Friday morning blues. Friday evening Midsomer Murders.

Lately, I have come across some guests who ask me: ‘can I visit the other Chapter first?’ when I give them a ring to follow-up with them on promoting your Chapter.

I usually cringe at this question. Luckily this is a conversation over the phone, so the guest cannot see my facial expression. But I feel like murder! Not murdering the guest, but the member who has exposed the guest to an unnecessary element.

I wonder, how did they know of the ‘other Chapter’?

Let me share a story:

When I was 18 years old (after my Form Five, awaiting exam results), I was working in a Charles Jourdan boutique as a sales trainee.

At that time, in 1986, Charles Jourdan was a new brand-name in high fashion ladies handbag. And there were so many outlets selling the same product at that time.

But if a customer wants to plan to purchase one, did you think I said to them, ‘why not you visit the other outlets firsts?’

Of course I did not. Because, I wanted to close that sale in my branch, where my sales quota were measured.

Why would I be foolish to send them to another branch?

Yet, precisely, that’s what’s happening right now.

When a visitor arrives at your Chapter, do promote your own Chapter, and only your own Chapter. There’s no need to mention about ‘other Chapters’.

Avoid opening conversations about: ‘Oh, there’s another Chapter is so and so area. Oh, you can substitute in other Chapters’.

What is the relevance of all this in as far as the guest is concerned? The guest is invited to explore a co-operation with you and your PowerTeam, in your own Chapter. The visitor joins a Chapter, just like you did. You joined a Chapter. Not BNI. Your membership is with a Chapter (in BNI’s brand name or course).

Why expose a potential customer to buy from other branches when the transaction can be concluded in your own? Where your own referrals are at stake. If this guest joins another Chapter from your eager conversations of ‘other Chapters’ then it’s your loss. Because then they are members of that Chapter and their referrals are now going to be channelled there, not to your own Chapter.

Always engage with the guests: We really want to exchange referrals with you. Here’s our PowerTeam members who can refer you. Do you see how we can work together? Do you have contacts you can refer to us? We are exchanging lots of referrals between us, do you want to be part of it as well? We really want (their profession) on board this Chapter. We have referrals for you. Have we found this person or should we still be looking.

Promote your own turf! Be smart about this.

Do you send a prospect who came to your shop to buy a product or a service to a competitor? In gods name, I hope you don’t.

Yes, in the context of referrals, the other Chapters are your competitor, actually. How foolish to send a prospect to your competitor! Do you think the other Chapters are sending their guests to your Chapter? I have not seen one, unless co-ordinated by the Chapter BNI Directors, and don’t think I will, because everyone needs to protect their own turf.

That’s the reason why, during Visitor Days, we DO NOT ALLOW, members from another Chapter visiting, or even substituting. This is a closed-affair.

The last thing we want is that a member brought a visitor (which takes an effort) and then have this member from another chapter unnecessarily engaging or exposing the guest to another branch or Chapter.

So, the message here is: be smart, think of your Chapter first.

Remember, a person joins a Chapter, not BNI.

There’s a saying: ‘Charity begins at home’

Unless for a strategic reason, which is situation closely arranged by your Chapter LT and me as your Chapter Mentor, for now, do engage your guests to purely encourage them to be a part of your own Chapter.

Only after a clear level of co-operation, which is normally between a Director to Director, where we have a clearer understanding of each Chapters’ needs, do we cross send guests for mutual growth.

If in doubt, always, you can ask for my assistance. I will be happy to help.

I really want to grow your Chapters for your own prosperity.

In the meantime, just so you know, I am in the midst of rescuing 2 guests who now insists on visiting ‘other Chapters’ because they have been exposed to it quite unnecessarily. And it’s such an energy draining exercise, where that energies could be put to use in mentoring, developing new contacts, etc.

Now to connect the dots: Do you all understand the essence of this communication? Please send to me your thoughts.

I am cutting my pizza, you should too!

I am picking up from my last few series on Money Pizza.

If you haven't read that article, then please do so now, before proceeding with this article as this article here is a build-up on that.

