The Goal Book - The Official Blog

The Zen of Sleeping

2014-05-05T08:09:00.002-07:00

Well, it’s been a long time since my last post. These past months are great and tough to me, but I discovered new concepts that often makes my heart jumps.

First of all, is what I call, The Zen of Sleeping.

If you read my post “ How to go to sleep easily ? “, I said that sleep is very similar to ocean waves, one passes, other will come. It’s just the matter of time before you can go to sleep effortlessly.

But, what will you do between these waves ?

As I often stated in that post, normally people will try as hard to sleep. But the paradoxical effect takes place, and final result is the sleepless night.

Some days you will notice that it’s hard to go to sleep, other days things turn out like a bliss.

But it’s good to know that whether the sleep comes fast or slow, it’s the matter of your body. You know, the body will decide if it wants to sleep or not.

These days people try hard to accomplish in life, they force the body to function against its will. For example, stay up late, drink too much, or have fast food. Today is the era of “Quick Fix”, of “Band Aid”. People want fast result, and they don’t want to spend months to form new habits.

Even with sleeping, if knowing that good habits play an important role in a good, peaceful sleep, then those sleeping pills can be left alone.

What I want to tell you is, let your body decide whether it wants to sleep or not.

What is your role ? Isn’t the body yours ?

Yes, it’s yours. But stop treating it like some mechanical tool, for God’s sake, treat it like a partner, a close friend, respect it like you did with VIP like US. President or Pope.

Your body is loyal to you. It’ll do whatever you tell it to do. But when you abuse the body, it becomes tired, and started to malfunction.

OK, enough words. Here’s what I suggest you to do when you go to sleep ?

4 things to do for a good sleep

First, turn the lights off. It’s a good idea to stay in the dark. Because lights will stimulate the optical nerves, makes it hard to go to sleep.

Second, no smartphone, laptop or PC in your bedroom. The lights from the screen will irritate the eyes so much.

Third, adjust the temperature in your room, make it comfortable.

Now, I want you to lay on your back, close your eyes, and take slow, deep breath. In this moment, you put the body at rest, and do nothing else but stand aside and watch the body.

Take nice, slow, deep breath. Relax yourself, you just let the body what is is, and behave in its own way.

Now, in your mind, imagine that you’re sitting next to yourself, and watch it breathing.

The most important thing to remember is : Let the body do what it wants, don’t force, but follow the flow.

Just breathe, the most important thing for you to do is breathing, just breathe.

Top 10 Dirtiest Things in Your House

2013-07-18T08:07:00.004-07:00

Well, it's the second time my post get denied, anyway, it isn't a big deal. So I want to share it here. Enjoy ! ( Make sure you're not eating while reading this post :) )

“The closest things to us are the ones that hurt us most”. This statement is right for the following list of 10 dirtiest things in out house. Ironically, we use them everyday, and may forget the fact that they could become extremely filthy.

10. Toilet seat

Don’t let the white, smooth surface tricks your eyes, because the toilet seat is the host to many sorts of viruses. Remember to wash your hands after using toilet !

Obviously, it’s the first thing to be called as the dirtiest thing in our house. So, people always try to keep the toilet seat and toilet bowl as clean as possible, even on a daily basis. The result is, the toilet seat is way cleaner and safer than other things down in this list. On the average toilet seat there’re 50 bacteria per square inch, according to some scientific researches .

9. Cellphone

Cellphone is , no doubt, the best friend of modern man and woman in this era. And, it’s as filthy as a uncleaned toilet seat !Just consider how many times in a single day that we talk, SMS, play games on the phone,how many nasty surfaces it contacts… you can imagine how many germs it contains. The cellphone also produces heat all the time, which makes it a perfect place to “incubate” germs. In fact, the cellphone has more than 18 times the germs than the flush handle.

Solution ? Use an anti-microbial coating for the phone, and wash your hands after using it.

8. Door knob

It can come in different sizes and shapes, colors and materials. But door knob has 1 single use : the very first item we touch before entering our home, office or any places, and most likely one of the last items we think to clean. Just think about the number of times it is touched by unwashed hands, the door knob is no doubt a ideal placefor spreading viruses and diseases. Door knobs in rest room are extremely filthy. Watch out !

Solution : Luckily, the door knob is easy to disinfect with a cloth and rubbing alcohol. Apply the mixture to the cloth and start cleaning.

7.Light switch

Another tiny and popular thing. We use it every day to control light in our offices, at home. It isn’t hard to imagine how many viruses and germs lurking around that plastic surface, which is touched by dirty fingers countless times. Although germs and viruses can survive only a few hours on hard surface like light switch ( they grow well in warmth and moisture), but being contacted again and again every day make light switch a real health hazard.

Solution : Rub it with a little alcohol on a cotton swab, then wipe with a clean cloth. In public place, wash your hands after touching it.

6. Remote control

The remote control is used every day. It’s something that most of us couldn’t live without and may be the least cleaned item in our house. It can be tossed around in the house and has the germ covered on its surface. Some of us prefer having snack while watching TV, the snack remnants could get stuck in the remote , then they become nutrition for germs to grow. Similar to door knob and light switch, continuous contact with dirty fingers makes the remote control a place that transmit infections and diseases.

Solution : Remember to clean and disinfect it regularly.

5.Refrigerator

Refrigerator helps us to preserve food for later use. In fact, we often consider it’s the last place for viruses to grow due to the low temperature, low moisture and, of course, the hygiene-looking appearance. That’s why people don’t clean it as regular as it should be. Of course,harmful viruses and germs can’t grow under low temperature and moisture, but they can’t be killed yet. Refrigerator is the place where raw materials and cooked dishes are put really close. The viruses can spread from raw meat, vegetable, fish.. to the cooked meal.

Solution : Clean your refrigerator once a month.

4. Computer keyboard

Scientists claim that the keyboard has 4 times more germs than the toilet seat ! Like cellphone, keyboard is our friend in modern world. Some of us love it so much that they often take lunch in front of the PC, and food remnants make ways for bacteria to grow, which transform the keyboard to a source of food poisoning

Solution : Avoid having meals in front of keyboard. Clean it by turning it upside down and shaking hard to remove all the keyboard plague, wipe the surface with antibacterial solution. Wash your hands after using keyboard before having meal. Do the same with your mouse.

3. Kitchen sink

I can’t recall the last time I cleaned my kitchen sink. And maybe I’m not the only one ! While the bathroom could be disinfected more than 3 times a week, the kitchen sink doesn’t get that chance regularly. Put them all together : the food from our parties, warm and moist environment from water and lack of sunlight, now you have almost the ideal place for bacteria to spread..T here’re 500,000 bacteria per square inch in the kitchen sink drain alone, imagine how dirty is the rest of the sink ?

Solution : Remember to wash your sink with bleach regularly, which can also get rid of the smell caused by food debris that’s collected in the drain.

2. Cutting board

Cutting board has so many germs that some say it’s better to chop your food on the toilet seat instead ! Well, maybe they just exaggerated.

But here’s the fact, while wooden cutting boards are great for mincing, dicing, chopping, it also acts like a breeding place for viruses. An average cutting board has about 200 times more faecal bacteria than a toilet seat Most of them come from raw meat products , vegetable, animal hair. Some of them can be stuck in the crack on the cutting board, just washing it with water can’t get rid of them.

To make thing worse, some of us tend to use one cutting board to prepare all the raw material, fruits, and cooked dishes. This action is highly prohibited since it lead to dangerous virus transmission.

