I'm reading You Inc. (How to attract amazing success into your life and business) by John McGrath, one of Australia's top selling real estate agents.
I love this section of the book where he tells of how he once randomly said to the facilitator of a conference he was attending, "I'm so glad to be here and to be listening to all you guys. I wish my team back home could listen to them straight from the source."
The facilitator said, "Well, why don't we ask them?"
At this point, John panicked and started trying to back out. He hadn't really intended to go anywhere with his idea. It was just something he felt at that moment.
So he tried to get out of his idea by saying, oh, these guys are too busy and too important to come.
But the facilitator wouldn't let him get away with it.
His point was: The delegates might be too busy, but John must give them the opportunity to say yes.
After tea break, the facilitator announced to the conference, "John has a request."
John was very embarrassed, but he stood up anyway.
The result was the first real estate training conference of its kind in Australia. Since then, John's company has gone on to organize similar conferences every year, and his company is now the largest real estate trainer in Australia, with a dozen top real estate experts from all over the world presenting.
Action Challenge:
What things are you holding back from saying or doing because of fear that the other person might say no?
Give him a chance to say yes.
Ask the question.
You never know what might happen.
The outcome could change your life or business in an amazing way.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
How Fred Got His New Job
Here's a great story to inspire you in your career.
By Stanley Bing, writer for Fortune Magazine.
This is a story of a guy named Fred who dared to see himself as something bigger. And because he did - because he was able to take that leap of faith - he made a good thing happen. Those who dare to imagine sometimes get what they want. Those who don't never do.
We had been interviewing people for a mid-level management job for, say, five months. If that seems odd to you, then you haven't run a department where every position represents the cumulative function of six that existed before.
Choose the wrong person, and you enter a zone of dysfunction not all that different from having a debilitating disease. Ever have the flu but still have to go to the office? A bad hire is like that.
You see a lot of talented people when you're in this process, but within six seconds - not seven or eight- you know whether the person in front of you is going to be somebody with whom you can sustain a ten-minute conversation.
The only thing I look for is whether the prospect of doing so makes me feel like falling asleep. I am not being metaphorical. Since I was a child, whenever I feel anxious and trapped, my eyelids get heavy. You can see how much I like the whole enterprise, then. And yet it must be done.
One day, deep in the darkest part of this tedium, Fred knocked at my door.
Fred has worked for us for a long time, as long as I've been here, in fact. He's a good guy and a reliable, creative player. Never saw him as a manager, though. There are many like that, actually. Put them on a horse in the middle of the phalanx and they fight with gusto and brilliance. Put that horse at the front of the column and they lead the squad by a circuitous route into the swamp.
Fred stood in my doorway and said, "You found anybody for that manager slot yet?" And I thought, "Oh, no." I like Fred. I don't want to hurt Fred's feelings. "May I come in?" said Fred.
"Sure, Fred," I said.
"I've been thinking a lot about this job you're trying to fill, and I think I could be pretty good at it," said Fred. He had a file on his lap, and he opened it. "I think there's an organizational issue at the center of the problem this job would address," he continued.
I noticed he wasn't nervous. Usually Fred seems a little nervous to me, and this was sort of interesting.
"We have a good team here," he continued, "but we don't communicate enough. We're each in our own silo. I think I know everybody here very well. I think I have their respect." He did. And he had put his finger on the reason we had created this new post. People working in silos seldom produce as much Excellence as those who pull together, or Quality even.
"I've been here for a long time," Fred said. "And I'm finding that thinking about even the possibility of getting this assignment has energized me in a whole new way."
He stopped and looked at me with very big eyes, eyes gleaming with ambition and hope. And I saw the fire in his belly.
In cartoons a hungry wolf will look at a sheep in the meadow, and for a moment the cute, woolly creature itself will disappear and in its place will stand a juicy lamb chop. This is pretty much what happened when I looked at Fred. He himself vaporized, and in his place I saw a solution, and an end to interviewing.
"Okay, Fred," I said. "We have a couple more people to see, but I assure you that I'm going to think very seriously about what you've said."
"That's all?" said Fred, and I realized another thing: Thanks to his length of service, Fred and I knew each other well enough already to have attained a certain informality. "I have a lot more to tell you about if you want to hear it," he added, staring down at his file. "No, Fred," I said. "I like what you've shown me today. Let me just think about things a little."
For about a week I thought. I told a couple of people what had happened.
"For goodness' sake," they said, "give Fred a shot."
So you'll have to excuse me. This job I do is not always fun, but occasionally I get to do something that makes somebody happy. Sometimes the answer to your prayers is right under your nose.
By Stanley Bing, writer for Fortune Magazine.
This is a story of a guy named Fred who dared to see himself as something bigger. And because he did - because he was able to take that leap of faith - he made a good thing happen. Those who dare to imagine sometimes get what they want. Those who don't never do.
We had been interviewing people for a mid-level management job for, say, five months. If that seems odd to you, then you haven't run a department where every position represents the cumulative function of six that existed before.
Choose the wrong person, and you enter a zone of dysfunction not all that different from having a debilitating disease. Ever have the flu but still have to go to the office? A bad hire is like that.
You see a lot of talented people when you're in this process, but within six seconds - not seven or eight- you know whether the person in front of you is going to be somebody with whom you can sustain a ten-minute conversation.
The only thing I look for is whether the prospect of doing so makes me feel like falling asleep. I am not being metaphorical. Since I was a child, whenever I feel anxious and trapped, my eyelids get heavy. You can see how much I like the whole enterprise, then. And yet it must be done.
One day, deep in the darkest part of this tedium, Fred knocked at my door.
Fred has worked for us for a long time, as long as I've been here, in fact. He's a good guy and a reliable, creative player. Never saw him as a manager, though. There are many like that, actually. Put them on a horse in the middle of the phalanx and they fight with gusto and brilliance. Put that horse at the front of the column and they lead the squad by a circuitous route into the swamp.
Fred stood in my doorway and said, "You found anybody for that manager slot yet?" And I thought, "Oh, no." I like Fred. I don't want to hurt Fred's feelings. "May I come in?" said Fred.
"Sure, Fred," I said.
"I've been thinking a lot about this job you're trying to fill, and I think I could be pretty good at it," said Fred. He had a file on his lap, and he opened it. "I think there's an organizational issue at the center of the problem this job would address," he continued.
I noticed he wasn't nervous. Usually Fred seems a little nervous to me, and this was sort of interesting.
"We have a good team here," he continued, "but we don't communicate enough. We're each in our own silo. I think I know everybody here very well. I think I have their respect." He did. And he had put his finger on the reason we had created this new post. People working in silos seldom produce as much Excellence as those who pull together, or Quality even.
"I've been here for a long time," Fred said. "And I'm finding that thinking about even the possibility of getting this assignment has energized me in a whole new way."
He stopped and looked at me with very big eyes, eyes gleaming with ambition and hope. And I saw the fire in his belly.
In cartoons a hungry wolf will look at a sheep in the meadow, and for a moment the cute, woolly creature itself will disappear and in its place will stand a juicy lamb chop. This is pretty much what happened when I looked at Fred. He himself vaporized, and in his place I saw a solution, and an end to interviewing.
"Okay, Fred," I said. "We have a couple more people to see, but I assure you that I'm going to think very seriously about what you've said."
"That's all?" said Fred, and I realized another thing: Thanks to his length of service, Fred and I knew each other well enough already to have attained a certain informality. "I have a lot more to tell you about if you want to hear it," he added, staring down at his file. "No, Fred," I said. "I like what you've shown me today. Let me just think about things a little."
For about a week I thought. I told a couple of people what had happened.
