Hi guys! I'm back. I remembered posting that I was going to share my retreat experience, but then I decided that I'd keep it to myself, and ponder on other things with you guys.
It has often been said that to achieve, a person must first be able to believe.
I agree. Recently, I was watching a DVD of The Secret (which was initially a book), which featured a handful of experts from different fields discussing what they would repeatedly call the Law of Attraction. This law supposedly governs the universe, and tells us that we attract, in one way or another, whatever we tell our minds to think. Somebody there even said "Thoughts become things."
There were lots of scientific and philosophical explanations given to explain the Law of Attraction, and to convince us to think positively for our very own futures. However, while watching that very interesting video, I came to the realization that hey, why do I seem to be learning nothing great? It seemed as though I had heard this one big "secret" they'd been talking about before. It seemed that I myself knew The Secret all along, and I'm pretty sure you do to. All the hype about the supposed "secret" may be amazing us, but I think that the good secret towards our lives has long been revealed to us before, through our experiences, and we just have to reflect on them.
From our experiences, whenever we want to achieve something, we tend to think about them a lot. Sometimes, we think about them positively, with thoughts like "I'm going to be a great basketball player! I can work hard enough!" More often than not, though, people tend to react to thoughts of achieving anything negatively. "I'll never be the boss; I'm just an ordinary Filipino." However, those who end up doing great things in life are those who believed that they could be great in the first place. Why? I think it is because they were thinking good thoughts, thoughts that led them to real action. Thoughts dictate our actions, and our actions have the powerful ability to change our lives. I am pretty sure that you have, for at least once in your life, thought of the same thing. Thoughts dictate our actions, and thus our futures. It does not take high-falluting illustrations of signals sent to the universe to really understand that our thoughts are powerful. We really don't need to be amazed by hearing that the universe tends to agree with our thoughts. We just have to observe how the simplest things in our lives happen.
We may want to be rock stars, movie stars, or great heroes someday. We may even want to save the whole world from cavities. While it is really good to listen to advice that we have to keep believing and centering our thoughts to these goals, nothing really can replace hard work. It is good to let our thoughts dwell on whatever we want to achieve, but if we really want them so much, our own instincts will tell us that we still have to work. Nothing of worth still comes easy, and I don't think the situation will change in the near future. Think for yourself!
Wait, what am I really trying to prove? All my thoughts seem to be messed up, but I just want you to know that a lot of times, we just have to think based on our past experiences to find answers to the problems we face. There is really much to learn from our very own stories. Most of the time, the answer is just waiting to be found inside us, and things are a lot simpler than they seem.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Commitment
I'm sure all of us have been part of a team. A lot of males may recall joining basketball leagues in school or in their villages. Quite a number of women may have played volleyball in organized tournaments or in with their friends. Even in school or in work, we have often been part of teams for certain big or small projects. There is at least one moment in our lives when we have been called to work together with certain people, whether we like it or not.
Dictionary.com defines team as "a number of persons forming one of the sides in a game or contest," and "a number of persons associated in some joint action." I guess all of us are familiar with these definitions. But what makes up a good team, really? Although many would argue that what makes up a good team is perseverance, passion, and chemistry, all in unity, I think that the best quality that any team can have is commitment.
When one has a task at hand, to finish it well, one needs to persevere, or work hard for whatever goal. We all know that without hard work, no good work can really be made. It is always good to work hard, especially in a team. When each member does so, any kind of task can be accomplished immensely well.
While hard work may make good work, it is passion that leads us to great accomplishments. It is hard to motivate one's self to work hard, but when one is passionate about something, his mind becomes so engrossed in that idea or work, and working hard for that thing seems like no work at all. It may be safe to assume that when we are passionate about something, it motivates us to work hard.
Now, let's discuss team chemistry. Usually, people who are passionate about one thing group together, and because of their passion, they work well together. There are some rare cases however, where teams are formed by necessity, and yet good chemistry is established. It is really important for members of a team to get along well to get the work done. I avoids delays, and helps every member work well.