Solution : Clean it with dish detergent or bleach while brushing the surface to get rid of the remnants. Make them dry in the sun. Use separate cutting board for raw material, fruits, vegetable, and cooked dishes. Replace them after 6 months

1. Kitchen sponge

The most shocking fact is that the kitchen sponge is by far the dirtiest thing in your house. A sponge has about 10 million bacteria per square inch, in other words, it’s 200,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat ! This makes kitchen sponge the most hazardous item in your house.

It has desired conditions for bacteria to grow :food remnants, damp surface (sponge has the ability to keep water inside) and warm.

Solution : Use a sponge to wash your plates under hot water is OK, but never use a sponge to wipe them clean. Make the sponge dry in direct sunlight, and replace a new one after 1 - 2 months.

Hope you enjoy this post. :)

Top ten famous rivalries in human history

2012-12-23T00:50:00.002-08:00

I submitted this post to Listverse weeks ago, but was rejected due to narrow approach. Well, it took me a day to complete, and I thought it's harmless to post it here.

In this list, I concluded top famous rivalries in human history, especially in science and technology.

Our world could be a boring place without competition. And competition itself may lose all its meaning without the presense of rivals. The continuous struggles between them with different philosophies, opinion can be fiercely, but the results have significant impact on the world we know today. So here you go - list of the most famous rivalries in human history. Tell me which one you like the most in the comments.

10. Rich Dad vs Poor Dad

It’s not clear whether these two are real or just a figment of the author’s imagination. But, whatever people said, the endlessly battle between the two ideas of financial life is the keypoint in Kiyosaki’s books. These two tried to protect their own mottos, mindsets, philosophies about “ good life” in a changing world. While Poor Dad supported the idea of job security, “loyalty to your boss” and good salary, Rich Dad showed a more risky, but interesting route to financial independence.

Take a look at this lists, can you see how different their thinkings are ?

Poor Dad says: “Go to school, graduate and find a job”
Rich Dad says: “Go to school, graduate and build your own business”

Poor Dad says: “Get a safe, secure job.”
Rich Dad says: “Mind your own business.”

Poor Dad says: “Work for money.”
Rich Dad says: “Let money work for you.”

Poor Dad says: “Pay your creditors first.”
Rich Dad says: “Pay yourself first.”

Poor Dad says: “I can't afford it.”
Rich Dad says: “How can I buy it ?”

Poor Dad says: “Investing is risky.”
Rich Dad says: “Not investing is risky.”

Poor Dad says: “Your house is an asset.”
Rich Dad says: “Your house is a liability.”

Poor Dad says: “The rich are greedy.”
Rich Dad says: “The rich are generous.”

Poor Dad says: “The love of money is the root of all evil.”
Rich Dad says: “The lack of money is the root of all evil.”

Although they didn’t like each other style, but both showed a mutual respect ( as said in the book )

Rich Dad and Poor Dad or Asset vs Liability

9. Galileo vs Pope Urban VIII/ The Church

One of the most epic battles in human history. Back in his time, when the church power wasn’t something one can tamper with, Galileo dared to promote the heliocentric theory of Copernicus ( which states that the sun is at the center of the solar system ).

This was considered a smack at the face of Pope Urban VIII and the church itself, since heliocentrism was opposed to geocentrism, which was supported greatly by the Roman Catholic Church at that time.

As a result,Galileo was charged with heresy, then sentenced to house arrest for the rest of his life.

This clash always represents not only the long-lasting feud between science and religion, but also the braveness of mankind who is willing to risk everything to defend the truth.

8. Newton vs Leibniz

Although calculus is considered the cutting-edge tool in mathematics, I don’t feel any love for this, and know that many students may share the same feeling.

Newton and Leibniz were the stars at their field. And we had the great star wars when it came to this sweet-sounding title “ The father of calculus”.

And, the title went to…

Both of them.

Some says it’s just a long, useless battle to prove who really invented calculus, because each one had been already famous for their work, so what’s the big deal of another tiny mathematical tool ?

Because although they took different approaches to find out calculus, but the result was very much the same.

Maybe they didn’t think so.

7. Cope vs Marsh

It should be Edward Drinker Cope vs Othniel Charles Marsh ( in full name )
They were both talented paleontologist whose discoveries and contributors were really remarkable. A personal feud between these two led to a famous, intense fossil-finding competition known as “The Bone Wars”, in which they used some dirty method to beat the other, including bribery, theft, attacking other’s scientific publications. Why ? To ruin the opponent ‘s credibility. ( Geez, they acted as if they’re hunting each other, not the fossils )

Although the goal wasn’t good ( so were their financial and social state after the expedition ), their contributions to science and the field of paleontology were really impressive. In Bone Wars, many rich bone beds was discovered, where many new spieces of dinosaurs were found and described later. The Bone Wars also triggered the public’s interest in paleontology , which led to continuous fossils excavation in the following decades.

Cope vs Marsh

6. Einstein vs Bohr

Einstein : “God does not play dice”
Bohr : “Einstein, stop telling God what to do”

Albert Einstein, is often regarded as the father of modern physics, was a German-born theoretical physicist who was awarded with the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics. He’s well-known for developing the general theory of relativity and E = mc2, which was considered the world’s most famous equation.

Niels Bohr was a Danish physicist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922 for his contribution to understanding atomic structure and quantum mechanics. His work also included the Bohr model of hydrogen atom which can be used to explain atomic spectrum in the light of quantum.

The dispute between these two is called The Bohr - Einstein Debates, in which they show opposing opinion about quantum mechanics. Since they’re both founders of this field, these debates were very remarkable. Bohr has written an article titled “Discussions with Einstein on Epistemological Problems in Atomic Physics” which included deep information about these discussions.

But I love to see that, although arguing mercilessly about quantum mechanics, both Einstein and Bohr had mutual admiration, which lasted for the rest of their lives ( as shown in this picture )

A.Einstein ( left ) and N.Bohr( right )

5. Hawking vs Susskind

Whenever there’s a clash between titans, there’s remarkable war to be remembered.

Ladies and gentlement, here comes “The Black Hole war” with our two warriors, Prof. Stephen Hawking and Prof.Leonard Susskind.

Their main topic is about the preservation of information once it fall into the black hole. Hawking proposed that the information could be lost. But his theory was confronted by Susskind, who argued that Hawking’s conclusion violated the basic law of the universe, which states that the information is preserved.

Honestly, I don’t understand anything about this topic, but witnessing another great war between geniuses is always great.

If you want to know more, have a look at this book by Prof. Susskind : The Black Hole War: My Battle with Stephen Hawking to Make the World Safe for Quantum Mechanics

4. Edison vs Tesla

A symbol for this famous rivalry is ( another war ! ) The War of The Currents which happened between Thomas Edison, with the direct-current ( DC ) current system, and Nikola Tesla, master of the alternative-current ( AC ) technology.Edison didn’t want the AC to be applied in electricity distribution due to the fact that his DC had been already the standard in the US at that time. He claimed that the DC system was better than AC since it maintained a lower voltage from power station to consumer, and, thus, was safer.

But Tesla had his own explanation, too. AC current has more advantages than the DC current does, due to the fact that it is easier to transmit and prevent loss in transmission.

While it could be considered a personal feud, this war was in fact the clash between America and Europe companies which stood behind the curtain.

But, as you know, the result of this war was obvious. However, this conflict became an important mark in the history of electrical engineering.

3. Cryptographer vs Code-breaker

From ancient to modern times, the government always relies on the communicating network to operate the country effectively. But, due to the fact that the secrets could be leaked to the public or enemy and cause serious problem ( Example : Wikileaks ! ), this fact has led to the born of cryptography, the art of concealing information.

