by Helmi Hakim | Mar 28, 2009 | Motivation
I always asked my financially successful friends, on what drives them to work hard to make a lot of money.Many concur that, if one works hard, only being motivated by money, it is RARELY sustainable.
Especially in our job scope, when this month we have high commission, next month, we tend to slack or tend to rest, because we are so contented with our prior month’s paycheck. very bad
Sometimes, I’m just curious in seeing how,some people just get SUPER motivated and SUPER charged up to continue their high energy level and building momentum to work hard.
It gets me very curious…….and I started asking questions….. 🙂
What is the “driver” to make these people work hard?
What is the “motivational element” that makes these already financially successful people work hard?
Are they all in only for the MONEY?
I happened to ask 3 top financial consultants in my company, on the very reasons why they work hard. I will not name them for privacy.
The first one, tell me…”Helmi…I work hard because I NEED to support my family…I NEED to ensure that my wife, my children have enough food to eat. I will do whatever I can, to support them. I love them so much and they are EVERYTHING TO ME!!!”
So….I know, the first top financial consultant, works hard BECAUSE he needs to support his family.
The second top financial consultant, I asked the same question and he replied, “I work hard because feel syiokla see my face in newspaper. Shaking the CEO hand, collecting awards. I feel high, you know when seeing our colleagues whispering amongst each other saying top agent is coming….hahahhhaha”
So I know, the second top financial consultant, work hard BECAUSE of recognition.
The third , replied me with tears rolling down the cheek, “Recognition, all these, I dont need. In fact, I dont even attend all these ceremonies. I work hard promoting life insurance, because I have seen so many of my distant family members suffer because they do not have insurance when they need it. I feel SAD for them. I feel like that I am their only hope. I want to spread the message of the importance of insurance to everyone. If they do not want to listen to me, it is okay…at least I know, I have done my part…I need to help them…..”
I wrote this post, because I know, that there are many financial consultants out there reading my blog, and I will like to offer this strategy of encouragement for you to continue to work hard.
Find your energy “driver”, your purpose, on why you CHOOSE to be in this industry, and then insyallah…you will find that magnetic energy that will force you to surge forward to meet the demands of your job.
Are you in because you want to help people? Are you in because you want to support your family? …Or are you in because of recognition?
You know what? It doesnt matter!!! 🙂
Understand your values, your drivers….Remember, money is just a piece of paper. You can earn it and you can lose it in a split of a second.
When you clearly understand your values, you will move forward, taking consistent actions towards your goals without flinching in doubt of your daily life.
Yes…Identify your drivers NOW and live a purposeful life! 🙂
by Helmi Hakim | Feb 17, 2009 | Insurance, Investment, Miscellaneous, Motivation
Yes…. I am writing a book on Financial Planning.
I will complete it by June 09 and then send it for publishing. It will be available in your local bookstores, once ready! 🙂
The “planned” title of the book is “33 Common Questions People Asked Me As Financial Consultant In Singapore“… (title may change, to make it more CATCHY)
Let me detailed you some of the questions that I will answer in the book….
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Questions On INSURANCE
– Why You Must Get Insurance?
– How Much Coverage Do You Exactly Need?
– What Are The Different Types Of Insurance Available For You?
Questions On SAVINGS & INVESTMENT
• How Do You Create Your Personal Income Statement, Your Personal Balance Sheet & Your Personal Cashflow Statement?
• Discover 3 Big Differences Between People Who Are Successful Financially & People Who Failed Financially.
• How Do You Increase Your Savings By 10% Without Losing A Tint Of Sweat?
• What Is Parkinson’s Law & How Do You Avoid It?
• Why, When, Where and How Do You Invest In Funds? X% Bonds? Y% Equities?
• How To Logically Create Passive Income, So That One Day You Can CHOOSE Not To Work?
• How Do You Measure, How Much EXACTLY You Need For Your Retirement?
• Why Your CPF/EPF Is Not Enough For Your Retirement?
• Why You Should Never-Ever Buy Stuffs On Loan? Examples?
• 6 Months Of Emergency Funds In Fixed Deposit. Huge Opportunity Cost?
• How To Use A Financial Calculator? Just Remember 5 Variables & You BECOME A Financial Expert. 🙂
• Looking For Instruments With Best Return On Investment? How Is Compounded Interest Different Than Simple Interest? (Learn To Interpret Deceiving Financial Brochures)
• How To Create A Budget?
