Raising ACE

I wished ACE "Happy Birthday" 5 minutes before midnight on 6 May. I was 5 minutes away from missing out the chance to wish him on his birthday. That devastated me!!!

When I was a proud new papa holding my little bundle of joy in my arms 15 years ago, it was difficult to imagine that someday that little package of helplessness could be 1.75m, 55kg who would speak chemistry, philosophy and correct my grammatical errors.

Raising a kid is not an easy trip by any stretch of the imagination, but it sure is fun, exciting and tremendously rewarding.

 

How to measure human character

"Steve behaved very badly. He constantly talks down on the wait staff,"CT reported upon arriving back from Shanghai

I had to admit it, but there was a time in my early life that I, too, persistently leave others feeling demeaned and de-energised.

Now, as I know, the difference between how a person treats the powerless versus the powerful is as good a measure of human character. To me, when a person is persistently warm and civilised toward people who are of unknown or lower status, it means he/she is a decent human being.

Holy Trinity of Health

"I don't do any exercise at all," Ping declared. " But I have made a revolution to start exercising."

To achieve big results, we need big energy. We can only achieve big energy through the Holy Trinity of Health: exercise, nutritious food and sufficient rest. We cannot control the pace of technology but we can help our bodies to weather the storms of change.

Work economically

I'd just completed the 7 habits of highly effective people training last week.

It reinforced into me that maximum productivity is not the same as working continuously or working to exhaustion. It is managing time and resources efficiently. 

As a leader, we must understand the essential, and then be able to focus all our resources on that essence.

Parent + friend

ACE told me about the KL music fest today along with updates on the scouts job week. We also talked about buying a samsung S4.

As a father I try to balance being a parent and a friend. I want my kid to feel comfortable to come to me with his problems and whatever else is on his mind. That won't happen if I am distant and disconnected from him.

One of the highest compliments a father can receive is for his kids to pass on to their own children the values and wisdom he has taught them. And those children pass on the legacy to their children and so on.

Confidential feedback

My mentor ship program starts this coming Tuesday. I will officially have a mentor

In my experience the best solicited feedback is confidential feedback. We're merely ingesting honest commentary - which we requested! - from blind but we'll-meaning sources.

To maintain confidentiality, we need an unbiased third party to do the polling.

In soliciting feedback for myself, the only question that works is " how can I do better?"

When you hurt the worst

"There is no more boyfriend. I am hurting," Stephie lamented.

Lovers break up. A boyfriend or girlfriend walks away, trampling on what was once a beautiful relatinship. All that is left is a wounded, broken heart.

When you are deeply hurt, no person on this earth can shut out the innermost fears and deepest agonies. The best of friends cannot really understand the battle you are going through in the wounds inflicted on you.

When you hurt the worst, go to your secret closet and weep out all your bitterness. But let those tears originate only from the hurt, and not from unbelief or self-pity. Convince yourself that you will survive, you will come out of it.