I can not define in a single post what the man has accomplished in his life. So for the sake of discussion, let us talk about him on a topic that we are all familiar of: GOLF.

If you don’t know it yet, Tiger Woods has been extremely successful in golf. Do you know that he started swinging the golf club before he can barely even walk? People were already amazed by him. In fact, he was already doing guest appearances on TV when he was 3. But none of these would have happened without his parents. Tiger got the support he needed to be able to embrace his capacity at a very young age.

I want to share with you a clip* of one of my favorite Nike commercials featuring a very young Tiger Woods. I’m not a commercial critic or an expert in deciphering its meaning, but the message I got is that it is open for interpretation. So after watching it, I’m inviting you to stay and read the rest of this post for my own take.

While the focus of the video is Tiger’s supreme talent, in the background, you’ll notice his mother happily taking pictures and his father cheering. Both are extremely happy. Both joyous by their son’s success. Their relationship with Tiger can be felt.

I consider them the wind beneath his wings.

And Tiger? He is a willing student. His parents believed in him and supported him, and Tiger accepted it.

We can learn an important lesson from this twist: to be successful, we have to learn to accept a helping hand.

Some people don’t do this because of these primary reasons: 1.) They are too shy 2.) They are egoistic, thinking they are independent enough, and 3.) Both.

Sometimes, I fall into “both” category. Just last month, when I was struggling to find balance in my work, I confessed to a co-worker that I was finding it hard to update the school website. She offered help. Honestly, I was happy that someone was concerned, so I acknowledged her action.

But I politely declined. Because I was too shy. At the same time, I was driven to prove I can manage to finish the backlog on my own.

I did, but only after a month. I felt unproductive the weeks in between. Imagine if I accepted her offer, it could have saved me more days or weeks, thus giving me a peace of mind.

If you want a faster yet solid path to success, learn to utilize your support group, whether they are your parents, other half, co-workers, or your friends; because for them, your success is their success also.

So if you’ve enjoyed this post and want to offer me help build more traffic to this site, feel free to stumble, digg, zoom, or reddit this entry. It is my pleasure telling you that I’ve learned my lesson: I won’t be shy to accept a helping hand.

By the way, you may have a different interpretation of the clip, so please feel free to post a comment. I’d love to hear/read what’s on your mind.

—–

*The clip is a “spliced” video, meaning the events really happened in different times and places, but was edited to make it look like it took place in one event. If you want to comment directly to the video, please follow this link. Otherwise leave a message below.

Resources: Tiger Woods Interview (CBS), YouTube Clip, Photo

I produced results. And by that, I meant awesome results that made my co-workers and I truly proud. It was a good scenario for me because it made me happy.

I have a weakness, though. When I develop new interests, they sometimes affect my priorities. These interests become diversions.

When I discovered blogging, it became my number one diversion and it interfered with my work.

I used to hone my technical skills.
Now I enjoy lurking in various websites.

I used to read books.
Now I prioritize blog-hopping and commenting in other blogs hoping to increase my site’s traffic.

I used to enjoy updating my school’s website.
Now it took a backseat because I prefer looking for themes and plugins to improve my blog.

Suddenly, I’m the man who can’t produce results. Because at the back of my head, I keep thinking my job can wait. I know I can always do it later.

Problem is, “later” never ever arrives because:

• I look for and think of something to blog about instead of focusing on the real work at hand.
• I check my site’s stats whenever I get the chance.
• I leave my email open and check it every time I go near my laptop.
• I visit social sites to learn more about blogging tips because I’m afraid to be left behind.

Other people love to malinger during work: extended coffee break, smoking, playing games online, shopping online, and many more. I know, because that’s what I’ve observed from others. Although I consider mine a lesser evil, it is still evil nonetheless, as far as my real work is concerned. Those activities I listed above are just a few examples of little things I insert during work. Little things that when combined, become a bad habit that holds back productivity.

And it has to stop now because that’s not the way I work. I am no fan of mediocrity.

