What Do You Know About Saturated Fats?

I found this article in The Star which explains about saturated fats and its effect on our health. Most of us tend to relate saturated fats to health problems, but that has already been proven as being a misconception. Read this article to understand why we should not eliminate saturated fats from our diet.

Article: Saturated, but necessary
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Health/2014/03/02/Saturated-but-necessary/

Here are some excerpts I find to be important from the article:

In fact, Assoc Prof Ng says that if we were to take away all saturated fats from our diet, and only consumed a diet of proteins, carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, we would get sick in a matter of weeks.

And then there is the fourth type of fatty acid that raises our cholesterol – trans-fat. This, according to Assoc Prof Ng, is the worst type of fat to have in the diet. “They are not saturated, but they have the trans configuration. They are really bad because they raise blood lipid levels and they raise lipoprotein(a), which is a risk factor (for cardiovascular disease),” he says. Trans-fat is deemed so harmful that the United States Food and Drug Administration is moving towards banning the use of partially-hydrogenated vegetable cooking oils, which are the main source of trans-fat in our diets.

Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2010, the comparative study found no association between dietary saturated fat and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. ”Saturated fat intake, in fact, lowered the risk of stroke by some 19%,” says Assoc Prof Ng, adding this is a powerful paper as it is a summary of several clinical trials. He points out that while saturated fats do raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol, they also raise the high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol. Conversely, polyunsaturated fats do decrease LDL-cholesterol, but they also decrease HDL-cholesterol.

It's important to get ourselves educated with facts rather than just rely on hearsay from others, just as how the article explains about a misconception which has lasted for one generation. 

Lost That Fat

I found this article from The Star which highlights the critical concerns on obesity.

Title: Lose that fat
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Viewpoints/Tell-Me-About/Profile/Articles/2014/03/20/Lose-that-fat/

What you might want to find out first is whether you are obese.

Here are several ways to help you find out:

1. Body Mass Index (BMI):
• This is the most common way. You calculate your BMI by measuring body weight (kg)/height (m2).
• This is how to interpret your BMI:
• Less than 18.5: Underweight 
• 18.5-24.9: Healthy weight (congratulations!) 
• 25-29.9: Overweight 
• 30-34.9: Obesity 1 
• 35-39.9: Obesity II 
• More than 40: Obesity IIIS
2. Skin fold thickness:
• This entails using a caliper to grasp your skin and measure the amount of subcutaneous fat you have.
• This is primarily to determine your amount of body fat. This has been superseded by some machines, which can be found in gyms.
3. Waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio:
• If you have a waist circumference of more than 94cm for men and 80cm for women, you have an increased risk of health problems.

If you're overweight or obese, please make sure you read through the full article to find out more.

Breaking "Conventions"

In our daily communication, as well as in most literature, we would find some of these "conventions" when it comes to describing people:

Old and wise  vs.  young and naive

Old and weary  vs.  young and energetic

As I said, these are "conventions". But "conventions" are not necessary the true. "Conventions" are merely popular beliefs perceived as being true.

Let me explain my point:

#1 - Old and wise  vs.  young and naive

• An old person who has lived 50 years of his life, living within his very own comfort zone not being willing to challenge his limits -- I can't see how a person can gain any form of wisdom by staying in his comfort zone.
• Whereas, a young person who has lived 25 years of his life, everyday breaking his own boundaries and limits, getting through hard knocks, may even attain more wisdom than those who has lived 25 years longer.
• Sorry to say, I have bumped into quite a lot of "senior" people whom I would rather describe as old and naive. And fortunately, I have come across some "juniors" who are young and wise.

#2 - Old and weary  vs.  young and energetic

• Unlike machines which get worn out over time, humans have the ability to regenerate their own body. Therefore, a person who has lived through the years with proper care and rehabilitation of his body may still be able to retain his youthfulness.
• Whereas, a young person who doesn't take good care of his body may have suffered much more health issues than an old person.
• I'm very fortunate to have known some old and energetic people in my life, inspired by their passion and enthusiasm towards life. And I feel so sorry for some of my peers, despite being of younger age, who appear to be young and weary, everyday showing a lack of energy in everything that they do.

Our age does not define our level of wisdom and energy. A senior person is not necessarily wise. A young person is not necessarily energetic.

I'm just trying to make a point here, as well as to remind people from being drawn into some of these "conventions".

Lack of Ability or Self Sabotage?

I stumbled on this article, which interestingly started with the following statement:

"I have mentored, counseled, encouraged, discouraged, hired and fired hundreds of people over the past 25 years. Oftentimes failure is less about a lack of talent or ability, and more about self sabotage. These are frequent road blocks I see in people, myself included." ~ Tim Hoch

I agreed 100% to the statement. If you, too, agree with this statement, then you may want to read the article at the following link:

Article: 12 Things You Are Doing To Sabotage Your Future
Link: http://thoughtcatalog.com/tim-hoch/2014/03/12-things-you-are-doing-to-sabotage-your-future/

This article reminds me of what I need to be doing/remembering consistently now in order to have a better future:

1. Get uncomfortable. Get moving.
2. Strictly no meaningless games for me. (No offense. I have a different yardstick for the definition of "meaning".)
3. Associate with the right group of people. (People with common goals and work ethics.)
4. Accept rejection as being "difference in opinion or priorities".
5. Hang on no matter what.
6. Strictly no more complaining.
7. Don't care what others think of me. (Most likely they are not even thinking of me.)
8. Listen to people who care for your success. (Opinions are cheap. Right advice is priceless.)
9. Everything changes. There is no perfect landing.
10. Be honest with myself.
11. My past is not my future.
12. Mind my own business. Everyone has his own destiny.

I hope you're feeling the same motivation and inspiration after reading the article.

Negative Real Interest Rates

Today my mentor shared a piece of interesting article with me, which triggered my concerns.

Article: Zeti cautions on cheap money in KL, Yellen suggests rate hike in US
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/Business/Business-News/2014/03/20/Cheap-money-caution-Prolonged-low-interest-rate-regime-can-lead-to-excessive-risktaking/

It is a very lengthy article. But what really caught my attention are these excerpts:

During the release of its annual report yesterday, Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz said that it was undesirable to have a negative real interest rate regime for too long because it would cause financial imbalances.

Since early December last year, Malaysia has been experiencing negative real interest rates, a situation where the inflation rate is higher than the fixed-deposit interest rate.

What this means is that money that has been set aside as savings deteriorates in value because its returns are lower compared with the general rise in the price of goods and services.

