Open top menu
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Fear and Taking Action

Have you ever been afraid to take up something new? I have, I had the chance to develop software in the past and I literally walked away from it. And the only reason for it is fear. I was afraid to fail. I thought don't have what it takes. I thought I did not have enough experience to take on the that project. By walking away from that lid-lifting experiences I missed the chance to grow technically.

There is a saying that goes, we regret not because of what we have done but because of what we did not do. And that's exactly what I felt. Looking back, I realized that I could have passionately pursued the project and who knows it might have succeeded. And my confidence and experience could have multiplied. But I did not do anything, instead I walked away inventing an excuse as to why I will not (could not) do it. I regretted not doing that project.

But last week, I meet my client (another client from the one I walked away from) and we already 'inked' the deal. So now I am doing a project that I was very afraid to do in the past. My girlfriend asked me if I am afraid that I could not finish it. "No, I know it will be finished", I answered her. Somehow a new sense of confidence has engulfed me. I now know that what stops me from succeeding are self-limiting beliefs rooted in fear.

So how did my attitude changed from somebody who walks away from a project to somebody who embraces one? Simple. These past two weeks, I attended two 'cutting-edge' services, listened to two sermons, attend one toastmasters meeting, and read one book and these four things just came together and they totally challenged the way I look at my performance. Somewhere, while I was reading a book or listening to my pastor's sermon or listening to someone speak, I realized two things.

Number one: Fear is a constant feeling when we attempt to do something new.
Number two: The important thing is to take action.
These two things made me look at a project as an opportunity and not as a failure-producing entity. It got me excited that I can learn something new in the process. This is a new way of seeing and I can attribute it to the environment I was exposed to
in the past two to three weeks.

So what can I encourage you to do this week? I encourage you to:
1. Attend seminars,lectures, and sermons.

There are many so many seminars and lectures available right now so take advantage of them. In my case, I attend to at least two lectures every week, and I take notes during Sunday sermons. I could not tell you how many times the Sunday sermon's has challenged me to live a better life.

2. Take notes.
Write down ideas that that you just learned. Author and speaker, Jim Rohn says, "Don't trust your memory! Take some notes! Taking down notes multiplies your retention skills. Plus this will give you the chance to review some of the things that has made an impact in your life.

3. Read books.
Read books that can challenge your thoughts and stir up your spirit. Visit your local bookstore!
I will talk more about reading books in later posts.

4. Find people who are good role models. 
Find role models. These are the people you look up to. Learn from them and be inspired by their lives. In my life there are a handful of people who can speak to my life. When I am with them I do not talk because it's my time to listen. These are the people who unknowingly mentor me.

5. Subscribe to e-zine.
I recommend John Maxwell's e-zine and Jim Rohn's e-zine. Subscribing to e-zine will put positive emails to your inbox. Instead of reading jokes or spending your internet time to unimportant things read these mails and learn from the ideas from these e-zines.

6. Listen to audio books
This is one of the greatest invention since books. Take advantage of this technology.
The idea is to put yourself in an environment that encourages personal growth. This way, you can be exposed to life-changing ideas that can dramatically impact your future.
Read more
Thursday, April 30, 2009
no image

One of the things I love to do is collecting quotes. So here are some of the quotes I've collected in the meetings that we had:

Also, make it your goal to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you, so that you may win the respect of outsiders, and have need of nothing. -1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

"Living a quite life does not mean you are not making an impact. It means you are doing the will of God."- Pastor Noel

The person who is greatest among you must be your servant. - Matthew 23:11

"Serving others in the sight of God is a great act."- Pastor Noel

"Great men and women of God are people who serves." - Pastor Noel

"Trusting God is the true source of confidence." - Pastor Noel

"Your hands are the extension of your heart." - Pastor Noel

"Many people want to be born again but they are looking at us if we get the results." - Pastor Noel

"The will of God for us is to be dependent on Him not on anyone else"- Pastor Noel

Visit Praise Cathedral's website: http://praisecathedralcebu.com
Read more
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Gump Philosophy

"life is like a box of chocolates you never know what your going to get" - Forrest Gump

When asked what do you think of this quote, many (if not all) of my friends tell me that they agree of this quote. They will then add or paraphrase," Life is unpredictable so you will never know what you are going to get." I believe they are right life is indeed a mystery, you will never know what could happen next. But that's not just what the quote is saying. Allow me to call the quote - "Gump Philosophy".