There are reasons why I didn’t quit the 9-5 job (or 8-4 for me) for blogging. It’s because my day job is one of the biggest sources of my income and I enjoy it. Simply ignoring it means taking the risk of gradually losing it. And I can’t afford that. Without my job, this site will cease to exist.

This realization has led me to think that some things will simply have to be bumped down my to-do list. Since I enjoy blogging (or writing) and it makes me happy, I will continue to post and do the “blogging etiquette”, if they are within the boundaries of my priorities; or as long as I can do it while still producing results for my day job.

So how do I intend to do it?

Simple. Stop doing unnecessary things at work. It’s easier said than done, but that’s the responsibility that we all have to take. I’ll summarize it in two quick steps:

Step 1: Eliminate non-related activities during work hours – gradually, then completely. In this case, blogging has to be dropped from my 8-4 schedule.

Step 2: Every night, spend 1.5 to 2 hours at the most (not necessarily consecutive) for diversions. Since blogging is on the top of the list, I will have to settle doing it at night or when I get home. It includes “blog-rolling”, stats checking, commenting, social networking, and the like. I feel I have already built a connection with other bloggers and I don’t want to lose that. My presence will definitely still be felt. Doing Step 2, I will not have to worry about blogging during work hours.

In simple words, I just have to be more disciplined to live more happily.

How about you, do your diversions interfere with your work? If so, what do you plan to do to remain productive?

——

Inspired by:
Haiku Blogging @ ProBlogger.com

Some of them already have the moves while some have the potential, just needing more polishing on basics and fundamentals.

And then somehow, the ball bounced towards me. I picked the ball up and weighed it with my both hands. It’s been a while since I held a basketball. But despite that, I know I can play the game. I can shoot.

The boys were enthusiastically asking for the ball, literally racing. But I didn’t throw it back at them.

Instead, I aimed at the hoop, squared my shoulder, jumped high, and then took a shot at the top of my jump with a slick follow-through in the end.

The kids were awestruck. “Mr. P, you’re good!”

I shook my head and let out a chuckle. Because, it seemed like it was the first time they saw someone shooting the ball correctly.

And because I missed the shot.

I asked for the ball again, and they complied. I did the same thing: aim, square, and jump. I thought, to make this shot, I needed adjustments. The kids were watching intently. And there was a moment of silence. When I released the ball at the top of my jump, I heard them in unison: “Wow!”

But I missed the shot again.

But I got the kids excited. They wanted to copy my form. So I let them play and watched them copy my moves. When they got tired, they asked me to shoot again.

And I did. Seven more times. Seven more times, I shot it correctly: Aim. Square. Jump. Shoot. Follow-through. Adjust. I took a total of nine shots, and made only two. What a horrible percentage, The kids probably though that I stink!

But the kids did not. They actually wanted me to stay a little longer to play with or against them even though they knew I was simply going to kick their butts.

They saw something in me that turned them into believers despite my failure to deliver: I was shooting it right every single time. It didn’t matter that I missed a lot. I was making necessary adjustments. They saw that I knew my stuff, and it’s only a matter of time before I get my rhythm back. And when that happens, they are going to think I’m better than Kobe Bryant because I already have built a good first impression.

I always want a good first impression, and I do it not because of others, but because I want to feel better about myself. What do you think I would feel if my students think my shot looks funny if I tried to be flashy?

Overdoing is not my thing, and if I did that I’ll screw my shots. That’s the reason why as much as possible, I want to keep it simple by not doing things beyond my comfort zone.

And when things are not going my way? I adjust. I’ll probably jump a little higher or release the ball with a softer touch when I take a shot.

Simply put, here’s the formula I follow to making a lasting first impression:

* Make an effort
* Don’t overdo
* Make a follow-up action.

The kids are going to have a practice this week, and if I feel like joining them, I’ll make sure that the first impression I gave them was not a fluke.

——-

Since I talked about basketball, I’ll back it up with a 30-sec video. Watch me (#4) making the winning shot during a basketball tournament, summer of 2006. It earned us the last spot for the Finals, and we won the Championship eventually. Special thanks to our close friend, Elmer Karaan, who taped this game and was also the announcer:

“Mr. P?” he softly called me. “I can’t do it…” He was pleading for help – more like scared to try and fail.

