“When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world.

As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable.

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

And now as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed my self first, then by example I would have changed my family.

From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have even changed the world. “

Isn’t it amazingly true?

Today, how are we changing and growing ourselves just like how we want our world to become?

It is the first step and the most important step. After all, if everyone keeps trying to change others while he is still full of flaws… how can it ever work?

Sometimes we may barely notice the important, even life changing choices we are making every day. We may think we are simply living our  life normally and going along with it - while what we’re really doing is making lots of different choices.

So how about you invest 3 minutes and answer the following questions to help you discover what choices you’re really making in your life right now and if you are aware of them…

To sleep “just” one more hour on a Saturday morning… or to wake up earlier and make the most of your weekend to have more fun and spend more time with your loved ones?

To keep watching the TV, and the next show, and the next… until you notice hours of your time have flown away in a blink without getting much done… or to take control, turn off the TV, and accomplish more important and productive tasks to help you go closer to your real goals?

To shy away from the challenges on your path to success… or to stand tall and strong in front of them, look them in the eye and declare, “I am stronger than you. You may defeat anyone BUT me.”?

To keep on being in a relationship or friendship that is holding you back, telling yourself it’s OK… or let go of that relationship and gain freedom to move on with your life and your dreams?

To keep on the habit of smoking… or to quit for good and add 10 years to your life and double your energy level and health?

To eat that tempting cookie or food, thinking “just one more won’t hurt”… or keep up your self-decipline and follow your diet for a healthier and sexier body?

To pick up the phone and get in touch with your old friend and rekindle the friendship… or keep telling yourself I’ll do it “some other time” when I’m free (aka a day that never comes.)

To choose the motto for your life, “Every man for himself” or “If I don’t take care of myself, no one else will.”… or to choose to love yourself first, but still help others, touch lives, and make our world a better place in any way you can?

To blame your life circumstances and other people for your problems… or to stop making excuses and take control of your life’s ship and sail it to any direction you want?

So how did your test go? Did it help see your power to choose in a new light? (And this was just a tiny example of the big picture.)

It’s ALL your choice.

So for a test today, how about you put your day under a magnifying glass to notice the small and big choices you make and what results they bring for you?

Once notice your power to choose and change everything, you can boost your speed to achieve your dreams. I promise you.

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”
- William Jennings Bryan

Have a great day full of choices!

You may have noticed it’s been a long time since the last post here. I’ve been meaning to update this blog and keep in touch with you for quite some time… but lots of things were keeping me busy.

I guess that’s what happens when you travel from one country to another, have a business you’re passionate about, engage in 7+ types of sports, and so much more.

But anyway, the important thing is…

I am here now.

And have decided to make it a part of my still-busy schedule to update this blog for you, and share new exciting resources, fun tips and ideas, and lots of more interesting news with you on a regular basis.

So stay tuned for the next post because there is something interesting in it for you.

See you around!

Ladan

#1. I am very happy, cheerful, and energetic 99% of the time. When you see me - day or night - Ladan is usually smiling and is excited about life. Some people are surprised to see it when they first get to know me. So you’ve been “warned”.

#2. I was very naughty and playful when I was a kid. I was the leader of kids in our apartment and school to do weird, playful adventures and get caught by parents or teachers.

#3. I learned Taekwondo - to get a stronger mindset and for self-defense if ever necessary.

#4. I won a gold medal in the world painting competition in 1995 in Japan. Several years later, I won another award in the world digital painting competition done using computer graphic design programs.
So you could say I love painting and am pretty good at it.

#5. I love the rain. Unlike most people who run away when the rain starts, you’ll find me out in the rain - sometimes with an umbrella and sometimes even not. I feel it brings down lots of positive energy and life with it.

#6. I can speak English and Persian fluently, plus some French, German, Korean, Japaese, and Arabic.

#7. Here’s how I looked like when I was a kid….

#8. I love giving gifts - even more than receiving them. Just makes me happy to see that smile on the face of people I care about.

