Keeping A Clear Mind In Adversity

to fight or retreat...

If you want to do it or you desire something, you will throw in your heart and soul to get it
Nothing is beyond your reach if you so desired
Anthony died for Cleopatra, LiangSanPo and ZhuYinDai died for love
Edward VIII gave up his throne to marry his lover, Wallis Simpson
Japan's Princess Ayako of Takamado married Kei Moriya, a commoner, & gave up her title
When a woman wants to see her man, there is no chance that the man can slip away from her grasp
When a Man wants to see his woman, he will scheme to entrap her

The world's champion is not necessarily the tallest, strongest, fastest nor ablest
The champion is one who repeats his skills so many times that he perfected his moves
There is no room for error nor lapses
Champions have only one goal, that is, to win & continue winning
The guard against losing is harder that the journey towards winning

I am against giving up ... & hated most if the other person opening words are "I cannot..., no can't"
Giving up is the easiest
It is success and winning that need grit, perseverance and infinite energy
The rostrum is for winner, the leader, the achiever, the gamechanger
Sadly amidst the happiness, victory is temporary - that moment of fame is so momentary
But, success tastes sweetest

Will I fight or retreat? I fight to win as I do not "just" fight
I retreat to muster enough readiness to win - 以退为进
Why sacrifice unnecessarily when you are not ready? That's a fool's goal called martyr
Bruce Lee fought his way to stardom & paid with his life
Jet Li retreated from stardom to live a simple, healthy life
To the perfectionist, life is temporary

I am looking toward a sedated, calm, spiritual life away from material pursuit
I am training to be at ease, at peace & non-provokable - it's is harder than I thought
I am trying to cease speaking & be a "man of few words" - the less I speak, the wiser I become
I wanna spend time on self-discovery - what & who am I? To seek some level of enlightenment
Not a buddha but a budhisattva
Away from the earthly, humanly desires 

Fight or flight - I am a fighter & I fight to win
Even in retreat, I seek to achieve
My goals are within & my relationship with GOD is a one-on-one relation
I seek peace from within & lightens up all around me
Like the candle, I like up others & my surroundings will never be dark
To many, GOD is absent - HIS presence is felt not seen nor touch


Omnipotence means God is all-powerful ...HE has supreme power and has no limitations
Omniscience means God is all-knowing. ... bluff HIM not
Omnipresence means God is everywhere at the same time ...HIS presence is felt

If you do not fight for yourself, no one will
If you leave your fight to others, you will live in his shadow
Do not expect to gain from others' destiny
You cannot control Nature's wrath but you can adjust & sail along to avoid the worst
We may be in the same storm, but definitely not the same boat
Be positive for tomorrow shall come

Are Your Ready for Post-COVID19

bit by bit, a little at a time...

Mother's day is here again; is it to glorify the sacrifices that Mums had made or is it to remember her prowess to 'make another human'? The need to procreate is Nature's law
Cancer, like pregnancy, starts with a cell and multiply - this is the first lesson of Good & Bad
When the baby arrives, it cries and the world laughs with joy
When you pass on, the world cries as there is one fewer to share the sorrows of life and living
生老病死 the natural journey
酸甜苦辣 the spices of life
36,500 days is only 100 years

Few are born rich but dying poor is your own doing
Between life & death, you are the writer, actor, owner & decider
Chasing material goods are human's basic necessity but it must not be excessive
We need money to survive, to help others & ourselves as it's a means to an end
Compassion, magnanimity, "care & share" and empathy are possibles
Strangely, humans are more cooperative in natural disasters than good times
灾难见真情  your friends and foes crystalized & manifest upon calamities

The poor, less fortunate & the weak must muster all the grit, energy, be organized and stand up
Expecting others to fight your dreams is living others' dreams; his destiny is your goal
六根清净 if you can live beyond material comforts but basics, life is a joy
六亲不认 greed, power, fame, selfishness breed contempt
Politics is about popular votes & blind followings
There is no permanent friends or enemies in politics & business; all are acquaintances