In this respect, many expected Bank Negara to increase its overnight policy rate (OPR) two weeks ago, but the central bank maintained it at 3%.

In summary:

• Our money is depreciating in value.
• This situation is certainly going to stay on for some time.

It sounds to me that it's better to spend my money now than to save it in the bank, because if I spend my money now, I will enjoy full worth for my money; but if I save my money now, few months down the road I will no longer enjoy the full worth for my money due to the deterioration in the value of my money.

However, if you were to spend, make sure you spend on ASSETS (which generate income), rather than EXPENDITURES (which deplete income).

Another thing, if you're still relying solely on SAVINGS for your future, please reconsider and start learning the math of personal economy.

Which Economy Do You Focus On?

How would you describe the current world economy with one word?

Among my circle of friends, most would say it's BAD, few would say it's NOT BAD, and close to none would say it's GOOD.

How about your own economy? How would you describe your own current economy with one word?

Among my circle of friends, most would say it's the BAD, few would say it's the NOT BAD, and close to none would say it's GOOD.

Which matters more to you? The world economy or your economy?

Here's how I would describe the different combinations of world economy and personal economy:

World economy is GOOD + personal economy is GOOD = COMFORTABLE

World economy is GOOD + personal economy is BAD = STRESSED

World economy is BAD + personal economy is BAD = DEPRESSED

World economy is BAD + personal economy is GOOD = SHOPPING SPREE

Which combination do you prefer? Which economy should be your focus?

For me, I do not particularly prefer any combinations, because my single and sole focus is on making my PERSONAL ECONOMY GOOD. 

Living in the "Cheap Seats"

All my life I have been living in the "cheap seats", watching other people play the game. How often in your life have you lived in the "cheap seats", watching the game, not in it. And if you are in the game, which game are you in? Are you playing in the little league? Recreation? Minor leagues? Or are you in the major leagues? Are you playing full out?

These are the words from this speech which have captured my attention and inspired me to think of my own "cheap seat".

I encourage you to watch this video and get inspired by this speaker.

TEDx Inspirational Speaker Croix Sather - Do The Impossible

Here are some other quotes which stood out from the speech:

It's a whole lot easier to accept what's given to you, than to go out and make that difference, to make your life by your design. So things are impossible, but only impossible until someone does it for the first time.

If someone has done it for the first time, then the next question would not be whether it's possible or impossible, but rather what's next.

(At the end of the video) You know that you're only this far away from any goal in your life. Your dream life, anything that you want to do...put your hands up...this is how far it is from your goal.

I'm not going to live in my "cheap seats" any more!

Omega-3 for Better Sleep

Here's another piece of article highlighting the wonders of omega-3 fatty acids.

Article: Omega-3 consumption linked to better sleep
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Health/2014/03/10/Omega3-consumption-linked-to-better-sleep/

These are the important excerpts:

The study found children who took the daily omega-3 supplements enjoyed 58 minutes more sleep and seven fewer awakenings per night than those who took the placebo. Higher blood levels of the long-chain omega-3 DHA was linked to improved sleep, including “less bedtime resistance, parasomnias and total sleep disturbance”.

“Various substances made within the body from omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have long been known to play key roles in the regulation of sleep,” said lead study author Professor Paul Montgomery of Oxford University. “For example, lower ratios of DHA have been linked with lower levels of melatonin, and that would fit with our finding that sleep problems are greater in children with lower levels of DHA in their blood.”

Omega-3s are associated with a number of other health benefits, including their ability to lower blood pressure. A study announced last week and published in the American Journal Of Hypertension found omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are as effective, if not more so, in lowering blood pressure than commonly recommended lifestyle changes, such as exercising more, consuming less sodium and drinking less alcohol.

Again, understand your personal needs before taking any drastic change to your diet.

Blood Donation

Last Friday I went for a blood donation. I thought it was just to fulfill one of my resolutions for Year 2014. But I ended up achieving more than just my resolution.

It happened by chance. As I was filling up my form, a couple walked into the office wanting to donate their blood too. We struck and a conversation. I found out that they actually drove all the way from Gurun to Penang for this blood donation, to help replace the amount of blood which had been used for their friend's mother's heart surgery.

I thought I should offer my blood to them for the replacement, for it can be done just as easily as circling the word "replacement" on the form. So I did. And I made two new friends. The couple even asked me to pay them a visit in Gurun, and they'll bring me for some exotic meal.

I almost gave up the idea of going for the blood donation on that day. But I was glad I went, and I was really happy that my decision had made a difference to others lives.

Enough of stories. Here's an article I found which highlighted the health benefits of being a blood donor.

Article: Donating blood is as good for your health as it is for the receiver
By EMMA ROBERTSON
Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2333882/Donating-blood-good-YOUR-health-receiver.html

We all know giving blood provides an essential lifeline to those in need, but a growing body of research demonstrates that it could have health benefits for the donor too.

Findings have shown that donating blood reduces the risk of heart attacks and even cancer.

It even burns 650 calories for every pint given. 

The news could come as welcome boost to British blood banks which use an average of 7,000 units of blood every day. 

It is thought that the benefits arise from lowering high iron levels. 

Iron affects how thick and sticky the texture of the blood is. High iron levels causes the blood to be thicker. 

Raised iron levels also accelerate the oxidisation process of cholesterol. 

This can affect blood consistency and create increased friction as it travels through blood vessels. 

As this increases wear and tear to the lining of arteries it could then contribute to cardiovascular disease. 

Because donating blood removes some of its iron content, it may therefore have a protective benefit if done on a consistent basis by helping thin the blood. 

According to a study from the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that those aged 43 to 61 had fewer heart attacks and strokes when they donated blood every six months.

A study of 2,682 men from Finland found they had an 88 per cent reduced risk of heart attacks than those who don’t donate, reported Medical Daily.

Likewise, a study published in the Journal of the National cancer Institute also links iron to an increased cancer risk as it’s believed to increase free-radical damage in the body.

In line with this theory, a four-and-a-half-year study involving 1,200 people found those who made bi-annual blood donations had a lower incidence of cancer and mortality than those who didn’t because blood donations lowered their iron levels.

However, these benefits depend on making donations on a regular basis, rather than once in a while.

Another side effect of donating blood is that it can burns a large number of calories too.

After donating blood, the body replaces all of the blood volume within 48 hours, and all the red blood cells within four to eight weeks.

The University of California in San Diego estimate that for every one pint of blood donated, 650 calories are burned as the body must replenish itself.

