Thank you to all family, friends and clients who have impacted my life.

Love, Chen

Hey There,

Yesterday, around 100 participants celebrated the first ever TEDxByronBay. It was a great day. Full of innovation and one common purpose: To share ideas worth spreading. The format was innovative, the TEDtalk videos were mind-blowing and the live speakers were brilliant. The unique theatre setting and addition of live musicians provided the perfect environment for leaders, thinkers and creators to share their best ideas. It was a big risk to put on a TEDx event but the community of volunteers and supporters ensured it was an outstanding success.

The two memorable moments for me were Mandy Nolan and Bret Thomson. Mandy held the event together and was an absolute professional. Her life observations and depth of experience entertained the crowd for the whole day. And her presentation on teaching comedy to dementia patients was an inspiring moment. While some said I took a big risk in having Mandy MC the event, I knew in my heart and had complete faith she was the perfect person. It wouldn’t be a Byron event without one of Byron’s treasures sharing her gift with the world. What core gift can you share with the world?

I remember a mentor told me once “your biggest liability is also your biggest asset.” I took a huge risk potentially when I asked Bret to present at TEDx. You see, while Bret is one of Australia’s top copywriters, I didn’t want him to speak on persuasion with words. Instead, I asked him to perform one of his signature covers. What I thought was going to be a funny joke turned into an ‘unforgettable’ performance. I told Bret that I have never ever felt so much “love” from an audience and that it was a special moment for him. In fact, he even got his wish of an encore and performed a beautiful song he wrote. Bret clearly demonstrated the power of authenticity…and they loved him for it.

I took risks with some of the speakers. While some were big fans of TED, others didn’t know who TED was. Some speakers wanted to share a vision, others just wanted to share their story and I was in the fortunate position of providing a platform that allowed them the opportunity to distribute their message. Opportunities rise to your willingness to take the risk and this event was full of risks…and rewards. Your biggest liability may also be your biggest asset. It’s time to take inventory of your life right now and create your path to prosperity.

When you succeed, you create a platform for others to follow. The biggest lesson for me yesterday was all about faith. Believing in someone more than they believe in themselves, allows you to rise to another level. While the participants enjoyed the event, what people didn’t know was the majority of the team were “first-timers”. People who had no seminar experience but had a passion to learn and help others. By giving them roles and responsibilities, it gave the team the opportunity to stepup and shine and they did me proud.

Listen, there’s a lot more I could write about TedxByronBay. There were so many great lessons and great stories. We will continue to update the site and are investigating the opportunity to run another event next year. If you want to stay updated, please go to www.tedxbyronbay.com

One last thing to think about…”What do you sell when you can’t sell anything?”…Think about it. If you were offered an opportunity to speak for 18 minutes and you were not allowed to sell. This is the basis of the TED movement that has gathered incredible momentum around the world. TEDx events capture the essence of TED at a local level. It was great to attend an event without any selling. There was no promotions, pitches or bribes to come back into the room. Just aligned people with common values, dreams and a passion to share their best ideas.

The only thing you can sell when you can’t sell is IDEAS. Ideas are thoughts without frameworks, they are seeds without soil and they become voices that spread. In the new economy, ideas have currency. Ideas attract the people and resources to support your vision when you are aligned with the opportunity. The challenge is to communicate the value of what you do in a way your market understands you. There are various angles and messages that attract your members to your community and it’s great that experiential events like TEDxByronBay can connect you with those people.

There’s a great TEDtalk from Benjamin Zander that demonstrates pure passion can transform your message into a masterpiece. For those whole missed out on TEDxByronBay, here is my gift to you and for those who attended the event, here’s some more seeds to plant in your fertile soil.

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/286

Nothing is missing…Faith Heals and Restores Joy

CHEN

P.S If you were one of the 132 people who watched TEDxByronBay on the LIVE web streaming service on UStream, please let us know what it was like. If you missed out and are interested on getting the unedited DVD’s, please let me know. And please, don’t forget to post your comments on the wall. I appreciate your support.