Success comes ...a little at a time
Only fame comes overnight; fame is a liability & is costly - everyone wants to challenge you
Laughs at little successes & failures - it lighten the heart and make living a pleasure
If you cannot laugh at yourself, it is the beginning of sickness, downfall and death
The stresses that you build within will destroy yourself
A weakened body and mind is a sickness harbor - slowly but surely
Get up and get going; the healthy you conquer ALL
健康就是本钱 possibilities are infinite when alive
David Koch, the world's 11th billionaire died at 79
Steve Jobs money could not prolong his life
Kate Spade died at 55
Paul Allen co-founder of Microsoft died at 65, >53 years after having non-Hodgkins lymphoma

COVID is another gamechanger not unlike 9/11 and SARS
Many impossibles were made, or became, possibles in the last few months
There are plentiful to reflect, to change, to adapt, to initiate & to be prepared
Luck is where preparation meets opportunity
Nothing drops from Heaven as the fool and his wealth will soon part
In crises, conserve your resources, lie low when your chips are low
Learn, be prepared, train repeatedly & be ready; when opportunity presents, pounce
There is no better chance than when everyone is giving up or having doubts

There are >5,000 airlines worldwide & all were grounded ; an impossible previously
Countries locked down & borders were closed ; another previous impossible
Food supplies & necessities were truncated and supply chains were disrupted
Travels were decimated, celebrations ceased, eCommerce & eSolutions boomed
Working from home is a new normal
Medical supplies, accessories, personnels ...became the new found fad & necessities
As Nature reclaims superiority, Mother Earth becomes cleaner

Leveling  down defeats trickling down economics

For everyone of all ages, your opportunity is here
Initiate, adopt, adapt, revisit ideas that were ahead of the curves and stay calm & calculated
Your chance to create a niche & conquer the unknown is only possible if you push forward with zeal
Nobody but you determine your own Destiny
GOD... God is absent to allow you to play 'God' so as to strengthen your resolves
Some days soon, when you succeed, you know that GOD was watching over you
But, if you fail, don't blame HIM but seek HIS guidance

A bit at a time & that's how successes come 

Repeatedly applying the same formula to an existing problem are fools' goal
Dogmatically following SOPs are the surest way to failures as these are reactives
Commonsense is the best antidote in such acute yet fluid situation
Being proactive is being ahead of the curve; there is no "If I know..."
When COVID is over...soon, a new batch of winners will appear 

Listen Attentively

walking in the ruins...

4 months are gone and not much could be achieved as lockdown, fear and shortages are norm
The fear of sickness and deaths - COVID19 is infectious
As the world of humans stopped, Nature took over, repairs & restores the old charms
Animals multiplied, plants grew, the seas cleared, the air cleaned and the planet became greener
It is man's folly, selfishness and arrogance that choked the planet

I had 60 years of powered up body; fairly healthy and stout
Two operations in 5 months drained much of my energy and grit
But, nothing gonna stop me from moving ahead & pushing new frontiers
I have set the network running & my prints are all over
Moving ahead is the only way out

I want to pump up my adrenaline - to speed ahead
But, my body is in recess; slowed but not disabled nor immobilized
There is decidedly a restriction imposed by the Supereme being
My body proper is breaking up - i can feel the dissection if i pushed forward
Simple chores are no more simple as I feel more dispirited & less enthused

Physically, I need another 3 months before I can restart training; the push to be physically ready
Medically, 2 months should see substantial improvements
Mentally...I have been consistent; ready, willing and positive
GOD has a way of halting progress & slowing you down
We are all running toward the end of time

What else do I want? Nothing, nothing much but I just love challenges
Deep inside, I wanna give up everything and seek enlightenment - not to be a Buddha but to enjoy the peace of being free of material things
The ability to laughs, be light in my heart and to get away from human desires and follies
Meditation...forest, greens, oceans, clear blue sky...back to Nature
I guess I should begin my retreat

Money is important to me but money don't buy life - the last breathe stops, everything stop

Do I have plentiful more to do and achieve? I don't know
I am fortunate to be reasonably self sufficient, fairly healthy and mobile and a sharp mind
COVID has imposed restraints on all & I fit in well in the slowed ecosystem
I was forced to seek & refocus on my future - a very promising future which gonna be my last lap
What is it & how to achieve it? I don't know...