Although this could be seen as an attractive effort-free way to lose weight, the NHS Blood and Transplant centre still encourage people to donate for altruistic purposes for the benefit others first, rather than for themselves.

The NHS Blood and Transplant service currently collects 2 million units of blood each year from 1.3 million British blood donors.

Come join me in setting blood donation as part of your yearly resolutions!

Is it safe to consume fish oil as a long-term food supplement?

Information taken from ConsumerLab.com.

Question:

Is it safe to consume fish oil as a long-term food supplement?

Answer:

Long-term use of fish oil is safe as long as the daily dose is not too high and the fish oil is not contaminated. In fact, long-term daily use of fish oil is safer than eating fish each day due to much higher amounts of mercury in many types of fish. In contrast, there is essentially no mercury in fish oil, as it binds to proteins and not oils. PCBs, however, can be found in fish oil as well as fish meat. 

The concern with too much fish oil is the potential for suppression of the immune system, which may occur at daily doses above 2,000 mg of EPA and DHA. Be aware that fish oil may also have a blood thinning effect and may lower blood pressure. 

Keep in mind that you may be better off eating fish twice a week than taking fish oil, as there is more evidence of cardiovascular benefit from eating fish than from taking fish oil. If you already eat fish twice a week, taking a fish oil supplement may offer no additional benefit, unless you are trying to reduce elevated levels of triglycerides with high-dose fish oil. 

Of course, if you don’t eat fish twice a week, you should consider supplementing with fish oil, as the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil may help with inflammatory diseases, eye disease, mental health disorders, and even the prevention of some types of cancer.

Question:

The suggested daily serving for my fish oil supplement, three 1,000 mg softgels, seems like a lot. Do I really need to take this much?

Answer:

First, it is very good that you are questioning the suggested dose on your supplement. Unlike OTC and prescription drugs, recommendations on supplements are not set or approved by the FDA and often vary widely from product to product, even among those which have the same ingredients. Supplements are actually classified as a food and not a drug. This is also why supplement labels don't refer to a "dose" but to a "serving size."

If you are taking fish oil for general cardiovascular health (as opposed to treatment for elevated triglycerides, for example), or because you think you might not be getting enough omega-3s from your diet, a single 1,000 mg softgel (providing about 300 mg EPA and 200 DHA) should be sufficient. This amount of EPA and DHA is roughly equivalent to the amount of omega-3s obtained from two servings of fish per week, as suggested by the American Heart Association. In fact, health agencies in some countries suggest that even half that amount may be adequate.

If you are taking fish oil for a specific health concern, a higher dose may be beneficial. Specific amounts for purposes such as the treatment of high triglycerides, improving mood, reducing anxiety, and even maintaining weight during chemotherapy, are listed in the ConsumerTips section of the Fish and Marine Oil Supplements Review. Be aware that there are safety concerns with high doses of fish oil, particularly a risk of bleeding and immune suppression.

Question:

Is fish oil safe? Is it contaminated with mercury and PCBs?

Answer:

ConsumerLab.com's tests of fish oil supplements have found none to contain mercury and most, although not all, to have only trace levels of PCBs (which can't be fully avoided since PCBs are found in water everywhere). A serving of fish meat is likely to contain far more contamination than a fish oil supplement. However, we have found some supplements to contain less fish oil than listed and some to be spoiled. In addition, the enteric coatings on some supplements have not worked properly.

Clinical studies have shown fish oil to be safe, but it is recommended that you get no more than 2 grams (2,000 mg) of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) from fish oil supplements per day.

Here's my personal input on things to note:

1. Avoid mercury and PCB contaminants.
• If you're taking fish oil, make sure you check the manufacturer's credibility and reliability in terms of its research and technology, source of ingredients, good manufacturing practices, etc.
2. Avoid overdose.
• Understand your personal needs. Talk to your medical consultant especially if you have health issues such as elevated levels of triglycerides.
3. Supplementing, not replacing.
• Taking oily fish such as salmon and tuna gives us other essential nutrients for maintaining good health. Fish oil is only for supplementing if you're not taking enough of these fish in your diet.

What Should We Really Be Paying Attention To?

Why pay attention to the world economics, when even your personal fundamental economics are not given the right attention?

Do you even have to worry about the world economics if you're doing well with your personal fundamental economics?

In my opinion, our personal fundamental economics are characterized by these 4 parameters:

• Income
• Expenses
• Assets
• Liabilities

You're doing well with your personal fundamental economics if your current:

• Income > Expenses
• Assets > Liabilities

You're struggling your way up with your personal fundamental economics if your current:

• Income > Expenses
• Assets < Liabilities

You're struggling your way down with your personal fundamental economics if your current:

• Income < Expenses
• Assets > Liabilities

You're doing poorly with your personal fundamental economics if your current:

• Income < Expenses
• Assets < Liabilities

What we know is that our Expenses are direct results of:

• Inflation
• Taxes
• Utilities
• Interest rates
• Education
• Health care

If these items continue to be on the rise, that would increase our Expenses, and therefore negatively affect our personal fundamental economics.

We know we can't avoid the increase of all these items. Thus, to solve this, ask yourself:

• Is your source of income always on par with, if not ahead of, inflation?
• Does your source of income come with the best form of tax relief?

What should we really be paying attention to? Are you taking any action to improve your personal fundamental economics?

Amateurs vs Professionals

What do we know about the difference between amateurs and professionals, apart from the money they make?

Or

Here are 2 examples:

1. Amateurs usually work with their "bare hands"; whereas professionals usually work with tools.
• Question: If you're going to visit a dentist, would you choose a dentist who works with bare hands? Or would you choose one who uses the latest sophisticated dentistry tools?
2. Amateurs go into the arena with no skills, do trial and error, and count on luck to produce good results; whereas professionals practice diligently on a specific set of skills before going into the arena, apply the skills in the arena, expect certain results from their effort, and assess their skills and results after the ordeals are over.
• Question: If you're going for a live football match, would you pay money and spend time to watch a group of amateurs play? Or would you rather pay money and spend time to watch a group of professionals play?

If you want to be good at something, treat it with a sense of professionalism. If you respect what you do, people will learn how to respect what you do, and so you'll get the results that you want.

Don't Try

Most people want to be successful in life. But how many of them really become successful? Not many.

In my personal opinion, based on my own experience as well as observation of people around me, I believe that one of the major reasons people are not successful is that they have tried too hard to become successful.

Allow me to clarify. The problem here is not the word "too hard", but rather the word "try".

