Last Saturday, I asked my students a very common start of a year question -- give me a thought or a particular resolution you have made for 2010.
At the onset, they gave blank stares and some superficial answers. Some may have been too personal to share and so we passed on without a significant answer.
Here comes the sharing. I gave them 10 thoughts that occupied my mind through the years. They maybe original and some are collection of thoughts emanating from years of reading and listening to others. However, the thoughts shared remained to be a bit juvenile.
Here is now the unedited version of the 10 thoughts:
1. Be self-conscious
Know the consequences of each actions and the ripple effect it has on you and your publics. Remember that the moment an action is done, it may cause years of misery and lifetime of regret. Facebook entries, shout outs, indiscretion and high on emotion actions are the triggers of unwanted actions.
Know when these moments are coming.
Know when these moments are starting.
Know when these moments are done so you can immediately implement measures to undo it. (if you are lucky to have the luxury of time to reverse it)
Sun Tzu once said that to conquer your enemy, you must first master yourself. And the start of mastering oneself, is to be conscious.
2.Don't read the moments by its cover
An occurrence is often judged by its immediate consequence and impact. We should try not to see the trees but rather the forest. Where is this occurrence really taking us? What lessons is it attempting to give? Where am I going? What can I learn from this? What is this attempting to teach me?
I always say, that to appreciate the moment, you should embrace it. Just maximize it and learn the required lessons in life. Embrace the moment means to see the moment for what it is rather than its future.
3. Life is not one dimensional
Someone who seemed to be a computer geek sent trillions (of course with a little exaggeration) of messages through facebook and I would always get irritated by this. Just last month he sent his “followers” a farewell letter. He is dying of cancer that is already in stage 5.
His one liner struck me, “please don’t spend the rest of your life in front of your computer. There is a lot lot more to life than just sitting there”
It is true. Life is not one dimensional. For a long time, I have invested endlessly in the academe and work that I have forgotten that there is a lot to life than just being here and there. Maybe I need to see more of the world. Maybe I have to change the world I see. Maybe I have to move more aside from the world I have gotten used to.
Some people I have known have lived lives that are one dimensional and dying with regrets. Please don’t make your lives like theirs. Every All Saints Day when we visit the dearly departed or when a close relative or friend has passed on, I always reflect on what was the life that these people led. Was it meaningful? How come no one showed up at the funeral?
4. Technology has done its sins to society
There is no longer REST. In the 80s, people cannot even reach you the moment you are not in the office. Today, technology makes you work while you sunbathe in Palawan. Technology reaches you even when in places where you refuse to be reached and in moments that you dire to be reached.
But the much sought after cellphones has killed that. Smart phones will kill it more.
We practice what we preach. We should adopt to the macro environment and not refuse advancement.
5. TIME IS FINITE
A Buddhist literature once stated, live life knowing that each day that passes pushes you a day closer to death. Our time is finite. It is not a boundless resource. One day, everyone will age and through this ageing, we will march to this life’s final destination.
Knowing that, isn’t it weird that we waste a lot of our time not building towards who we ought to be?
Isn’t it unfortunate that we run our lives doing things that are not meaningful or we just get stuck in situations we ought not to be in?
Time, though intangible, is a valuable resource. Use it wisely.
Or you would be included in the endless and fast growing list of people who always say “parang kahapon lang” and smile bitterly in the sunset of your lives.
6. Seek and respect wisdom….. always
Old and experienced people are always free access to history. How they viewed the events and how it transpired. From our experience though, it has always been the old people that we don’t want to listen to because they remind us of the word, makulit.
Their opinions are usually free and full of wisdom because they have seen the world and how it evolved. Once something happens, they already know what is next. Of course, proceed with caution and absorb prudently. Not all packages that have attractive wrappers are great gifts.
Take out the outdated wisdom that has not been updated to Wisdom 2.0. Good wisdom should transcend time and not the only ones applicable during one era. Moreover, see the bias through the eyes of HIS story. All stories emanates from an angle. (even history books)
Respect their opinion, pick the good ones and throw the bad. Usually, we learn a lot from them.
