Satistfaction in us

All of us always used to dream of having a comfortable life. But such is not as easy as 123. Nothing in this world exists in the easiest way we wanted to happen. Neither doing things as perfect as what we wanted to expect.

We should be satisfied always by what we have. However, we should learn how to nurture and develop them in order for us to grow into a more productive individual.

All the richness we are longing to have can only be attained only if we know how to stretch our limbs and learn how to stand and not only be satisfied with the way we crawl.

Ours is a possession of a great magnitude to conquer all odds. Whatever challenge that we might encounter, we should learn how to face them bravely and with full of optimism.

My First Financial Planning Seminar

Last July 31, I was given the chance to be a resource speaker for the very first financial planning seminar that I conducted. I was at first nervous as this was my very first speaking stint but that nervousness was slowly swallowed as I discussed my topics.

It was a success! It was attended by around 50 attendees from our company. I was first introduced as a BS Mathematics graduate from Ateneo de Manila University, mentioned my two former employment background and my feature in Good House Keeping magazine as financial expert.

A lot of thanks for that introduction. I’ve never been given such recognition in my entire life. After that, I started discussing my financial planning powerpoint presentation.

For the readers of this blog, I would present here the details of my handout given to those who attended so that at least even though you were not able to attend, it’s as if you attended my first financial planning seminar. Basically, it’s just a summary of some of the contents of this blog.

Goals:
Goals empower us. It gives us direction. Life is full of paths. We can either go in the right direction or in the wrong direction. Goals provide us the right direction. It sets our priorities. It gives us the motivation.
When you list down your goals, you are giving direction to your life. In listing your goals, list them “smartly”. S-Specific, M-Manageable, A-Achievable, R-Realistic, T-Time Bound

S-Specific. Our goals should be specified to give us direction. To set a specific goal, it must answer any one of the following “W” questions:
o Who: Who is involved?
o What: What do I want to accomplish?
o Where: Identify a location
o When: Establish a time frame
o Which: Identify requirement and constraints
o Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.
Sample: I want to become a millionaire! But a specific goal would say, “Get a job for 10 years, establish your own food business and use your network of friends and acquaintances”

M – Measurable. To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as “How much?” “How many?” “How will I know when it is accomplished?” Sample: I want to become a millionaire by age of 26!

A – Achievable. When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways on how to achieve them. In the process, you develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, talents and capacity to achieve them. When you list your goals, you see yourself as worthy of these goals.

R – Realistic. To be realistic, a goal must have an objective that you are both “willing” and “able” to work. If you truly “believe” that you can achieve your goal, then it is realistic.

T – Time Bound. Goal should be grounded by time frame because if there’s no time frame, then there’s no sense of urgency. If you just say, “someday” then it won’t work. By setting a time frame, you are setting your mind to begin working in achieving that goal.

ABC to achieve goals:
ASPIRE: You start with what you want to achieve. Be specific; follow the “S-M-A-R-T” goal system. You say to yourself: “I WILL ACHIEVE THIS!”
BELIEVE: After you’ve listed down the goals that you aspire, believe in yourself that you can achieve it! I already saw a lot of people achieved it, if they can do it, then why won’t I? You say to yourself: “I CAN DO IT!”
COMMIT: The next step is to commit. This is the hardest part because your patience, attitude and determination will be tested to its fullest. It’s a test for survival. You say to yourself: “I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!”

Law of Attraction: Positive Thinking + Action = Goals
- Napoleon Hill (author of Think and Grow Rich): We become what we think about
- Newton’s Universal Gravitation: Every object in the universe was attracted by every other object -> e=mc2
- WILL POWER: What your mind conceives, your body can achieve.

Examples of Will Power:

Marathon Race: At the start of the game, the runner conditions his mind. His will power says: “I CAN DO IT!” This will power pushes his body to try harder and run faster to overcome opponents. It was the soul driving the body. The power was not in the muscles but in his will! You will notice that at the end of the race, the will let up and the body will collapse.

Rags to Riches Story: They never consider their economic status to be a hindrance to become successful in life.

Roselle Ambubuyog: A BS Mathematics student in Ateneo who graduated Summa Cum Laude and got the title valedictorian of the Year! - BUT both eyes are blind.

Motivational Quotes:
- “I will do today what other people won’t so that I can have tomorrow what other people can’t”
- “When you want something, all the universe will conspire in helping you to achieve it”
- “Show me a person backed with passion, conviction and resolve and I’ll show you a winner”
- “When a team of dedicated individuals makes a commitment to act as one, the sky is the limit”

Frugality: Ways to Manage Funds in Work Life
- Pay yourself first:
       Income – Savings = Expense
       Pareto’s Principle of 80/20:
           - In business, put most of your efforts on the 20% of things that bring 80% of income to your business.
           - In saving, put at least 20% to savings.