"For goodness' sake," they said, "give Fred a shot."
So you'll have to excuse me. This job I do is not always fun, but occasionally I get to do something that makes somebody happy. Sometimes the answer to your prayers is right under your nose.
Hitting The Books Again
The lifelong learner is at it again. :-)
I have just enrolled in a Diploma of Professional Book Editing, Proofreading and Publishing with the Australian College of Queensland.
It's a home study course, which means I can achieve my objectives without having to attend classes outside the home.
To enable me to really study and get the most out of this opportunity, we plan to put J in childcare twice a week.
This is subject to us qualifying for Family Tax Benefits in the new FY, because childcare is costly here (at least $1k pm!) and we couldn't afford it on one income.
I've had people ask why I'm doing this course when I'm already a working editor/proofreader. My point is that what I've learnt from doing is probably just the tip of the iceberg.
To be able to pitch for bigger projects, I must position myself with confidence, and I can only be confident about what I know well. I can't be hazarding guesses or I won't inspire confidence in future clients.
So it's about skills upgrading, which is something I passionately believe in anyway.
The bonus in all this is that the VIC government and the school I'm enrolled in are actually sponsoring my course (otherwise I couldn't afford the commitment at this time of my life). I'm doing the course with a government grant called the Parents Return To Work initiative, and an additional subsidy from school.
I don't have to put in a cent of my own, just the hard yards.
And that's not a hard thing to do when you're doing something you love. :-)
I had a quick look at my course materials and was really excited to see they've included a copy of the Macquarie Pocket Dictionary of Australian English.
My course tutor is a lady who runs her own editing and proofreading business from her farm in country NSW, in between watching the lambs, calves and grass grow.
How inspiring's that?
I have just enrolled in a Diploma of Professional Book Editing, Proofreading and Publishing with the Australian College of Queensland.
It's a home study course, which means I can achieve my objectives without having to attend classes outside the home.
To enable me to really study and get the most out of this opportunity, we plan to put J in childcare twice a week.
This is subject to us qualifying for Family Tax Benefits in the new FY, because childcare is costly here (at least $1k pm!) and we couldn't afford it on one income.
I've had people ask why I'm doing this course when I'm already a working editor/proofreader. My point is that what I've learnt from doing is probably just the tip of the iceberg.
To be able to pitch for bigger projects, I must position myself with confidence, and I can only be confident about what I know well. I can't be hazarding guesses or I won't inspire confidence in future clients.
So it's about skills upgrading, which is something I passionately believe in anyway.
The bonus in all this is that the VIC government and the school I'm enrolled in are actually sponsoring my course (otherwise I couldn't afford the commitment at this time of my life). I'm doing the course with a government grant called the Parents Return To Work initiative, and an additional subsidy from school.
I don't have to put in a cent of my own, just the hard yards.
And that's not a hard thing to do when you're doing something you love. :-)
I had a quick look at my course materials and was really excited to see they've included a copy of the Macquarie Pocket Dictionary of Australian English.
My course tutor is a lady who runs her own editing and proofreading business from her farm in country NSW, in between watching the lambs, calves and grass grow.
How inspiring's that?
Friday, June 27, 2008
Busting 2 Barriers In A Day
Have you ever felt afraid to try something new and just kept finding excellent excuses to put it off?
Two of my biggest challenges as a fairly new P-plater are: one, driving on the freeway by myself; two, tanking up at the petrol station by myself.
This past Monday, I accomplished both.
My friend Annie likes to remind me that I need to be pushed into a corner before I'll respond positively to a new challenge.
She's right.
The only reason I busted out of my two Fear Zones was because of a serendipitous conversation.
Chatting with a fellow mum at school, I casually said perhaps we could arrange a play date over the coming hols.
She said sure, why not, and then remembered that she was hosting a tea party for another little girl who is her daughter's best friend and also a classmate of Beth.
She said would Beth like to come to the tea party? It would be after school on Monday.
I thought, why not, and said "Sure!".
Then I found out this lady lives in Point Cook, 10 km and several suburbs away.
I've never driven out of the Werribee/Hoppers area on my own, and I tell you I was terrified.
Not only that, it being Monday (day before fill-up-the-petrol-tank-cheaply day), the needle on our fuel tank was running dangerously close to 'E'...
That meant I'd have to take the car to the petrol station by myself.
I seriously contemplated backing out of the party, but then thought, that would make me such a loser. I mean, who pulls out of a party just because they don't know how to fill up the car?
So I summoned up my courage and drove to the Safeway petrol station after playgroup and queued up behind another car.
I tried to recall all the steps CA normally takes (which just float over me when I'm the passenger) and - surprise! - no one stared or honked or did anything to make me feel conspicuous. I managed to put in $20 worth of petrol, which CA assured me was plenty for the journey to Point Cook.
At school, I bumped into the mum of the little girl who was to be the main star of the tea party. At the risk of sounding like an idiot, I confessed that I wasn't sure I could find my way to Point Cook on my own, or find my way back if the party ended late (cos I have poor night vision).
She kindly offered to direct the way by driving ahead of me slowly.
Which she did, so getting to Point Cook was a breeze.
We all had a lovely time at the party.
There were pink helium balloons, pink Cinderella plates and napkins, and HEAPS of food.
I later found out it was a surprise birthday tea party for Maddison, whose birthday was two days after!
Anywayz, as the evening got on and it started getting dark, hubby called and asked, "Where are you?"
He knew I was going to be in Point Cook and was worried I wouldn't be able to see my way home in time. (It's winter so it gets dark around 5 pm.)
I promised to go home right away, and hung up.
Maddie's mum noticed my increasing anxiety, and suggested kindly that perhaps we should get going.
How grateful I felt!
Driving home was again as easy as keeping an eye on the car in front, because again Maddie's mum was there to lead the way.
I was so pleased to find myself in familiar territory sooner than I expected.
Now I know Point Cook is really only just beyond the Old Geelong Rd/C701, which makes it fairly straightforward getting from here to there.
The next time I have to drive into Point Cook, I won't be as nervous.
Thanks Margaret!! You're an angel!
And thank you Lord, for once again stretching me and making me grow.
Two of my biggest challenges as a fairly new P-plater are: one, driving on the freeway by myself; two, tanking up at the petrol station by myself.
This past Monday, I accomplished both.
My friend Annie likes to remind me that I need to be pushed into a corner before I'll respond positively to a new challenge.
She's right.
The only reason I busted out of my two Fear Zones was because of a serendipitous conversation.
Chatting with a fellow mum at school, I casually said perhaps we could arrange a play date over the coming hols.
She said sure, why not, and then remembered that she was hosting a tea party for another little girl who is her daughter's best friend and also a classmate of Beth.
She said would Beth like to come to the tea party? It would be after school on Monday.
I thought, why not, and said "Sure!".
Then I found out this lady lives in Point Cook, 10 km and several suburbs away.
I've never driven out of the Werribee/Hoppers area on my own, and I tell you I was terrified.
Not only that, it being Monday (day before fill-up-the-petrol-tank-cheaply day), the needle on our fuel tank was running dangerously close to 'E'...
That meant I'd have to take the car to the petrol station by myself.
I seriously contemplated backing out of the party, but then thought, that would make me such a loser. I mean, who pulls out of a party just because they don't know how to fill up the car?
So I summoned up my courage and drove to the Safeway petrol station after playgroup and queued up behind another car.
I tried to recall all the steps CA normally takes (which just float over me when I'm the passenger) and - surprise! - no one stared or honked or did anything to make me feel conspicuous. I managed to put in $20 worth of petrol, which CA assured me was plenty for the journey to Point Cook.
