The Pursuit of Excellence - Kobe Bryant Reveals the Cheat Sheet

-  ©GC Diaries

Earlier this week, on Monday 18 December 2017, the L. A. Lakers basketball team retired Kobe Bryant's two (2) jerseys - #8 and #24 (an NBA First), which he wore throughout an illustrious 20 year career in the NBA.

While wearing each of these jerseys, he delivered "Hall of Fame" status performance - scoring 16777 points and 16866 points with #8 and # 24 respectively as well as earning 5 championship rings.

He was wearing #8 when he scored 81 points in a game against Toronto Raptors on 22 January 2006: 
https://youtu.be/FeXZY4eVLlo

He was wearing #24 when he scored 60 points against Utah Jazz on 13 April 2016 in his last game, one that marked a grand ending to his playing career:

https://youtu.be/4SIi0_LeOl4

Put simply, his single career was worth that of two "great-great" players.

I love basketball - often I look at my High School Basketball Colours on my "retired" blazer with great nostalgia and emotion. 

Basketball Colours on my
Victoria High School Blazer

But this post is not about sports and if you think it is about Basketball, then you have missed the point.

Basketball just provides some context and Kobe makes a good proxy for all of us with aspirations and looking to achieve in our careers.

Often we forget that professional athletes, just like us, are men and women at work; building a career and chasing dreams.

This post is about work ethic and pursuit of excellence in one's career.

It is about an attitude, a mindset and the discipline of what it takes to be the BEST.

It is about bringing your "A" Game in everything that has your name on it.

It is about being better than yourself in a way that makes everyone around you better....including your competition, if they still want to compete with you.

It is about being the standard and not following a standard - when being good is not good enough.

It is about showing up and not just showing face.

It is about believing in a process that delivers the results.

Kobe revealed the secret and gave us the cheat sheet on his big night when he said:

"Those times when you get up early... those times when you stay up late... when you're too tired... you don't want to push yourself, but you do it anyway.

THAT IS ACTUALLY THE DREAM!"

In 2018 - LIVE THE DREAM & PURSUE EXCELLENCE!

BRING YOUR "A" GAME IN EVERYTHING THAT HAS YOUR NAME ON IT!

 ©GC Diaries

My Ice Lolly Experiment - Investment Barriers

© GC Diaries

My children asked me to buy them some Ice Lollies, so we did.

It was in the evening so we said, "you can't have that much sugar this time of the day - put them in the fridge and you will have them tomorrow."

I then decided to run an experiment!

I said to them, "lets make a deal - if you dont have your Ice Lolly tomorrow, I will take it and give you two Ice Lollies after seven sleeps."

They smiled, looked at each other and all said; "Yeah! I am not going to have mine tomorrow."

I said, think about it and let me  know.

I arrived from work a few minutes ago and guess what:

THEY FINISHED THE ICE LOLLIES!

So I began to think about the possibilities:
1. They don't trust me to give them 2 Ice Lollies in seven sleeps?
2. Seven sleeps is probably too long?
3. The reward of an additional ICE LOLLY is insufficient?
4. They just want to have it today?
5. All of the above.

So I asked them.

The eldest said she was feeling so hot like a stove and she had to have the Ice Lolly. She even went for swimming, it was such a hot day.

The second one....i couldnt even ask - he was busy putting water in the plastic packaging of the Ice Lolly and playing with it.

That made sense, right - perhaps he was more interested in the packaging than its contents.

The youngest is 2 years old so she is excused.

I couldn't help it but think that actually, most of us adults may not be very different from the behaviour displayed by my children when it comes to investments.

We like the idea but we fail to actually do it - WHY?

1. We think its risky, we may not get our money back?
2. We think that after "seven sleeps" we will get another Ice Lolly or we won't need it anyway?
3. We are more interested in talking about investments and sounding clever around the dinner table than actually its value to us?
4. We just have to spend our money today?
5. All of the above.

Do children think about investmemts the same way adults do?

 The answer is YES!

Perhaps, growing up is not the answer to overcoming our barriers to investing;
And its hardly useful as advice when it comes to investments...especially to an adult!

The truth is:
1. It's too risky not to invest.
2. We will need the money later; for one, retirement is real.
3. Our knowledge must work for us.
4. We can spend less today.
5. All of the above.

I am not saying I get it. I am still trying to expose my barriers to effective investing.

For now though, I have established that the behaviour of my children, when it comes to investing, is not too different to that of adults.

I will continue with my little experiment in order to understand myself better. More importantly, in order to understand my children better.

© GC Diaries

The Inverted Pyramid Model of Career Progression.

© GC Diaries

The year was 2013, the time was 11pm and I was about to go to bed. 

As I switched off the TV, I began to think about my career. I stood up from the couch, took my note book and sat on my "thinking chair" until my wife came to see if I was okay. To my surprise, it was now 2am.

What follows are my reflections and a model I developed to capture the reality of career and career progression...as I saw it that night.

A typical career has a path. 
Each one of us can shape their own.

A typical career has a pace.
Each one of us can influence their own.

A typical career has stages.
These stages are there but often, we fail to acknowledge their existence at our disadvantage.

