10 Life Lessons I'd Teach My Younger Self

Throughout my existence in this world, I gained wisdom and knowledge that helped me overcome different challenges in life.

If I could go back in time, and talk to my younger self, I'll gently share with him these ten life lessons:

1. You will fail a lot of times. But know that failure is part of the process. Fail fast, fail often, and fail forward.

2. Document everything, especially your time with your family and friends. When you’re on your own, you will surely miss them.

3. Always take care of your relationships. Connect with people and stay in contact.

4. Take some time to tell someone how much you appreciate and value them. Do not take anything for granted.

5. Travel more and immerse in other cultures.

6. Respect other people's opinions.

7. Look for great mentors in all aspects of your life.

8. Invest in yourself early.

9. Always remember what matters to you in life.

10. Do not let any opportunity pass by because the same opportunity might not pass by again.

How about you? If you can share ONE piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be?

Love. Jerom

Grow 1% Better Each Day...

That's right!

I'm not really a fan of overnight success.

Nor a fan of quick schemes to get quick results.

I am more of a late bloomer type of person.

In my experience, I find it more sustainable when I continuously cultivate my habit, mindset, and character. Not giving too much attention to the result and focus more on what's in front of me.

Here's the truth - Growth never stops, and it takes a lifetime.

That's why I committed to myself that I will grow 1% better each day.

Just as much as we must breathe to live, we must also grow to thrive.

If done consistently, that 1% might lead to stunning and unexpected results that can change your life.

Believe me...

Consistency is what transforms average into excellence.

"If you can get 1 percent better each day for one year, you'll end up thirty‐seven times better by the time you are done. Conversely, if you get 1 percent worse each day for one year, you'll decline nearly down to zero."

I always start the day by asking myself, "How can I grow 1% better today and move closer to my goal?"

This will give me more direction and live with intentions.

And end my day by asking, "What actions did I do to grow 1% today?"

Every day. Seven days a week.

It doesn't matter how big or small that action is.

As long as I did something for my goal, that's fine.

Just show up every day and do what you've got to do.

Grow.

Let me know what action are you committing to do to grow and move closer towards your goal TODAY?

Just Do It...

We always hear the word "JUST DO IT!”

​​​From Nike's commercial...

From motivational videos...​

And from our friend's advice.​

But why is this line too famous?

When I was a kid, I was taught to conform.

And "just do it" is the opposite of conformity.​

I was trained to wait and follow the crowd.

And waiting is one of the biggest dream killers.

As I grew up, I realized that your personal experience is the best teacher.

Ideas and courses will always be around.

But what makes that simple idea a powerful tool for your success?

It's how you put that idea into action.

It's how you reflect and use them as your reference experience to improve.

You can plan and follow/read all the advice you want.

But nothing is going to happen unless you act.

Are you thinking of learning a new skill? Just do it.

Are you thinking of reading a book? Just do it.

Are you thinking of working out? Just do it.

And calibrate after the fact.

We humans learn by doing.

You will learn more about the things that happen to you in real life.

And the truest form of education comes with the real-life experience.

There are no easy answers.

Make the most of the moment, and as stereotype as it may sound: "JUST DO IT!"

Love. Jerom

Take it Easy...

Just dropping by in this rainy season to say...

Take it easy.

Let this blog give you the freedom to pause and celebrate your small wins.

Grab this moment to reflect on your purpose.

Appreciate the battles you fought.

Cherish the scars that made you stronger.

Forgive yourself and other people.

Let go.

You've already come a long way!

Give yourself a treat.

And pat yourself on the back.

Get that massage!

Or go on a nature or beach walk!

Great ideas always come from recovery and reflection.

I know you're busy hustling...

But sometimes, we're so focused on chasing all the things we haven't got that we forget to notice the things we already have, the people in our lives, and the fortunate circumstances in which we live.

Appreciate all your progress.

Calm down for a moment.

Breathe.

And hustle again.

Love. Jerom

If Not Now...WHEN?

It was our "First Day High."

This was the theme of our first official Toastmaster's online meeting. 

Everyone's excited because the feeling was like the first day of school again.