Hopefully, by now you have been persuaded to follow the footsteps of rich people on money strategy. And if you are, and I sincerely hope so, then here's a follow-up on that line of teaching.

Have a separate account for each of the categories or jars. While it may not be feasible or even practical to have a jar to keep the monies, it is essential that you have 6 different holding accounts to hold the funds for each individual applications.

So far, here is what I have done:

1. For my Financial Freedom Account, I always had an account running for years. So, I am continuing to hold the funds for this purpose in this account. This is a high-yield account that pays at least 8% per annum for all the funds in it. From time to time, whenever I find suitable investments that will become my golden goose, then I will utilise funds from this account. But never to be used for any other purpose. Not even in emergencies.

2. Today, I re-activated a dormant investment account to feed my Long Term Savings for Spending funds. Now, I can clearly see where my new flat-screen plasma TV is going to come from, just in time for the FIFA's 2010 World Cup! Remember, for some who may be in an unfortunate credit-card debt (as a result of being ignorant about money matters) then you can use funds from this account to pay yourself out of jail.

3. Today, I opened a new savings account (with internet access) to house my Education Fund where I will use this funds to invest in my education, for example purchase of books, CDs, enrolment in courses, conferences and seminars to sharpen my business skills and my brush up my professional skills. I was speaking to a musician last week, and mentioned to her that when Kitaro, the Japanese musician is conducting a course in say, Singapore, then this funds can be used to attend that course, if indeed it helps her career as a musician.

4. For my Necessities, I already have a current account with both cheque book and internet access, so I am fine in this.

5. Next week, I will be opening another account for my Play fund. And I promise to play hard!

6. For my Gift fund, I will now, use the cookie jar, for the fun of it.

Go ahead, go get your money matters sorted. And share your experiences with me!

Connect the dots..... It eliminates uncertainty

Earlier this month, I wrote about stupidity and connecting the dots where I had a run in with some people who find it difficult to make common sense to become common practice.

The solution in these situation always is to : connect the dots.

This demands that people in leadership to clearly connect the dots to ensure that the rest of the team members know what is going on inside an organization.

I will give an example of an event last Friday, where in that particular referral generation group there was a change in personnel in the team.

Apparently a member had resigned and within a very short space, another person in the same business category took over the position in that group.

When this new person was introduced as a member, it wasn't earlier disclosed that the previous person had resigned, and that we are now introducing this new person to take over the position.

Verbatim can be: 'Hi, all members please note that our friend, Angie has now resigned from this group owing to heavier family commitments and hence the classification of Insurance in this group is open. In the meantime, we wish our friend Angie, all the best and wish her well and we will value her contributions and friendship always'.

Then give this some time to sink in. In fact, I am of the opinion that the new person need not be sworn in right away although this new person is already ready. In the context of a referral group, it is not a matter of life and death. So, let's take our time. I think one week of time is just nice.

Give it a week. Let this sink in. Let the dust settle. This will start a series of dots.

Now, conclude and connect all the dots the following time space that a new person to fill in the open classification has been found and that we will introduce him now.

This way, all the dots are connected.

This prevents anyone who is often blur... to take his time to connect the dots in his mind.

We must always never assume, not because it makes an ass out of you and me. It is because, it was the fastest (but not the cleverest) sperm that made it to conception.

So, to all the sperms out there, we need to connect the dots.

Guess that will be the title of my next book.

Hope this helps. I appreciate and welcome your experiences and comments.

The Richest Man in Babylon

My last article discussed how to have a winning strategy about money.

It was picked up from a program I attended last month. Do read that article now, to catch up with this one, if you haven't already.

The line of thinking adopted in that program was taken from this book: The Richest Man in Babylon.

Suffice for me to say that I was in heavy credit-card debts with almost no savings to my name when I first read that book. The book gave me hope, and more importantly, gave me practical ideas I could implement right away. Yes, right away.

I straight away implemented the first lesson in the book: Start thy purse to fattening and the rest as they say, is history.

Very valuable and practicable the lessons were in this book.

I ask you to go get your copy from your favourite bookstore, and buy half-a-dozen of them.