In a team, all these things have to be in the spirit of unity, or oneness. A team has to be united to work hard together. Teams with one passion that unifies them often work better. People who get along well also need to be united, in the sense that they have to direct all that positive energy towards one thing they want to accomplish.
Having all these traits in a team is excellent. However, anything cannot be done without the choice to do so. This is where commitment comes in. We may have the best team in the world, but if each member does not commit to that one thing, nothing will happen. Essentially, commitment is making the choice every day to work hard, and to do one's best. Everything may already be there, even the passion and chemistry, but without the choice to work for the goal of the team, nothing great can ever be accomplished.
You do know of at least one instance in your life when you joined an organization, or assumed a position of leadership, and then told yourself and the people around you that you have plans, great plans for the future of whatever thing that is your organization or electorate hopes for. There is nothing wrong with that. However, you have to understand that you are going to have to make the decision everyday to do your best for the achievement of that goal. It is the only thing that will keep you going. We have oftentimes declared that we like a certain job, or opportunity, but without commitment to that thing, we will never go far. We will just waste the chances given to us. In a team, EACH member has to commit. EACH member, whether he is in a basketball team, a volleyball team, a team for a business-plan, a brainstorming team, a loveteam, or whatever kind of team, has to make that choice everyday. It is the only way for the team to flourish. Hard work comes from choice; passion is empty without the choice to work; team chemistry and unity are nothing without that choice.
The next time you decide to do something, choose to have commitment.
Dictionary.com defines team as "a number of persons forming one of the sides in a game or contest," and "a number of persons associated in some joint action." I guess all of us are familiar with these definitions. But what makes up a good team, really? Although many would argue that what makes up a good team is perseverance, passion, and chemistry, all in unity, I think that the best quality that any team can have is commitment.
When one has a task at hand, to finish it well, one needs to persevere, or work hard for whatever goal. We all know that without hard work, no good work can really be made. It is always good to work hard, especially in a team. When each member does so, any kind of task can be accomplished immensely well.
While hard work may make good work, it is passion that leads us to great accomplishments. It is hard to motivate one's self to work hard, but when one is passionate about something, his mind becomes so engrossed in that idea or work, and working hard for that thing seems like no work at all. It may be safe to assume that when we are passionate about something, it motivates us to work hard.
Now, let's discuss team chemistry. Usually, people who are passionate about one thing group together, and because of their passion, they work well together. There are some rare cases however, where teams are formed by necessity, and yet good chemistry is established. It is really important for members of a team to get along well to get the work done. I avoids delays, and helps every member work well.
In a team, all these things have to be in the spirit of unity, or oneness. A team has to be united to work hard together. Teams with one passion that unifies them often work better. People who get along well also need to be united, in the sense that they have to direct all that positive energy towards one thing they want to accomplish.
Having all these traits in a team is excellent. However, anything cannot be done without the choice to do so. This is where commitment comes in. We may have the best team in the world, but if each member does not commit to that one thing, nothing will happen. Essentially, commitment is making the choice every day to work hard, and to do one's best. Everything may already be there, even the passion and chemistry, but without the choice to work for the goal of the team, nothing great can ever be accomplished.
You do know of at least one instance in your life when you joined an organization, or assumed a position of leadership, and then told yourself and the people around you that you have plans, great plans for the future of whatever thing that is your organization or electorate hopes for. There is nothing wrong with that. However, you have to understand that you are going to have to make the decision everyday to do your best for the achievement of that goal. It is the only thing that will keep you going. We have oftentimes declared that we like a certain job, or opportunity, but without commitment to that thing, we will never go far. We will just waste the chances given to us. In a team, EACH member has to commit. EACH member, whether he is in a basketball team, a volleyball team, a team for a business-plan, a brainstorming team, a loveteam, or whatever kind of team, has to make that choice everyday. It is the only way for the team to flourish. Hard work comes from choice; passion is empty without the choice to work; team chemistry and unity are nothing without that choice.
