Hi Everyone, I will be focusing on making Lovtoo become a reality in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, this blog will be temporarily inactive. It will be back up once things stabilize over here~ =D

Still, before I go, I wanted to share with you something that I’m going through right now. Starting a business isn’t easy; It’s an uphill battle. It needs one to rise up to the occasion and do all it takes to make it happen.

For me, I’m working on Lovtoo; a social network that focuses on helping you expand your networks based on what you love. I believe it will make networking a far simpler process. I believe that with it, you will be able to connect with not just people around you, but also people who share your passions. Regardless of what I may believe, it is a daunting task. And by deciding to work on it, I’m exposing myself to fears i never knew would affect me so.

As I dove deeper into this “rabbit hole”, as I learned more and more about the industry, I slowly began to realize that the more I learn, the less I knew. I would swarm myself with dozens of tasks and hundreds of questions. Wandering, unsure of what to do.  I found myself standing still; unmoving.

I was worried of way too many things; of disappointing the people around me, of failure, of knowing that there’s no turning back. And I must admit, it overwhelms me. As a result, I turn into the very person I hope not to become; a person who allows fear to take away all hope.

A friend of mine, who I deeply respect, reminded me of something; that if I wanted something badly enough, I’d do everything and anything to make it a reality. I don’t know when I lost sight of that. But I don’t intend to lose it again.

The fact is, even with all the confusion, the fear, the stress, I know that I’m loving it. And it sure is nice doing something you love. I won’t trade it for anything in the World.

I’ll BRB, guys, take care.

Cheerios,

Shawn (@lovtoo)

“Be very aware of your mortality. Then with it, do something that would make you immortal in the hearts of man”

His name is Nick Dutcher (@nick4127). He was an assignment editor at KSHB Channel 41. He loved Celine Dion and Storm Chasing. He was a friendly colleague and a dear friend to many. And now, he’s gone; lost at a young age of 30 to a robbery that took place in his home.

This post goes out to Nick and the people who knew and loved him.

I regret to say I haven’t had the honour of meeting Nick. I got to know about him and the incident through Deborah Dobson (@debdobson), a close friend of mine. She told me about Nick; the kind of person he was and the things he loved. And how he passed. Hearing the devastation in her voice, I think I caught a glimpse of just how hard it must have been for the people who did know him.

While I thought about how unfortunate it was for a man so young, to lose his life, I found myself hoping that in his 30 years, he lived his life to its fullest. And that he passed without regrets.

We all have a limited supply of tomorrows. And every single day, that supply drops by one. It waits for no one. Nick ran out of tomorrows. But in his life, he was passionate about the things he loved. He never missed a single Celine Dion concert if he could help it. He had a burning passion for his job, the weather and social media. And in his 30 years, he pursued this passion. His tomorrows were worth more than gold.

To all of you, what are your tomorrows worth? To plenty of us, it’s just another day. But there are so many people who would give all they can for those 24 hours.

Ask yourself, what is tomorrow to you? Will tomorrow lead to the realization of your dreams? If today is your last, what do you hope to have done? What would be your biggest regret?

Start working towards a tomorrow that you wish for, today. There’s not always another tomorrow, tomorrow.

“Make your todays and tomorrows count.”

“What would you rather be doing? And why aren’t you?”

Please check out Deborah’s tribute to Nick here: http://itsjustmytake.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/in-memory-of-my-friend-nick-dutcher-rip/

You can read about updates on the case here

R.I.P Nick Dutcher. You will be remembered.

What are your tomorrows worth? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.

“Who you are today does not equate to who you will be tomorrow.”

“To experience great success, you must experience great failure”

“The greatest successes are born from failure”

A much respected friend of mine once told me. Don’t be afraid of failures. People go through multiple failures before achieving success. If you’re too afraid to achieve your first failure, then you’re too afraid to achieve success. “Each failure brings you one step closer to success. Embrace your failures.”

Inspired by her words, I felt compelled to share with you the many stories that remind us that failure is not the end. It’s just a phase you go through on the route to success.

1)  Thomas Edison

This story is so widely shared that I hesitate to place it here for fear of boring you. But hell, he deserves this. After experimenting with hundreds of materials before finding tungsten as the filament for the light bulb, he said this: “I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work”. Is he the man of a hundred failures or the man of a hundred successes? You decide.

~~~

2)  Michael Jordon

Kicked out of his high school basketball team, he was further motivated to be the best in the game. Well, he did.

“I have failed over and over again. And that’s why I succeed” – Michael Jordon

~~~

3)  Elvis Presley

The King of Rock is apparently more of a truck driver. That is, if you go by the words of Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, who fired Elvis after his first performance.

~~~

4)  Oprah Winfrey

The iconic talk show host who was “unfit for TV”

~~~

5)  Monet

His style which ushered in the modern age of art was despised by the experts of his time. He persevered. And as a result, his works revolutionized the art scene and are worth millions today.

~~~

6)  Bill Gates

Dropped out from Harvard, Failed his first business start-up. He later moved on to changing the world with Microsoft. Does that name sound familiar to anyone?

