Discipline
I cracked my brains over the weekend on how to start my lesson plans to teach the two underachieving kids at home. Sticking to the main principle of discipline and accountability for their own actions, I have decided to come out with a weekly timetable and a daily planner for them over this June holidays and filing their progress in a file. The worst thing that can happen to kids is to start to slack, especially during the holidays where they start to sleep late and forget how the school looks like.
Of course, kids will never understand the meaning of discipline and accountability at their age, therefore I have to give them hands-on and most importantly, lead by example. Rewards definitely have to be in the picture as well, for kids are just kids and these are their pushing force. On that, balance of punishment and reward must be present.
If there are any parents interested to know how I do it, feel free to drop me an email at zeqi86 (yahoo.com) and I will guide you on this. This is definitely the first step to instil discipline in your children, and the rest will just follow.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
What Motivates You?
I resumed work after my exams, telling myself that I am committed to make things happen and I had to be disciplined to finish my admin work fast and start making appointments.
Fortunately or unfortunately, I was asked by my director to attend a morning talk organised by our affiliated club. You know, talks are all supposed to be motivational and life-changing just by listening to successful people. They share their success stories to impress upon you, so you can open your mouth in awe, forgetting that you should be learning something instead.
Trust me, you leave the room and nothing has changed.
Are talks supposed to be motivational? Why is it that it doesn't help even when we go with an "open mind"? Remember, that external force is not enough to do any substantial change. You have to realise that the open mind with nothing inside can't really help much. The sweet words coming out of the speaker's mouth is bullshit if he doesn't teach you how to do and guide you on doing it. And most importantly, you must be committed to doing it.
You really want to change for the better? Talk is really cheap you know. The first step to change, is to identify the need to do so. Humans don't like change because they are comfortable with status quo. We are habitual creatures and we like to keep doing the same thing if we think is right and if people around us think is right.
Listening is not enough. Neither is reading at this post. Get your ass to work by mapping out your mission and objectives. Give yourself deadlines. Achieve or die. Have the discipline to follow through and reward yourself for doing so.
Change really come from within. And stop calling those talks motivational. They are just inspirational. Only you can motivate yourself.
I resumed work after my exams, telling myself that I am committed to make things happen and I had to be disciplined to finish my admin work fast and start making appointments.
Fortunately or unfortunately, I was asked by my director to attend a morning talk organised by our affiliated club. You know, talks are all supposed to be motivational and life-changing just by listening to successful people. They share their success stories to impress upon you, so you can open your mouth in awe, forgetting that you should be learning something instead.
Trust me, you leave the room and nothing has changed.
Are talks supposed to be motivational? Why is it that it doesn't help even when we go with an "open mind"? Remember, that external force is not enough to do any substantial change. You have to realise that the open mind with nothing inside can't really help much. The sweet words coming out of the speaker's mouth is bullshit if he doesn't teach you how to do and guide you on doing it. And most importantly, you must be committed to doing it.
You really want to change for the better? Talk is really cheap you know. The first step to change, is to identify the need to do so. Humans don't like change because they are comfortable with status quo. We are habitual creatures and we like to keep doing the same thing if we think is right and if people around us think is right.
Listening is not enough. Neither is reading at this post. Get your ass to work by mapping out your mission and objectives. Give yourself deadlines. Achieve or die. Have the discipline to follow through and reward yourself for doing so.
Change really come from within. And stop calling those talks motivational. They are just inspirational. Only you can motivate yourself.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Book Review
Predictably Irrational
Dan Ariely
Another interesting read that I got in my hands, this time on behavioural economics. Rather, to a layman like me, this is a book more on human behaviour and nothing much on the economics side. Makes us realise that some actions are really not too rational, and I'm not going to say much so that you can pick up this good book to kill time.
It covers topics such as the power of prices (how discounts can make us buy things we do not want, and that FREE! is not just another price), on choices and closing doors, and particularly interesting to me, the placebo effect on medcine (how a 50 cent medicine works better than the same pill that costs 5 cents).