Keep one for your self and the rest is given away as presents: birthdays, anniversaries, festivals, even weddings, what have you. Forget that bottle of fragrance.

Read this book cover to cover within the first day of buying it. I can almost guarantee you that you will not put this book down.

Thereafter read it every other week, and at least once a month for 2-years. I read this book again last month after 2-years and still picked up distinctions from it.

Let all the lessons sink in. Absorbed. And then implement one lesson at a time. These lessons and practices must be right down to our DNA, to be passed on to the next generation.

A certain Kiyosaki bloke can eat his heart out, but this book, The Richest Man in Babylon is a class on its own. Because you can implement the lessons right away, and yes, I mean right away, you will be encouraged to take progress.

I am deeply enriched by book, and I now with gratitude share this book with you.

Yes, be the richest man!

The Money Pizza

Last month, I attended a program: The Millionaire Mindset Intensive conducted by a successful event management company. The program was conducted by a certain T. Harv Eker, an Irish bloke who is now living in North America. Obviously a successful and wealthy bloke.

His partner, who spoke on the first 2-days in that program taught everyone how to be powerful about money.

And it's like my favourite food and topic this month: Pizza.

So here goes:

The concept here is: Pay Yourself First.

After every incoming money from whatever source, like salaries, commissions, bonuses, even profits if you are business person, or a windfall of some kind (think of a lottery, lucky-draw, contest, competition prize money), the monies must be strategically placed in separate jars (yes, the cookie jar) until a habit has developed. And eventually, for practicality purposes, in separate bank accounts.

The monies are divided using the following ratios:

• The First 10% is placed in an account labelled as : Financial Freedom Account. This is then used to buy investments that will yield either residual or capital growth or better still, both. This money is for this purpose only. And never touch this money to pay a debt, or an expense, or even use it in emergencies. NEVER. All right, got it. So what about the balance 90% of the money.
• The next 10% is placed in an account labelled as: Long Term Savings for Spending. Yes, as the name suggests, it is a Long Terms Savings for Spending. Example: accumulate in this jar to make big ticket items purchase such as a Flat-screen TV, high quality water-filtration devise for the home, plan a renovation of the home, decorations, etc. It is saved for the purpose of spending. You can also use this fund to pay off a credit card or a nagging student loan, if it helps you bring more peace of mind.
• Now there's a balance of 80%. Therefore the next 10% is now placed in this jar called: Education Account. Use this money to buy books, video or audio materials on enhancing your life skills, or career skills. Even to attend a Conference, Seminar or a course on development of one-self or for a professional skills enhancement.
• For all our necessities in living such as rentals, mortgages, car-payments, fuel, groceries, utilities, clothing, children's schooling expenses, we allocate 55% of funds for this purposes. And if we cannot live in this amount, then a simplification of life is necessary, and yes, cut out that high-speed broadband for an entry level broadband. Yes, scale down the fuel consumed, yes, eat cheaper. Use less resources and live within this budget. Then think of ways to increase earnings so that this budget can be higher.
• Total now is 85%. So there's 15 percent to go. The next 10% is for our PLAY jar. Yes, to play! Yes, go for that massage, spa, picnic with money where your family can enjoy riding on motor-boats, have a barbecue. In other words, nurture the person doing all the work. The rule is that this jar must be empty by month end! Enjoy!
• And the last 5% is for our Give purpose. Is there a purpose that we support: do you like sponsoring books for the disabled child in your neighbourhood, or contribute comics to your community center, or support a cause such as autistic child centers, or buying a hearing aid for someone in need, etc... you get the idea?

Yes, it sounds simple but is it easy to do? Not necessarily, unless there is a decision and an action.

I don't know about you, but I think this is damn good advise and I have started following it.

I used to have my own method along this line after reading the book: The Richest Man in Babylon by George S Clason, however, this method by this Harv-Eker chap seems more far-fetched and will yield long term results.

So, as this month comes to a close, start a strategy to implement this. Contact me for more conversations and ideas, if you need.

Hmmm.. pizza seems to taste better and better!

The fastest (but highly stupid) sperm keeps haunting

Today, I would like to follow up on an article I wrote a few weeks ago.