I looked at what I observed when I spent some time doing my internship at a Coal Mine.
I looked at the people around me's careers in different industries.
I looked at my own career.

I saw trends, obvious trends because organisations are typically a hierarchical structure.

I knew this, everyone does, right?
But I began to see some insights most of have often missed.

All along, I had thought that a career and its progression structure was a pyramid:
- you start off at the base, with many of you.
- you rise up and up to the elite
- ultimately the blessed one filters through to the top tip

But this was a very simplistic view.
Without scope considerations, we miss the insights that can help us navigate the journey.

In fact, I realised that career and career progression was not just one pyramid; 
But two (2):

The first pyramid (Pyramid 1) sits upright on its base,
Its base is only as wide as necessary to develop experise in a particular area.


The second pyramid (Pyramid 2) sits inverterd on top of Pyramid 1 and represents an inflection point where the objective is to build a competent cross-functional generalist with a broader understanding beyond the immediate functional area "home base".

Let me explain a little bit more.
I will start from with Pyramid 1 at the very bottom.

At the beginning of your career.
You have to do a lot of things.
But these things are primarily within your area of technical training.
Thus a broad base to give you a leg for your career in a given field to stand on.

If you are an Electrical Engineer,
This captures your graduate Electrical Engineering training for example.

As time goes on,
You slowly focus on fewer and fewer aspects of your field.
But in much greater depth than before.

You are becoming a specialist.
In a very specific limited area.
You are acknowledged because you make things happen.

Soon, you hit the tip of the bottom pyramid - Pyramid 1.
You are the expert and Rock Star.
You are given a chance to manage other technical specialists.

You are excited but you still want to keep your hands dirty.
Afterall, this is what you love 
This is what you are good at
And this is what got you here.

Then you realise you are not progressing anymore.
Everything has slowed down, 
And you wonder why?

Yes, there are now more people,
 And fewer positions.

But there is something more important:

The rules that applied in the lower pyramid,
Do not apply the same way in the upper pyramid.

In the Pyramid-1,
The hero knows so much about so little.

Yet in Pyramid-2,
The hero knows a little about so much and puts it together.

This is a hard truth.

Your previous success habits which you have mastered for more than a decade,
Become your greatest weaknesses that hinder your progress.

What you have built your identity and reputation on,
Can no longer stand but stands between you and the next promotion.

This is much more difficult for Engineers but applies to everyone.

To break into the upper Pyramid-2,
Requires you to start looking,
Not only straight ahead, but left and right.

To break into the upper Pyramid-2,
Requires you to start caring,
Not only about you area of expertise but others.

To break into the upper Pyramid-2,
Requires you to start learning,
Not only about your area but the entire value chain.

In other words,
YOU NEED TO START BROADENING YOUR SCOPE AGAIN.

Here is the trap:

At first it may seem as if you are taking backwards steps.
Afterall the breadth of the upper Pyramid-2 just above the expertise tip, is comparable with the breadth of the lower Pyramid-1 below.

Seek and embrace opportunities to create and add value beyond your traditional boundaries.

It will be painful and uncomfortable.
You have to ask of it is worthy it.

You need to know where you are.
Broadening your interests too early may keep you in the lower pyramid for longer.

Yet mantaining a sharper focus for too long may hinder you from moving on ahead.

The Senior Manager, has to think and act a little more broadly than the functional team leaders sitting at the tip of the lower pyramid.

The Division Head, Chief Technical Officer and Executive has to think and act a little broadly than the Senior Managers.

Ultimately, the CEO needs to think about the entire company and the scope is much wider than when the career journey started.

This is why the base of the top inverted pyramid is much wider than the lower pyramid.

Using this model,
Take time to reflect on you career.
Correctly determine where you are.
Understand what is required.

Proactively go above and beyond your official scope of duty to sharpen your technical expertise.

Proactively go above and beyond your official scope of duty to broaden your understanding of other areas of the business.

An MBA was designed to help you do this.
But it takes more than academic training.
You need to start caring more and living it.

Afterall, career progression and responsibility is not about ego,

IT IS ABOUT MAKING A DIFFERENCE!

© GC Diaries

 SUCCESS FOLLOWS THOSE WHO FOLLOW THROUGH!

-  © GC Diaries

WE MAKE IT THROUGH,
Only when......WE FOLLOW THROUGH!

In Basketball, a shot is not a shot;
Unless you Follow Through!

After releasing the ball,
Your hand needs to continue following the ball's trajectory towards the hoop.

Somehow...if you do not Follow Through,
You are more likely to miss than score.

This is also true in Golf;
You need to follow through with your swing.

THIS IS ALSO TRUE IN LIFE!

SUCCESS FOLLOWS,
THOSE WHO FOLLOW THROUGH!

WE MAKE IT THROUGH,
Only when......WE FOLLOW THROUGH!

In life, you can not achieve success;
Unless you Follow Through!

Plans on their own, never get things done.
Follow Through!

Thoughts on their own, never get things done.
Follow Through!

Dreams on their own, never create a thing.
Follow Through!

Relationships may open doors, but you still have to walk through them.
Follow Through!

Follow Through with actions.