Frugality: Ways to Manage Funds in Home Life

Save Money on Electric Bills
       - Drop the temp. Lower the temperature on your water heater’s thermostat
       - Change bulbs. Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) use a quarter of the electricity of regular incandescent light bulbs.
       - Check filters. Remember to replace aircon filters and heat-pump filters to keep these systems running efficiently.
       - Pull the plug. Remember to pull the plug for any electrical appliances that are not in use.

Save Money on Water Bills
o Get a gadget. Get yourself a low-flow faucet aerator. It uses less water while increasing water pressure.
o Fix leaks. Check for leaks in pipes, hoses, especially in the toilet.
o Recycle water. Collect rain water to water the plants. Just be sure not to stock it very long to avoid developing a breeding ground for dengue.
o Add a hose nose. Use a hose with a shut-off nozzle when you water the plants so that there will be no wasted water if the hose is not in use.
o Wash full loads. Cleaning less than a full load of clothes or dishes wastes both water and energy.

Frugality: Ways to Manage Funds in Family Life

Save Money in Dining and Entertainment
o Know before you go. Scan over your local newspaper, check radio stations and company websites for coupons, promos, and special discounts.
o Master menu magic. Drink water instead of ice teas, alcoholic beverages, and juices. Bypass that meaty main dish. Order a meatless meal or if it’s not enough, try two appetizers or several side orders.
o Get discount coupons. Take advantage of discount coupons and treats given by sales persons in different malls.
o Win your treat. Join contest that have prices for gift certificates, free movie passes, and free vacation packages. Some of these contests are held in radio stations.
o Ask to pay less. Use discount treats that come along with your credit card. Or if you are a senior citizen or a student, ask if they have special promos for you.
o Keep your fun cheap. Attend free cultural events and other low-priced entertainment. Or just watch a DVD movie at home with your friends.

Investments: Making Your Money Work For You

Emergency Bank
o Set up a minimum of 6 months up to one year of your monthly income for your emergency fund to cover up for emergency expenses such as job layoffs, hospitalization, and other emergency expenses
Evaluate Your Investments: Risk, Liquidity, Return
o Risk is the possibility of losing the amount you invested
 Risk-Averse
 Moderate Risk
 Risky
o Liquidity is how an investment can easily turn back to cash
 How urgent do you need your money now?
o Return is the interest income of the investment or ROI
 The higher the return that we want, the riskier the investment

Investment Lessons You Need To Know
o Your Enemy: Inflation. Inflation is the rise of prices of commodity. It depreciates the purchasing power of our currency. Therefore, we must find a good investment that has returns higher than the annual inflation rate.
o Your Ally: Time. Time is of essence to investment because it takes time for you to reap the returns of your investment. In a simple savings account, time is beneficial as portrayed by compound interest.
o Know your investments. Be sure to know what the sources of the returns are and how those returns were made. Understand and learn in the process.
o Diversify. Diversify all your investments not only in one type of investment but also to others so that if it fails, you don’t lose everything.
o Minimize unnecessary expenses and taxes. Look for investments that have low taxes and other unnecessary expenses because it depletes the possible return for your money.
o Match your investment with your risk appetite: Evaluate each investment with risk, return and liquidity
o Start early. The early bird catches the worm. Time is essential in investment.

Investments: Where to Invest Extra Cash?

Risk-Averse:
o Savings Account
 Lend money to bank and bank will invest it. In return, bank will give you low interest but you can withdraw our money anytime.
o Time Deposits
 Lend money to bank and bank will invest it. In return, bank will give you higher interest but your investment is subject to a withholding period and you cannot withraw your money anytime you want.
o Special Deposit Account (SDAs)
 You lend your money to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas like a bond and they will give you higher interest but it requires a huge capital ranging from 100K to 1M.
Moderate Risk:
 Bonds – Investment Outlet Units (IOUs). You lend your money to corporation and they will pay you interest (corporate bonds)
Risky:
o Stock Market
o Real Estate

Robert Kiyosaki: Increase your financial intelligence
 Rat Race – a term coined by Kiyosaki to mimic our general income-spend attitude (i.e., when you receive your pay, you expense it out right away to pay bills, buy clothes, etc.)
 Cash flow quadrant:
o Employee – These are people who work for a boss and who love security. No work, no pay.
o Self-Employed – They work for themselves and don’t have a boss. They can decide for themselves. These are people who love to be independent (i.e. doctors, lawyers, etc.) No work, no pay.
o Big Business Owner – They love delegating tasks. They concentrate more on activities which produces most profits. They hire people who are more intelligent than them to make them rich.
o Investor – People who already built assets. These assets are working hard for them to make them rich. They don’t work for money but their money is working hard for them.