It's about the sperm.

The fastest but highly stupid sperm. The sperm that made it to conception purely on brute strength. The sperm which is expected to be smart, but simply cannot be, as it is not. Period.

Today, I came across some of these sperms.

I am dealing with: (some are sensitive in nature, hence I will be generic)

1. People who don't understand the power of simplicity. This morning I came across some people who do not understand decorum. Saying the right thing at the right time for the right reason. Too much of verbiage to express a simple idea that the verbose was killing the environment.
2. Individuals who cannot think, who cannot analyse or question why is a certain thing done in a certain way. But they are happy to just do it, so long as the job gets done. Never mind the consequence. If only they are dealing with their own money or time or resources.

I was fuming... Wanted to kill... oh god, gods, jesus, allah, lord, ya ali ya hassan ya hussain whatever puckish power's that in charge... is this your creation? Is this the best you can do?

What made it worse was a nurse in the blood bank, who after I had completed my blood letting, just plastered the site without even looking if she's doing it right.

In people's mind they are doing it. But do people stop and think, am I doing it right? What's the point of doing something if you have to re-do it again, or worse, if your doing-ness for the sake of doing caused grief, or loss to another person.

Right now, I am too exhausted to dwell on this. But we will pick this up again. It is a mission worth pursuing for the betterment of human beings. And my sanity, of course. My sanity is worth this cause.

I have written to my guru, DC Cordova is her name, the principal of Excellerated Business Schools to give me some tips and coaching on how to enable and empower people to make common sense into common practice.

So, here's to the fastest (but highly stupid) sperm: your days are numbered! I am on to you, you MF!

Had a pizza lately?

If you have had your favourite pizza lately, then good for you. It's one of my favourite foods, especially on a certain Monday night.

But there's another pizza that needs to be looked at.

If you are in business, then this pizza is very crucial to your business.

It is a pie-chart (I'll use the term pizza from now on) that clearly displays where your business is coming from.

Every business must have 3 pizzas:

First pizza: clearly displaying the revenues from each different type of service your business offers.

Example: if you are running an optometrist business, then you need to list all your revenue sources by categories, such as: prescription glasses, contact lenses, contact lenses liquids and support, repairs, designer frames, spare-parts, etc.

Then use whatever tools, like spreadsheet or import the data from your accounting software and create a pizza to clearly see where is your revenue coming from, categorically.

Create another pizza. The second pizza, this time display profits after costs for each category.

You will by now see a trend taking place in your business. You'll clearly know (if you haven't by now) what are the areas to focus and emphasis on. Or how to enhance another area that is lagging behind.

Still, create another pizza: this time to display all your business costs and expenses, such as salaries, maintenance of equipment, rentals, supplies, overheads such as utilities.

Last pizza, display where your leads are coming from. This will give you an idea on how to plan for your prospecting and emphasising your strategies to create new clients from specific sources or categories.

I am now in the process of coaching a client to analyse her business this way, and it has given her a clarity like nothing before.

I am attracted to a phrase from the book, The E-Myth Revisited, that a successful business is all about the numbers involved in the business. Numbers define the business like nothing else. Everyone who is an owner of a business needs to know his numbers on the tip of fingers. And all numbers are indication to the health of the business and future prospects of the business.

Just like how our doctor is reading our blood pressure or blood glucose numbers, every business person need to be able to read the numbers in her business the same way.

So, the book, The E-Myth Revisited is a must for all business people.

A note on the book: this is not a book that you buy and read once and then place it on your book shelf to show-off to your friends that you read.

This book needs to be read over and over again. Implement a section in your business at a time, starting with the simpler ideas. Then build it up by implementing the ideas in the more complex areas of your business.

It will take no less that 10 readings over a 2-year period, but it's a worthwhile investment. After all, there's no short-cut to anywhere worth going.

Rene Ooi, I respect you!

So, I was busy the whole morning making phone calls. And I wasn't the only one making cold-calls.

A young girl, or shall I say a young sales-woman, Rene Ooi is her name from a certain big-strong-friendly bank, called me. From Penang, as seen from the caller ID on my phone.