Cryptography makes sure that only the recipient himself can read the content. Meanwhile, the codebreaking system was born with another mission : Try to find and exploit the weakness of each cipher, in order to reveal the truth. The continuous struggle between these two forces is similar to the evolution itself. Since each time a cipher is invented, the code breaker will try to find a way to “decipher” it. Once a cipher is broken, it becomes useless, then the cryptographer must try to invent a more complex and powerful one, which in turn invites the code breaker to decipher it.

This rivalry has led to many impressive science breakthroughs, and impact significantly to the human history.

You might want to have a glance at this interesting book, which was my favorite title about code and cryptography : The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography

2. Thomas Jefferson vs Alexander Hamilton

In my opinion, this is one of the most interesting rivalries in American history. Alexander Hamiltion, leader of the Federalists, and Thomas Jefferson, leader of the Antifederalists. Both of them are important founding fathers of America. But they have so many differences in the past, appearance, and philosophies ( which mainly about the vision of the government ). For example, Hamilton feared anarchy and thought in terms of order; Jefferson, feared tyranny, his mind, in contrast, jumped from topic to topic.
What happened when these two completely different individuals had to work together ? Good or bad ? Well, I believe America was really lucky to have these two gentlement at the same time. Because once they fused their philosophies together for the sake of the nation, the outcome was impressive.

Thomas Jefferson vs Alexander Hamilton

1. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates

There have been countless arguments about this question : Who’s the greatest among these two ? Some says Jobs, some says Gates. But in my opinion, it’s no point trying to do such a comparison.

They’re very similar to Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton : they are totally different. In my viewpoint, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs only shares three things in common : year of birth ( 1955), the love for technology and business, and, last but not least, both left the school to pursue their own dreams.

The path they took to achieve it was different, too. Since the approach was different, so was the outcome. Bill Gates aimed for “broad development”, which made Microsoft the biggest company. We can see its products everywhere, but this approach comes with the cost of creativity and originality.

Steve Jobs, on the other hand, focused on “deep development”, which produced outstanding products with highest quality and originality. This philosophy turned Apple into the most creative and valuable company, but this approach has its weakness, too. What happened to Apple without its main inspiration, Steve Jobs ?

It’s no surprise they’ve been long time rival since the beginning of this Information Era. Each of them criticized the other. Steve Jobs once said that Gates was “basically unimaginative and has never invented anything”, while Gates thought that Jobs “never knew much about technology”.

Although some of the words may sound bitter, but like any titans in their own fields, they sure admired and respected each other's work. As Steve Jobs said in 1994 :” I like Bill very much, … the companies we built were very different from each other.” And Bill Gates :” I will miss Steve immensely”

Here're some pics about these couple at their young age. Hot and sexy guys, aren't they ?
This book describes every detail of their relationship,I love to read it : Steve Jobs

The Zen of Eating: Four Feasts for a healthy life

2012-10-28T08:28:00.002-07:00

Take off

Can we practice Zen while eating ? The answer is “ Absolutely yes !”. It might sound really weird doing something like a spiritual ceremony and chewing at the same time. Somebody can see Zen an act of sitting still, closing eyes and try to concentrate. In fact, it’s the basic form of Zen.

But don’t let the term confuse you, since the ultimate goal of practicing Zen is to achieve the inner peace. So, with that goal in mind, we can have so many kinds of so-called Zen. Aikido, for example, is sometimes called “ The Zen of Moving”.

[UPDATE]
I've found a great book which describe this experience in a more detailed way. When the Zen of Eating technique is put under this new view, it turns out to be a way to focus the psychic energy into a task at hand, to achieve a mental state called "flow".
I highly recommend this book, you should read this, a masterpiece by author Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

Eating Zen shares the same goal with other kinds of Zen : achieve the concentration, inner peace through meals. Imagine this, enjoy a delicious bowl of salad and having a beautiful mind at the same time. Once in a time, twice the fun.

I read an article about this kind of Zen years ago in a local newspaper. The author was a Buddhist monk who is famous for posts about health. In the time of fast and furious, slow may be considered a silly thing to do, however, this method can prove the useful of slowness in eating, because it can increase your health significantly and reduce stress symptoms effectively. I practiced this act once years ago, and found it extremely helpful.

Shall we start ?

Come to the realm of Zen

Now, you have to concentrate in the very process of eating, and feast yourself four times for maximum results. Before that, there issomething to do beforehand.

First, turn off TV, radio, computer, anything can distract you ( even your cellphones ) . Do it now !

Second, get rid of worries. The fact is : doing mind work while having meals is an ineffective habit, but it’s still considered “ a professional look” nowadays. Whatever you’re doing, be there.

OK, it’s time to do your job ! I mean, “have your meal”. But wait there hot shots, instead of wolfing it all, you should :

_ Observe it: see how colorful it is, brown, green, yellow, red, white.. A really symphony of color. Now you have your first feast, for your eyes only.

( Tips : You might want to use yellow light in dining room instead of those pale white one from compact tubes. Yellow light makes your food more lovely and delicious. Now you know why all the restaurants are full with that color. )

_ Smell it: Take a real deep breath, can you realize and distinguish all the smell together. Beef steak, fresh bowl of mixed salads, soup, grilled potatoes… Each of them have a different smell which makes them unique, like fingerprints with humans. The symphony of smell, the second feast for your nose.

_ Taste it: At last ! Do it slowly, take a spoonful of rice with steamed pork, or have a slice of beef dipped in sauce. Yummy, how about the flavor ? Sweet, a little salty then some spicy touch finalize a perfect feast for your tongue. How about your teeth ? Crunchy, soft, tender, tough… we have everything here, feel the excitement while all of these are pressing and doing magic inside your mouth. Do it real slow, chew 50 times before swallowing ( the explanation will follow later ) , and try to feel it in the progress. Feast number three, for your lips, teeth and tongue. Is that all ? Not yet.

_ Imagine it: Here’s the reason for the “50-time-chewing” ritual. While your teeth are busy with those delicious pieces, try to see, in your mind, all the life forces are being transferred directly to your body. The animal, the plants, they accumulate life energy from the sun, the wind, the soil, water, air, thunder... and from other living things. Now, all the energy, nutritions and life forces are switched to their new master, you. Feel it. And, last but not least, the feast for your mind. While chewing 50 times, you have time to imagine.

Final words

Now we have gone through all four steps. Easy to do, but as Jim Rohn once said : “The easy thing to do is easy not to do”. It isn’t easy to let all the noises and voices outside take your attention, but at least you can do it once a week, can’t you ? Of course you can.

How many meals do you have a day ? Pick one and practice this Zen.

I promise, the feeling is awesome. I’d love to let you experience it all.

You may also want to have a look at these post :

1. How to go to sleep easily ?

2. Eat, Sleep and …

Eat, Sleep and …

2012-10-08T07:04:00.001-07:00

I was inspired to write this post by Eat, Pray, Love a movie starring Julia Roberts as a lady who, after a hard time struggling, decided to make a travel of her life, until then she discovered what means the most to her.

Of course, this article isn’t about reviewing books, films or games. But aren’t these three words simple, yet meaningful and impressive ? How about Eat, Sleep, Play, a game studio responsible for this title Twisted Metal ?

I mean, look at these verbs, don’t we want to just sleep, eat, play, and love all day without a single worry about life, economy crash, inflation or some crap like that ?

I have a really interesting Vietnamese proverb : “Eat, Sleep, Sex and Pee ( or Poop)”.

Simple ? Yes, but don’t underestimate them. We Vietnamese call them “ The Greatest Four of Satisfaction” which contribute to a vigorous and healthy life. Master all, you’re God, lack one, miserable you !

Apart from the animal world, human is considered master of the universe, Earth and, OK, everything. But before going out boasting about these privileges, should we first look at ourselves and ask a very simple question :

Do we really master the greatest four ?

