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My Favourite Lombardi Quotes – A Tribute to all Coaches

Coaching is has been a huge part of my own personal growth. In my life I have been blessed with coaches that not only made huge personal difference to my life but also are inspirational; to name a few: Ken Ito, Mark Hempstead, Douglas Alex Chee, Gim Kim, Dr Malek, Farhanah Bamadhaj, Sifu Yushaak, Deanne Prymek and Patricia Hirsh.

Below are some of my favorite quotes by Vince Lombardi; a coach in the same league as John C. Maxwell and a Ken Carter.

Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.
Vince Lombardi

It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.
Vince Lombardi

Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.
Vince Lombardi

Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.
Vince Lombardi

Teamwork is what the Green Bay Packers were all about. They didn’t do it for individual glory. They did it because they loved one another.
Vince Lombardi

The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.
Vince Lombardi

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.
Vince Lombardi

The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.
Vince Lombardi

The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.
Vince Lombardi

The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.
Vince Lombardi

The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.
Vince Lombardi

We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible.
Vince Lombardi

Winning isn’t everything, but the will to win is everything.
Vince Lombardi

Winners never quit and quitters never win.
Vince Lombardi

Winning is habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.
Vince Lombardi

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The Simplicity Series: Simplicity #1 – Wanting What I Have

Simplicity #1: Wanting what I have vs having what I want

This was first offered to me by one of my coaches; either Deanne Prymek or Patricia Hirsh, I can’t remember. Both are equally enlightening that is why I can’t recall which one.

This first stumped me. I was struggling trying to make out what it meant. Allowing it to stew; being in the question, has finally opened up my learning.

I realized that in life, I tend to look forward and focus on what I want. I am consumed to having what I want. As a result, it has made my body disposition and mood one of resolution. I seek gratification outside of who I am. I feel hollow, empty; seeking to fill up my void.

Once I appreciated what I have; wanting what I have as oppose to overlooking what I have, I began to feel at peace. In fact a sense of abundance comes to me. I appreciated myself more, I feel I am capable and started to believe more of my own ability; thus confidence.

With this, I suddenly realize I wanted less things in my life. The things I need are now purer. I am able to distinguish and eliminate more of my wants that I’ve disguised as my needs.

I am blessed with so much already. It is just a question of wanting what I already have 🙂

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My Favourite Ghandi Quotes – A Tribute

This man has been someone I have studied since I was 15 years old. A great soul that was never comfortable with such a title and far from perfect yet he tries and keep on trying.

A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.
-Mahatma Gandhi-

Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.
-Mahatma Gandhi-

An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
-Mahatma Gandhi-

As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.
-Mahatma Gandhi-

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
-Mahatma Gandhi-

Glory lies in the attempt to reach one’s goal and not in reaching it.
-Mahatma Gandhi-

I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.
-Mahatma Gandhi-

It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings.
-Mahatma Gandhi-

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My Favorite Steve Jobs Quotes – A Tribute

My Tribute to a genius that has impacted me since 1985. My first computer was a Baby Mac.

If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on.
-Steve Jobs-

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.
-Steve Jobs-

My favorite things in life don’t cost any money. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.
-Steve Jobs-

Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
-Steve Jobs-

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Disrespectfulness of Answers

In my Newfield Coaching journey, I was introduced to the friends and barriers to learning. This is one of the many wonderful discoveries I found in this very unique journey of mine. Out of the many barriers to learning, one of the most intriguing for me was “Addiction to answers”.

I use to live a life of wanting answers to everything to a point of frustration. I kid myself that it is what learning is all about… having the answers. It is an obsession of wanting to be in control because if I know the answer, I can then manipulate the outcome. So did I learn anything actually? Yes I do. I learn to manipulate but I lost the wisdom of the answer along the journey since I am hell bent on control.

I now realize that the learning and understanding (wisdom) is not in the answer itself but in looking for the answer. It is not even important what the answer is. You can even abandon the answer or pray you never get the answer so that you can continue to learn and gain insights and wisdom.

I also have concluded in my journey so far that not everything has an answer and not everything needs an answer. Sometimes in order for us to understand it, not getting the answer is just what is needed
and some things are best left without an answer and some things are best honored by just appreciating it as it is without needing to look for the answer; like a mother’s love.