Hey There,

Hope you had a great week. It’s been busy here. I wanted to share a special podcast with you. Recently, Deano Power interviewed me for the TedxByronbay event and I shared my thoughts on organising the event and my motivations. You can listen to it on the link below: (copy and paste into your browser if it doesn’t work)

http://bit.ly/a1Wrzt

Here’s what Deano also said:

Chen Tay is often the “behind the scenes” guy, the mind aligner, the “strategy brains trust” for speakers, coaches and seminar promoters. In this role Chen has seen his fair share of seminars that become million dollar weekends. This weekend he has a different role. This weekend Chen is the licensee and organiser of TEDxByronBay. Something Chen says he is more excited about than many other events.

Chen sees a shift taking place in the economy where congruency is the price of admission, influence and impact are currency, and creativity and collaboration central to success. He chose now as the perfect moment to bring together an amazing group of thought leaders in order to start a conversation that leads to the next big ideas in this time of change. In this brief interview Chen talks about his motivation for holding the event and what he expects attendees will experience.

http://www.facebook.com/l/42ddfXyRhoVRnXzt_aMxGATKTug;bit.ly/a1Wrzt

If you are coming to TedxByronBay, please make sure you introduce yourself. I have some special surprises and the speakers are very excited to share their best ideas with you. Thanks to all your support and the network of volunteers who have been committed to making this an outstanding event.

Have a great weekend,

Chen

P.S By popular requests, I will be sharing my T Harv Eker Journal entries with you next week. Stay tuned…

Hey There,

The rise of social entrepreneurs is very exciting. A whole new movement of commerce with social consciousness ensures profits go back to people and local communities. You see, great entrepreneurs solve problems and create a path of opportunities for others to follow. And while it’s easy to be a target from armchair critics, I encourage you to push on.

With economic uncertainty, the trend for more educated entrepreneurs will increase. More people seek freedom and know that a job is not enough these days. We are all searching for meaning and purpose with clarity. The search for self begins from within, not without. Time to focus.

It’s amazing how changing your perspective can change everything else. As you know, I’m continually studying personal development. I love the history and uncovering what happens behind the scenes. It helps when you have access to leading players in the game and it’s often these private conversations allow me to predict trends and opportunities in the marketplace. Just like a two-tiered economy, there is a game behind the game and it starts with your mindset.

Your mindset gives you the blueprint to achieve the success you want. While it’s important to take action, I’ve found that “alignment” is more important than action. Here’s why. So many people buy courses and chase opportunities that are not congruent with who they are.

I remember a friend who purchased a business opportunity because it was “guaranteed” to make her a fortune. Unfortunately, the nature of the business conflicted with her values as the product didn’t deliver what was promised. And it also required a lot more work than she had anticipated.

While it was easy to shut up and collect the money, the “social responsibility” and truth made her realise it was time to move on. She learnt an important lesson. No amount of money can buy you. So stop trading yourself short and decide what you want in life. The search for self is the most important journey you will encounter and every stumble reflects your commitment to pursuing your dream. The evolution of greatness is determined by your interpretation, perspective and ‘aligned’ actions. What you focus on, expands…

Your behaviour is a reflection of you. It reflects your beliefs, attitude and skills. Behaviour never lies and the path of congruency lies in consistency. What you do daily determines who you are permanently. What are you doing daily that is helping you achieve your ultimate outcomes?

One last thing, While I was watching the documentary series, “The Ascent Of Money”, one statistic really stood out. The average annual income in the USA is $44,000 a year while the average annual income in China is $2,000 a year. Yet, the Chinese save more money than the Americans. Which shows you that the amount of “money” is irrelevant. You need a “system” to manage your money with no emotion. Next week, I’m going to share a system that has helped me financially and my clients. But the best news is that this mentor is coming to Australia…stay tuned!

Until next week.

Nothing is missing…declarations are intentions in motion.

