If you’re born in a first world country like the US and Australia, that’s already your advantage. You have more opportunities and privileges than the people in the third world. But if you’re not from the first world, yet you’re born and raised in a wealthy or powerful family, that’s a huge advantage, too, by … Continue Reading →

Imagine there are 1 billion grains of sand on earth. And you are one of the grains. In your world, sands don’t do anything other than staying on the shore. They are just content being a sand. That’s it. But you are different. You think there’s more to life. You have a dream. So one … Continue Reading →

Our behaviors are not the problem — it’s an expression of the problem. I remember watching this video a few years ago. But I totally forget about it. Which I regret. If you’ve watched it, then you know what I mean: Our brains can be changed. And when we change our brains, we change our … Continue Reading →

Some people want to be always right. When someone does things they think are wrong, they’d feel the urge to correct them. They would share their thoughts about right vs wrong. For them, it’s their mission to bring these people back to the right path. Because who wants to be on the wrong path? These … Continue Reading →

Last 2019, I opened 17 books and finished the 11. This was much lesser than last 2018. But that’s because I tried a lot of new things last year. More action, less consumption (and I’m doubling the action this year despite the pandemic). I also discovered the importance of rereading. So I shuffled around 20 … Continue Reading →

1. The person who creates chaos. 2. The person who reacts to the person who created the chaos. 3. The platform serving the two participants. That’s what’s happening on Facebook and Twitter. One person posts or tweets something negative, and people react to it. Comments. Shares. Retweets. The result is a compounding chaos. Unfortunately, the … Continue Reading →

Many were devastated when their workplaces shut down temporarily. They were furious and anxious. I wasn’t surprised. Of course, they need money. Their loved ones depend on them. What’s surprising was when they said that they felt empty, restless, and bored (despite the fact that they’re healthy, they still have enough money, and they have … Continue Reading →

If you’re starting to learn a craft, you don’t have to become a master right away. You don’t have to be like Mozart or Picasso or J.K. Rowling. If it’s a music instrument, learning one or two chords and playing them properly in a day is enough. If it’s writing, one paragraph (or even one … Continue Reading →

People often ask me about this. So here’s my answer. First, let’s be clear: Nothing’s wrong with smartphones. I have nothing against them. Truth is, I often borrow my wife’s smartphone to document our travels or do a quick Google search. Other than that, my laptop and iPad handle all my digital activities — work, … Continue Reading →

1. More actions, less consumption. Too much information is pointless if it doesn’t add value to your life (and the people around you). Living is not about consuming. Strike a balance. 2. Believe but don’t fully subscribe. Just because an ideology seems helpful doesn’t mean it’s always right. Extract what’s only useful to you. Let … Continue Reading →

I wasn’t serious about it. Everyone in the team wasn’t serious. But man, it happened. Just like that. Whoosh! Bits of snowpack were shoveled into a shot glass — 9 shot glasses each sealed with wax, transported from Utah to Palawan, Philippines. That’s 7,771 miles, in case you’re too lazy to Google. So what’s with … Continue Reading →

I understand how you feel about the pandemic crisis, and how you hated some people for being a dumbass. And maybe the worst part is that life has become boring as hell. You can’t hang out with your friends. You can’t go to the places you wanted. Not to mention your worries are over the … Continue Reading →

So you’re mad because of their opinions about the government. You’re mad because they didn’t understand what the authorities advised. You’re mad because it’s clear to you that they are dumb. And yes, because you believe you’re right and a better individual. Right? Maybe. But you should also consider other reasons. Maybe you are just … Continue Reading →

This pandemic lockdown has turned me into a chat person. I’ve now connected more with people on Facebook than last year combined. Which is weird because I don’t encourage people chatting through Facebook. It feels inauthentic. And I kind of dislike scrolling because it makes me unproductive (and unhappy), well, sometimes. But now, here I … Continue Reading →

For the past two weeks, almost everyone I talked to were curious when this pandemic crisis would end. A month? Two months? Three? Who knows. This is beyond our control. But I’m sure everyone wanted to resume life to normal. Who doesn’t want to? What saddens me the most is the number of people consumed … Continue Reading →