Robert Kiyosaki: Secrets of the Rich
Secret 1: What is Financial Intelligence?
o Income statement and balance sheet – two important simple concepts you need to know to increase financial intelligence
o Asset vs. Liability – Assets provide cash to our pocket. Liabilities deplete cash from our pocket. Asset will FEED us. Liabilities will EAT us.
o Is house and asset or liability?
Secret 2: Cash Flow Patterns of Poor, Middle Class and Rich Persons
o Poor: Every income from job goes out to expenses right away
o Middle Class: Every income from job goes to liabilities that they thought are assets, and then eventually goes out as expenses
o Rich: Every income from job, they use to buy assets that will provide them passive income in the future.
Secret 3: Increase Passive Income

Robert Kiyosaki: Good Debt vs. Bad Debt
 Good debt helps us manage our finances
 Bad debt is a burden because it drains our finances
 Debt leveraging: Using debt to your advantage
o Take advantage of credit cards
 Cashless Transaction – credit cards allow cashless transactions that are less prone to hold ups and snatchers
 Emergency Cash – credit cards have cash advance facility that you can use in case of emergency
 Float Advantage – buy now pay later.
 Huge Discounts – credit cards companies have tie ups with several merchants for discounts
 Reward Points – accumulate points in exchange of freebies
 Raffle Points – aside fro m reward points, credit card companies conduct raffle promos from time to time.

Robert Kiyosaki: Game of Money
 1st Quarter (25-35 years old)
o Savings should be your top priority
o Learn investment options
o Get insurance
 2nd Quarter (35-45 years old)
o Plan for your children’s future
o Make sure you have enough for your emergency bank
o Have a business
HALF TIME – Mid-Life Crisis
 3rd Quarter (45-55 years old)
o Allocate much of your income to investment capital – review your investment portfolio and ask if you need to transfer funds to other nvestments
 4th Quarter (55-65 years old)
o Protect your capital – try to preserve your capital so that you can live with on its interest, And make sure to make your last will in order.
OVER TIME
GAME OVER

Robert Kiyosaki: Cash Flow Game – From Rat Race to Fast Track
Doodads. Doodads are simply the expensive wants that we can’t resist.
Opportunity. Opportunites serve as deals for you to grab. It is broken down into two: small deal and big deal. Small deals are deals that involves small money while big deals involve large sums of money. Deals can either be stocks, mutual fund, business, or real estate opportunities.
Market. Markets serve as opportunities for holders of assets. When you land in this option, you are offered by a buyer.
Baby. Baby depicts the real happening of raising a family. In the game, when you land in this option, there will be an additional cost that will be added to your expenses. And there will be a maximum of 3 babies in the entire game.
Paycheck. Paycheck depicts the real world of employment.
Downsizing. Downsizing also depicts the real happening of being fired or unemployed. In this case, you will lose 2 turns and lose a portion of your cash to fund your needs.
Charity. Lastly, charity relies on the concept of the law of reciprocation.

THANK YOU!
I hope you enjoyed my very first financial planning seminar!
Unfortunately, the company does not want me to post pictures or posters of the seminar so I cannot post it. But thanks to the certificate given to me and little present from the team.

What does it take to become successful?

What does it take to become successful? Success has a lot of meaning to each of us. You can achieve success financially, success emotionally, success spiritually, etc.

In a recent addition to my learnings to become a successful entrepreneur and investor, I’ve learned about John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success.

John Wooden is a retired American basketball coach. He is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player (class of 1961) and as a coach (class of 1973). He has authored a lecture and a book about the Pyramid of Success. The Pyramid of Success consists different philosophical building blocks for winning at basketball which can then be applied to become successful in life.


According to John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, “Success” is at the apex of the pyramid.

“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming,” says John Wooden

In order to achieve this success, one must follow 15 traits to become successful. These traits are so-called building blocks of success. Let’s discuss each of these traits starting from the bottom to the top.

Industriousness. John Wooden says: “Hardwork results in worthwhile accomplishments.” True enough, I think success is 90% perspiration and 10% luck. You need to act in order to succeed.

Honesty. John Wooden says: “Truthfulness should always prevail. Tell it like it is and not how you wish it to be.” Honesty is the best policy and the truth will set you free.

