18 then 15 days Left - The Eulogy That was Never Given

My grandmother, Mama Ling, finally arrived here in Cebu for she wished that here should be her final resting place. So for the past 3 days we held a wake in our chapel where I slept over for the night thinking that for the last time I am able to sleep near her for she used to sleep beside me all my elementary days.

I was asked to deliver a eulogy on the day of our funeral but however the ceremony was continuous that I never got the chance to give it. So might as well share it here...

The 8 Lessons I Learned from the Best Grandmother in the World: Mama Ling

1. Love Your Dogs

Of all the people in the house, its only Mama Ling who gives great attention to our dogs especially Keisha our "outdoor" poodle. She was the only one who remembered to give great care to Kiesha, giving her bathes and comb, for the wonderful years of service in our family. I'm sure our Lord also would grant Mama Ling the goodness of eternal life after how she had served Him through serving her family.

2. Never Settle for Less
Mama Ling together with Papa Mimi has lived in the US for quite some time already. And so they often send us "balikbayan boxes" or stuffs to her families here in the Philippines including my relatives. And Mama Ling is always the one looking for NEW things for us. She would often us ask us what's new or what's in and she would do her best to provide us with that without us having to ask. She always sees to it that we, our families and relatives, deserve more. Improve and improve never settle for less.

3. Exercise! Take Good Care of Your Health

No one beats how mindful Mama Ling is to everybody's health even she is thousands of miles away from us. She always reminds us to take good care of our health. Telling my mother to pick the right kind of food, my father to get a move on and exercise, and for my sister to eat..a lot!

Why give so much concern of health?

The one thing I still cannot comprehend was the fact that My Mama Ling suffered and died from a sickness she didn't do to herself. She had a rare hereditary cyst on her kidney that made it malfunction so she has to go on dialysis 3 times a week for the past 4 years. So for 4 years, 3 times a week, a long and thick needle is being plunged to her arm left and right or to any part of the body with a good vain for her dialysis.

And about 2 years ago cancer cells were found in her lungs that was described to be caused by too much exposure to firecracker powder around their place during her younger years. So she had to undergo a painful chemotherapy through a tablet that would often bring her nausea, sleeplessness, heaviness, skin irritation, and hard breathing.

You cannot just imagine her suffering! Unlike most of us where we get sick due to unhealthy habits hers was something she was innocent of. And she does not deserve it!!! The only gratitude I could get from this was that she shared a similar suffering with our Lord. "Thy will be done."

4. Never Ever Give Up!

All her colorful and dozens of medications, the unwarned strikes of her sicknesses had never stopped Mama Ling. The only complain we heard from her was that she was already so tired but she never gave up. She could have had given up easily, stop helping herself, but she chose not to. Why?

5. Have Powerful Goals

Studies show that most elderly people tend not to look to the future, there is nothing to look forward to. But Mama Ling was different. She always has something to look forward to and hers was to come back to the Philippines and attend the college graduation of my sister next March 2011. This is very rare for a dying person, but this thought helped her survive. She had to carry the weight of the suffering, she has to fight a losing battle so she can spare some money to send for my sister's schooling. Her goals was simple but that kept her forward...on and on and on.

6. In the End, it's Always the Family that Matters

All her life, Mama Ling lived it all for her family. If there is one word above "mother" then she would be it. No person had showed me the value and importance of a family. Normally, at the later years, people would often sit back relax and enjoy their retirement but Mama Ling was the opposite she chose to continue serving her family while suffering silently her sickness. She might have not became successful in a career or in wealth but her true wealth was found in the family she had brought up through the years. The success of us all in our different fields was all because of one loving mother who never failed us once.

7. Love 'till It Hurts No More

Now the hurt is gone and Mama Ling found her peace.

Mama Ling loved us all and showed it to us even as our distance hurts her so much and more the pain she carried in her sicknesses. No distance can stop her love, no cancer can stop her love, no problem can stop her love, and no pain can stop her love. She has transformed the most painful of all innocent sufferings into the most wonderful form of love. Mama Ling has loved us all...day by day...year after year...till it hurts no more.

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I promise to live by these lessons.
And live my dream sharing her story.