#9. There’s hardly anything you can find that I am afraid of…

• Height? Not at all. Actually makes me excited. Want to try skydiving soon.
• Extreme rides at amusement parks? Are you kidding? I always wish they were faster.
• Horror movies? Nah, I know they’re not real anyway.
• Death? No, it’s a part of life anyway, and I believe the next life will be as fun as this one.
• Aliens, devils, ghosts, etc? Nah, I think they are cool folks like us, our imagination just makes them un-cool sometimes.

Oh OK, maybe one thing… breaking someone’s heart. I am generally concerned about hurting anyone’s feelings. I feel it’s one of the cruelest things to do.

#10. I love people. I love watching people, being in crowded places, and making conversations with random strangers. I get energy just by being in crowded places and watching people - just like how plants get energy from being under the sun.

Some find is weird and hard to imagine, I know, but life is so much fun when you have a love for other human beings.

#11. I am a huge fan of personal development books. I’ve read 100+ of them in more areas than you can imagine.

#12. I learned C++ and some other advanced computer programming when I was 14 years old, and worked as a freelance programmer for a while back then.

#13. I am a very indepandent person. As much as I love being with friends and loved ones at times, I also enjoy being on my own and have adventures alone. An example is traveling to various countries alone since I was 19 years old.

#14. I have a very good memory - especially for details about people. Most are surprised how I remember something they shared casually last year or what they were wearing.

#15. I eat very little food but have lots of energy - more than people who eat 5 times more than me. Just ask my friends and they’ll tell you. They’re still scratching their heads wondering where I get all this energy from.

#16. My two all-time favorite books are Think and Grow Rich, and How to Win Friends and Influence People. Two masterpieces that have changed my life in a way.

#17. I have a small notebook that carry with me in my handbag everywhere and write notes in it. My friends always wonder what this “secret notebook” is and what I write in it… but none of them knows exactly.

#18. Even though I am originally from Iran, most people are surprised to see how open-minded I am and not religious at all.

I am a believer in following your heart and logic, and then we know the best way to live our life. No need for a book or religion to teach you what you already know deep inside.

#19. I’m a very positive person - the type who always find a brighter side for everything. It takes the entire world to go upside down until you hear Ladan complain. Just ask my close friends and they’ll tell you.

#20. I am the only daughter in my family and just have a younger brother, Amir, who I love as much as the whole world.

#21. Privacy and trust are very important to me. I always respect other people’s privacy and expect the same. You could say I am the type of person you can leave your laptop, credit card, and whole lot of other private thing with… and get it back untouched the next day.

And if someone sneaks into my private stuff I will clearly and frankly let them know of the “limits” and protect it.

#22. I keep a journal where I collect the important happenings and thoughts in my life every single day… for the past 3 years. Because your life is too precious to make it pass by unnoticed.

#23. If you visit my house, you’ll see it is NOT the most organized place in town. I value keeping things clean… but love to keep my home cozy and comfortable with some stuff “hanging around” on the floor. Isn’t it more fun this way?

#24. My favorite type of pets are dogs. They are so kind and loyal to you.

#25. The person who inspired me the most was Anthony Robbins. I started reading his books when I was a teenager and it changed my view on success and goal achievement.

Then I started setting goals that people around me found ridiculous, crazy, and impossible… But well, I’ve achieved more than half of them by now. So who said it was impossible?

OK, so there you have it.

P.S. Whether you like to reveal 25 things about you on your blog or Facebook or not, I highly recommend you make this list. You’ll be amazed how much it helps you actually discover more about yourself.

Life is too precious to be working all the time and since my Internet marketing business is mostly on autopilot, it gives me the freedom to go anywhere and do anything I want every day. (That’s why I recommend YOU automate your business too.)

So I decided to share with you some photos of these recent adventures for fun. Also if you want to visit Malaysia one day, you’ll have a good list of fun places to visit yourself then.

You may have seen the recent Christmas photos post. Now here are more photos and adventures…

Adventure #1: Johor Bahru

It is another big city in Malaysia other than Kuala Lumpur. I took a vacation there recently and visited some interesting places. One of them was the Desaru beach which you can see here…

A beautiful beach in Johor Bahru.

Ladies and gentlemen… welcome to my humble house.