7. THE WORLD THIRSTS FOR WORLD CHANGERS
Being a world changer should be everyone’s ultimate dream. An icon of one generation or gaining the wisdom enough to change the way people think and work.
IMac, MacBook, IBM, MP3 Players, DVD, cable TV, cellphones are some examples of things that have changed how people lived. It is time to be the IMac of marketing and advertising. Be a changer.
Our role as teachers begin with molding you to be the like us. In half a century, you should be more than us. The faster and stronger the impact, the higher the flight that you would experience in your life.
Don’t be just one of them. Be a changer.
8. Just do it ( and I do not mean be like Tiger Woods - madaming kabit or Manny Pacquiao - na wapak dahil sa kabit)
Academic people never get rich. They spend a whole lot of time analyzing and less time executing. Analysis and knowledge of the downside also gives you anxiety and fear. This leads to reluctance and paralysis.
Who become rich? The people who just analyze and assess risks and then do it.
9. Nurturing is crippling people for life
Some teachers would unduly patronize their students. It might be because they like them or they want to get high ratings in the evaluation. The impact these give to students are long term and it cripples them for life.
Professors are authority figures for students and they hang on to these words like gospel truth. And if something different comes up during their careers, they would revert to the words mentioned by Ms. X and use this as a useless defense mechanism rather than using the criticism as a vital tool to reform, rehash and improve.
I have taken that practice out already two years ago. Hopefully, this would work better with students.
10. Don't lie - and don't delay the truth either
Truth delayed is the evil step sister of white lies and the soul mate of true lies. Lies are tiring. Lies provides stress. Lies make you older.
It tells your brain to remember more when it does not have to.
Cut the burden off your minds, don't lie. Just embrace the truth and move on from there.
There you go. My 10 thoughts for the new year. Hopefully the list expands, which means that I am learning more, and that I am still existent enough to share these with you.
Happy new year!!!!
At the onset, they gave blank stares and some superficial answers. Some may have been too personal to share and so we passed on without a significant answer.
Here comes the sharing. I gave them 10 thoughts that occupied my mind through the years. They maybe original and some are collection of thoughts emanating from years of reading and listening to others. However, the thoughts shared remained to be a bit juvenile.
Here is now the unedited version of the 10 thoughts:
1. Be self-conscious
Know the consequences of each actions and the ripple effect it has on you and your publics. Remember that the moment an action is done, it may cause years of misery and lifetime of regret. Facebook entries, shout outs, indiscretion and high on emotion actions are the triggers of unwanted actions.
Know when these moments are coming.
Know when these moments are starting.
Know when these moments are done so you can immediately implement measures to undo it. (if you are lucky to have the luxury of time to reverse it)
Sun Tzu once said that to conquer your enemy, you must first master yourself. And the start of mastering oneself, is to be conscious.
2.Don't read the moments by its cover
An occurrence is often judged by its immediate consequence and impact. We should try not to see the trees but rather the forest. Where is this occurrence really taking us? What lessons is it attempting to give? Where am I going? What can I learn from this? What is this attempting to teach me?
I always say, that to appreciate the moment, you should embrace it. Just maximize it and learn the required lessons in life. Embrace the moment means to see the moment for what it is rather than its future.
3. Life is not one dimensional
Someone who seemed to be a computer geek sent trillions (of course with a little exaggeration) of messages through facebook and I would always get irritated by this. Just last month he sent his “followers” a farewell letter. He is dying of cancer that is already in stage 5.
His one liner struck me, “please don’t spend the rest of your life in front of your computer. There is a lot lot more to life than just sitting there”
It is true. Life is not one dimensional. For a long time, I have invested endlessly in the academe and work that I have forgotten that there is a lot to life than just being here and there. Maybe I need to see more of the world. Maybe I have to change the world I see. Maybe I have to move more aside from the world I have gotten used to.