At school, I bumped into the mum of the little girl who was to be the main star of the tea party. At the risk of sounding like an idiot, I confessed that I wasn't sure I could find my way to Point Cook on my own, or find my way back if the party ended late (cos I have poor night vision).
She kindly offered to direct the way by driving ahead of me slowly.
Which she did, so getting to Point Cook was a breeze.
We all had a lovely time at the party.
There were pink helium balloons, pink Cinderella plates and napkins, and HEAPS of food.
I later found out it was a surprise birthday tea party for Maddison, whose birthday was two days after!
Anywayz, as the evening got on and it started getting dark, hubby called and asked, "Where are you?"
He knew I was going to be in Point Cook and was worried I wouldn't be able to see my way home in time. (It's winter so it gets dark around 5 pm.)
I promised to go home right away, and hung up.
Maddie's mum noticed my increasing anxiety, and suggested kindly that perhaps we should get going.
How grateful I felt!
Driving home was again as easy as keeping an eye on the car in front, because again Maddie's mum was there to lead the way.
I was so pleased to find myself in familiar territory sooner than I expected.
Now I know Point Cook is really only just beyond the Old Geelong Rd/C701, which makes it fairly straightforward getting from here to there.
The next time I have to drive into Point Cook, I won't be as nervous.
Thanks Margaret!! You're an angel!
And thank you Lord, for once again stretching me and making me grow.
Monday, June 09, 2008
The Circle of Life and Faith
This past week, as CA was preparing to deliver his first-ever sermon, he reflected on how zealous he used to be when he was a new believer.
I think all believers face the same struggle.
Our life journey seems to mirror our faith journey.
We start off full of passion and zeal, spending hours studying the Bible and evangelizing to our peers. This is also usually when we are single and still schooling.
In midlife, we get caught up in career, family and finances. For some of us, our faith becomes more a matter of keeping up with routine rather than engaging in anything that might rock the boat.
Then at the tail end of life, when the kids have grown and left the nest and we have a bit more time - and when perhaps we encounter illness or some other major life event - we turn our attention to our own mortality and once again renew our allegiance to the One who made us and to whom we must return.
I think all believers face the same struggle.
Our life journey seems to mirror our faith journey.
We start off full of passion and zeal, spending hours studying the Bible and evangelizing to our peers. This is also usually when we are single and still schooling.
In midlife, we get caught up in career, family and finances. For some of us, our faith becomes more a matter of keeping up with routine rather than engaging in anything that might rock the boat.
Then at the tail end of life, when the kids have grown and left the nest and we have a bit more time - and when perhaps we encounter illness or some other major life event - we turn our attention to our own mortality and once again renew our allegiance to the One who made us and to whom we must return.
"Not Religious, Just Righteous"
I love this little slogan that was printed on the funeral bulletin of N, who passed away a week ago.
It summed up his attitude towards church, God, and what it meant to him to be part of the community of believers.
The slogan also gave me cause to pause and ask myself:
What is my faith really about?
Is God still in my weekly rituals of Sunday worship, Thursday night band practice and the various church-related things I get involved in?
How real is my faith?
Dare I call myself a practising Christian, or have I become like the Pharisees that Jesus condemned, more concerned with the appearance of religion and shunning the revolutionary, life-changing effects that being in a relationship with Jesus entails?
In Bryan Patterson's FaithWorks blog, he writes that Bruxy Cavey (author of The End of Religion) suggests the teachings of Jesus were actually anti-religious. What Jesus came to establish was a subversive spirituality outside the boundary markers of traditional religion and in the process He made religion itself obsolete.
It is a reminder to us that God is more than church, more than the comfortable routines and practices we blithely participate in in His name, more than committee meetings and choir practices and fundraising for new church premises.
True religion is about doing and being.
It summed up his attitude towards church, God, and what it meant to him to be part of the community of believers.
The slogan also gave me cause to pause and ask myself:
What is my faith really about?
Is God still in my weekly rituals of Sunday worship, Thursday night band practice and the various church-related things I get involved in?
How real is my faith?
Dare I call myself a practising Christian, or have I become like the Pharisees that Jesus condemned, more concerned with the appearance of religion and shunning the revolutionary, life-changing effects that being in a relationship with Jesus entails?
In Bryan Patterson's FaithWorks blog, he writes that Bruxy Cavey (author of The End of Religion) suggests the teachings of Jesus were actually anti-religious. What Jesus came to establish was a subversive spirituality outside the boundary markers of traditional religion and in the process He made religion itself obsolete.
It is a reminder to us that God is more than church, more than the comfortable routines and practices we blithely participate in in His name, more than committee meetings and choir practices and fundraising for new church premises.
True religion is about doing and being.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Which is better, to give or to receive?
The Scriptures say, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
And indeed, giving is the more comfortable thing for most of us to do. It is consistent with our family upbringing and with cultural norms. We feel good when we are the givers. Perhaps we even secretly congratulate ourselves on how noble and altruistic we are.
In this week's message, Pastor Paul Blacker points out that there is another side to the question of giving and receiving.
How do you respond, he asks, when someone - for whatever reason - wants to bless you or help you in some way in a spirit of generosity?
Are you embarrassed?
Do you make a polite protest that you should not receive the gift (as those of us who are Asians are wont to do!)?
Do you try to give it back, or refuse to accept a shout (i.e. a treat) when out for a meal?
This is a very real issue, and one we ourselves faced this week. A dear friend went home after a month's stay with our family, and surprised us with an amazing love gift.
Pastor Paul explains that just as we are sometimes challenged to give for the sake of others, so too, we may be challenged to receive a blessing from another.
There is a profound lesson to be learnt here.
It's about the circle of life, about how so much of life functions in pairs of opposites.
Yin and Yang. Black and white. The tide ebbs and flows. The moon waxes and wanes. The sun rises and sets. Death and life. Good and evil.
So too with giving and receiving.
The LORD may inspire you to bless this person at this time through an act of giving.
At another time, the LORD may inspire someone else to be the channel through which His grace and generosity can touch you.
So is it better to give or to receive?
Does it even matter?
I remember some years ago our home church PLCMC had this motto: Blessed To Be A Blessing.
It is God who blesses, in order that we might be a blessing to others.
If today we are called to receive, let us do so with glad and thankful hearts, recognizing the true Source of the blessing, and rejoicing with the giver in this opportunity to partake of His grace.
If we are called to give, let us do so with glad and thankful hearts, knowing that it is God from whom all blessings flow.
And indeed, giving is the more comfortable thing for most of us to do. It is consistent with our family upbringing and with cultural norms. We feel good when we are the givers. Perhaps we even secretly congratulate ourselves on how noble and altruistic we are.
In this week's message, Pastor Paul Blacker points out that there is another side to the question of giving and receiving.
How do you respond, he asks, when someone - for whatever reason - wants to bless you or help you in some way in a spirit of generosity?
Are you embarrassed?
Do you make a polite protest that you should not receive the gift (as those of us who are Asians are wont to do!)?
Do you try to give it back, or refuse to accept a shout (i.e. a treat) when out for a meal?
This is a very real issue, and one we ourselves faced this week. A dear friend went home after a month's stay with our family, and surprised us with an amazing love gift.
Pastor Paul explains that just as we are sometimes challenged to give for the sake of others, so too, we may be challenged to receive a blessing from another.
There is a profound lesson to be learnt here.
It's about the circle of life, about how so much of life functions in pairs of opposites.
Yin and Yang. Black and white. The tide ebbs and flows. The moon waxes and wanes. The sun rises and sets. Death and life. Good and evil.
So too with giving and receiving.
The LORD may inspire you to bless this person at this time through an act of giving.