Follow through with determination.

Follow through with perseverence.

Follow through with patience.

Follow through with good attitude.

Follow through with character.

Follow through with humilty.

Follow through with personal development.

Follow through with belief.

Follow through with faith.

Follow through with conviction.

Follow through with boldness.

Follow through with confidence.

Follow through with PRAYER!

Follow through whichever way you know how.

Because, in life...as in Basketball;

SUCCESS FOLLOWS,
THOSE WHO FOLLOW THROUGH.

WE MAKE IT THROUGH,
Only when......WE FOLLOW THROUGH!

 © GC Diaries

TIME - A FAITHFUL SERVANT!

I have a friend,
She decided to go back to school this year,
And do an MBA.
In a few weeks time, she will be graduating.

She has a friend,
Who decided to do his Masters this year,
While working.
In a few weeks time, he will be graduating.

I have a friend,
Who decided to do a certificate in coaching this year,
While working.
In a few weeks time, he will be graduating.

I have a friend,
Who decided to change careers this year,
He applied and networked tirelessly.
In a few weeks time, he will be starting a new job.

I have a friend,
Who decided to relocate this year,
To a new country.
In a few weeks time, he will be flying out.

I have a friend,
Who decided to move on ahead;
Despite the heart break.
A few weeks ago, she told me Life was Good again.

Yet another friend,
Decided to go on holiday this year,
And saved a dime each month.
In a few weeks time, their ship will undock.

My wife, decided to write her CFA Level 3 this year,
While starting her business.
A few weeks ago she got her CFA Charter,
And this evening was working on an order for her client...while I watched her toil.

As for me,
This year, I decided to do nothing,
And a few years before that as well
In a few weeks time, I will be congratulating my friends.

Whether we do something or not;
Like time in an hour glass,
So are the days of our lives.
It passes us by.

Everyday is an opportunity
To decide to do or not to do.
To be or not to be.
One day at a time - we determine our fate.

Our destiny awaits.
But the choice to move towards it is ours.
The pace we move towards it is ours.
After all, its our life.

In a few weeks, a new year will present itself.
Pregnant with abundant opportunities.
Why dont you start planning now.
And make it count...because you count!

Time is a faithful servant,
Working tirelessly each ticking second,
For you....or against you;
Whichever way you command it!

 ©GC Diaries

How I Taught my 6-year old Daughter about 5G and Self-Driving Cars.
 ©GC Diaries

I was driving my family to church last Sunday morning when, like in most boardrooms today,  my daughter and I struck a conversation about 5G.

It went like this:

Eliecia: Daddy, what would it be like if the car could drive itself so you can just sit and relax like all of us.

Dad (Me): Well, it is actually possible; more and more cars will be driving themselves in a few years from now.

Eliecia: But how is that possible?

Dad(Me): Well, thats what these clever people called Engineers are working on.

Eliecia: Like you Dad, I know you are an Engineer. But how will the cars not bump into each other?

Dad(Me): We have eyes to help us to see, right? These cars will have little eyes called sensors to help them see each other. They can also talk to each other.

Eliecia: Aaah Daddy, how can cars talk to each other?

Dad(Me): The same way the remote tells the gate to open when you press it. Remember I told you about signals that fly in the air like Superman and carry instructions telling the gate to open when you press the button?

Eliecia: Yes yes, I know. You can switch on the TV by the remote and signals help us to talk to granny who is far away in Zimbabwe.

Dad(Me): Thats right. So the cars will use these signals to talk to each other just as we talk to each other over the cellphone.

Eliecia: So why can't they drive by themselves now and talk to each other?

Dad (Me): The signals used by the phones today are slow. When that white car infront of us stops, we want it to quickly tell our car to stop too before we have an accident. So one of the things Engineers are working to make are faster networks called 5G.

Eliecia: What is 5G? When is it coming? And will the cars be able to cook when we get home so mum can relax too?

Dad(Me): It will come in 2020 when you are in Grade 4. We need to get into church now, we will talk some more after church.

                             ********

As I went into church, I was wondering if it was now time to introduce Internet of Things, Robotics and Automation to her syllabus.

With that thought, I thanked God for smart kids and prayed for His guidance as I teach them about life....and 5G🙈

Promoting STEM and encouraging women to join Engineering must not be an event at conferences, but a daily lived experience for our girl-children.

 ©GC Diaries

#True_Story #Promote_STEM #Women_in_Tech #Tech_4_All

TOO BIG TO FAIL!
 ©GC Diaries

I have a purpose,
One I must fulfill.

I have a vision,
One I must attain.

I have dreams and aspirations.
Which I must achieve.

I have ambitions,
Which I must see through.

I have plans,
BIG PLANS.

Sometimes they intimidate me;
I am tempted to tone them down.

Often, I am discouraged.
I think of giving up and letting go.

Why should I keep on keeping on,
I ask?

Why cant I enjoy mediocrity,
Everybody else is doing it?

But I am not everybody.

I have a purpose, vision and a dream,
An aspiration that is beyond just me.

I have an ambition,
One that will change the face of the earth.

Tired and bruised;
It really gets tough at times.

Hopeless and helpless,
I feel weak at times.

