You must be hungry to achieve your dreams

There was a public speaker who is a personal friend of Freddie Aguilar (a Filipino folk singer) who asked him why he had more hits during the early part of his career than in the 2000s. His simple response? “I was hungry back then”.

Freddie’s response reflects a life principle: In order to achieve success, you have to be hungry to get it. Just wanting it is not enough. You have to want it so badly that no one could stop you from getting to your goal.

image from: quotesgram.com

You can’t go off starting your professional career in mediocrity if you are serious in achieving your goals. When you start in your job, be reasonably aggressive in your performance and do not waste precious time. If you choose to be a happy-go-lucky guy for a time, you might be caught off-guard when suddenly, you have to raise a family and you have so much responsibilities that financial security is a necessity.

Our time in this world is limited, we are not young forever so better not waste our time with trivial things. Go and chase your most important priorities in life. And have enough drive in order to achieve them.

If you are hungry then your actions would be more aggressive towards getting to your goals. We only have a limited time so better do our best before it is too late. Having mediocre actions towards your most important goals is not enough.

People who did something great were hungry. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, The Beatles.. the list goes on. And if we examine their lives, we can see that they gave their all. Even more than their 100% in order to achieve success.

It is in being hungry that we achieve our most important goals. So do not be afraid to give it all that you’ve got in any of your endeavors.

How hungry are you to achieve your dreams?

Creating and Delivering Value at Work

What is value creation? It is creating a service or product that fulfills a need and provides satisfaction to a client. In the organization I work for, one of the core values is Client Value Creation. It is frequently mentioned in corporate emails, project wide meetings and company town halls. Value creation ensures the sustainability of a business. Without it, the business would be just a worthless endeavor that would eventually burn down on its own flames.

To stay relevant, we need to continuously improve the services we give to our clients. The enterprise should continuously provide a valuable service or product so clients would keep coming back and ensure income for the business.

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In 2012, the test automation initiative was started in our team. The goal is to increase the automated regression test cases and execute them every time there is a release to check if the system still works correctly after changes were implemented. However due to several issues like the virtual machine environment, frequent changes in objects of the application and issues in the automation process, our client has raised a concern that they do not see the return of their investment for the test automation initiative.  Our team has failed to provide the value they are expecting since most of the automated regression test scripts are not useable since they always need an update due to the changes done to the system. We found it difficult to balance supporting maintenance and quarterly releases (where test planning and manual test execution is done) with the test automation tasks (automating the regression test scripts) due to the high number of release items that need to be tested and limited team resources, the test automation effort was not given enough attention. And when time came that the client asks for the report on the usage of these automated regression test scripts, we could not provide a sensible report. We failed to deliver the value that the client expected.

When I assumed one of the leadership positions for our team, one of the major challenges was improving the test automation effort since by that time, IT is shifting towards new perspectives such as focus on automation, cloud-based systems and DevOps. We have two main challenges: How to increase the number of test automated scripts, how to create scripts faster and how to meet the target of 75% automated regression scripts by the end of the year.

By that time, the threat of another vendor acquiring our work looms in the background. We really needed to solve the problem and deliver what the client expects. Eventually, we were able to optimize our process in developing automated test scripts. The result is a significant increase in the productivity of our automation engineers in creating scripts resulting to larger coverage of automated regression test. 

It is not enough just to create value

Creating value is not enough to keep your clients, what is the sense of our test automation effort if only few test scripts are automated thus covering only a small fraction of the application? By optimizing our process, we managed to create scripts faster within timelines thus there is an increase in the regression test suite coverage of the application under test.

Optimize the way you deliver value

The service/product you provide would decrease in perceived value if you fail to deliver it quickly. Imagine ordering for home delivery of a delicious combo of burger and spaghetti from Jollibee (a popular Philippine fast food chain) but the store fails to deliver at an acceptable length of time. In the long run, Jollibee will lose its customers to other competitors. Speed is essential in any enterprise.  Speed of delivery further increases the value of your product or service.

Increasing the value you provide as an employee

Now let us go to the perspective of being an employee. If you increase your contribution in your organization, you are also increasing your value to the company and thus become eligible for promotion. Show your desire to help your organization more. Have the initiative to spearhead critical tasks or projects. Let the management notice the value you are adding to the company and you will be rewarded at the right time. If not within your company, there is always an organization ready to compensate the value you are providing, you just have to sell yourself properly.

Whether you work for an organization or you are an entrepreneur, value creation and value delivery should always be at the core of your actions and plans. These are basic and essential qualities to jumpstart or sustain a business.

What ideas do you see to create more value to your work/enterprise?

What processes do you see to help your team/organization to deliver value in a faster way?