At another time, the LORD may inspire someone else to be the channel through which His grace and generosity can touch you.
So is it better to give or to receive?
Does it even matter?
I remember some years ago our home church PLCMC had this motto: Blessed To Be A Blessing.
It is God who blesses, in order that we might be a blessing to others.
If today we are called to receive, let us do so with glad and thankful hearts, recognizing the true Source of the blessing, and rejoicing with the giver in this opportunity to partake of His grace.
If we are called to give, let us do so with glad and thankful hearts, knowing that it is God from whom all blessings flow.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Teaching Music As A Home Based Career: The Next Phase
I've just gotten one step closer to my goal of teaching piano authentically and profitably.
For me, being authentic and being profitable are equally important in starting and sustaining a home based business.
Being authentic is about passion and principles, being true to what I believe in, and having the courage and confidence to communicate those beliefs.
It's about translating the love for music into material and methods that any beginner can relate to, get excited about and start using right away.
A Diploma in Piano Performance is a good first step, but I believe it takes so much more than a paper qualification to make the leap from musician to teacher.
At the same time, when you're in business, it obviously has to be profitable, otherwise you might as well call it a hobby.
That's taken me a long time to get my head around. I confess I'm guilty of feeling that creatives shouldn't get mixed up with money and materialistic pursuits. Weird, huh?
Recently, a good friend sent me the URL of a US-based piano teacher/TV presenter who has created his own system of teaching piano teachers how to make lessons fun, inspiring and relaxed.
I liked what I read on the site so much that I signed up for the Teacher Certification track right away and sent off for the materials.
Waiting for the package to arrive took on the dimensions of much more than another parcel from abroad. I had just taken a firm step towards my goal of teaching music as a home based career, and the parcel's arrival would help make that a reality.
I took to checking the mailbox every day.
Finally, it arrived.
As I unwrapped the package and started looking through the binders and books, my friend and I started batting ideas back and forth.
How should I use the material?
How soon can I get through the material so that I can start teaching?
How can I leverage on my experience + my knowledge + the knowledge and ideas of others to create my own successful home based music business?
Can't wait to enrol my next student. :-)
For me, being authentic and being profitable are equally important in starting and sustaining a home based business.
Being authentic is about passion and principles, being true to what I believe in, and having the courage and confidence to communicate those beliefs.
It's about translating the love for music into material and methods that any beginner can relate to, get excited about and start using right away.
A Diploma in Piano Performance is a good first step, but I believe it takes so much more than a paper qualification to make the leap from musician to teacher.
At the same time, when you're in business, it obviously has to be profitable, otherwise you might as well call it a hobby.
That's taken me a long time to get my head around. I confess I'm guilty of feeling that creatives shouldn't get mixed up with money and materialistic pursuits. Weird, huh?
Recently, a good friend sent me the URL of a US-based piano teacher/TV presenter who has created his own system of teaching piano teachers how to make lessons fun, inspiring and relaxed.
I liked what I read on the site so much that I signed up for the Teacher Certification track right away and sent off for the materials.
Waiting for the package to arrive took on the dimensions of much more than another parcel from abroad. I had just taken a firm step towards my goal of teaching music as a home based career, and the parcel's arrival would help make that a reality.
I took to checking the mailbox every day.
Finally, it arrived.
As I unwrapped the package and started looking through the binders and books, my friend and I started batting ideas back and forth.
How should I use the material?
How soon can I get through the material so that I can start teaching?
How can I leverage on my experience + my knowledge + the knowledge and ideas of others to create my own successful home based music business?
Can't wait to enrol my next student. :-)
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Career Tip: Before You Leave That Job Interview...
...Ask for the job!
That is the advice of job search expert Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?
In this article published on whotv, Bolles says: "It doesn't seem to matter how you ask for the job. That is to say, the actual words don't seem to matter. It can be something simple, like: "Can you offer me this job?"
Or something a little more elaborate, like, "I believe that I have both the skills and the experience to do the work we have been discussing, in a way that would benefit your organization a lot. Can you offer me this job?"
Most job counselors and career books advise interviewees to ask, "So, what is the next step?"
Bolles does not recommend this, because it places too much control in the hands of the interviewer, who may not be good at handling this sort of situation.
Bolles says that almost all job hunters who follow his advice invariably report back to say they thought his suggestion wouldn't work, but they asked anyway, and the employer said yes!
That is the advice of job search expert Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?
In this article published on whotv, Bolles says: "It doesn't seem to matter how you ask for the job. That is to say, the actual words don't seem to matter. It can be something simple, like: "Can you offer me this job?"
Or something a little more elaborate, like, "I believe that I have both the skills and the experience to do the work we have been discussing, in a way that would benefit your organization a lot. Can you offer me this job?"
Most job counselors and career books advise interviewees to ask, "So, what is the next step?"
Bolles does not recommend this, because it places too much control in the hands of the interviewer, who may not be good at handling this sort of situation.
Bolles says that almost all job hunters who follow his advice invariably report back to say they thought his suggestion wouldn't work, but they asked anyway, and the employer said yes!
The Forbes One Billion
I came across this thought-provoking article by Jeffrey Sachs in consumer advocate Neil Jenman's newsletter.
It appeared in the Aug 2007 edition of The Forbes 400.
The Forbes One Billion
The FORBES ranking of the superrich is a valuable and entertaining public service. But it's missing something. We need a Forbes One Billion for the other end of the scale--the superpoor.
If journalists spent as much time studying the lives of the poor as they do gazing at the rich, it would help us all keep our heads on straight. We would marvel at a world economy strange enough to sustain such gaps. We'd learn not to blame the rich for the poverty of the poor, but we'd also learn not to blame the poor themselves. Blame is a primitive response. Entrepreneurship is a much better one. The Forbes 400 could do an amazing job to help The Forbes One Billion into the world economy.
Read the rest of the article.
It appeared in the Aug 2007 edition of The Forbes 400.
The Forbes One Billion
The FORBES ranking of the superrich is a valuable and entertaining public service. But it's missing something. We need a Forbes One Billion for the other end of the scale--the superpoor.
If journalists spent as much time studying the lives of the poor as they do gazing at the rich, it would help us all keep our heads on straight. We would marvel at a world economy strange enough to sustain such gaps. We'd learn not to blame the rich for the poverty of the poor, but we'd also learn not to blame the poor themselves. Blame is a primitive response. Entrepreneurship is a much better one. The Forbes 400 could do an amazing job to help The Forbes One Billion into the world economy.
Read the rest of the article.
What happens to the sheep if you strike the shepherd?
Strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.
Zechariah 13:7
In a recent bulletin message, my pastor shared the following statistics based on the Fuller Institute's research of the church in America.
1500 pastors leave the ministry every month due to moral failure, burnout or conflict in the church.
80% of pastors and 84% of pastors' wives feel unqualified and discouraged.
70% of pastors feel that they have lower self esteem now compared to when they started out in ministry.
40% of pastors reported having a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month.
37% of pastors confessed to having been involved in inappropriate sexual behaviour with someone in the church.
Some questions to think about:
To what extent are these issues mirrored in your church and mine?
How are we as members supporting our pastors?
How should we as members be supporting our pastors?
My pastor's question is: What impact do these high levels of dysfunction in pastors have on the effective and dynamic life of congregations they are called to lead?
He writes:
"If the pastor is not on top of the game vocationally, relationally, devotionally, spiritually and personally, then, a church is going to suffer.
Sadly, the Christian church is riddled with examples of effective ministry which loses its way, and as a result the whole congregation suffers.
Moral or ethical failure is often the issue most focussed on when a ministry crashes and burns.