Some people I have known have lived lives that are one dimensional and dying with regrets. Please don’t make your lives like theirs. Every All Saints Day when we visit the dearly departed or when a close relative or friend has passed on, I always reflect on what was the life that these people led. Was it meaningful? How come no one showed up at the funeral?
4. Technology has done its sins to society
There is no longer REST. In the 80s, people cannot even reach you the moment you are not in the office. Today, technology makes you work while you sunbathe in Palawan. Technology reaches you even when in places where you refuse to be reached and in moments that you dire to be reached.
But the much sought after cellphones has killed that. Smart phones will kill it more.
We practice what we preach. We should adopt to the macro environment and not refuse advancement.
5. TIME IS FINITE
A Buddhist literature once stated, live life knowing that each day that passes pushes you a day closer to death. Our time is finite. It is not a boundless resource. One day, everyone will age and through this ageing, we will march to this life’s final destination.
Knowing that, isn’t it weird that we waste a lot of our time not building towards who we ought to be?
Isn’t it unfortunate that we run our lives doing things that are not meaningful or we just get stuck in situations we ought not to be in?
Time, though intangible, is a valuable resource. Use it wisely.
Or you would be included in the endless and fast growing list of people who always say “parang kahapon lang” and smile bitterly in the sunset of your lives.
6. Seek and respect wisdom….. always
Old and experienced people are always free access to history. How they viewed the events and how it transpired. From our experience though, it has always been the old people that we don’t want to listen to because they remind us of the word, makulit.
Their opinions are usually free and full of wisdom because they have seen the world and how it evolved. Once something happens, they already know what is next. Of course, proceed with caution and absorb prudently. Not all packages that have attractive wrappers are great gifts.
Take out the outdated wisdom that has not been updated to Wisdom 2.0. Good wisdom should transcend time and not the only ones applicable during one era. Moreover, see the bias through the eyes of HIS story. All stories emanates from an angle. (even history books)
Respect their opinion, pick the good ones and throw the bad. Usually, we learn a lot from them.
7. THE WORLD THIRSTS FOR WORLD CHANGERS
Being a world changer should be everyone’s ultimate dream. An icon of one generation or gaining the wisdom enough to change the way people think and work.
IMac, MacBook, IBM, MP3 Players, DVD, cable TV, cellphones are some examples of things that have changed how people lived. It is time to be the IMac of marketing and advertising. Be a changer.
Our role as teachers begin with molding you to be the like us. In half a century, you should be more than us. The faster and stronger the impact, the higher the flight that you would experience in your life.
Don’t be just one of them. Be a changer.
8. Just do it ( and I do not mean be like Tiger Woods - madaming kabit or Manny Pacquiao - na wapak dahil sa kabit)
Academic people never get rich. They spend a whole lot of time analyzing and less time executing. Analysis and knowledge of the downside also gives you anxiety and fear. This leads to reluctance and paralysis.
Who become rich? The people who just analyze and assess risks and then do it.
9. Nurturing is crippling people for life
Some teachers would unduly patronize their students. It might be because they like them or they want to get high ratings in the evaluation. The impact these give to students are long term and it cripples them for life.
Professors are authority figures for students and they hang on to these words like gospel truth. And if something different comes up during their careers, they would revert to the words mentioned by Ms. X and use this as a useless defense mechanism rather than using the criticism as a vital tool to reform, rehash and improve.
I have taken that practice out already two years ago. Hopefully, this would work better with students.
10. Don't lie - and don't delay the truth either
Truth delayed is the evil step sister of white lies and the soul mate of true lies. Lies are tiring. Lies provides stress. Lies make you older.
It tells your brain to remember more when it does not have to.
Cut the burden off your minds, don't lie. Just embrace the truth and move on from there.
There you go. My 10 thoughts for the new year. Hopefully the list expands, which means that I am learning more, and that I am still existent enough to share these with you.
Happy new year!!!!
Comments