Friendship and loyalty. John Wooden says: “Friendship comes from mutual esteem, respect, and devotion. A sincere liking for all.” No man is an island. In order to achieve success, you must mingle with successful people. Find mentors and learn from them.

Cooperation. John Wooden says: “Cooperation with all levels of your co-workers is essential. Help others and see the other side”.” Two heads are always better than one. No once can be successful in its own. It is always a team effort. Learn to cooperate by sharing your knowledge and gain some knowledge as well from other people.

Enthusiasm. John Wooden says: “Your heart must be in your work. Stimulate others.” You must have the passion in what you do for if you have that passion and you keep it burning, your chances of achieving success in reaching those goals are high.

Self-Control. John Wooden says: “Keep emotions under control. Delicate adjustment between mind and body is needed. Keep judgment and common sense.” As the famous self-motivation coach Anthony Robbins said that our emotions are one of the keys to our health. Your emotions are somehow connected to your health and success. If you are a happy person, you will attract a lot of positive things. Positive things are always associated with success. Same thing goes for negative emotions. If you are always angry, then chances are you will attract negative emotions too.

Alertness. John Wooden says: “Ask rigorous questions. Be skilled in scientific reasoning.” Curiousity leads to knowledge.

Initiative. John Wooden says: “Summon the courage to make a decision and take action.” Sometimes, you need to take the initiative to take the proper actions without being told to do. Be proactive!

Intentness. John Wooden says: “Harness your ability to resist temptation and stay with your course. Concentrate on your objective and be determined to reach your goal.” If there’s a will, there’s a way. Aim high and stay focus in achieving your goals. It all boils down on how strong your will power is.

Condition. John Wooden says: “Mental, moral, physical and diet must be considered. Moderation must be practiced. Dissipation must be eliminated.” Everything that is excess and deficient is detrimental. Moderation is the key.

Skill. John Wooden says: “Skills are knowledge of and the ability to properly execute the fundamentals. Be prepared. Cover every details.” Skill must be developed. Constant education is the key in improving one’s skills.

Team Spirit. John Wooden says: “You must have an eagerness to sacrifice personal interests or glory for the welfare of all. The team comes first.” Sometimes, we need to set aside our personal concerns for the higher benefit of most people. Successful leaders are servants to their people.

Poise. John Wooden says: “Just be yourself. Be at ease in any situation. Never fight yourself.” Be true to yourself. Be comfortable in any situation. Don’t be pretentious.

Confidence. John Wooden says: “You should respect without fear. Be confident, not cocky. Confidence may come from faith in yourself in knowing that you are prepared.” Having faith in one’s self is the key. To have faith is to be prepared. You cannot win a war unless you are prepared. Same thing for success. Success comes with thorough preparation and planning.

Competitive Greatness. John Wooden says: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Be at your best when your best is needed. Real love of a hard battle.” Ultimately, success relies in yourself. It’s you who will make yourself successful and not others. Develop that attitude to be the best when your best is needed.
How about you, what’s your idea of success? What does it take for you to become successful?

How to Overcome Laziness

In one of my previous posts, I tackled about overcoming fear. Today, it’s time to tackle on how to overcome laziness.

Busy people are often the laziest. Busyness is a form of avoidance. If you stay busy you can avoid some of the things you don’t want to face—like exercising, or taking care of your wealth.

What’s the cure for laziness?

Kiyosaki says a little greed. Isn’t greed bad? Too much of it, yes. An excess of anything is bad. The fact is, however, that all of us secretly harbor a desire to have new or exciting things. We’ve been told by our parents and others to suppress that desire. We’ve been made to feel guilty about it. How many children have asked a parent for something and gotten the response, “Do you think I’m made of money?” In truth, guilt is worse than greed. Guilt stifles dreams.

When we stop saying “Life is too hectic to change it” and say, instead, “It’s time to exit this rat race and find new ways to earn wealth,” we begin to cure ourselves of our busy laziness.

The Rich Dad of Kiyosaki used to say, “The phrase ‘I don’t want’ holds the key to your success.”  Kiyosaki saw what he meant when he got into real estate and quickly learned that he didn’t want to fix toilets. By finding a property manager who could fix toilets, he was freed up to buy a lot more real estate. And as a result, his cash flow increased.

Go ahead, be greedy, if that’s what your heart is telling you to do. But don’t overdo it to the point that you are doing illegal things. Persevere and work hard. Make a list of what you really want, and don’t limit it according to someone else’s idea of what you shouldn’t have—be truthful with yourself.




