Did I forget to mention why my path has changed? :)
It's really because I've chosen to move to the B quadrant. I want to own a business!
I've got a super duper wonderful opportunity right now and I'm wholeheartedly pursuing it. I am going to import endoscopy units from China!
Why endoscopy? Long story. A relative from the US started a manufacturing company in China. He found out that the patent for a certain brand's endoscopy units are up and so he and his partners pirated the head engineer and started making their own brand. It took 2 years but the new brand is finally ready to be sold. I aim to be the exclusive distributor in the Philippines (maybe even in Southeast Asia)!
Why did I chose this path?
1. My previous experiences have all been related to business and management. I'm good at this and I really enjoy it.
2. I think this is a very rare opportunity and I intend to make use of it. Nowadays, it's hard to find a product which you can own. It's so great to be able to just concentrate on a certain market and offer a single product line that you can be an expert with.
3. Since I'm Chinese, I have more contacts and mentors in this kind of business than real estate investments.
I've been making plans, plans, and more plans! I've chosen the first part of my team: my investors and mentors in importation. They're my current bosses in Rockford so you won't see me resigning soon. Now I see that what I've been doing in Rockford is not mere service but more like an investment. Isn't it great to look back and see the purpose in something that seemed so mundane?
I've scheduled my trip to Shanghai and my boss has agreed to go with me to look at this new investment possibility. Meanwhile, the people in Shanghai are excited with the opportunity to open a new market in the Philippines. Can you see where this is leading?
I’m so so so excited!!!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Purpose Driven Life
I have a confession to make.
I started this blog with an agenda...I intended for it to get Larry Gamboa's attention. I wanted to earn his approval so that he would want me to join his and Trace's mentoring program.
But now I find that my path has changed.
I really think reading his book was instrumental in making me realize how I've been living like a zombie, reacting mechanically and unwilling to pursue wealth that is easily in my grasp. It made me realize that I still haven't reached my full potential. I had a deep desire to improve and learn, which I thought will be best achieved by having my inspiration as my mentor.
These past weeks though, I searched my soul and tried to see God's hand in the plans I've been making. You know what I discovered? I realized that we're not put on this earth to simply get whatever we can. The winner of the race isn't the one who is richest or most powerful, or the most admired. Instead, I needed to answer this question: Am I achieving my purpose in life?
When I felt satisfied that my office supplies business was doing okay, not great but just okay, it was because I wanted to have flexible hours to better take care of my ailing father. He would call and ask me to join his bedside and I would be there in a jiffy. Was I achieving my main purpose then? Yes, I was.
When I closed down the company and stopped working altogether to enjoy my long awaited pregnancy, and subsequently chose to take care of my own son instead of relying on hired help, was I achieving my main purpose then? Yes, I was.
When Tommy graduated and needed financial support while he started his practice and studied for the boards, and I chose to accept a mediocre job in Rockford to help ease his worries, was I achieving my purpose still? Yes, I believe I was.
So what is my purpose now? How does everything stick together? The answer came when God awakened in me a deep yearning, deeper than my desire to get rich. I want to give away money that will support those who are doing His work.
You see, I freely give my talents to the Lord. I serve by singing in the choir and I tell my editor in Kerygma not to send me payment when I submit my stories for the Catholic magazine. But when the basket comes near me during offertory (which is not often since I sit in the choir pew), I have to force myself to drop that P100 or P500 bill that I know in my heart is not enough. Like what my husband said, masakit talaga pakawalan yung pera. And that's what God wants to perfect in me.
Yes, I know I'm going to get rich. I already foresee God's blessings in that regard. But more than that, I also foresee what God's purpose is for all the riches He will bestow on me. Just wait and see.
I started this blog with an agenda...I intended for it to get Larry Gamboa's attention. I wanted to earn his approval so that he would want me to join his and Trace's mentoring program.
But now I find that my path has changed.
I really think reading his book was instrumental in making me realize how I've been living like a zombie, reacting mechanically and unwilling to pursue wealth that is easily in my grasp. It made me realize that I still haven't reached my full potential. I had a deep desire to improve and learn, which I thought will be best achieved by having my inspiration as my mentor.
These past weeks though, I searched my soul and tried to see God's hand in the plans I've been making. You know what I discovered? I realized that we're not put on this earth to simply get whatever we can. The winner of the race isn't the one who is richest or most powerful, or the most admired. Instead, I needed to answer this question: Am I achieving my purpose in life?
When I felt satisfied that my office supplies business was doing okay, not great but just okay, it was because I wanted to have flexible hours to better take care of my ailing father. He would call and ask me to join his bedside and I would be there in a jiffy. Was I achieving my main purpose then? Yes, I was.
When I closed down the company and stopped working altogether to enjoy my long awaited pregnancy, and subsequently chose to take care of my own son instead of relying on hired help, was I achieving my main purpose then? Yes, I was.
When Tommy graduated and needed financial support while he started his practice and studied for the boards, and I chose to accept a mediocre job in Rockford to help ease his worries, was I achieving my purpose still? Yes, I believe I was.
So what is my purpose now? How does everything stick together? The answer came when God awakened in me a deep yearning, deeper than my desire to get rich. I want to give away money that will support those who are doing His work.