Simplify Life,

CHEN

P.S I’m excited that Tedxbyronbay is just around the corner. What I have learnt in the past few weeks is my experience is becoming more valuable than my capital. I thank the speakers who have donated their time and look forward to them sharing their best ideas with you. I know magic will happen on July 31st and I hope you will join us. Register at http://www.tedxbyronbay.com

Hey There,

I had a great week away with my two boys for the first week of the school holidays. Our adventures started with a six hour drive to Taree. We also visited Combyne, Forster/Tancurry, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour. The boys had a great time and the Pet Purpoise Pool in Coffs Harbour was a major hit. And it’s a great place to visit for entrepreneurs who want to see “experiential” selling at its best. Not only did I buy every upsell but I will definitely be coming back and telling others about it. I mean the product is so good, it sells itself and has won many awards. How often can you have real interactions with animals and experience dolphin kisses, seal kisses and feed penguins, fish and turtles. And for those who are organised, you can also go swimming with the dolphins which is definitely one on my bucket list of things to do. When was the last time you “experienced” something special and told others about it. Please post your answer on my CWC wall.

There were so many lessons this week but the big lesson I wanted to share with you is to “know your history”. History always repeats when you don’t learn the lessons. It doesn’t matter what industry or profession you are in or want to pursue, make sure you make the effort to do your research and know who stands out in the marketplace. Look for comparables and commonalities that support the direction of your growth and development. This step will help you develop an unique perspective and market intelligence that will give you the edge.

When I work with clients, I’m always looking for ways to change an industry. I find out what’s working, what everyone is doing and then find a path to flip it so that you can be a market leader. If you aren’t a leader, you’re part of the “mass” and the middle is thinning out whether you like it or not. Make the decision to change now otherwise you may be forced to change later. The only constant in life is change. There’s a great saying that goes, “if you don’t like change, you’re not going to like irrelevance either”.

Recently I told a patient that she had a life before marriage and kids and often it’s difficult to remember who you were before you started your new life. It’s the same with business. Before you decided on your entrepreneurial journey, you made decisions and sacrifices to improve your quality of life. But along the way, your business distracted you from “discovering your self”. Finding your “self” and your “voice” is the biggest gift you have in this new education era. Your certainty in yourself and your abilities will attract the right relationships and opportunities to you.

Remember, beyond the information age, people crave real relationships that engage and impact. The more people on facebook that click on your posts and respond to your messages are the same people who are more likely to invest their dollars with you. Be prepared to give before you get, but don’t expect it. Always give and watch people’s behaviour with no emotional attachment. Giving and releasing generates joy whereas giving and expecting to receive is ultimately just another transaction.

That’s why I immerse myself the last few days with learning about history. I watched a DVD of Dan Kennedy discussing the history of information marketing and success education. I also watched the documentary series, “The Ascent Of Money” which I recommend everyone watch and it will change your view on wealth forever. I re-watched a video of Tony Robbins’s discuss how he built his empire. And lastly, I am re-reading Richard Branson’s autobiography. Why? Because these distinctions give me further depth and allows me to predict trends in the marketplace. And I know you will experience a whole different perspective when you research and gather information with renewed purpose and intent.

History gives you facts, opinions and trends. And the way you interpret this information can determine how much of an impact you make today and in years to come. Seek information from real experts and people who have authority in the industry. There’s too many opinions and wanna-be experts who are tapping into the vacuum of financial pain for personal gain. Maybe it’s time to study the history of the industry and find out who’s been out there the longest. As one of my mentors said, “runs on the board” is one of the best measures of influence and success. Increase your influence…

Nothing in missing…alignment expands your mind and focus. It’s time you expect more in your life.

Simplify Life,

CHEN

P.S I’ve opened up more tickets to “Conversations with Chen” members for the TEDxByronBay event on July 31st in Byron Bay. What a great opportunity to have a break and learn from some of the leading progressive minds in the country. I assure you that this line up will never be repeated and may be the catalyst for your best year yet. Check out http://www.tedxbyronbay.com and register your place.

Hey There,

Last year, our family participated in the Homestay program where USA high school kids come and stay with you for two nights as part of their 21-day journey in Australia. This time we housed two girls from New Mexico and exposed them to drop bears, vegemite and straight bananas. Our boys had great fun entertaining them and I got to repeat all my bad jokes. (They really enjoyed the one about what the name “Randy” really means in Australia.)