When your list is complete, step back and appraise it. Don’t ask yourself whether you can afford the things on your list, but rather how you can afford them. This fresh appraisal will create a stronger mind and a more dynamic spirit, helping you to shed your lazy ways. I suggest that everytime you feel lazy, take a look on your list and think of ways on how can you afford it. Most of all, TAKE ACTION and don’t be a couch potato!
As and end, I would like to leave another Rich Dad Tip:

 “The words ‘I can’t afford it’ close your mind, while the words, ‘How can I afford it?’ open your mind. The human spirit is powerful—it knows it can do anything.”

Source: Robert Kiyosaki’s Coaching Program

Qualities of an Effective Leader

QThe Philippines is going to elect another leader this coming May. Who deserves to be the leader among those contenders? Who has the qualities of an effective leader?

There are a lot of people that say leaders are born. Some say that leaders are made. Whatever your opinion on this, leaders should be ‘effective’ in their leadership and should be responsible to their constituents.

Let’s discuss some of the qualities of an effective leader and apply these qualities to the country’s highest leader, the President, as we cast our votes this coming Presidential elections.


The highest form of leadership is servanthood. Leadership is one of the highest calling a person can receive. How can you distinguish an effective leader among the rest?

An effective leader is the one who serves, a bad leader wants to be serve.
An effective leader is one who empowers, a bad leader wants that power.
An effective leader wants people to grow and become great, a bad leader becomes insecure when someone grows and they always have to be the great one.

There’s this law in Physics that for every action, there is an equal reaction. The secret to become an effective leader is simple enough.

If you want to be happy, make someone happy. Instantly you become happy.

If you want to be motivated or empowered, motivate and empower someone. Instantly you’re motivated and empowered.

If you want to be appreciated, appreciate people and they will appreciate you.
If you want respect, of course respect them first.
If you want to be trusted, you must trust others too.

As an effective leader, you should not wait for someone to do those things for you first, You have to do it yourself first. An effective leader is called a ’leader’, because people follow what you do, not what you say. Effective leaders serve as inspiration and motivation among their followers.

Rich Dad Tip:

“A leader’s job is to bring out the best in people, not to be the best person.”

As an end to this post, I would like to give you the Leadership Litmus Test that I learned from Robert Kiyosaki:

- Are you depending on charisma to lead your team? Watch out—leadership has less to do with personal magnetism than with persistence in communicating your mission to your people.
- Do you hole yourself up in your office all day long, poring over numbers rather than getting out and talking with your team? Financial statements are important, but so is mixing with—and listening to—your employees. Watch out for the stuffed-shirt syndrome. The best way to keep abreast of company progress is through informal interaction and ad hoc meetings.

- When it comes to making decisions, do you put off the day of reckoning? Effective leaders need to be action-oriented; otherwise their companies will succumb to paralysis.
- Do you lead by command—telling people what to do, and punishing them if they don’t—or by enabling? Leaders who hire talented people and give them space to shine are establishing an atmosphere of trust in which creative ideas will flower.

Overcome Fear in Investing

Without doubt, each of us don’t want to invest because we are afraid of losing our hard earned money. The fear of losing money is the main reason a huge percentage of the public struggles financially. But fear isn’t the real problem. It’s how people handle fear that matters. Kiyosaki tells people that the primary difference between rich people and poor people is how they handle the fear of losing money. Some people, when hit with a financial loss, give up. Others transform the loss into a win. As John D. Rockefeller said, “I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.” Losers are defeated by failure. Winners are inspired by it.


Kiyosaki often commented that the real reason for lack of financial success was that people played it too safe. “People are so afraid of losing money that they do lose it,” he would say. If they have some cash, they buy big houses and big cars rather than big investments. Or they invest all of their money in balanced portfolios—in CDs and low-yield bonds and mutual funds and a few individual stocks. These are people, driven by fear, playing not to lose.

Rich Dad Tip:

“The primary difference between rich people and poor people is how they handle fear.”

Of course, a balanced portfolio is a lot better than no portfolio at all. It seeks safety through diversity. Having a financial plan for security and comfort first are important. But if you have any desire to become rich, you must focus, not diversify. You must put a lot of eggs in a few baskets rather than putting a few eggs in many.

FEAR: I’ll lose all my money if I invest in anything riskier than CDs, bonds, and mutual funds.

FACT:  If you lose some money, you can learn from the failure. Once you become an educated investor you’ll be positioned to reap potentially huge rewards.

FREEDOM:  Financial failure can be transformed into financial gain.

If the prospect of failure frightens you, then play it safe. Keep your daytime job until you have enough cash to buy bonds and mutual funds and consult with a financial planner. But if the prospect of failure inspires you to fight and win, maybe you should challenge yourself to change your financial habits. Educate yourself and take some financial risks. The more education you have, the less risk there will be.

