Hearing & listening

One of my young reader who gave a comment, under my title, "Listening and Understanding" was so encouraging. He was only a young man of 19 and yet he could understand the different of "Hearing & Listening". A lot of youngster of his age could be struggling to understand words and meaning but he could see the different in them. I really admire you, Ihsan.

"Many people hear for the sake of hearing". Applying the advices by Daniel Theyagu on "Develop A Razor-sharp Memory", we have the Short-term memory (STM) and Long-term memory (LTM) in our brains to serve the hearing and listening mode. Hearing could be stored in the STM between 7 seconds to the maximum of 48 hours before one forgets. By about 24 hours, most people could have forgotten what he had heard. I believe, by listening attentively and to understand the hearing, the memory could be stored in the LTM for life.

Hearing is temporary but listening is permanent. Listening is an art and skill. Listening can make you more of an understanding person. For further enlightenment on this subject, please read my article posted as "Listening & Understanding".

For readers to understand the above explanation on memories, please read the posted article under "Develop A Razor-sharp Memory" for further elaboration.

"Hear for the sake of hearing. Listen to understand life"

Methods of Love

"The constitution of love code. If you love someone, show them and say so!".

Methods of love:

Kiss on the ear - I'm Horny

Kiss on the cheek - We're friends

Kiss on the hand - I adore you

Kiss on the shoulder - I want you

Kiss on the lips - I love you

Holding hands - We can learn to love each other

Looking into each other's eyes - Let's get romantic

The next time when someone shows you either one of them, be aware what you should know.

listening & understanding

I never realised "Listening & Understanding" are so important in lives until I sold insurance with Prudential 25years ago.

Prior to joining Prudential, I had been working with various companies selling various consumer products of tangible type. However selling life insurance is different because insurance is an intangible product which can't be seen or touched. It can only be felt with a promise which will be delivered only in near future.

Most insurance agents failed in this career because they sold life insurance as though it was tangible. They sold by quotations and projection as investment plan. They sold to friends and relatives whom they knew, which I considered as non selling. Because these friends bought out of obligation or merely to help and to offer encouragement to the new agents.

On my second year in the business, I found it difficult to sell too, when I was approaching strangers and the natural market. That was the time, I read our Prudential's logo and theme slogan, "Always Listening & Always Understanding" which striked my mind.

The British was never wrong, they were ahead of us in term of power and knowledge. In fact our company, Prudential a British Insurance Company was established more than 150 years ago have had been applying this slogan very meaningfully and successful since then.

From that time onwards, I learn to listen. There is a phrase that said, "Sometimes all a person needs is not a brilliant mind that speaks but a patient heart to listen". I gradually learnt that Listening is an art not just a manner. When Someone really listens to you, bridges are built, and chasms are crossed. Listening really is a great and wonderful thing in live. Unfortunately, it is also too often forgotten.

The art of listening; Listen to what hasn't been said. Listen without interrupting. Listen with 100% attention. Listen with your ears. Listen with absolute patience. Listen with your hands. More so and important, Listen with your whole heart with joy.

When I mastered the art of listening, I realised I could understand more facts of life. This wisdom is the gate way to reach and touch lives more effectively. "All of us make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give".

Thank you Prudential by showing the way on how to listen and how to understand. You make my life more meaningful and interesting.

Man & Woman need each other

Sometimes I pondered with curiosity of "man and woman". 'Man needs woman but woman might not need man at times'. Is it true?

I throw in two simple questions to those I encountered.

Q1: If the world had been created only with women and no man: Do you think our present women would look like; 3 choices to pick...

answer A: they look less attractive as from the present

answer B: they look even more attractive than before

or

answer C: they look the same and no different.

Surprisingly the result was 10% for answer B and 90% replied with A. Answer c was nil. They gave many support as without man, women have no incentive to look prettier or sexier. Women and women have nothing to show. They are the same of one kind. Don't laugh if you are reading my message, coz you can always ask around yourself to prove my point.

Q2: If the world had been created only with men and no woman: Do you think our present males would work like; 3 choices to pick again..

answer A: They work less harder as from the present

answer B: They work even harder than before

or

answer C: they remain working the same and no different.

Shocking to conclude that every one from both sexes replied with 100% for answer A. No woman, no incentive to working harder. Nothing to excite them. Is unbelievable!

Perhaps God knows better. HE created Adam first. Although Adam was living in The Eden of Paradise, he was dreaming and lonesome. God then only realised that he had to create another partner for him. HE didn't create another Adam but Eve who was a female was created to appease Adam.

