Acquire Wisdom and Live with Passion: Quality

Showing posts with label Quality. Show all posts

Friday, November 02, 2007

Make the days count

“Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.” - Seneca

Two weeks ago, my cousin brother died of pancreas cancer. Then, my colleague's father passed away due to sickness. A couple of days later, another of my colleague's father also passed away after stroke for a couple of days. Indeed, we must live life fully because it is appointed for everybody to die eventually. We must learn to make every act count, since we are going to be here for only a short while.

Many people are fond of counting their troubles. However, you will be much better when you start to count your joys.

Abraham Lincoln said, "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." He was right. I will not dwell on thoughts that depress me. I will chase them out of my mind and replace them with happy thoughts.

What You Can and Cannot Control
You cannot control the length of you life; but you can control its width and depth.
You cannot control the contour of your face; but you can control its expression.
You cannot control the weather; but you can control the atmosphere of your mind.

Why worry about things you cannot control when you can keep yourself busy controlling the things that depend on you?

Let us not count the days but make the days count! Do not waste another day.

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Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Do things in the order of importance

“Our choices in life are made according to our sense of our own worth” - Kaylan Pickford

With the Internet, we are all overloaded with pages of information to read, and explore. There is no more lacking in term of Information nowadays. However, we need to sift through and takes in quality information. Only then we can make use of the knowledge comprehended in our daily living.

Don't put the cart before the horse. Learn to do things in the order of importance.

Take a look at the following quotes and see what comes to your mind.

“We must be silent before we can listen.
We must listen before we can learn.
We must learn before we can prepare.
We must prepare before we can serve.
We must serve before we can lead.” - William Arthur Ward

"Change before you have to." - Jack Welch

“Your actions, and your action alone, determines your worth.”- Evelyn Waugh

Before doing anything, always remember to consider whether it is right or wrong. Do consider seriously what's worth living for? Think before you act and go and do something that is worth doing! Things should be done in the order of importance.

Photo by sean dreilinger taken from this source

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Friday, September 28, 2007

Quality Expectations

“The Quality of Expectations determines the Quality of our Action.” - A. Godin

According to PBN.com, In the last five years, there is an increase in customers’ expectations in terms of:

Customer service levels – 81.3%
Competitive pricing – 75.0%
Faster turnaround – 68.8%
Product quality – 43.8%

What about your own expectations about yourselves? Are you happy with how you are living your life now? It is good that we spend some time and think about it. Our wrong expectations may hinder our path in life because it is very seldom that an individual exceed his own expectations.

“Our environment, the world in which we live and work, is a mirror of our Attitudes and Expectations.” - Earl Nightingale

“If you paint in your mind a picture of bright and happy expectations, you put yourself into a condition conducive to your goal.” - Norman Vincent Peale

“When we create something, we always create it first in a thought form. If we are basically positive in attitude, expecting and envisioning pleasure, satisfaction and happiness, we will attract and create people, situations, and events which conform to our positive expectations.” - Shakti Gawain

“Our limitations and success will be based, most often, on your own expectations for ourselves. What the mind dwells upon, the body acts upon.” - Denis Waitley

"Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy." - Brian Tracy

Although, it maybe hard to live up to other people expectations, but don't give up on yourself. If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right too! Make very sure that you have great and quality expectations to do better.

Photo by kkimpel taken from this source

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Friday, September 21, 2007

Remember to KISS?

"All the fun is in how you say a thing." - Robert Frost

KISS is an acronym of the phrase "Keep It Simple, Stupid". Another version of the phrase is "Keep It Short & Simple" which you might hear quite often before you deliver your speech or presentation to a group of people who have a very tight schedule.

Sidney Smith wrote: "The writer helps us the most who give us the most knowledge, and takes from us the least time."

If you understand this principle well, you will always try to keep your writing short and simple by going straight to the point.

