On the 1st day of 2012, I received the following emails about starting the New Year right. As usual, these were some of the tips offered:

1. Drink less alcohol
2. Eat healthier food
3. Lose weight
4. Get fit
5. Take a trip
6. Volunteer to help others
7. Save more money

There were all kinds of advice that arrived in my inbox covering nearly every topic you can think of. There’s even one that tells you how to backup your hard drive!

The truth is, New Year resolutions tend to get a bad rap for being fruitless. Just ask any of your friends, and they’ll probably tell you that hardly any one of them has fulfilled his or her resolution. It seems like they never stepped out of their old selves, living with stale, self-limiting habits that are stopping them from getting the success they deserve.

Posted by: srplnet

10 Jan

Recently, I met up with some friends who told me about how much stress they were going through because of the financial crisis, their businesses and family issues.

Out of curiosity, I checked Google to find out the definition of stress and it said that stress is “the consequence of the failure to adapt to change”. I don’t know about you but I think that is true to a certain extent!

I also learnt that stress is a result of non-acceptable and inflexibility. It is caused mostly by strong attachment and expectations. For example, if we expect to earn more money by a certain time frame, we will, at the same time, fear that this expectation will not come true. And when we fail to achieve the goals we set out to achieve, stress arises.

Posted by: srplnet

10 Jan

I’ve always wanted to share this with you on this blog.

Now is my chance to do it.

My Biggest Mistakes – Story 1

This happened a few years ago at the Tan Tock Seng hospital in Singapore.

My mother had just gone though a heart operation to clear a blockage in her heart. I could see the nurses in the hospital working very hard to attend to the patients. It is not an easy job to care for the sick and old. You need to have a big heart to last in this type of job.

There was a particular nurse who took special care of my mother’s ward. She was polite, kind and caring to the patients. I took down her name and ward number so I could write her a nice note of thanks and appreciate her for her service. I kept the piece of paper with her name and the ward number in my wallet. Every now and then, I’d see the piece of paper and be reminded to write the thank-you note, but I’d always procrastinated and put it off.

Posted by: srplnet

10 Jan

Buying presents is a common way to show our appreciation towards our loved ones and friends during Christmas. However, it also possible give things that cost nothing and yet have great impact in the lives of the people we care about.

Here are 7 little gestures, all of them easily within our grasp that can spread goodwill this Christmas:

1. Compliment Someone:

There’s nothing like a warm, sincere compliment to brighten someone’s day. Praise your children for being in a giving spirit. Thank your parents for everything they’ve done for you. While at a Christmas party, tell someone how much you like their outfit or hair or how much you appreciate their gift. If having dinner at your favourite restaurant, compliment the chef by telling him how much you enjoy that special Christmas meal. Remember, the more you give, the more you’ll receive!

Posted by: srplnet

14 Dec

Christmas can be one of the most stressful times of the year.

The pressure of buying gifts, last minute shopping and deciding who to spend your holiday with can greatly dampen the festive spirit!

Here are 6 tips to help you manage your Christmas stress:

1. Reframe the Negative as Positive

For many of us, Christmas is a time for taking well-deserved break and getting together with loved ones and friends. But there are also others who don’t have a large circle of family or friends and will be spending the holidays alone. While the thought of having nobody to share the holidays with can be overwhelming, it’s also a great opportunity to catch up on your personal hobbies. Love working out? Hit the gym. Love video games? Visit your local amusement games arcade, and who knows you might make a few new friends!

Posted by: srplnet

14 Dec

Christmas is just around the corner and it’s easy to overspend or rack up credit card debts if you don’t watch your budget.

If you’re prone to overspending, here are 5 tips to help you trim your expenses and still enjoy the holidays like there’s no tomorrow!

1. Plan Your Budget Now and Write a List

If you haven’t already started, set aside some time today and work out how much money you plan to spend between now and Christmas. Next, list out everything you want to buy and don’t forget to include special family dinners and travel plans. More importantly, stick to your plan!

2. Look for Deals But Never Buy on Impulse

Posted by: srplnet

14 Dec

Robert G. Allen is one of America’s most famous financial advisors of all time. After graduating with an MBA from Brigham Young University in 1974, Allen began making small real estate investments, transforming his tiny nest egg into a million dollar net worth in a few short years. He shared his powerful system with the public in the New York Times best-seller Nothing Down.

The Problem with Schools

According to Robert, most school systems only teach reading and writing. They don’t teach a person how to become successful. They teach people how to get a job and work for somebody else. Robert says it’s ok to have a job and work for somebody else. But what he teaches goes beyond that.

Why You Need Multiple Streams of Income

Posted by: srplnet

28 Nov

What do the rich and famous have in common that others are missing?

Dr. Denis Waitley, shares the answer from his broad knowledge in self-development, high performance and personal success that he has gained from helping Super bowl, Olympic Champions, NASA astronauts, the US Army, foreign governments as well as educators and youth groups around the world.

Waitley, the bestselling author of The Psychology of Winning and The Seeds of Greatness, says the secret behind the successes of famous names such as Steven Spielberg, Walt Disney, and even William Shakespeare is passion.

He saves some other examples:

Ross Perot, Forbes’ 57th-richest person in America was his big brother at the Naval Academy who went on to become a billionaire with Electronic Data Systems, a global business and technology services company. He was always a man of passion.

Posted by: srplnet

28 Nov

One of the secrets to wealth is to THINK BIG! The fact is that very few people “think” big and even fewer “play” big. So why don’t people want to “play big”?

Usually, it’s because they believe they can’t handle “big” or they don’t want to handle it. Why? Because “big” often equals big responsibilities, big hassles and big problems.

One of the biggest differences between rich people and poor people is that highly successful people are bigger than their problems while unsuccessful people are smaller than their problems.

Unsuccessful people are constantly trying to avoid problems. They back away from challenges. The irony is that in their quest to make sure they don’t have problems, they have the biggest problem of all…they’re broke or close to it. The secret to success is not to try and shrink your problems; it’s to grow yourself so you’re bigger than any problem.

Posted by: srplnet

28 Nov

Select the Best Time to Launch

Capitalize on the peak season, match against competition and when you are ready.

Always try to capitalize on the peak season as words get around faster when more people are looking.

Consider your competitors’ activities when timing the launches. Do not clash with theirs. Be ahead of theirs. Launch only when you are ready. This is to prevent wastage of resources and giving customers bad impression of your company and products.

Build Speed

The early bird catches the worm and creates an impression.

The power of building momentum is pivotal in achieving success. It capitalizes on the positive energy and excitement.

Talking to a lot of people, especially your staff, about a project in your business helps build momentum. Talk to them as the project progresses. It excites them as the target gets nearer. Early bird catches the worm: The difference between today and tomorrow, or even now and an hour later can make a lot of difference.

Posted by: srplnet

15 Nov