The Gump Philosophy is not just stating about the unpredictability of life but more on the statement - "life is a box of chocolate".

You see, I believe Forrest Gump sees life, more than the randomness, as a box of chocolate. It's sweet, satisfying, enjoyable, and exhilarating. Some people considers chocolate their passion. So if life is a box of chocolate then to these people, life is a box full passion. It's so wonderful that no matter what happens it's still as sweet as chocolate. And if we live our lives thinking that life is a box of chocolate then we will have a more positive outlook in life. We will take life expecting the sweet part of it.
When I was young, I thought I'll be a doctor, then a lawyer, then an accountant, then a mathematician, and now I am a software engineer. Thinking about it, the journey from dreaming of becoming a doctor to actually becoming a software engineer was indeed a chocolate. Every bite is a different sensation. Every experience is a taste of what it is to wonder and dream. In the end, I realized I like to be a software engineer more than a doctor, or a lawyer or a mathematician. :)



When I was in college, I flunked my first programming class. It was devastating, number one, because I never failed in a class before and, number two, I lost my scholarship for a semester. At first I was angry at the teacher who gave me the grades. I thought to myself, "he did not know how to teach.How dare he give me this grade". Then some of my "friends" told me, "You will not make it in your degree because you just failed my first programming class". Those are the kinds of "friends" you stay away from.:)

The hardest part is telling my mother and sisters. I know they have expected so much from me. They thought I am so smart I could not fail. And it's hard to disappoint them. I was able to break the news to my mother who was very merciful and to my surprise, she just comforted me. I thought she is going to cry or worry but she didn't. I saw how strong she is when she told me,"I'll pay for your tuition fee and it's not a problem. " Somehow, I feel that a lid has been lifted off my shoulders. When I told my sister what happened, she cried and I cried with her. She told me these wonderful words, "Smart men studies their lessons, those who are not, don't". I realized that it's not my teacher's fault. It's my fault because I did not study enough. I did not deliver. I acted not so smart so I flunked. My sister forgave me for failing but more importantly she told me, "I'm sorry if all those expectations to you seemed to have choked you." Again, I felt a lifting feeling as we are reconciled.

I went back to school and studied harder than I should. I worked with my teachers to understand concepts that I have hard time understanding. I learned that information is a matter of asking for it from the right source. I learned that I can do things I thought I could not do if I focus my energy on it - I can actually study. I re-take my programming class and took the top spot in the class. I took my second programming class and took the top spot again. What my doom and gloom "prophet/friends" said never happened because I never flunked another class since then.

Looking at it, I can say, that part of my life is another chocolate. Like some chocolates I've tasted it started bitter but ended up very sweet. It's so delicious that I can't forget it after 8 years tasting it.


Life is unpredictable but if you look at life using the Gump Philosophy i.e. like a box of chocolate then you will be excited to wake up in the morning knowing that today could be another bite.
Read more
Monday, April 27, 2009
Entrepreneurship seminar


Attend the seminar! Build your business! This is free not because what you will get is cheap but because this was originally planned for members of our church but later was opened for everybody. Be there! Call 254-8877 for more details.
Read more
Having a hard time staying up in a meeting?

I have posted "How to stay up when attending a meeting" and I realized that it entails a lot of planning thus may not be applicable if if things won't go as plan. Meaning, you did not have a lot of sleep, you were not able to read the presentation in advance, and you ended up very sleepy in a meeting.

So I came up with "quick and dirty" tips that can keep you awake in a meeting.

1. Drink a lot of coffee.
In your way to the meeting area, drink at least two cups of coffee.
If you don't like to drink coffee then grab a Coke or Pepsi.
If you still don't drink any of them eat chocolate. The idea is to take in a lot of caffeine.

2. Look around you and look for people who are also trying keep themselves awake.
When you start to feel sleepy, try to look around and look for people who are trying their best to keep themselves awake. If you've tried this technique in the past you've probably know how funny people looks like when they are trying to fight drowsing. You will feel that sleeping in a meeting is so embarrassing that you mind will try to "avoid" embarrassment by keeping you awake. Also, if you saw somebody sleeping in a meeting, give him/her a small tap. Somehow, rebuking others will put your mind in "defensive mode" and will keep you awake in the process.