The wisdom of GOD will fall onto my mind when I am sufficiently relaxed, cool and calm
The calling is near but the powered up adrenaline is a hurdle
Nothing gets into our mind until we can listen - listen attentively
To receive, you need to recede into the abyss & Nature returns
I shall put aside my emotion - the adrenaline remains

Someday, we will be called upon to take up our role play

Listen.. listen attentively.. the quietness is not complete silence

I shall return victory again



 

May Day, May Day

time is finite and all shall leave ...


Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows - Michael Landon
If tomorrow comes but it shall never just as yesterday will never comes back
Your currency is today
You are as good as before your last breathe; status, wealth, power...nothing goes with you upon death

A notable humor "Tell Bill Gates to give $50bil to us to safekeep for he has more than enough to use currently. After his death, he may be reincarnated & return as a pauper and we will let him draw $10bil upon his return. This is our Post Inter Life Perpetual Bonds (PILPB)"  


Turn your wounds into wisdom - Oprah Winfrey
Betrayals can only come from those closest to you & unquestioned trusts
Many are blinded by emotions and sweet nothings/whispers
You may be sold, maimed, enslaved, abused or deprived - the pains are emotional, seldom physical
Physical scars remain and will fade over time but not emotional ones
All shalt pass only if you wise up and regain yourself & self esteem - fighting back & resist is the antidote for those who betray & take advantage of you are cowards-within 


The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection - Thomas Paine
I had gone through life threatening phases in remote places, alone like a lone dove
My assets were almost stolen by scams
I was betrayed & thrown under the wheels but returned barely alive
The journey back wasn't easy but through a healthy self, grit and perseverance, bathe with plentiful of smiles, I came back wiser, smarter and more determined
Nonetheless, every time I fell, it's because I was emotionally influenced
 
May...May Day - may day is a scream for help - SOS
It is a third off 2020 and little could be done as Covid19 restrained the entire ecosystem
I am like a 6000cc engine raring to go, with a powered up engine but cannot leave the pitstop
Not that everything will be successful but without a chance to put into action, the answer is nil
Slowly but surely I will return with a vengence
No time is lost during this lockdown; I have been rolling our the 'possibilities and solutions'
Come whatever may, I will charge ahead into a new frontier without borders

Waliking Towards Success

win, winning...arrived

It's not the size in the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog
It's the Covid19 imposed quarantine that will allow leveling down to seep in at ease
Never believe that the politicians will flatten the curve in income disparity
The silver spoonists will never understand the aspirations of the massive poor
Sadly, the many who benefited from meritocracy chose to slumber from within 
Their safe harbor is an ivory tower that's pretty, comfortable and fairy-taled

My life is as  chequered as it is colorful
My fit & healthy body is punctured by medical deficiency; physically fit may not mean medically fit 
Well, well...it's mind over body
There's nothing that can stop you from achieving whatever you set out to do except yourself
At 20yo, I was a lost person with entry level education when I started working出道
With a focus goal, I went on to achieve ...a little at a time

A little at a time
Be prepared to fail but always inch forward the tiny bit of success
Seek guidance from books, experts and mentors
Adjust, adopt and adapt to mesh into the ecosystem
Hone your skills and add-on knowledge - no body has a monopoly of ideas
Take problems 'by the horn' as solutions lie with the problem
Enjoy the taste of victory but do not bask into the sunset for all shalt pass

I am into my next wind - the goal is not set by me but by a calling
I fill deep in me a certain calling - what's it I don't know - I shalt be lead by a higher Order
There is nothing that I can bring along after my spells of journey on Earth
My calling is to alleviate the sufferings of the people - a little at a time within my means & abilities
Gaining materially is a bonus for I still need to live - living is never free
Save one, that's one. Save two, that's a double...

By making it easier for others, my paths toward my goal is made easier & nearer

I am not holy, magnanimous or overly wealthy
I have enough to sustain myself towards the Calling
Everything will come naturally
Fame, money and power will flow again
The price of a simple life is peaceful coexistence
Difficult at times but a worthy towards enlightenment - a fulfilling life

I Am The Winner

looking into the end of the day ...

