Sunday, August 25, 2013

Hunger Makes Me Tick



They said crisis always brings out the best in people. I beg to differ. Why should one wait for crisis to happen before they uncover their best.

People will always try different ways to discover or attain successes but for me, I attributed my achievements and successes to HUNGER. Hunger is the push factor, it is the key driving force that resulted in my series of achievements. Either in swimming, design, business and investment, without hunger, I will be just another average Joe seeking the safe, secure and predictable route to living.

Hunger is always good. It makes me stretch my courage and capabilities and increase my drive to outperform my last best. Over the years, it brings out my courage and determination to transform myself successfully again and again. Throughout my career (from being a swimming coach to a designer to an entrepreneur and an educator), hunger is the key determinant that pushes me to stretch beyond my ability to transform. It drives me to move out of my comfort zone into the sphere of uncertainty to seek out the unknown.

In the course of these career transformations, it brings out a ‘new’ me, uncovering a new personal limit. Through these successes, my resolve is fortified and my courage to make bolder attempts is increased. Hunger also raises my adventurous spirit to a new high.

Hunger for recognition pushes me to strive beyond my personal best in business to grow First Media Group into Singapore’s largest local communication group to be awarded the various business awards.

Hunger for teaching and design propels me to set up First Media Design School (FMDS). It instils in me a stronger sense of compassion and commitment in nurturing my students' overall intellectual growth and characters development. Through FMDS, I discover my purpose, meaning and, most importantly, happiness in my role as a principal.

Hunger for achievement drives my enterprising spirit to live out my personal dream as a school owner. It pushes me to the edge of uncertainly, ‘think out of the box’ and increases my tenacity to overcome partnership disputes, students’ dissatisfaction and poor students enrolment during the inception years.

Hunger for personal growth elevates my attitudinal spirit enabling me to accept failures as a necessary stage of growth, paving the way for my future successes.

Hunger for action makes me restless and proactive. It drives me to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to read, write and reflect. It also inspires me to hunt down business leads, bringing me to places and new friends in the region.

Hunger for wealth drives me to heighten my investment acumen and financial prudence.
(P.S. desperation for wealth often drives one to be unscrupulous through unethical means).

Hunger for excellence drives me to be a perfectionist and to improve my personal performance standard in everything I undertake.

Hunger for power makes me authoritative and dominating.
(P.S. interesting to note how desperation for survival drove me to be a domineering and no-nonsense boss during those struggling years).

Hunger for freedom drives me to have an independent spirit and the attitude of self-reliance.
(P.S. another interesting point is my ability to work alone without the need for partners to provide courage, direction or moral support).

Hunger for success has led me to learn the best qualities of individuals (Hitler, Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, etc.) whom I admired. Over time, I have successfully adapted these revolutionary ideas and characteristics as mine while staying true to what defines me as me.

Hunger brings out the best in me, it also brings out the killer instinct. Without it, no new discovery will be found and no new personal best will be set. Without hunger, life will always be status quo and I will never be able to accomplish these extraordinary achievements and be who I am today.

I am still hungry.

Regards
Mark Phooi

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