But if you see me on my knees,
I am not giving up.

If you see my arms raised up,
I am not surrendering.

I am praying.
I am pleading.

With the giver of purpose, vision and dreams,
The one who sow the seeds of ambition.

My case is every simple,

Lord, MY PURPOSE IS;
TOO BIG TO FAIL.

Lord, MY DREAM IS:
TOO BIG TO FAIL.

Lord, MY VISION IS;
TOO BIG TO FAIL.

Lord, MY ASPIRATIONS ARE;
TOO BIG TO FAIL.

Lord, MY AMBITION IS;
TOO BIG TO FAIL.

But above all Lord, YOU ARE;
TOO BIG TO FAIL ME.

Joseph's dream was TOO BIG TO FAIL;
You were TOO BIG TO FAIL HIM.

David's vision was  TOO BIG TO FAIL;
You were TOO BIG TO FAIL HIM.

Daniel's apirations were TOO BIG TO FAIL;
You were TOO BIG TO FAIL HIM.

The plan you gave Moses was TOO BIG TO FAIL;
You were TOO BIG TO FAIL.

Lord, my purpose is TOO BIG TO FAIL;
You are TOO BIG TO FAIL me.

Friend, I dont know about you.

Is your DREAM,
TOO BIG TO FAIL?

 ©GC Diaries

THE POWER OF FOCUS - © GC Diaries

When we were young boys, we used to hold a magnifying glass in the path of the sun's rays towards a piece of paper and it was magical to see it start burning.

With its rays scattered all over the place, yes it provides useful light but it takes a special kind of focus to unleash its full "fire-burning" force.

Such is the POWER of FOCUS, it breeds EXCELLENCE!

Excellence in anything requires a lot of consistent effort, attention to detail and requires unwavering focus.

Newton's First Laws are only three (3) and none was in the subject of History.

Despite all his fame, Nelson Mandela did not record a "platinum" music album.

"His Airness", Michael Jordan may have won 6 NBA Championships but never a FIFA World Cup.

The Wright brothers may not have been the best swimmers.

The fastest person on earth, Usain Bolt, holds world records in only three categories - 100m, 200m and 4x100m.

Pele, the King of Football, does not have a Boxing Heavyweight title.

In the early 1980s, the conglomerate frenzy was taking off as the best business strategy but it later emerged that companies who focussed performed better than those who did not.

By focusing on consumer electronics, Apple became the biggest companies in the world by market capitalisation (~$790bn).

Career is no different.

This is not to say these succesful people could not do other things....they could, but there just isn't enough time to do everything well enough.

A lion is a lion for a reason, you will never see it flying....what a waste of time for it to try and keep trying.

The "all-rounder" concept may have been a romantic one in high school, elevated to superstar status within a confined and infinitesimal community.

Yet on the world stage, it is just another fantasy that wastes talent and robs humanity of genius.

Perhaps this is the Law of Excellence, that while we can be broadly successful, each one of us can truly excel but in a very limited number of areas.

Successful people are those who took the time and put in the effort to discover and pursue the one thing they need to focus on with all their existential purpose.

As the world's population of 7.5bn people constantly reminds us, we need each other because we cannot excel at everything.

But if each one of us can find and focus on that one thing they ought to excel in; like the rays of a the sun through the lenses of a magnifying glass, we will unleash an unstoppable fire that will make the world the best place!

How big the mark you leave on this earth depends on you focusing on your purpose.

Find it & pursue it like your life depends on it, because IT DOES and the world's 7.5bn people depend on it too.

 - © GC Diaries

“Credible Leadership”: A New Approach to tackle the Leadership Challenge!

Generations after generations, the subject of leadership has attracted a lot of interest and controversy. While there are many definitions of leadership, the leadership phenomenon is generally understood and widely accepted. As such, we find leadership everywhere – alone in quiet moments (leading our thoughts and self), at home, in the school playground, at places of worship, in business and politics.

Many different forms of leadership have been proposed based on trait theory, behaviour theory and transformational theory, among others. Despite all these valid contributions, if we look at the world we live in today, it is evident that the leadership challenge still persists in many areas. Is it that we are failing to implement all that we know about leadership or could it be that we need a new approach to tackle the leadership challenge?

In trying to answer this question, I set out to reflect on my own experience and deliberately observe the application of leadership in different spaces. I noticed that it was not enough to have a vision when one is not committed to it; it was not enough to communicate well when one was not consistent in their conduct, it was insufficient to be competent when one neglected doing their part; and as one leads, they needed to be confident enough to allow others to excel and reach their full potential without feeling threatened.

My conclusion was very simple: PEOPLE CHOOSE TO FOLLOW THE CREDIBLE!

What we need to tackle the leadership challenge is “Credible Leadership.”

In order to assist leaders, current and aspiring, I have developed a very powerful, logical and intuitive framework that takes us back to the very basics of what it really means to be a leader - “The Credible Leadership Framework”.

The Relationships Framework ©GC_Diaries
 

The world population has reached 7.5billion...that is a lot of people!! Have you ever wondered why there are so many of us?