But usually that ministry starts to unravel a lot sooner than the time when a personal moral failure manifests.
If the key disciplines of prayer, Biblical reflection, a personal walk with God and a developed practice of regular accountable fellowship with other leaders are not in place, it usually is just a matter of time...
If the perpendicular dimension of relationship with God is not properly practised and maintained, then the horizontal aspect of ministry on the ground will inevitably come under pressure and ... fail."
He ends with this exhortation which I commend to all of us:
"Tend to the matter that matters most - the vital link between God and self. If this is right, the challenge of being an agent for God will be undertaken with vigour and joy."
Let's be joyful, energetic agents for God!
Zechariah 13:7
In a recent bulletin message, my pastor shared the following statistics based on the Fuller Institute's research of the church in America.
1500 pastors leave the ministry every month due to moral failure, burnout or conflict in the church.
94% of pastors felt under pressure to have the "ideal" family.
90% of pastors felt inadequately trained to cope with the demands of ministry.
81% of pastors suffer marital problems due to insufficient time together.
80% of pastors and 84% of pastors' wives feel unqualified and discouraged.
70% of pastors feel that they have lower self esteem now compared to when they started out in ministry.
70% of pastors do not have someone they can confide in.
63% of pastors suffer marital problems due to congregational problems.
50% of pastors would leave if they could make a living doing something else.
40% of pastors reported having a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month.
37% of pastors confessed to having been involved in inappropriate sexual behaviour with someone in the church.
34% of pastors' marriages end up in divorce.
33% of pastors belive that ministry was a hazard to their families.
5% of pastors felt unable to meet the needs of the job.
Some questions to think about:
To what extent are these issues mirrored in your church and mine?
How are we as members supporting our pastors?
How should we as members be supporting our pastors?
My pastor's question is: What impact do these high levels of dysfunction in pastors have on the effective and dynamic life of congregations they are called to lead?
He writes:
"If the pastor is not on top of the game vocationally, relationally, devotionally, spiritually and personally, then, a church is going to suffer.
Sadly, the Christian church is riddled with examples of effective ministry which loses its way, and as a result the whole congregation suffers.
Moral or ethical failure is often the issue most focussed on when a ministry crashes and burns.
But usually that ministry starts to unravel a lot sooner than the time when a personal moral failure manifests.
If the key disciplines of prayer, Biblical reflection, a personal walk with God and a developed practice of regular accountable fellowship with other leaders are not in place, it usually is just a matter of time...
If the perpendicular dimension of relationship with God is not properly practised and maintained, then the horizontal aspect of ministry on the ground will inevitably come under pressure and ... fail."
He ends with this exhortation which I commend to all of us:
"Tend to the matter that matters most - the vital link between God and self. If this is right, the challenge of being an agent for God will be undertaken with vigour and joy."
Let's be joyful, energetic agents for God!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
The Breath Of Life
Had an interesting conversation with a friend this week.
We were talking about how ego will drive some people to do anything to hang on to their attitudes, beliefs and habits, even when these prove self-destructive or harmful to loved ones.
My friend volunteers with the Women's Prison Fellowship back home. She shared about the time she challenged the inmates on how they were wasting their time in immoral activities， 只 为了 争一口气 (to fight for a breath, meaning to win at all costs for the sake of pride and to prove a personal point).
After all, she reasoned, our lives are not ours. We are alive because God made us alive. He breathed the breath of life into Adam and Eve, and they came alive. Ditto for us. Conversely, we are all one breath away from dying. All God needs to do is to take away our ability to breathe, and that's the end of us. If our lives are on loan from God, why spend our energies fighting to prove that we are right and that things must go our way?
All flesh is like grass, and all the glory of man is as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower fades away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.
We were talking about how ego will drive some people to do anything to hang on to their attitudes, beliefs and habits, even when these prove self-destructive or harmful to loved ones.
My friend volunteers with the Women's Prison Fellowship back home. She shared about the time she challenged the inmates on how they were wasting their time in immoral activities， 只 为了 争一口气 (to fight for a breath, meaning to win at all costs for the sake of pride and to prove a personal point).
After all, she reasoned, our lives are not ours. We are alive because God made us alive. He breathed the breath of life into Adam and Eve, and they came alive. Ditto for us. Conversely, we are all one breath away from dying. All God needs to do is to take away our ability to breathe, and that's the end of us. If our lives are on loan from God, why spend our energies fighting to prove that we are right and that things must go our way?
All flesh is like grass, and all the glory of man is as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower fades away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Today's headline: Jobs Must Go
Jobs must go to rein in inflation: Rudd
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says an increase in unemployment predicted in last night's Budget is an essential part of the strategy to rein in inflation, and can partly be blamed on the global economic slowdown.
What should be our response to such reasoning?
I believe the Government's approach merely reinforces the fact that employment, in the traditional sense of working for someone else, should not be one's only means of making a living.
I am not advocating that people ditch their jobs and work for themselves.
There are many factors to consider before one makes such a major decision.
Not everyone is suited to self-employment or to being a business owner.
However, people should certainly start thinking of alternative ways to make a living, because with so many uncontrollable external influences, it is simply unwise to put all your career eggs in one basket.
There are so many ways to make a living outside the 8-to-5 box, especially if one has access to the Internet.
If you haven't started, today's the day to start planning for your future.
Considering self-employment or a home based business?
Read this 16-point checklist to evaluate whether self-employment or a home based business is right for you.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says an increase in unemployment predicted in last night's Budget is an essential part of the strategy to rein in inflation, and can partly be blamed on the global economic slowdown.
What should be our response to such reasoning?
I believe the Government's approach merely reinforces the fact that employment, in the traditional sense of working for someone else, should not be one's only means of making a living.
I am not advocating that people ditch their jobs and work for themselves.
There are many factors to consider before one makes such a major decision.
Not everyone is suited to self-employment or to being a business owner.
However, people should certainly start thinking of alternative ways to make a living, because with so many uncontrollable external influences, it is simply unwise to put all your career eggs in one basket.
There are so many ways to make a living outside the 8-to-5 box, especially if one has access to the Internet.
If you haven't started, today's the day to start planning for your future.
Considering self-employment or a home based business?
Read this 16-point checklist to evaluate whether self-employment or a home based business is right for you.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Am I Ambitious?
Dictionary.com defines an ambitious person as "a person who wishes to rise above his or her present position or condition. The ambitious person wishes to attain worldly success, and puts forth effort toward this end".
Recently, I was reading an article about ambitious parents who overstimulate their kids with all sorts of extracurricular activities. One parent bought her son a PDA to help him keep track of his schedule. He's involved in baseball, football, basketball, swimming, etc. He is 10 years old.
Beth leaned over, saw the headline and asked, "Are you an ambitious parent?"
I paused.
How do I answer?
If I say yes, should I feel bad about it? Does being an ambitious parent make me one of those scary Asian parents who push their children academically and send them to private schools and drive up house prices in the school zone?
If I say no, does it mean I'm lazy and lackadaisical and setting up my children for underachievement?
At this point, Beth goes to jazz and tap class, Chinese class and Yamaha keyboard class. Her Saturdays are mad. We have to schedule our activities around her class times. But last I checked, she loves her ECAs. Okay, maybe not the Chinese class. Yet. We read the 南瓜青年 story (a weird tale, that one) the other day and she made me tell it in English!
She's been begging us to send her to swimming classes. We keep putting her off, telling her she's got quite enough to do now that she gets extra homework from her teacher.
Sometimes, Beth frets that she doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up.
I tell her there's plenty of time and plenty of options. Besides, Mummy's nearly 38 and still isn't quite sure she's in her dream career. Not a particularly inspiring role model, huh?