I surely don’t need to know the answer why my mum loves me. It is enough for me to experience her love. No answer is needed. Anyways if i understand the answer why she loves me, what difference would that make? Would my love for her be more? I don’t think so. Would her love for me be more just because I know the answer? I don’t think so. Therefore, in this case I don’t need to know the answer to understand why my mum loves me. Actually, in wanting an answer is in fact disrespectful. Me asking why my mum loves me and seeking for an answer is disrespectful of the person that loves you; my mum.

I also realized that once I was able to get the answer, my pleasure and passion is gone. So in actual fact, the pleasure is not in the win. It is in the play. Once you win, there is no play, no passion since you are already in an ability mood. The game ceases to make you wonder and learn. That is the price for getting the answer… losing pleasure and passion.

There are many life wonders that does not need me to know the answer to see its wisdom and appreciating it. There is beauty in allowing nature and life to do its magic and wonder without us needing to manipulate it.

I truly believe knowledge and wisdom is two different things. I much prefer wisdom.

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Blessings are Everywhere… if you look for it.

Yesterday was a fabulous journey for me. I should have guess that much since my day started by witnessing the biggest most beautiful rainbow in my life overhead the training venue.

It is amazing how I was blessed yesterday from sources previously I wasn’t even aware of.

The first blessing was the rainbow. It lit up my morning and subsequently my day.

Then the participants got me connected again to the fact that being a trainer is not only about creating value for others in front of the room but also equally important are those moments when I am in the midst of the participants probing, teasing, challenging, interacting, joking and listening. These small seemingly insignificant actions made huge impact to these individuals and in return made huge impact on the training and me.

My blessings continued with the visit of a friend that has been very supportive of my training journey. She was her normal reassuring self.

And than there were my associates who were exceptionally on fire as well as my partner and co-trainer.

That was only up to lunch. There were many more blessing through out the day up till I fell asleep tired and contented at 10.30pm; to a sound restful sleep.

Note to self: Juara, open your eyes and begin to see your blessings… they are everywhere.

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The Power of Naps: Tools don’t Count, Intention does

I get my best inspirations at two moments of my life; in the WC and waking up from sleep. It is true what John Steinbeck says; “It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.” So much so that I take a nap whenever there is a difficult issue to solve, a spark of creativity is needed or I am stuck in my design work.

I don’t pretend to understand it or would want to. One thing is certain it works. Not everything that works need to be investigated and be known. It doesn’t have to make sense. It just is. We are blessed with such matters therefore we should just grace it by not trying to figure it out.

Therefore, I woke up this morning blessed to realize something; It is not the tool that counts, it is the intention behind the use that matters. This came when i woke up this morning and it dawned on me that I can use this blogging to complete my books! So the intention behind blogging now allows me to realize my dream. The tools have always been there but my intention has not materialized until now.

The other thing I also realized was that excitement was an important key to unlocking this intention. It was my excitement in having a new ‘toy’ that opened me up to receive such an idea.

In conclusion, I would like to commit today, the 19th of October 2011, at 8.18am, that I will write everyday and continue writing until I have enough materials to complete my book. Amin.

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Serious Lightness in Investigating

My nerd-iness has kicked in… again! Today marks my first day seriously blogging. Guess what? I bought a WordPress for Dummies; All-in-One. This happens often to me. I will start something new and I will get a book for it to assist me. I guess my come from is to not only a user but being competent at what I do. Mastery in the subject matter is not my aim. So I notice this and I am asking myself “Why won’t I want to be a master at it?” The only answer that come to mind right now is that “It will take too long!” Hmmmm. Something I need to investigate.

Note to self: Investigate with serious lightness

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My Favorite Quotations 1

“Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions” -Oliver Wendell Holmes-


“If the past cannot teach the present & the father cannot teach the son, then history need not have to go on, and the world has wasted a great deal of time” -Russell Hoban-


“Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one’s self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily” -Thomas Szasza-


“Einstein was a man who could ask immensely simple questions” -Jacob Broworski-


“I don’t pretend to have all the answers. But the question is certainly worth thinking about” -Arthur C. Clark-


“Judge a man by his questions rather than his answer” -Voltaire-


“Learning is creation, not consumption” -Dave Meier-