And yes, cheating. You do not want to miss that part, do you? Seriously, stop reading fiction. These books that I read are not that serious.
Visit the official web here.
Good read
Predictably Irrational
Dan Ariely
Another interesting read that I got in my hands, this time on behavioural economics. Rather, to a layman like me, this is a book more on human behaviour and nothing much on the economics side. Makes us realise that some actions are really not too rational, and I'm not going to say much so that you can pick up this good book to kill time.
It covers topics such as the power of prices (how discounts can make us buy things we do not want, and that FREE! is not just another price), on choices and closing doors, and particularly interesting to me, the placebo effect on medcine (how a 50 cent medicine works better than the same pill that costs 5 cents).
And yes, cheating. You do not want to miss that part, do you? Seriously, stop reading fiction. These books that I read are not that serious.
Visit the official web here.
Good read
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
How to be Exam Smart - Part 17
This is going to be harsh. It's the day of the exam and you still revising, hoping that you can as much more information as possible.
You are telling yourself that you are not prepared enough. YOU HAVE ALREADY LOST HALF THE BATTLE. Yes, even before the paper starts.
Keep your mind clear and tell yourself you are going to conquer every single question. Good luck.
You are telling yourself that you are not prepared enough. YOU HAVE ALREADY LOST HALF THE BATTLE. Yes, even before the paper starts.
Keep your mind clear and tell yourself you are going to conquer every single question. Good luck.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Uniqlo Fever
I am very sure that by now, everyone living in Singapore would have already heard of Uniqlo and judging from the queue formed everyday since the day Tampines 1 opened, most of you should have already stepped into the shop (realising that there is no mobile reception there, but that's not the point here) and many of you left with a Uniqlo plastic bag in the hand.
Uniqlo is just like any other normal retail shop selling cheap clothes like our Giordano, U2 (read: failure), even though it is compared to international brands like GAP. This Japanese brand, in my opinion, is a storming success all thanks to its marketing efforts and quality control. You would know what I mean if you take public transport, read newspapers and fashion magazines (their target group are exactly these people). I liked the way they created brand awareness and make people look cool wearing their merchandise with thousands of items in their catalog, updated frequently.
Founder of Uniqlo and CEO of Fast Retailing, Mr Tadashi Yanai, currently Japan's richest man, is a powerful character in the setup of this brand. He created a revolution to Uniqlo when they weren't so successful back then, by offering 1 million yen to the public on how Uniqlo can be done better. Yes, he has the resources to do that and you don't. Come on, if a retail line can rake in net sales of 500 billion yen (S$7.73 billion) when financial markets went south, there must be more than that.
I do not think any rational manager would throw 1 million yen to a stranger. Would you do that?
Probably keep it in your own pocket. Other than its marketing, the quality of its fabric is in the class where its price couldn't match. Not only that, they have their own patent fabric that enable users to keep warm in winter. Having patents create value for the firm. And no, we don't need these to be sold in Singapore.
The next one is opening at Orchard ION. As for now, make a trip down the eastern end of the line to satisfy your curiosity.
N.B. Information is extracted from my readings and a chunk of it from August magazine. To see a detailed and more professional article, please refer to the mag. I was also wrong to assume that the magazine is a yearly publication as suggested by the title.
I am very sure that by now, everyone living in Singapore would have already heard of Uniqlo and judging from the queue formed everyday since the day Tampines 1 opened, most of you should have already stepped into the shop (realising that there is no mobile reception there, but that's not the point here) and many of you left with a Uniqlo plastic bag in the hand.
Uniqlo is just like any other normal retail shop selling cheap clothes like our Giordano, U2 (read: failure), even though it is compared to international brands like GAP. This Japanese brand, in my opinion, is a storming success all thanks to its marketing efforts and quality control. You would know what I mean if you take public transport, read newspapers and fashion magazines (their target group are exactly these people). I liked the way they created brand awareness and make people look cool wearing their merchandise with thousands of items in their catalog, updated frequently.