There are surely many reasons for this but I strongly believe that it is primarily because we need each other. We perform better as teams and we are happier together when we get along. The fact is, we are relational people and relationships are central to our existence.

If this is true, then it is not surprising that relationships require a lot of work to work. For most of us, this is one area that has been so elusive - at work, home and elsewhere in between.

Often, we give up - we let go of the relationships we must keep and keep those we must let go. We invest a lot of time and effort in the wrong relationships at the expense of those that matter the most. As humans, we seem to have a very big challenge in an area of central importance and we need to do something about this. I have experienced this and a lot of people have asked me for advice.

I enjoy solving problems, life problems. In typical MBA fashion, I gave this some thought and set out to develop a very simple and intuitive framework which I have called "The Relationships Framework". It is applicable for both personal and professional relationships; it is suitable for all human relationships. My goal is to provide clarity of thought and guidance which will hopefully help you effectively navigate your relationships with confidence and wisdom, swiftly while avoiding disastrous pitfalls.

From my observation and experience, every relationship can be described by two attributes - whether it is good or bad and if it is a necessary or unnecessary one.
How one defines good, bad, necessary and unnecessary is truly personal. In most cases, a good relationship is one you enjoy being in and necessity is a measure of value exchange. The nature of value exchange maybe voluntary, in the case of friendships and/or circumstantial/imposed in the case of colleagues, business interactions or relatives.

Easy to grasp, right?

If we plot Good/Bad on your y-axis and Un/necessary on the x-axis, we create four (4) quadrants as shown on the picture below and I will discuss the meaning, implications and strategies for each position (clockwise direction).

Quadrant 1: Good and Necessary

Location:

Top right quadrant.

 Meaning:

This relationship is enjoyable and you derive value from it through meaningful interactions.

Implications:
This is a worthy relationship and takes the least effort to maintain but at a significant risk of being complacent.

Typical Examples:
Family, close friends, close colleagues.

Strategy:
Continue to cultivate and prioritise, while being consistent and reliable.

Quadrant 2. Bad but Necessary

Location:
Bottom right quadrant.

Meaning:
Although necessary, this relationship is not enjoyable.

Implications:
The relationship’s necessity (real or perceived) means that contact time is relatively high and with it, likely stress which is not healthy for you.

Typical Examples:
Boss at work, key customers, family (in-laws, wife/husband, children) or teacher.

Strategy:
The generic strategy is to honestly reassess the relationship and challenge your views  - is the necessity real or perceived?

2a: Real Necessity

If necessity is real, you have to improve this relationship; first by changing your perceptions and attitude, followed by deliberate and conscious positive actions which you have to build into your routine. Seek to understand more and to consider where they may be coming from. Often, all they need is a little more respect, a little more consultation, a little more listening and a little more smiles...CARE MORE.

It is hard to be bad to a person who genuinely cares about you and over time, it will become a good and necessary relationship.

2b: Perceived Necessity
If necessity is only a perception, then the reality is that this relationship is bad and unnecessary – apply EXIT strategies.

Quadrant 3: Bad and Unnecessary

Location:
Bottom left quadrant.

Meaning:
This relationship is toxic and there is no value exchange.

Implications:
This relationship drains your energy, has very little value and is not worth your while.

Typical Examples:
Extreme cases within the professional and social environment but their description is typically prefixed by "ex-" e.g. ex-employer/employee, ex-partner

Strategy:
Immediately start to unwind and close the relationships for exit by creating emotional/physical distance while strategically reducing your reliance on them.

If its work related, this is the time to look for another job.

Quadrant 4. Good but Unnecessary

Location:
Top left quadrant

Meaning:
This relationship is good but of little value (yet).

Implications:
The fact that it is good suggests that you may have more in common than you already know.

Typical Examples:
These are “loose connections” at a professional and social level; including some Facebook friends and LinkedIn contacts, old former classmates.

Strategy:
The generic strategy is to maintain

4a: Good and of low to moderate unnecessity

It is likely that there is more value this relationship can offer if given more attention. Invest in these relationships and explore common interests to develop them into “good and necessary relationships.”

4b: Good and of moderate to high unnecessity
Maintain these relationships and let them evolve naturally; over time, their necessity will show and move to “Location-4a” or regress towards “Location-3” for “Exit”.

I hope that you will find this framework useful in managing the complex relationship dynamics of everyday life.

©GC_Diaries

THE GIFT (from My Father!)

I had collected my Advanced Level exam results, scoring 12 points out of the possible 15 - Maths (A), Physics (B) and Chemistry (C)

I was excited but for the greater part,
I felt a sense of relief - I had "escaped."

My father calmly looked at me and said;
"You could have done better."

I was shocked and it hurt me quite deeply.
Almost 20years later, I can still feel the pain:

"What did it really take to satisfy this perfectionist of a man I had the greatest "misfortune" to call my father?" the stubborn teenager in me wondered.

Yet with those 5 words,
He gave me the greatest Gift and changed my life forever.

I was happy because I had "escaped" failure.
But life is not about "escaping".

You can not live your life in "escape mode" and expect greatness!

I was happy because I had done "better than most".
Again, others are never the best yardstick of your potential.

You can not run your race while staring at other people's lane.