It’s moments like these when you are sharing your values and culture with others, that you realize the richness in your life is measured in what you prioritize. It’s very confronting to write down your priorities and then write down what you spend your time on. The gap between these two lists are often bigger than the Grand Canyon. I promise you the actions and behaviour you show today are more powerful than any strategic plan, goal setting exercise or dream chart because everyone can do something each day. It’s time to focus on your priorities…

The richness in your relationships is built on time and moments in time, whereas you build emotional equity when you give time and service which magnifies the lives of others. Think about that for a moment. If you are in the personal development or wealth creation game, you genuinely want to impact lives. So, ask yourself, what lives are you magnifying? I was watching a clip of Will Smith on Oprah and he said the best actors effectively communicate and translate the power of the human spirit.

So as leaders, it’s important to communicate the value of what you do and translate it into a language your customers understand. Here’s a quick exercise if you want extra credit points. Bill yourself for an hours consultation with yourself and donate the funds to charity. I really mean this. The first time I did this, I didn’t understand the significance of it. It took about the third time to realize that most of us dispense great advice when working on other people’s businesses or opportunities but find it too confronting to look in our own backyards. The acres of diamonds are closer than you think if you are prepared to dig…schedule your day sooner than later.

There’s a constant battle between your conscious mind and your subconscious mind. While the conscious mind is governed by choice, the subconscious mind is automatic. Listen, there’s many people out there teaching you how to bridge this gap, so I wanted to do something a little different and maybe give you a different perspective. Remember, your life always follows your dominant thoughts so it’s important to guard your mind against values, beliefs and stories that don’t serve you anymore.

By reprogramming your mind, you will create a whole new stream of consciousness that will flow into your river of dreams. And what I’ve found is when one dream dies, another dream is automatically formed whether you are conscious or not. For me, it was Tony Robbins. I listened to Tony Robbins everyday for 60 days. I would put one CD on and listen and I found over time, he helped me transform my beliefs about myself and my abilities. Who is speaking to you about your strengths and abilities?

It’s important to expand your mind of what’s possible. Breaking the barriers of the past and limiting beliefs will allow you to sow seeds into your vacuum for a brighter future. A new start. Developing a healthy self-image of yourself is the foundations of creating a magnet that will attract wealth and prosperity into your life. How you see yourself and what you say to yourself when you are by yourself is one of the most powerful impacts you can introduce to your life. Why? Because it’s been shown time and time again that you can never grow beyond the image you have of yourself in your own mind. It’s the self-imposed glass ceiling.

Most things taught at seminars are tactics, bright shiny objects that distract you from what you are suppose to do. I remember going to one of the first big internet events to see if they could actually pull off the challenge and was impressed with what they did. It was only years later when I discovered that the whole “process” was engineered and most people couldn’t achieve those results. And I’ve found there’s people out there that have built their whole business on a lie, in an artificial environment that serves no one in the long term. That’s why speakers and seminar promoters come and go. The only guy that has outlasted everyone is Tony Robbins who has been doing it successful for over 32 years. Tony will be coming back again to Australia so keep a lookout if you have never experienced him before.

When the internet first started, you had to have a website to succeed. Then you HAD to run Google Adwords, then E-zines, followed by your Blog. As I write today, it’s social media and video marketing that are the must do tactics and I’m sure next year there will be more new tactics where people smarter than Google have worked it out for the rest of us. Really…
I remember one of my mentors said to me, 99% of life is opinions and only 1% is facts. And I also know businesses that continue to thrive despite the internet and all it’s advances.

Having said that, it’s been fun watching the birth and maturity of this industry. The problem with internet education is that it’s changing so fast and there’s so many opinions out there. In fact, if you listened to every internet expert, you would end up more confused than ever. And the difficult thing is there’s no real clear path or leader at the moment because the industry is still so new. It’s also interesting to note that some of the leaders in internet marketing are getting out to establish “real” businesses.

I mean at the moment, I’m after affiliate managers and social media managers for clients but there’s no university certified course for these professions. And any course that gets certified would almost be irrelevant given the process it has to go through. So what do you do? I recommend following a handful of people only. Choose the people that resonate with you and what you are trying to do. There’s many ways to be right and if you are one of those people that have to know everything before you get started, then you may be disappointed going down this path. Sometimes, the best way to start is a working model and then build up from there.