Overcome your fear through action and an open mind

We are afraid of what we don’t know

In my field of work, we are always given tasks that are absolutely new to us. The work involves handling application change requests and enhancements. Since I work in a technology-consulting company, we are always making something new (changes and enhancements) to the application through major, operational and maintenance releases.

When I was beginning with my career, I always felt pressured and stressed in handling projects assigned to me. You always have to research on available documentations, ask questions and request for functional/technical walkthroughs from people involved in the project, most of whom are from different teams within the engagement.

In my reflections, the pressure and stress I feel is caused by the fear of doing new (unfamiliar) things. Before, I was the type of person who is quite averse in taking risks. The risk of failing, not quickly understanding the requirements, functional or technical design and the risk of embarrassment during discussions with colleagues. I was afraid of a new complex task because I do not know what lies beneath it, the code, data model, the functionality, etc. and more importantly, I do not know yet what to do with it.  

Later in my career I observed that nothing should be really feared or get stressed about in handling new and intimidating release items. You should have an open mind that is excited to explore new things that are coming to you. After completing several complex items, I realized that nothing should be feared about them once you know the ins and outs of the design. We are just afraid of what is unfamiliar, but after we immerse ourselves into it by careful study, focus and dedication, eventually that complex task will be completed successfully. Give it time, patience and proper analysis.

image from: www.a2ua.com

Have an open mind

Always be open to new ideas and comprehensions that come up as you study the task. Be open in searching for and reading through reference documents. Other colleagues who are familiar with the process would also be of great help. And also the ever reliable Google provides informative results to every query, we just have to enter the right keywords. Have an exploratory/investigative mindset. It is when we are open that we receive answers that are beyond the box of our assumptions which would enable us to deliver more value to our work.

Do not come up with quick assumptions about the task. Study it objectively first and explore different points of view.  Having a mental barrier while working on your tasks will limit your results.  

Always take action

Action will provide clarity to grey areas in your research. We are enlightened when we begin to act upon the issues/studies that we are working on. Do you notice the time when you continue to think about the problem and doing nothing about it then after you take action even though you are still unsure, clarity arrives and the answer to the problem is found? That is the power of action. It is by action that we conquer the thing we fear.

Test this idea on your next working day. After you complete your task, you will realize that it’s not what you thought about and nothing should be scared of its complexity. Just thread along and eventually you will complete it. 

Increase your wealth in three ways while employed

image from: www.thinkadvisor.com

During my schooldays, I followed the common philosophy of “finish school – get a good job – strive to be rich”. After 5 years in the corporate world, I realized if I wanted to have financial freedom, being an employee might not be the best path for me.

My original goal was to be a good employee hoping that it would bring me financial stability along the way. For about 4 years it seems everything goes smoothly and I am on the optimal track towards stability.

Then came the first major disruption in my financial life.

There was the sudden need to get my own space in the city. I became tired of renting, moving to and from apartments were you have no control of whether the owners are good or bad, the room is decent or intolerable, clean or dirty – let alone with bed bugs (yikes!). Also, I thought that amortizing your own space is better than renting a high amount where only the apartment-owners get happy while you work hard to earn and give them part of your salary.

Suddenly my earnings were barely enough to support my needs. Then in the midst of this challenging stage in my life I began to search and develop ways to solve the situation.

So I started finding ways to increase the amount of money that flows into my pocket.

Establish multiple streams of income: be an entrepreneur

When you are an employee, you have to wait for a certain time of the year for your salary increase, bonuses and other financial benefits. But when you decide to become an entrepreneur in parallel with being an employee, you have the chance to increase your earnings any time of the year depending on how you strategize your business. Have the humility to start with a small business. “He who is faithful in little things is faithful also in much”. The lessons you will learn from that small business will be your foundation in handling things when you get into the big league. Little by little you will feel your burdens become lighter as you no longer have to take away a large part of your active income to support you and your family’s needs. Your businesses take care of them.

The goal is to eventually make your passive income surpass your expenses. This is the second stage of your financial life, when your assets are already paying for all your needs and when you have the choice whether to continue with your active job or let go of it. Now that is financial freedom: Where money is never or a little factor when making life decisions.

Do not remain an employee all your life. You are missing a great many things by staying on a single income mindset.

Increase the wealth of your future self

Invest in stocks, mutual funds and other forms of investment vehicles for your retirement. In the Philippines, investing in stocks just recently became popular with the rise of the economy, the young workforce and financial gurus who launched their respective programs to increase the people’s financial IQ. Some might think that the stock market is a very dangerous place to invest. This is true when you are doing active trading. But when you adopt the passive investing strategy, you minimize risks.