3. Take notes.
Taking notes will help you in sync with the discussion. Caution though: don't draw on your notes while a discussion is going on. Doing so will not only make you look unprofessional but this will also take you away from the discussion.

4. Try to ask questions.
Asking questions will keep your mind working thus making sure that you will not fall asleep.

5. If everything does not work, excuse yourself and go to the restroom.
Wash your face with water. The cold water should give you a fresh feeling and should keep you awake. Many times, this is more effective than drinking coffee. If washing your face does not work include your hair. Do this very quickly and make sure your hair is dry when you come back to the meeting area.:)

So there you have it. I hope you can use these tips to keep yourself awake.:)
Read more
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Bookmarks

Created two bookmarks for Cutting Edge Fellowship.


Read more
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
So where do you work?

Years ago, if asked, "where do I work?" I normally say, "I work in [company name] as a software engineer." Then I found this amazing concept from Brian Tracy which says, if you were asked where do you work tell them that you are the CEO of your personal service company and company A is your biggest client. This simple yet profound concept made me think a lot about my career.

It gave three strong realizations:

1. I am responsible for my own growth.

If I am the CEO of my own personal service corporation then I am responsible of mypersonal and career growth. My hands contain the keys for personal growth and non-growth. My choices impact my career. I can choose to grow or not to grow. I can choose to be proactive or not. With this is the realization that I can no longer wait for the company to develop my skills. Nor can I complain if my manager did not give me the "breaks" I "need". It's up to me to find ways to improve the way I serve my biggest client. It's up to me to make a difference.

2. I am paid because of the value I contribute to my client.

I am not paid because I report everyday but because of the value I place to my biggest client - (in this case) Lexmark. If I consider my paycheck "small", I could no longer say, "this is all they pay" because "this" is a representation of the value I can offer to my client. My pay check will increase as my value increases.

3. I can do something.

No longer will I feel a "victim" of circumstances but a "participant" of my career's direction. I can be better in my service to my client and I can develop the skills to bring about value to the marketplace. I have a choice to "grow into a mountain not to shrink to a grain of sand". I can "increase my value a hundred fold" and I can be better. I can do better.

This new way of seeing my career changed me and will continue to change me. I hope that as I shared this to you a new sense of zest will be stirred inside of you. Then you and I will continue to be more in control with our careers.
Read more
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
How to stay up when attending a meeting

My eyes grew heavy and tired.. I felt the room turned dark and all the sound turned down, my eyes begun to close and my shoulder felt heavy, my body begun to slouch in my chair, my mind drifted to the thought to a relaxation in the bed of sand beside the beach.. I can hear the water splashing in the seaside..so serene.. so sleepy.. I can feel a strong desire to fall into deep slumber.. and then I begun to say to myself, "No.. no .. this is not happening.. I can't fall asleep.. I'm in a meeting.":)

Has this happened to you? Have you tried attending a meeting presentation when suddenly you lost track of the topic and you slowly felt sleepy or worst you really fell asleep? It happened to me many times especially when I first started working. There were even times when I really fell asleep. But I manage to work with myself and ended up overcoming the difficulty of staying awake.:) Let me share to you my how to stay up when attending a meeting tips.

1. Make sure you have enough sleep the morning before the meeting.
Lack of sleep is usually the main problem with staying awake (esp in a meeting). So get enough sleep if you know you will be attending a meeting the day before. If for some reason you did not have enough sleep take caffeine to help you stay awake. Sometimes caffeine will not totally keep you awake (this is the case for coffee addicts) but it is better than no caffeine at all. If you don't want to drink coffee, you can drink water or bring candies that will keep you occupied while in a meeting.


2. Avoid your "sleepy" sitting position.
We all have a "sleepy" position where in in that position it is easy for us to fall into slumber. Usually when we are in a reclining back, it is easy for us to feel sleepy. Avoid reclining instead, your body should be leaning forward facing the presenter. This will communicate to your brain that you are in "learning mode" and you will not be sleeping while the meeting is going on.