The next time you decide to do something, choose to have commitment.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Do It Right
What would you do if somebody you don't even know hits you out of nowhere, for reasons unexpected, but unable to justify the act? You can do many things. You can run away. You can fight back, or you can try talking pacifying the person. You can also do nothing, and let the guy beat the hell out of you. If you're pretty familiar with the law, you can even file charges of physical injury.
What if you were the one who hit someone out of nowhere, for reasons unexpected, but reasons unable to justify the act? In the first place, you could have avoided such a situation, but you didn't. Now you are heading for even more trouble than you ever expected. If he fought back, you could've gotten a black eye, and he could've gotten a rotten nose; you both lose. If he ran away, he could get back at you eventually. If he tried pacifying you, most probably because of anger (assuming you hit him out of anger, or jealousy, or whatever reason), you'd keep hitting him. Use your imagination. Anything could've happened. Anything negative could have happened, because you reacted negatively when you saw that person, whatever he was doing, or whoever he was with.
What if the unthinkable (for you) happened? What if the person you hit files charges against you? You spend two nights in jail before you can bail. You become angry. You think about all sorts of things, like what got you into that situation. Your thoughts tell you, "Never in my life did I imagine myself being locked up in jail. I was born for greater things." You even end up reacting in ways unimaginable. More hatred locks up in your heart, and you curse and end up disrespecting even the family of the person you hit, in different ways. Nambabastos ka na. You even think of ways to destroy the life of the person you hit. To you, it isn't enough that you hit him. You live in a spiral of violence.
Again, what if you were the person hit, and you decided that the rightful thing to do was to file charges? How would you go about it? Would you also devise ways to destroy the other man's life. Would you use every possible means to get the justice that you deserve? Would you also live in that spiral of violence?
We were taught, in one way or another, to do everything with integrity. We do not do anything that messes with or compromises our integrity. Because our lives are dependent on our decisions, deciding with integrity is essential.
Just this week I was told by our new teacher Mrs. Chee Kee that much of what compromises our life is not what happens to us, but how we react. We can always react in positive ways, and positive things will happen. If we react negatively, it follows that negative things will happen. Therefore, we should also guard our thoughts because from them stem our actions.
We just have to do the right things, and most of the time, the right things come from positive thoughts. It all really depends on how we look at things.
What if you were the one who hit someone out of nowhere, for reasons unexpected, but reasons unable to justify the act? In the first place, you could have avoided such a situation, but you didn't. Now you are heading for even more trouble than you ever expected. If he fought back, you could've gotten a black eye, and he could've gotten a rotten nose; you both lose. If he ran away, he could get back at you eventually. If he tried pacifying you, most probably because of anger (assuming you hit him out of anger, or jealousy, or whatever reason), you'd keep hitting him. Use your imagination. Anything could've happened. Anything negative could have happened, because you reacted negatively when you saw that person, whatever he was doing, or whoever he was with.
What if the unthinkable (for you) happened? What if the person you hit files charges against you? You spend two nights in jail before you can bail. You become angry. You think about all sorts of things, like what got you into that situation. Your thoughts tell you, "Never in my life did I imagine myself being locked up in jail. I was born for greater things." You even end up reacting in ways unimaginable. More hatred locks up in your heart, and you curse and end up disrespecting even the family of the person you hit, in different ways. Nambabastos ka na. You even think of ways to destroy the life of the person you hit. To you, it isn't enough that you hit him. You live in a spiral of violence.
Again, what if you were the person hit, and you decided that the rightful thing to do was to file charges? How would you go about it? Would you also devise ways to destroy the other man's life. Would you use every possible means to get the justice that you deserve? Would you also live in that spiral of violence?
We were taught, in one way or another, to do everything with integrity. We do not do anything that messes with or compromises our integrity. Because our lives are dependent on our decisions, deciding with integrity is essential.
Just this week I was told by our new teacher Mrs. Chee Kee that much of what compromises our life is not what happens to us, but how we react. We can always react in positive ways, and positive things will happen. If we react negatively, it follows that negative things will happen. Therefore, we should also guard our thoughts because from them stem our actions.