Founder of Uniqlo and CEO of Fast Retailing, Mr Tadashi Yanai, currently Japan's richest man, is a powerful character in the setup of this brand. He created a revolution to Uniqlo when they weren't so successful back then, by offering 1 million yen to the public on how Uniqlo can be done better. Yes, he has the resources to do that and you don't. Come on, if a retail line can rake in net sales of 500 billion yen (S$7.73 billion) when financial markets went south, there must be more than that.
I do not think any rational manager would throw 1 million yen to a stranger. Would you do that?
Probably keep it in your own pocket. Other than its marketing, the quality of its fabric is in the class where its price couldn't match. Not only that, they have their own patent fabric that enable users to keep warm in winter. Having patents create value for the firm. And no, we don't need these to be sold in Singapore.
The next one is opening at Orchard ION. As for now, make a trip down the eastern end of the line to satisfy your curiosity.
N.B. Information is extracted from my readings and a chunk of it from August magazine. To see a detailed and more professional article, please refer to the mag. I was also wrong to assume that the magazine is a yearly publication as suggested by the title.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
How to be Exam Smart - Part 16
The month of Exams
The month of Exams
By now, most of undergraduates from our local universities would have finished their exams and tomorrow will be the start for students from the university I am studying in. Primary and Secondary school students should be having their mid-year exams at this period too.
As such, I will sum up this series of articles and resume posting for the next school term beginning in mid August. For the time being, stay tuned for other useful postings on time management and useless postings on pieces of my life.
So, it's the day before your exams....
Tip
Do your last bit of revision by 10 pm.
Sleep early and keep a clear mind for the big day.
If you are well prepared, you should be confident enough already. This last few hours of studying won't bring you anywhere anyway. You will only confuse yourself further. Might as well spend this time to sleep and repeat the subject next year, right?
Good luck.
As such, I will sum up this series of articles and resume posting for the next school term beginning in mid August. For the time being, stay tuned for other useful postings on time management and useless postings on pieces of my life.
So, it's the day before your exams....
Tip
Do your last bit of revision by 10 pm.
Sleep early and keep a clear mind for the big day.
If you are well prepared, you should be confident enough already. This last few hours of studying won't bring you anywhere anyway. You will only confuse yourself further. Might as well spend this time to sleep and repeat the subject next year, right?
Good luck.
The Pressure of a Top Student
Don't worry, I am not so arrogant to declare myself as the top student yet. However, I am quite sure that group of students up there are not having a good time. Just imagine, as you climb up, the probability of yourself moving up further gets smaller and smaller as compared to moving south. Finally, you reach the top spot and nobody could defeat you. So, it's either you stay there or get caught off guard.
You cannot afford to slack. People around you expect you to do better, or at least maintain that position. You got to work damn hard to keep the title, as a result giving some pressure to yourself. You don't feel the fun anymore when competition surface.
Not an easy job to be the best you know.
Anyway, I was studying with Richie and Zelda today hoping that I can help with their exam preparation while I study diligently for my papers starting next week, and over lunch they told me that their Macro lecturer, Mr Seet, says that the top student for the subject comes from his class every year.
Obviously, I wasn't a student from his class and definitely not too too happy when I heard that. And you know what?
I AM GOING TO CHANGE THAT.
Don't worry, I am not so arrogant to declare myself as the top student yet. However, I am quite sure that group of students up there are not having a good time. Just imagine, as you climb up, the probability of yourself moving up further gets smaller and smaller as compared to moving south. Finally, you reach the top spot and nobody could defeat you. So, it's either you stay there or get caught off guard.
You cannot afford to slack. People around you expect you to do better, or at least maintain that position. You got to work damn hard to keep the title, as a result giving some pressure to yourself. You don't feel the fun anymore when competition surface.
Not an easy job to be the best you know.
Anyway, I was studying with Richie and Zelda today hoping that I can help with their exam preparation while I study diligently for my papers starting next week, and over lunch they told me that their Macro lecturer, Mr Seet, says that the top student for the subject comes from his class every year.
Obviously, I wasn't a student from his class and definitely not too too happy when I heard that. And you know what?
I AM GOING TO CHANGE THAT.
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