Maturity nurtures Success

I once read in John C. Maxwell book that "God is as interested in our success as He is in our maturity." That is a sobering thought, and I quite agree with it. Maturity is more often developed out of our losses than our wins. But how you face those losses really matters. People suffer losses, make mistakes, and endure bad experiences all the time without developing maturity. So how do you become mature?

First, you have to learn from your mistakes and losses. Learning is what investor Warren Buffett has done. People today know him as one of the richest men in the world. This elder statesman is well respected for his financial skill and wisdom, but those qualities have come as a result of learning from his losses. He says, “I made plenty of mistakes and I’ll make plenty more mistakes, too. That’s part of the game. You’ve just got to make sure that the right things overcome the wrong ones.”

Learning from our mistakes is wonderful, but it means little if you don’t know how to turn the lesson into a benefit. That comes when we take what we’ve learned and apply it to our future actions.

IFRS: Knowledge or Certificate?

Watching the trend of publicity that is being given to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the rate at which people (especially professionals) are expending funds on courses with pursuit of attaining certificates and/or certifications on same, I wonder if it is the certification that matters or the practical knowledge of the standards.

Having read books and other materials on IFRS, I realised that it is nothing but a Standard (i.e. Rule, Law, Guidelines etc) like International Accounting Standards (IAS), Statement of Accounting Standards (SAS) and so on that guides the way and manner accounts are prepared.

Nevertheless, I am not undermining the importance of training or sophistication of IFRS but the quesion is "Do we need certificates and diplomas in IFRS as organised by ICAN, ACCA before the Accounting Standards can be enshrined in us as professionals?" I pray we won't have Institute of IFRS Accountants someday soon.

Maybe all we need is vibrant reading culture that is backed by availability of materials couple with networking of professional minds.

It's in YOU

If you are thinking and contemplating on how to fulfill your purpose in life. The solution lies in you. The trick is to start with what is already inside of you, use it as a foundation to build from, then find others who are getting the results that you desire and model their actions, beliefs and methods. By doing this, you will build a powerful and automatic confidence demeanor within your own nervous system. This will in turn result in better actions and more effective behaviors. Tap into that wealth of power that you already own and model what you have already done.

Mind you, a purposeful personality engenders good leadership.

Life and Changes

I believe there are overriding principles that we should follow and be led by. That life is about constant, predictable patterns of change. And that as we approach the future; for all of us, the only constant factor will be our feelings and attitudes toward life. Secondly, we as human beings have the power of attitude and that attitude determines choice, and choice determines results. All that we are and all that we can become has indeed been left unto us to decide and interpret through our attitude and choices.

Life and business are like the changing seasons. That's one of the best ways to illustrate life: it's like the seasons that change. Also, you cannot change the seasons, but you can change yourself. You must learn how to handle difficulty; it always comes after opportunity.

When things were difficult, I used to wish they were easy. I didn't know any better. Then Mr. Shoaff gave me the answer from a part of his very unique philosophy when he said, “Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better. Don't wish for fewer problems, wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.”