Friday, September 26, 2008

Making It Big

Thanks to a friend who forwarded me this blog post, I now know who Adam Khoo is. He actually wrote this post actually a full 2 years back, but I certainly thought that it's will remain extremely relevant particularly to those who seek to build a business or are in the midst of building one.

Adam Khoo is a self-made millionaire in Singapore by the age of 26, and is now "the Executive Chairman and Chief Master Trainer of Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group Pte Ltd and a director of seven other private companies. Adam is also a director of the Singapore Health Promotion Board (HPB)." His latest post is with regards to "why he loves stock market crashes" which is certainly something useful to ponder over. I certainly believe that over one's lifetime, you just need 3 stock market crashes to make it big in terms of wealth - while at the same time not let greed blind you.

But this post isn't about the stock market. It's about "making it big", like Adam Khoo. He wrote that...
...recently, someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather shocked. He asked, ‘How come a millionaire like you is travelling economy?’ My reply was, ‘That’s why I am a millionaire.’ He still looked pretty confused. This again confirms that greatest lie ever told about wealth (which I wrote about in my latest book ‘Secrets of Self Made Millionaires’). Many people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to wear Gucci, Hugo Boss, Rolex etc… (I shop at G2000 by the way) and sit on first class in air travel. This is why so many people never become rich because the moment that earn more money, they think that it is only natural that they spend more, putting them back to square one.

...I refuse to buy a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I think that it is a complete waste of money.

Does that then make him a miserly miser? ‘What is the point in making so much money if you don’t enjoy it?’
The thing is that I don’t really find happiness in buying branded clothes, jewelry or sitting first class. Even if buying something makes me happy it is only for a while… it does not last. material happiness never lasts, it just give you a quick fix...

Instead, what make ME happy is when I see my children laughing and playing and learning so fast. What makes me happy is when I see by companies and trainers reaching more and more people every year in so many more countries...

I think the point I want to put across is that happiness must come from doing your life’s work (be in teaching, building homes, designing, trading, winning tournaments etc…) and the money that comes is only a by-product. If you hate what you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make you happy by buying stuff, then I think that you are living a life no better than a prostitute.
His philosophy certainly resonates with me, and although I never made it as big or as fast as he obviously did, I share most if not all of his views on the post. And clearly, you don't have to be the Penang Chief Minister to fly economy. (This is however, not a plug for Adam Khoo's books and training - make your own informed decisions on that one ;-))

So for you young people out there with dreams of a bright (and well to do) future, remember to take a leaf of Adam Khoo. ;-)

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I suggest the whole UMNO supreme council to attend Adam Khoo talking than wasting time meeting today 26.09.2008.

They would have gained more.

Anonymous said...

It is true for people like Adam Khoo. He works very hard and make himself a millionaire.Out of responsibility he appreciates what is happiness. Real smart fella and surely we can call it success. But Tony P, in Malaysia it doesn't work that way, that is why we even have the world richest unemployed. Where got meaning one ma.........work hard also no cable no meaning one. Talk much if they don't like you go holiday Kamunting ma....aiya, boring la TP.

Samuel Goh Kim Eng said...

Let us do whatever is right

To right all that are clearly wrong

The least we can do is to shed the light

To help the blind see and the weak be strong

(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 260908

http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com

Fri. 26th Sept. 2008.

Anonymous said...

I think thrift is a lost virtue today.

While I can afford a First Class ticket when I fly I usually travel economy and now with the advent of Budget airlines I use them and they are value for money without suffering many lost benefits.

Friends who fly First Class or Business on corporate accounts part ways with me after we board the plane and some humbly viist me in the economy cabin during the flight.

Had they been on private business they would have travelled economy.

My point is business has much to answer for the waste in flying their executives First Class or Business. And government officials that do not fly economy also deserve criticism.

IF the majority of people can fly economy why can't company executives and government servants? It is the class system that makes shareholders and citizens pay.

If status is the reason then if all companies followed the trend then those who still fly on the executive class will feel they are doing something now regarded as wasteful and anti-social.

Let the rich pay their way on First Class but why should companies and tax payers?

But thrift is not a virtue when it is overdone and people become stingy. One of the richest men in Selangor was killed riding his bicycle many years ago. And the stinginess of some self-made Chinese tycoons is legendary.

Ultimately wealth is to be enjoyed and shared. For most achievers it is the chase that motivates them and Bill Gates is a paradigm of virtue in his attitude toward wealth.

But those who give out of excess can't compare with those who give out of need. The parable of the poor widow who gave all she had to live on in the Bible is inspiring.

The government has much to answer for its failure to use the national resources responsibly and the Auditor General's report bear testimony to their waste in many instances.

Responsible and prudent governance is needed in a country as much as in our private lives.

And getting value for money is one of the secrets to good money management. Cheap isnt necessarily best. But value is. Sometimes we aren't rich enough to buy cheap things if you know what I mean.

But wealth success is not the most important thing in life. What good is it for a man to win the world and lose his soul?

Anonymous said...

YESTERDAY USA still talking about bailout or not about 700 Billion.

Why dont the Federal just leave it. If the AIG bankrupt, then will be restructure, then the PROPERTY WILL DROP even lower THAN IT WILL BENEFIT THE people, THE POOR ONE WILL get HOME!!!