• Credit Card, Double Edge Sword? How To Use It To Your Advantage?
• What To Look For When You Invest In Stocks? Are You Dividend Oriented Or Looking For Capital Appreciation?
• How To Reduce Tax LEGALLY If You Are An Employee? If You Are A Business Owner?
• What You Should Know When Financing A Car?
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These are some of the questions that I will answer in the book. (working very hard on it!)
Right now, I need your help. I am very sure that at the back of your mind, you have some BURNING questions, on insurance, savings or investments.
PLEASE…….Please leave your questions in the comments section below.
Should you have a website, and you will like me to include your name and website url in my book, please leave your details below too…. Its a POWERFUL viral strategy for you to market your business for FREE! 🙂
Yes…. Just type one of your burning questions at the comments section, below…. I truly APPRECIATE your help! Thanks so much! 🙂
by Helmi Hakim | Feb 14, 2009 | Motivation
Let me ask you a question?
What is the most DANGEROUS disease that humans in the whole wide world can have?
Answer: COMPLACENCY
Sometimes, when I compare my income with my peers (of the same age as me), I feel that I am much way ahead and start to feel complacent. When I get complacent, I will come late for my roadshows.
I will surf the net in my office instead of doing my telemarketing, calling my existing clients and prospects that I have gathered during my cold canvassing.
I will prefer to call my friends to go JB and relax, instead of doing some reading to upgrade myself.
I will prefer to just listen to music while in MRT rather, than listening to Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, Blair Singer audio programs. paid hundreds for it
Are you in a similar position as me? Gheeee…. it just doesnt really feel good, you know…when later, you find yourself at the back instead AHEAD of the pack.
Luckily, I found a method, to stop myself being complacent and cheong fight my way ahead.
The no secret, confirm to work method to avoid yourself from being too complacent is to MIX with people who are BETTER than YOU.
1) When I know, some of my colleagues earning $15,000, $20,000 a month, my complacency level COMPLETELY WIPE OFF.
2) When I see, a number of my colleagues are MILLIONAIRES, living in enviable condominiums, my drive to attain such material possessions INCREASE tremendously.
3) When I see, a new, young agent, who just joined, closing so many cases, I question myself, why SHOULD I STOP?
This is a powerful strategy. So if you want to STOP yourself from being too COMPLACENT, start to surround yourself with people who are way, way, BETTER than you! 🙂
by Helmi Hakim | Feb 9, 2009 | Investment, Motivation
I believe, this is a very intriguing topic, for Mondays’ motivational post.
You see, many people including ME, loves to spend. Everytime, earn money, I love to splurge on everything that looks ATTRACTIVE to my eyes. nike sales @ singapore expo just over
Yes… I always advise my clients on the boundaries of “needs” and “wants”. Buy stuffs only, if you NEED it. Save 20% of your monthly income. Have 6 months savings of your monthly expenses for contingencies….Think savings as on a daily basis, makes it much EASIER for you to save….Savings is GOOD, spending is BAD…..dadadahhhh….
It is like script that I have rattled over 1001 times….preaching and at times lambasting others to do savings. Easier said than done. Period.
The question now is, “How do you exactly MOTIVATE yourself, to do more savings?”
The strategy that I am about to share with you, is a well known strategy that many who find it difficult to save money like me, contends that this is the BEST, “sure to work” strategy.
It is called “FORCED SAVINGS”! 🙂
Most people, what they do, when they get their pay, is that they SPEND their money first, and then later, they SAVES.
They spend their money, and then later at the end of the month, begin to kancheong question themselves, “Eh? Where all my money gone into?”.
Unfortunately, for many, the “balance” at the end of the month is too little or worst… they have a negative cashflow, taking GE loans, Courts loans, even worst….credit cards loans @ 24% interest per annum! 🙁 –sigh, disappointment–
What you need to do is, save your money first, and the remaining, SPEND it! Get a regular savings plan, ie endowment plan or investment linked policy. (Note: Financial Advisors like us can do a risk profile analysis for you)
The money will be deducted every month automatically from your bank account. I did this, and NOW, whenever, I spend money, I can do so without feeling guilty.
