Four of Diamonds

We never learn... this is probably what nature will say to us if ever they can speak. For example, we know that we have just two different seasons in our country, the wet and dry. What we did always lead to something else, just like most forgot to bring an umbrella or jacket knowing that a heavy rain is approaching. It's either we try acquire an umbrella or just let yourself soak in cold water. That simple thing will lead, in worst cases, fever or colds. Some even got leukemia just because of making that a habit. If that person only brought a simple umbrella. Another is the constant flooding. Imagine, blaming the local government for what has happened is simply irrational. They are not the ones throwing garbage in the sewers or rivers. They are also not the one cutting trees, bulldozing mountains to convert it into a residential area. We know what we should have done for some tragedies and calamities not to happen but still we keep on doing what is not to be done. Matitigas ang ulo...

In business we always have forecasting, a plan or guide on what to do, may the circumstances be predictable or not, for the next months or year. Most companies who haven't cope to the demands of time usually ended up closed. Like what the card states "prevention is better than cure." We don't have to cure anything if we have already prevent the worst from happening. Being prepared and ready is what always count. You don't have a gift of premonition to know that people will mostly use an umbrella or jacket during rainy season. Just be responsible in your today and tomorrow. Do not wait for worst to happen, don't let it happen.

The Sixteenth Card on the Deck

In this world, some says, there are losers and achievers. It is up to us in which category do we want to belong. Definitely losers are those who just let things happen. Winners, even if they fail, they learn and constantly move on forward. Many asks what is the secret of those successful people. Some says it is hardwork, while others say it's because of luck. In my own opinion, I think it's neither of them. For me, working hard is totally different from working smart. We do not have to work hard for something, if we really want it, we would enjoy doing it. There is always another way. If we continuously do a process redundantly, definitely there is something wrong. Every process should be easier at every passing moment. There is always a new way to do things better and a lot easier. Improvise. Innovate. We don't just do things the first time, always keep on improving. Processes should be always keep getting better and better. A very good example of it is the basic evolution. Animals to man. Creation keeps on improving. Another is technology. Would you like to use the Smart Bill-crusher type of analog cellular phone? I don't think so. Times change, so we do also.

I think luck is not what is not expected to happen. I think luck is an opportunity given to a long-prepared person. Say can you say that a person who won 300 million peso jackpot money from lotto lucky when after three years he came back broke and mishandled the opportunity? He is not definitely lucky. He is pitiful, a pitiful person who possessed something but didn't know what to do. So definitely, luck is the mid-portion of a process into which a person who is given an opportunity, and of course he should be ready, which he draws his best efforts toward success.

I think, in my opinion, the secret of successful people are "EXCELLENCE". "EXCELLENCE IS NOT AN ACT BUT A HABIT." Compete with yourself. Outdoing your previous accomplishments raises your standards. Quality that seems to be unbeatable by any other person. A daily effort of doing things better, improving in your daily work, and most specially morally and spiritually at ease everyday. Yourself is the first competition that you have. How can you convince others that you are better than them when you yourself know that you didn't do things in your best efforts. Excellence is by doing a daily improvement in yourself, in your responsibilities, and after that, even with others. Constant improvement, being excellent yourself will make you live each day in glory. The three of diamonds reminds you that "EXCELLENCE IS NOT AN ACT, BUT A HABIT."

Diamond's Number 2

May 2010 Elections is fast approaching. Many people by now have their own candidates to vote for, presidential bet to be exact. They most of these people look for some one who will be able to lift the economy. One of the possible way that they see it, someone who will make their lives better. I usually read this Presidentiable's social network page, with a lot of people writing any message of support, comments, "wishlists", and even curses. What I always see in that page is those people who asks money from him. Yep, you read it right, they ask for money. Some even say that if he will give him some cash, he will be voting for him. Now, that is the current generation Filipinos. It's very demoralizing. To be frank, it's really degrading. They are the kind of people who you wish are not our kababayan. Fact: Presidential Candidates are people who represent your ideology, speak as your voice, and an icon for the country. Fact: They are not genies whom you can wish anything in return for a vote. They are not even saviors. They are just a person with a special role. It is to oversee, govern, and represent. Our economy doesn't depends on a current administration, our current and future government administration depends on us. We should not depend on our government. The truth is they are powerless if the people would not gave them power. So therefore what we have or experiencing right now, when it comes to finance, economy, and even career does not depend on others. We should use what God have gave us. We have free will. So it is very clear that our actions dictates the way we live. We write our own destiny, at time we even destroy what we should have become. It is still us that have the capacity to change our lives, not other people. If we look at some other people as our saviour, God have pity, the mind is a terrible thing to waste. Do not wish for something to be in favor to us. We must do it and grab it ourselves. Like the Two of Diamonds states "DO NOT WAIT FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN, MAKE THINGS HAPPEN."