Do you notice the word, Woman has "man" in it. Mr's has "Mr" in it. Female has "male" in it. She has "He" in it. Madam has"Adam" in it. No wonder "Men" always want to be inside "Women".

Now, with men around, women look more attractive. Because of female attractiveness, men get excited. That was when we took pain and afford to tackle and court our girl friends. She said, "Young man, if you have no car, how would you want me to move around with you". That would spur the young man to move and buy a car for the seek of getting her. Later when both of them fell deeply in love, the girl's mother anxiously spoke, " Young man, how can you marry my daughter when you don't even possess a house". Without hesitation, he worked harder and smarter and he finally bought a home and happily married the lady.

Man needs woman and equally woman needs man. Without the sexes of both, I think our world would spin slower and less colourless in life. Thanks God, for creating Eve into the world. Otherwise, there is no meaning in life.

"I dreamt of heaven last night. It was the most beautiful place and I never wanted to leave. But when I woke up. you crossed my mind and I said: "Heaven can wait coz I have my paradise here with YOU my darling". Spoken with the heart bcoz there is woman for man to love.

Miracle of Insurance

This was a one lunch that I would never forget in my life. It was 25 years ago, on a very special occasion, Mr Chia, my insurance agent was lunching with me at a hotel. While we were chatting, there was a charming lady who came over to our table and excitingly greeted my agent, "Hello! Are you the Mr Chia from Prudential?".

From their conversation I over heard their interesting story. Chia was the servicing agent to her father who was running a coffee shop in the other part of town. He was rather a typical Chinese man who always refused to listen. However with a lot of patience and understanding, Chia was able to persuade and convince the man to pick up a handful of insurance covers through the years.

Unfortunately as time passed, business was bad and the man was very stressful. Not too long the man died. He was suffering from an advance stage of cancer. It was a blow to his family. He left a housewife and two daughters still at high school level then.

Luckily because of those insurance taken, the proceed from the claim was able to let the wife to continue the coffee shop. The daughters could still continue their studies and even make it through the universities.

This was spoken by the emotional lady who was at the lunch, "Mr Chia, if it was not you who took the effort and pain to encourage my dad to buy those policies from you, my mother would not have the mean to up keep the shop at that time. With whatever we had, we were strong and determine to continue our studies. Mr Chia, today I worked as an accountant and my sister would soon be qualifying as a doctor. You are almost our saviour to the family. We were too young then to know you and to appreciate you with a great THANK YOU. Mum was talking so much about you. Please let me have your current address. I would make sure our family pays you a respectful visit soon".

Those words were spoken with tears and emotion. Chia was shocked and speechless. She hugged him like a father. I was touched and inspired.

This episode was like God sent because I had always in my mind wanted to do something good for others. I knew I could not be a pastor who could preach a religion to save souls spiritually. I do not qualified to be a professional doctor. Right in front of me was a scene so convincing that I told myself I should follow the footstep of this insurance man.

That was history because immediately after that episode, I became an insurance agent. There was no turning back and I told myself 25 years ago, I would be the best and most committed insurance agent for my company. That story moved my mind, heart and soul. I would work like a preacher but to preach the word of insurance to every home that I know.

These 25 years was really an exciting years for me. I had the up and down of life. Nevertheless my career allows me to meet people by the thousand. The experiences and knowledge I gathered are unanimous and tremendous. The good and bad part of live I learned. The suffering and the pain I went through. I truly understand the wisdom of what I am now.

I sold the unaccountable lives through the years. I had seen death more than any normal person ever seen in one's living through my claims. I had visited countless sick either in their homes or at hospitals. I had seen hundred babies born and today they turned adults. They talked to me as a child but today they talked to me as a friend. My encouragement motivated them to study well and my wisdom spurred their parents to understand live better too. I am not just an insurance agent to them but more so as a family friend forever. I am always just one call away from whoever needs to see me because I truly love my job. I don't even consider my career as a job but rather as a hobby now.

Today, I take this opportunity to thanks my Agency Manager, Mr Chia who allowed me by chance to witness the above inspiring episode. Otherwise, I would not have been of what I am today. You had created miracle out of insurance and I had even created more miracles out of it too. If God permits me to live up to 100 years and healthy, I would still love to sell insurance until I leave this wonderful world of ours. Thanks again Mr Chia for I really speak through my heart.

" The answer to true happiness living is loving and giving. For only LOVE can make man kind. And kindness of heart brings Peace of Mind".....and I got it through the miracle of insurance selling

Love me now

"Love me now, while I am living.

Do not wait until I am gone.

To have those sweet words chiseled in marble on ice-cold stone.

If you have tender thoughts of me,

Please let me know now.