The "perfectionist" of a man I had the greatest "fortune" to call "my father" knew something extremely valuable.

I learnt that one of the biggest tragedy in life is not knowing your potential.
- what you can do, how far you can go, how high you can fly and how deep you can dig.

Life is a pursuit of potential and a realisation of dreams.
Without knowing your potential, we limit and waste its meaning.

You give away the immense power of saying "NO".
- NO, I deserve better than this!
- NO, I can do better than this!

You take whatever is in front of you;
And risk not only accepting, but celebrating mediocrity.

You rob yourself of excellence;
 And others of inspiration.

You sabotage GREATNESS,
As poured within you by your maker.

"The perfectionist of a man I had the greatest fortune to call my father"....was actually right!

Truly speaking,
I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER.

He gave me THE GIFT of Truth,
And the courage to face it.

He gave me THE GIFT of "Self Belief",
He believed I could do more.
And each day, I choose to believe him.

He opened my eyes to see,
What he saw when he looked at his son.

I was happy to be good enough,
But good enough is not good at all.

Before you stop, ask yourself;
"Can I do more and better than this?"

I made myself this promise:

"LET NO MAN/WOMAN EVER TELL ME THAT I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER OR MORE AND BE RIGHT!"

Hope you can promise yourself this as well.
And receive a Gift from my father.

Thank you dad.
MHSRIP.

Learning to Walk.....Away!
- ©GC Diaries

The hardest thing in life can be walking away.

For most part of our life, most of us were taught how to hold on.

Not quiting and never giving up have been preached as a virtue of heroic proportions.

Stories have been told of men who stopped digging one shovel away from the gold.
Yet none of many who stopped, where it never was.

Monuments have been built,
Of men and women who did not give up.

In the process, creating a generation so determined to reach the finishing line, even that of a wrong race.

Optimum performance can only be realised when we know what to do and what not to do.

Efficiency kicks in when we start doing what we need to do better than before and stop doing things we should not be doing.

I am not saying quiting is always good;
I am saying, under certain circumstances, it can be a good an option.

When you must, do it with conviction and pride.

I shy away from negativity,
Although I try to change those which I must.

I walk away from relationships and associations;
Those that intoxicate my enthusiasm about life.

I avoid unnecessary confrontation;
Especially those serving to stroke someone's ego.

Not every race is worthy winning.
The ones I must win, I run to win.
The one I shouldn't win, I stop running.

Not every fight is worthy getting into.
The ones I must fight, I never leave the ring.
The ones I shouldn't fight, I stop fighting.

Not every conversation is worthy continuing.
The ones I must have, I engage.
The ones I shouldn't have, I disengage.

Not every dream is perpetually valid.
While valid, I pursue.
Upon expiry, I dream anew and change course.

Be bold, walk away....if you must!

Truth be told,
You may walk away where you must hold on.
Over time, your judgement will get better.

Quitting is a skill we need to learn;
Walking away can be a good option.

©GC Diaries

The Sun Never Stops Shining
- ©GC Diaries

The sun never stops shining,
It is just who it is.
It is just how it is.

In some parts of the world,
Darkness may appear,
Clouds may block its rays.

But the sun never stops shining,
It is just who it is,
It is just how it is.

"When", matters not.
"What", matters not.
It just never stops shining.

So must you keep shining,
Continuing to be good & do great.
No matter what, no matter when.

Challenges may appear,
In career, at home & in between.
Your light must never dissappear..

Be the light,
In every situation,
In every area of your life.

At work, do your best - for excellence's sake.
At home, do your best - for perfection's sake.
In between, may kindness, integrity and decency prevail - for satisfaction's sake.

Be the one to rise above & lift others,
Be the one to dream big & make it big,
Be the one to set a higher standard & live by it.

Shine, as consistently as the sun.

It is just who you are,
It is just how you are,
YOU SHINE, KEEP SHINING.

©GC Diaries

Twelve (12) Years Experience or Two (2) Years Experience Repeated Six (6) Times?

- ©GC Diaries

Earlier today, I met up with a childhood friend of mine just to catch up as we occassionally do.

He recently left his job at a Fortune 100 company to start his consulting company specializing in Business Intelligence and Big Data Analytics.

One of the reasons he left was that he had ticked all the boxes of the things he had wanted to learn, do, achieve and/or experience when he decided to join them.

As such, we concluded that there is a big diference between growing your experience and repeating the same experience many times. There is a difference between 12 years experience and 2years of experience repeated 6 times.

So here are some questions for you to privately reflect on:

1. Where you are, are you growing your professional experience or simply repeating it?

2. Before you took up your current role or look up for the next one, do you know and write down the things you want to get out of that job (eg: skills you want to learn, the network you want to build, the experience you want to get etc)?

3. If you don't, how do you know that its the right role for you and if it is, how do you know when is the right time to move out and pursue the next thing?

In our careers and professions, we need a vision. Career/Professional progression need not be an aimless random walk, but a purposeful journey towards something only you can define for yourself.

©GC Diaries

Dreams of Possibilities and Possibilities of Dreams!
- ©GC Diaries

"It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting."
- Santiago's thought in the book, The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo.