So am I ambitious as a parent?
I suppose it must be yes. I have dreams and expectations. I also have a good idea of my children's abilities. I want them to have every opportunity to explore those abilities and see where they lead. It's all about possibilities and potential and finding out how far one can go. I don't think I'd be the sort of parent who takes a "bo chap/anything also can" attitude to my children's development. I would want to have a say in how they're getting on, to help if I can, and to find help if I must.
Just because a person is inclined towards one field doesn't mean she has to become a professional in that field. There are so many ways to use a God-given gift.
What I do stress to Beth is that God gives gifts for a purpose, not just for our pleasure but also to serve others. If she's a gifted reader, there must be something God wants her to do with her gift. Perhaps she could encourage her friends to read good books, or she could read to the littlies (like J)?
So yes, I am an ambitious parent.
I hope to raise ambitious children. As opposed to children who can't be bothered to learn and to make the most of their blessings.
I am still learning all the nuances of what ambition means. As the girls go through the school years, I am certain there will be ample opportunity for our family to find out together.
Recently, I was reading an article about ambitious parents who overstimulate their kids with all sorts of extracurricular activities. One parent bought her son a PDA to help him keep track of his schedule. He's involved in baseball, football, basketball, swimming, etc. He is 10 years old.
Beth leaned over, saw the headline and asked, "Are you an ambitious parent?"
I paused.
How do I answer?
If I say yes, should I feel bad about it? Does being an ambitious parent make me one of those scary Asian parents who push their children academically and send them to private schools and drive up house prices in the school zone?
If I say no, does it mean I'm lazy and lackadaisical and setting up my children for underachievement?
At this point, Beth goes to jazz and tap class, Chinese class and Yamaha keyboard class. Her Saturdays are mad. We have to schedule our activities around her class times. But last I checked, she loves her ECAs. Okay, maybe not the Chinese class. Yet. We read the 南瓜青年 story (a weird tale, that one) the other day and she made me tell it in English!
She's been begging us to send her to swimming classes. We keep putting her off, telling her she's got quite enough to do now that she gets extra homework from her teacher.
Sometimes, Beth frets that she doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up.
I tell her there's plenty of time and plenty of options. Besides, Mummy's nearly 38 and still isn't quite sure she's in her dream career. Not a particularly inspiring role model, huh?
So am I ambitious as a parent?
I suppose it must be yes. I have dreams and expectations. I also have a good idea of my children's abilities. I want them to have every opportunity to explore those abilities and see where they lead. It's all about possibilities and potential and finding out how far one can go. I don't think I'd be the sort of parent who takes a "bo chap/anything also can" attitude to my children's development. I would want to have a say in how they're getting on, to help if I can, and to find help if I must.
Just because a person is inclined towards one field doesn't mean she has to become a professional in that field. There are so many ways to use a God-given gift.
What I do stress to Beth is that God gives gifts for a purpose, not just for our pleasure but also to serve others. If she's a gifted reader, there must be something God wants her to do with her gift. Perhaps she could encourage her friends to read good books, or she could read to the littlies (like J)?
So yes, I am an ambitious parent.
I hope to raise ambitious children. As opposed to children who can't be bothered to learn and to make the most of their blessings.
I am still learning all the nuances of what ambition means. As the girls go through the school years, I am certain there will be ample opportunity for our family to find out together.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
What Jobs Are There For Parents Returning To Work?
Every so often, news of rising interest rates, inflation and fuel and grocery prices sparks a mini-panic in the household and anxious scanning of MyCareer and job websites.
Is it time for me to go back to work?
If so, what sort of work should I look for? Or rather, what sort of work am I qualified to do after 3 years away from the workforce?
If I go back to work, should I work part-time or full-time?
If J goes to childcare, will she fall ill often and will I miss out on witnessing her developmental milestones?
If Beth goes to after-school care, will I be able to keep up with what goes on at school?
What about my duties as a volunteer reader with her class?
What about my duties as playgroup assistant on Mondays?
And on and on.
Re employability, it is a known fact that skilled migrants face certain barriers in getting employed in Australia.
Some of it has to do with lack of familiarity with the local work culture. There's also the language barrier for those from non-English speaking backgrounds.
Employers tend to prefer hiring those who have local work experience. A chicken-and-egg problem, obviously.
Fortunately, there are places to go for help.
One suggestion that comes up often is to do volunteer work to gain local experience.
I remember reading the story of Rosalind, a Malaysian with a PhD who kept getting bounced back at job interviews. The fact that she was highly qualified was no guarantee of her getting a job, much less one commensurate with her qualifications and experience. She was advised to do volunteer work with a non-profit organization that helps migrants settle into life in Australia. She did that. Eventually, she was offered a paid position.
Another strategy is simply to revise your expectations and start over at an entry-level position.
This might be a bit hard to swallow if you're a graduate from the world-class Little Red Dot. But if you see it as a temporary hiccup and a way to get your foot in the door, it might just be a bit more bearable.
We know of graduates from the Philippines who work at fast food restaurants and factories for an hourly wage. (The average hourly wage in the retail sector is $20.) One friend, who used to work in banking back home, is now taking a course in IT to retrain for a new career. At entry level, of course.
There's the Singaporean IT Project Manager who migrated here without a job, and spent the first 5 months of his new life stacking shelves and delivering the local paper in all kinds of weather, while waiting to hear from prospective employers.
Another Singaporean we know took 2 years to find a permanent job.
Definitely humbling, stressful...and character-building.
A career development practitioner that acknowledges this issue faced by migrants is Associated Career Management Australia. Their website has a category titled "Migrants".
"Often important cultural differences are missed by migrants which can mean ongoing barriers to finding that vital career position. Your counsellor will coach you to understand and avoid these negative and potentially career threatening issues.
We provide intensive support at all levels to ensure that migrants’ employment applications conform to Australian standards, and that their applications are directed to employers, agencies and/or organisations that will treat applications from people from non-english speaking backgrounds simply on merit only."
Definitely something to consider if you are planning to migrate to Australia without a job offer.
Not sure if you should migrate? Too many factors to consider?
Use this decision making software to help you prioritize what's most important.
You'll see and decide with greater clarity.
Is it time for me to go back to work?
If so, what sort of work should I look for? Or rather, what sort of work am I qualified to do after 3 years away from the workforce?
If I go back to work, should I work part-time or full-time?
If J goes to childcare, will she fall ill often and will I miss out on witnessing her developmental milestones?
If Beth goes to after-school care, will I be able to keep up with what goes on at school?
What about my duties as a volunteer reader with her class?
What about my duties as playgroup assistant on Mondays?
And on and on.
Re employability, it is a known fact that skilled migrants face certain barriers in getting employed in Australia.
Some of it has to do with lack of familiarity with the local work culture. There's also the language barrier for those from non-English speaking backgrounds.
Employers tend to prefer hiring those who have local work experience. A chicken-and-egg problem, obviously.
Fortunately, there are places to go for help.
One suggestion that comes up often is to do volunteer work to gain local experience.
I remember reading the story of Rosalind, a Malaysian with a PhD who kept getting bounced back at job interviews. The fact that she was highly qualified was no guarantee of her getting a job, much less one commensurate with her qualifications and experience. She was advised to do volunteer work with a non-profit organization that helps migrants settle into life in Australia. She did that. Eventually, she was offered a paid position.
Another strategy is simply to revise your expectations and start over at an entry-level position.
This might be a bit hard to swallow if you're a graduate from the world-class Little Red Dot. But if you see it as a temporary hiccup and a way to get your foot in the door, it might just be a bit more bearable.
