37 Lessons I've Learned So Far

Original: Nov 28, 2013
Updated: Nov 28, 2015

Turned 37 yesterday.

Here are 37 lessons I've learned so far:

1. Spend time with your family as much as you can. They are irreplaceable and your time is limited.

2. When you honor your father and your mother, things will go well with you.

3. Do something for someone. Generosity is more about giving of yourself.

4. God's way is way way better than your way. You already know that, but don't try to show otherwise.

5. Be best friends with your wife. She deserves your best self.

6. Every morning, tell your wife how pretty she is. Everybody happy!

7. Obey first, you can ask God later. 

8. A selfie-a-day will keep your friends away.

9. People can change … by the grace of God.

10. Your kids will follow what you do, not just what you say.

11. It takes the same effort to inspire people and to lecture people. You might as well inspire them.

12. Teach your kids to choose their friends well. Don't just impart knowledge, but also discernment.

13. The husband or the father is the spiritual leader of the family. Yes, you are.

14. Value friendships. Be the kind of friend who sticks closer than a brother.

15. Sometimes the smartest person in the room isn't the loudest one, but the quiet one. Listen more, speak less. 

16. Develop one talent, skill or ability at a time. And then when you are great at it, you can learn another one. 

17. Just be you. You don't need to be "the next ____________" of the industry.

18. Be "easy to work with." But to be able to do that, it will take a lot of effort on your part.

19. Surround yourself with people who will help you overcome your self doubts. People who aren't afraid to say "this could work."

20. There's a big connection between what you learn and what you earn. To earn more, learn how to do the challenging or the stuff other people aren't willing to figure out.

21. Set aside a part of your income – even before you get it.

22. If you are going to be working everyday for the rest of your life, you might as well choose the people you work with. 

23. The best idea doesn't always win. People don't just buy ideas. First, they will buy into the people behind the idea. 

24. Fail early. It's better to close a business while you are 25 than to lose everything when you are 60.

25. Don't be driven by hype. Always do the math.

26. Don't borrow money (you can't pay) to put up a business you haven't tested.

27. Start small, get better. It's the series of progress the you accumulate over time that leads to breakthroughs.

28. Everybody wants more time and money, but not everyone knows what to do with it when they get it.

29. Always be on time. If not, be early.

30. Plan and then Do. Most people get stuck with planning.

31. We can wait out of fear or out of faith. If we wait, even when we know it's time to act, then maybe we are just afraid to fail. But if we wait, convinced and trust that God will be the first to move, then our wait will not be vain.

32. You are where you are for a reason. Don't try to go on your own, let the Lord direct your steps.

33. The target is always moving. Don't ever think you've "nailed" it.

34. Preach what you practice.

35. Try to say "I'm sorry, I was wrong" more often. You'll skip the parts you might just regret.

36. Don't ever believe that you're not in any position to help. It may be little, but there's always something that you can do.

37. Honor the LORD in everything that you do. Your success is not your own doing, but a result of His favor.

–

YENG REMULLA is the author of the books, Productive Pinoy & Start Something. Read the book reviews HERE.

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ENJOY THE WAIT!

You're waiting for your business loan to be approved. 

You're waiting for a prospective client to finally say "Yes" to your offer.

You're waiting for your business to take off now that you've done what you could.

Now that you're waiting, you realize that waiting (and not knowing what to expect) is harder than anything.

Getting news that you succeeded calls for a celebration. Getting news that you failed – you can face it, re-strategize and move on. Any answer will, somehow, give you closure.

But waiting?...

Like a test, you'll either pass or fail the waiting game.

Waiting is part of the package. Not only that it reminds you that you're not in control, but you also get to realize the important things in life.

You might as well do something productive and enjoy the wait.

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TWO WORDS FOR A BLESSED YEAR

1. SEEK 
"Seek" is a proactive word. It means to "attempt to find" or "to attempt to obtain or achieve."

Many times we don't seek (or attempt) because we are afraid that we won't find anything. 

The good news is that if you seek, you will find. But you have to look in the right direction. Contrary to many beliefs, we are not in control of our own lives. We need to seek the One who is. 

We may not even know what's best for us, but God surely knows. 


2. RESPOND
Many people make a 'wish list' and hope that their dreams/goals in life will just come to pass. That's hardly how things work. God isn't a genie in a lamp.

You need to respond to His will. It may be risky. It may look impossible. It may not even make sense. But with faith, you can believe. 

But don't stop there. You'll also need to take action. You need to believe not only that He will grant favor upon you, but that He will also enable you. (No matter how challenging the task seems.)

Stop waiting and start seeking. 

Don't worry, you'll know it when it's time to respond.  

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TO SOLVE A RECURRING PROBLEM

To solve a recurring problem, you need to get to the root cause of the problem. 

Many times we look at the surface and forget to examine what's underneath it. 

You may not have enough money, not because of your income, but as a result of overspending.

You always get complaints from customers, not because of your service people, but because of your company's poorly designed policies.

You're easily bored, not because of your job position, but maybe you're not exploring enough or stretching your potential.

The obvious can be deceiving. When it's recurring, check deeper. 

Find the root cause of the problem. That's the only way you'll be able to solve it – permanently.

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