I love short and simple quotes because they are easy to remember and give remarkable impact. Below are some of those short quotes that I love:

"Men learn while they teach.
"Conceit is the quicksand of success."
"Today is the future I created yesterday."
"I look within to find my treasures."
"Good, to forgive; Best, to forget."
"Our attitude determines our altitude."
"You never know what you can do till you try."
"You never miss the water till the well runs dry."
"We are often our own worst enemy."
"Mistakes are the best teachers."
"Delegate but don't forget."

The above short quotes can be good topics for blogging!

In commercial world, very few thin books make big money even though their content can be superb because many could finish reading those books without the need of buying. However, in blog I tend to believe that we don't need long posts because many people don't really have time to read as there are so many blogs nowadays. Besides, since we blog daily, breaking a long post into multiple posts should be more effective.

What is your view about this? By the way, if you have short quotes you love, please share in your comments. Thank you.

Photo 1 by sierraromeo taken from this source
Photo 2 by ario_j taken from this source

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Sunday, September 02, 2007

Living with Integrity

“Integrity is what we do, what we say, and what we say we do” - Don Galer

Below is a conversation between a store owner with his new employee:

"My boy," said the store owner to his new employee, "Wisdom and Integrity are essential to the retail business.

By 'Integrity' I mean if you promise a customer something, you have got to keep that promise even if it means we lose money."

"And what," asked the teenager, "is Wisdom?"
"That," answered the boss, "is not making any stupid promises."

Source: Internet Author: Unknown

“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” - W. Clement Stone

“Integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching. A person is not given integrity. It results from the never-ending pursuit of honesty at all times.”

“If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.” - Alan K. Simpson

Do you agree? What does integrity means to you?

Photo by nonrev taken from this source

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Friday, August 03, 2007

Dress well for success

“We act the way we dress. Neglected and untidy clothes reflect a neglected and untidy mind.”

Although our tidy soul is much more important, we still need to dress well. Whether we like it or not, every day people are judged by the way they dress and present themselves.

You might ask. Should I be judged by what I wear? Perhaps not, but the reality is, of course, that you are judged. Failing to understand the power of projecting a strong personal image can undermine both individual and corporate credibility.

Isn't it true that the very first time when you bring your boyfriend or girlfriend home to meet your parent, it is always better to have him or her dress well to make a good impression?

"Neatness is always a must. Your clothes must be clean."

“Eat to please thyself, but dress to please others.” - Benjamin Franklin

Besides, we also need to dress according to the occasion. Although, some are allow wearing swimming costume for fashion show, everybody else normally should only wear it at the swimming pool or beaches. Police officer will come after us and send us to the mental hospital if we are found wearing such in any other public places.

"In the matter of dress people should always keep below their ability" - Montesquieu

"Know first who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly." - Euripides

Dressing well doesn't always have to cost a fortune. One should focus on quality not quantity. With clothes, more isn’t necessarily better. It’s better to have a few that you really love than a lot that you kind of like.

Do you agree that dressing well is important? Do you spend a lot of money in your clothing?

Photo 1 by shutupyourface taken from this source
Photo 2 by Cayusa taken from this source

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Monday, July 30, 2007

Aim At Perfection In Everything

“The search for perfection begins with detecting imperfection”

Will you not make very sure that there is no fault before you accept a brand new car?

Similarly, I believe most people will never be satisfied after paying a hefty price for a musical show and find that certain part of the show have audio defect. Am I right?

What You'd Get if 99% Were Good Enough
No phone service for 15 minutes each day.
1.7 million pieces of first class mail lost each day.
35,000 newborn babies dropped by doctors or nurses each year
200,000 people getting the wrong drug prescriptions each year
Unsafe drinking water three days a year.
Three misspelled words on the average page of type.
2 million people would die from food poisoning each year.
(Source: Internet; Author: Unknown)

It has become an accepted statement to excuse ourselves by saying, "After all, nobody's perfect."

“They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds.” - Winston Churchill

“This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections.” - Saint Augustine

“There is such a thing as perfection... and our purpose for living is to find that perfection and show it forth.... Each of us is in truth an unlimited idea of freedom. Everything that limits us we have to put aside.” - Richard Bach

“Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable.” - Lord Chesterfield

Even though, it can be more stressful but each day we must continually strive to do a little better than the day before. What do you think?

"Perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well." - Angelique Arnauld

Photo 1 by Marius!! taken from this source
Photo 2 by cloud_nine taken from this source

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Sunday, July 15, 2007

The Habit Of Going The Extra Mile

In order for one to be successful, one would need to work earnestly, think positively, develop good character, continue to learn and be prepared to go the extra mile. Nothing extraordinary will be achieved unless one is prepared to go the extra mile.

“Do more than is required.
What is the distance between someone who achieves their goals consistently and those who spend their lives and careers merely following?
The extra mile.” - Gary Ryan Blair

“Never neglect the little things. Never skimp on that extra effort, that additional few minutes, that soft word of praise or thanks, that delivery of the very best that you can do.

It does not matter what others think, it is of prime importance, however, what you think about you. You can never do your best, which should always be your trademark, if you are cutting corners and shirking responsibilities. You are special. Act it. Never neglect the little things.” - Og Mandino

"And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two." - Matthew 5:41

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” - Jimmy Johnson

Always remember to deliver more than what you are getting paid to do!

Photo by squacco taken from this source

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Thursday, June 07, 2007

Know what counts and what doesn't

"Doing something useful with your life counts."

“It is not living that matters, but living rightly.” - Socrates

“It is not the size of a man but the size of his heart that matters.” - Evander Holyfield

“Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.” - Seneca

“Don't count the days - make the days count.”

“Life's like a play; it's not the length but the excellence of the acting that matters” - Seneca

"Life is the movie you see through your own eyes. It makes little difference what's happening out there. It's how you take it that counts." - Denis Waitley

“Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted.” - Albert Einstein

“The things that count most cannot be counted.”

"Think about what you do that counts - and do more of it."

Photo by Steve Rhodes taken from this source

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Saturday, May 26, 2007

Speed Matters?

“There is more to life than simply increasing its speed.” - Mahatma Gandhi

"It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop." - Confucius

"Drive too fast and invite a car wreck; live too fast and invite a heart attack."

"The winner ain't the one with the fastest car, it's the one who refuses to lose." - Dale Earnhardt

"One sure way to double your speed ahead is: QUIT all non-essentials; STICK to essentials. Keep first things FIRST."

Photo by global jet taken from this source

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Friday, May 18, 2007

In life there are no shortcuts!

"Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you. If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will shortcut you. If you put forth the effort, good things will be bestowed upon you. That’s truly about the game, and in some ways that’s about life too." - Michael Jordan

"There are no shortcuts in the quest for perfection." - Ben Hogan

"People who enjoy what they are doing invariably do it well." - Joe Gibbs

"When it comes to success, there are no shortcuts." - Bo Bennett

"There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs."

"Nothing can come of nothing." - William Shakespeare

"People create their own success by learning what they need to learn and then by practicing it until they become proficient at it." - Brian Tracy

"You have to work for it. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure."

"It takes a lot of devotion and work, or maybe I should say play, because if you love it, that's what it amounts to. I haven't found any shortcuts, and I've been looking for a long time." - Chet Atkins

Photo by krossbow taken from this source

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Monday, April 23, 2007

Looking for Instant Success?

"A firm foundation is built on growth, not rushing. We need to be patient."

“Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Patience is a virtue.”

"First try seldom wins great success."

Nowadays, most people want instant gratification, instant fame and instant success. Well, what grows fast, fades fast too! There is an old saying, "Easy come and easy go!" Instant success could be temporary only. One must put in effort, time or money to build something that last.

The rush of improving our PageRank and Technorati rank.
Many are trying to improve their PageRank and Technorati rank by employing certain so call shortcuts. Everyone learn fast from each other because everyone wants instant success. Well, I did some research and found that Technorati is not happy about this and has taken some action. Besides, those that employed Link Farm can also be penalized by the search engines.

Make your choice!

What is your view about this?