Let me give you 2 examples to illustrate my point.

Example #1

When you're going for lunch, do you say "I'm going to eat something" or "I'm going to try to eat something"?

Most of you would answer "I'm going to eat something." Why? Because you know you're definitely going to eat something, and there's no reason why you have to "try" to do so.

In this illustration, using the word "try" means that the person probably has a problem with eating (lack of appetite due to sickness or poor emotions), therefore he can only "try" to eat something. And if he fails to eat something, to him it's ok, because he has a reason for not being able to eat.

Example #2

During your wedding ceremony, when the minister asks to you "Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in heath, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto her for as long as you both shall live?", what will your answer be?

Do you say "I do" or "I'll try my very best"? I'm sure most of you who understand common sense would say "I do", because saying "I'll try my very best" would most likely result in a tight slap on your face from your bride.

In this illustration, using the word "try" means that the person is not certain that he's going to provide those things, and therefore can only "try" to do it. If he fails to do so, to him it's ok, because he has already long identified a reason for not being able to treat his wife well. 

From these 2 simple examples, we can see that when we use the word "try" in a sentence, we're actually sending a message to our brain and to others that we're not certain of doing something, and therefore, is not 100% committed to it. When we use the word "try", most likely we have also identified an excuse that we can use to justify our failure to achieve something. When we use the word "try", there's an element of "giving up" in it.

Therefore, if you really really want to be successful in life, I would like to urge all of you to drop the word "try" from your daily vocabulary. It's either going to be done, or not going to be done; there's nothing in between called "try".

If you want to be happy, don't "try" to be happy, just BE happy. Smile, open up your heart and mind, think positive, help others, etc.

If you want to be successful, don't "try" to be successful, just BE successful. Work hard, read books, develop your skills, set goals and follow through, etc.

After all, if our mother said "I'm going to try to deliver this baby today", I don't think all of us will be around.

So...

If you want to be successful...

DON'T TRY, JUST BE!

The Goodness of Fatty Fish

Here's a good article for those of you who wish to enjoy having good cardiovascular health throughout your entire lifetime, especially if your dietary menu doesn't feature a regular feast on fatty fish.

Article: Fatty fish boosts good cholesterol levels
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Health/Nutrition/2014/03/05/Fatty-fish-boosts-good-cholesterol-levels/

A UNIVERSITY of Eastern Finland study has found that eating more fatty fish can increase good cholesterol levels. 

The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE and found participants who increased their fish fatty consumption to three or four fish meals per week had more large HDL (high-density lipoprotein) – also known as “good cholesterol” – particles in their blood than those who did not eat fish so frequently. 

For the study, 131 participants with “impaired glucose metabolism and features of the metabolic syndrome” were divided into three groups, the first asked to eat wholegrain products and bilberries as well as three to four weekly servings of fatty fis, the second asked to eat whole grains in addition to their regular eating habits, and the third, a control group, asked to eliminate whole grains and limit their intake of berries and fish. A total of 106 participants completed the trial. 

Daily fish intake in the three groups worked out to be 67g, 42g and 16g respectively. Participants who experienced the most positive changes were those eating three to four fish meals per week, and the greater the increase in fish intake, the greater the increase in concentration of large HDL. 

Fish consumed for the study included fatty options such as rainbow trout, salmon, vendace and herring. The fish were prepared without additional butter or cream. 

Cholesterol is generally divided into “good” and “bad,” with good cholesterol capable of removing bad cholesterol from arteries in addition to lowering risk of cardiovascular disease. Bad cholesterol contributes to increased risk of this disease. 

“People shouldn’t fool themselves into thinking that if their standard lipid levels are OK, there’s no need to think about the diet, as things are a lot more complicated than that. Soft vegetable fats and fish are something to prefer in any case,” postdoctoral researcher Maria Lankinen says. 

Researchers also emphasize the importance of maintaining a heart-healthy diet that’s low in red meat and high in fish and other foods that lower bad cholesterol, such as olive oil, whole grains and nuts. – AFP Relaxnews

It's time to start eating more fish! 

How Technology is Affecting Your Children's Sleep

Our ancestors used to have lots of sleep in a day. They rose with the sun, and slept with the moon. There's nothing much one could do in the midst of total darkness back in those days when there were no electricity and light bulbs. With better sleep quality, our ancestors had enjoyed having better health, with most of them dying of old age instead of heart attack or cancer.

Today, with the invention of light bulb and other electronic devices, people are staying up late at night. This has not only affected our health, but also our next generation - children - as they face trouble sleeping.

The following article is a good read on how technology has affected children.

Article: Limit kids' technology use for better sleep: survey
Link: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/limit-kids-technology-better-sleep-survey-102521293.html

If your child is having trouble sleeping, or isn't getting the amount of sleep he or she needs, it may very well have to do with electronic devices. A new survey by the US National Sleep Foundation found American kids ages 6 through 17 aren't getting enough sleep, with almost 72 percent sleeping with at least one electronic device in their bedrooms. 

In a survey of more than 1,100 American parents, teens who slept with devices in their bedrooms were reported to get half an hour less sleep than those who didn't have devices in their rooms. 

The National Sleep Foundation recommended turning electronic devices off about an hour before bedtime following a 2011 study, as they keep the brain stimulated and suppress melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. 

Over 90 percent of parents surveyed highly valued sleep in regards to their children's school performance, health and overall happiness. However, this survey indicates parents may need to do more in terms of ensuring their children get the shut-eye they need. This includes rules about caffeinated beverages and TV shows before bedtime in addition to limited electronic device use. 

"A good first step in setting and enforcing sleep-related rules is to establish bedtimes," poll task force member Jim Spilsbury, Ph.D., MPH, said in a statement. 

The National Sleep Foundation survey also stressed that parents should be good role models for their children regarding electronic device use, as less than a quarter of children own such devices if their parents do not.

I'm definitely going to sleep earlier every day from today onwards! 

Is Your Salary Enough to Buy You a House?

Reading these 2 articles from The Star on the same day got me thinking...is this really the case?

Article #1: Salaries not going up as fast as prices of homes
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/02/18/Salaries-not-going-up-as-fast-as-prices-of-homes/

Key excerpts:

When A.S. Gill bought his double-storey link house in SS12 in Subang Jaya back in 1985, it took about a quarter of his salary combined with that of his wife to realise their dream. The house was RM200,000 but now it costs RM1mil. 

“Today, I am estimating that youngsters would have to fork out at least 50% of their salary.”

“More young people are buying old houses with the support of their parents.” 