We know of graduates from the Philippines who work at fast food restaurants and factories for an hourly wage. (The average hourly wage in the retail sector is $20.) One friend, who used to work in banking back home, is now taking a course in IT to retrain for a new career. At entry level, of course.
There's the Singaporean IT Project Manager who migrated here without a job, and spent the first 5 months of his new life stacking shelves and delivering the local paper in all kinds of weather, while waiting to hear from prospective employers.
Another Singaporean we know took 2 years to find a permanent job.
Definitely humbling, stressful...and character-building.
A career development practitioner that acknowledges this issue faced by migrants is Associated Career Management Australia. Their website has a category titled "Migrants".
"Often important cultural differences are missed by migrants which can mean ongoing barriers to finding that vital career position. Your counsellor will coach you to understand and avoid these negative and potentially career threatening issues.
We provide intensive support at all levels to ensure that migrants’ employment applications conform to Australian standards, and that their applications are directed to employers, agencies and/or organisations that will treat applications from people from non-english speaking backgrounds simply on merit only."
Definitely something to consider if you are planning to migrate to Australia without a job offer.
Not sure if you should migrate? Too many factors to consider?
Use this decision making software to help you prioritize what's most important.
You'll see and decide with greater clarity.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Internet Connections
Once in a while, I get a comment on my blog(s).
When it's from someone I know, it tells me that someone is actually taking the trouble to keep up with what's going on in our lives.
Considering how hectic everyone's life is, that's really nice.
But sometimes, the comments come from complete strangers, who just happen to be surfing the Net, come across my blog, and decide to leave a comment.
Recently, I received an email from a lady back home, someone I don't know. She was surfing for information on delivering a baby at the Werribee Mercy Hospital (where I had Jordanne), and found my blog.
Amazing, when you consider there are at least 165 million sites out there, according to Netcraft's April 2008 survey.
The Internet certainly has a way of bringing down barriers and bringing people closer. The world feels somehow smaller and friendlier when two strangers find they have something in common and take steps to become acquainted.
That's cool as, in Aussie-speak.
When it's from someone I know, it tells me that someone is actually taking the trouble to keep up with what's going on in our lives.
Considering how hectic everyone's life is, that's really nice.
But sometimes, the comments come from complete strangers, who just happen to be surfing the Net, come across my blog, and decide to leave a comment.
Recently, I received an email from a lady back home, someone I don't know. She was surfing for information on delivering a baby at the Werribee Mercy Hospital (where I had Jordanne), and found my blog.
Amazing, when you consider there are at least 165 million sites out there, according to Netcraft's April 2008 survey.
The Internet certainly has a way of bringing down barriers and bringing people closer. The world feels somehow smaller and friendlier when two strangers find they have something in common and take steps to become acquainted.
That's cool as, in Aussie-speak.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Gift Idea for Mothers' Day
Here's a great gift idea for the special woman in your life. She might be your mum/mum-in-law, grandma, daughter, sister, sis-in-law, friend.
Worth More Than Rubies is written by Kathie M. Thomas, author of the Proverbs 31 Woman blog.
While raising 5 daughters, Kathie started a work-from-home business using her office admin skills and the Internet to be a Virtual Assistant.
She is credited with starting the Virtual Assistant industry in Australia.
Watch this YouTube video of Kathie's interview with HBB TV.
Guaranteed to inspire.
SIDENOTE:
So who is the Proverbs 31 woman?
Proverbs 31:10-31 says:
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 [c] A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. 19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Worth More Than Rubies is written by Kathie M. Thomas, author of the Proverbs 31 Woman blog.
While raising 5 daughters, Kathie started a work-from-home business using her office admin skills and the Internet to be a Virtual Assistant.
She is credited with starting the Virtual Assistant industry in Australia.
Watch this YouTube video of Kathie's interview with HBB TV.
Guaranteed to inspire.
SIDENOTE:
So who is the Proverbs 31 woman?
Proverbs 31:10-31 says:
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 [c] A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. 19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Project Completed
Now I can say I've taught piano and I know what it's like.
I've discovered that it takes an enormous amount of mental concentration, physical energy and emotional effort to focus on one person for 45 minutes.
Hats off to all teachers and tutors everywhere! Teaching is definitely not for everyone.
At my last lesson with Gwen, we went through all the pieces we've learnt during our 10 sessions together.
I was so proud and amazed and glad at the progress she's made. I mean, we're talking about someone who's never had formal training and just wants to learn piano so she can play her favourite pieces for her own enjoyment and to entertain her family.
I thought it would be nice for Gwen to have something to remember her huge personal achievement by, so I gave her this.
But Gwen surprised me. She had something for me too!
Thanks Gwen! :-)
Giving and receiving...two sides of the same coin. The cycle's complete. What a beautiful way to mark my first experience as a music teacher.
I've discovered that it takes an enormous amount of mental concentration, physical energy and emotional effort to focus on one person for 45 minutes.
Hats off to all teachers and tutors everywhere! Teaching is definitely not for everyone.
At my last lesson with Gwen, we went through all the pieces we've learnt during our 10 sessions together.
I was so proud and amazed and glad at the progress she's made. I mean, we're talking about someone who's never had formal training and just wants to learn piano so she can play her favourite pieces for her own enjoyment and to entertain her family.
I thought it would be nice for Gwen to have something to remember her huge personal achievement by, so I gave her this.
But Gwen surprised me. She had something for me too!
Thanks Gwen! :-)
Giving and receiving...two sides of the same coin. The cycle's complete. What a beautiful way to mark my first experience as a music teacher.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Try Something New Today
I have been reading Dr Wayne Dyer's book, The Power of Intention.
I am still digesting his teaching, but as part of my personal quest to challenge myself and to break through old boundaries, I decided to do something different while out shopping.
At the fish shop, I recalled a recent conversation with my Filipino friend Raquel. She was sharing about how she buys whole fish and gets the fishmonger to clean and cut them up for her, and how she uses the head and bones to make soup. She tells me it's cheaper buying the whole fish than buying it already cut. I'm taking her word for it, because I really wouldn't know better. I'm domestically lazy, you see. If you present me with fish fillet already skinned and boned vs whole fish with gaping eyes and mouth, I'll go for the fillet every time.
Today, I decided to try it Raquel's way. I told the Vietnamese lady at the counter that I wanted a fish that was good for steaming and suitable for kids. I said I wanted the fish filleted, and that I planned to take the head and bones as well. She pointed out a particular fish ("This one very good, a lot of meat") and sent it to the back room to have her colleague clean and cut it up.
While we waited, I struck up a conversation with the lady. I asked her why it was that Australian salmon (a whole one) goes at $4.95/kg while Atlantic salmon is nearly $30/kg?
Simple, she replied. Atlantic salmon can be eaten raw and used as sushi. It's also got a nicer flavour. Aussie salmon is more meaty and the flavour's not as nice. It's more suited to being grilled in the oven.
There. All that information, and I didn't have to pay a cent to learn something new.
Well, I did part with $16, which is more than I usually pay for fish at a go, but I'm hopeful I'll get at least 2 dinners out of it.
Back home, I transferred the fillets (nice big ones) into a Tupperware container, put the pot on to boil and tossed in the fish head and bones, along with some garlic, an onion and the white part of a handful of spring onions. Nice.
Pity about the ginger though. Must remind CA to get some when he's next in Footscray. It's hideously expensive at Safeway.
Can't wait for dinnertime.
At the supermarket checkout, I noticed a few people queuing at a sign I had never seen before: "Self-Service Checkout".
Hmm. Should I bother and risk looking like a fool? Maybe I should just go to the usual cashier?
I decided I would try something new.
