What's your habit?

What I would like to emphasize on the many valuable insights from the talk of Mr. Archie Yan, CEO of Glacier Megafridge Inc, was when he said that despite being a busy person, he has a habit built for himself. I believe that habits help a lot if you want to come a long way. I noticed that successful people have a very consistent routine that makes them successful.

According to a book published in 1960 by Dr. Maxwell Maltz, a habit usually takes 21 days to form so if you’re trying to create a habit, go for it 21 days in a row and your body will get used to it. Same thing goes when breaking a habit such as quitting from smoking or any vices. Habit formation is what I highlighted from his talk because I just recently started to create my own habit. After listening to all the guest speakers, I realized I wanted to be just like them–to be happy and successful.

So, I am sharing the personal habits I am trying to build for myself which are a combination of the things I learned from reading books and listening to podcasts.

1. Wake up early – The first habit is to wake up early. Just like Mr. Archie Yan who mentioned he wakes up at 5 in the morning, I noticed that successful people wake up early because it gives them a me-time and prepares them for the whole day. It was said that if you wake up early, you will be given more time to do what other people are just starting to do, which makes you ahead of the game. Waking up on purpose for yourself will make you a better person versus scrolling through social medias as soon as you wake up.

2. Silence – Mr. Archie Yan mentioned that he also attends to spiritual activities. I believe that this is not only about attending the mass every Sunday but having a silent time everyday even just for 5-10 minutes. This can be through prayer or meditation. Some people think that it needs to be very spiritual but it’s just a peaceful way to sit down, have a complete silence and be able to think everything that you have to think. I noticed that it is usually where you get the best ideas in mind when you meditate.

3. Exercise – I noticed that I rarely see a billionaire or a successful people that is extremely overweight. It is because successful people know that they need to have an energy to get them through the day, so they go to the gym and work out. I used to hate sweating, so I don’t really work out but when I started to do so, I noticed that I am more motivated to finish all the tasks I have for the day.

4. Journaling – If you want to be successful, you need to set your goals and write them down. The reason why you want to write them down is because when you put it in a physical format, in your mind it becomes real. Journaling is very effective for me because I get to see the things on my bucket list which makes me eager to complete them. People who knows me say I am a goal-getter but the truth is, I only have a journal that reminds me of what I need to accomplish.

5. Read – According to a recent survey, the average CEO reads 60 books per year which means the average CEO reads more than a book per week. Which shows you that people who are already at the pinnacle of success are still constantly trying to get better. Fiction books can widen your vocabulary but it’s suggested to read motivational books because the books you’re reading are authored by the greatest minds in the world. Whether they are still alive or not, it’s like you are just talking to them and learning the lessons they’ve learned in life which will make you ahead of the game because you don’t need to go through difficult situations since you already know what to do by reading their books.

What I recommend is to take one of these 5 things and dedicate the next 21 days to it and just see if you can create a new habit. You will notice that you are not the same person you were yesterday which will help you get on the road to be successful.

Do you prefer Paycheck over Purpose?

Are you willing to accept a high paying job that doesn’t give you meaning or are you willing to forego your high salary for a meaningful job? Do you prefer Paycheck over Purpose? Money over Meaning? Would you go for a job that feeds your soul or feeds your stomach?

According to a Deloitte study, only 13% of the workforce is passionate about their jobs. I get it, of course most people would go for a job that offers high salary and forget about fulfilling work to support not only themselves but also their family. I would. Would you?
 
One of the valuable insights that struck me on Mr. Ramon del Rosario’s talk was when he said that we should look for the meaning or mission beyond paycheck or beyond the material things. This is my struggle. I wanted to make an impact, but I also wanted to earn a good money. So being the practical person that I am, I chose the latter. However, I realized that most of our entire life we are working, so it is very important to spend this time doing something that we love. Yet, many of us spend more than 40 years dragging ourselves to work and just trying to get through every single day. Ideally, our work should not be just a write-off, a “can’t wait for Friday or weekend”, or a “can’t wait till retirement” type of work. But how can we make both our soul and stomach full?

On Mr. Ramon del Rosario’s talk, I realized we don’t have to work for a charity, a non-profit organization, or a social venture to create an environment where we feel like our work matters. As an employee, we only need a better understanding of what we do and see the difference we make even with just one person. It may be hard but it’s all about the right mindset. Take for example the janitor who told former President John F. Kennedy that he’s helping put a man on the moon. He simply knows how big the impact of his job is to the world. We just have to pause and look at our job from the perspective of our values, interests, career objectives, and goals in life. As a leader, we can create an atmosphere or a positive work environment where employees would feel that they are doing meaningful work that better the lives of others. Inspiring them, making them feel valued, giving them autonomy over their work, as well as providing them career opportunities will make them appreciate their job more. It is important to constantly recognize them for their hard work because employees who feel supported by their employers find greater meaning at work. Promoting a culture of diversity and inclusion not to mention having the sense of collective, shared purpose adds an even greater boost to workplace meaning.

Finding a sense of purpose and meaning at work can be invigorating but sometimes it can also be infuriating. So, it’s all about reconnecting and asking yourself why you accepted your job in the first place. If you have the right mindset, you will find your purpose at work and appreciate your job even more.