And in retrospect, she could be right. I’ve gotten away with a lot of things. Given the stuff I’ve done, I should have got into way more trouble than I have, and I should have been far from where I am now. But I’m not. Why? Partly, I think it’s because I’m capable of bullshitting my way out of most situations.

But that’s not what I want to focus on now, because I don’t think it’s the most important thing. I think the most important things is this: I’m willing to try and push the system. I’m willing to go against the system, to test the limits, and to take the leap and see what happens.

And I think that’s the first, and arguably most important step in beating the system. Having that willingness to take the risk, to stand by what you want, and go for it. Too many people, especially here in Singapore, worry about getting into trouble. They worry that if they test the rules, or the authority, that they will get completely screwed over and things will be horrible. But more often than not, that’s not true.

Of course, you don’t just break the rules for the sake of it. But if you see a rule that you think is pointless, if there’s a part of the system you don’t agree with, have the courage to go against it. Once you get rid of that fear (of getting into trouble, of being outcast, etc), you’re halfway there.

Taking the leap is half the battle won.

What’s stopping you from going against the system, and living life on your own terms?

Now, that’s about to change. I’ve finally decided to step out and go after this dream that I’ve had for the longest time, and as such, I’m putting up my very own concert. I’ll be doing 5 originals – which I’ve written over the past 2 months – as well as a few originals, from John Mayer, Bon Jovi and the like.

So, for those of you in Singapore on 30 April, I would love if you could come and support me. It’ll be at 8pm, at the HSR auditorium. Maybe you’ll be inspired that you too can live your dreams as well.

No recording yet, though, but that’ll come in time. In the meantime, here are the lyrics to one of my latest songs. Let me know what you think?

Out of this Mould

I stare blankly at this page before me
Every word I think of just seems so cliche
It’s a striking image of my own life
Where there’s nothing new, and everyday just seems to be the same

I’m tired of the same old story
The same old excuses and worries
And I know, that it’s time to make a change

I’ve got to break out of this mould
Step out of this comfort that I’ve been trained to live in
Got to break out of my routine
Follow my heart, and start pursuing my dreams
Can’t just keep doing what I’m told, no, no,
I’ve got to break out of this mould

I take two steps forward,
Then one step back
Struggling to find my way
On this brand new track
I search for a sign, or a path that I can follow
But there’s none,
And I’ve got to go on my own

I’m tired of being just another face in the crowd
It’s time for me to stand up up and finally be myself

So yeah, that’s it. A reminder to myself to be true to myself and not let anyone else dictate my life. If you have any comments/suggestions, I’d love to hear them. =).

Arielle explains more about GenJuice in this video:

When she first told me about it, I was really excited about the idea. Using social media to help young people achieve their dreams – that’s something I really believe in and want to be a part of. That’s what I love the most about social media. For me social media is not really about helping big companies market their products (don’t get me wrong, it’s useful for that, but that’s not where my passion lies). To me, social media is a great platform for individuals to achieve their dreams.

So, I’ve decided to start a GenJuice in Singapore. I think it’s something that could be really great for young people here, and I’m really looking forward to it.

If it sounds like something that you’d be interested in, I’d love to have you come. You can view the event details (and RSVP) on the Facebook event, but basically, it’s on 6 March, 6pm, at Hackerspace Singapore.

Looking forward to seeing you there. =).

To be perfectly honest, I don’t have the answer myself. I’m struggling with that too. But poker has thought me a couple of things about it, though.

Firstly, it’s thought me to go back to basics when things aren’t going my way. More often than not, when things aren’t going well, the best way to get back on track is just to go back to basics. Things that won’t set the world alight, but you know will give you consistent results. Do that for a while, get some confidence back, and you’ll be back on track.

Secondly, while you’re doing that, figure out why exactly it is that you’re not succeeding as much as you think you should. You have to be perfectly honest with yourself. Sometimes, you just aren’t doing the right thing, and you need to re-evaluate your strategy/actions.

Thirdly, I think sometimes, the best thing to do is just take a break. Take a step away from it all – it’ll sometimes give you a fresh perspective on things.

That’s my three tips for getting out of a slump. But again, just my opinion. You guys probably have better ideas than I do, and I would love to hear them. So, yeah, what do you do when you feel you’re in a slump?

The biggest thing about the loss, though, was the way it happened. Arsenal had most of the possession, they passed it around well. They even created a few chances and all, but in the end they could not score. They couldn’t make the most of having controlled possession.

Chelsea on the other hand, had 3 shots all match. 2 of them went in, and 1 hit the crossbar. That’s pure efficiency. And that’s why we won.

And I think that’s true of anything in life as well. It’s all well and good being elegant and all, but at the end of the day, you need to be aware of whatever opportunities come up.You’ll always have opportunities and chances to achieve what you want. But you need to take your chances, or you’ll never win.

What opportunities around you are missing?

To be perfectly honest, I’ve been quite intrigued by the whole scenario. I honestly did not know of Daniel before this (though I probably should have), so it was interesting. To see another young blogger do something like this, and the reactions that its received.

Personally, I think what Daniel has done is indefensible. A group of us bloggers in Singapore recently had a meetup where we were just talking about the up-and-coming culture of bloggers asking to be paid. And I’m personally hugely against it. So, that’s where I stand on the whole issue. Daniel was wrong, and deserved to be fired.

The main two things that catch my attention, though, are these.