22 Days Left - Making the Impossible, Possible

One of the best life discovery is when you realize that the seemingly impossible, is really possible.

That's what happened.

I never thought God would give me an opportunity to take on the-most-feared-strong-despised-blamed-tiger-but-people-never-knew-they-were-wrong manager of our company. At her discouraging time, God invited me, "Hanz, this is your time, inspire her, let me do my work through you!"

I did hesitate. At first I was afraid, I was petrified. (lyrics?) It's like trying to motivate a wall to move. But hey, I won't lose anything. And so what I did, I barged into their conversation as she was trying to express her dismay and simply offered her to read the book "The Way of The Shepherd". And I was amazed that she accepted it.

You see. When I started working there, I was at times disappointed of how she manages things. It was like trying to make life miserable for us. She was this type who really sticked to the rules, no matter what! She also has this look - the same look I have that made one applicant exclaimed at me, "Sir, hadlok jud ko nimo.", "Sir, I'm really afraid of you."

But being my immediate superior, as I get to spend more time with her than any other supervisor of my level, I came to understand her thinking and her ways. Her weakness that drove people nuts was also her strength that made her good on her job.

We continued with our conversation. She finally exclaimed that she would resign. I offered her the book with the goal in mind that if only she would combine her way of strict monitoring and the principles of leadership found in the book she will become one great leader.

I also found out that one of her "loves" was to audit! No wonder! I asked her as an assignment to figure out her loves - core gifts and figure out too her goals - in detail. I explained that this is the first step we should do before just exclaiming to resign.

I can't wait to get back to her answers. I'll be texting her Feel Great qoutes too. I also challenged her to finish the book in one sitting. I can't wait.

By the way, you know what was the seemingly impossible that became possible? She called out...
"Hanz, my new advisor"

25 Days Left - The BIG Dilemma

"I am dying to resign!!!"

I cannot contain the opportunities that lay in front of me lately these days. The turn of events within the last days of the 90-day challenge have opened promising doors ahead and I so want to step my foot in all of them. Finally I would be out of the rat race, BUT there is a very big BUT! I still do not have enough financial stability to support my family. You see, I'm the only income earner in the family. So I'm in a pretty deep dilemma lately.

Just last night, I stumbled on this powerful, rocking video of Gary Vaynerchuk: Do What You Love (No Excuses!). Here it is:



And you know what? this video sorted out things in my head. Here are my insights:

There is no reason to do sh*t you hate

Exactly. Hear Hear. This is why I won't resign just yet. Yep, I love my work, I just hate the fact that I'm working for somebody else!! I know, I'll be missing a lot of opportunities while I'm working there. If you could only see the mess on my to-do list in this laptop's sticky notes. With the book, businesses, LOJ, my internet plans, and all its waaaay to tempting to get out. But, like what I've posted, I'm exploiting my work to train myself to become a motivational speaker and coach. (I recently discovered how my writing skills have improved, never did anyone refused on my proposal letters lately!)

You need to hustle!

However, a few seconds ago, I made a decision to do double time on this. I have to learn as fast as I can on all these. My major project is to duplicate myself in the workplace, nurture leaders with my mindset, just by then will I resign. And because of this...

Legacy is greater than currency

This is what I am mainly after-my core desire. Duplicate. Leave a mark on all my team members. A name for myself. 

But thinking practically, how could I support my family if I cut off my income, as what Gary said..

You don't get money for doing what you love...I lost a sh*tload of money for doing what I love

He maybe right, but with the us GEMs - Group of Enlightened Millionaires - we'll prove him wrong. At this stage of my life he may be right, but as you can see, he said something that encourages me...

Patience...Small niches...can grow Crazy...if he's patient enough.. he's gonna be huge!

I know I'm gonna be huge. I'm sure about that! I may only have a handful of fans, but they're my fans now.  I just need to tell myself over and over again, if I'll focus on earning fast cash to make my exit out of the rat race, I might just lose the cash fast! I haven't even fully established my millionaire mind as shown in my attitude during the night race, see?

All I need to do right now is do small but powerful steps one at a time in this journey. 

And still enjoying every step of it.