3. Make sure you are fully aware about the topic of the meeting.
If it's a presentation, you can ask the presenter some slides or references about the topic. Read them in advance. This will transform you from an ordinary listener to an involved participant. The more involve you are to the presentation the less likely you are to fall asleep. So try as much as possible to get acquainted to the topic. Research and study the topic and try to understand it before the presentation is even given to you. Again,the more involve you are to the presentation the less likely you are to fall asleep.

4. Ask relevant questions (or even irrelevant questions).
If you've done step #3 above then this will likely follow. While researching about the topic jot down questions and concerns in a notebook. If given a chance to ask questions, present these questions to the presenter. Asking questions will make you an active participant in the meeting. This will make the meeting more dynamic and keep you fully awake.

5. Look for topics in the presentation that you do not understand (or fully understand).
When you look for topics that you do not understand, you will become very aware of the presentation. The more aware you are the more your mind will work. The more your mind will work, the more you will be awake. You can ask for clarifications with the items you do not understand, this will make you more learned in the process. The more you feel learned, the more you feel good about yourself, and the more you feel about yourself, the more you forget that you are sleepy.

If you have noticed most of the steps involves you acting to make you feel that you are involved in the meeting. This is because the more involve you are the less likely you are to fall asleep. That's the reason why no presenter is ever sleepy or sleeping while presenting. So the key is to be as close as being the presenter when attending a presentation.:)
Read more
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
IPOD hanged again!!!

IPOD hanged again!!!
every time I plug my ipod to my Windows PC, it will not detect properly and will hang. I have to reset the ipod to recover. To reset it you need to press the Menu and center button at the same time.
I checked the forums and found the same issue. I found a workaround though, I plug it in a PC with Linux OS (Ubuntu) and everything works OK.

Don't buy ipod.:(
Read more
I will greet this day with love in my heart by Og Mandino



-->
Let me share to you one of the confessions from the Greatest Salesman of the World by Og Mandino.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
For this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men and until I master this art I will remain no more than a peddler in the market place. I will make love my greatest weapon and none on whom I call can defend against its force.
My reasoning they may counter; my speech they may distrust; my apparel they may disapprove; my face they may reject; and even my bargains may cause them suspicion; yet my love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest clay.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And how will I do this? Henceforth will I look on all things with love and I will be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And how will I speak? I will laud mine enemies and they will become friends; I will encourage my friends and they will become brothers. Always will I dig for reasons to applaud; never will I scratch for excuses to gossip. When I am tempted to criticize I will bite on my tongue; when I am moved to praise I will shout from the roofs.
Is it not so that birds, the wind, the sea and all nature speaks with the music of praise for their creator? Cannot I speak with the same music to his children? Henceforth will I remember this secret and it will change my life.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And how will I act? I will love all manners of men for each has qualities to be admired even though they be hidden. With love I will tear down the wall of suspicion and hate which they have built round their hearts and in its place will I build bridges so that my love may enter their souls.
I will love the ambitious for they can inspire me! I will love the failures for they can teach me. I will love the kings for they are but human; I will love the meek for they are divine. I will love the rich for they are yet lonely; I will love the poor for they are so many. I will love the young for the faith they hold; I will love the beautiful for their eyes of sadness; I will love the ugly for their souls of peace.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
But how will I react to the actions of others? With love. For just as love is my weapon to open the hearts of men, love is also my shield to repulse the arrows of hate and the spears of anger. Adversity and discouragement will beat against my new shield and become as the softest of rains. My shield will protect me in the market place and sustain me when I am alone. It will uplift me in moments of despair yet it will calm me in time of exultation. It will become stronger and more protective with use until one day I will cast it aside and walk unencumbered among all manners of men and, when I do, my name will be raised high on the pyramid of life.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And how will I confront each whom I meet? In only one way. In silence and to myself I will address him and say I Love You. Though spoken in silence these words will shine in my eyes, unwrinkled my brow, bring a smile to my lips, and echo in my voice; and his heart will be opened. And who is there who will say nay to my goods when his heart feels my love?
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And most of all I will love myself. For when I do I will zealously inspect all things which enter my body, my mind, my soul, and my heart. Never will I overindulge the requests of my flesh, rather I will cherish my body with cleanliness and moderation. Never will I allow my mind to be attracted to evil and despair, rather I will uplift it with the knowledge and wisdom of the ages. Never will I allow my soul to become complacent and satisfied, rather I will feed it with meditation and prayer. Never will I allow my heart to become small and bitter, rather I will share it and it will grow and warm the earth.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
Henceforth will I love all mankind. From this moment all hate is let from my veins for I have not time to hate, only time to love. From this moment I take the first step required to become a man among men. With love I will increase my sales a hundredfold and become a great salesman. If I have no other qualities I can succeed with love alone. Without it I will fail though I possess all the knowledge and skills of the world.
I will greet this day with love, and I will succeed.
Og Mandino