Firstly, Daniel’s statement. He doesn’t quite admit to anything on this. He says “a line was crossed that should have never been”, but that he “[does] not want to go into details”. He also seems to make excuses, claiming his youth. He then makes a request for privacy. You know what the statement reminds me of? Tiger Woods’ statement after his accident at the end of last year. It feels like a crafted statement, to reveal as little as possible, and try to sweep everything under the rug as quickly as he can.

Dewey Hammond put it perfectly well when he tweeted the following:

Ppl praising @danielbru ask yourself this: After getting caught red-handed what other choice did he have but to apologize?

And that’s what it strikes me as. An apology (not even an apology, but a statement), for the sake of it because he was already busted. Of course, I could be wrong, but personally, reading that, it didn’t seem particularly sincere or remorseful. I’d like for him to come out and be straight about it, and say “I did this. It was wrong, there was no excuse for it.”

Secondly, and more importantly, I think is the fact that lots of people are saying that people should cut him some slack because he is a kid. Yes, he is a kid, but kids can and do take on responsibilities too. (And for what it’s worth, from the way his statement itself is crafted, it seems to me that he’s more than smart enough to have known what he was doing.)

Granted, I’m a couple of years older than him (and am not quite anywhere near his level of fame), but speaking as a kid, I don’t think he should be excused on those grounds. Us “kids” are always asking to be treated and respected as adults, and well, to quote Spiderman, “with great power comes great responsibility”. You can’t have it both ways – you can’t ask to be respected as an adult, but hide behind the image of being a kid if you make a mistake.

If you want to hide behind the label of a kid, stay in the playground. Once you choose to step out, you need to face the responsibilities of being an adult – and own up to your mistakes. It may sound harsh, but that’s my 2 cents.

My point is, the hammer is just a tool. It’s how you use it that could get you fired (or not). It’s the same for these social networking tools, such as Facebook and Twitter. There’s lots of press lately about how using these tools could ruin your reputation, or get you fired. The latest example being this article on MediaPost.

And yes, what they write is completely valid. Companies are still not fully adjusted to this new world of social media, and if you overstep the bounds that they set, you could get fired. So yes, you probably do have to be careful, to a certain extent.

At the end of the day, though, it’s not about the tool. Twitter, Facebook – these are just tools. How you use it could get you fired, true. But that’s the same of any tool.

Most colleges today use the Common Application. For those of you who do not know, the Common Application is basically an undergraduate application system that allows students to fill up a certain online form, and apply to various schools with that same form. It makes application more effective, as students only need to fill up one form, and can have it sent to a number of different schools.

I appreciate the effectiveness of the application format. The problem, though, in my opinion, is when schools take that as the only way to apply. By doing that, they’re forcing all students to fit into that one template, and in my opinion, it takes away any individuality from the student. A college application, in my opinion, is not much different from a job application. The application (your recommendations, transcripts, etc) are like your resume – it’s a reflection of who you are, an extension of your identity. By forcefitting all applicants into the same format, schools are taking away any option for creative expression.

Imagine if, when you apply for a job, the company requires your resume to be in a fixed format. That doesn’t quite fly, does it? Yes, they might have personal particulars forms which they need you to fill up, but the bulk of your job application – your resume – is your own. It’s up to you to create. That’s why you have so many creative and unique resumes (and a quick search on google will turn up even more).

Why should college applications limit students to that one plain bland format? Sure, give a personal information form for administrative purposes if you need. And yes, definitely, offer the Common Application as an option, because most students will just use it anyway for ease of application. But give students the option of standing out and letting their personality shine through their application, if they are willing to put in the work to create such an application. Don’t limit students and take away any option for remarkableness. Students are unique individuals too.

So, all that said, here’s the personal part which you can skip over if you’re not too interested – my application. While I initially wanted to do something like a box, a 3-dimensional application that was interactive, and could be felt and handled, I realized that I’d be better served doing an application which could be filed away (because that’s what the school is going to do anyway) and still maintain its uniqueness and impact. So here’s what I did.

Basically, I bought a folder, and made 4 A6-sized booklets, which each summarized a different portion of my life. You can download the pdfs to see what I put into the b0oklets, if you wish – about me, activities, academics, appraisals. On the right, I inserted the necessary supporting documents and essays, with a note detailing the different sections. On top of the whole application, I attached a cover letter explaining my application, acknowledging that their website requests for application to be done via the Common App, but stating my objection to that (basically my argument above), and explaining that as such, I had done up my own application.

In essence, I included all the information they required, but in my own format. It’ll be interesting to see which schools accept the application. And yes, I know, it might seem a bit self-indulgent. But I think if I really believe that the Common App falls short, I should be willing to take a stand on it. I’ve always been about being your own person, standing by your beliefs, and being unique. And I figured I needed to really let that show through my application – to really “let my true colors shine through”, if you will.

So yeah, all that said. What do you think? Am I being too stubborn and self-indulgent here? Or is it a good thing that I’m trying to stand out and stand by my beliefs?

Yes, the show will miss him. But what I want to mention here is why he’s leaving. As the article mentions, he’s walking away from one of the highest paid jobs in the world. But he’s leaving because he doesn’t have ownership of the program. He’s leaving because he’s essentially “just talent”.

I’m in full support of that decision, and I think that it’s really good to see. And I think it’s something we need to remember, whenever we’re dealing with (and even more so when we’re managing) others.

It’s not always about the money. Ownership of what you’re doing, knowing that you have a significant role – that’s just as, if not more important. More often than not, as a motivating factor, ownership trumps money.

What motivates you? And how do you motivate those you work with?