There was once a man who was very rich and very miserly at the same time. The villagers disliked him intensely. One day he said to them, "Either you're jealous of me or you don't understand my love of money-God alone knows. But you dislike me; that much I know. When I die, I won't take anything with me. I will leave it all for others. I will make a will, and I will give everything to charity. Then everyone will be happy."
Even then people mocked and laughed at him. The rich man said to them, "What is the matter with you? Can't you wait a few years to see my money go to charity?"
The villagers didn't believe him. He said, "Do you think I'm immortal? I'll die like everyone else, and then my money will go to charities." He couldn't understand why they didn't believe him.
One day he went for a walk. All of a sudden it started raining heavily, so he took shelter under a tree. Under this tree he saw a pig and a cow. The pig and the cow entered into conversation, and the man overheard what they were saying.
The pig said to the cow, "How is it that everybody appreciates you and nobody appreciates me? When I die, I provide people with bacon, ham and sausage.. People can also use my bristles. I give three or four things, whereas you give only one thing: milk. Why do people appreciate you all the time and not me?"
The cow said to the pig, "Look, I give them milk while I'm alive. They see that I am generous with what I have. But you don't give them anything while you're alive. Only after you're dead do you give ham, bacon and so forth. People don't believe in the future; they believe in the present. If you give while you are alive, people will appreciate you. It is quite simple."
From that moment on, the rich man gave all he had to the poor.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
'Very Big Asset' - Wolfgang Hildesheimer. Hilarious.
About the author: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Hildesheimer
one sunday i was relaxing with a mug of beer in a pub. some weird looking person came to me and asked me if i had any idea of buying a train. anybody can sell anything to me smoothly. because i dont know to say no to things. even then i thought i should be careful this time as it was a big sale. even though i dont know anything about trains i enquired him which model it was, in which year it was made, how the piston, guage.. were etc. i wanted him to know that i was one expert and i was not the one who bought unnecessary things. i dont know whether he was convinced or not. whatever it was he showed me the pictures of the train from all angles and gave all the information i needed. the trained looked perfect. i ordered for it immediately and settled for one price. it was one secondhand train. though trains dont wear and tear easily.. i didnt give the asked price.
the train was delivered the same night. i should have got suspicion at that time that it might have been phony because it was delivered so fast. but i didnt. because i never suspected such things. the door of my house is not broad enough so i couldnt keep the train inside the house. not only that, it was also so heavy even my house could have collapsed. so i kept it in the garage. naturally only half of it could go inside. garage roof was very high. i had kept a very big balloon once. of course it had burst later.
my cousin visited me after this sale. this cousin didnt like to guage things or show emotions. for him facts were facts. he never used to get surprised. he was one expert at describing anything and everything. in short he was a fussy man. after saying hello, to break the silence i started singing " tum paas aaye..yunh muskuraye.." . he finished it properly with " kuch kuch hota hai". he had brought cognac. after we finished drinking a few glasses he decided to stay over that night at my house and went to the garage to keep his car.
he returned after a few minutes and told me in a shaky whispering voice that there was one big train in my garage. i said " yes, i just bought it day before yesterday" slowly. " do u use it?" he asked. "no, not always" i replied. "only when my neighbour's wife had labour pain, i took her to the hospital in that train. she delivered twins. but my train was not responsible for that", i told him.
I had told this deliberately because i am the one of those who adds imagination to facts. i dont know whether he believed me or not. He just heard me out. he must have got irritated by the idea of staying over at my place he just started replying with 'uh huh's to my questions and he left immediately. he never came back.
after a few days when i read in newspapers that a train was stolen (not from this earth, but from one switchyard) i was sure that i have been had and that i was cheated. after a few days i saw the same person in the same bar and i pretended to be innocent and a recluse. This time he tried to sell me a crane. but i didnt want to do any business with him again. moreover why do i want a crane anyway?
one sunday i was relaxing with a mug of beer in a pub. some weird looking person came to me and asked me if i had any idea of buying a train. anybody can sell anything to me smoothly. because i dont know to say no to things. even then i thought i should be careful this time as it was a big sale. even though i dont know anything about trains i enquired him which model it was, in which year it was made, how the piston, guage.. were etc. i wanted him to know that i was one expert and i was not the one who bought unnecessary things. i dont know whether he was convinced or not. whatever it was he showed me the pictures of the train from all angles and gave all the information i needed. the trained looked perfect. i ordered for it immediately and settled for one price. it was one secondhand train. though trains dont wear and tear easily.. i didnt give the asked price.
the train was delivered the same night. i should have got suspicion at that time that it might have been phony because it was delivered so fast. but i didnt. because i never suspected such things. the door of my house is not broad enough so i couldnt keep the train inside the house. not only that, it was also so heavy even my house could have collapsed. so i kept it in the garage. naturally only half of it could go inside. garage roof was very high. i had kept a very big balloon once. of course it had burst later.
my cousin visited me after this sale. this cousin didnt like to guage things or show emotions. for him facts were facts. he never used to get surprised. he was one expert at describing anything and everything. in short he was a fussy man. after saying hello, to break the silence i started singing " tum paas aaye..yunh muskuraye.." . he finished it properly with " kuch kuch hota hai". he had brought cognac. after we finished drinking a few glasses he decided to stay over that night at my house and went to the garage to keep his car.
he returned after a few minutes and told me in a shaky whispering voice that there was one big train in my garage. i said " yes, i just bought it day before yesterday" slowly. " do u use it?" he asked. "no, not always" i replied. "only when my neighbour's wife had labour pain, i took her to the hospital in that train. she delivered twins. but my train was not responsible for that", i told him.