I brought my bags to an available counter and started studying the instructions on the screen. Once I'd calmed down enough to read them properly, they were fairly intuitive.
Press Start.
Scan each item.
Put item in the bagging area.
Swipe Eftpos card.
Key in PIN.
There you go. All done.
That's two new things learnt today.
Thank you Lord, for stretching me mentally.
I am still digesting his teaching, but as part of my personal quest to challenge myself and to break through old boundaries, I decided to do something different while out shopping.
At the fish shop, I recalled a recent conversation with my Filipino friend Raquel. She was sharing about how she buys whole fish and gets the fishmonger to clean and cut them up for her, and how she uses the head and bones to make soup. She tells me it's cheaper buying the whole fish than buying it already cut. I'm taking her word for it, because I really wouldn't know better. I'm domestically lazy, you see. If you present me with fish fillet already skinned and boned vs whole fish with gaping eyes and mouth, I'll go for the fillet every time.
Today, I decided to try it Raquel's way. I told the Vietnamese lady at the counter that I wanted a fish that was good for steaming and suitable for kids. I said I wanted the fish filleted, and that I planned to take the head and bones as well. She pointed out a particular fish ("This one very good, a lot of meat") and sent it to the back room to have her colleague clean and cut it up.
While we waited, I struck up a conversation with the lady. I asked her why it was that Australian salmon (a whole one) goes at $4.95/kg while Atlantic salmon is nearly $30/kg?
Simple, she replied. Atlantic salmon can be eaten raw and used as sushi. It's also got a nicer flavour. Aussie salmon is more meaty and the flavour's not as nice. It's more suited to being grilled in the oven.
There. All that information, and I didn't have to pay a cent to learn something new.
Well, I did part with $16, which is more than I usually pay for fish at a go, but I'm hopeful I'll get at least 2 dinners out of it.
Back home, I transferred the fillets (nice big ones) into a Tupperware container, put the pot on to boil and tossed in the fish head and bones, along with some garlic, an onion and the white part of a handful of spring onions. Nice.
Pity about the ginger though. Must remind CA to get some when he's next in Footscray. It's hideously expensive at Safeway.
Can't wait for dinnertime.
At the supermarket checkout, I noticed a few people queuing at a sign I had never seen before: "Self-Service Checkout".
Hmm. Should I bother and risk looking like a fool? Maybe I should just go to the usual cashier?
I decided I would try something new.
I brought my bags to an available counter and started studying the instructions on the screen. Once I'd calmed down enough to read them properly, they were fairly intuitive.
Press Start.
Scan each item.
Put item in the bagging area.
Swipe Eftpos card.
Key in PIN.
There you go. All done.
That's two new things learnt today.
Thank you Lord, for stretching me mentally.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Why Not Be Great?
What did you do in the noughties?
How will you answer this question fifteen years from now?
Will you be like the many who answer: "I spent my time waiting, whining, worrying and wishing"?
Or will you seize the opportunity to do something remarkable?
Seth Godin says that in hindsight, the 1990s were the good old days. Yet so many people missed out.
Why?
"Because it's always possible to find a reason to stay put, to skip an opportunity, or to decline an offer. And yet, in retrospect, it's hard to remember why we said no and easy to wish that we had said yes."
I am reminded of all the courses and training I've yet to do because I kept putting them off for one reason or another.
There was always a reason not to.
Not enough money.
No time.
Too hard.
Too much trouble.
What if I don't like it and end up wasting my time/money?
"The thing is, we still live in a world that's filled with opportunity. In fact, we have more than an opportunity - we have an obligation. An obligation to spend our time doing great things. To find ideas that matter and to share them. To push ourselves and the people around us to demonstrate gratitude, insight, and inspiration. To take risks and to make the world better by being amazing."
I can truthfully say that in the past 3 years, I've gradually but surely changed my mindset from "can't do/won't consider" to "why not?"
I have found ideas that matter - and I am passionate about sharing them, because I believe that shared great ideas can change lives and change the world.
I have found my own small way to encourage the people around me to live with greater awareness, gratitude and inspiration.
I have taken - and continue to take - personal risks (intellectual, financial, emotional) because I believe they will help me be better, stronger and wiser, and a more credible helper to those who have not yet found the courage to follow their dreams.
"You get to make a choice. You can remake that choice everyday...It's never too late to choose optimism, to choose action, to choose excellence. It only takes a moment - just one second - to decide.
Before you finish this paragraph, you have the power to change everything that's to come. And you can do that by asking yourself (and your colleagues) the one question every organization and every individual needs to ask today: Why not be great?"
I am reminded of what Stephen Covey says about how his life completely changed when he realized that there is a gap between a stimulus and a response.
Between the moment something happens to you (stimulus), and the moment you react to it (response), there is a gap.
In that gap lies a choice.
A choice about how you want to respond to what has just happened. Your response is not a given.
You don't have to react with fear, or anger, or negativity.
You don't have to follow the script passed on by your parents, peers or teachers, or walk in the path of past destructive habits.
To those of you who struggle with unfulfilled dreams and suppressed desires for greatness and achievement, who feel trapped by fear of risk and fear of the unknown:
You have a choice.
You can remake your life this very moment.
You can choose to be great.
Why not be great?
How will you answer this question fifteen years from now?
Will you be like the many who answer: "I spent my time waiting, whining, worrying and wishing"?
Or will you seize the opportunity to do something remarkable?
Seth Godin says that in hindsight, the 1990s were the good old days. Yet so many people missed out.
Why?
"Because it's always possible to find a reason to stay put, to skip an opportunity, or to decline an offer. And yet, in retrospect, it's hard to remember why we said no and easy to wish that we had said yes."
I am reminded of all the courses and training I've yet to do because I kept putting them off for one reason or another.
There was always a reason not to.
Not enough money.
No time.
Too hard.
Too much trouble.
What if I don't like it and end up wasting my time/money?
"The thing is, we still live in a world that's filled with opportunity. In fact, we have more than an opportunity - we have an obligation. An obligation to spend our time doing great things. To find ideas that matter and to share them. To push ourselves and the people around us to demonstrate gratitude, insight, and inspiration. To take risks and to make the world better by being amazing."
I can truthfully say that in the past 3 years, I've gradually but surely changed my mindset from "can't do/won't consider" to "why not?"
I have found ideas that matter - and I am passionate about sharing them, because I believe that shared great ideas can change lives and change the world.
I have found my own small way to encourage the people around me to live with greater awareness, gratitude and inspiration.
I have taken - and continue to take - personal risks (intellectual, financial, emotional) because I believe they will help me be better, stronger and wiser, and a more credible helper to those who have not yet found the courage to follow their dreams.
"You get to make a choice. You can remake that choice everyday...It's never too late to choose optimism, to choose action, to choose excellence. It only takes a moment - just one second - to decide.
Before you finish this paragraph, you have the power to change everything that's to come. And you can do that by asking yourself (and your colleagues) the one question every organization and every individual needs to ask today: Why not be great?"
I am reminded of what Stephen Covey says about how his life completely changed when he realized that there is a gap between a stimulus and a response.
Between the moment something happens to you (stimulus), and the moment you react to it (response), there is a gap.
In that gap lies a choice.
A choice about how you want to respond to what has just happened. Your response is not a given.
You don't have to react with fear, or anger, or negativity.
You don't have to follow the script passed on by your parents, peers or teachers, or walk in the path of past destructive habits.
To those of you who struggle with unfulfilled dreams and suppressed desires for greatness and achievement, who feel trapped by fear of risk and fear of the unknown:
You have a choice.
You can remake your life this very moment.
You can choose to be great.
Why not be great?
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