You see, I freely give my talents to the Lord. I serve by singing in the choir and I tell my editor in Kerygma not to send me payment when I submit my stories for the Catholic magazine. But when the basket comes near me during offertory (which is not often since I sit in the choir pew), I have to force myself to drop that P100 or P500 bill that I know in my heart is not enough. Like what my husband said, masakit talaga pakawalan yung pera. And that's what God wants to perfect in me.
Yes, I know I'm going to get rich. I already foresee God's blessings in that regard. But more than that, I also foresee what God's purpose is for all the riches He will bestow on me. Just wait and see.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Learning My Core Gift
I attended the Feast last Easter Sunday at the Arena. My first time. The liturgy was great. The music was awesome. And Bo Sanchez, as usual, gave the most wonderful talk.
Bo once again brought up that we need to find our Core Gift for us to succeed in life. That got me to thinking: What is my core gift?
Here are the things that I do well:
- Write.
- Sing in a choir as soprano.
- Organize data and create systems.
- Think outside the box. Make creative solutions.
- Listen and observe.
- Think and learn from what I experience and observe.
What do I love best?
- I love creating something new. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a new journal entry, a new system, or a new company.
- I love helping others. I need to know that what I’m doing is a benefit to others.
How do I see myself?
- I am a Martha. Working in the background is what I do best. Unlike Martha though, I do not envy Mary. I have no wish to be in the limelight receiving praise. I’m used to working more than my fair share. Experience has proved that all the hard work pays off in the end.
- Family comes first. God brought Tommy and me together for a purpose. He heals others, and I heal him. Healing is our primary mission as a family so his medical career gets top priority. I let go of my career in IT because it takes up too much of my time and energy and I have never regretted it.
- I’ve always been a planner. I envisioned my future and got what I wanted. But my deepening faith demanded that I give that up and allow God to take the driver’s seat. So I chose to be a passenger and just wait for our next destination. Although I sometimes panic and demand to see the map, our journey has been exhilarating and very, very rewarding.
To answer the original question, I think my core gift is that I can clearly discern God’s will in my life. My eyes are always open for new opportunities that come my way because I know this is God’s way of leading me to the next journey. I believe that God has used me to answer others’ prayers on numerous occasions, often while He was also serving a need that I have.
To achieve this, I do not just stare at the heavens and wait for instructions. I actively seek out His will. To use the analogy I’ve stated, when I can’t locate the map, I go into all the available streets to find the right path.
Lately, God is leading me to people like Bo who advocates goal setting to harness the latent power we have to control our future. It’s like they’re urging me to go back to who I was. I know one thing for certain though. As a Christian, any self-appointed goal is useless if I do not align my plans with God’s will for my life.
Funny thing about God’s will though, I’ve discovered there’s still a lot of free will available and that’s where planning and goal setting helps. For example, I can choose to start a new business or I can choose to become a real-estate investor. Both can increase my earnings and therefore help my husband. Both can provide job opportunities for others. Both can give me a chance to develop and use my talents. But before all of that can happen, I need to choose and make a commitment. I need to set a plan and follow it through.
Bo once again brought up that we need to find our Core Gift for us to succeed in life. That got me to thinking: What is my core gift?
Here are the things that I do well:
- Write.
- Sing in a choir as soprano.
- Organize data and create systems.
- Think outside the box. Make creative solutions.
- Listen and observe.
- Think and learn from what I experience and observe.
What do I love best?
- I love creating something new. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a new journal entry, a new system, or a new company.
- I love helping others. I need to know that what I’m doing is a benefit to others.
How do I see myself?
- I am a Martha. Working in the background is what I do best. Unlike Martha though, I do not envy Mary. I have no wish to be in the limelight receiving praise. I’m used to working more than my fair share. Experience has proved that all the hard work pays off in the end.
- Family comes first. God brought Tommy and me together for a purpose. He heals others, and I heal him. Healing is our primary mission as a family so his medical career gets top priority. I let go of my career in IT because it takes up too much of my time and energy and I have never regretted it.
- I’ve always been a planner. I envisioned my future and got what I wanted. But my deepening faith demanded that I give that up and allow God to take the driver’s seat. So I chose to be a passenger and just wait for our next destination. Although I sometimes panic and demand to see the map, our journey has been exhilarating and very, very rewarding.
To answer the original question, I think my core gift is that I can clearly discern God’s will in my life. My eyes are always open for new opportunities that come my way because I know this is God’s way of leading me to the next journey. I believe that God has used me to answer others’ prayers on numerous occasions, often while He was also serving a need that I have.
To achieve this, I do not just stare at the heavens and wait for instructions. I actively seek out His will. To use the analogy I’ve stated, when I can’t locate the map, I go into all the available streets to find the right path.
Lately, God is leading me to people like Bo who advocates goal setting to harness the latent power we have to control our future. It’s like they’re urging me to go back to who I was. I know one thing for certain though. As a Christian, any self-appointed goal is useless if I do not align my plans with God’s will for my life.
Funny thing about God’s will though, I’ve discovered there’s still a lot of free will available and that’s where planning and goal setting helps. For example, I can choose to start a new business or I can choose to become a real-estate investor. Both can increase my earnings and therefore help my husband. Both can provide job opportunities for others. Both can give me a chance to develop and use my talents. But before all of that can happen, I need to choose and make a commitment. I need to set a plan and follow it through.
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