Of course, it was a cold-call. Rene and I haven't met, yet alone have been connected prior to this morning.

She gently introduced herself and enquired if I was looking for a loan - RM150k at 8.5% she said, and it's the lowest in the market.

Since I don't have much use of that kind of money for now, I politely declined but asked her how did she come to know me? Did someone refer me?

'Oh, through the internet, search engines!'

So impressive! So creative. And more importantly, so brave.

Of course, being a person with a soft spot for the ladies, I started falling for this Rene!

She sent me her contact details, and it's a goal: I am going to engage this Rene to work with me in the near future.

But in the meantime, if anyone needs a loan, do let me know, and I will happily connect you to my darling from that big-strong-friendly bank in Penang!

Rene Ooi, I respect you!

Weekly Plan: July 13 - July 18, 2009

Here goes a hectic week ahead:

1. Follow-up on 2 cold-call leads for placement in Ampang Chapter based in Cheras. (Travel Agency and Office Furniture company).
2. For Alliance Chapter, follow-through on Ms. Liane Lim, for General Insurance Category, at her office on Tuesday, July 14. Visitor Hosts will accompany me to this orientation.
3. E-mail to Alliance LT on various issues.
4. Organize a prospecting and cold-calling session on Wednesday, July 15.
5. For Supreme Chapter, follow-up with Ian, the will writer, Melysa and her fiancee and broadcast to all members on meeting and guest invitations.
6. Prepare 2 clients for coaching session to prepare customer bases and revenue centers.
7. Suria Chapter: follow-up on a real-estate agent lead.
8. Prospect leads given by Lai from Penang.
9. Meet Supreme 10 members on Friday evening. May invite Missy for this session as well.
10. Conference call with Tim Kidd on Thursday, July 16, for BNI LT Day preparation. Tim's coming this time round!

According to Belinda, my fengshui consultant, now till 10.15am is the right time to do important things, so, I'll get on with all this now.

Updates later!

Nine-M-Bravo-Echo-Junior (Flight 9M-BEJ)

As you know, I was scheduled to fly (or rather, I should say: co-pilot) a two-seater plane last Saturday.

So, after having a couple of beers and a few servings of wine the night before, I awoke at 6.30am and looked out the window. The clouds were thick. And at 7am it started drizzling. And by 7.30am it was pouring.

I thought that that was the end of my flying gig because I remember the organizer clearly mentioning to me that plenty will depend on the weather on the day.

Rain stopped by 8am. And by 8.30am, the cloud broke and the sun started to come out.

9am: Received the call... and yes, it was on!

Quick shower, dressed and was on my way to the airport.

I was surprised at how fast things happened after arriving at the guard house at the far end of the airport.

Once in, filled out some paper-work, and provided contacts of a next-of-kin in case of an emergency as usual (don't you hate this part!) and within minutes I was seated in the aircraft. No parachutes. No lessons, just the pilot, who was busy setting flight path plans with the control tower.

A quick handshake and he said: 'First time?' I nodded. Before I could ask about the parachute, he received radio message that we are good to go. The door was shut and he fired up the engines and throttled up and the 'motor-boat' sounding engine was roaring and off we went.

Must say that at times, I felt like, err, can we call this off? But the pilot was so cool, and confident. And he said to me that he'll let me have the con in the air.

Now, that's the way. Just do it!

I have some pictures to share.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=90514&id=552873211&l=f0e0564548

Many thanks to my pals who were calling and sending non-stop text messages. I could have answered but was too busy flying... and didn't want to risk being reprimanded by the real captain!

Enjoy the pictures.

One day soon, we'll fly together and have some fun!

And to my princess in Cheras, I discovered a new and creative way to kidnap you!

Nine-M-Bravo-Echo-Junior, requesting permission to take-off! It does have a ring to it, doesn't it!

I'm flying, so where's my parachute?

On Saturday, July 11, 2009, I will realise a dream: I will fly an aircraft.

My ambition, when I was schooling was to be a pilot. But a colour-blindness test smashed this dream back then. Damn my grandfather who is also colour-blind, who could have passed on the genes.