I hope you have enjoyed this issue. Remember to leave your feedback as this helps me determine the direction and growth of this publication. As “things are a changin”, I look forward to updating you more later. There will be no member calls this week as I will be on the road with my boys for the first week of the school holidays. I will be starting my book which is an exciting project for me and will be refining the mastermind program that many of you have requested.

Nothing is missing…your ideas have currency to impact the world.

Simplify Life,

CHEN TAY

P.S Remember, http://www.tedxbyronbay.com is on July 31st. This is one of my projects with the highest priority at the moment and it’s been great to see so many people are joining us. If you haven’t yet, I encourage you so take time out and meet great people and share ideas that are shaping this new world…

Hey There,

If you have ever spoken to me, you know that I can be totally engaged in the energy and flow of conversation that I often don’t remember the impact of what I have said. Have you ever left passing comments only to find people who took action on them and achieved amazing results credit you with their success? It’s a phenomena when you “purely” focus on giving, you expand your consciousness and refine your message so that you can genuinely help more people.

Recently I did an interview with a journalist “Pip” from http://www.ourpatch.com.au. Turns out Pip was a young journalist who lives about 30 minutes away from me. Pip was great to chat with and I saw it only as a chat, to help spread the message about TedxByronBay. It wasn’t until I saw the article that I realised how much effort and work she put in to make it and how words can truly transform the human spirit within.

Listen, Pip is a journalist/writer who wants to spread good news. She’s not one of these cheap “outsourced” writers who write crap. I was amazed and how she transformed our conversation into a great article. And I can see the levels of work and depth in her approach and work. And I know she is worth way more she is being paid so if you want someone to write your stuff, a real young Australian who is prepared to capture the essence of you into words, then I highly encourage you contact her. She doesn’t know I’m doing this so make sure you tell her I sent you. Send her a direct email to: philippas@ourpatch.com.au

Anyway, here it is if you want to read the full article:

http://www.bit.ly/b1JG7W

And here’s some excerpts I wanted to share with you if you don’t have time:

Chen said TED is about bridging the gap between the old world and the new world. “So much in our world has changed so quickly,” Chen observed. “We live in such a celebrity-focused world; a world where we’re more obsessed with celebrities lives than we are about the people who are changing our world. TEDx is about giving these people a chance to step up and share their ideas and inspire, because if we don’t step up with new ideas, we become irrelevant.”

“Ideas are free,” said Chen, “and the best ideas will get spread. TED is about expanding awareness and consciousness for what’s possible. There are so many great ideas out there but the trouble is, there’s often no avenues or backers to support them.”

“We believe that we can learn from everyone in the world. We’re looking for people that love TED and want to share in the power… people who have new ideas for business or life and who want to make an impact on the world, that’s who we want to register.”

TEDxByronbay is part of my legacy. It’s about finding great people and having them create incredible memories that last a lifetime. I know my mastermind groups have made an impact and I know TEDxByronbay will inspire more people to dream bigger and believe more. My personal message of emotional authenticity will resonate the whole day as you capture the essence to “Stepup to Shine.”

Join me. Come to TEDxByronbay and see how the new leadership paradigm will take you down a path of value, commitment and support. Because I have discovered this week, the best leverage of my time for my clients isn’t to come up with a new blueprint, another box-in system or recommend over-hyped seminars. My whole mastermind program and consulting services is built on one very simple premise that gets results: Direct Access. While everyone else is leveraging themselves out of their business, it got me thinking….why don’t I build a business where I want to work for the rest of my life.

If you want to join us at TEDxByronBay, please go to http://www.tedxbyronbay.com and register your place. If it’s inconvenient and uncomfortable, it may be the best thing for you. I’ve got volunteers who consistently stretch out of their comfort zones organising this event, I’ve got speakers committed to sharing their best ideas for you and I know something will connect with your heart and allow you to step into your greatness if you get totally involved and participant in this event.

Despite what you may have been preached, the path to success is not simple, but is often counter-intuitive and forces you to confront truth. The truth is you are flawed yet designed for greatness and that paradox will constantly challenge to search for solutions that are aligned with your core values.