In investing, the higher the risk, the higher the reward. You won’t become successful if you didn’t take risks and part of that risk is the fear of losing money. Personally, when I increased my financial education, my risk appetite also increased. I started investing in mutual funds and unit investment trust funds and then went to a riskier type of investment - the stock market. As I increased my business acumen, sooner or later, I will begin engaging myself into business. The more financially educated I am, the less the fear that I am feeling about.

Source: Robert Kiyosaki’s Coaching Program

What to do after a job layoff?

Nowadays, because of the global financial crisis, a lot of were laid off in their jobs. There were a lot of job cuts all over the world. What will you do if you’re one of them? What will you do if you’ve just learned you’re about to be laid off?

What now? Of course, you will feel depress. Some people even commit suicide.

Even before you start a new job hunt, you can take steps to shore up your financial concerns.

Grab a pen and some hope. If your employer begins your exit paperwork and meetings immediately, you may learn about valuable resources in your severance pay or outplacement benefits. So grab a pen and take thorough notes on everything your employer tells you during the exit process. Make them wait while you write. Get their phone numbers so you can call them later for clarification.

Ask questions. If you’re part of a large layoff, your company probably won’t negotiate for terms of your severance package. But do ask about the package’s details. For example, ask how and when you will be paid, get specifics on the outplacement services your employer plans to pay for, and find out which of your benefits will continue and at what cost.

If your employer has not purchased outplacement services for you, politely complain and request it. They may not be aware of how helpful it is to you. Once you get home, read all the paperwork you’ve received and write down questions to ask. Then arrange to meet with your human resources department to get the answers.

Take action. During the three days following a layoff, go to your outplacement meetings and follow the instructions you get there. In the United States, there is such thing as unemployment insurance. If your severance pay equals less than six months of regular income, file for unemployment insurance within three days too. Remember, this is insurance and it is not a part of welfare or any need-based programs so don’t hesitate to file.

Alternatively, for those ones living here in the Philippines, you can take advantage of the loan being given by the Social Security System (SSS) to those who were laid off. Or you can participate in different livelihood programs implemented by the government.

Budget for change. Look for temporary ways to cut expenses or unnecessary spending. Make a budget or change your budget so your spending can match your changed income until you start working again.

Seek other opportunities. Nowadays, there were few employment opportunities as against the number of workers. Seek other opportunities. You can enroll yourself to various seminars on entrepreneurship and start your own business. You can use your severance pay as capital to start small. Work your way and who knows, you might end up successful in your venture. Sometimes, bad things happen in disguise for better things to happen. You might even thank that you were laid off in your job.

Don’t lose hope. It’s not the end of the world yet when you were laid off in your job. Instead be positive. Be optimistic. Life goes on. Above all, pray, have enough courage to face this challenge and believe in yourself!

Be Optimistic!

Be Optimistic! Be Positive! That’s one of the most common words that we keep on hearing from friends when we encounter failures and defeats.

If you are inclined to be a pessimist, experts say to try to bite your tongue to stop those negative comments coming out, because everytime they come out, they’ll kill a bit of enthusiasm for life. A lot of times, it may be necessary to just pretend to be happy. So try to think of yourself as someone with a happy demeanor. Nevermind that you feel doom-laden, put a happy face!

How to be optimistic? Here are some ways:

Stand up straight and tall. When walking, stand up straight and tall. Experts say to lengthen your stride. If something insurmountable gets in your way, instead of feeling defeated, be turned on by the challenge and come at it from different angles, showing your determination!

An optimistic person feels their life has a purpose. If you feel pessimistic, don’t feed your unhappiness and go around bringing others down just because you feel that way.

I admit I have experienced this pessimism in one of my jobs before. And I always complain about things with my friends. They got fed up with me and a lot of times, they just don’t want to listen on the rants that I have. They are being driven away. Later on, I soon realized that I am one of the luckiest persons with the blessings that I am receiving and stopped thinking about those negative rants. Instead, I moved on and concentrated on the things that I should do to further improve my career and my future.

Be grown-up. Do you have unforgettable happy experiences? How about memorable night outs with your friends? Or a favorite song that lifts your spirit? These memories of wonderful times can definitely change your mood from being pessimist to becoming happy and optimist.

Don’t underestimate the happiness order can bring. Definitely, you’ll feel a lot better when you take a bath. And somehow, life itself seems to be happier when everything is clean and in order.