Never mind the Boeing 747 and Boeing 777 or the Airbus A330 and Airbus A340 or even the Airbus A380, think I will have to be content with a two-seater, albeit a qualified and licensed pilot doing the actual flying.

When I posted this on my Facebook profile, I received numerous people giving positive comments, and some cheeky ones as well.

The cheeky one came from Hayati, who lives in Taman Tun who said if she should avoid the flight path I am taking.

To which I replied: 'I'll fly over Taman Tun, near the mosque area where you live!'

And before Missy starts to feel left out, for good measure, I'll fly over Gasing Petaling Jaya area as well.

Then of course, I'll fly over Cheras and hope that my princess living in the area can spot me.

Saturday can't come soon enough, I am soooooooooo excited!

But I was told to bring a parachute, any idea where to buy one? Guess, I'll bring my golf umbrella, which should be big enough, I should hope. :-)

People (most) are stupid, so connect the dots.

Call Chief Inspector Barnaby from Midsomer Murders. A murder has taken place.

Yes, yesterday I felt like killing someone.

I assigned a task to this person: buy some stationery and bring to the meeting for the purpose of distribution to the people present in the meeting.

This person agreed, and we spoke on the phone that he will buy the box of envelopes and will bring this to the meeting.

Now I acknowledge a mistake I made: I wasn't specific with him: 'Please give the envelopes to the people there to prepare for our team event the following week'. Or maybe I did give him the instructions. I am not sure anymore.

Later that evening, I sent him a text message: 'Bought the envelopes?' and he replied by text: 'Envelopes with me.' I was in a meeting when I sent him the text, hence I did not ring him up.

Long story short, he brought the envelopes to the meeting the next day. But they were not distributed. Why? When I found out, and rang him up (by this time, I was fuming!), he said: 'No one told me to give the envelopes away.'

I couldn't believe it.

Stupid! Dumb-ass. Idiot of the year award candidate.

You see, people have to be told what to do because (most) people are stupid. Born that way. I mean who said that the sperm that made it conception was a clever one. No it was the clever one. It was the fastest one. Logical?

So I rang a friend later in the evening, and she counselled me when I described the situation.

She said that the dots were not connected. And yes, she agreed that (most) people are stupid, as well, as experienced from her line of work.

So she said to me, and I will now implement this:

'Got the envelopes? Great, thanks! Alright, you know what to do with them?'

And let them answer the question so that you can check if they got it right.

'Hey Mary, you have the paperwork from Helen, that's great, what are you going to do next?'

Then listen to their answer and see if they know what's the next step.

I got it! You see, I am stupid as well. The sperm Riyaz was not the cleverest, but just the fastest.

So, my dentist pal, who is my mentor, connected the dots for me (the stupid but fastest sperm).

So, now I can connect the dots to other stupid but fastest sperms around.

Big lesson of the day: People (most) are stupid, so connect the dots.

Leverage is the name of the game!

In my BNI Business, my member-clients meet weekly to refer business to each other.

And these meetings are always more exciting with a couple of visitors present.

You can see how all members are so alert, presentations become sharper and Chapter energies go up with guests present.

Consistently making this happen is essential.

BNI is a part of our daily work: so, spend, say 15-minutes each week (in 3 blocks of 5-minutes each week) to ring 3 contacts to invite.

Imagine if all 22 or however many members are doing the same each week.

It’s a number’s game: (in the case of a 22 members Chapter)

22 members make 3 invitation calls each week.

This means, 66 people are invited each week. Say for discussion sake, hit rate is 10 percent, which is the most basic point to start.

Now, tell me why we can’t have 6 visitors each week? It’s a group effort, right or right?

BNI has never grown so dynamically as what I see today. New members are coming in by the droves! New Member Orientation (MSP) classes are full to the brim! The last one I conducted had 49 new members. The previous one in May had 72 new members! We expect another full class on July 18.

Our Saturday workshops are always over-sold! Full capacity and beyond. There’s not even enough standing room. Just ask regular program participants, like Mr. Whang, Michard (Ampang), Julia, Susan (Alliance).

