Self Motivation, Landed in Manila

Arrived in Manila late last night (no typhoon while I was flying, so I’m here safe!) just 1 hour delay. Each time I’ve been coming here (3rd time this year) I’m always maxing out the allowed “free” amount of luggage on the plane (15 kilos). I really feel like a Filipino when I’m doing this, as the lines checking in at the hong kong airport has so many Filipinos with big cardboard boxes jammed with their goods from China / hong kong and just under the allowed amount. I’m also “smuggling” over electronics and electronics accessories each time – THEY HARE HEAVILY taxed in the Philippines, and sooo cheap in china….its crazy not to maximize the amount of things you carry over each time. This time brought 2 laptops and 2 monitors (for dual screens)

Anyway, while waiting for the plane, an older Filipino guy, Fernando started chatting with me. He was so happy and so excited. He said it was still a secret,but would show me –

HE WON THE LOTTERY – The south african bank of business development emailed him that he was the lucky worldwide winner of a business grant of 1 million us dollars to develop his business plan. He applied online and said he was the one selected by the South African government to receive this 1 million us dollars…..

……

I really hope its true, he was so happy and so excited, but his printed gmail email letter on a piece of paper didn’t really convince me it was legitimate. It was actually a little sad that these scammers on the internet probably break down people like this every day……he was talking about a business he was going to open, and how life was going to be so great now, and he could reach his dreams…..

On the plane, I was motivating myself…..exhausted from the past couple days of bargaining with new tenants, moving stuff to multiple locations…not to mention, still doing my main work of ecommerce and product development, marketing……mostly emails from support staff and client requests for complex changes…..

But this “back of the napkin” self motivation makes me think back to another flight motivational period I think its being on the plane, in the air, the feeling of TRANSITION. Moving quickly from 1 place in the world to another. Its a rush. It gets my blood flowing….

Here on the napkin I wrote (if you can’t see clearly from my cameraphone pic:

• Never Give Up
• Life is an Adventure
• How Far Can You Go?
• How Much Pressure Can You Withstand?
• Go Big, or Go Home!
• Go, Fight, Win (you can read my article about this poem – go, fight, win

But I have to admit, I’m a bit nervous, another photo here is the new startup office we’ve been working from in the Philippines the past 6 months or so. Nothing fancy. Notice my laptop there on the right, still uploading a bunch of files between a few computers. Just exhausting.

MOTIVATION. And I keep realizing, no one can motivate you more then YOU. I have to keep on track, keep remembering that, and push myself to go beyond the limit. Ok, back to work.