Not when I am not there".

Beautifully written and hope these few words could inspire all lovers to be courageous in telling to their loved one while they are still around.

Words are meaningful and if they are written and given to the rightful person and more so at the rightful time. Just a few hours ago, I met a depressed and frustrated friend. He was complaining that his business is bad and customers are not paying him on time. While we were having a cup of coffee, a sms message was received over his mobile phone. While reading the text, he was giggling, smiling and laughing with joy. All his depression and frustration disappeared.

I was amused and asked him what had happened. He showed me the message. It was written as: "My dear, I LoveU, I NeedU, I MissU and I want to LickU!"

Wow! I cannot imagine those simple words of love could change a person's mood so fast. Now I learn and know, I too have to be brave in showing my affection to those I love most in my life. Would you?

successful woman & exhausted man

When I was much younger, this was the saying, "For every successful man, there is always a woman behind".

Perhaps is true! I could see all prominent and great leaders or successful business men have a motivator and adviser behind, be they the wives or lovers. The Chinese have the belief of the "Yin & Yang", an energy to balance the fulfilment of man and woman. With the inspiring love, man moves mountains and overcome all obstacles of live to achieve success.

Today statement has been changed, "Behind every successful woman, there is a satisfied man. But behind a satisfied woman, there is an exhausted man".

The reason could be, our world has changed tremendously since the last 20 years. Those days, men walked and women were behind. Today women walked and men stayed behind. Women are smarter today. They are better in studies and excel in every way. Men are playful and lacking in advancement on all ways. We would not be surprised, soon the next new President of USA would be a woman.

It would be a shame to see all successful women leaving with exhausted men.

Develop a razor-sharp memory

This is one article I read and found them to be very useful for knowledge and wisdom storage.

"IT'S ALL IN THE MIND'.

To make the most of your memory, you need to know how the brain stores information,

says Daniel Theyagu

You have often heard people says,"I have bad memory or I'm not good at remembering names".

Even you may be guilty of telling someone; "I always forget what I want to do!" or"My memory is failing".

These are all just excuses. The fact is, you have an excellent memory. You just do not use it well enough. So, your memory begins to atrophy with time.

Your memory works like a muscle. When you exercise your muscles, you become fitter and well-toned. Likewise, when you work on your memory, your memory will work effectively.

It is possible to develop a razor-sharp memory. However, it is not going to happen overnight, and it is not going to be a simple process. You need commitment and constant practice to keep your memory sharp.

Many of you spend a lot of time trying to keep your bodies healthy and fit. Some of that time should also be spent on keeping your brain in good working order. The best way to do this is to work out your brain's wonderful ability to remember and recall information.

There are several ways in which you can develop a razor-sharp memory. For a start, you need to understand how your brain works. Putting it simply, your brain consists of three types of memory - sensory memory, short-term memory and long term memory.

SENSORY MEMORY

This helps us to remember things that help us to survive, like telling us we are feeling hungry or that we are cold or warm. The body will respond to these stimuli appropriately. If you are feeling too warm, for example, you will start to perspire.

SHORT-TERM MEMORY

Also called STM, this is like the RAM (Random Access Memory) of your computer. If you have a small RAM in your computer and run many programmes, your computer system crashes or "hangs". Likewise, when you try to store too much information in the STM you start to "forget" this information as the storage capacity of STM is limited.

STM can remember information from a period of seven seconds to a maximum of 48 hours. In fact, within the first 24 hours you forget up to 80 per cent of the information you acquire, unless this transferred to the long-term memory (LTM).

LONG-TERM MEMORY

The transfer of information from STM to LTM requires you to re-configure the information in a manner that allows the LTM to remember. The LTM is situated more to the right part of the brain, and it remembers information in a unique manner that is different from the STM, which is situated nearer the left hemisphere of the brain

Your LTM only remembers three kinds of things. If you want to develop a razor-sharp memory, you need to change any information that you want to remember for a long time into one of these three modes:

*Survival skills: The first is survival skills like eating, walking or swimming. Silly as it may sound, can you ever "forget" how to walk or swim.

*Sad experience: The second is events that remind you of something sad that happened in your life, like a bad experience or an accident that you had. Such information automatically gets stored in the LTM and you often triggered into remembering it.

*Funny memories: The third kind is information that which you find funny, engaging, silly or stupid. Just to prove this point, see whether you can answer the following questions:

. What fruit did Snow White eat?

.At 12 midnight, what did Cinderella leave behind?

.Who was Popeye's favorite food?

.Who was little Red Riding Riding Hood visiting?