Many of your friends, contacts, business suppliers, customers, are being invited to BNI. The question is, do you want them to come to your Chapter to give you referrals, or will you be content to see them going to other chapters?

The economies are right, at this moment. Your contacts are looking for business growth as the economic recovery takes place.

Invite them to your Chapter. Go on, pick up that phone. The worst thing is that they will decline. Even then, say: ‘Alright, thanks. However, can I ring you in say, 3-months’ time, perhaps the situation will be more timely for you?’

Leave all doors open.

Set a goal:

I make no less than 20 prospecting phone calls a day to various prospects for all my businesses.

In my case, as I plan to start new Chapters CORE Groups, I even go on cold-calling, walking into business premise asking to meet the boss. I have never been slapped, and don’t think I ever will. The worse case is, they will decline. NEXT! NEXT! NEXT!

In your case, leverage on your prospecting via your Chapter: Why call a prospect one sale (egg) when you can invite them to a Chapter meeting where they can join, and then they can refer not only themselves, but their contacts as well to you (Golden Goose).

Use BNI to leverage on your prospecting ability for your own business success.

Leverage is the name of the game!

Plans for the week: July 6 - July 11

This has to be an effective week.

Here we go:

1. For my BNI Business, my plans are to

• Ring up the newer members in Suria Chapter to see if they know how to prepare for their Chapter Visitor Day scheduled on July 28.
• Update the Ampang Chapter LT of the unfortunate reverting of meals after the meeting by Banker's Club due to overheads issue.
• Add 3 new members for Supreme Chapter, and deal with a delinquent member there who has been missing in action.
• Ring up potential visitors for all Chapters: few potentials still unconcluded.
• Visit the Alliance Chapter to gauge the energies there to prepare for a Visitor Day.

2. For my consulting business, this week:

• Starting off a session with Jackie Ng of FIR Wellness.
• Propose my consulting service to a certain Josephine who is an image consultant. Think she needs the consult to move ahead.
• Plan to promote group coaching session to selected people who are ready to move on.

3. For my Condominium Residents Association, to follow-up with the management to on some outstanding matters.

Will be a busy week ahead, but it sure sounds like fun!

Come for the ride... as long as you are a fun passenger!

Yesterday, at a Chapter meeting, I made a declaration:

Knowing that some people will never contribute their time and efforts for the team, I boldly declared that:

'You can come along for the ride, as long as you are a fun passenger!'

Which means, always encouraging, giving positive energies to the team.

Which means no bitching, no complaining if a particular decision by the team leadership does not favour you.

Because you were not bothered to be in the decision making process, you lose the right to complain about a particular matter.

If still bitching... then I will bitch you. Big time!

We will then stop the bus, and get you off, the unwanted baggage, before continuing on!

Fair enough?

Welcome July, goodbye the kilos..

Sometime in June, I by accident watched an Oprah episode with Dr. Mehmet Oz.

In that episode, Dr. Oz was discussing healthy living and gave everyone a simple assignment:

For two weeks, do not consume any soda or carbonated/canned drinks and then see the difference in your weight.

It was said that you'll lose 2 - 4 kgs of excess weight by just doing this.

So, here I am, an 89 - 90kg bloke, and on occasions, even touching 90.5kgs. (My ideal weight for my height is 81kgs), so I thought, hey, if this can rid of a kilo or two, why not.

So, for 3 weeks, not a drop of soda or carbonated drinks.

And wallah! I lost 2kgs. Nothing else changed. Only that I do not drink carbonated drinks as I used to (BTW - I enjoy very much an almost frozen can of Coke or Vanilla Coke!).

Yes, some withdrawals were felt, especially, after a lunch of spicy curry, a can of Coke just like bleaches it away, if you know what I mean?

So, it's been a whole month now, and my weight is playing around 88 - 89, on occasions even 87kgs.

So, now, I am in the process of eliminating added sugars in my diet to shake off another reluctant kilo or two.

My aim is to reach 86kgs this way.

Then I will take care of the remaining extras with more enhancements to my lifestyle, and yes, a morning walk at least 3 - 4 times a week is in the cards.

Good or good?!

But I still miss my can of Coke!