Read more
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The Five Commandments of Credit Cards




I just read a book titled - I will teach you how to be rich by Ramit Sethi.
In his book he have Six Commandments of Credit Cards but
I modified it and came up with only five for Filipinos, I also added comments with my personal experience with credit cards.

The Five Commandments of Credit Cards
1. Pay off your credit card regularly.
I know everybody heard of this many many times but this should be an established rule so you will not be bound in debt.
The bank charges so much in late fees and finance fees. I think they are charging about 6% of your debt.

2. Get all fees waived on your card.
I was able to do this in my credit cards (I have two of them). I asked them to waive my annual card fees (P1,200).
Surprisingly a friend of mine who has 4 credit cards paid his for the past 3-4 years.:)
When I told him about it he was very very surpised had he known that this was possible
he would have save about P19,000!!!!
So when you get a fee from your bank you need to call them and ask for them to remove it.

3. Automate your credit card payment.
This is a new concept that I got from the book "I will teach you to be rich". This is not part of Ramit's Six Commandments but
I added it here since I found it very helpful.
I asked some of my officemates and some of them pay online.
This will save me the hassle of going to the bank.
This removes the risk of moving the money from one place to another.
If you want to save 10-20% of you income, you can use automation to do that.
All you need to do is to open a bank account where you intend to put your savings to and then automate Fund Transfer from
your ATM to you that bank account.

4. Keep your cards for a long time and keep them active.
For me this just say don't switch from one card to another.

5. Use your rewards!
Also please take note on when your bonus points will expire.
I think you need to call your bank to ask how to use the rewards.
Read more
Monday, March 30, 2009
FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real



Last Wednesday in the Cutting Edge Fellowship, Pastor Noel talked about fear and how it affects our confidence level.

I would like to share to you an acronym of the word FEAR that best describes it:

FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real

Most of our fears possesses some kind of evidence in our mind and from these evidences we consider them as real.
But in a closer inspection we will soon realize that most of them (if not all) are unfounded.
Say for example, a person who is afraid to speak in public (I picked this since according to Reader's Digest, public speaking is America's number one fear) ,
may have the following evidences in his/her mind :
  • He/she is afraid because of previous speaking experience that went south - this is an evidence based on the past
  • He/she is afraid because of another fear - called fear of rejection or fear of failure.
  • He/she is afraid because of self-limitation - "I can't do it" evidence
  • He/she is afraid because he/she has not tried speaking in public before. - I call this the "lack of experience" evidence.
Basing on these we can see that such fear is unfounded. Let me quickly run down each item and refute them:

Previous experience that went south.
This is a common source of fear. This happens when we had a very bad experience in the past that our mind just associate pain to that experience.
We tend to get avoid experiences that will associate us with the pain we experienced in the past. But we all know that the past will not determine our future so regardless of our past experience we should try again. If we failed in speaking in public in the past we need to try again. If we failed in a business venture in the past we should try again. If you failed in getting the girl in the past, then you should try again.

Fear off rejection and failure,
Fear of rejection and failure are probably the most common of fears. We know that while we are still alive in this world we will experience rejection and failure. Why not use rejection and failure to our advantage? How? When we get rejected, we learn from it and consider our approach and presentation. When we fail, we fail forward. Let me share to you a quote from John Maxwell in his book Failing Forward - "the difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure."