I had told this deliberately because i am the one of those who adds imagination to facts. i dont know whether he believed me or not. He just heard me out. he must have got irritated by the idea of staying over at my place he just started replying with 'uh huh's to my questions and he left immediately. he never came back.
after a few days when i read in newspapers that a train was stolen (not from this earth, but from one switchyard) i was sure that i have been had and that i was cheated. after a few days i saw the same person in the same bar and i pretended to be innocent and a recluse. This time he tried to sell me a crane. but i didnt want to do any business with him again. moreover why do i want a crane anyway?
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Roles and how we play them
Whenever I’m disappointed with my spot in my life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott.
Jamie was trying out for a part in a school play. His mother told me that he’d set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen.
On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement.
“Guess what Mom,” he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me: “I’ve been chosen to clap and cheer.”
Jamie was trying out for a part in a school play. His mother told me that he’d set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen.
On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement.
“Guess what Mom,” he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me: “I’ve been chosen to clap and cheer.”
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
A Blog Post by Singapore's Youngest Millionaire
Refer : http://www.akltg.com/trainer_biodata.php?name=adam
By Adam Khoo
On Money |
Some of you may already know that I travel around the region pretty frequently, having to visit and conduct seminars at my offices in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Suzhou (China). I am in the airport almost every other week so I get to bump into many people who have attended my seminars or have read my books.
Recently, someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather shocked. He asked, "How come a millionaire like you is travelling economy?" My reply was, "That's why I am a millionaire." He still looked pretty confused. This again confirms that greatest lie ever told about wealth (which I wrote about in my latest book "Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires" ). Many people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to wear Gucci, Hugo Boss, Rolex, and sit on first class in air travel. This is why so many people never become rich because the moment that earn more money, they think that it is only natural that they spend more, putting them back to square one.
The truth is that most self-made millionaires are frugal and only spend on what is necessary and of value. That is why they are able to accumulate and multiply their wealth so much faster. Over the last 7 years, I have saved about 80% of my income while today I save only about 60% (because I have my wife, mother in law, 2 maids, 2 kids, etc. to support). Still, it is way above most people who save 10% of their income (if they are lucky). I refuse to buy a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I think that it is a complete waste of money. However, I happily pay $1,300 to send my 2-year old daughter to Julia Gabriel Speech and Drama without thinking twice.
When I joined the YEO (Young Entrepreneur̢۪ s Organization) a few years back (YEO is an exclusive club open to those who are under 40 and make over $1m a year in their own business) I discovered that those who were self-made thought like me. Many of them with net worths well over $5m, travelled economy class and some even drove Toyota's and Nissans (not Audis, Mercs, BMWs).
I noticed that it was only those who never had to work hard to build their own wealth (there were also a few ministers and tycoons sons in the club) who spent like there was no tomorrow. Somehow, when you did not have to build everything from scratch, you do not really value money. This is precisely the reason why a family's wealth (no matter how much) rarely lasts past the third generation. Thank God my rich dad (oh no! I sound like Kiyosaki) foresaw this terrible possibility and refused to give me a cent to start my business.
Then some people ask me, "What is the point in making so much money if you don't enjoy it?" The thing is that I don't really find happiness in buying branded clothes, jewellery or sitting first class. Even if buying something makes me happy it is only for a while, it does not last. Material happiness never lasts, it just give you a quick fix. After a while you feel lousy again and have to buy the next thing which you think will make you happy. I always think that if you need material things to make you happy, then you live a pretty sad and unfulfilled life.
Instead, what make ME happy is when I see my children laughing and playing and learning so fast. What makes me happy is when I see my companies and trainers reaching more and more people every year in so many more countries. What makes me really happy is when I read all the emails about how my books and seminars have touched and inspired someone's life. What makes me really happy is reading all your wonderful posts about how this BLOG is inspiring you. This happiness makes me feel really good for a long time, much much more than what a Rolex would do for me.
I think the point I want to put across is that happiness must come from doing your life's work (be in teaching, building homes, designing, trading, winning tournaments etc.) and the money that comes is only a by-product. If you hate what you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make you happy by buying stuff, then I think that you are living a life of meaninglessness¦.
Quotes - Victory
1) Victory is won not in miles but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more. - Louis L'amour
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Life's Lesson...
A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
What food might this contain?' The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning:'There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!'
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, 'Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.'
The mouse turned to the pig and told him, 'There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!'
The pig sympathized, but said, I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers.'
The mouse turned to the cow and said 'There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!' The cow said, 'Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose.'
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.
The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital , and she returned home with a fever.
Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main Ingredient.
But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.
The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.
So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.
The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.
So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.
We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.
What food might this contain?' The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning:'There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!'
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, 'Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.'
The mouse turned to the pig and told him, 'There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!'
The pig sympathized, but said, I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers.'
The mouse turned to the cow and said 'There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!' The cow said, 'Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose.'
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.
The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital , and she returned home with a fever.
Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main Ingredient.
But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.
The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.
So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.
The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.
So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.
We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.
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