To live is to pursue a dream.
Whose dream we pursue is our choice.

But if you really want to live an interesting life,
Pursue the dream YOU have.

Dreams pull us to the future,
And push us out of our expired past.

In following them, life begins to exist;
Solo footsteps find company.

The bigger the dream,
The shorter the sleep;

(Yes, the opposite is true)

Hard and tough, it may be.
The weight of its worth will carry you through.

Only those who cross the starting line,
Create a chance to cross the finishing line.

Everytime you try,
You feel alive because thats what you were born to do - TRY!

So even if the end be less bright,
The brightness within, no one can take away.

Where dreams exist,
 Purpose reside.

And without it,
We are merely spectators of our own life.

A bad situation may persist,
But if we dream for a better day,
We will outlive the trouble and see the sun rise.

This is the power of a dream,
That one day, it may just come true!!

In dreaming of the possibilities,
We begin to see the possibilities of our dream.

Right in that very moment,
We begin to live...

A Meaningful and Interesting Life!

©GC Diaries

Birthday Reflections: INTEGRITY & TIME!
© GC Diaries


Yesterday was my birthday and it always strikes me how time flies. Whether you use it or waste it, time is a faithful servant and it will play its part - without fear or favour.

I had a wonderful time and so many friends, near and far, shared their love and spoke long life, good health, success, joy and victory into my life.

To all those who did not give me a present, ITS OKAY: "It is the VALUE of your PRESENCE and not the PRICE of your PRESENTS that makes the most DIFFERENCE."

It was Toynee (1948) who said; "History of an individual country could in general not be understood in isolation from other countries."

Likewise, my individual history (and by extension - my future) can never be understood in isolation from other individuals - YOU!

I did not manage to go for my traditional Basketball shots but I managed to think about 2 very important things that become even more important with age - Integrity and Time.

I realised that "IN-tegrity is IN-side YOU." It has nothing to do with external circumstances but its those circumstances that reveal what is inside you. As we grow older, black and white creates grey areas but we must consistently uphold Integrity and teach it to the next generation.

Unfortunately, as we grow older, it becomes clear that we have had so many years to live, and often, we ask ourselves what have we achieved? The pressure for success and the need to achieve increases. I tell you now, "Our lack is not of time to achieve our dreams; but of dreams to pursue with our time."
 
I spent a wonderful dinner with my family and for those moments, LIFE was PERFECT!

I am grateful to God for life, mine and yours - LET'S MAKE EVERY BREATH COUNT.

© GC Diaries

STUCK in MOTION: Reflections of a Passenger!
- © GC DIARIES

As the years go by,
One can't help but feel like a passenger in a bus.

Looking through the windows,
Everything outside seems to be moving.

Trees, mountains, buildings and the road;
They all seem to be in purposeful motion.

Going somewhere with intent,

Yet you are stuck in your seat, it seems;
Going nowhere!!

Ever felt that??

Such is life sometimes,
It's a master of illusion and Grand-Daddy of disguise.

If you are not careful,
You may not realise/appreciate the progress you have made.

I know it feels like you are stuck,
But do not be fooled by the trees and buildings you see through the window.

Yes, they look busy.
Yes, some of them look dressed for success.

Yes, they move with swag and a spring in their step;
Yes, they are colourful.

But realise this,
You may actually be the one moving ahead.

Before it stretches higher up in the sky;
Every seed has to first be stuck in the ground.

Before it blooms and blossom;
Every flower has to first bud.

Before you reach the next stop,
Enjoy the ride.

Tomorrow, as I celebrate my birthday;
The rest of my life begins.

Let's face it;
I am not perfect and my life is not perfect.

I celebrate that,
It gives me hope and something to live for.
- a chance to be better!

Let's face it,
I don't have it all.

I celebrate that,
It gives me something to work towards.
- a chance to do better!

Let's face it,
At times I feel stuck.

I celebrate it,
The bus I am sitting on will get somewhere.
- a chance to get somewhere better!

Remember this;
Life is a master of illusion and the Grand-Daddy of disguise.

Its ok to be a passenger,
When God is in the driver's seat!

© GC DIARIES

WHEN A CHILD PRAYS
- © GC DIARIES


There are times I want to quit, give up and let go.

There are times I question the value of my own dreams and aspirations.

There are times I lose faith in my own ways and methods.

There are times I just run out of steam, losing the strength to pursue and extent my tent.

There are times I just want to be a normal guy, an average Joe next door.

Yet when I take my children to bed and hear them pray for me to succeed on that very thing:

IT DOES SOMETHING TO ME!

I sometimes wonder why I even tell them what "Daddy" is up to;
But I have learnt that life's worth is in doing life together.

It just makes it all bigger than just me.
For me I would quit but for them, I can never give up.

When I feel tired and overwhelmed;
Somehow I suddenly feel refreshed, renewed and willing to keep at it.

I know God answers my children's prayers,
And wants to use me to strengthen their faith in Him.

When what they pray for happens,
Prayer becomes REAL and ceases to be a routine.

I will not give up and let them down;
I want them to know that Prayer Changes Everything!

Their everyday prayers,
Change my everyday life!