Self-limitation
Self-limitations usually roots from childhood. It a result when those who we are with growing up (or mother,father,yaya,aunts, lolo,lola,uncles,older sis and brothers) did not expressed their confidence in us. I have the priviledge of watching my niece and nephew grow up and I can tell you the difference between a kid who is raised with express confindence and those who are not. I have a newphew is is raised in our "traditional Filipino way" of raising kids and another nephew who is raised in what I call "after-listening-to-a-parenting-seminar" way and I can tell you the big difference between how they speak in confidence. As a family we recognized that we always verbalize our confidence with the kids at home. Because we now know that there is a big difference in how kids turn out when you speak postively to them and when you don't.

If you have problem with self-limitation because of how you are raised, I think the best thing to do now is to know that the LORD is confident on you and He trust you.
So you don't have to live like a chicken, you need to live like an eagle. :)You have a choice not to be limited. You can choose to be more and not less.
And as Philippians 4:13 says,"I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES ME THE STRENGTH".

Lack of experience.
We often curl up when we don't have experience on a particular subject but the truth is, all of us started with no experience.
Those that belong in the top 10 percent today (in any industry) started in the buttom 10 percent. So if we allow lack of experience to stop us then we will never be able to move forward. And we will always be stagnated wondering how life would be if we tried.

Fear is a paralyzing entity that can stop us from becoming what God intends us to do. But knowing exactly what you fear and why you fear them will help you understand that
these fears are simply False Evidence Appearing Real. Good afternoon.

Joseph


Read more
Monday, March 23, 2009
Why I read books?

Why I read books?

One of the problems that I know right now concerning the area of personal development is the lack of interest in reading books. Many people I know ask where I get all the ideas I share to them in conversations, lectures, presentations, and speeches. I don’t know what answer are they expecting from me but my answer will always contain reading books. It is said that there is no substitute in reading books and I found this to be very much true in my life. Reading books has transformed my life in my ways. I can account many of the things I learned and share from reading and trying what I’ve read. Many of the techniques that I apply in my team and many of the strategies that I used in my work came from what I’ve read. And some people will come up to me and ask me how I thought of it. I simply answered that I got them from a book I’ve read. Some people will respond by telling me that they are not readers and it’s good that I already have an appetite in reading. In short, they are saying it works for you because you are a “born-reader” but it will not work for me because unlike you I do not have those desires.

I did not started as a reader of books. I remembered that I love listening than reading the lessons in class. I figured that listening works for me and reading works for others. But there was this teacher who introduced me to the work of reading. In her class I’ve read four novels and submitted a review to her. This is something I’ve never done before. I started enjoying reading but later stopped the habit after graduation. I figured that I should not read any books anymore since there will be no teacher to check for it. I lamely allowed the tides of life to carry me. Until I realized that I felt so unsatisfied being carried by the waters of circumstances and decided to map my course. It was timing that my pastor talked about reading and upgrading your knowledge. I was challenged and was so enthused to read books.

I drop by a bookstore and got myself a book. To my surprise it did not go as well as I thought it should be. It took me awhile to enjoy the book. But I still carried on and carried on until I finished the book. Finishing gave me a new spirit and I desire to finish another one. I gained a new fervor of finishing what I am reading. Its amazing how one leads to another and another until I’ve read a few more books that interests me. I begun to read books about personal development and found that many, if not all, of the authors’ supports reading books even those who do not publish books. So I continued to read books and something wonderful happened, my language changed my, I have more ideas than before, and as I share the ideas that I’ve learned to my colleagues it impresses them. This drove me to read more books and share what I’ve learned. Until I got opportunities that I’ve never thought would be open for me (this soon). The years of reading books and learning opened big opportunities for me. Reading changed me.

Let me share to a quote from Charles “Tremendous” Jones, “Five years from now you will be pretty much the same as you are today except for two things: the books you read and the people you get close to.”
Read more
Book Review: My Sheep Hear My Voice

Title: My Sheep Hear My Voice…
Author: J. C. Hedgecock


I picked up this book in the second week of January of 2009. An evangelist by the name of Dr. Keith Jenkins came to one of our meetings in Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship and shared to us about hearing from God. I was amazed of the concept and decided to ask God to speak to me. I know God speaks through thought and I had previous experience in the past where God really is leading me and speaking to me. But I was not 100% sure it’s all from God. So when Dr. Keith expounded on his experience in this matter it got me excited and remembered my experience with the LORD. So I took the book and read it on my way home. I turned the pages and for some reason I don’t like the book. :) My head is just filled of doubts whether it will work or not.