Getting fresh air and exercise will kick-start sluggish spirits within you. Get passionate about something that makes you want to do it whenever you can, so you’ll always have a reason to get out of bed. Allow yourself to give in to sublime moments of joy, bliss, ecstasy and the company of friends is an obvious boost. I am lucky I belong to a team of happy people in the office and we usually laugh a lot about small things.
If you ever feel sad because nobody is texting you, make the effort yourself to get in touch with people. It’s unlikely they are deliberately avoiding you, so make it your turn to make contact.

Get over it! If it’s you who is beating you up, stop it now and make yourself like you more. Stop being critical and dwelling on miserable thoughts. Think of your achievements and the situations in the past that you have handled well. Remind yourself of compliments you’ve received.

Keep your miseries in context. Many things that make you unhappy don’t warrant the attention you continue to give them. Forgive, forget and move on when people hurt you.

If all things don’t work, try to get yourself busy. Very busy. Over-thinking about something that is making you unhappy can make you feel worse, and often you only do that if you have a lot of time in your hands. Loving what you do as your job is a great comfort in unhappy times.

Our emotions affect our health. Research says that happy and optimistic people tend to live longer. So if you want to live longer and enjoy more of the things life has to offer, be optimistic!

Change Your Mind to Achieve Success!

I was watching this video by Anthony Robbins, one of the most successful motivational speaker. And I thought that definitely, it’s worth to share it to all my readers.

Tony Robbins talked about how to condition your mind to achieve success. Its all about chaging your beliefs and taking massive actions towards achieving your goals.

Each and everyone of us has its own potentials. But not everyone of us cultivates these potentials to become a reality. Have you heard of people who went from rags to riches? Have you heard of people who despite of their physical disability conquered success? These are manifestations that each one of us have potentials to achieve our goals despite our innate limitations.

Fear is what hinders us from achieveing these goals. We are afraid because we might fail and failures depresses us. Change your mind towards this kind of attitude because failures should serve as challenges for you to conquer. Failures are always part of every success!

In order to conquer this fear, you have to envision in your mind that you would definitely achieve these goals that you’ve set. If you want to become a millionaire, then envision yourself having that millions. But don’t forget to take actions. Conditioning your mind is just the first step. Acting on it is another. You couldn’t get the drive to achieve your goals if you haven’t envisioned it in the first place.

I would like you all to watch this very powerful and amazing video by Tony Robbins - it’s simply one of the best motivational tools in conditioning your mind in achieving your goals. It’s pretty long though, around 38 minutes but definitely it would motivate you to change your attitude and start thinking of achieving your goals in life.

Winner’s Creed

I want to share this powerful prayer called “Winners’ Creed” which I received thru a text message long time ago. It is an act of communication with God that guides us.

I know that prayer works as long as you coupled it with determination, will power and definitely ACTION. With God’s help, I believe that prayers can move mountains.

In Filipino, there’s a saying: “Nasa Diyos ang awa nasa tao ang gawa.”

Winners’ Creed
I am a winner.
I have faith in God.
I believe in myself and I know that everything works for good in the end.
Whatever I do, whether I eat, drink, talk and walk, I will win!
I am born to succeed
and I will not allow anybody or anything to stop me from achieving success in life.
With God’s help, I know I can do it because nothing is impossible with Him.
I will accept failure is just a part of winning and I must learn to overcome defeat and emerge as a real winner.
I know I will win because I choose to begin, so help me God.
Amen.

Winners vs. Losers

What are the qualities of a winner? What differentiates it as against a loser? Do you want to become a winner and avoid being a loser?
Here are some of the qualities of a winner vs. a loser:

A winner is always part of the answer.
A loser is always part of the problem.

Losers always complain and complain. They never stop. The reason their “issues” persist is that they can’t stop talking about it. Winners recognize problems but instead of complaining about them, in conversations, they talk about solutions. They talk about how to resolve the problem and they always think of ways to come up with a solution. A winner sees an answer to any problem while a loser sees a problem for any answer.

A winner always has a plan.
A loser always has an excuse.

A winner plans ahead of time. Winners set goals and targets and walk they way towards achieving it. However, losers always blame others and not themselves. They blame the lack of opportunity for their financial and economic status. They blame the traffic when they come late in the office. They can give any possible excuse that they can get.

A winner says: “It may be difficult but it’s possible”
A loser says: “It may be possible but it’s too difficult.”