I was beginning to feel irritated. I explained the lesson three times already, the last one, just ten seconds ago. But, I remained calm, fighting the negativity that clouded my mind. I glanced at his paper, still unanswered.

“It looks hard…” he said, and looked back at his paper, giving me the impression that he’s staring at strange numerical questions.

A teacher shouldn’t help a student during a short quiz. So I firmly said, “Tom, just solve the questions.”

Knowing he won’t be able to squeeze out anything from me, I saw his lips trembled, and I knew if he uttered one more word, those tears will begin to fall.

That’s the last thing I wanted to see, as it will bother the rest of the class. So I told him, “Tom, I know you can do it. I believe you can. ” Believe. I had spoken the word and I sincerely meant it. Being their teacher for the past couple of years, I know Tom has untapped potentials. Tom was participative during our class discussions — enthusiastically shooting his hand in the air when I asked questions, yet, when it was time to be alone in an island he’s afraid to swim to the ocean. I figured, he just needed to be inspired.

“Don’t be scared.” I continued. “You’ll never know how easy or hard it is until you try.”

Somehow, I knew and felt that my words moved him. It motivated him. The trembling of his lips stopped and his tears became sparkles. I saw a rejuvenated spirit in him. He went back to his paper and started answering.

When I checked their work, Tom got 4 correct answers out of 5 questions. Not bad. Tom’s smile was – like what the commercial said – PRICELESS.

You see, Tom for once has opened his closed mind to something big. And, as one of his teachers, I just wish this becomes his habit.

How about you, do you see the hesitant Tom in you?

Do you stay in a dead end job and say, “Oh, I can’t quit, it’s hard for me to look for another job.”

Or when someone is teaching you new stuff about technology, do you hear yourself saying, “You know, I can’t do it. I’m really not a computer person.”

Or when someone has invited you to dance, do you shy away and say, “I’m sorry, I can’t dance.”

Or do you think the girl of your dreams is way out of your league? Maybe not, if you stop thinking you can’t ask her out.

Think about it. How much often are you going to say I can’t, when it is so obvious that you can? I can’t is a depressing washed-up front for I don’t.

The important lesson here is: if you try, you have a shot at winning something; If you don’t, you will lose everything you hoped for. As the old sports adage says: “You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

Do you agree? If so, then it’s time to just do it.

Jack was still sleeping, and it was already past 6 am. He’s late for school now, so his mother tried to wake him up. “Jack, get up! You’re late for school!” But Jack said, “5 more minutes, Mom…” and he returned to sleep.

Minutes later, his mother tried to wake him up again: “Jack, get up! You need to go school!” But Jack loved to sleep, so he turned his back on his mother and said: “But I still want to sleep!” He pulled the blanket to his head.

His mother, now displaying a ‘motherly demeanor’, said: “Jack, you have to get up now! You really need to go to school!”

“But I don’t want to go!”

To which his mother replied: “But you need to! You ARE the school principal!”

It was a fictitious story told to us by my high school teacher; I knew she was just trying to make a point. She said that being responsible is doing things you don’t like. When I was younger, I agreed with her. Jack didn’t want to go to school but he had an obligation, so he still went and did his job. It made sense.

Now, after revisiting the story, I think my teacher might have been mistaken….

Being responsible is not simply defined as doing things you don’t like. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in that position in the first place. To me, being responsible is doing things, whether you like it or not, because it’s for the better good. It entails sacrifice.

Parents want to be parents, that’s why they have children. So, they sacrifice things they used to do to take care of their kids. A public official wants to serve and he is a powerful person. But does that mean he can do whatever he wants? No. Otherwise, people will brand him as corrupt. In the church, we turn off our cellphones and listen to the gospel because we want to be responsible Christians.

If you are a student and you want better grades, then you have to sacrifice. It is your responsibility to improve yourself. If you are employed, you might be required to attend workshops and seminars for professional growth.

