Michael Liew's Blog

I still remember, when I was 19 years old. My friend introduced to me to read a book call "Rich Dad Poor Dad". I was amazed with it and decide not to study too hard because I don't think it can help me to achieve financial freedom.

After that, within a few years, I have tried MLM, Adult Self-Improve Training, Internet Marketing, real estate agent. And the result? Zero.

I do still remember about 1 or 2 years ago, I have a feeling on reading. I don't feel reading is important, most of them never help me in my career or life. Why? From the books I have studied,

I have learnt need to set a target if you want to become successful;
I have learnt need to smile and praise other people when you meet or they have done something;
I have learnt sales is very important if you want to become success or you want to do business;
I have learn that to become successful, definitely I'll have a lot of challenges;

I read books, I took courses, I take action on what I learnt. The result? None, which means zero. If you look at the "things" I have learnt above. You might say: "You have spend so much money and time, and these are what you learnt?" Yes, I have spend nearly 6 years and more than S$10,000 to go all through these. Conservatively, I would say more than 90 per cents of them are useless. What I can tell to those who want to try or go through the path I have been passed through what I learnt from there. The answer is "Not worth it." If that is the case, why I should spend so much money and time on it if I know after a few years I find up they are useless? I would rather save the money and find a nice job to work, instead of spending so much money on it. I feel shame on this.

I have a good friend, he told me that I have gone into too much by reading the book "Rich Dad Poor Dad", I only go and do other stuff instead of studying hard. By that time, I still don't accept what he has told me, but now I agree.

I do regret I never spend time on studying but go and do other stuffs. Luckily, I still able to graduate as a diploma holder by my friends' helps. After that, I'm still very stupid, choose to go back to MLM company again and this become one of my darkest period in my life! I have done something wrong on here which I wish never happen in my life. I'm really sorry for the people I have hurt. Fortunately, althought I have made mistakes, they are not that serious or destructive enough to ruin either my friends' or my life. I really hope I can go and apologize to the people I have hurt.

To become successful in career, work hard is very important. Maybe I have not working hard enough, that's why I have never achieve what I want in my career. Must be patient! That's what I told myself.

For the past few months, I have read a series of books. One of the books written a story: Thomas Edison likes to read a lot of books when he was young. He read different kinds of books, he went to library to read and study as much as he could. Until one day, a librarian told him that instead of reading so many different kinds of books. Why don't just pick a certain books that he likes the most to read? Then, Thomas Edison become Thomas Edison, become a great scientist, a great inventor.
The author of the series of the book wrote that when he was studying in secondary school, he did read a lot of books. His story is different, he has never meet any librarian told he to study what he likes the most. When he was studying an US University in year 1, one of his professors told him to choose the author of the publications instead of reading everyone of them. So that he could be able to use the less time to know the most that what has happened in the world and the future trend. Usually he would ask himself 3 questions he try to pick a book and study it:
1. Is the publication logical?
2. Is the publication rational?
3. Most important, is the publication (which the author call 50-year rule) after 10 years, 20 years or 50 years from now, the readers still find the content is valuable?

How truth is this! Maybe I'm not a smart guy (or I'm a stupid guy), I try to do what I have learnt from the books or courses, but most of them are useless. I'm very upset on this. If I know about how to choose to read the books or publications, maybe I will make the different choices or decisions.

If you want me to find a book which I find is valuable for the past few years, there is one and only one. The book is "Decoding Buffett: The Investment Guide From 100 to 10 Billion Dollars". I still remember when I bought this book, I bought together with another book "Decoding Soros: The Investment Guide That Takes Care A whole Life Time". Both of the books are the same author. The first book I read is "Decoding Soros: The Investment Guide That Takes Care A whole Life Time", it is a very exciting book, I feel like reading a story book when I was reading it. After that, is "Decoding Buffett: The Investment Guide From 100 to 10 Billion Dollars", frankly speaking, I do feel this book is boring, and I was very slow (not as fast as reading the book talking about Soros) reading it. The book talking about principles and rules, don't have too much story on it, and that time due to don't have enough financial and business knowledge. There are some parts I don't understand when I was reading both of the books, but at least - I have never step into stock market after I have read the books. For the past few years, when I was reading newspaper, I can find advertisements that telling people they can earn money by using "option" or anything like that. (Frankly speaking, in the bottom of my heart, I do still believe "a little bit" that maybe it is true.) I refuse to attend the seminar, because I don't believe. As simple as that.

In year 2007, I have a friend who is very smart and talented invest in stock market. He has come and talked to me to invest together. He said he has a friend know how to use technical analysis to earn money in the stock market. I told him that for current moment, no matter who go and invest definitely will earn some money, because right now is bull market. I choose not to put money into the stock market together with him. 2 months later, he lost money.

In year 2008, I have another friend who speculate in stock market but I don't know (if not definitely I would stop him). He played "contra" and again - lose money.

I'm a lucky guy on investing, but not for others. Althought I have never put any money in the stock market but put I choose to put the money in other areas. The result? I have written above. If there is someone write a few or only a book talking about other areas and I fortunately lucky able to read it. My life maybe will be different, but...

Life is life. Life is exciting because we don't know about our future. Learn from the mistake and keep moving forward. That's what I talk to myself.

Never late to study.
Never late to start a business.
Never late to improve myself.
Never late to invest to become financial freedom.

Have to be positive! Plan well for the life, I still can be better!

Recently there are too many things happened to me. I'm feel pressure and helpless. I cry for it. Sometimes I do feel I'm a stupid guy, wasting so much time and money. If I'm be a little smarter, I'll never put myself into this pressure and embarrassing situation. That's why I said I am negative recently.

Positive side? I am only 25 years old. I still have many years to go - is not a big issue for the challenges I have met. That's what I talked to myself. As long as I start to plan well and follow the plan, I still can achieve my dreams and targets.

Moving to a new home soon. Hope can clear my stuff and somethings which are useless, go to a new home and start a new life. A life which can achieve my financial freedom! :-))