Photo by arianta taken from this source

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Saturday, April 21, 2007

Commit to Excellence

"Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well." - John W. Gardner

"People forget how fast you did a job, but they remember how well you did it." - Howard W. Newton

"Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better." - Pat Riley

"Pleasure in the job put perfection in the work." - Aristotle

"Excellence is in the details. Give attention to the details and excellence will come." - Perry Paxton

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

"Cultivate excellent habits."

Photo by SirCharlie taken from this source

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Thursday, April 19, 2007

Have you come to realization?

One of the reasons people do not take the time to improve the quality of their life, is that they think things will just get better.

They go through each day hoping that their job will 'somehow' improve. They hope that some lucky combination of circumstances will come about and as a result, they will finally be recognised by their employer and rewarded with more responsibility and a bigger salary.

You need to realize that It doesn't get better...You have to!

There is an old saying that goes like this; "If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got!" How very true that is.

The starting point of all change is in the mind – or more precisely, how you think!

Here's how it works:
1. Your success comes from your results.
2. Your results come from your actions.
3. Your actions come from your thoughts.

So, when you think more effectively, you take better actions, which leads to better results. As you are the only person who is responsible for your thoughts, you decide how successful your career and life will be. It is always up to you, because only you have control of your mind.

Photo by cassetteject taken from this source

Friday, March 30, 2007

Develop Good Qualities

See the good in people and try to develop those qualities.

Ten Success Qualities Most Wanted by Business Leaders:

Ability to lead and communicate with others.
Ability to compete.
Ability to plan and schedule your activities.
Versatility in your dealings.
Loyalty to your business.
Responsibility for time, money, property and opportunities.
Honesty in all things.
Truthfulness.
High moral character.
Adaptability to mental and physical pressures with the ability to bounce back.

“The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.” - Ray Kroc

“Persons are judged to be great because of the positive qualities they possess, not because of the absence of faults”

“Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men - Confucius

Photo by Spitzgogo_CHEN taken from this source

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Thursday, March 29, 2007

Competition: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

“Competition is not only the basis of protection to the consumer, but is the incentive to progress." - Herbert Hoover

"Competition brings out the best in products and the worst in people." - David Sarnoff

"There is competition, but it is used in a good way. It is positive to want to go first, provided the intention is to pave the way for others, make their path more easy, help them, or show the way. Competition is negative when we wish to defeat others, to bring them down in order to lift ourselves up." - Dalai Lama

"Life is a competition not with others, but with ourselves. We should seek each day to live stronger, better, truer lives; each day to master some weakness of yesterday; each day to repair a mistake; each day to surpass ourselves." - David B. Haight

The world is divided into people who do things and people who get the credit. Try, if you can, to belong to the first class. There's far less competition. - Dwight Whitney Morrow

Photo by cyandrea taken from this source

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Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Stay healthy

Health is not valued till sickness comes.

“Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live.” - Socrates

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” - Buddha

“To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” - Buddha

You are what you eat.

He that eats till he is sick must fast till he is well.

Photo by bert_m_b taken from this source

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Sunday, March 25, 2007

Use it or lose it

"Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.” - Harvey MacKay

"Yesterday's the past and tomorrow's the future. Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present." - Spencer Johnson

"Every morning you are handed twenty-four golden hours. They are one of the few things in this world you get free of charge. If you had all the money in the world, you couldn't buy an extra hour."

“Don’t count every hour in the day, make every hour in the day count.”

“Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” - Jim Rohn

What will you do with this priceless treasure?

Photo by Reggiesgirl taken from this source

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Monday, March 12, 2007

A Good Ending

Great beginnings are not as important as the way one finishes.

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning.

We rate ability in men by what they finish, not by what they attempt.

“A hard beginning maketh a good ending.” - John Heywood

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” - Maria Robinson

Photo by 小猫王 taken from this source

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Thursday, March 01, 2007

Examine Yourself

As you climb the ladder of success, check occasionally to make sure it is leaning against the right wall.

Success without honour is like food without salt... it will satisfy your hunger, but it won't taste good.

Success isn't the opposite of failing. A runner may come in last, but if he beats his record, he succeeds.

Photo by Mayr taken from this source

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