Tuesday, June 13, 2006
thoughts of paolo @
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Monday, June 12, 2006
thoughts of paolo @
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Sunday, June 11, 2006
thoughts of paolo @
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Saturday, June 10, 2006
thoughts of paolo @
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Wednesday, June 07, 2006
thoughts of paolo @
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Monday, June 05, 2006
thoughts of paolo @
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Sunday, June 04, 2006
thoughts of paolo @
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This is a good motto anyone can adopt. It makes us push harder when we feel like giving up, and essentially gets the best out of us. What sets the difference between achievers and non-achievers? The belief that 'I can do it' makes the difference. I'm no great achiever myself. I admit that I often overestimate myself, resulting in many disappointments. But at least I've realized this mistake, and know that I must never repeat it again.
For those who are satisfied with what they have, don't be. As the saying goes, 'Unreasonable people shape the world'.
If you let all the little stuff stop you, how can you overcome greater obstacles? Stress is an excuse for not achieving. As Anthony Robbins puts across as the definition of rationalization, 'The only thing which stops you from where you are and where you wanna be is the story about why you can't achieve it. So forget the story!'
However what I feel we are lacking is consistency. Yes, all of us should have heard it many times. The only way we can ensure success in studies is to be consistent. I'm a procrastinator, meaning I slack all year round, until the exams come (sometimes even during exams). So what divides us from students of top schools? The psychology of a top student. If we learnt how to model the mindset of a top student, we would become one eventually.
So for those who think that as long as they study hard, they're ensured success? Wrong! With the same mindset, it is impossible to study harder than you already are, and get more than you are currently achieving.
'cogito ergo sum, I think therefore I am' -Rene Descartes
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Do you feel insignificant? No matter what you've accomplished, how good you are, you never feel good? Chances are, it's not because you're inadequate, but because you're shortchanging yourself of whom you truly are.
In Life, we've accomplished alot thus far, and never are we at any given moment a total failure. It is just what we think of ourselves at the present moment. The cause could probably be failure to achieve your intended outcome (feedback). How we interpret what we are getting from our external world greatly affects our psychology.
The solution, as taught by many self-help gurus, is not to count your failures, but your successes. Although we must learn from our failures, we shouldn't dwell upon them, letting them spoil our future. Counting our successes gives us confidence and wires our mind to achieve more success.
How to put this in action? Simply come up with a list with your past successes in Life. The more the better. On a daily basis, you could also write a journal to record the good things you've done today, as well as lessons you've learnt from mistakes.
All these, fuels your self esteem and confidence.
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How many of us can admit that we are 100% focused on whatever we do? Be it in our studies, or the little things we do everyday. How many of us are actually totally focused, instead of putting up a show purely for others? For those who find themselves guilty of the latter, why is it so important?
My recent lack of focus, creates frustration in my life. The more I try to focus, the harder it gets. Life is very ironic, the harder we try, the harder things gets. We are most receptive while at ease. Resistances of any form aren't of much help to us. It's like fighting an internal battle within yourself.
The most effective remedy for a lack of focus is clearly having a strong desire to do something that nothing else has the ability to distract our minds. Problem is, how easy is it to develop a strong sense of desire, a.k.a passion?
Most self-help guru cite that the best way to discover our true passion is to ask ourselves: If I could have everything in the world, what would I do for free? For most of us students, we are okay with anything, just anything but stuff related to studies. Tell me, if there was no point in studying, who would? The education system here is so competitive that it results in most students developing negative feelings towards studies; in response to the immense amount of pressure.
If the way to bring out the best in us is to do what we love, is education really a must?
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Do you feel like you're on the verge of sanity, especially this summer vacae, when you've nowhere to go and nothing to do but stay at home? And not forgetting to study study study? Does it make you feel like a hermit? Where your only source of enjoyment is the television, celphone and the computer (and sleep)? Some may think they like to sleep, but we sleep more than required because we feel bored.
Of course, different people deal with things differently and these are from my perspective. Staying at home too long can even drive one nuts, as we are almost totally cut away from the world, not forgetting from people. But once school reopens, this feeling of 'boredom' vanishes mysteriously, but is replaced immediately with dread towards school and yearning for the holidays to start again. Ironic huh?
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What is your world like? How are people living before your eyes? How are you living? Most importantly, how are you living in relation to your reality?
It is true that we are who we choose to be. Although external factors such as the people we come in contact with, and all the various circumstances, we still have the power to choose.
However, how we behave is how we react to the world we perceive. If you see life as hell, you'll act as though everything is meaningless and life is dull. On the contrary, if everything has a purpose in your life, how can Life be boring?
One of the most unfortunate truth is how we live as students. As a student, why do you study? Obviously, all students have a common aim. The burning question is, how do we attain that? Do we disregard everything else just to pursue our studies?
Yes, it's a fact that competition is tough. But, we must see the whole picture. Would you rather achieve your goals through selfish and underhand means, or with pride and harmony with your surroundings?
Some students, live to score better grades then their peers. People who were supposedly your friends suddenly become your foes. It is the consequence of bearing selfish thoughts. What's the point of success, when there's no one to share it with?
Ideally, a student should pursue his studies with an open mind and a kind heart. An open mind to accept his own mistakes and learn from others, and a kind heart to help others.
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In this ever changing world, different things give different impressions to each and every one of us. Moreover, our opinions are always changing, so something which you hated (or thought you hated) would become something you love.
Let me cite a couple of examples. I always thought I was a 100% purely anti-maple person. My impression was that it was a damn childish game and those who played it were fags. Then I got a little interested in it (don't ask me know) and decided to download it, since almost everyone was playing it. But in the end I decided that it wasn't my cup of tea, so I was back to square one.
Another example is this famous Korean drama called Jewel in the Palace. Initially when I heard about this show, my impression was yuck! How could anyone like a boring show, especially when most of the time we see women dressed in disgusting traditional costumes, chopping up food?
Possibly I believed I hated it because everyone loved it! We always want to be different eh? However, after spending this past week watching all 70 episodes I feel that it's the best serial drama I every watched! Do you have any comments about this show?
For those who share the same sentiment as I, there's no need for further elaboration. The question is, how firm do we stand by our beliefs? Are our thought plainly created by shallow associations? Obviously, the man who sticks by his beliefs and values rises or goes down with them, rather than the man who is always caught in the middle, shaken by the smallest influence. Which do you want to be?
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Relationships are, certainly never based on our looks. At least this is what everyone says. Loving someone for who they are, and not for their looks or wealth. Therefore, character is most important.
How important are appearances to us? It is natural that we are more receptive to good looking people/things. Man loves beauty. In choosing friends, do you prefer if they're good looking? However, between an ugly people with a good character to a handsome person with a selfish heart, one would choose the former.
We must always remember, that good looks are only skin deep. Physically, we are mostly made up of the same stuff. But in the heart, is what has the deepest and greatest value. Our character is our core, what separates us from others, the good and the ugly.
The most valuable things are those which cannot be seen.
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