Join us at TEDxByronBay and discover your new journey…

Simplify Life,

Chen

P.S Remember, you can register at http://www.tedxbyronbay.com

Hey There,

What an amazing week! With so much sport on, the Football World Cup, Cricket and Wimbledon, I am a very happy man. (although a little sleep deprived) But sport wasn’t the big news in Australia this week, we have a new Prime Minister. In less than 24 hours, it was game over and they didn’t even have to call Jack Bauer. So, the General Manager of Australia has been fired and now, we continue looking for a leader to “lead” us in the new education era. When leaders rise in moments of uncertainty, they pave a path to prosperity and attract others to follow. In challenging moments where the battle between truth and loyalty still embers, it takes the collective soul of a team to rebuild the trust and restore faith in the system. There must be no compromise, seek only resolutions.

A month ago, a great TV show came to an end. Lost was a huge success with millions of loyal fans around the world. Lost was a phenomena worth watching and studying. The thing I loved about Lost was it never revealed answers but challenged audiences to discover their own truth. If you were a deep thinker, it allowed you to dig deeper and explore areas of your own life. If you wanted to escape, it offered the ultimate escape…a remote tropical island. And if you wanted a hero to inspire you, well, it’s often said the Lost was “heroes with a thousand faces”. At the end of the day, Lost was a spiritual journey about characters seeking redemption. In the process, they confronted the same big issues as we do in life. Themes such as love, faith and exposing the contrast between good and evil. It’s always difficult to end a series like Lost but I believe it’s become a timeless classic that you could watch over and over again.

One of the things I posted recently was: “It takes years of contemplation and thinking to get to the simplest truths…” I’ve spent all my life seeking truth. Through self-education, seminars and seeking mentors, I was able to learn from some of the most successful entrepreneurs and business owners around the seminar world. And while some of these people were making a hundred times more than me, I was always able to connect at their level, expand their awareness and transfer my knowledge. When you lead people in conversation, they will follow you and if they trust you, they will hand over their time and wallets. The best opportunities occur every week if you prepare for it. Preparation leads to mastery…there’s no shortcuts.

Through my private consultations, I’ve learnt that winners win more because they are wired for success through consistent behaviours and actions. They create routines and “richuals” to streamline their life and re-engineer their environment for ‘inevitable’ success. That includes psychological triggers, productivity tools and restricted access to ensure they have uninterrupted time. Frequent distractions and interruptions create friction and robs you of energy and focus. If you haven’t stopped and reassessed how you do things, it’s a great time to do it now. Allocate a day or at least two hours to decide what you want to paint on the blank canvas. You’re worth it.

Remember as you rise to the top, it’s more about behaviour than actual skills or actions. Leveraging your strengths and talents will accelerate your wealth because real richness is found within, not without. Too many people are focused on transactions and revenues, whereas in the new education era, it’s all about relationships and emotional equity. Money does not change you, it simply magnifies who you already are. If you chase money without focusing on delivering value, you’ll end up ‘empty at the top’. And seeking to fill this “emptiness” may lead you to temptations and distractions that fuel your fantasy and not the reality. Seeking new perspectives allows you to re-ignite the passion and awaken the dream.

By the way, I always get asked “why do I continue to share my best material with you.” There are several reasons. One is that many existing experts lack the depth and are genuinely opportunists and can’t really help you. And secondly, I believe I’ve acquired a diversity of knowledge and experience that can genuinely impact the community and lead it to a better place. I’m sick of being ashamed of seminars and hiding the fact I do enjoy personal development and wealth creation. You get more respect when make more impact and grow your influence. And with influence comes power. I know that every time I invested in education, the money would leave my hands but it has never left my life.

The hardest challenge for most people is finding the right programs and opportunities out there that support where they are growing. That’s why I decided to create the TEDxByronBay event and have invited some amazing speakers sharing their best ideas for you. These are the speakers I would want to listen to because I believe they all have an “idea” that can spark your deepest desires within. I encourage you to change your schedule and make the event because it may be the catalyst for your best life. Remember, sometimes to achieve your greatness, it involves being uncomfortable and inconvenient. You can register at: http://www.tedxbyronbay.com

Nothing is missing…your living legacy is crafted in moments, not minutes.