There is a system of investing called the Strategic Averaging Method wherein you buy with a fixed amount for a period of time no matter what happens to the stocks be it up or down. The average of the profit and loss of your money would be your gain. Invest only in giant companies, those you can see that could last long. There are exceptions however: even if a company is relatively new, check who heads this company. If they have a history of running a good well known business and this new venture is in a promising field of the current market, do your research and consider investing in this company.

But let not stocks, mutual funds or bonds become the core part of your wealth, investing in these vehicles is good but the money you put here should be the part of your salary/bonus intended for passive investments and the money that comes from the profit of your businesses. Investing in these vehicles basically provides two benefits, you earn money passively by betting on large reliable companies and your money defeats the annual inflation rate since statistically, annual increase in stock value is higher than the average annual inflation rate. 

In Dr. Thomas Stanley’s book The Millionaire Mind a survey was done to America’s millionaires and in one area, the study found out that these millionaires cited that investing in stocks are important but is not the main source of their wealth. For them, it is still better to invest money in your own business where you have direct control. They invest their profits into the stock market for it to earn more.

Give it all you’ve got at work

For most of us, our active job is the major source of our income, it is our first source of capital in building wealth. Our salary is the one thing readily available when we decide to start a business or an investment in the capital markets. If your goal is to eventually escape being an employee, you can’t just decide to deprioritize your job and focus on your other endeavors. With this, it is wise to be good at what you are already doing and get rewarded for it before you toss away your job while you are still employed. Use your money earned in your active job to buy your freedom. Freedom to choose who you want to be and what you want to do (Of course this involves a strong will and positive action – more on this on other posts).

Think of yourself as a slave of your company. In order to buy your freedom, you should save a sizeable amount of money and start off with the business that you really like to do. Of course it is better to start the business while an employee. The earlier you start the better. For when the time comes, you will be more ready to shift to a career that you like. One that gives you more freedom to do the things that matter for you.

We know life is a paradox. For this case, in order to move away from the very thing you are tired of, you have to become more of that thing. So it is better to work hard as an employee, get promoted or get a good increase and use your savings to buy your freedom (i.e. start your own business). Of course if you enjoy your work, you can still be a part time employee. But strive to significantly grow your business so you will become more financially secure and free.

Yes it is hard with all the challenges at work: demanding clients, difficult bosses, aggressive peers, company processes. But these very things make your reward worth all the effort. After all, your financial independence is at stake.

The best way to escape the “slavery” of employment is to become a good if not the best “slave”. This way, you can buy your freedom in a shorter time.

There is more to life outside the four corners of your day job.

Change begins in the mind

Believe you can, say it, always affirm it in your mind until it becomes a habit.

Some of us had a non-ideal childhood experience. We may not have perfect parents to teach us good core values to adopt in life. We may not be exposed in the ideal environment that nurtures the formation of great individuals. The experiences and environment where we grew up contribute to what we become in our adult life. And this adult version of us is the tire that meets the road. The road that is: being an employee or an entrepreneur.  Thus we may find our self “not good enough” when we are first tested on the professional world.

image from: www.youth-time.eu

Through these experiences, environments and also genes, I somehow acquired this silly mindset of a “can’t do” attitude. Whenever there is a complex task, a high stake endeavor, or anything that cannot not be completed easily, my “can’t do” attitude surfaces. “No, that can’t be done it’s difficult!” “It will only cause you stress!” “It’s better to stay where I am, I might fail in the process and just resort to self-pity.” There I was, a “can’t do” minded guy on a “CAN DO” cultured company. This was one of my major lessons in the professional world. To change this mindset or to be left behind by my peers.

Gradually, I overcame this mindset. It was so difficult at first. Imagine most of my adolescent to early adult life, I am like this? Hell that was difficult. Now how did I overcome this challenge? Like with the launching of a rocket ship to the moon, the gravity of old habits is only too difficult to overcome early in the flight. Through continual practice of thinking “This can be done” – and really believing it, my immersion to the company’s culture, my interaction with the talented people I work with and doing the task anyway however difficult, I overcame this mental block. My “greater than” self has been awakened. Now, the “can do” attitude is a habit that significantly helps me on my career.

Believe me you will be surprised at the unfolding of the situation when you think to yourself “this can be done”. Sometimes we just have to be open to let reality unfold before us by letting go of our preconceptions.

That seemingly deadlock task has a solution if we open our minds to the reality beyond our mental constructs. Always be open to help from your peers and superiors. They may offer an out of the box solution that will eliminate the problem.

Declare that it can be done and the universe will lay the solution at your feet. Just open your mind in order to see it.

It can be done!