“If you want cheap and nearby the city, don’t expect it to be big. If you want big and cheap, don’t expect it to be nearby.”

Article #2: Klang Valley still affordable
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/02/18/Klang-Valley-still-affordable-A-household-needs-monthly-income-of-RM14580-to-buy-a-home/

Key excerpts:

You must have an average household income of RM14,580 a month to afford a home in the Klang Valley, according to a recent study. 

It found that certain groups of buyers interested in strategic areas can have access to houses that are priced at 56 times their household income. 

The study also found that this same group can afford to spend up to 26% of their monthly household income to service a mortgage.

What can we conclude?

1. If you have a rich dad, good for you.
2. If your dad is not rich, don't blame and sulk, just go out and look for more money. You may not have a rich dad, but that doesn't mean your children should not have one.
3. If you blame everyone else other than yourself for not being able to afford a house, most likely your children will do the same too. And one thing for sure, you'll be one of the persons they blame too. This is called duplication.

Take action. Sitting at home watching, listening and reading news doesn't make you money. If it does, you should have been rich by now.

Li Ka Shing Teaches You How To Buy A Car & House In 5 Years

Here's a superb article on how you can manage your funds wisely to help you attain what you want in life.

Article: Li Ka Shing Teaches You How To Buy A Car & House In 5 Years
Link: http://www.ceoconnectz.com/lessons-from-li-ka-shing.pdf

I particularly like the "classic quotes" in the article:

Famous theory from Harvard: The difference of a person’s fate is decided from what a person spends in his free time between 20:00 to 22:00 . Use these two hours to learn, think and participate in meaningful lectures or discussion. If you persist for several years, success will come knocking on your doors. 

No matter how much you earn, remember to split your salary into five parts. Take care of your body so that it will still be in good shape. Invest in your social circle so that you will constantly meet new people where you can learn new knowledge from. Expanding your network will also have an important impact in how much you earn eventually. Travel every year and expand your horizons. Also keep abreast with the latest developments in the industry. If you follow this plan diligently, you will soon see big surplus in your funds. 

Whatever happened in the past is over. Do not dwell on past mistakes. There’s no point crying over spilt milk. Everybody makes mistakes. It’s what you learn from the mistakes, and promising yourself not to repeat those mistakes that matters. When you miss opportunities, don’t dwell on it, as there are always new opportunities on the horizon. 

Being able to smile when being slightly misunderstood is good upbringing. When you’re wronged and you smile with calmness, it is generosity. When you’re being taken advantage of and you can smile, you’re being open-minded. When you are helpless and you can do a philosophical smile, you’re in a calm state. When you’re in distress and you can laugh out loud, you’re being generous. When you’re looked down and you can calmly smile, you’re being confident. When you’re being jilted in relationships and you can smile it off, you’re being suave.

I'm going to add these practices into my daily deliberate actions. Are you?


P/S: Many thanks to Edmund Ng of CeoConnectz for taking his time to translate the original Mandarin article for the benefits of English-speaking readers.

Are You A Social Media Green Eyed Monster?

I have to confess. Browsing through my Facebook page can sometimes make me feel really envious of my friends, especially when I see them doing things which I have always dreamed of doing myself, or see them achieving success while I'm still struggling in my own pursuit. It can be quite depressing sometimes, triggering doubts and thoughts like "is there something wrong with my life?"

But so far I have still been able to pull myself back by reading the right books and listening to the right audio materials.

Yes, some of them may have achieved what they want...well, I'm on my way too!

But if you have been facing much worse experience with social media than I have, you may want to read this good article which addressed this issue spot on.

Article: Social Media Can Bring Out the Green Eyed Monster in You
Link: http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/love/relationship%20columnist0/Social-Media-Can-Bring-Out-the-Green-Eyed-Monster-in-You_printer.shtml

Here are some useful excerpts from the article:

The surest way to finding misery is being jealous or envious of what someone else has. 

Social media may be showing you how boring or lacking your life is, but when you become jealous you are missing the other side of what social media is not showing you. 

That is the realistic side, the honest or transparent side. Most people don't take selfies when they first get up and are looking their worse, nor are they able to post how they are fighting with their spouse, or how their child is suffering in school, or how miserable they are in the love department.

If you feel that jealousy or envy is beginning to make a presence in your life, and you find yourself feeling more and more envious, these suggestions may help you gain perspective and change your jealous ways. 

• The first thing you have to do is admit there is a problem. If you can't admit you're jealous, then anything you try to do will be ineffective. 

• Appreciate their success. Train yourself to realize that they aren't posting the whole story and you don't need to hear the whole drama details of what's going on in their life. 

• Stop comparing anyone to anyone. No one has the perfect life, and your comparison is based on false assumptions that whatever he or she posted leads him or her to nirvana. Impossible; be realistic. One good thing doesn't mean all things. 

• Make yourself limit your time on Facebook and all social media. Studies support that decreasing social media usage leads to reduced feeling of stress. 

• Learn to be grateful for what you have. You may not have the most beautiful children or the smartest, but if they love you and you love them, you are gifted beyond measure. Write that on a Facebook post and smile.

Everyone's life is unique. Be grateful and make the best of it!

Success Rate

After two years of studying business building skills, this is what I have learned about the statistics of financial success and the reasons behind the numbers:

Almost 100% of the people want to enjoy financial success... 

But 80% of them are not willing to commit themselves to the cause and pathway towards financial success...

12% of them start their cause by getting on the pathway, but fail to continually commit themselves in it...

5% of them have lingering thoughts, but are disciplined enough to stay in the pathway and made some good progress...

Only the remaining 3% have the kind of tunnel vision which keeps them on track 100% of the time and become financially successful...

I believe these numbers also reflect what's happening in other areas, such as academia, sports, work, etc. Only less than a handful of people would become successful because of the nature of human beings.

Like my mentor used to say, if someone got into Harvard University but fails to graduate, it doesn't mean that Harvard University is not good, but rather the student is the one who has failed to study well.

Sometimes people are over-indulged in assessing success rates before they start involving in a new venture. What they don't realise is, it's not the success rate that is going to determine whether they can succeed, but instead, it is their own attitude that is going to make the difference.

If something fails, don't blame the success rate. Blame yourself for not doing what the 3% are doing.

Your Crowning Glory

This is an interesting article from the Star about our hair and how it's linked to our body system.