Winners are strong to face the challenges that lies ahead when achieving their goals. They are positive minded. They are determined and confident to reach their goals. They usually have mentors who are successful and these mentors serve as inspiration for them. They say that if these people have achieved it, why can’t I? They always say: “I CAN DO IT!” However, losers are concentrated not on the possibility of reaching their goals but on the challenges and hindrance that they see in achieving these goals. They fail to acknowledge that discomfort and sacrifices are key ingredients to success. They say “It’s too difficult!” or “I can’t do it!” They are afraid of taking risks. And so they end up stale and not growing.

A winner says: “How can I afford it?”
A loser says: “I can’t afford it!”

Winners portray the attitude of Rich Dad of Robert Kiyosaki. It’s all about beliefs, attitudes and habitual language. When it comes to money, winners say that lack of money is the root of all evil. They say: “How can I afford it?” They open their minds and think of legal ways and means on how can they afford things that they like. On the other hand, losers say that money is the root of all evil. They say “I can’t afford it” and the list of excuses goes on again. They are closing their minds to opportunities.

In the end, winners are role models. They are hungry for growth and excellence. Their will power is so strong that they are so determined to reach their goals. They always put their best foot forward in every endeavor that they do. However, losers remain stale. They are not determined. They always blame others and give excuses. They don’t grow because they are afraid of risks.

Sometimes, we are winners but other times, we are losers. Which between the two qualities do you possess most of the time? Are you a winner or a loser?

Finally, I want to share a powerful prayer for winners - The Winners’ Creed

How to Set and Achieve Your Goals

Goals serve as a source of motivation. Everyone should start with their own individual goals. I started this blog with my own goals and as I have mentioned in one of my previous posts about setting a goal, one should consider having a SMART goal. That is S- Significant, M- Manageable, A- Achievable, R- Realistic, and T- Time Bound.

In order to set your goals in order to achieve them, you must first consider what motivates. From there, pick the ones you think would really give you the most benefit after you have achieved what you set out to do. Remember to write these goals with pen and paper so that you could refer back to them whenever you need to.

As I have mentioned above, make sure that whatever goals you write must be achievable. If your goals are realistic, then you could proceed to determining how long it would take to accomplisg each goal. Besides, putting it in writing is a way of clearly defining to yourself your aims, thereby emphasizing to you more what needs to be accomplished. However, as the need arises, make room for adjustments.

Certain distractions sidetrack us from our goals. One of the biggest distractions that you could encounter is the feeling of being overwhelmed by your own expectations from yourself. If this happens to you, you might have overplanned your goals. Pick up yourself and start all over. Remember to have a manageable goal as I mentioned above.

To help you in achieving the list of your goals, write down the steps you need to take. By simply crossing off step as you complete it, you will be able to see and gauge for yourself your own progress as you go along. The value of this process is that long-term goals could be easily tracked and adjusted whenever something unexpected happens.

Keep in mind that setting up and writing down your goals is a continuing process. You may easily fall into the trap of thinking that this is just a means to an end. If that happens, remind yourself to view your list of goals every once in a while to keep you focused and in line with what you want to achieve. As you do so, remain open to the fact that changes, either planned or unplanned, may occur in the execution of your plans whether you like it or not.

How to Ask for Salary Increase

Times are tough nowadays. There are a lot of job layoffs and salary freezes. Companies are squeezing their budgets so employees are multitasking as of now performing two or more job responsibilities more than they usually do without getting enough salary increases. If your job responsibilities have changed and grown, you should address this situation with your manager as soon as you can. If you don’t you’ll only build resentment and also miss a valuable opportunity for professional growth.
Here are some of the tips on how to ask for a salary increase.

Find your original job description. If you don’t have one, write one for yourself, outlining as clearly as you can the job responsibilities you were hired to do. Then, on a second page, write a detailed outline of what you’re actually doing for comparison. Now, you’re ready to ask for a five-minute meeting with your boss. Ask either in person or, even better, by email - which keeps your boss from feeling ambushed and lets him plan for the possibility of salary increase.

Start the meeting by telling your boss how much you like your job and working for him. Mention how you’re enjoying your new job responsibilities and thank him for the confidence he’s shown in assigning them to you. Now comes the hard part- asking for a salary increase! Simply say, “I feel I should be paid more for taking on the added responsibilities, and I hope you agree.”

Keep talking. Your heart’s probably now in your throat but just go on. Mention the specific salary increase you are asking as a percentage increase from your current salary. If he doesn’t agree with the amount, all you’ll have to work out is the figure.

If he says no, ask him when you might expect a salary raise for the responsibilities you’ve taken on, and have him commit to another review date. Before you end the meeting, ask your boss for his feedback on what you’re doing well and where you could improve. Once the economic forecast improves and there is more flexibility in your company’s budget, you’ll be the first person he considers for a salary raise.