Do you know when your life will end or when your good or bad luck will end? No
No body can know the absolute final answer; not even the finest soothsayer
What are forecasted, foretold and predicted has an even chance of not happening
Other than uncertainties, it's emotion
The same given situation will be managed differently by different persons as character, attitude & aptitude differ
The cool guy and the impulsive chap reactions are two ends of the pendulum

Death is never by choice if your time is not due
Even during misfortunes, a person can be very ill but strike it rich & similarly another who recovers from acute illnesses may go broke   
Money (wealth) and luck are distinct

It's a lockdown - movements are restricted
The norms yesterday are bottled
Everything is immobolized except for essentials
Man has never been caged and "ZOOed in"; restriction of movements affect everyone
Nature reclaims and the environment becomes cleaner
The impossibles became POSSIBLEs
Simple acts become difficult as restrictions cause rebellions

What will the future - post Covid19 - be? Nobody knows but it will definitely be different
Covid19 can lead to, amongst many things, war - the War of Attrition
Thucydides Trap is aggravated further by Covid19
Regrouping of nations against nations is potently explosive
An accidental shot will lit up the nuke stockpile

I am least disturb by the underlying uncertainties and substantial changes
 
I am rearing to go
I have sprinkled my efforts & acted on my plans the e-Ways
I just couldn't wait any longer but I will obliged the locked down ecosystem
Dead man tell no tales & brilliant ideas remain buried when you are gone
Pace, slow down, be cool, calm but prepared ... pounce when time is ripe
There is no guaranteed outcome but be there when the tides turn
GOD rewards the prepared, the brave and the diligent

Nothing ends until you end

Don't worry about dying for you will not know
You need not worry about the outcome of your efforts - if it must come, it shall
Have enough for the journey towards success as any shortages trigger stress and anxieties
You need not be overwhelmed by success or failure as "all shalt pass"
Put in all you can within your abilities - every outcome surprises
All are possible only if you are healthy, ready and committed
Why bother with others gossips and laughs for many will come to you when you are the WINNER

I  ... & I alone determines my Providence

My Goal, My Dream

running towards the goal...

Our goal was to stay healthy & keep fit

We are as fit and healthy as we are today
Sickness is the results of aging, not physical deficiency
Medically unfit and physical fitness are two vastly different issues
Fandi Ahmed was PES C in the army but he was a striker in the national team then
My fellow army mate could swim 60 laps and run 5km with ease; he was also PES C
I guess, you need to be physically fit in order to stall any potential sickness - health deficit

健康就是本钱 

If you know what you want to achieve, half the victory is already in hand
If you want to be a Chef, kitchen is the right place to start
If you wanna set up a motor car repair shop, you start as a mechanic
As for professions, you need to acquire the necessary qualifications in order to start
However, to be a businessman, the best start point is to be in sales & strategic planning, with plentiful of EQ and commonsense

At 10yo and 60yo, all goals are distinct & achievable
Your early goals are to achieve qualifications, name, status, recognition and loadful of monies
You mid-age goal is to "make it big" in your career and business, with a house, a family and smart kids
By the time you reaches 60, it's about having a healthy life, quite contrary to material pursuits in early life, blessed with peace and comforts

The young have strengths, energy & speed
The old have experiences
When young, many use health to chase wealth
When old, most will use wealth to recover healthLife is about attitude and age is just a digit
The evergreen life is one that ages slower with positivity & accumulates knowledge expeditiously, bathe with grit

条条大路通罗马 必须少走冤枉路

Everyone has a different dream 戏如人生 人生本来就是一场戏
Who dares win
If you never try, there's nil chance of succeeding
If you try and fail, you gain experiences; nothing goes to waste
Solutions lie within the problem
心有多大 舞台就多大

Set your goal
Act on it; action it
Review it periodically
Change course if necessary
Arrived - no arrival is by coincidence nor effortless

Quietness In Turbulence

stability in uncertainty ....

We must remain calm in uncertainty
The road may be long, winding and dark
But, every roads lead to a destination
Where are you heading is more important than how to get there
If you know your goal, half the battle is won
Every journey is fraught with uncertainty as nobody know the how will the paths pan out

Steve Jobs has money. career, fame, power but no life
SIA was an unbeatable airline but COVID floored it and send all airlines into complete shutdown
Countries that must stay open in global trades had their own lockdowns
Global Supply Chain Management were disrupted and supply and demand truncated
Every other day is different & changes are swift

In uncertainties, tempers flair, frustration is common and 'the cool headed' manoeuvres better
It is easy to do something or to reject doing anything
But, not doing anything is a challenge - a standstill
You get bored, listless and directionless
The excess energy needs to be expended

