Author: Michael Foo
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What we can achieve when we trust ourselves
Self-belief is important. Conventional wisdom tells us success begins by trusting ourselves. But trust is not an ask. Trust is earned. ๐ฆ๐ผ, ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ? This is the story of rock climber Alex Honnold who took self-trust to an unprecedented level. In 2017, Alex became the first man to climb the 3,000…
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How 5 little-known mindset shifts elevated my career
2 months ago, I became a mentor with FutureLab.my and Mentoring SG. In my first sessions with 2 mentees last week, a recurring question emerged: โ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ? โ Now, hereโs the truth. Standing out requires a different mindset.You canโt stand out with the same mentality…
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An important advice from wasting 6 years of my career
I began my career in the Mobile Telecommunications (Telco) sector in the year 2000. That was an era when Telco was the unicorn much like the AI industry is today. As a fresh Marketing graduate, I felt I ‘arrived’ when I landed my first job with MobileOne (M1). I became a call centre officer, much…
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Why stepping out of out comfort zone is so difficult
99% of us avoid discomfort. ๐Itโs not a weakness. It’s a fact. Itโs how our brain reacts to ‘threats’, even if it is just the discomfort of the unknown. Itโs because when we step out of our comfort zone, we are confronted by our fears – of failure, judgment and not being good enough. This…
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Why getting ahead in your career is about how you think – not what you know
Recently, I spoke to several individuals affected by the latest wave of layoffs. Amongst them were former colleagues and clients. News from Samsung, Dyson, Love Bonito and META reminded us that 3 years after the pandemic, a new norm is here. As companies chase cost efficiency relentlessly – faster, better, cheaper options will always win.…
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What would you pursue if you knew you wouldn’t fail?
Some moments change the course of their lives.These are moments of pride or regret. Back in 2013, I had the chance to pursue my career outside Singapore. It was an opportunity I couldnโt ignore, but also one that I was afraid. Taking up an overseas assignment in my late 30s wasnโt a decision I took…
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What a 56 YO skydiver taught me about taking the leap
I enjoy making new connections during webinars. Last week, I met June, a Singaporean who migrated to Australia, in a webinar breakout session. Her new life in Perth has been nothing short of an adventure. At age 56, she lived to tell the tales of her 2 โimpossibleโ from her bucket list – bungee jumping…
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The Power of Once
It has been said the first time is the most memorable. But what if it can also be the most disruptive? Years ago, my former CEO shared a simple yet profound principle: โWhen we allow โjust this once,โ we open the door to excuses.โโA small compromise will lead to a habit that could sabotage your…
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Are you truly READY for the opportunities you’ve been waiting for?
One of the best advices I received was when I started as a Call Centre agent. Back then, my manager said, โDonโt ask for opportunities. Instead, ask,โAm I ready when those opportunities arise?โBecause if youโre not, opportunities wonโt matter. Theyโll pass you by.โ His words hit me hard. They felt like a double punch. Earlier…
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Just Do It – Don’t Always work
Do you know โฆ Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan was inspired by the final words of Gary Gilmore, a convicted murderer who was executed in Utah in 1977. Dan Wieden, co-founder of theย advertising firm that created the slogan,was inspired by Gilmore’s final words, “You know, let’s do it”.ย And the rest is history. But is it…