“Men do not attract what they want, but who they are.”
– James Allen
Choose Empowering Thoughts
Oblivious to the power of my thoughts, I was easily persuaded and influenced by society and those around me. This included information taught in school, my friends’ beliefs, and marketing messages seen on television.
Those ideas caused me to believe everything I was taught and...
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it.”
– Howard Thurman
Life-Transformative Moment
Immersed in rural China’s simple lifestyle, my family and I met our basic survival needs with our own rice fields, vegetable garden, and farm animals. Ignorant of the world’s technological advancements, we were content and satisfied with what we had.
However, that...
“The way we do anything is the way we do everything.”
– Martha Beck
The Pillars of Life
My life philosophy is to always perform my best in everything I do. This translates to taking care of myself and those around me. However, before I can provide for others, I must first be able to supply for myself.
And how I treat myself indicates...
“Accountability breeds response-ability.”
– Stephen Covey
Personal Accountability
Personal accountability creates excellence. Every one of my goals is important to me because they give guidance and direction in my life. Here are some of my current daily goals.
Deliberately practice swimming
Meet two attractive women
Write a minimum of 500 words
Answer one Quora question
Although achieving these goals is important, I don’t attach myself...
“Self-discipline is when your highest desire rules your lesser desires, not through resistance, but through loving action grounded in understanding and compassion.”
― David Deida
Choose Delayed Gratification
Growing up in China, I was forced to be “disciplined” out of fear of physical punishment. After breaking free from communism in the early 1990s, China still allowed acts of physical punishment in school.
Despite...
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”
― C.G. Jung
Start With the End In Mind
A simple yet powerful mental exercise I do regularly is to review my obituary.
The key questions I ask myself are:
"Why do I do what I do?"
"Am I living with the desired end in mind?"
"How would I like to...
“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”
– Mark Twain
Morning Ritual
Unless traveling, I follow my morning ritual religiously to make better decisions throughout my day. Without the help of an alarm clock,...
“A man must love his father and yet be free of his father’s expectations and criticisms in order to be a free man.”
— David Deida
Your Biggest Influence
As a first-generation immigrant, I'm highly influenced by my parents. Growing up in a rural village in China with a small rice field with no running water, I experienced poverty.
Although my family didn’t...
“Happiness comes from within. It is not dependent on external things or on other people. You become vulnerable and can be easily hurt when your feelings of security and happiness depend on the behavior and actions of other people. Never give your power to anyone else.”
― Brian L. Weiss
Definition of Happiness
Happiness is the joy you feel as you’re growing...
“Do one thing every day that scares you.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt
Expand Your Comfort Zone
Back in February for my birthday, I went on a spontaneous trip to Kauai Island in Hawaii simply because I have never been there before. After watching a video on the top ten most beautiful hikes in the U.S., I discovered one of them is in Kauai.
Without...