Now, if you're asking me, why did I join?

First, I SUCK at public speaking. 

I SUCK at speaking in front of a crowd. 

I always get the feeling of being uncomfortable. 

AND...

I embrace those weaknesses.

One way to learn something is always to put yourself in uncomfortable situations and just be comfortable with it.

As James Clear said: "Join a culture where the normal behavior is your desired behavior." 

Honestly, I am nervous that time because first-day high always give me the jitters.

We started exactly at 4:00 in the afternoon...

And then 10 minutes after we started...

I heard my name, and the speaker asked me to explain one quote about taking action in the form of a speech. 

I was shocked. 

My hands are tingling.

My palms are sweaty.

And there was complete silence for 10 seconds.

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY. 

But the first thing that popped inside my mind that moment was...

"Take the plunge and enjoy."

So I still answered.

And after a minute of being in the spotlight...

It turned out well, even if it felt operose.

Although it was not the best answer and obviously not the best speech in the world.

But certainly,

That was one of the best first-day jitters that I experienced in my life.

All in all. 

I learned a lot, and it's always great to learn from other people.

We can learn everything in life. 

And the first step towards improvement is ACCEPTANCE.

Embrace the suck, as the saying goes.

I am always a massive believer in TAKING ACTION.

And the best way for us to learn something is to experience it first hand and not waiting for that perfect moment.

Progress over perfection. 

Love. Jerom

Lessons I learned from my Mentor...

As all of you have noticed, I've been on social media hiatus before...

The truth is, my greatest fear in life is wasting it, so I grabbed that period to expand my network, build new connections, explore new opportunities, and learn a new skill from the top players in different niches.

One opportunity that is MOST memorable for me was when a US-based company opened a managerial position.

Well, it was not just an ordinary company because it's all about self-development, which resonates BEST with my passion and interest.

If you're familiar with Alpha M, then that's somehow close to the vibe that I'm trying to convey.

To cut the story short, I tried my luck and reached out...

And after how many calls and screening, I was able to be part of their team and learn how a multi-million dollar company thinks and hustle in the backend.

At first, I was overwhelmed because his team was full of world-class game-changers. No BS, they know their craft well, and they never stop improving.

I learned from the whole team about their leadership, proper scheduling, creating a stable system, building a strong brand with 2.5m+ subs on Youtube, and how to build a large net worth. 

I was completely stretched to my limit since this was my first time to be mentored by an international CEO, which is out of my comfort zone.

We all know that there is growth if you are in a challenging situation.

The very first lesson I learned is to ask GOOD questions. 

If you are asking questions, then definitely, you're thinking, and you are learning.

By asking questions, we improve our emotional intelligence.

It's better to prepare 50 GOOD questions before a meeting than not ask at all.

Asking a lot of questions means that you are stimulating your brain and comprehension.

I also learned the value of STOP WAITING. 

Waiting kills time, and it conveys that you don't act and decide on your own.

Better to make mistakes and learn from it than wait for approval, do not take action, and build the habit of "waiting."

The third lesson is to ALWAYS improve your skill. 

Own your position, your skill, and your responsibility.

Act as if you are the BEST in your craft but ALWAYS be kind, be open for feedback, and room for improvement. 

I believe that the BEST way to learn and improve is through APPLICATION and GETTING FEEDBACK from other people.

Improve your skill and be grittier, or other skilled players in the field will beat you.

Are there more lessons I've learned so far? Definitely!

But, it's not really about the number of lessons I've learned, but the number of changes I'm going to make and apply in my daily living. 

After immersing myself for five months, absorbing their culture, and being mentored...

I decided to let go and move on to apply what I have learned, focus on my brand, and strive for a larger vision and BIGGER goals. 

I will be forever grateful that I had the chance to be part of their team.

Working with them was a life-changing experience that made me a better person.

Love. Jerom

 

The Story of Two Monks and a Woman...

Two monks were strolling by a stream on their way home to the monastery. 

They were startled by the sound of a young woman in a bridal gown, sitting by the stream, crying softly.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she gazed across the water. She needed to cross to get to her wedding, but she was fearful that doing so might ruin her beautiful handmade gown.

