Catch you then! ^_^

By Adam Khoo
On Money |

Some of you may already know that I travel around the region pretty frequently, having to visit and conduct seminars at my offices in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Suzhou (China). I am in the airport almost every other week so I get to bump into many people who have attended my seminars or have read my books.

Recently, someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather shocked. He asked, ËoHow come a millionaire like you is travelling economy? My reply was, Thats why I am a millionaire. He still looked pretty confused. This again confirms that greatest lie ever told about wealth (which I wrote about in my latest book Secrets of Self-Made Millionaire) . Many people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to wear Gucci, Hugo Boss, Rolex, and sit on first class
in air travel. This is why so many people never become rich because the moment that earn more money, they think that it is only natural that they spend more, putting them back to square one.

The truth is that most self-made millionaires are frugal and only spend on what is necessary and of value. That is why they are able to accumulate and multiply their wealth so much faster. Over the last 7 years, I have saved about 80% of my income while today I save only about 60% (because I have my wife, mother in law, 2 maids, 2 kids, etc. to support). Still, it is way above most people who save 10% of their income (if they are lucky). I refuse to buy a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I think that it is a complete waste of money. However, I happily pay $1,300 to send my 2-year old daughter to Julia Gabriel Speech and Drama without thinking twice.

When I joined the YEO (Young Entrepreneurs Organization) a few years back (YEO is an exclusive club open to those who are under 40 and make over $1m a year in their own business) I discovered that those who were self-made thought like me. Many of them with net worths well over $5m, travelled economy class and some even drove Toyotas and Nissans (not Audis, Mercs, BMWs).

I noticed that it was only those who never had to work hard to build their own wealth (there were also a few ministers and tycoons sons in the club) who spent like there was no tomorrow. Somehow, when you did not have to build everything from scratch, you do not really value money. This is precisely the reason why a familys wealth (no matter how much) rarely lasts past the third generation. Thank God my rich dad (oh no! I sound like Kiyosaki) foresaw this terrible possibility and refused to give me a cent to start my business.

Then some people ask me, What is the point in making so much money if you dont enjoy it? The thing is that I dont really find happiness in buying branded clothes, jewellery or sitting first class. Even if buying something makes me happy it is only for a while, it does not last. Material happiness never lasts, it just give you a quick fix. After a while you feel lousy again and have to buy the next thing which you think will make you happy. I always think that if you need material things to make you happy, then you live a pretty sad and unfulfilled life.

Instead, what make ME happy is when I see my children laughing and playing and learning so fast. What makes me happy is when I see my companies and trainers reaching more and more people every year in so many more countries. What makes me really happy is when I read all the emails about how my books and seminars have touched and inspired someones life. What makes me really happy is reading all your wonderful posts about how this BLOG is inspiring you. This happiness makes me feel really good for a long time, much much more than what a Rolex would do for me.

I think the point I want to put across is that happiness must come from doing your lifes work (be in teaching, building homes, designing, trading, winning tournaments etc.) and the money that comes is only a by-product. If you hate what you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make you happy by buying stuff, then I think that you are living a life of meaninglessness.

Juklang ^_^ been so occupied lately.  Who isn’t?  Work and home stuff.   Ea was not feeling well the past weeks, she had baby measles and just a week later, cough.  Thankfully, she’s not the weepy type.  She smiles, moves about and makes a lot of na-na-na-pa-pa-ba-ba-ma-ma babbling.  She’s very malikot but with a little less appetite.  Starting the other day though, her energy is higher and she’s been drinking water a lot.  A good sign that she’s feeling much better now.  In fact, we visited her pedia this morning for a check up.  Her lungs are clear, thank God.

So wazzup wassup everybody?  I get to read your blogs but just haven’t got the time to tag back (sowee kai and chang) but will definitely do them within the week.   I’m working on getting a business permit and move ahead with our (Jeedo and mine) business plan…  the “OneLoadUp” or we might rename it to “Proton Enterprise”.  Why proton?  Ask him.  I don’t know either.  Tonight, I’ll ask him why and if the reason is not convincing, I’ll hunt for another business name.  Any suggestions?  The Biz will be retailership of Prepaid Cards (and Processed Foods) perfect combo??  Well all people eat and most have cellphones so why not delve into a biz where everyone is a prospective customer, diba?

Another project of mine is building this site’s theme.  If you ever notice, the theme is different each week.  Mainly because I just cannot make up my mind what to place here.  I wanted something personal and very very me.  So I guess I have to resolve to creating my own design (out of an existing theme, of course).   I’ll restore all the past side bar codes and tag board

whhooops…. I can hear my baby chuckling.  ’scuse me, I’ll just go and check.  Ciao!