Title: If Hair Could Talk
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Viewpoints/Womens-World/Profile/Articles/2014/02/09/If-hair-could-talk/

These are some of the problems related to our hair and the causes:

#1- Dandruff

• For most people, the real reason which cause dandruff is oily scalp, not dry scalp.
• Stress, certain diseases like Parkinson's, and hygiene can also cause dandruff.

#2 - Hair loss

• The usual causes for hair loss are genetic (for men) and hormonal imbalance (for women).
• Excessive weight loss, eating disorders, thyroid problems, stress and certain medications can also contribute to hair loss.
• When our diet lacks protein, the body is forced to conserve protein stores for other more crucial body functions, thus causing hair loss.

#3 - Dry and brittle hair

• Maintaining healthy hair requires essential vitamins and minerals, such as iron and vitamin E. Fat-rich foods, fast foods and processed snacks laden with sugar, salt, additives and flavourings lack these essential nutrients.
• It can also be the result of excessive styling, washing, blow-drying or colouring.

#4 - Gray hair

• Graying hair is generally linked to genetics.
• Hair colour can also be affected by stress.

Other things which may contribute to hair problems:

• Drinking coffee or alcohol and smoking can affect your body's nutrient absorption from the foods you eat.
• Hair loss can also occur from food allergens such as dairy, wheat, soy, corn and food additives.
• Harsh hair treatments, blow-drying or excessive hair products, and even UV rays can stress your hair roots.
• Tying, braiding or over-combing, which stresses hair roots and can lead to hair breakage over time.

Your hair is your crowning glory. Learn how to protect it  :)

Shocking Truth on Wealth Inequality

Have you ever calculated your networth?

My mentor always say that "whatever gets measured, gets improved". In other words, if you have never calculated your networth, your networth will never get improved.

This is a shocking revelation of the wealth inequality in America.

Wealth Inequality in America

Despite the statistics showing only those in America, yet I believe it is pretty much the same for our country as well. And I believe that the fundamental cause of wealth inequality around the world is down to these 3 things:

1. Wrong attitude
2. Wrong education
3. Wrong vehicle

"Most people are busy and working very hard to climb up the ladder, but not knowing that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall," another of my mentor's favourite quote.

As the video clip has shown, the middle-income group is fast depleting in numbers. Are you prepared to be wiped out together with your indulgence and ignorance? Or are you going to take action to right the above wrongs?

A Little Wisdom on Giving

Recently, I received a little bookmark from an old friend of mine, who has been serving full time at the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation for the past few years. As a result of her selfless involvement in this foundation, I had decided a year ago that 10% of my business income would go to this charity foundation. Because, all I wanted was to see my funds being put to good use  :)

This is the bookmark.

Doing nothing and idling time away consumes life. Giving to others with total dedication creates life. ~ Dharma Master Cheng Yen

Some people whom I have met, they kept saying they have no time for this, no time for that, but yet time and again you would see them spending their time whetting their sensual pleasure - consuming life.

Do they really have no time? With this new perspective, I have to agree that they indeed have no time. Because they have CONSUMED their own time. Just as simple as that.

If we were to look at the bigger picture, and think of ourselves as having a unique purpose to contribute to this world while we're still alive, giving to others with total dedication, we would find ourselves having more time and energy to contribute to the world with every successful giving.

My friend has dedicated her life to create life for others through spiritual means. I'm definitely inspired to do the same, thus dedicating my life to create life for others through intellectual and financial means.

If this quote resonates with you, I urge you to embrace the spirit of giving and create life for the people around you.

What Have I Learned En Route to Becoming A DTM

First of all, don't get me wrong. I'm writing this post not to boast about being a DTM, but to share with you the fact that some Toastmasters have actually achieved their DTM award a few times (yes, you hear me right) and each time learning a different set of lessons.

P/S: DTM stands for Distinguished Toastmaster, the most significant milestone which any Toastmaster can achieve.

That said, achieving the DTM award is not really the end of the journey, but rather just a part of the journey in Toastmasters.

For those of you who are new to Toastmasters, achieving a DTM award means that the Toastmaster must have:

1. Completed at least 40 assignment speeches.
• Competent Communicator manual: 10 basic speeches
• Advanced Communicator manuals: 5 advanced speeches in 6 different speech manuals
2. Held leadership positions and served 2-digit, 3-digit, 4-digit or even 5-digit number of members.
• Served as a club officer.
• Served as a district officer.
3. Helped someone become a better communicator.
• Coached a new member in his assignment speeches.
4. Contributed to the expansion of the Toastmasters program.
• Sponsored or mentored a new club in the local community.
5. Organized, lead and completed something for his fellow Toastmasters.
• Played different meeting roles.
• Organized events or activities.

You may read more at:

http://www.toastmasters.org/Members/MemberExperience/EducationalProgram/CommunicationTrack.aspx

http://www.toastmasters.org/Members/MemberExperience/EducationalProgram/LeadershipTrack.aspx

Let's get back to the topic - what have I learned en route to becoming a DTM?

#1 - Being a good communicator is not just about being able to speak well, it is also about being able to listen effectively.

• My observation tells me that most people are too eager to speak out their minds that they have forgotten to ask themselves whether they are speaking in the right context which the listener can relate to.
• Being able to listen effectively to what others say allows you to understand their frame of mind and specific needs.
• Once you understand their frame of mind and specific needs, you then organize your thoughts and speech in a way that they can relate to easily.

#2 - True leadership is about serving people, it's not just about titles, positions and instructing people.

• My definition of a true leader is someone who knows where to go and how to bring others along with him.
• Given a title or a position doesn't make a person a true leader because he still may not know where to go and may not have the capability to bring others along with him.

#3 - Becoming a better person.

• Having the opportunity to work with people from different backgrounds gives me a more well-rounded perspective of how interpersonal relationships work.
• In order to lead effectively, you must first gain the trust and respect of the people you lead. To gain trust, you must first be trustworthy. To gain respect, you must first be a person who has integrity and respects others. Before you talk, you must first walk your talk.

The Toastmasters educational programme is a self-paced, learn-by-doing, and service-minded programme. It provides you a positive and nurturing environment to fail and and learn from your mistakes. I strongly urge you to go through the programme and share what you've learned with others.

Habits of the Wealthiest People

Most of us have read the book written by Dr Stephen Covey about the "7 Habits of Highly Effective People". But how about something more specific? Such as "Habits of the Wealthiest People"?

The infographic below is taken from the following site:
http://www.business-management-degree.net/features/wealthiest-people/

I like the "reminder" at the very bottom which says:

Following these traits won't necessarily make you rich...but they are worth a shot.

