hurt of the past.

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And the omnipresent question arises. What happens after death? If there is an afterlife, will the people I love be there? If my family and my friends are not there, is there a point to living forever?**

* Males and females want each other. Most of our energies in our lives are devoted to this. More than half of songs are written about this. It is a lust for love. Of the four basic needs of fight, flight, food and family, family is the strongest in the modern developed world.

** Imagining an afterlife is like imagining another dimension. It is trusting in an unknown quantity known as God for an unknown future. I do not know what the point of serving God is if there is no afterlife. I find it hard to comprehend how people from different times would exist together, what they would know or remember or not know or remember, where they would live, whether the world they know would exist, whether their body would exist and if so what age the body will be, how people would live and enjoy their existence, and whether their loved ones and animals would exist.