BY throw in 700Bil, the rescue the economy which still no confirm yet. Why dont let the industry grow themself?
why need spoon feed?
Why no one spoon feed the poor one at the road site or the enterprise who looking for more business?
Why they only help the big Corperation?

Economy got go up, sure got go down, its only time. When it go down and can not climb up, that mean something wrong with the people who operate the business.

How about malaysia?

NEO said...

"why he loves stock market crashes"

make it big?

I think both you and Adam are agents of Rothschild family.

Anonymous said...

YB

Ya, this Adam chap is a brilliant young who has made good on his own merit. He is certainly a well-known figure in Singapore, I am sure coz I am a Singaporean too but not the famous one.

Anonymous said...

http://iwfrpk.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday RPK!

I WILL FOLLOW HIM

(Du-du-doot, du-du-doot, du-du-doot.)
(Du-du-du-du-du-du-doot, du-du-doot, du-du-doot.)
(Du-du-du-du-du-du-doot…)

Love him, I love him, I love him.
And Where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow.

I will follow him.
Follow him wherever he may go.
There isn’t an ocean too deep,
A mountain so high it can keep,
Keep me away.

(Du-du-doot, du-du-doot, du-du.)

I must follow him (follow him).
Ever since he touched my hand I knew,
That near him I always must be.
And nothing can keep him from me.
He is my destiny (destiny).

I love him, I love him, I love him,
And where he goes, I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow.
He’ll always be my true love, my true love, my true love,
From now until forever, forever, forever.

I will follow him (follow him).
Follow him wherever he may go.
There isn’t an ocean too deep,
A mountain so high it can keep,
Keep me away, away from my love.

I love him, I love him, I love him,
And where he goes, I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow.
He’ll always be my true love, my true love, my true love,
From now until forever, forever, forever.

I will follow him (follow him),
Follow him wherever he may go,
There isn’t an ocean too deep,
A mountain so high it can keep,
Keep me away, away from my love.

(Du-du-doot, du-du-doot, du-du-doot…)
(And where he goes I’ll) follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow.
I know I’ll always love him, I love him, I love him.
And where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow.
I know I’ll always love him…
[ Fade. ]

Written by: Arthur Altman, Norman Gimble, Jacques Plante, Del Roma & J.W. Stole
Performed by: Little Peggy March

===
MAHATMA GANDHI ON NON-VIOLENT ACTION AND CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

“Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state has become lawless or corrupt. And a citizen who barters with such a state shares in its corruption and lawlessness…Every citizen is responsible for every act of his government…There is only one sovereign remedy, namely,non-violent non-cooperation.”

“Coercion cannot but result in chaos in the end.”

“One who uses coercion is guilty of deliberate violence.”

“Coercion is inhuman…”

“Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as cooperation with good…”

“All through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall, always.”

===
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_Security_Act_(Malaysia)

The fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, went on the record in 1988 to state “If we want to save Malaysia and Umno, Dr Mahathir (then Prime Minister) must be removed. He uses draconian laws such as the Internal Security Act to silence his critics.” The year before, he had also stated “Laws such as the Internal Security Act have no place in modern Malaysia. It is a draconian and barbaric law.”

bclee said...

i think u need to work hard to earn the merit in order to feel it.
That's why we need to change our country fundenmental, u need to earn your right to university on meritocracy.
Meritocracy is a system of a government or another organization wherein appointments are made and responsibilities are given based on demonstrated talent no by special right.

As I Was Saying... said...

Tony,

Try reading the book "Success Build To Last - Creating A Life That Matters", co-authors by Jerry Porras, Steward Emery & Mark Thompson, over 1 million copes of the books sold. It reminiscence of Adam Khoo's philosophy.

;)

TheWhisperer said...

“He said he is also given the previous day’s NST newspaper to read. Then he asked us about what he was told by an officer on a report in the NST that there was a signature campaign asking for 150,000 signatures to free RPK and it was not getting any respond and it was a failure.”

- Excerpt from Anil’s Blog on Marina’s visit

Are We Going to Take This Lying Down?

It Definitely Won’t Be Me.. I have come too far to Stop Now.

Fellow Bloggers and ‘Friends of Change’,

Lets take this message as a challenge to start a Drive to collect more signatures to Free RPK and All the ISA Detainees, and call for the draconian ISA to be Abolished.

Pass the words around and promote this signature drive on your blog.

Petition link: http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?isa1234

Total Signatures currently stands at 34.845.

Time for Us to Show Them that We Mean Business and We are Here to Stay!!

Target: 150,000 or more

bclee said...

To NEO
every adversity is an opportunity mah.

Anonymous said...

hi tony,
please read spare a minute to read this - http://vantuz.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-got-snatched-pukimak.html

My gf live in your constituency and i am sad to say that SS2 is getting worse day by day. My gf has been a victim of snatching and mugging for god knows so many time, and the most recent one (referring to the link above) happened in the space of one week.

As a bf living abroad in overseas, i am very very concerned of her safety.

I hope something can be done having you as an MP there and i was hopeful to see some changes in policing and law enforcement not only in her SS2 area but the whole area of your highly concentrated constituency, the PJU.

If you happens to read this, i hope you could drop a message or two in her blog as a message of encouragement as she was deeply traumatized by this.

Thanks for your time.