My business education program has somehow incorporated most of these elements, which means I have been practicing them for quite a while, and I have personally felt the positive growth and change in me. I would like to encourage you to start adopting these habits too!


Source: Business-Management-Degree.net

How I Got Into Toastmasters

I was first introduced to Toastmasters by my parents when I was in Form 4. Yes, just like you, when I heard of the word "Toastmasters", I thought it was some sort of a cooking-cum-baking society, which was why I had always refused my parents' invitation for me to attend one of their meetings. As they used to hold their meetings from 8.00-10.30pm, I had always refused to attend their meetings on a "legitimate reason" that I had to attend school early in the morning. Well, somehow I was always caught still watching television when my parents returned from the meetings. Hehe  :)

What is Toastmasters
Link: http://www.toastmasters.org/

After completing my secondary education, my "reason" was no longer "legitimate", and so I had to oblige to my parents invitation to attend one of their meetings. When my mom said that I should bring my friends along for company, the "light bulb" suddenly turned on, giving me the idea that I should use this as a "legitimate reason" to ask my girl friends out for a date. *evil grin*

And so there I was, attending my very first Toastmasters meeting as a guest, with this lovely lady "C" whom I had fond feelings of sitting on one side, and two male buddies whom I brought along sitting on another side (guys should know best what this means, hehe). Obviously, I was excited. But not knowing that my parents had set up an "evil plan" to make me speak during the meeting.

What is Table Topics
Link: http://www.toastmasters.org/Members/MemberExperience/MeetingRoles/TableTopicsSpeaker.aspx

During the Table Topics sessions, after a few volunteers had spoken, the Table Topics Masters asked,

"Shall we have one of our guests to participate?"

Well, we were the only guests. And for obvious reasons, I had to play hero and step forward to volunteer myself for the topic. When the topic was read, I could feel cold sweat starting to slip out from the pores of my forehead.

"Imagine you're asking a lady out for a date. Please demonstrate how you convince the lady to accept your invitation."

As if to add coal to fire, the cheeky Table Topics Master suggested,

"I think you need a partner. Shall we invite C to join you here so that you can demonstrate to us?"

Unlike the timid me, C was a "steady" lady and immediately obliged. When she stood beside me, I blushed. Long story short, I fumbled...terribly...

Thankfully, this embarrassing experience brought out the "kiasu-ness" in me. It taught me one very important lesson:

A person may have the best intentions or ideas in mind, but if he could not communicate them effectively to his targeted audience, it is just as though he has never had them in mind.

Surprisingly, this was the very experience which triggered my interest and got me into Toastmasters.

And I have never stopped ever since.

Scary and Worrying Things You Should Know About GMOs (Must Watch)

If you believe in whatever you've seen here, and believe that others also deserve having the same education on this topic, please kindly share it with your friends and loved ones.

Sometime ago, I was introduced to this topic about GMO (genetically modified organisms) by my mentor, and was advised to take precautionary steps to protect myself against any potential health hazards caused by GMOs. Out of trust, I took heed of his advice and started paying attention to my gut health.

Today, after spending nearly an hour watching this film below, I finally realize how serious this problem can be if no action is taken to protect ourselves from the GMOs.

Here's a film produced by the Institute for Responsible Technology about the untold story of GMO's harmful effects on humans and nature. I really recommend that you spend some time watching this film, as there are simply too many things to be discovered about this topic.

Original link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YDzZc-QFIwk

Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of Our Lives

Here are some of the points which I have got out of watching this film:

• From the laws of nature, we understand that all organisms which have gone through thousands of years of evolution to survive until today are basically part of this whole big ecosystem to maintain harmony and balance. GMOs are simply created in labs and have not gone any "test of evolutionary process", thus may cause unpredictable effects when consume by our body.
• GMOs contain "Frankenstein elements" which our body system do not recognize, thus resulting in allergies when consumed. If your children have suffered from allergies to a certain food, most likely you've got in touch with GMOs in your diet. Children are more likely to suffer the effects of GMOs because their immune and digestive systems are much more sensitive compared to adults.
• GMOs are highly resistant to pests. Once consumed, it will turn our intestinal flora into a living pesticide factory. And this "living pesticide" will continue to live and duplicate in our intestines, causing problems like leaky gut syndrome.
• Statistics have shown a direct correlation between the increasing consumption of GMOs and the increasing frequency of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colotis, chronic constipation, gastroesophageal reflux, diabetes, autism, etc. 
• GMOs generally contain lower nutritional values compared to natural organic crops, therefore resulting in chronic malnutrition which leads to various types of diseases.
• Even if we were to avoid direct consumption of GMOs, we still couldn't know for sure whether GMOs exist in our meats (chicken fed with GMOs), dairy products (cows fed with GMOs), soy milk (made of GMO soy beans), supplements (derived from GMOs), and even infant formula (made of GMO soy beans). There are 4 major brands of infant formula shown in this film which contain more than 40% of GMO substances, which is rather worrying.
• If a product is not labelled as "organic" or "non-GMO", chances are, it is a GMO.

And many more.

Here are some precautionary steps which we can take to protect ourselves:

• Read labels.
• Choose organic or non-GMO certified foods.
• Always question the source of the foods - are they grown in organic or non-GMO certified farms?
• Eat foods which repopulate our intestinal flora with good bacteria.

Most importantly, share this knowledge with more people, so that the drastic drop in sales of GMO foods will trigger the manufacturers to stop producing GMO crops and foods.

Recently I have listened to a very good piece of audio material shared by a very successful business owner from the US. In his speech, he shared a funny piece of article which he found from the internet called "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective QUITTERS".

I made a search on Google, and manage to find the piece of article that he has mentioned. Here's the full article taken from http://impossiblehq.com/7-habits-of-highly-effective-quitters .

Besides having a good laugh on some of these points, I would also encourage you to reflect on yourself, ask if you're also having some of these "Quitters' Habits".

Enjoy  :)

P/S: Thanks to Joel Runyon for sharing this wonderful piece.

7 Habits of Highly Effective Quitters

MARCH 7, 2013 BY JOEL RUNYON

We’re switching gears today.

Today I want to talk about those people that don’t get a lot of mentions here on the blog.

The unsung heroes.

The ones who are always right.

The ones that never get enough attention.

The realistic ones.

The quitters.

This ones for you.