If you can answer them, it just goes to show how much you have retained from your childhood memories. This is because these fairy tales or cartoons are so enchanting, funny and sometimes ludicrous that your brain seems to enjoy them.

Now think for a moment what you were doing this time last week. Unless you were engaged in something very interesting, chances are you will need to refer to your diary or crack your head to remember it. Mundane activities are processed in the STM and soon forgotten.

The key to having a razor-sharp memory is to make information creative and exaggerated so that the right brain will want to remember it. This may sound difficult, but with practice, it is easier than you think

GOD really created us with a powerful brain. Use it right and we would store the necessary knowledge and wisdom of life.

Mother Theresa

"If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish with motives; be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you; be honest any way.

What you spend years building, someone can destroy overnight; build anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; do good anyway.

Give the world your best! coz in the final analysis,

It's between You & God any way.

It was never between you & them anyway".

By Mother Theresa.....

The above message was sent to me by a very special single working mother whom I always respect. Although we could have read these before but is good to be reminded from time to time. The wisdom of Mother Theresa should be always be remembered.

treat everyone as special

Today i had a great sharing with some of my fellow colleagues. They are young in the life insurance business. Most of them are aggressive and willing to work. Their main motive is to make money.

The funny part in life is when you have little money, you are prepared to work for long hours. Sometimes you even go beyond your limit to prove that you can be the star of the company. Perhaps even go against one's principle of selling and approaches. Coz just to cling some unethical sales.

It would be very wrong to practise this style of selling. In the long run, your character would definitely be shown. On the hand, if you could stay long enough with the business and make a lot of money, the work might bore and tire you. Because even with money, you still need to be hardworking to sell and meet people.

The only way, if you want to stay long in this business, you must be honest with yourself. Ask yourself whether you love to see people all the time. From now until you expire from this world.

Our career requires us...." To treat everyone as special; Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnite. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward".

If the above statement is meaningful to you, then your life will never be the same again. I guarantee you, my fellow colleagues.

Meaning of Happiness

Happiness is a state of mind. The dictionary definition is " feelings of joy and pleasure mingled together". A feeling of happiness is more than just an experience of joy. It is a state of mind where the individual feels that "life is good".

Many people thought that happiness is difficult to get and acquire. They seek for possession and chase after dreams. If they don't obtain and gain whatever they seek, frustration and sadness would appear. Since happiness is only the feeling of mind, why don't we feel to be happy rather than to be sorrowful.

We can think and feel the happy moment of our childhood days. Those were the days when we were so innocent and yet so happy.

For the present, we should be happy because we are still alive and healthy. You are now able to read my words of wisdom to learn and understand life better. Think and you should be happier.

The future would be even brighter because you are going to enlighten yourself to be always happy.

The choice is ours. We could think and feel to be happy or to be sad. If we can, then we should always think the option to be happy. A happy heart sees the world more beautifully.

What are free things in life

" Most of the things we desire are expensive.

But the truth is: the things that really satisfy us are Free;

Love, Joy, Peace, Laughter & A Good Friend! That is me, Robert Foo".

So the next time you crave for expensive things, think twice before you buy!

A Rainbow

" Life has its up and downs.
Sometimes the sun shines,
Sometimes the rain pours.
But don't forget, it takes both

sun and rain to make a rainbow ".

I would not forget these words because it was sent to me by a simple lady I admired and loved. At a time when I was so down and defeated. Friends cheated me. Business was bad. Family problems and on and on with setbacks. When I received and read those wisdom words, they changed my thoughts. Although was raining but the sun was shinning as well. Together the rain and sun, they created the rainbow when I could see myself again. Thank you my dear, for sending this rainbow at the right time while I was so depressed at time.

Words of wisdom could change a person mind. Read to feel and feel to believe.

Heaven can wait

This was what written by my an elderly distance relative from the Philippine. A message he related through the sms for his wife;

Love Quote: I dreamt of heaven last night. It was the most beautiful place and I never wanted to leave. But when I woke up, you crossed my mind and I said: " Heaven can wait coz I have my paradise here with you my dear...wife".

Her wife read with tears. Her heart melted. Her words were speechless.

Can we be loving, thoughtful and yet have wisdom humour in our life! If we do, everything would be marvellous in our day to day life.

True affection

" Without simplicity, one cannot gain the true affection of others".

It is so simple to make others to like you but just that the world complicates by not applying simplicity in life. Try and you would make life easier.

Love

" One word spoken with LOVE can soothe the sorrowful hearts of many".

Use it often and you would be a wonderful person for life.