Eat

Can you recall the last time you tasted, enjoyed a meal without thinking about tomorrow, life, death, money ? The industrial life style is asking us to act fast, eat fast. The result is, we have no time to happily enjoy eating with our family. Truth be told, it's easier to focus on eating when we're at childhood.

I've read somewhere that we have to chew 50 times before swallowing. There's even a technique called "Eating Zen" which can help individual to find peace through meal and food. No kidding, I've tried this technique one, and it's really amazing.

Again, I doubt some of us really have time ( or will) to check this technique out. The information life style demands fast and furious actions, the slow means out and old. Eating while running, swallowing while talking, have no time to rest and enjoy. Eating places first in the Greatest Four because it's truly essential to life. That's why each nation has its own food culture which carries out the soul and knowledge about that nation. I'm going to give a new post about this eating zen technique, and I hope it can help you a lot in your busy life style.

Sleep

Nearly 1/3 of our lives is for sleeping. We love sleeping. It's relaxing, appealing and pleasant. For those suffering with insomnia, check out my post here. Remember, sleep is similar to ocean waves, one past, another comes. Be patient.

Sex

No words is enough when talking about this special topic, how we feel after practicing this. Although it's as important as sleep, eat, or poop, sex can be a thorny issue to discuss. in his famous work Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill praised sex as the purest energy,the most powerful force which is difficult to manipulate. Sex can bring human to genius grade or kick him into eternal abyss.

Pee ( or Poop )

Sounds rude. However, do you really love the feeling when , uhm, release the burden, open the valve. Whoops, as light as wind. Feels good, eh ? Now imagine having constipation, you can see how satisfied when doing this action smoothly.

For final words

The Greatest Four comprised of different aspects of action in one's life. The reward for mastering the Four is good health and mind. No suprise when there're hundreds of thousands of books, articles sharing tips, tricks on how to cure, master the Greatest Four nowadays, even a funny idea like this : . What Every Man Thinks About Apart from Sex

Although we built enormous things, but the ultimate desire for all human alike is to live a happy, vigorous life. The key lies in The Greatest Four. So, if you see yourself struggling or having trouble with one of The Four, find a way to cure it first.

Again, what's the point of having everything without health to enjoy.

7 tips of highly effective reader

2012-09-16T04:15:00.000-07:00

Readers love quality books. And choosing quality ones is like playing hidden object games since it needs concentration and strategy to pick the appropriate title among the rest. I hereby provide 7 tips which can help you to select your favorite title.

1. Title and cover are secondary.

Whether it’s The Hunger Game or Twilight, content is king.

We’re living in the era of advertising and marketing. Every day, hundreds, even thousands of books are being published, very few of them become popular. So, to make it stand out of the crowd, the title and cover are important factor to be reckoned with. Colorful, eye-catching cover along with stunning title are common formula for a wannabe best seller.

But, buying book is for content, and content is always king.

So , remember to take a glance at some chapters before purchasing something like What Every Man Thinks About Apart from Sex

2. Comment is a good reference

Sometimes it’s called a praise which delivered by other person or author for the content of that book. What they wrote isn’t quite important, just scan for the names. If you see a famous one (Jack Canfield or Tom Peters for example ), their comments are solid proof for quality.

Another trusted brand for comment is Oprah’s Book Club, the titles listed here are all quality-proven.

3. Best seller is just about quantity

There’re so many best seller lists these days. Actually, they represent for the Economics of Scarcity in which producer and publisher must choose the best money-making titles. So, it’s normal to say that you don’t find The Hunger Game interesting because you’re a fan of Conan Doyle, or some niche authors.

Fact is, best seller list is another source of reference, however, it becomes outmoded in Information Age. We have other sources to check providing fast and more accurate result. So, if the book can’t attract you, then forget it. Next time, don’t be fooled by the “Whatever Best Seller” statement on some fancy covers.

Content is king.

4. Pay attention to the repetition

You may recognize a title which is repeated time after time in various book titles. Because the author might read that before, it’s just like someone has already done the review for you. For example, I purchased “Think and Grow Rich” because its name appears in 3 different titles : Dare to Win, Rich Dad Poor Dad and The Success Principles.

Why I chose this ?

First, all of them are written by famous author ( Jack Canfield and Robert Kiyosaki ).

Second, obviously, they don’t risk the reputation to advertise for some good -for -nothing title.

5. What you love is important

It’s seriously important to clarify what topic you want to read most, which would focus the search on most popular titles. Self-help or game, sci-fi or horror. Whatever you love, there’re always books ( or ebook, try Smashwords, a trusted place for independent publishers with many ebooks to choose ) to satisfy it.

Don’t force yourself to read what the crowd read, just because it appears in some best seller list ( again ! ). I don’t like Twilight since I’m madly in love with video game design, so I attend forum to find recommend book titles.

It's easy when you know what to read.

6. Take a glance at "Content" and "Index" section

Do a real good scan at these area always tell you exactly what this book is about. Does it have the answer for your specific problem ? Does it have something that make you "Aha ! That's what I've been looking for " ?

7. Take plenty of notes

Here's my motto: "The book is mine, I have my rights to do it". Whenever seeing something interesting, I hightlight it. I also write on my thoughts, ideas, or "light - a - bulb" feeling on the book. Don't be shine, just write your ideas, thoughts, emotion, anything. This habit has two advantage :

_ Later, I know which part is important
_ And, if I forget the lesson derived from the book, it can easily be found.

Although this habit make your book a little messy, but just give it a try.

Finally, you may find these two headlines useful:

Ingredient X

A book might be well acclaimed or badly criticized by your friends , but it doesn’t mean it’s a bad ( or good ) title. Maybe the writing style doesn’t fit, maybe it’s just prejudice. That’s what I call “Ingredient X”, can’t say who’s right or wrong here.

The choice is yours.

I often find myself reading books which my friends considered “nonsense, time wasting stuff” because they don’t understand how cool it is. In the other hand, I don’t know why a friend of mine keep reading cheap love stories ( and cry all the way, of course ) in spite of my endless comment about how bad it is.

Expand your horizon

By reading books of different kinds ( one or two of them is enough),they’ll provide fresh new ideas and viewpoints breaking you from the old ways. I must admit that, keep reading books of the same kind for a long time is boring. Jump to a brand new topic is fun because you don’t really know what lies ahead.

It’s like an adventure, risky but worth trying. For example, my favorites are self help and business book, last month I purchased The Holy Bible, and a biography ( Steve Jobs : A Biography ) . Superb, I can’t believe why I didn’t read them sooner.

Resources

Here's list of some recommend books for you, enjoy reading!

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

2. Think and Grow Rich

3. Steve Jobs: A Biography

4. The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

5. The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More

6. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

7. Dare to Win

8. The Magic of Thinking Big

9. The Power of Focus Tenth Anniversary Edition: How to Hit Your Business, Personal and Financial Targets with Absolute Confidence and Certainty

Life after college : Story of an unemployed college graduate

2012-09-05T00:39:00.003-07:00

A three- month inspiration

At the very moment of graduation, our hearts and souls were filled with pride and joy. The future seemed so bright and wonderful. So many dreams, so many hopes. Then, suddenly the monster arrived.

He has the name, and it’s Unemployment.

Right now, honestly, are you worrying about the future in which the best suited job is going to show up ? Are you expecting a touch by the finger of Fate and you’re lifted to the hill of glory, fame and wealth ?

It’s fine to dream, but better prepare to make that dream come true.