And here are more adventures…

Adventure #2: Batu Caves

The Batu Caves - famous for its huge Hindu statue and the 300 stairs going up to the beautiful natural caves full of naughty monkeys. It’s juts a one hour drive from KL.

Adventure #3: Cameron Highlands

If you’re a fan of beautiful natural places, you’re going to love this place. Make sure you visit…

• Tea plantations
• Butterfly Garden
• Strawberry farm
• Time Tunnel

Me on the hills in Cameron Highlands inside the clouds surrounded by beautiful tea fields. See how misty and breath-taking the view is?

Misty view on top of the hills. It was so misty you couldn’t clearly see a few meters in front of you.

Awesome view of the hills in Cameron Highlands.

Adventure #4: Genting Highlands

Now the last but definitely not the least. Actually it was the most fun of all these vacation spots. Genting is called the City of Entertainment… and it definitely deserves the title.

Here are a few awesome places you don’t want to miss…

• The big Chinese Buddist temple
• Outdoors theme parks with many exciting rides
• Indoors theme park - Snow World, “Believe It or Not” Museum, and much more
• Genting Casino - the biggest casino in Malaysia

A huge stone statue at the Chinese temple in Genting Highlands.

A swing rope bridge in the Dinasour Land in Genting Highlands.

“Chinese Ladan”

Me playing board games with a bunch of Chinese sculptures.

You can see the 10 Chambers of Hell as in Buddhism created in a very interesting visual way here in Genting. Very exotic.

A beautiful waterfall in Genting Highlands theme park, near Kuala Lumpur.

Lovely view from top of the moutains in Genting Highlands. It feels you are flying when you see yourself above the clouds like this.

The view of the Chinese temple with lots of exotic decorations things to see.

Another Chinese temple with lots of amazing carvings and statues. Here you see just one of the big pillars of the temple.

I went to this fun museum in Genting called “Believe It or Not” that showed lots of unique, weird things. It was lots of fun.

So there you have it! Looking forward to going on another trip… and another adventure soon. Life is great!

“The newest attorney at the world’s most powerful law firm has never lost a case. But he’s about to lose his soul.”

I watched this movie a couple of nights ago and liked it a lot, so decided to share it with you here.

Friendly Warning: Don’t watch this movie if you are very religious and sensitive. You’re going to hear some controversial conversations about God and religion.

I enjoyed watching this movie from two aspects…

1. Losing Your Soul and Gaining Wealth?

The story shares a fact that how sometimes not following your morals and be willing to give your soul away for money can actually bring you to high levels of wealth, fame, and riches.

Yes, it is true. Material success can much more easily be gained when we are “OK” with lying and cheating when it’s needed for more success.

Yes, I think you agree that most Presidents and top political figures are not really the most honest people we know, right?

BUT…

“Material success” is not everything. Actually it’s more like “nothing”.

It doesn’t bring you true happiness and sense of peace you want to have in your life.

2. Awesome Strategy and Leadership Insights

Al Pacino, the BIg Boss in the movie, had an amazing character. You can learn a lot of insider secrets about the art of influence and leadership from his every move and word.

Like in one scene he was sharing a secret with the young lawyer about how to win your competition by “appearing” small so they underestimate you. Then you can make your move and catch them off-guard.

Amazing technique - both in business and life.

One thing I guarantee you’ll notice, is that Al Pacino - being the truly great actor he is well known for - again is absolutely amazing in this movie. He plays his role of the boss of the world’s largest law firm so perfectly that you actually forget he is just acting.

I also loved the final scene where he was talking about God and challenging him.

Have fun watching this movie too!

I’ve watched quite a number of Japanese movies and also have heard many different Japanese songs while eating Japanese restaurants a gazillion times.

So here are some of my favorite Japanese music you can enjoy listening…

Here’s also the direct link to the playlist on iMeem to listen to it for FREE: Best Japanese Songs

Enjoy!

P.S. Stay tuned for the next top playlist from another part of the world soon.

The love and fun in the air is just undeniable.

I’ve been meeting my friends a lot during the holidays, having adventures, and visiting different fun places and Christmas shows.

I decided to share some of these photos with you here…

Me in my “Christmas house” in the Ikano shopping mall. Want to come in and join?