You might not like what your responsibility requires you to do, but you still have to sacrifice and do it. Or you’ll be buried in your own mediocrity. And when that day comes, do you ask why?

You’ve probably heard the news about the fascinating people on the internet popularized by their successful money-making stories. Ordinary people who became internet legends by blogging. And then you’ve asked yourself: “When is it my turn?” You want to be like them: lucky by doing nothing.

You’re wondering: why are some people so damn lucky earning lots of money sitting in front of the computer?

I’ll tell you a secret. I have read about their inspiring stories, too.

You know what I noticed?

It’s still hard-work that brings them up there on a different level. They continue to think of good, useful topics that their readers are interested in; they continue to make sure that their traffic remains on top 100,000 of alexa.com; they continue to submit their articles on reddit.com and/or digg.com to gain consistent exposures; they make sure they attract more subscribers by employing “evil” strategies; and they read books and continue to update their knowledge. You just don’t notice that they work hard because it is concealed by the enjoyment of what they are doing.

You think they just sit there content with what they have? You think luck brought them where they are right now?

Partly. Because chance favors the prepared mind.

Think about it. While you are stuck in your own box playing the waiting game, struggling to get out and to fly to a different stratosphere, the smartest thing to do is improve yourself and do your best instead of complaining why others are rewarded with material things and you’re not.

Who knows? Tomorrow might be your turn. But the question is: Are you ready?

Normally, after I laid out my plans for the day, I would zone out everything and carry out my plan. If I get interrupted by favors indirectly related to my regular work, I would accept it and politely say “I’d finish it as soon as I can.“

But today was a lot different from my normal Friday, which is supposed to be lighter, compared to other days of the week. Today, I had to endure extended work and a couple of distractions. (I felt the need to sugar-coat the word “distractions” and use “challenges” instead, but, decided against it because they are what they really are: distractions.)

Since I had to beat a lot of deadlines this day, I had to invoke my “Level 3″ multi-tasking skills to get the jobs done. Missions accomplished, but at the end of the day, I was physically exhausted.

You might ask: “Isn’t it much easier to just decline the requests and simply do what you’re supposed to do?“

It’s not, if you live in a society. It’s hard to say no when people are depending on you. It’s difficult when you know that these kinds of distractions are once-in-a-blue moon situation — they don’t happen often. So you have to be considerate.

Multi-tasking is not always doing two or more things at the same time. It is also the ability of doing other productive things while waiting for the other one to be accomplished. The art of multi-tasking is stealing idle time of one task to achieve another goal. It is tough, because you tend to lose concentration on one thing as soon as you start doing the other.

Multi-tasking requires grace under pressure, and not so many people have it. The ability to switch back and forth different tasks without losing poise and focus requires a lot practice. Fortunately, I was trained to do that when I was in college, particularly during the thesis period. I remember “coding in my head” during breaks, and I happily would resume programming upon seating in front of the computer.

When I know new tasks are looming, I strategize my multi-tasking. I prioritize and drop the less important immediately. I make sure I stay calm. I like the idea of watching myself like I am on TV. How do I look from the audience perspective? Do I look irritated or busy? Do I still smile when people greet me? If my answer is no, I will gather myself and turn the work pace a little slower. Now, I am saying this because it is beneficial to me. I realized long before that I can be efficient and effective under duress and I feel good about it.

If you haven’t done it before, I encourage you to practice multi-tasking because distractions are unavoidable, no matter how well you organized your day. If by the end of the day, you feel that you are more productive than ever and you loved what you did, then that’s a good sign that multi-tasking is for you.

But that is about to change because his boss confronted him one day.

The store was missing an iPod. They turned the store upside down but couldn’t find it. No receipt was produced to prove that it was actually purchased. Given that, Ernie’s boss made a decision, a foolish decision that would change the working relationship between the two: he was going to deduct the cost of the lost iPod from Ernie’s small hard-earned pay.

Ernie was furious and bravely refused to accept the owner’s decision. Taking away something that you earned, Ernie said, is inhumane. “If you do that, I’m quitting!” he told his boss with strong conviction.