For the last 3 months, I was unemployed and saw all my dreams to be challenged by reality. I saw myself twisted with anger, fear, hope, belief and confidence at the same time. But honestly, that moment was the most miraculous one in my life, which gave me a chance to look deep inside to find out the answer for the most important question :

What do I need money for ?

( This blog was made at that moment, so you’ll find some relevant details at “ About this blog “ )

The story started 6 months ago.

After a successfully thesis defense, I had nearly 3 months before the graduation ceremony. Well, a chance to go out and get something done, you can say. I love to do some wild trip but at that time, the idea wasn’t so cool ( now it’s cool ).

A startup company focuses on importing and exporting needed an internship , you can say it doesn’t need a chemical engineer, but here I am. After 5 months, I quitted. Why ? Because I was so naively not to ask for the salary. Yes, free for 5 months, at weekend, from 3 PM to 7 PM. No thanks for hard work, no appreciation, nothing. Even a part time job. And I still have a school loans to pay.

Meanwhile, I got another offer to be an excipient sales assistant. The salary and working condition was good, with fresh graduate. But after one week, something emerged inside my mind, it isn’t the job I love and I couldn’t see the value in it. I didn’t figure out what I wanted to do 3, 5, 10 years later, and had no idea how I could get this from this job. My colleages were successful, but something wasn’t right. They were “standing still”, they didn’t have a will to go out and travel and do something different.

“ Do I have to sit at this table for the rest of my life ? How am I going to spend my youth ? Why do everybody keep choosing this path ? Is working the only answer, the only way for human beings ? What about life ?”. These questions keep wandering in my mind until now.

Working 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, for 40 years , then retire with some money, too tired to go anywhere. This image sent shivers up my spine. It has no meaning.

Another reason is the beer, I frown on drinking, because of some sad memories. One of the rules there was “ grin and bear it”, yes, you can guess. Drink with a smile. Do something you hate the most with a smile, or being reminded by the supervisor.

At that time, I read this post “10 reasons why you should never get a job” by Steve Palina, which showed the reality. It shocked me . But I’ve got to admit what he said was true, in my case.

So I decided to quit at the end of May and trust that it would be OK. Before that, a plan was carefully made to avoid paying the penalty of violating the contract. However, the money was in their hands, and my action wasn’t easy for them to take. In the end, they eventually taught me a lesson, they found out a “good” reason to cut off 40% of my money ( and I have to work for another 15 days for free ). It really pissed me off.

At that time, I was so scared about the future. What about my family ? What about the student loans ? Am I running away ? Am I a coward, an irresponsible child who just bring burden on my parents’ shouders ? These questions attacked me fiercely, day and night. I found myself crying and shaking in the middle of the night several times.

To make things better ( or worse ) , I got a scholarship for my dream course about game dev. My aim was a full scholarship which requires a lot of preparation and enthusiasm. But Life always have its own choice : a half scholarship, and I should enroll in this course no later than the beginning of September, or forget the scholarship.

Was it fantastic news ? An easy way is : Just looking for a job and get money to pay for the course.

No, I decided to take the course immediately. This decision brought chaos in my mind with thorny questions. The future seemed so gloomy. I was really scared to death. At that very moment, a special thing happened, an inspiring talk by a man who later became my mentor gave me the strength to continue.

I found the will to face the challenge and pursuit my dream job. I’ve just had an offer to work for a young Internet game company as a game designer. However, the last 3 months changed the way I see jobs, forever.

The miraculous period

The harsh reality turned out to be the most precious chance to train. I was alone to think and observe. What parents and teachers told me, what school taught me years ago became unsufficient. When facing the real world, those ideas faded away like wispy smoke. I want to share with you my best discoveries :

Money is nothing ( but freedom )

In the time of doubt and fear, I saw myself travelling through countless mental states : anxious, fear, confident, believe, regret and brave. All the emotions came from money and the very position of it in my own world. At that time, I was willing to give a slap in the face of any dudes saying “Money is nothing”.Yes, money can’t build family happiness. Money can’t buy friendship. Money can’t bring back time.

But it can make your wife less worried about the inflation and some thing like that. It can bring romantic dinners at exotic restaurants to strengthen your relationship. Money releases its owner from daily worries to live peacefully at full extend.

Answer me : When was the last time you had a true dinner, just sit there with your spouse and enjoy the meal ? When was the last time you had a good night sleep ?

We can’t mince paper money to make salad, we can’t mix coins to make cocktail. But money can bring those at our table.

Ask yourself this question and answer honestly: What do I prefer, money-lacking or money-filling ?

For that moment, I realize that I don’t need money as much as I thought. It’s just the tool to unleash myself ( and my family ) from the chains of scarsity. It brings the freedom, the strength and power.

Remember, all these benefits come from using money as a tool. All tragedies in this world come from greed which turns human from masters of finance to pitiful slaves of money. There’re many books about this topic ( you can find them in the Resources part at the end of this post )

Life is limited

Another fact. There’re 2 timeless principles :

First , you will die.

Second, you don’t know when.

Look at the flower, a beautiful living thing. But it can’t last long. We’re humans, the most noble races dominating this world, also living animals. There’s life, there’s death.

Your parents can’t live forever. I once hated my Dad’s snores ( it’s awful ), but when I realized that I don’t know for sure if it’s the last time I heard his snore, the feelings faded away.

Steve Jobs has the best motivating viewpoint about death. Heard his commencement at Stanford in 2005

The poverty is in your mind

How many ways to make money ? Countless. For the last month, I’ve had the following ideas:

_ Private tutor

_ Web designer

_ Make Powerpoint presentation

_ Freelancer

_ Translator

_ Publish ebooks

_ Sell phone cards

_ Website content management

_ Teach students how to make awesome presentation

_ Interpreter

_ Affiliate

_ Google Adsense

This blog was created to make income using affiliate (e.g Amazon ) and Google Adsense ( not yet ). Of course, you can't be rich after one night. ( in fact, none of these above ideas really bring me a cent . That's why I had the next discovery ).

Again, the poverty is in your mind, and so is the wealth. It’s the most brilliant idea I’ve ever found out.

Be a chess player

You can read this post here. Be a chess player in every aspect of life means having plan for 3 moves in advance. More specific, to prepare and start early. Because in the rush, you can't have enough time to sit down and write a detail plan. Those ideas above are good, but if I had carried one of it sooner, it would have been better.

Your job is just one source of income

Look at the fact. Do you believe in a secure job in this Information Era ? No, so, having multiple incomes is absolutely better than one. The current job provides a financial support to create another source of income. Two, three, four, five... The life becomes better and better as incomes keep increasing. No one can force you to do something you don’t like. Or in my case, no pathetic explanation to cut off 40% of my salary. Is it cool ? Yes, absolutely.

But, being in the "1 job is secure" mindset for too long could hinder you from trying to make other incomes. So, I suggest reading books and, if you can, try this 3-month-jobless period for yourself.

Appreciation

Enjoy what you have right now. Every breath, taste, smell, meals, friend, chance, bad luck… is a miracle, a chance to grow bigger and bigger. By appreciating every events in life, you become stronger and better. Each time you pay for something, thank God for being so generous, give yourself a pat on the back for being able to afford these things. it’s hard to do at first, but has really great effect. It’ll trigger the law of attraction to attract more happiness and wealth in your life. Believe me !

What you read is important

I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t read books. Truth be told, in the very moment of despair and pain, those books I read become a reliable source of wisdom. What I read became advices and motivation slowly changing me inside.
I read The 4-Hour Workweek for 2 days in a row because of its meaningful content ( thank you Tim for this masterpiece ).
Rich Dad Poor Dad are best friends, showing me the true characteristic of money.
Steve Jobs : A Biography inspired and gave me strength to keep on fighting.