I went to India and decided to bring it with me. I re-read the introductory part of the book and again I didn’t like the book. When I came back to the Philippines I tried reading again and I was in agony while reading it and the funny part is, I don’t know why. It was then when I continued reading it that I realized that satan does not want me to read the book. My head could not take the idea that I will have to deny myself the lordship of my life and give it to Jesus Christ to be able to hear from God. On top of that, I have my doubts whether it could work. Or whether I will still hear myself or hear God. I was there pulled up and down and side to side. I was very confused, my flesh wants me to stop (for self-preservation), satan is feeding my mind with doubts and God’s WORD is piercing my heart to the point that I can surely say I want to give God everything. The concepts shared in the book were simple but it’s hard to swallow. Many times we just want to live in denial with ourselves and allow truth to pass by. I realized that I am living in sin by lording over my live. I have lived my life very wrongly and the devil does not want me to realize it. I pursed reading it even though it hurts. I prayed many times and ask forgiveness as the LORD revealed to me the things that are stopping me to become what He desires me to be.

I started doing as the book says, surrendering my lordship to Christ because of love and begun to walk in the Spirit. I understand that this will take me awhile to get used to. I love myself too much to let God have the driver seat but I love the Lord and He needs and wants me to give the keys to my life to Him. So I made up my mind to walk in the Spirit and continue doing things that will mortify my flesh. There are times that I forgot who’s driving and I automatically grab the steering wheel (like just few seconds ago) and then I could almost hear God telling me, “let me driver Joseph”. The thing about walking in the Spirit is to decide that God will decide all the decisions that you should make to you need to ask Him. This goes for the “small” and “big” things so this covers all. Proverbs 3:5-6 says,” Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your path. The keyword for this verse is the word ALL. So whether we consider the task big or small it does not really matter. :)

Also it entails being constantly thinking what you are thinking. You need to be aware what you are thinking about because everything starts with a thought and so we need to examine every thought that’s going to our head. We need to sort it if it’s from satan or self or God and make the appropriate actions to every source of input. This entails a lot of mental work than just allowing your head to absorb everything.

This is one of honest and straight-forward books that I’ve read. The author obviously is not selling something and all the important aspect is being repeated all throughout the book so the reader will not miss it. We will end-up committing it to memory. I will definitely re-read this book.

I’m sure that if you are reading this you will ask me if I’ve heard from God now. I believe I am. God bless you.
Read more
The 17 Indisputable LAWS OF TEAMWORK

Title: The 17 Indisputable LAWS OF TEAMWORK

Author: John C Maxwell

Believe-it-or-not I started reading this book three or four years ago and I just finished it last night. Why? Because back then when I started reading it I found the ideas presented to be OK. By OK, I mean that the ideas are good but it is something I could not use as of the moment. And there are just times that you don’t want to read an OK book you want to read a more than OK book (my term for an idea that I can use NOW). So after finishing the first and second law of teamwork I put the book down and shelved it. Back then I was not handling a team so I felt that could not relate to The Law of Significance and the Law of The Big Picture. Back then my foresight was still very limited and I did not think that reading about before-hand will come in handy later. I was dead wrong.

When I was assigned a team in the office I already forgot that I had a book on teamwork. It was later when I felt that my team was stagnated and there were issues in my team I could no longer address. I was in dire need of insight when I remembered this book. I read and read and found a lot of team issues that I was experiencing. It prompted me to read some more and try some ideas that was suggested in the book such as in the Law of the Chain and the Law of the Catalyst. Some of them worked immediately and some of them took time. Some ideas like “The Law of the Bad Apple” gave me a new perspective on the role of a leader in a team. Some of the ideas I’ve read I’ve shared it to my officemate – a fellow leader who likes the idea so much. Now the book became an easy reading and the ideas I found in the book gave me a better picture of my role as a leader and as a team member. I have to admit I am still working on some mental and attitude changes that is required of me to be a better leader but the information that I gain is very beneficial for me and for my team. I think this book should be a handbook for every team leader or team member who wants to empower his team. I certainly will review this book and refer to it as many times as I can as I grow and study teamwork and leadership. Let me quote John Maxwell to end this article, “The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork, embrace them and empower your team.”