A fun Christmas show with dancing and singing in costumes in 1Utama shopping center. Adults liked it. Kids loved it.

A group singing various Christmas carols in 1Utama. What I loved about it was how they were each singing in an alive and passionate way.

Me and my best female friend in Malaysia, Yuenn.

Me and Yuenn with our snowman friend.

Oh look! I am holding Yuenn’s head and she is asking for help.

“Hey there!” Catching our reflection on the decorations…

Isn’t the Christmas decoration and atmosphere in Malaysia just lovely?

“Yummy!” Who can resist these delicious candies? Wanna try?

Khai: “I want these candies!”
Yuenn: “No! I told you that you’re on a diet, la!”

Playing a new game where you build a farm in the 17th century. It was fun.

“Hoa hoo, hoa hoo…” This mystery stone man tells you secrets about you that nobody knows… Simply put your hand into his mouth. Wanna try?

And at last but not least, here are the two stars: Yuenn and Khai. You guys rock! When I leave Malaysia and move to Canada some day soon, I’ll definitely miss you.

And to you, my friend, that are reading this, Merry Christmas and all the best wishes for your New Year!

Ladan

P.S. So what about you? Have you added your own holiday photos to your blog or Facebook? Would love to see how YOU are enjoying your holidays!

So here’s a special message for a special person: YOU

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a splendid new year filled with happiness and success.

And hope that next year at this time , you have a big, wide smile on your face thinking about all the amazing goals you achieved in 2009 .

No matter which part of the world you are, special warm Holiday wishes coming your way from the sunny Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Merry Christmas!

Ladan Lashkari

“Am I really happy in my life?”

In a minute, you’ll see why this is THE most important question to ask yourself…

Happiness and Success, as simple as they may sound, are confusing for most of us.

When you look closely at people’s lives around you, you see most people never really feel happy. They are always on the chase for happiness… but never get it.

You may have seen many rich people who actually have a sad life, and poor people who are happy and cheerful all the time…

Healthy people who are going through life depressed, and sick people who are laughing and positive - even if they have cancer.

Sometimes we think with ourselves, “If I have that car, I’ll finally be happy.” Or “if I can grow my business to $10,000 net profits a month, then I’ll be happy.” And so on…

But guess what? Even when we get there, we still feel something missing. So then we aim for another goal “to be happy”.

So what is really Happiness? What is Success?

“There are many definitions for success, but the simplest one is: Doing what you love, being around people you love, and being who you love.”

Isn’t it so simple?

Just like most people, I used to think Success was making more money than my competition, getting that fancy car, being a millionaire, and stuff like that.

So I worked and worked most of the day - so much that I hardly spent quality time with my family and loved ones, and I didn’t have time to do what I love.

Reaching my income goals, selling my products, launching that new amazing business project… I thought that meant the “Ultimate Success”.

But later in life I realized life is too short and too precious to spend it working all the time and not enjoying your precious days.

… That success is indeed “doing what you love, being around people you love, and being who you love.”

Just imagine if you suddenly find out today is the last day of your life, and you start looking back how you spent your days…

Would you think like this?

“Oh! I wish I had worked more and collected more cash in my bank account!”

Or would you say…

“Oh! I wish I had laughed more, traveled more, had more fun, spent more time with my loved ones, …”

Feeling happy and really enjoying your today, is THE best and most productive use of your time, my friend.

Yes, working toward your goals is great. Making money is great. Just let’s make sure it doesn’t keep you from enjoying your life and remembering what it’s all about.

So now that the year is ending and you’re about to start a new year, let’s think of it as a new opportunity for you to be find REAL Happiness.

And you know now how simple and easy it is, right?

So imagine if you had all the money you want, what would make you happy and excited?

Make a list of everything you can think of. It can be your favorite sports, playing music, dancing, helping others, spending time with your loved ones, traveling around the world, and so on.

This gives you an idea of what your passions are.

Now make a plan to do them on a regular basis - every day, every week… how often you think is great.

You’ll see how much energy and passion this simple thing brings to your life.

To your splendid happiness in 2009 and beyond!