Everything has the price

TV shows, cartoons, movies, parties with friends once are my favorites. But making money requires concentration and effort, I had to ignore them all. It really hurts.Watching my friends go to parties, enjoy their lives while I had to deny the invitation because of money lacking. I hate myself,but it also nurtures the will to become financial independence as soon as possible. So the day when I’ll be able to join them.

You can have everything, but, remember to clarify the price and pay for it.

Giveaway.

It’s the advice from my mentor. The secret of the rich is donation. Helping people with your money is absolutely the coolest feeling in life. Even without money, you can give away experience, thoughts ( like me with this blog ), strength, time… Anything.

Giving away is an attitude

If you want to find a job, pay attention to small company

I got this job from a 30-employee-Internet company. Because it’s small, getting a job becomes more easier than corporation, the salary might be smaller, but again, it’s just a source of income. It’s up to you to create other sources of income.

Resources :

There're valuable book titles which helped me through hard time

1. Think and Grow Rich

Napoleon Hill was a legendary author with this must-read bible for millionares and billionares.

2. The 4-Hour Workweek
This book, which always stay by my side in the time of doubt and fear, was filled with interesting, counter-culture ideas. Tim Ferriss is an really awesome guy, that's all I can tell about him.

3. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!

Rich Dad's CASHFLOW Quadrant: Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom

Rich Dad's Guide to Investing: What the Rich Invest in, That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not!
The first three books from Rich Dad Poor Dad Series which consist of 13 titles, give you the most fundamental concepts about money, cashflow...Read, think and observe, gradually a whole new world will open before your eyes. You can apply what you read by playing these games :( Cashflow 101 must be installed prior to play Cashflow 202 )
CASHFLOW 101
CASHFLOW 202

4. Steve Jobs: A Biography
A remarkable man with remarkable philosophy.

5. Get Real, Get Rich: Conquer the 7 Lies Blocking You from Success
One of the most inpirational book I've ever read. The author lists all 7 lies which are so popular that we all forgot their existences. A great stuff.

You may want to read all of these books using this one :
Kindle Touch includes Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers

2+ hours a day to improve your English listening skill

2012-09-01T03:37:00.002-07:00

This technique can be used for any language, as long as it’s spoken.

I was inspired to write this post after reading The 4-Hour Workweek

Listening skill is often mistakenly considered the hardest skill among speaking, writing and reading. It’s no doubt the most essential skills because languages mean communication. You can’t speak well unless your listening is well.

But, is listening skill that difficult ?

Truth be told. It’s a fun thing to learn, and easy to master. The question is : How ?

OK, let’s do some observation.

Here comes the babies !

The basic steps for language learning are listening, speaking, reading and writing. The baby follows exactly these steps. At first, the baby often speak his/her own language which could be, obviously, understood by him/her only. So, parents need to make contact through conversation.

Do they ever ask for the answer ?
No, of course not.

In fact, the more the parents talk, the faster the baby reply. What would happen if the parents ceased talking ? The baby would be speechless to the mother tongue. They can understand everything we speak to them, althought they can’t reply at that moment.

That’s the result from continuous talk.

By repeating this action, the link between linguistic neurons are created and strengthened.

Gradually, the baby begins to distinguish words, recognize his ( or her ) name, follow the order… Of course, speaking comes after shortly.

Did the parents force the baby ?
No, they smile, they encourage. They give their baby enough mental support to overcome the very first linguistic barrier.

So, there’re two things we derived from the baby experience for harnessing listening skill :

1. Long exposure to the language and,

2. An appropriate mental state ( interesting, fun, comfortable )

The common way

Some of us often try to improve our skill by listening to conversations in tapes or CDs.

I personally hate this method because it’s tooooo boring ( A talks to B then B replies, like playing ping-pong ). No fun, no excitement.

And it’s still considered a common way for somebody to improve the listening skill.

To me, there’re alternatives . And it’s much much better than those lousy chit-chat.

Be realistic. It takes you only 6 months to understand 80% of any talks. But being a native listener costs you 4 to 5 years to achieve.

Now, show me !

So, there’re 2 ways to improve your listening skill.

First way:

If you love going out and meet and talk, go to the place in which the language is used ( market, bar, club.. ). Already in the country using that language ? Fantastic ! Like Dale Carnegie stated “ … Go out and get busy !”.

You can make friends, too. Talking to friends is one of the most effective ways to boost your listening skill. Everybody loves someone who is willing to learn their mother tongue. Trust me !

But, if you’re too shy to go out there. Or, just don’t want to go out. It’s OK, too. Here’s the second way. This method is proven to be useful because I did it myself 7 years ago. It’s absolutely fun, effective, and exciting to do.

Second way :

Listening to your favorite songs 2+ hrs a day

Songs have rhythm, songs have lyrics. They are much better then those bored-to-death conversations.

Why don’t you give songs a shot ? Before that :

There’re some pieces of advice :

a. Variation is the best.
Songs are food for thought, food for mind. You may be unaware of this fact : Songs affect your moods. They can raise your feeling up or down.

However, keeping your emotions too high or too low isn’t good on the long run. Many love songs and you’ll feel romantic and less energetic. Otherwise, lots of exciting pop songs are likely to make you vigorous, tired and hard to concentrate.

b. 2 hours a day is needed.

Is it hard ? No, you can do the listening while driving, while browsing Internet, while Facebooking or Twittering… You don’t need a full 2 -hour- listening, at least make it 30 minutes each time. But the accumulation should be 2 hours or more.

c. Use speakers. Since this method requires continuous listening for a long time, so , please, for your ears, don’t use earphones ( or headphones ). Speakers are the best.

There’s another reason for speakers. Imagine how funny it is watching a baby wearing earphones. Sound consists of waves containing energy. While parents are talking to the baby, not only his/her brain, but the entire body is exposing to the energy. The adaption is much better and faster.

You don't need to have high-end speakers.I'd like a 2.1 speaker system with subwoofer

d. Start with your favorite songs/artists/bands

Now, for the beginner with English songs, you might want to hear :

1. ABBA

They’re one of my favorite bands with various hits. Their songs are amazing sets of rhythm. From slow “ The winner takes it all” to exciting “Voulez vous”, “Head over heels” and “Gimme, gimme, gimme” are absolutely fantastic.

2. The Beatles

Words are not enough when it comes to describe the greatness of this band. “ And I love her”, “Let it be”, truly masterpiece.

3.The Bee Gees

Another great band with legendary hits. “Staying alive” is supreme, “How deep is your love ?”, “Holiday”, “Words” are fantastic lullabies.

4. Michael Jackson

My idol. “Heal the World” is a must-hear with meaningful lyrics and beautiful rhythm.

5. Backstreet Boys

Check out “Everybody”, “Show me the meaning of being lonely” and you will love them.

Amazon.com Widgets

Final words but important - Forget the lyrics

You may not understand the whole lyrics of those songs. It’s natural. I don’t really care for the lyrics. I love the songs. Our goal is to have fun. Just listen to the music and relax ( So, don’t search for the lyrics on Internet )

Make it your habit. Whenever you turn on your PC, let the songs be played. Listen to it unconsciously, put yourself in that environment. Don’t think about improving listening skill, just listening, and that’s all.

How long does it take for this method to be effective ? Results may vary. The more you listen, the faster the result comes. In my case, it took me just a year.

And the truth is, once you can listen well, you’ll love the language so much that you want to improve other skills as well. Believe me !

Resources

Check out these collections and fall in love with them.

ABBA - Gold: Greatest Hits

ABBA : The Definitive Collection

The Beatles Anthology

The White Album

The Ultimate Bee Gees (2 CD)

The Essential Michael Jackson

The Hits--Chapter One

How to go to sleep easily ?

