Never say never

Do you like what you are doing? I mean, do you like your job? If you do, you are one of the lucky ones. If you don't, then I have two questions for you. Do you want to do something about it? When are you going to act on this?

There are two ways to deal with something that you don't like. You either learn to like it. Or you leave it. If you cannot do either of these, then you are stuck in the middle, which can be a real pain in the butt. Which brings me to the question of whether you chose this job in the first place or you simply had no choice. If you had a choice, then it's your fault if it didn't turn out as you expected. If you think you had no choice, then I say it means you know there is something better out there and it is your fault that you didn't try hard enough.

The point is, we have to learn to put the blame on ourselves when things don't go right. If you blame others, the blame stops there. However, when you blame yourself, you start to ask questions to yourself and seek solutions to your problems. You empower yourself to take the necessary action to remedy the situation.

That's the way it is, the world is a harsh place and if you are not tough enough, you will be at the losing end. The majority of us start out with an ideal picture of the world but become frustrated when realities begin to set in. In my generation, the medical and engineering profession is held with high esteem. Every parent would dream that their children would one day become a doctor or an engineer. Apart from the status that these profession bring, there is also good money and job security.

Unfortunately, times have changed. Let me rephrase it in another way. Society has progressed. The engineer is as disposable as the toilet paper. When the tech industry needs you, it hires you. When it is not doing well, it will not hesitate to fire you. I think this hire or fire process is more apparent here in the US than in other countries like Malaysia or Singapore.

What about doctors? This is even more disheartening when you hear malpractice cases. Recently, I spoke to a woman from Indonesia who lamented the quality of doctors in her country. One of her friends went to the hospital for flu but treated for cancer instead, was admitted into the intensive care unit and subsequently died!

Most of the folks would rather travel to Singapore or China (cheap but first class) to seek treatment than relying on local hospitals and clinics, be it government- or private-run. Thanks to government policies in awarding students a place at the universities or colleges based on race rather than merit, below par medical graduates are continuously produced. From what I hear, Malaysia is no exception.

But I digress, just a little....

If you have kids, what would you advise them to do? Would you groom them to become a sports personality? Would you encourage them to go into the entertainment industry? This is the case actually. The media circus has a lot to do with promoting careers along these lines. Following in the footsteps of Tiger Woods, you have young golfers like Michelle Wee etc. In tennis, kids as young as 6-years old are already training like professionals. So, the parents are really serious about their children's career development! Watch this:

It seems the way to achieve personal freedom is the financial route. If it is not because of money, you probably won't be stuck with your lousy job, right? With this in mind, some parents have taught their children what the traditional education system could not. It makes sense actually. Time and again, we hear people say that the education system makes a person lazy and less adventurous. We have become so used to having people spoon-feeding us. As a result, it is only inevitable that we do not know how to pull ourselves out of our situation.

Parents like Jenny Ford are teaching their children about business and wealth creation, how to be financially independent and making money online from an early age. It amazes me to know that children can compete against adults, even outdoing them. This is the great advantage of Internet - people cannot tell who you are or how old you are. You get to compete on equal footing.

You can find out more about their story here.

My point is, you can make the right choices in life. However, first of all, you need to detoxify your thoughts from all the negative elements. Never say that you cannot. Never say that you are too old or too young. Never say that you have no time. Never say that you are inapt at computers and internet.

Never say never.