I set my goal and constantly review it to ensure my direction
In 2004, I started exercising and to build up myself
By 2019, I have one of my best yearly medical report; it's like a straight "As" result
Health is wealth
Everything and anything is possible with good health

Nobody can takeover your sufferings (of an ill health)

If you live to 80yo, that's 29,200 days
That's not many days
The quality of life is more important than quantity
As you aged, friends are reduced but acquaitances aplenty
There are few whom you can count on
The safest bet is still yourself
We came alone, walk alone and shalt returns alone
The angels we meet was on day one and the last

COVID19 has paralyzed the world
It's as deadly as it's contagious
Quarantine and isolation are necessities
There is no known medicine to cure COVID19
GOD - God is on leave
Churches, mosques, temples are closed to prevent any congregation from falling ill
The Pope spoke to an empty Vantican
The Mecca muslim shrine sees no visitors
Many religious houses are closed to save their congregations from falling victims of COVID

What is easy? Nothing
When you are too free and isolated, your mind wonders far and wide
A raging brain is the perfect storm
When the mind and body is in equilibrium, peace returns
The detached mind is a perfect nest - 清静  - where Man remains sane

Capital Market : Money & It's Value

money will find safe heaven...

They say smart money will thrives
But, who decides where to put what, how much, how reliable the fundamentals are...etc
It is not "Random walk" but plentiful of educated guesses, assumptions and bases
Global, regions, countries, sectors, companies...the management
In fact, companies do not fail; it's the management
Laws and regulations cannot catch up with the fluidities & craftiness of a rogue mind

In 7th Jan, 2020, I wrote in this blog "... I postulate that in 2020, the world will remain uncertain within the first 6 months and shall see the worst by 3rd-Qtr, with recovery towards end 2020..."

Global markets have swing wildly from almost the peak to untested lows & lower lows
Most have recovered from the bear-slap to a fairly 'bullish' pitch
But, hold on your champagne - hold it, hold it
The rebound is lead by slush printing of notes/monies to flood the black crater of depression
Put enough water into the hole & it will look like a lake

Water, water everywhere
But, drinkable water is not easily available
Civilization starts near water source
Water 水 - 水为财
In similar vein, too much water [print too much money] causes disaster

2020 is the Year of Possibles

Many impossible thoughts turned possibles; countries closed, airports closed, aeroplanes mothballed, work stopped, debts freeze, businesses ceased, home quarantine is a norm, demand and supply both evaporated & ....
COVID19 will change the whole ecosystem of how we live, eat, work, study ...not unlike 9/11
For the smart leaders, outsourcing must stop or minimize least the sudden shortages
The people's leader will prioritize citizens over foreigners
Money is important but money cannot buy essentials, loyalty and necessities
Smart monies no longer go "in herd"; everyone will try to identify their own winners

How will the bashed up stockmarkets return to their upswing? By the printing of money

It is a different financial world altogether
Debts, interests, repayments, instalments are halted and given 6-12months reprieve
Payments resume thereafter & if bankruptcies rise, banks will be badly hit
Job losses is the norm as supply and demand are short circuited by COVID
Cash flows determine survival

How soon and how fast individual economy resumes is subjective but if the big boys are not moving, there is little that the smaller ones can do to resume
Financial institutions will be suspicious of each other as much as against the business community
Even if Government cares to warranty the debts and loans, confidence is so shaken that many business endeavors are suspect

Where stock markets are concerned, be discreet and agile
Trade the range and be prepared to cut loss with "stop loss" orders
Gold has moved swiftly from
With Government printing more money, inflation or hyperinflation is a possibility
Equities will "reflect the value in the currency", that is, price shalt rise on a de-valued currency 
It is going to be trying to second guess the turbulent future
 

If war breaks out, equity market is doomed & commodities markets will gain

Market will still be turbulent and trade range bound this quarter
It should dip and stabilize into 3rd quarter and recover by end-2020
Brave the range

Attitude: My Evergreen Life & Living

every journey is not easy...