In this particular sect, monks were prohibited from touching women.

But one monk was filled with compassion for the bride. Ignoring the sanction, he hoisted the woman on his shoulders and carried her across the stream - assisting her journey and saving her gown.

She smiled and bowed with gratitude as the monk splashed his way back across the stream to rejoin his companion.

The second monk was furious. "How could you do that?!" he scolded.

"You know we are forbidden to touch a woman, much less carry her around!"

The offending monk listened in silence to a stern lecture that lasted all the way back to the monastery.

His mind wandered as he felt the warm sunshine and listened to the singing birds.

After returning to the monastery, he fell asleep for a few hours.

And then he was awakened in the middle of the night by his fellow monk.

"How could you carry that woman?!" his agitated friend cried out.

"Someone else could have helped her across the stream. You were a bad monk!"

"What woman?" the sleepy monk said.

"Don't you even remember? That woman you carried across the stream." His colleague snapped.

"Oh! Her..." laughed the sleepy monk.

"I only carried her across the stream. You carried her all the way back to the monastery."

The lesson here is simple: When it comes to our flawed past, always leave it at the stream.

How are you feeling today? Or in the past months?

Have you fully let go of the pain or anger that you felt?

Is it affecting your daily life?

We cannot change the past, but we can always change the future. 

We cannot change the situation, but we can always change our reaction towards that situation.

I know a lot of crazy things happened in the past months. 

All we can do is accept, learn from it, and move on.

Do not let a negative emotion affect your day or even your whole life.

Let's continuously raise awareness and check on ourselves. 

Love. Jerom

You Are Exactly Where You Need to Be...

To whoever is reading this today...

This blog is to simply remind you that I believe in your capability.

If there are times that you feel you're not progressing, even if you are taking action.

Trust me.

You are exactly where you need to be.

You are progressing.

You are appreciated.

You will get there soon if you will just continue.

It's okay to rest, but don't quit.

I know it's challenging to get rejected.

I know it's hard to get laughed at.

I know that feeling.

I've been there.

A lot of people doubted my potential.

BUT...

Do not let other people define your success.

Do not let them create your reality. Create your own version of success.

Focus on your goals.

That's right!

Maintain that burning desire.

One step at a time.

I am with you through the journey of life. Love. Jerom

It All Starts With Why...

When I woke up today and started my daily journaling...

I was reminded that one of my goals as a man who's passionate about self-help and life improvement is to create an impact on people's lives by sharing my life experiences & lessons without filter.

That's why I came up with a goal to create my own blogspot.

A lot of my friends and colleagues know me as someone who takes immediate action, so yeah...

Here I am, optimizing this site and contemplating to make more impact on people's lives.

It all starts with WHY...

All ideas and plans must have a PURPOSE.

Passion without purpose is like a shot without a target.

Now, you might ask me how did I come up with this blog name?

Let's start with Kaizen...

It is a Japanese term meaning "change for the better" or "continuous improvement."

I'm not really a smart person...

I'm not even a talented and athletic guy...

Heck, I'm not even a part of any varsity teams when I was still studying.

But one thing that got me where I am right now is GRIT.

This is my passion and perseverance for long-term and meaningful goals.

Grit is the ability to persevere in something you feel passionate about and still push when you face obstacles.

My love to focus on the process, improve, and never look on the negative side of life, even if there are many challenges, helped me improve my character.

I chose Mentality because I am a big fan of late Kobe Bryant's "Mamba Mentality."

And I believe that it all starts with our minds.

If we change our perspective in life, we can become grittier and resilient with our goals.

Just want to share my favorite quote with you:

"If an egg is broken down by an outside force, life ends. But if an egg is broken by an inside force, life begins."

I still don't know what will happen after a week or a month but I just want to take this moment to express my gratitude for giving me your trust, investing the time to check & read my blogs, and learn more from what will I share in the future.

I'm also inviting you to accompany me on this journey...

The journey to self-improvement...

The journey to excellence...

The journey to a MORE meaningful life...

And the journey to serve other people.

Let's dive into the experience together, and let's both learn from the lessons that life is giving!

Love. Jerom