Simplify Life,

CHEN

P.S Join us for an incredible event full of insights and entertainment at TedxByronbay. Lastly, I’ve been quiet in the last few weeks as I’ve been focused on getting better. With new and fresh projects on the horizon, I’m looking forward to delivering you more value with your CWC membership. Please watch this space and remember, due to popular requests, you can repost these messages as long as you include the following blurb:

Written by CHEN TAY. Copyright 2010.

CHEN TAY is an authentic adviser to leaders in the new education era. He is the founder of Stepup Mastermind, a growing education company that supports entrepreneurial creativity and publishes his weekly “Conversations with Chen”.  You can find out more about Chen at: http://www.chentay.com or www.facebook.com/chentay

Hey There,

I’ve been “off” this last week as I haven’t been able to shake off the flu bug. Mind you I’ve enjoyed the time off pursuing my own private writing projects and holidaying with my family on weekends as it keeps me focused on the next phase of my life. One of my mentors told me that even if you don’t know what you are doing next, do something! In a week that I probably have no energy to write a CWC, I thought I would change the pace for this week only. Please let me know what you think. Next week’s issue will be back to normal as my health returns.
I still hope you enjoy it…

Let me give you some of my personal insights so far:

Currently I live in Ballina, just south of Byron Bay and an hour from the Gold Coast. It’s a place where I am happy to call “home” for the rest of my life. But it wasn’t always like that. I was born in Cambodia during the killing fields era and my parents were lucky refugees who were sponsored to relocate to Australia in 1980. I lived and grew up in Melbourne through school and university before I moved up here in late 2001.

When I reflect on my life, I realised there was one thing I always had to confront. It’s an issue that many have deep within but few make time to address it consciously. And that is the “fear of change”. The only thing constant in life is change. It brings more opportunities and uncertainties that will alter your current reality and allow you to upgrade your life. While I was critiquing one of my clients projects, she had a great framework around Fear and Guilt. When Gloria releases her course, I’ll make sure I get permission to share that module with you because I think it addresses the core issue and may help you get rid of the “stuckness” you may experience when you don’t confront your “fear of change.”

Listen, Conversations with Chen is not for everyone. I was inspired to write this because of Jim Rohn’s famous quote, “Don’t wish things were easier, wish you were better.” That ‘principle’ is engraved in my life and guides my life. If you are reading this, I imagine you are a lot like me….always wanting to get better. Wanting to get better has a price. Growth occurs with challenges but your core self remains the same. People come and go but real relationships last forever. I have personally found you learn most about life in contrast. That’s probably why the most significant memories we remember like first times, marriage, kids, death etc mean so much more because they not part of our daily routine. Recently I told my wife that I’m one constant contrast for her since she’s so perfect…needless to say, she is still learning…and so am I.

How To Shift Your Reality?

When I started to shift my reality:
* I decided I don’t have to work in a factory like my parents and made the pursuit to learn more about “making money” with your passion, purpose and leverage.
* I decided to immerse myself with learning and invested in opportunities and resources that added depth and dimension to myself and my clients
* I decided to mix with the best of the best…speakers, entrepreneurs, leaders, people who making impact and waves in the seminar industry and I was determined to work with them.

So as you can see, I was someone who started with no path but was always able to attract the “right” challenges and opportunities that came my way. I honestly believe the best way to attract “luck” is to constantly prepare. Preparation is the slight edge for the pros. The years of sweat equity bring about sweet rewards when you are passionately on purpose and stick with the task at hand. And your challenge to find your core congruency is a constant battle that every entrepreneur has to endure. I’ve met too many entrepreneurs that have achieved their goals or reached lofty peaks, only to find the valley of emptiness exposed in their soul. (Just check any newspaper or business magazine for real life case studies…)

Avoid the depths of despair and self sabotage. When you surrender to your higher purpose or your vision, you will find greater opportunities, resources and people that will cross your path. It’s easy to “lower” your goals when you don’t achieve them but I say it’s more “courageous” to expand them beyond your dreams. There’s a hidden “force” within you that knows your real reality and it’s from that space that you will truly understand whether you have “lived” your life or whether you “survived” life.