The Ace of Diamonds

All business are made to earn profit. So definitely all business are like diamonds, they are in the eyes an ordinary rock with limitless opportunities installed. It is always up to the person to work smart, give each angles definition, and make it shine. Filipinos in particular moves or migrates towards different countries because they felt that Philippines, with it's past and current economic standing, is now going downwards. The so called "tiger economy" is long gone. The same happened in Afghanistan, where all of its talents migrated in some other countries because of losing confidence in its bounce-back capacity. The truth is, major investors see Philippines as a land of opportunity. Koreans send their children because the quality of eduction here is high yet cheap. Indians see our land to be a market heaven, into where their merchandise is an instant gold. All of these, the foreigners' success was due to its capacity to be industrious and having an open mind. It is definitely the case. Filipinos are most animals, they migrated to where they see food, in our case, money. But didn't money came from any product or services rendered? It is a blessing for us that our money has rate different from dollars because of it, our cost of living is not as high as any other country. We do production here or render our services then charge other countries in accordance to their living, thus having their money equivalent to huge amount in peso. Everything is here in our country. We are blessed, we must capitalize on what we have. We cannot move forward if we just stay to what we are. We must give extra effort. Like the Ace of Diamonds said "Business is like a wheel barrow, nothing ever happens until you start pushing."

The Fourteenth Card, Ace of Diamonds

The King of Flowers

The King of Flowers says "Managers may rely on systems but Leaders, rely on people." First, let me differentiate the two. A manager according to dictionary.com is "a person who has control or direction of an institution, business, etc., or of a part, division, or phase of it." This so called "control" is based on a systematic, technical aspects of any rules and regulations of business. It is based on technical qualifications. On the other hand, a leader according to the same source is "One who has influence or power, especially of a political nature." It only means that a leader's source of authority is his capacity to influence others to follow him. Regardless of a mandate or any contract, the leader grasp power and handles people because these people wanted that person, the leader, for them to guide them or represent them. While the manager possesses authority which is only bound within the walls of the company, mandated by systematic process of selection. A manager definitely follows everything by the book, while leaders do what he thinks will be for the common or greater good. Managers have employees, while leaders have people. Systems are made by the management or the government for the firm's advantage or security, actions made by leaders is based on trust and principles. A manager see what benefits more for the company, while the leader protects the people's interest. Lastly, not all managers are leaders but leaders, regardless of any documents, are managers.

The Jack of Flowers

Marketing is the front-liner of each company. They are the ones who have direct interaction with the public, aside from the products or services. They ought to be effective in appraising mass appeal of the product or services and also the company as well. So definitely, marketing, together with the sales people, are used in a fierce market battlefield. It takes time, effort and the right strategy to gather even a single customer to use anything that a company offers. I remember the incident in the 1990's involving Pepsi and their contest-promotion, if I'm not mistaken, 555 fever. As far as I can recall, there is an anomaly regarding the result of the contest. Let's just say the booster turned into a disaster. People for a long time were demotivated to patronize the product. In an instant, they lose a lot of Pepsi drinkers. I believe the same happened to Vicky Bello, when a scandalous event involving her partner, Hayden Kho, spread in the mainstream of media. I believe some of her clients were turned-off with the said controversy. Again, another cut-off Belo's market. See, it takes time, strategy, patience, hardwork, including sweat and blood, gaining even a single customer. People are hard to convince, but they get easily swayed by negativity. The harder it is to get a customer, but it is a lot easier to lose one. It talks about dignity and discipline. It talks about being true to yourself and to others. The card states "It takes months to find a customer... seconds to lose one."