10. The Winning Edge.

Above all, you must nurture the winning edge habits. Wise man once said, success is 95% preparation and 5% of inspiration. May I add, in 95% of the preparation, 5% is the winning edge habits. This is the extra ingredients, the secret formula. Here they are:

1. Go to the extra miles.

It is excellent enough if you can always complete your home works and assignments. But why don’t you do a bit more. Instead of just finishing the home work tonight, why not try the next chapter. Do not just finish the assignment, how about making it more presentable, laminated and bound beautifully with coloured cover. You may have completely understood the concept of human reproduction in your Form Three syllable, why don’t you go and read the Form Four text book and see what does it says there about the subject. You have studied the whole chapter scheduled for that week, why not read a bit on what scheduled for next week. You are paid just to clean the dishes, why not surprise you boss by mopping the floor as well. You are expected to work for one hour, try spending extra 5 – 10 minutes more to clean your office environment. It is this extra works which make you a little ahead of the rest. It is in the extra that gives you the winning edge over your closest rival.

2. Always give without expecting anything in return.

I always believe in ‘give and you shall receive many folds back’. This is the rule of the nature. I believe somehow Divine power is involved. Give to people who need it the most and who would appreciate it the most. It could be your money, your time, your ear, your love, your support or your attention. It will come back to you in many folds, in various ways. The blessing you receive from giving will provide you a favorable fight against the others.

3. Always be enthusiastic and smile.

When you are enthusiastic, you will perform better. It is the rule of the body. Your body senses greatness and thus accomplishes more. Be enthusiastic, pretend or act if you have to. Your will fool your body, but your will love the result. Smile, because it makes your surrounding brighter and thus your quest will be easier to achieve. Smile and enthusiasm are contagious. People will smile back at you and you feel great.

I have a habit of pressing my lips together when I am in deep thinking. When strangers see me doing this, they would smile back at me. In the past, I would often peek at my zip to check whether it was undone. Only later I noted in a mirror that when my lips are pressed together, it looks like I am smiling. That is why people smile at me, returning the sweet smile I so freely and innocently give. To this date, even after knowing that they smiling to me for different reason (they thought I was purposely smiling sweetly to them), I still feel good about it. Of course, I would then reply with a genuine smile.

4. Always think that this could be the last day for you to be with you loved one.

This sounds depressing at first. But try to look at it at a slightly different angle. Imagine that an angel of death has come and tell you that your loved ones (parents, husband, girlfriend, son etc) is going to be taken away for some inevitable reason. Reasons that even the angel could not do anything about. However, the angel being so kind, tells you that you have another day (or a week or a year) to be with you loved one.

What would you do in that situation? I bet you would do everything that is humanly possible to please your loved one. You would express you love in ways where limit is beyond what you can imagine. You probably will have the best and the richest relationship with your loved one in that remaining period. Why? It is simple, when you know that things are not for granted anymore, you would do your best to please these people around you. In doing so, you will have the most fulfilling relationship and hence the best interpersonal relationship. The inner satisfaction of expressing you love will brighten you, will lift you spirit, will empower you and will wakes up your creativity. The energy you get will get back to you in many folds. Not to mention all the love, hugs and kisses you are receiving from your loved one. Do not underestimate what genuine love can do. It can make you wanting to live forever and achieve the impossible in life. That is the passion we all should have.

Do it as if this is your last chance of doing it.

5. Believe in God.

Believe in God. Or at least believe in a supreme being. Believe in the existence of an infinitely powerful force, larger than anything you could comprehend. Believing in God will give your hope and hope sometimes is the only difference between being alive and dead. Talk to him, converse with him, reason with him and argue with him, even if you think he is not there. Just by believing, your body, soul and spirit are lifted up to their maximum potential. Meditate, because in meditation with Supreme Being, your subconscious realm will have an access to knowledge, miracles and power that might be unavailable to other people.

Believe in God. It is the fundamental need of human body, soul and spirit. To neglect it, you are already losing one step behind your closest rival.