Because When A Child Prays, Heaven Listens!

© GC DIARIES

KEEP AT IT
-  © GC DIARIES

I have come to believe that life only asks us one question;
Its the only question that matter.

Where I have failed and where I have succeeded;
It was all defined by my answer to this one question:

ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP AT IT?

Are you going to wake up when its easier to sleep;
To stand up when its easier to sit down?

Are you going to keep walking when its easier to stand still;
To hang on when its easier to hang up?

Are you going to stretch your hands out and do it when its easier to fold them;
To keep at it no matter what?

Are you going to work out when its easier to eat out;
To reach out when its easier to shut out?

Are you going to keep up when its easier to give up;
To clean up when its easier to "hands-up" and surrender?

Are you going to keep living when its easier to die;
To keep going when its easier to let go?

To opt to see a worthy ending when its easier to opt out;
To move the mountain in your way when its easier to be moved?

Suçcess is 100% starting and 100% not quitting!

Your dream is worthy it;
Pursue it and never quit.

Life is not fair,
It favours those who keep at it!

"You are far too smart to be the only thing standing  in your way."

I AM GOING TO KEEP AT IT, WILL YOU?

 © GC DIARIES

LOVE, PEACE and HAPPINESS!
- © GC DIARIES

 What is wrong with this world??
I really wish I knew.

Why do we value things more than people?

Why do we seek posessions ahead of experiences?

Why do we pursue fame while being infamous in our inner circle?

Why do we seek public success even if it means private failure?

Why do we chase dreams that make us unhappy?

Why do we fight battles that never bring peace?

Why do we spend time on things that are hardly timeless?

But whe you ask WHY,
Expect change and be ready to change!

Your life can be different...Today!

This is the power of a Decision.
The wisdom of Will Power.
The reality of Effort.
And the birth of Discipline.

The reason why so much pain exist is this;
Love has stopped to be our priority in life.

The reason why we are not at peace is this,
Peace has never been our aim.

The reason why we are so unhappy is this;
Happiness has never been our goal.

But be wise today,
Life's value is found in love, peace and happiness.

Whatever ignites love and passion;
Whatever brings  peace;
Whatever makes happiness a reality;

Do more of it each day and every day.
Soon and very soon,
Less and less time will be left for the rest.

This is how you make your life better!

LOVE, PEACE and HAPPINESS!

© GC DIARIES

Be Comfortable with Discomfort!!
- © GC DIARIES

Many of us think we need comfort,
And we are right.

But the kind of comfort we need,
Is now different from the one we aspire for.

Above all;
TODAY, we need to be comfortable with discomfort.

Everything around us changing,
Faster than we can say the word "CHANGE"

That makes us uncomfortable:

The work environment,
Persistently requires new skills.

The home environment,
Consistently requires renewed effort.

Relationships and healthy lifestyes,
They insist on consistent persistence.

Believe it or not,
Discomfort has become our way of life.

Our lives demand it,
What do we do?

Do we fight it?
Do we fly and run?

I have a better idea:

Why don't we turn the tables
And beat discomfort at its own game?

Let us all
BE COMFORTABLE WITH DISCOMFORT!

Let's proactively seek our own discomfort:
- before new skills are required of us, let's learn them;
- before we get sick, let's start getting fit;
- before our kids grow older, let's bond with them;
- before our partner gets burnt out, let's leave the couch and step up;

When I play Basketball,
I know that it is the run without the ball that gets me the ball.

The anticipation that takes me out of my comfort,
Is what creates and attracts the opportunity.

Whatever is important to you;
Career, relationships and everything in between:

Wake up, show up and step-up,
The world has changed and is changing.

It's more competitive and more dynamic,
It's less patient and less forgiving.

Discomfort is the new currency of a dynamic word,
Seek it and exploit it!

BE COMFORTABLE WITH DISCOMFORT!

© GC DIARIES

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH ALL THIS TIME?

- © GC DIARIES

"What is your name and how old are you?"

It was 1987 as my Grade 1 teacher asked me with a smile.

Identity and Age - why these 2?

I could understand why my identity was important,
For them to identify and for me to be identified.

But Age??

Age is a measure of the time we have existed.
It rationalises our achievements to a common standard.

We all have 24-h"ours" in a day but what we do with it,
Mostly remains "our" choice.

All the things we do, require time.

Time is therefore a fundamental ingredient for all our endeavors,
Hence our existence is measured against it.

It is a measure of our choices.

Therefore if you choose to do something,
Make time for it.

This is the first step of showing up.

Exercising....needs time.
Relationships....need time.
Praying....needs time.
Work...needs time.
Learning needs time.

Often, we list things we want to do
But neglect to allocate time for them.

Resolutions do not mean anything,
 If we do not allocate time to the things you must do!

Success or failure is first and foremost a result of what we consistently do with our time.

Show me how you use your time,
I will tell you your potential outcome.

Note that the word "potential" here refers to the limit of what you can achieve.

The first step to changing your outcomes is changing what you do with your time.

"What is your name and how old are you?"

Yet as adults, a silent question always follow:

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH ALL THIS TIME?"

(- watch TV, really??)

© GC DIARIES