36 Days More - Living Your Dream

I just came from work, and the first thing I did was to turn on the laptop, log in to my blog and post this. It's 10:46 in the evening and dinner can wait because I have to tell the world that I just had experience what it feels to do the thing you love the most at its best...inspiring people!

I spent the rest of the afternoon having a talk to one of the supervisors of my team and it was so fulfilling that I can feel living my dream of touching lives and motivating people.

It started with a little chat about a small business start-up. I was struggling not to sleep while typing a report and he was beside me working. And so I opened up to him what I shared to another employee which was also his neighbor of starting up a distilled water distribution in their place. I opened to him the idea, its an open market, with little investment, and semi-passive income. He was so thrilled of it and I told him to strike on it tomorrow because it's his day off. You would really notice his face lit-up with enthusiasm. And I was even more motivated to share to him my insights because he kept on with the conversation.

The turning point was when I shared to him what I have been doing - the 1 million 90 day challenge. His face was totally puzzled. Explaining to him of becoming a millionaire without the money was like explaining molecular biology to a 5 year old. But soon, with just the right examples, he was able to see my point but was not able to grasp it.

But the magical thing of the experience was what was happening to me! Words just came out so smoothly! I can't believe how my thoughts was singing in harmony with my words that little by little he was listening very intently and was smiling as he was realizing the truths I was sharing him. My beliefs, my values, rich attitude, millionaire mindset, and all other good stuff in this blog.

But for me this was for me the best part...

He asked. "Wait sir, lets talk about how can you actually get that 1 million."

"You see, before you get to the "how", you must clearly establish the "why". Why do you want to get the million? Okay, ask me why I want to get the 1 million"

He was smiling, and shaking his head and said, "Okay."

But I responded, "No, come on, ask me why do I want to get the 1 million."

"Okay, okay. Why do you want to get the 1 million?"

"I know how you feel right now. I know you feel so good about what we've been talking, am I right?"

He laughed and shook his head.

"You see, that feeling you have right now, if I don't have that million, I can create that feeling to only one person at a time. But I have that million I can inspire more people. With the million I can go to other islands and places and inspire people their. I can help more people, teach more people, and spread that very feeling you have right now to more and more people. And I cannot do that if don't have enough money......"

I paused. He smiled.

"And this is my "why". So you see, no matter what obstacle comes in my way, with this "why" nothing can stop me. I will achieve that million no matter what!"

That was not scripted. Not practiced. It just went out of my mouth deep from my heart.
And at the back of my head I can see how great it is to live your dreams.

42 Days Left - Focus on My Preaching Skills

Things had been quite different lately, especially on the way I manage my work and my team. Like what I said, I'm now focusing on harnessing my skills in writing and preaching or putting it simply: touching lives.

As you know, we have been writing much on our upcoming book. So how about my preaching skills?

Simple, I give simple talks  to my people in anyway I can.

Every morning we have a pep-talk. And honestly for me, its just the most awaited part of my work! Pep-talk is where the whole team would gather around discuss what happened the previous day, share to them the events and plans, or any other important information dissemination. But instead of all these, what I do is to share them  stories, and positive inputs about work and about life and life purpose. Most of them came from not-so-well-off families. Financially struggling, and lack direction in life. And it's such a great feeling looking at them listening intently and seriously when I talk to them about life truths and principles!


My common topics would be that they are all  meant for greater things - living beyond the ordinary. I also give much emphasis on how important for me their tasks. All they have to do is to perfect their small tasks and responsibilities and leave the rest to me. As long as they perfect that then we can bring the whole team forward. I would keep on reminding them, for the past 8 monhts, if you can perfect the small things then can you be able to handle bigger things.

Improvements? Not much. Maybe it would really take enough time and individual focus. But what I'm confidently sure is I have made them uplift themselves from not just mere workers but team members. Plus, the respect I gained from them is assuring.

Aside from the pep-talks, I also shoot some simple truths if I can in our conversations. When they complain, give opinions, or start a talk, I always, in any way I can, inject to them something positive. Those moments that they would bow their head in silence and smile. Gotcha!

And so, instead of complaining on my work as in my other post, there's something I look forward to everyday. It may not be much, but the experience is gratifying. Plus, I get to focus on my life skills. Remember, what you focus on grows!