PR: wait…  I: wait…  L: wait…  LD: wait…  I: wait… wait…  C: wait…  SD: wait… ]]> http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/life-is-beautiful/feed/ http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/large-small-and-extra-small/ http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/large-small-and-extra-small/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:15:34 +0000 annie http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/large-small-and-extra-small/ It’s just the three of here in the house.  Me, my little one semi-baby semi-toddler Ea and the extra small chunk floating in my tummy.  I brought my laptop inside the bedroom so we don’t have to absorb the scorching heat of the midday sun.  Ea’s in the walker smiling to herself by the mirror and here I am trying to work. I bought some preggy dresses for my self and some blouses for Ea yesterday.  I had fun shopping by myself… something that I haven’t done so for quite some time now.  It was just supposed to be a market time for me to replenish the pantry and the fridge.  But I realized I had to “replenish” my wardrobe as well, haha! Thanks to my ever supportive hubby who’s always happy to see me at my best (and still loves me when I’m at my worst, mind you)  PR: wait…  I: wait…  L: wait…  LD: wait…  I: wait… wait…  C: wait…  SD: wait… ]]> http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/large-small-and-extra-small/feed/ http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/motherhood-and-momnesia/ http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/motherhood-and-momnesia/#comments Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:32:34 +0000 annie http://ann.jeedo.net/?p=5 I’ve read from USAToday that babies can cause “Momnesia”. Probably caused by severe sleep deprivation and other stress factors, this is when memory becomes too blurry to remember where you placed your keys, where are the nappies you just bought and makes you ask silly questions like why can’t those socks stay together?? Forgetfulness can cause serious trouble especially on forgetting to strap the harness on when the baby’s on the highchair, or the belt is not securely fastened from the car seat before getting out of the driveway. Or when the faucet was left flowing while the bub is in the tub. Although being scatter-brained sometimes give moms a push to always look after the baby. Momnesia makes most moms hypervigilant on other areas. “It turns you into someone who serves that little infant, to keep it alive no matter what,” says Brizendine, founder of the Women’s and Teen Girls’ Mood and Hormone Clinic at the University of California in San Francisco. “Other parts of your brain that are usually on high alert are sort of taken offline.” On the article, moms shared their own momnesia moments. One mentioned that she woke up in the middle of the night cradling the baby by her arms. Her husband asked what she’s doing… the baby is in the crib! I think this comes in package with motherhood. I know because I find myself forgetting some things lately. I always always forget my account passwords! But I just don’t think “Momnesia” should be considered an illness at all. I mean, motherhood is a tall job and when you’re working in an office, you come home and has a home to clean up, dinner to make and all.. then you hear your baby wailing for attention… women who are unprepared for scenarios like this won’t probably even remember her own name! Although this is not the case for me because I am blessed to have a very supportive husband and family, and my office is just 2 steps away from my baby’s crib, I feel for those moms who are into difficult situations right now, juggling work, home and the baby without any support from anyone at all. Moms do not need memory boosters but extra hands when she’s got a baby to care for and a home to run. When a mom looks after so many things, she needs someone to look after her.  PR: wait…  I: wait…  L: wait…  LD: wait…  I: wait… wait…  C: wait…  SD: wait… ]]> http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/motherhood-and-momnesia/feed/ http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/news-news/ http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/news-news/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 14:31:29 +0000 annie http://ann.jeedo.net/?p=4 I’ve been away from touch for more than a month now. Not really from blogging world because I am often in this world more than anywhere else ahahaha So what happened the past months: The SMSI Cosplay was a blast! (pics on that link) Everyone participated. My little Ea was the youngest cosplayer. Here’s one pic of me-not-wearing-the-boots-anymore (Android 18 of Dragon ball Z), Jeedo (Kakashi Hatake of Naruto) and Ea (Tweety bird or chicken little *lol) – Been staying home almost always. Been feeling nauseous, and “pukey” and always sleepy. I don’t know what to eat and I’m always hungry but never wanting to eat. Guess why? Am buntis. Yes, again. News blast, isn’t it? ]]> http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/news-news/feed/ http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/21-rapids/ http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/21-rapids/#comments Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:26:50 +0000 annie http://ann.jeedo.net/?p=3 When this week kicked off, I was looking forward rather excitedly to the upcoming Wild river white water rafting, scheduled today.  I went to the mall last Saturday to see if I could buy myself a fitting arm protector and leg tights to keep my skin from burning while we take the 21 rapids course.  My next stop would have been an SPF-40 (or higher) sunscreen until I heard from my boss that, to my utter dismay, the sked was moved for tomorrow, Friday. The difference between a Thursday and a Friday?  I have Ea’s lola to look after her on any day of the week except Fridays and Saturdays.  Her weekend is saved for something else and it’s not negotiable.   So I bade goodbye to white water rafting last night and decided to stay home and hurdle Ea’s version of “21-rapids for mommy”. I just can’t wait for my little lady to grow up and go outdoors with me and Jeedo.  I know babies grow up pretty fast.  On some occasions I even wish she could stay this small and cuddly forever.  But I miss  going out you know… camping, spending and wasting time downtown, browse for an ON SALE used books, shopping for clothes or a nice pair of earrings, sitting on a park bench (MTS?) watching the sunset, flying a kite… Perhaps when my little one is a lot bigger, it may be exciting to do these things and even explore greater heights of adventure together.  PR: wait…  I: wait…  L: wait…  LD: wait…  I: wait… wait…  C: wait…  SD: wait… ]]> http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/21-rapids/feed/ http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/hello-world/ http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/hello-world/#comments Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:37:00 +0000 annie I woke up in the middle of the night wondering what would happen if the SEO Industry dies. Where would I get money to feed my family then? Will I be able to get another job when I go beyond the calendar? I looked to my right and I see my little girl sleeping like an angel. I glanced to my left and can hear my husband softly… snoring… just a little bit. They’re both deep in the dreamland and there I was trying to sleep but can’t all because I didn’t want SEO to die yet… not this soon because I’m still enjoying the freedom of working in my own home but haven’t saved enough for the future yet. “Do you think Google’s gonna die with SEO too?” I asked my hub that morning after telling him why I didn’t get much sleep. He looked at me and his glance seemed to say, why would I even think of such impossibility. “No, that’s not likely to happen.” “But..” I tried to argue. “The Internet world is expanding at the rate of 3 domains per second. There’s no way SEO Industry is closing” Gosh, that’s like population growth, I reckon. So I thought, I might as well update my blogs and keep things going. I just did. Now. ]]> http://ann.jeedo.net/entries/hello-world/feed/