Chris Leong

It is the beginning of a brand new year and I’m in a particularly reflective mood. I always felt that looking inward and reflecting back is important for ones personal development. It gives me a sense of whether I really grown as a person. And of course I don’t mean physically. That, I leave it to nature 🙂

2012 – a year of tribulation

2012 to me is a year that I was tested the most – both in terms of career and personal life. It present to me many challenges, and many of them struck me emotionally. Ironically, 2012 was also a year that bears me many fruits. I managed to get a lot of things done and some of the achievements were close to my heart. Something I can be proud of.

I guess during the testing times is where the fire will burn the strongest. The process, no doubt, would be painful but it also fortifies one’s character. I’m fortunate that it made me a better person and manage to end the year on a better note.

Looking back, I’m still counting my blessings as many of the things that I’m been working on bore fruit at the most unlikely time. The most significant one would be the angel tax incentive and my MBA. It was lobbied for 2 years and through sheer grit and support from various stakeholders, the Prime Minister finally announced it in his budget speech in September 2012.

The other thing was my MBA. I finally manage to finish my MBA and surprisingly, with a distinction. That was a huge surprise for me, as I needed a really high score for my dissertation to get a distinction. And the deadline to submit was during the most challenging time of my life (managing a regional event – ABAF for Cradle and juggling life). I’m glad that everything workout fine in the end J

I draw many lessons from 2012. But I would like to share 3 personal lessons that make me a better person.

1) When it rains, it pours. So learn to dance in the rain

Shit happens and unfortunately shit attracts more shit. So either you take it as a lesson/test or you can whine about it. Learning to be thankful about what you have rather than what could have been will open up opportunities for better things to happen.

Looking at the positive side of a bad event and learning the skill (yes it can be learnt) will allow you to find joy in what you have. Trust me. Luck and fortune will find the people who is smiling rather than whining. J

2) Let go. Focus out and take a step at a time

Fantasizing too much about the problem does not help, especially with a problem that is out of your control. So focus out on achieving things and letting go the problem temporary would do wonders to the mind. And more likely or not, if one stays idle too long most probably you are sitting on a lot of things that will transform into problems in the future (unpaid bills, missed deadlines ETC).

Taking baby steps forward equates to one huge step for your mental development. That step would most probably take a lot of mental strength but would lay the foundation for one to conquer bigger problems in the future.

3) Do the right thing. You sleep better at night

I’m old school and like to stick on to traditional values. I strongly believe that when you do bad things, it would be like a boomerang. It would come back sooner or later.

My moral benchmark is simple. If the things I do, won’t let me sleep well at night then it fails my benchmark. A revengeful/evil heart is just bad investment. I’m the type of people who prefers to spend more energy looking forward rather than taking care of my back. And believe me, that is such a waste of time.

So, these are personal lessons of mine. And I do hope it benefits someone who reads it. Good-bye 2012. I’m thankful but I will always remember you as the year of fire.