2012-08-23T05:19:00.001-07:00

( For those are suffering from insomnia, who deserve a good, nice sleep. And for you, Vi, be strong my friend )
[News] I've published an ebook about this topic on Amazon, it's in free promotion right now ( until September 29th, 2014 ). So hurry up and get yourself a copy ! Thank you so much.

This post has 2 parts :

First, how to fall asleep naturally

Second, I'll provide one technique to cure insomnia. Yes, no big deal, just one. You might doubt its effectiveness since you’ve been trying countless remedies but none of them seems useful. It's natural.

Believe me, once you try, you'll love it.

Part I : How to go to sleep ? It’s as easy as 1,2,3 ( if you know how)

Nearly 1/3 of our lives is for sleep. It plays an important role in a person’s life. There’s a Vietnamese idiom: “Sleep well, eat well, feel like God”. ( I’m a Vietnamese, my ancestors have many really thoughtful idioms which I’m very pleased to share )

But, do you know how to sleep ? How many ways to fall asleep ?

The most important note : Stay away from sleeping pills. Natural is way better than synthetic

In my opinion, there’re two ways to sleep : the hard and the easy way.

a. The hard way : or “bad exhaustive sleep” which can be achieved through overloading your body, e.g extremely, continuous hard working day, too much alcohol or using computer for a long, long time. The body is squeezed to its last life drops, exhautivenes, tiredness, and there’s only one meaningful thing in this word : sleep.

This method is easy, quite easy, but harmful. Because you’ll look like death warmed up the following day. Have no time for yourself, to relax, to play, to enjoy the sleep. Sickness, stress are the results.

It isn’t good !

b. The easy way : or “good exhaustive sleep” can be achieved through preparation and habits, although it needs more time for the body to adapt. Here’s some pieces of advice.

First, avoid TV and computer at least 30 minutes before bed time, especially those with myopia. All the information, films, scenes, clips, news put the mind to exciting state, and when it’s time to hit the sacks, the sleep won’t come easily.

This 30-min-period is called “ The release time” when the body relax and let go all the stress and worries.

What to do in this period ? Read a book ( I recommend The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Jean-Dominique Bauby ) , pray with your family, have a walk with your spouse, treat yourself with hot shower, have a glass of warm water, listen to some music, or just sit in silence, alone.

You took care for everybody all day, now, at least give yourself 30 minutes.

Second, bedroom. Remember this, no TV in the bedroom and no laptop on bed. It’s deadly serious. The bedroom serves for one thing only, sleep. Make it clear, the mind and body will gradually take that message. Each time you go to bed, then the sleep comes easily. Besides, there're something more to do with the bedroom :

_ Dim light, or no light, it’s up to you. I prefer no light.

_ Get rid of dust and dirt, make it clean and tidy.

_ No clock in bedroom. Crazy idea ? No. Clock puts more stress if you’re sleepless. Wake up in the middle of the night, look at it and “No, it’s midnight and I can’t sleep. I’m a goner”. Forget the clock. Use phone as your alarm. That’s all.

Third, music. Music soothes the soul, refreshes the spirits. It speaks wonderful language which can’t be expressed. Either listening to music in 30 mins before bedtime, or doing so when you’re in bed, is good.

Here’re some tips

_ Keep the volume as low as possible.

Night is a sacred time for everybody, so don’t ruin that of your neighbors, family, roommates with nice-but-loud songs. The best solution is using earphone ( in-ear). Smooth, soft and convenient. Best earphones deliver incredible sound, and you can always find good products with reasonable price

Remember, even with earphones, keep the volume as low as possible, for your ears‘ shake. And be careful with those wires, turn it off when you feel sleepy.

_ What kind of music ?

Love songs, choose those from the favorite collection of yours.

Please, no dance, no hip hop, the body needs to relax, not to be brought to climax.

You might want to hear, for example :

Summer kisses winter tears by Elvis Presley

Bridge over troubled water, Scaborough fair/Canticle by Simon & Garfunkel

Love story, Speak softly love, A time for us by Andy Williams

Symphony is another great choice. I love Paul Mauriat. I admire Yiruma for his soul-captive piano. Also Kitaro with one of his sensational masterpieces, Matsuri. Check them out.

If you're in love with Vivaldi's Four Season - Summer, then choose baroque music

_ What devices ? Anything which has a playlist function is welcome. In my opinion, an iPod is best among others.

I prefer iPod Shuffle because it's cheap and has no screen. When your eyes get used to dark, they become sensitive to light source. Unfortunately, the light from iPod screen can disturb them. Other iPod products can trigger the light with each action. iPod Shuffle has no screen, therefore no light.

Fourth, enjoy sleeping : Remember, at this very moment, someone’s taking their last breath. Life is a miracle. Now, take a deep breath, embrace each of it, be grateful. Enjoy every second of life, because you don’t know for sure how long it will last. Enjoy it while you still can !

Image from enjoyyourlife-kums.blogspot.com

Finally, this room is your sacred place , now is your sacred time. You can work when tomorrow comes. This sleep is a reward, and you deserve it. You have the rights, my friend. No one in this world can ruin this moment. No one.

Part 2 : Cure insomnia

Whatever you do with the bedroom, whatever good habits you have, insomnia may rarely come.

It’s normal. Be calm.

First, consult a doctor for health check. Make sure your body is OK before using this technique.

This method is derived from paradoxical intention, an awesome technique devised by Viktor Frankl . He’s a survivor from Nazi Death Camp and the author of Man’s Search for meaning. This influential book has 2 part : The former is an analysis of Frankl’s experiences in the concentration camps, the latter introduces a theory of logotherapy and paradoxical intention. A must read, really.

Ok, let’s start

In most cases, we can’t sleep because there’re so many thoughts filling the mind. You go to bed with something to think about ( a project, an idea, a worry.. maybe fear for insomnia itself ).

“Wait, this one is cool. Sleep can wait” or “ What happened if I fail the exam ?”, “What happened if I can’t sleep ? “ blah blah blah...

A few more minutes, these thoughts will multiply into streams of endless ideas. Soon, emotions will flood the mind and keep you awake all night long.

Is this picture familiar ? You stay in bed, sleepless, try to keep your eyes closed while chanting “ Go to sleep ! Go to sleep ! “. Of course, the sleep hardly comes.

Sleeping in this situation is hard because the mind is currently in a state called “ paradoxical intention” which can roughly be explained that it will do the opposite of the things you want it to do. So, the more you try to sleep, the more awake you become.

Got it ? Good, we can use paradoxical intention to strike back and cure insomnia !

Remember this, sleep is like waves. One passes, another comes. The problem is, you’re often too busy trying to catch the first wave to know there’s also a second or third wave.

Solution ? Stay awake ! It’s serious, like the surfers waiting for their waves, you’ll do exactly the same.

Now, next time when you find yourself thinking too much and can’t sleep, follow these steps :

_ OPEN your eyes ( I say Open, not staring , as if you’re doing thinking business when staying in bed ).

_ SAY to yourself : “ I need to stay awake to think about it ! I need to stay awake !” a few times while keep thinking about what has been bothering you. Forget the sleep ! At this time, the more you expect it, the harder it comes.

The thought that bothered you from sleeping, now deal with it, think about it to the end. Don’t let it run around barking like a mad dog, leash and fight it.

_ Gradually, your eyes become heavy and begin to shut, just say again one or two times : “ I need to be awake “, resist a bit, then let them shut down.

_ IMAGINE putting your thought into a box, close it, bring it to a room, then close the door.

_ Enjoy sleeping.