And for all of you doers out there – maybe you can pick up a lesson or two from these 7 Habits of Highly Effective Quitters

7 Habits of Highly Effective Quitters

1. Don’t Even Start

The best quitters never even start. After all the best way to quit is to quit before you even start. That way you leave no question about things. If you don’t start anything, you’ll have so much more room for other activities!

Seriously, the more time you waste on doing something or pursuing something you want, the less time you have for important activities like quitting projects, complaining and generally talking about how lame it is that nothing ever works out.

2. Get Really Good At Explaining Your Excuses

Now, if you’re really unfortunate, you might have some friends who want you to make yourself better.

STOOOPID.

Work on your quick draw. Have at least 5 really great excuses ready for why you didn’t start.

• I’m tired.
• It’s hard.
• It’s complicated
• It’d easy
• You don’t understaaannnnnnnd (best one ever)

Remember, use the last one only in emergencies. Or every single time you’re questioned. Either way. Unstoppable. Win!

Another stellar option is any time someone does something they’re proud of quickly dismiss this with a flip “I could totally do that”, quickly followed up by a short list of totally legitimate reasons why it’s not worth your time because you’re better than them.

It simultaneously lets you be egotistical, diminish others accomplishments without making you actually have to do anything. 3 birds. 1 stone. Boom.

3. Believe Your Own Stories

It’s not enough to convince others about your excuses. You need to sell it to yourself.

COMMIT TO IT

You know how Christian Bale lost 60+ pounds to be in the Machinist? You need to do that. Become the person you need to be in order to sell yourself on your inability.

Forget all of your natural talents, abilities and potential if you actually applied yourself. Focus on the obstacles and convince yourself how hard you specifically have it.

Remember, the key to this is maintaining a vacuum. Here’s a few tips.

1. Believe the world revolves around you and your happiness. If you do, life will make more sense and you can become more easily outraged at the fact that traffic doesn’t stop when you need it to and that the billions of people for some strange reason aren’t acting with your specific intersts in mind. For some reason they’re not considering YOUR NEEDS while going about their 7 billion other lives. WTF?
2. Do your best to forget the fact that you have more opportunity and technology available to you than 90% of the world and pretty much all of human history.

Remember, your life is hard because

• you don’t know what terms to google to figure out just about anything you could want to learn.
• the gym is like, at least, ten minutes away from your house.
• people might look at you weird if you try something different
• flying around the world takes all of 12 hours. 
• candy bars are really tempting.

Life. Is. Rough.

Stay away from news about wars, poverty and other basic things like water oreducation that other people struggle with on a day to day basis . Those might tempt you to think that your definition of “hard” might be slightly relative.

Lies.

Remember, this is about all about you. Whatever you do, remember that it doesn’t matter how thin the pretense for your excuse is. If you believe it to your core – it doesn’t matter if others believe you or not. You’ve already won.

4. Make Sure To Tell Others

It’s not good enough for you to quit. There’s strength in numbers so make sure to spread it around. Surround yourself with other quitters.

Hopefully, these are people who are well practiced in the art of giving up before they ever started.

If you’ve got friends who are actually trying to do something, be sure to tell them them to give up as soon as possible. Encourage them to quit quit and remind them of how hard it is. Focus on why they can’t do it and why the idea is dumb and the other countless reasons why action is pointless. Offer unsolicited advice about why it’s impossible.

If you can make them discouraged, you’ve got a good chance.

The louder you are, the better. If you have a whiney voice – practice it in the mirror. It will let people know that your reasons are really serious and emotional. Bonus points if you throw in: “I used to think that too but then I became [smarter/faster/older/wiser/better] than to believe such things. Condescending sneers are encouraged.

5. Spend Lots of Time Consuming

Every once in a while you might feel like doing something yourself.

Screw that (see item #1).

Never create anything yourself. This is a gateway drug. If you do this, you might create more things, find that they’re useful and get addicted to making things and impressing your will upon the world.

Stop. 

Fill any and all free time with mindless activities. Ideally these include Netflix, Reality TV, Celebrity Gossip, Video Games, YouTube videos and Cat GIFs.

Whatever you can do to numb your mind – do it.

If you feel the need to satisfy doing something, here’s a quick fix.

1. Don’t do it (this is important).
2. Google “person doing X activity”
3. Find a website/youtube channel or other outlet of some person doing X activity.
4. Read & Watch everything they’ve ever written. Once you’ve gone through all their content, go through it again.
5. Breathe & Relax. You’ve successfully avoided the temptation to do something yourself. You’ll notice the dopamine start to fill your brain as you reassure yourself that, “I’m reading about people doing cool things – so I get partial credit for doing them myself.”

6. Never Try Anything New

Pick one language in one town and one thing and stick to it. Go on vacation one time a year – hopefully on a cruise so you can go to a lot of different coutnries but still experience all-you-can-eat-buffets, casinos and ‘MURICA! while never getting off the boat.

If you start to think about doing something new: immediately pre-disqualify yourself (use imaginary reasons if necessary). These new ideas are dangerous and if let them progress too far, they may lead to action. Don’t let this happen (again, see rule #1).

7. Be Really Defensive

No one has the right to challenge you. No one.

They don’t know what you’ve been through and they’re not you – so how dare they try and challenge you to change something and do it better?

It doesn’t matter if they have a good point, a different point of view or other experiences that might be beneficial to you in some way/shape/form and it especially doesn’t matter if they care about your or not.

Don’t try to listen. Instead defend your status quo to the death. It can’t get here fast enough!

Be as easily offended as possible. That way everyone will know you’re right by how outraged you get. Never even consider thinking about another point of view. That will make other people think that you think you’re wrong – which you never could be. No one can understand your unique position in life, but through sheer cunning and ingenuity, you understand everything perfectly and can dissect world problems with surgeon-like precision.

Remember: your rightness is directly correlated with how angry you can get.

If possible, avoid any actual discussion as much as possible. Better yet, if you’ve done your homework on step #4, you should be surrounded only by people who only approve of your current lack of activities – that way you never have to question yourself.

If you do this right, you’ll never even even have to interact with any of these “offensive” people, but you’ll always feel like you’re being actively persecuted by them (so you get the best of both worlds!).

Above All

Above all, remember that anytime you come to a crossroads, just quit. It’s the easiest thing in the world – and after all – life is about making things easy. I mean seriously, if it’s hard, that must mean it’s probably not worth doing.

And remember: the easy choice is always the right choice. Always.

—

Or…you could suck it up, decide that what you want is worthwhile, realize your excuses suck and that it’s not all about you, decide to do the hard stuff anyways, put your head down, persevere and go for it….but that sounds way too hard.

—