Knowledge & Wisdom

To pursuit for knowledge is never an ending process. The minute, one stops to learn, that is when one calls it a day and certainly you would feel old. In pursuit for knowledge, we should try to think and feel young. Growing up and growing old are two different feelings. Growing up is challenging but growing old is sorrowful.

It was my first son that awoke my thought and feeling. He said the young would accept the old when only the old could accept the young as well. Learn the internet. Explore the unknown and knowledge from it's power. He was damn right. All of a sudden, I feel I am still growing up.

Wisdom of life cannot be taught or given, but rather one has to pursuit and to experience life to learn it. Knowledge is from the mind but wisdom is from mind and heart. The power of knowledge could be bad and good but wisdom always symbolizes one to feel good. With knowledge and refined with the wisdom of life, one should be able to live a happier and meaningful life.

I had been a sales person for 40 years. I remember my first 30 years of selling was knowledge based. Later the past 10 years I had developed my career as a working hobby. A job could be tiring but a hobby is a joy and ever lasting. Simply because I have added wisdom into my knowledge base selling to make it more refining. Today my selling has more joy and laughter. My work has fun and understanding. My talk and approaches have love and feeling. Wisdom created all these.

Whether in work or living, combine knowledge with wisdom, your work and life could be more pleasant and more interesting. Is not easy at the beginning but if you don't try, you would not know it is easy. I sincerely hope my sharing could help my fellow colleagues. If you do, then you are truly a special class of agents away from the rest of the industry. Because you have knowledge refined with wisdom.

Spoken by Mahatma Gandthi; "Happiness is when you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

Anger

"Getting angry is both an internal and external afflictions.
Internally, you produce your own anxiety.
Externally, you trouble others".

How I wish the world could understand this better. There would be peace all round. Don't be angry but be happy!

Silent love

Nothing is happy
If dicky is naughty
Pussy pussy where are you
When dicky cries for you
Are you so heartless
or are you so loveless?
I just wander why!
For you don't let me unwind. Ah?

Only when both lovers are in quarrel, they would face such a feeling. Even me too!

The Beauty of Woman

" The Beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows.

The Beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The Beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides".

How true! My elder son married twice and failed in both marriages because he did not see the inner of his women. Whereas, my second son who is much luckier and smarter, found a woman with love by seeing her eyes that have care and concern. She shoulder all obstacles in life with love and patience. Really she is a very simple lady but most important her heart has love.
We love her as well.

Old age

Don't be afraid to grow old.
Old folks are worth a fortune.
They have silver in the hair, gold in the teeth, stones in the kidneys & gas in the stomach!
Congratulation if you are old!

Wife

The wife is like a favorite car - exciting when new: depressing when broken; boring when old and used; but in the end, one realizes " It's a classic! ".

Think twice before you chuck it away!

Harkwork

"Hard work is like the stairs,
luck is like a lift.

Lift may fail sometimes,
but whatever may be the occasion,
stairs will always get you to the top.
Luck might help you once,
Hard work helps always".

How true! Just like our Malaysian Badminton Double Players, Koo Kien Keat & Tan Boon Heong who became Heroes by winning the recent All-England title. It took us 25 years to bring back the title. Not forgetting Malaysia is a small nation of only 25 million population. Challenging the final game of that night was China, a country of more than 1.2 billion. We won the game merely by hard work. Congratulation Malaysia.

Money

Money money,
Money can makes the world goes round.
Too much money can also turn our senses upside down.
Money isn't money if isn't utilize.
Money spend can contribute to economical growth.
More so, if it is spend to save a life.
Too much money can be evil.
Too little money can be sorrowful.
Just have enough and would do.
Money makes us happy.
Too much money makes us crazy.
No money makes us sad.
Too much money makes us lack.
Little money makes us humble.
Too much money makes us crumble.
Money is important,
But money isn't the least important.
Money brings us hope,
But money also brings us droop.
Be happy with what we have and,
Be happy with what we don't have.
Money would make the world,
But money would also create your dreamworld!

Man & Woman

'Man cannot live without woman but woman can live without man'.

When God created Adam, he was not happy bcoz he was lonely, even he was living in Paradise then. God later created a woman, Eve to appease him. If the first man on earth could not live without woman, I believe no normal man of today could live without.

However it is surprising, woman at times can live without man. May be their instinct is different for Eve was brave enough to eat the forbidden fruit first. This showed that she was prepared to leave Adam and the paradise for something unknown to her then.

So! Beware gentlemen, be loving and nice to your ladies all the times for they could leave you any time. Think about it!

Beautiful World

"The beautiful world could only be seen with a happy and contented heart".

Add perfume of happiness everyday in our life and we would see the world beautifully.