Self help

August 13th, 2007 Posted in Uncategorized

In any self improvement seminar, affirmations such as- if it’s to be , it’s up to me,heaven helps those who help themselves are usually bandied about. We are told with enough self belief, these affirmations will help us to be successful.

The problem is we forget them as soon as we leave the seminar room. If only we would put into practise half of what we have learned, the chances of us being successful would be greater.

I was happy that the participants at the recent inaugural Sabah non-Malay Natives
Economic Congress were thrilled by the promises made by the Finance Minister 11, Nor Mohamad Yakcop.

There was a loud applause when he announced that there would an immediate grant of RM500,000 from his ministry to the Kadazandusun Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to assist in its training programme to members and entrepreneurs from the community.

I could not help thinking, though.

Compare this with the news item about the two Dutch women who raised about RM 174,000 through their own initiative to help the conservation efforts being done at the Sandakan Sepilok Urang Utan Rehabilition Centre, we are poles apart in thinking and attitude. They are basically givers, while we are more than happy to be takers.

People say in life, the satisfaction is in giving and not in taking.

Ask any successful people they will tell you that you get luckier if you work harder. While some of us do work hard, there is still this prevailing culture of waiting for goodies to be given out by Santa Claus. Otherwise, nothing appears to move.

We have been spoiled rotten.

Some of us also take the view that by being highly educated , we are automatically capable of being successful in business. It helps, but, life is not as simple as that.

Robert Kiyosaki’s in his best seller” Rich Dad, Poor Dad”, postulates that while academic credentials are useful, but, the ability to apply whatever knowledge to generate wealth is more important.

Even though his real father has a Phd, he has to rely on his monthly salary to survive. To him, this is his poor dad. His other dad is not so highly qualified academically , but he knows how to generate wealth . No prize for guessing who is his real hero!

The world does not reward with what you know,but, with what you do.

We can see for ourselves how some semi-literate Chinese succeed in business with little or no help from the government initially. They prove themselves first, once, they are established in their field, they only get bigger with government help.

They hardly squander the opportunities given to them. Look at the Genting Group, YTL Corp,Ting Pek Khing and many others.

The operative word here is self help, and the passion to want to be successful whatever it takes.

Virgin super boss, Richard Branson who was in Kuala Lumpur recently is a dyslexic. I remember reading somewhere that he is not so familiar with accounting terms, yet, he is a great success because he is passionate about turning ideas into money.And, he knows how to market his products as his name is a brand unto itself.

While the Bumiputras are the rightful owners of the country, because of our political arrogance, government dependence , we are still crawling after all these years.

I don’t think the Chinese are supermen in business, it’s their survival instinct, their passion for money- making, as well as their do- or- die attitude that make them successful.

Maybe, it’s their Taoist philosophy that says be like water, somehow it will find its own level if one keeps on pushing.

So, hard work, perseverance and the right attitude can’t be divorced from success.

Sure, it’s good to know people and to net work, especially to rub shoulders with those with clout, this is business reality. But, I think we must tell ourselves, at the end of the day we can only rely on our own hard work and determination if we want to go far.

Get the help, but, move on your own after that. Don’t keep asking for more. If your are good and have proven yourself to be reliable, the government will automatically look for you.

If I were to draw up a programme for the business wannabes, I would focus among others, on basic accounting and marketing, by understanding free market forces, the big, wide world becomes your market. Handouts will be a thing of the past, hopefully.

We must also ask ourselves, are willing to work as hard as the Mamak restaurant people? 24/7?

If the answer is yes, then, we deserve to live happily ever after. Otherwise, we just have to wait for Santa Claus to come this way again next year.