You were born naked and arrived alone; rarely with another as in "twins"
When it's time to go, you return alone; rarely with groups except in calamities
Life is a lonely journey; everyone has his own route
Similarities aren't same 同人同姓不同命 
Along the way, no two persons will pursue the same paths even if their goals are supposedly same
Differences allow one to shine brighter

I have many groups of friends and every group is made of persons of different characters with different needs
Their attitude towards life also differ greatly as their intents to achieve their goals are as deep as the deepest ocean; hidden away from any honest conversations
That's our colourful world
Some will scheme, some are conniving, many are dreamers and idealists  
Most end up being satisfied 知足常乐 & resigned to their 'fate' as their energies sap away
The more successful ones are those who had honestly sweat out to seek achievements, minus the negativities and evil intents

No roads are lonelier than our bodily well-being and health
Nobody can help you suffer the onslaught of diseases however healthy you may seem
After two unexpected operations within five months, I am not able to do strenuous exercises
The road towards rebuilding my body and health is arduous and monumental
 It's my grit, determination, positivities and focus that is keeping my spirit high
Many around me will never be able to understand what I am going through

I need NO sympathy

At times, life is lonely - then again - alone is not loneliness
Sometimes, life is empty - well, well - empty is not void
I wanted to turn recluse but material influence is still thick and strong
I believe if I seek silence and serenity, my health will recover faster & my body stronger
I am seeking some leads to be more enlightened
There is a higher calling but I haven't seem to be able to decipher just yet

I have lymphoma - the shocking word - cancer
After not, and never, been substantially unwell before in my 60th years, my body gave way
I had the best annual medical check up results in early 2019 & everything evaporates by Nov, 2019
My physical fitness puts many people at ages 30-40yo to 'shame'
Age is a number but sickness is random
We are as healthy as when no diseases decide to reside in our body

I give myself one year to reclaim my health and body fitness
Nothing is going to tear me into pieces
I will rid myself of all sicknesses, regain my health and move on to conquer new frontiers
I don't, & need not, worry as I believe in a One-on-One relationship with GOD
GOD resides within me & my flame of life shalt burn brightly again ...soon

Anyone reading this must remember; my thinking is 40s, my body & physique is 45s and my attitude towards life and living is evergreen

I came. I see. I conquer & I live forever

Surprise Or Acceptance

surprise is not a word...

My first encounter with a medical challenge was a ruptured gall bladder in late Nov, 2019
How in the world did it rupture when I have no known medical problems, not even a gall stone
The pain came like lightning out of a calm sky, stingingly pain piercing through raw flesh
After a CT-scan, it was like sending my car to the workshop; I signed myself into the surgery theatre to remove the ruptured gall bladder and clean up the surrounding mess

Recovery was fast

It wasn't too long when I realized that I am in for a repeat order
I have hernia on the right groin area that needed to be repaired and a growth on the left that must be removed; groin area too

By March, 2020, I had the repairs done and the excess removed
I don't even looked sick after my second surgery in such a short interval
Life was 'as usual' and I recovered albeit slower
The scars formed slowly and the pain evaporates in due course
Time is the best friend

Nothing unusual, nothing suspicious

Motto: Living healthily, happily & positively
活在当下
Today & now is my currency to be utilized
Tomorrow is never promised
I do my best and chase my dreams
If I do not try, the answer is definitely barren
Every tries better the success rate

So long as I am well and breathing, I shall succeed
The interruptions to life is always temporary
It's mind over body
I shall push for new frontiers within my abilities & capabilities
Nothing can stop me except myself
I am consistently building my body, not a Man of Steel, but a body to sustain the vagaries of life
No challenges is too onerous nor demanding
Time is the best friend and I shall overcome & win the race
Physical pains are bearable so long as I have grit, perseverance and forbearance
Victory is sweetest when beating an almost total loss position

I am not an immortal nor a superman
I have my strengths and weaknesses
I manage my weakness but manifest my strengths
So long as I have an iota of winning chance, I will 'use the match to light the forest'
I do not allow setbacks to bury my spirit - weakened, tired but not beaten
I find strengths in God, my friend

HE is my guiding light

For whatever challenges I face, I try my best and leave the rest
GOD is there & everywhere to relieve me of undue challenges and pains
I will not be overly concern as HIS omnipresence adds vigor and strength to me
GOD willing, I will succeed
HE shalt relieves me of pains and sufferings

Acceptance make living lighter and more manageable

I will not delve in the "what if" ...