That’s the last thing the boss would want to hear. It will be hard to find someone as diligent and as loyal as Ernie if he leaves.

I don’t blame Ernie if he quits. And as his long-time friend, I understand him. Loyalty is a two-way street. He’s been loyal to his employer and it is just proper to expect the same treatment from his boss. But instead of getting that, he received an unfair treatment and discriminatory judgment.

Symbiotic relationship means both parties benefit from each other. Give and take: one has to give, and one has to receive. Then reverse the roles. There should also be a mutual understanding that parties involve will not abuse one another. In the case of Ernie, only his boss is reaping all the benefits.

I remember when my principal asked me if I can take an additional job by teaching Math (besides teaching Computer). I had taught Math before, and I knew exactly how excruciating it can be to have extra classes. It means more test papers to check, more homework to give, and more lesson plans to prepare. In simple words: more headaches. So I did what I had to do: I would accept the offer but I will also ask for a decent salary increase. They agreed, without questions asked. I think I know why.

It is because my employer knows I have proven that I work hard and I’m loyal to them, and I rightfully deserve every cent of the increase. And because in reality, a simple pat on the back is not enough for a job well done. They reward deserving employees.

There’s a lot of “Ernie” in the world, but problem is, unlike my friend, they stick to their jobs despite maltreatment because they’re afraid they won’t be able to get another job. I hope you are not one of them because they are wrong. There are a lot of jobs out there, waiting to be found. They just need to look a little harder to find them. If they become unhappy, then it’s time to move and go on to a different direction where they will grow – financially, emotionally and professionally.

Those are the eternal questions newly-graduates ask themselves as they prepare to join the labor force, and most often they get confused. I was one of them nine years ago.

It took me several months before I landed a job after graduating from college. I was so concerned with the salary.

“I heard John is getting $$$ amount monthly.”

“Jane was also accepted at ABC company and is being sent to the States to work.”

I wanted to be the same. I wanted tell people how huge my salary is when they ask. I wanted a job that will pay me huge money and at the same time will give me even just a slight exposure in my field of expertise. In that specific order: money, then experience. That was how I measured success then. I wanted money right away.

My friend on the other hand, was already working as a programmer receiving a minimum to low salary. That time, I just declined a job from an IT software house that only offered daily allowance, enough to pay only the transportation. Give me a break, I deserved better than that. So I accepted a programming job from a small plastic manufacturing firm that gave me almost double of my friend’s base salary. My work as an in-house database programmer was to upgrade their DOS systems to Windows-based, not to mention technical support and computer troubleshooting.

Later, I learned that my hard-working friend was absorbed by the bank he was working for and his professional skills were honed as his company kept sending him to various seminars and workshops. Years after, he is promoted to a manager, has his own car, and is now living a life I’ve been dreaming of.

Me? I got stuck coding, and since the company I was working for was more concerned in developing their main products, I had to improve my skills on my own time.

Looking back, it was a huge mistake to prioritize salary when you are a starter. Give premium to skills and experience. In time, as your skills and experience broaden, you will be compensated properly. Forget what others say when they brag about their income but unhappy with their jobs because of lack of professional growth.

If you can get a job that will provide you experience and huge income, then take advantage and grab it. Good for you. Otherwise, go for the experience, you’ll be rewarded later. Or maybe sooner. Depends on how hard-working you are. As the saying goes, “No pain, no gain.”

And then it becomes a habit. This time, I service computers without charging people who I met just once. Not good, I think. Most of these people are professionals and businessmen, and it makes them uncomfortable when someone refuses their offer, may it be in donation or in kind. They even have to force the payment to my hands. What an awkward situation. I had to accept. And the moment that happened, the long wait was over.

If you are in the same boat, I have an advice for you: don’t let the day pass by. You have to understand that this is your chance or you’ll keep waiting forever. Politely take it, like it is an honor servicing them. Because “that someday” you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived. And “that something in return” that awaits you, is already right in front of you.

Own it, like I do now. There’s nothing wrong with accepting something you rightfully deserve.