Why? Because, I know that my savings, for the basic needs have been well taken care of! 🙂
So remember, when you get your pay, SAVE your money 1st, and then later, you can SPEND the rest, without feeling guilty! 🙂
by Helmi Hakim | Feb 7, 2009 | Miscellaneous, Motivation
Yesterday, our team have our “Lou Hei” session at Melleo’s Place Cafe, East Point Mall. 🙂
Its a culture in our team, where we frequently gathered together, to build the cohesive and camaraderie, while strengthening our team spirit, in facing challenges and obstacles that fall upon us… too long winded
Btw, 20 seconds advertisements, to my friends’ blog. 🙂
Alvin Soong : www.skcagency.com/blog
Wei Liang: www.weiliangtan.blogspot.com
Thomas Ong: www.thomas-ong.com
Evelyn Cai: www.evelyncai.blog.com
Back to Lou Hei….
‘Lou Hei’ is the tossing of ‘Yu Sheng’, a colourful salad platter of raw fish and crunchy vegetables, to symbolize luck and prosperity.
This dish is traditionally served on the seventh day of Chinese New Year, which the Chinese celebrate as “everyone’s birthday.”
The 7th day of Chinese New Year is known as “yan yat” (day of humanity). Each day of the new year is named after an animal.
”Yee” means “fish” and “Sang” means “toss”. However, “Sang” as it is pronounced can also mean “rise up” or “give birth”. “Yee” can also mean “prosperity”.
The rule of yee sang is that the dish itself must be very colourful. It usually consists of coloured flour strips in red and green.
Also shredded carrot, shredded radish and ginger which has been dyed red and green. Crispy strips of fried stuff is added. This is arranged on a large plate with each ingredient seperate from the other.
When ready, you mix it up with the sauces, and use chopsticks to toss the whole thing up….while everyone “shouting sales ar, sales ar, sales ar“….
The higher you toss the salad and the louder you shout ‘Lou Hei’ or “sales”, the more luck you will have in the coming year.
hahahhhh…Its kinda good for bonding exercises! 🙂
by Helmi Hakim | Feb 4, 2009 | Miscellaneous, Motivation
I have been attending a series of seminars these past few weeks, and what changes me on the way, I look at life is this seminar called, “Quality Leadership & Life Management Training” by Mr Sutrisna Suryadilaga, a well known motivational speaker from Indonesia.
Prior to attending this seminar, I was thinking on what life is really about. Why are we here on this planet called earth? What does it really mean by leading a “balanced lifestyle”? You know, like many, I want to be a successful person. Yet the underlying reason to “Why Be Successful” seems so weak. At times, I asked myself if, “all the decisions that I make today are the right ones?”
Why or why not? …… thank god, this purposeful seminar open up my eyes and served as an in depth, spiritual enlightenment.
Sutrisna starts of the seminar with a story and later shares practical, easy to understand life tools and methodologies that answer all my queries.
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The Story
Once upon a time, there is a well known director, looking ahead for retirement. He is rich, very successful, have lots of money and now, finally looking forward to relax, and enjoy his lifestyle. He went to the open sea, to enjoy the cool breeze….ahhhh…very refreshing.
Then he saw, a young man on a dingy boat. Lieing down, relaxing, looking at the cool, blue sky.
The director said to himself, “Gosh! Today is a weekday. Why is he not working and just lazing around lazily?”
Feeling disturbed, he approached the young man, and asked him, “Young man, why are you not working today?”
Young man replied, “For what work?”
Director feeling agitated answered, “You work so that you can earn money.”
Young man said, “For what earn money?”
Director replied, “You work hard, so that you can earn money, buy things that you want and enjoy life.”
Young man said, ” What makes a difference between you and me now? I am young and I am enjoying myself now.”
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Sutrina then left us to think about the story, and then provide us with tools on leading a fulfiling life.
There were many things that he shared with us, like, goal settings, purpose of life, etc2…… but what sticks on me till now, is making decisions based on “hati nurani”, heart voice.
There are many ways, benchmarks that we use in making decisions.
We can use LOGIC to make decisions. We can use GREED to make decisions. We can use LUST to make decisions…. yet the best decision making methodology is to use our HEART VOICE “Hati Nurani” to make decisions.
It will never misguide us and will promote ever lasting happiness. When we make decisions based on our heart voice, our conscience, we will find that whatever action steps we take are the right ones.
I will strongly recommend anyone who will like to have a better perspective on life to attend this QLM training. It will give you the direction and energy that you will need most! 🙂