We just have to do the right things, and most of the time, the right things come from positive thoughts. It all really depends on how we look at things.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Bayani
According to the American Century Dictionary, a hero is a "person noted or admired for
nobility, courage, and outstanding achievements." Although for most of us Filipinos, "hero" may pertain to people like Andres Bonifacio who contributed to the freedom of out nation, there are also other kinds of heroes, serving as inspirations, and models to different people.
Media has often depicted in news reports and documentaries the Overseas Filipino Workers
as the "Bagong Bayani", admired for his hard work outside the country to provide for his
family. The OFW sacrifices life with the family in the Philippines for such a cause. From an
economist's point of view, OFWs bring in a big bulk of the country's money through taxes.
Manny Pacquiao is often idolized and called hero because of the pride and honor he brings to
the country. With all the unneeded publicity Pacquiao is getting, critics may disagree with calling
them heroes; but the fact remains that he inspires and gives joy to many Filipinos, whether he boxes in the ring, or sings his own songs with an Extreme Magic Sing. It is still the dedication to boxing that brought sports glory to our country, and these are what the people ultimately admire him for.
While media can give us the impression that being a hero needs publicity and a wide range
of "fans," the idea of having our very own personal heroes contradicts this view. As an example, my mother sees my grandmother as her hero. According to her, even though she was a simple public school teacher, she was able to raise her children well."Lahat ng ginagamit ko sa buhay ko ngayon na ugali at pagitingin sa buhay, sa kanya ko natutunan." My grandmother was a hero to her very own child, with the love and care that she has
given them.
Different people have different heroes, heroes who have touched and inspired them in a certain way, either by doing well in his career, or giving out of love. Though heroes are called such for different reasons, a person cannot strive to be a hero for heroism's sake. Andres Bonifacio fought not to be called a hero, but to free his country. Manny Pacquiao probably did not dream of becoming an "Aydol;" he boxed to represent and bring pride to the country the best way he could. My grandmother clearly did not become a great parent just because she wanted her daughter to tell her grandson decades after that she was her hero. It takes more than those things. At the least, it takes immense perseverance, generosity, and most certainly love to become a true hero.
nobility, courage, and outstanding achievements." Although for most of us Filipinos, "hero" may pertain to people like Andres Bonifacio who contributed to the freedom of out nation, there are also other kinds of heroes, serving as inspirations, and models to different people.
Media has often depicted in news reports and documentaries the Overseas Filipino Workers
as the "Bagong Bayani", admired for his hard work outside the country to provide for his
family. The OFW sacrifices life with the family in the Philippines for such a cause. From an
economist's point of view, OFWs bring in a big bulk of the country's money through taxes.
Manny Pacquiao is often idolized and called hero because of the pride and honor he brings to
the country. With all the unneeded publicity Pacquiao is getting, critics may disagree with calling
them heroes; but the fact remains that he inspires and gives joy to many Filipinos, whether he boxes in the ring, or sings his own songs with an Extreme Magic Sing. It is still the dedication to boxing that brought sports glory to our country, and these are what the people ultimately admire him for.
While media can give us the impression that being a hero needs publicity and a wide range
of "fans," the idea of having our very own personal heroes contradicts this view. As an example, my mother sees my grandmother as her hero. According to her, even though she was a simple public school teacher, she was able to raise her children well."Lahat ng ginagamit ko sa buhay ko ngayon na ugali at pagitingin sa buhay, sa kanya ko natutunan." My grandmother was a hero to her very own child, with the love and care that she has
given them.
Different people have different heroes, heroes who have touched and inspired them in a certain way, either by doing well in his career, or giving out of love. Though heroes are called such for different reasons, a person cannot strive to be a hero for heroism's sake. Andres Bonifacio fought not to be called a hero, but to free his country. Manny Pacquiao probably did not dream of becoming an "Aydol;" he boxed to represent and bring pride to the country the best way he could. My grandmother clearly did not become a great parent just because she wanted her daughter to tell her grandson decades after that she was her hero. It takes more than those things. At the least, it takes immense perseverance, generosity, and most certainly love to become a true hero.
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