If you have time, I encourage you to gift some of your time to charity or mentor a young and up and coming talent. I’ve done this all my life. In fact, my previous PA said that my business was all about “investing in other peoples talent” because in nearly all cases, I basically believed in people more than they believed in themselves. Not only that, I was able to create an environment where they knew they couldn’t fail. All seeds grow when the soil and environment are healthy. What’s your environment like?
(The coolest environment for entrepreneurs will be released soon…watch this space)

Nothing is missing…no one owns you. Express yourself…

Until next time.

Simplify your Life,

CHEN

P.S So what do you think? Relevant or Irrelevant? Well, I’m getting better and have some other “core” issues I want to address with you over the next few weeks. You see, I bumped into someone in the seminar game and they have noticed the last six months have been really challenging…numbers way down and sales conversions are low. If you have attended events lately, please private message me your thoughts and comments and I may use them in the next few issues…(full confidentiality assured)

Hey There,

Only one game truly unites the world and breaks down barriers of self-belief and accumulated doubt. It’s a game that I remember well as a kid because it united our culturally diverse neighbourhood. It didn’t matter where you came from, how long you had been in Australia or even if you couldn’t speak English. All you knew was that once the teams were decided and the round ball presented, everyone knew how to play and get involved. If you haven’t heard yet, the World Cup has started and presents a month of excitement for all teams invovled, drama for fans worldwide and devastation for unsuccessful sides. When the world’s best get together, you know you will see a new standard of excellence and great opportunities to stepup to shine…

That’s why I always tell people that are in “transition” to continue learning and put yourself in a position to prosper. Great talent is never dormant and demands attention. Why? Because the gap between “knowing” you have the goods and “thinking” you have the goods is massive. Ego is often the silent sword most stars fall on as the pressure to outdo your previous results causes many (fake) people to lie. Lies corrode the foundations of success, just ask the Melbourne Storm. (For international readers, think Enron.) People who fail to do due diligence and take responsible dilute their power and influence to lead others.

My friend Noah St John calls it the “loving mirror” where you have someone who believes in you more than you believe in yourself. I must say, I have had these “mentors” appear in my life numerous times and whether it’s the transfer of belief, support or funds, I find the significant outcome the same: igniting your core confidence and self-belief. A great mentor will allow you to grow and guide you beyond their knowledge and experience. When you create an environment that supports your success and build a network of resources that allow you to “tap” in the right areas, you will find an accelerate path to prosperity with purpose.

One of my mentors early in my career recommended I keep a journal. While I have never really kept a formal journal, I have always written notes and lessons learned in my personal notebooks over the years. Each quarter, I like to flick through these pages and discover new depths and distinctions on the lessons learnt. After all, I believe history will continue repeating the lessons until we learn them. Sometimes I feel that’s what a true mastermind is about. Not necessarily making new distinctions, but aligning your current thinking, feelings and actions that are congruent to your core gifts and message. Your core gifts and message are continually being transmitted whether you are fully aware or aligned to your internal stream of consciousness. Remember, in the busy-ness of life, it’s often easy to forget your voice and message and follow another person’s values and beliefs because you have lost faith in yourself. One path will lead you to certain desperation and despair and the other will lead you to freedom and fun. Only you can decide which path to take…

One of the lines I wrote down in one of my notebooks was featured in an article recently from Steve Jobs: “Your time is limited. Don’t’ waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others opinions drown out your own inner voice. And, most important: have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”

A great mentor to millions with great words. If you haven’t seen his Apple keynote address yet, make sure you do. You can find it at http://www.apple.com. For me, it’s like a seminar within a seminar.

Until next time.

Nothing is missing…conflicts of value corrode your greatness.

Simplify Life,

CHEN

P.S Thanks for those who completed the survey. It’s obvious that you want different levels of membership and now that I have finished with some major clients, I will be making this a priority. Also, if you haven’t booked in for TedxByronBay yet, I encourage you register your interest at http://www.tedxbyronbay.com but I have only allocated 10 tickets for CWC members. Please make sure you quote this in your application. Have a great week.