How To Enjoy Your Work

 

I was recently invited to be a keynote speaker at a KK High School event. It was in Sabah and initially I thought the timing would be perfect because I would be back in my hometown for Chinese New Year. Unfortunately due to some last minute changes I had to return to KL the day before the event. So I could only conduct the session virtually. 

I shared with all staff of the school a topic which is close to my heart - how to enjoy and be happy at our work. One important perspective is it is sometimes not so much about finding work that we love. It is about finding love in our work. The grass always looks greener on the other side. If we never learn to find love in our work, we will never be happy no matter what work we find ourselves doing. 

Wish for enough

 

不求富，只求足。有富的人，不一定觉得足。

不求顺，只求定。就算逆境，能淡定从容就是心安。

Don't wish for riches. Wish for enough. People with riches may not feel it is enough. 

Don't with for smooth-sailing. Wish for tenacity and calm. No matter the challenges, if we can take them in stride, we have peace in our hearts. 

Experience is your enemy

 

When it makes you judge too quickly; when you lose patience to listen; when you assume you know it all. Many successful people I know share this trait - they are humble, and they do not let their rich experience get in the way of them being open-minded, curious and ready to learn. 

Make experience your valuable friend. 

When the magic disappears, that's when magic begins

 

In many things we do, when we start off, there is often a sheen of magic. Partly due to how others "advertise" to us how good it is, partly because we ourselves want to believe it. E.g. a new job, a new business venture, an NGO, a new relationship. After a few months, or a few years, when things don't work out the way we expect, we may feel disillusioned. Sometimes we give up. 

I argue that this is precisely when magic starts to happen. After you see through the surface, misconceptions and wishful thinking, when you truly understand how it works, when you learn that there is no magic, just logic, hard work and smart work which gets rewarded; that's when you start doing amazing things. That's when magic starts to happen. Let's create our own magic in 2023!

The worst life advice: Persist and you will succeed

Many motivational quotes convey this message - keep at it, believe in yourself, stay true to the course, and eventually you will make it. This can be horrible advice. Banging your head against the wall again and again will break your head before you break the wall. One key element people forget is to work smart, to expand your mindset. Working hard is not enough. 

Learn, and you will succeed. 

What is entrepreneurship based on kindness?

 

Do you associate the word "entrepreneurship" with "kindness"? I was recently invited to be a speaker for a group of entrepreneurs, to speak on high-performance organisation culture. I was inspired by their mindset of having kindness and love as the foundation of business. If you don't love your work, your employees and your customers, you cannot run a productive and sustainable business. Thank you Vistage Group VEE-46! 

The older you get, the lonelier you become?

Have you experienced meeting the stereotypical get-off-my-lawn grumpy old man? As we get older, we sometimes wonder whether we are growing to become one of them. With age we gain experience, but also pride, ego. We become less and less able to listen to and accept others' views. We get worse in empathising with others, especially those who are younger. That's why we keep complaining "Young people these days... "  

Stay a child. Be curious. Ask questions. We should be getting better and better in developing interesting and meaningful relationships. If we feel lonelier, then the problem is with us.