It’s a counter attack using paradoxical intention. Now, the more you want to stay awake, the easier you fall asleep. However, when the sleep comes, remember to “put the thought into a box and seal it” . We use our thought only as a tool to fall asleep.

This method may sound funny, weird. But it works like magic to me, 100% effective. Once you try, you like it.

Final words, insomnia exists only in mind. You have full control over it. Show it who’s the boss.

Image from whatsonyourwall.com

Resources :

1. Books :

There're plenty of books to read before bedtime. If you're an avid reader, selecting your favorite book is easy. However, I hereby include a list for you :

Also a list for your little angels, they'll love it :

Amazon.com Widgets

2. Music :

Mainly classical, symphony, piano, and lullaby. Enjoy !

_ Yiruma & Piano: Very Best of

_ Baroque Masterpieces

_ Disney Baby Lullaby: Favorite Sleepytime Songs for Baby and You

Amazon.com Widgets

When it comes to jobs, be a chess player !

2012-08-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read “10 reasons why you should never get a job” by Steve Palina. If not, why don’t you take a glance at this great post first, then we’ll continue.

...
...

Now, how do you feel after reading ? Excited, shocked, yes, all the emotions could be listed here. But you’ve got to admit what he said, is true.

Want to jump out of your pitiful place of dull, boring job for a new and wide open horizon of freedom, do you ? Want to speak out loud :” I’m free !”. Yes, you do. I do. We do. But wait a minute, hot shot! There’s something you’ve got to know.

Are you a chess or a player ?

The difference is obvious. Being a chess means being manipulated by the player. You can’t decide your own moves, you must obey commands. A pawn, a knight even a queen, it’s just the same. Look at some jobs, are they turning you into something similar to a chess ? Obey the rules, and likely to be sacrificed for another purpose.

Being a player means control over things. Decide what you want, and how to get it. A player is absolutely powerful. And it’s what Steve Palina wants in his article, shows the difference between a chess and a player.

But what's wrong being a chess ?

Hey, there's no "wrong-or-right" answer here. It's your personal and unique choice. I can't say which one is better.

Being a chess could be fun. A secure jobs with salary, have nothing to worry. But in cost of freedom, for sure. The job security depends on someone's decisions, not yours.

A player must think and plan 3 moves in advance. I once played chess, and this principle always works :”Plan 3 moves ahead this one”. Henry Ford once said :

“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few engage in it”.

Being a player means hard work and concentration and discipline. However, you can decide how much your income is, and how many of it. Wonderful, and freedom, yes, freedom.

Everything has its own price.

OK, now you're agree with me, but you can’t just jump in the strange body of water and adapt. You should prepare.

Why ? Unless you’re addicted to challenges, quitting a job without a backup plan is risky. ( Believe me, I was in that situation). On the other hand, each choice has both pros and cons, it's up to you to decide.

In my opinion, it’s better to have a job then create your new income.

Remember, you can be a mere chess at this playfield, but a mighty player at other places.

OK ! What now ?

I'll show you a way to be a chess player, of course.

1. Motivate yourself

If you’re jobless , it’s quite easy.

If you have a job, the resistance could be high enough to prevent you from doing this.

It's the thought : "Why should I do this ? I'm Okay now. Later ! I don't have time".

Remember, a player has plan for 3 moves in advance.

Solution : Pay attention to something you really, really want. Something you've dreamed of for a long time, it can be bought easily with the salary and savings, but of course, don’t pay for it. For example :

_ Watches

_ TV
_ Tools for home improvement
_ Gift for your wife ( home applicances )

Remember this principle : Buy these with your new income, not your salary.

2. Create an income to buy it

How many ways to make money ? Well, countless. Remember, 80% ( or even 90 % ) of them are useless, which means neither of them create a cent. But, keep up the good work. You're just one step away from the finish line.

Write down all your ideas ( even useless ones ) because you don't know, maybe it'll be useful again in the future.

There're for you something to chew on :

A freelancer : writing, designing, programming, anything. What are you good at ? Consider it a part time job, do it at weekend.

A translator : language proficiency is always good . And if it’s a rare and hard one, it’s better than good. Italian, Hebrew, Chinese, ..., up to you.

Write an ebook : Your experience, your knowledge, can you turn them into a guide ? Now, thanks to Internet, publishing ebook is simple.

Resource :

1. Books :

I hererby include 10 books to give you basic ideas about this topic

( News : If you're U.S and Canada citizens, 18 years of age or older,you can have a free copy of Multiple Streams of Income: How to Generate a Lifetime of Unlimited Wealth!
here )

2. Board Game and E-Game:

The famous Cashflow games are recommended for your financial freedom journey. They're easy to play, but have precious lessons. I've been playing with these for months, and found them really interesting

The first two are board games. The board games is fun when being played with your friends while the E-games ( the rest ) are designed for personal training with your PC ( but online playing is also available ).The last one is Cashflow for kids with fundamental concepts.

There're some differences between Cashflow 101 and Cashflow 202

Cashflow 101 teaches accounting, finance, and investing at the same time. It gives you fundamental ideas about Rat race, Fast track, Opportunity, Downsized... You must play this before proceeding to Cashflow 202

Cashflow 202 provides advanced business and investing techniques used by technical investors by adding volatility to the game. It has advanced investment techniques of "short-selling stock", "put-options", "call-options", "straddles" and real estate exchanges. The game is more challenging, thus it's harder to win.

You must have Cashflow 101 before purchasing 202.

Cashflow for kids : The kids may found this board game less interested than Xbox 360

But why we don't make this a game, with prize ?

Tell them : If they play the board game good enough, they will know how to purchase this awesome LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon
with their own money.

3. Ebook publisher :

You may want to have a look at Smashwords ( I’ve published my first ebook here, love the service ), Lulu is another choice.

These articles provide some insights about this service :

How to self-publish an ebook by David Carnoy

How to actually make money selling ebook by Ryan Dube

4. Freelancer :

I've tried these sites and would like to share to you :

a. Odesk

The most popular site for freelancer. I highly recommend it because of the professional services. It's like the combination of LinkedIn with a freelancer site. The users should create their own profiles ( the progress is measured with a 100% quota ) which give other a closer look at their experience.

Another good point for this site is "the test" giving you appropriate questions for your chosen area. For example, if one of your skills is "writing", then oDesk will recommend you to take a test about this area ( multiple choices ). The test result is "solid proof" for the skill, good idea.

Remember, a fresh user get only 3 proposals per week. To increase this number to 15 proposals per week, he or she must take a test about the oDesk service ( brilliant idea )

Whether you're a freelancer or a client, oDesk has protection for each case :

_ Freelancer : you'll be provided with a "time check" ( if doing hourly job) to make sure the paid relevant to the spent hours. ( They recommend freelancers to take hourly job because this feature makes it easy to calculate the bill )

_ Client : Must have your payment verified to get trust by the freelancer. The client can sue the freelancer if you believe he or she did something fishy.

b. Elance and Peopleperhour

They are also great. I love the layout of these sites, clear and nice.

They have one thing in common, you have 15 points for free account. Each time posting a proposal costs you 1 point which can be purchased more with money.

Elance allows you to put your proposal at the top for another 1 point.

But they don't have the profile builder as professional as oDesk did.But give them a try.

c. Getacoder :

Not just for coder ! You may find countless of jobs here.

I have some bad feeling about this site. It does provides profile for user, but the profile isn't detailed. And they don't force the user to provide true information. So we have no idea if the client is good or not.

Somebody may hire you only to type captcha images for them, be careful, stay away !

In my opinion,oDesk remains top choice, Elance and Peopleperhour are worth trying. Getacoder is just for outsourcing your job.

For other freelancer websites, view this article : 19 ways to make money online

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