I read a short article from Balance magazine (April 2016) featuring the advice from Sir Richard Branson. His advice on the topic of finding your balance is as follows:
1) Pay attention to detail
“It sounds like something your mum would tell you but attention to detail is really important and too many companies forget that”.
2) Don’t let age hold you back
“If you have to make a fool of yourself, make a fool of yourself, but make sure you end up on the front pages!”
3) Learn to delegate
“Finding people who are better than you to do the things that you’re not good at, frees you up to do that things you are good at.”
4) Love what you do..
“.. and have a lot of un doing it”
5) Never give up
“Anybody can make themselves a success – you just need the idea. And perseverance”.

Yes, spring has finally arrived in London!
I can see more green on plants and trees.
I can hear the birds sing louder.
I can appreciate the daylight lingers on a bit longer.
I can sense the warm breeze coming my way.
I can feel that hope and vitality in the air :>

As a final note on this series of blogs on “Mature vs. Young Talents”, one point I would like to suggest is the concept of “being in for the long haul”.
Not sure if it applies to other people. I recalled when I was young, I used to put a disproportionally large weight on the immediate results of certain events. For example, I thought the result of a single exam would determine the future of my life. However, in retrospect, it did not. I am not suggesting that we take things lightly (we should always do our best), but sometimes it is equally important to put things into a longer-term perspective. It is NOT the end of the world if things don’t happen what we expected and we should not feel and/or behave that way. I believe as we become more mature, our experience (hopefully) will remind us of the truth instead of getting stressed out. Remember we are “in this (our lives) for the long haul”.

A good friend shared this lovely message with me and I would like to pass it on.

“A man died…
When he realized it, he saw God coming closer with a suitcase in his hand.
Dialog between God and Dead Man:
God: Alright son, it’s time to go
Man: So soon? I had a lot of plans…
God: I am sorry but, it’s time to go
Man: What do you have in that suitcase?
God: Your belongings
Man: My belongings? You mean my things… Clothes… money…
God: Those things were never yours, they belong to the Earth
Man: Is it my memories?
God: No. They belong to Time
Man: Is it my talent?
God: No. They belong to Circumstance
Man: Is it my friends and family?
God: No son. They belong to the Path you travelled
Man: Is it my wife and children?
God: No. they belong to your Heart
Man: Then it must be my body
God: No No… It belongs to Dust
Man: Then surely it must be my Soul!
God: You are sadly mistaken son. Your Soul belongs to me.
Man with tears in his eyes and full of fear took the suitcase from the God’s hand and opened it…

Empty…

With heartbroken and tears down his cheek he asks God…
Man: I never owned anything?
God: That’s Right. You never owned anything.

Man: Then? What was mine?
God: your MOMENTS.
Every moment you lived was yours.

Do Good in every moment
Think Good in every moment
Thank God for every moment

Life is just a Moment.

Live it…
Love it…
Enjoy it..”

Related to a wider network discussed in my previous blog, having a stronger support system can be an advantage to the more mature people. Like most journeys, there are ups and downs in our careers. As we grow older, we find true friends and family along the way to support each other. In addition, the benefits of a support system will become more evident as we go through life. After all, no one is an island.

A greater capacity to network may be another advantage of more mature people over the younger generation. Everything being equal, the same person logically and naturally should know more people in his/her life as time goes by and that in itself is a growing base for networking. In addition, as one becomes more mature and has more experience in life, one should have a better understanding of the social etiquette (one would hope) which is important in networking and building friendship.

There must be some sort of flu going on in London as more than a few people that I know (including our very Raymond) have been ill lately. My best strategy is to drop all activities to a minimum and rest to the maximum. I have seen some people “force” themselves to carry on their usual busy lives and it took them much longer to recover. My advice is to sit back and relax before moving back to your normal gear of life again.

No kidding! The first quarter of the year is over (I guess it is always the same on the April Fools’ day each year) – 25% of the year is gone.
And more importantly, spring is around the corner though it does not feel like it in London yet.
Jokes aside. I ordered and received more copies of my book this week. It dawned on me that one reaps what one sows. If I don’t promote my book, I can’t expect others to do so.
Game on with my book promotion!!!

First of all, to some of my friends’ shock and horror, I went to see the latest blockbuster Batman vs. Superman today.
My personal review is that the film is intended to be part 1 of 2 films and it should have been just ONE film. Some parts of the film are being dragged on and other parts are not developed/explained properly. For example, after the movie, I turned to my friend and asked “Who was the new lady superhero character that appeared at the end of the movie?” He replied, “That was Wonder Woman!”. I said,” I thought she was human”. He asked, “Where did you think Wonder Woman come from?”. I firmly replied, “She was Miss U.S.A. That is how I remember her from the once-popular American TV program many decades ago.” That was the end of our discussion :>

May we all be touched, encouraged and inspired by the love, sacrifice and triumph of the resurrected Jesus Christ in this Easter season.