Read more
Friday, March 13, 2009
Give to Caesar what is due to Caesar



Last week and part of this week is "overtime week". All week we need to go overtime... some issues just jumps on you and you have no choice but to deal with them beyond the usual work hours or else you will miss the deadline. I had a chance to speak with a colleague about what is happening and he answered something like, "we don't have that. we can't have overtime". "I bring my work home", he added with pride in his voice. This is something I do not buy into. I think work should be done in the office once you leave the office you should leave work there. Unless of course if you work at home.:) This is one of the boundaries I set on myself. It's what I think is right, why go home and be with your family if your head is still in your work? I believe that when you are at work then be at work. When you are at home then be at home. Also, I believe that in doing that you will be doing your family a great favor. Give to Caesar what is due to Caesar, give to your family (and to yourself) what is due to your family. When I get married and have a family of my own I want to be able to remember this - in the end, no one in his deathbed will ever say to himself (and to others), " I wish I had spent more time in the office."
Read more
Thursday, March 05, 2009
no image

The week is a bit heavy... regular issues.. changes.. new issues.. training.. moving forward.. moving back.. girlfriend.. to do list... mandatory overtime..novel..book.. study..thinking of business (again).. dates with friends..new church assignment..training..exam..community service..un-updated iPod..newly repaired laptop..sleep-less night..groggy morning..new deadlines..old deadlines..blah blah blah..:)

The wonderful thing in all of these is that I realized that:
  • It's a miracle that I have not broke down despite with all of the pressures I am into.
  • I am sad because I have stopped praying for the past few days.:(
  • The interesting part is that there are so many new things.
  • The good part is that I feel I have grown as a person.
  • The best part in all that happened I know I still love my girlfriend.:-*

She leaves me breathless every time I look at her.:D
Read more
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
no image

Prevent virus from launching from USB to your PC

I wrote small batch file that will prevent viruses from getting launched from your USB drive to your PC.
What it does is that it modifies the file attributes and then delete autorun.inf

How to use:
1. open Notepad application. (Go to start-> run then type notepad)
2. Copy paste these text:
attrib -r -a -s -h
dir
del autorun.inf

save it to clean.bat .
3. Save it inside your flash drive (USB drive)

From now on, instead of opening directly your USB drive, you need to use the command line first and launch the batch file from there.
So from now on you need to:
1. Insert your flash drive
2. Cancel all attempt by the OS to open you flash drive.
3. Go to command line (Go to start then run then type cmd). This should launch
a black window.
4. Find the drive letter that is assigned to your USB drive (say H:)
5. In the command line, type H: then hit enter. This will change the director to where your USB drive is located.
6. type clean or clean.bat. This should execute all the lines above and delete the autorun file.

You can also type dir and see if there are other files that looks suspicious. They are suspicious because you don't know how those file got there.

I know this looks complicated but this is safer than just opening the USB drive without checking.
Of course you can just go ahead and scan you USB drive with and anti-virus.:)
Read more
Monday, March 02, 2009
Just finished reading...


It's been awhile since I've read any novel. I think the last novel I've read is from Frank Peretti titled, "The Prophet" and I have not finished it. So it's a bit odd for me to pick up Ted Dekker's book, Adam, in Fully Booked bookstore (free advertisement:-)). I am a fan of Ted Dekker in fact I've read three of his books: Thr3e, Blink, and Obssessed. I think Thr3e is one of the best novels I read so far. It's a fast paced novel full of action, adrenalin rush, and mind-bogling twist towards the end of the story. It's the type that keeps you wanting for more and wondering how the story will end. Adam is such a novel.

From beginning to ending, I was caught in the mystery of trying to figure out how the story will turn. The story revolves around an FBI behavioral psychologist named DanielClark who is chasing a serial killer named Eve. Things went a little more intereting when he died and later was brought back to life by her partner Lori Ames (a pathologist). I will not tell more of ths story other than the part that really got me. It's when the story turned from pschological thriller to "something else". It was wonderfully done. In my mind, I was left asking is there such thing as evil? Or is it just a figment of our imagination?

This is another wondeful work from Ted Dekker.
Vote: **** (4 star)
Read more
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)