“Use normal force to engage; Use the extraordinary to win”  – Sun Tzu

Thinking big helps focus your strategy on meaningful gains. It’s not that small goals are not important; It’s that the best small goals are steps to a larger goal. In life, we ten to lose interest in small goals that do not lead to major results.

Little victories can be just as time consuming as the big victories. Wherever you are going, plan a strategy that achieves a big goal. It is easy to do a lot of nice things. The real issue is to focus your energy where you can make a difference.

Years ago, when General MacArthur headed the American Olympic Committee, he adviced the athletes, “We are here to represent the greatest country on earth. We did not come here to lose and lose gracefully, we came to win and win decisively.” With these words, MacArthur took advantage of the opportunity to merge a big responsibility, representing America, with a big goal, winning decisively.

Only great battles produce great results. It is the prospect of great results that generate great enthusiasm.

Today is Monday, the fresh start of the week. Break individual goal into yearly, monthly, weekly and daily. Dream Big, Start Small!

I have added another physical asset investment into my portfolio. Silver! Silver! Silver! American Eagle and Canadian Maple leaves.

Silver, like other precious metals, may be used as an investment. For more than four thousand years, silver has been regarded as a form of money and store of value. The gold/silver ratio is often analyzed by traders, investors and buyers. In 1792, the gold/silver ratio was fixed by law in US at 1:15, which means one troy ounce of gold would buy 15 ounces of silver. The average gold/silver ratio during the 20th century however, was 1:47. The higher the ratio/number, the cheaper silver is compared to gold.

Why do I invest into Silver?

This increases the degree of diversification and protects the portfolio against fluctuations in value of any one asset type.

1. Economic Forces
The economic forces that affect the price of precious metals are different from, and often are opposed to the forces which determine the price of most common financial assets. I am not the type of investor who will constantly study the market. I would rather invest my time nurturing my business. This independent movement of precious metals to other financial assets can reduce my overall portfolio volatility and contributes balance.

2. The Declining Dollar
The purchasing power of the U.S. dollar has steadily declined over time and is expected to continue to do so. Precious metals can often provide a “hedge against inflation” capability. For example, between 1971 and 1981, the U.S. dollar lost more than half its value, while silver prices rose nearly five times. Economies fluctuate between inflation, recession and expansion, precious metals investment help diversify and lower overall risk.

3. Asset Allocation
Precious metals can represent an important part of my asset allocation. Some experts suggest that 10-15% of portfolio assets be in precious metals. No matter what level of risk an investor wishes to take, every portfolio needs a secure foundation.

4. Ease of Ownership
I am the type of investors who wish to take possession or direct control of my assets, buying physical bullion has appeal.

Be thankful that you don’t have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thank ful when you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn

Be thankful for the difficult time. During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you are tired and weary. It means you have made a difference.

It’s easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfilment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

True North Asia has successfully organised “You own the land, we build on it” seminar on the 18th August 2010. We have great turn up of more than 70 investor guests from all over Malaysia.

Our young investors, all the way from Johor for our seminar

My best friend Jacelyn with her friends who are into development business

Our invited speaker for the night, Paul from Capital Asia Pte Ltd

Great turn up for the night! More than 70 people. 50% more than we have anticipated

Here we go…. a glimpse of our investor guests for the night:

We all have a have a good good night! Our investor guests enjoyed so much that we continue to chat till we got chase out by the hotel.

Deng Xiao Ping: “It doesn’t matter if the cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice.” So it doesn’t matter if you are a man or woman, just as long as you can meet your deliverables.

Women have been meeting and even exceeding expectations that the bosses and peers have on them. From an entrepreneur point of view, I invested so much time in my business  and forgot to love and pamper myself. Time for spa, massage, getaways are always at the back of my mind. Someone even shared with me in my earlier of my careers that I have not worked hard enough and I do not deserve to rest. At that time, I am working 7 days a week and still do not deserve a break. That’s pathetic! Some of the businesswomen I met  have lost their feminine touch because of how the business world has shaped them. Before I started True North Asia, I made a promise to myself that my team will be built with strong women who will be working and pampering themselves at the same time.

Today, I met with one well known photographer and artist, Jen Siow. He impressed me with his vast understanding about women. Jen spent 30 years perfecting his art and craft and in doing so creating his personal style of Art Portraiture. When I am admiring the photos of the woman next door in his gallery, I can feel that every woman has a story to tell and a personal brand statement behind it.

At the very moment, it reinforced the thoughts that I always have in my mind. Women must learn how to appreciate and love themselves. Just like in Sex and the City 1, Samantha broke up with one of her boyfriend by telling him, ”I love you but I love myself more. I have loved myself for the last 49 years.”

Through your own self portrait, we make a statement of own success and a legacy to pass down for generations. My desire and dream is to create opportunities for women to discuss business over wine and leisure and create your own investment wardrobe of alternative investment. Building financial and time freedom of doing things that we love is the belief that I have.

I will be holding a wine and arts appreciation session for women only. Ladies, stay excited for the event to be held soon by True North Asia and Jen Studio.

A rare opportunity to invite our developer from Hawaii, Mr Robert Wessel and Mr Winston Yau, CEO of Capital Asia Group to be here on our upcoming seminar. Nudge me to reserve a seat for yourself and friends who are keen in alternative investment – Land Development. We are limited to only 50 seats and dinner will be served that night.

See you at Corus Hotel on the 18th August this very month.

Some of my girlfriends shared with me that they want to be the “little women” in their men’s life. Reason being, they will always be protected and taken care of. Women who are perceived to be strong and career minded give an impression to men that well, they can take care of themselves. In today’s society, many women are independent and capable.

In the movie SALT, I have learnt 2 things in life.

1. Women are still women after all.

What are the characteristics of women? Emotional, yearn for care and love? In the movie itself, Evelyn salt is seen as a strong and capable woman. No matter how strong she is, without shedding a tear when her husband was shot right in front of her face, she is still disturbed by the death. The only difference is, she is able to control her emotion. Deep in every successful capable women in the boardroom, the yearn for care and love is always there.

2. You need to pay the price of hardwork and smartwork to be good in things you do.

I have learnt that to be good in one thing, for example sales, you have to invest 10,000 hours in doing sales in order to be a mastery of it. Simple calculation will be, if I spend 10 hours a day to do sales, I will master it in 1000 days equivalent to more than 2.5 years. In the movie SALT, Evelyn was trained since young and pay the price of hard work to be where she is today. For every disciplined effort, there is a multiple reward. Folks who never do any more than they get paid form never get paid for any more than they do. So, never give up!

Enjoy the trailer of the movie.