~~~

7)  Ludwig van Beethoven

Known by his teachers as hopeless both as a violinist and as a composer, he went on to composing some of the most well loved symphonies of all time.

~~~

8 )  Albert Einstein

As a child, Albert Einstein was suspected to be intellectually and mentally handicapped. Nowadays, when the word genius is mentioned, his image pops up. And I’m fairly certain it’s not due to his revolutionary hairstyle.

~~~

9)  Winston Churchill

Nobel Prize winner and twice-appointed Prime Minister of the UK; Winston Churchill failed sixth grade and in multiple political elections before he was finally appointed as prime minister at the ripe age of 62

~~~

10)  Jerry Seinfeld

The first time he went on stage to perform his act, he froze up and was subsequently jeered and booed off stage. Today, everyone who loves comedy knows Jerry Seinfeld.

~~~

11)  Babe Ruth

The man with the record for the most numbers of home runs also held the record for the most number of strikeouts.

“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.”

~~~

12)  Harrison Ford

The man behind Han Solo was once told that he doesn’t have what it takes to be an actor. Blasphemy!

~~~

13)  Stephen King

His first book was rejected by tens of publishers till it ended in the trash. His wife fished it out and encouraged him to republish it. Today, he’s one of the most well-known writers in the World.

~~~

14)  Marilyn Monroe

One of the most iconic female artistes to ever live, Marilyn Monroe was told that she’d be better off as a secretary. Hmmmmm… If I ever have my own secretary, I’d agree.. Now? NO.

~~~

15)  J.K. Rowling

The creator of the Harry Potter universe was told that there was no market for children’s books.

Makes me wanna say this: “Ohmigosh! You’re H-h-harry P-p-potter! You’re not meant for the market!”

~~~

16)  Vincent Van Gogh

Van Gogh sold only one painting in his entire life. Now, his paintings are worth hundreds of millions. And let’s not forget the impact that he made to the art scene.

~~~

17)  The Beatles

Told that their sound wasn’t good and that guitar was on its way out.. Well.. I know many, many, many people who would beg to differ.

~~~

18)  Walt Disney

The man who “Lacked imagination and had no good ideas” is also the man who created the Walt Disney kingdom and brought our childhood stories to life!

~~~

19)  You

Why not you?

~~~

20)  Me

I’m working very hard to earn my place here one day. =D

~~~

So you see, the names of the greatest successes are often well acquainted with failures. Don’t be afraid to fail. For failure makes a way better teacher than success.

“Live life, fail greatly and succeed greatly”

“If you allow the possibility of failure to stop you, you disallow all possibility of success”

Check out more success stories that were born from failures here!

You should also check out this book on people who failed earlier in life before achieving great success: Fail Better!

Got a success/failure story to share? Place a comment! I’d love to hear from you~ =D



“You may delay, but time will not.” – Benjamin Franklin

“Just do it” – Nike and so many others

Have you ever had a grand plan that never seems to come into fruition? Remember that article you wanted to write about a week later, 14 weeks ago? If you do, then you’re already well acquainted with an old foe of mine; Procrastination.

“Ahh.. Procratination… We meet again. Thou art a foul, persistent, beast! Here’re the “10 ways I fight procrastination”! Have at thee!” – Shawn Poh AKA @Lovtoo during the battle of the fifth blog post

1. Have a clear goal in mind

Set your goals~

Always remember where you are heading to. Remember how much you want it. Let it motivate you to move forward.

2. Tell people about it

Talking is Working too!

Shame can be a wonderful friend. Tell your friends about what you plan to do. Understand that when you fail to follow through, you’ll be ridiculed and in some cases, you’d disappoint someone. Do you want to be ridiculed?  Do you want to disappoint? No. Then start working.

3. Have a to-do list

Do this... Then do that! =D

Have a list of what needs to be done. This helps keep track of what’s next.

4. Place the to-do list somewhere visible

Don't make SniperKitty find it for you

No point having a list you can’t see. Place it in a spot you see often; the computer screen, desk wall, favourite cup.  Change “Out of sight, out of mind” to “In your sight, in your mind”.

5. Rank your priorities

Rank them, Clear them. Who's next?

Rank your tasks based on urgency. It doesn’t help to have a list where each task seems as important as the other. Plan the things that need to be done and arrange them in the order that they need to be completed.

6. Don’t think, Just do

I'm not sure If I even need a caption here....

It can be overwhelming; having a list of 40 gazillion things to work on. Even thinking about it can cause your mind to threaten to explode into a cloud of brilliant gray matter. And we all know that that won’t get the job done.

As I’ve mentioned in my first post (http://lovtoo.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/why-not-be-happy-10-tips-to-get-you-started/), there’s a disease called “Paralysis by Over-analysis”.  Sometimes, I worry so much about the things that can go wrong, I end up stuck.

“Don’t let what you can’t do keep you from doing what you can do”

7. Plan your day

Plan them well~

Decide on the number of tasks to work on each day. And work them out one by one. It helps relieve the stress and it makes your days more organized. Once you’re done with your tasks, refer to point number (9).

8. Pomodoro!

It's a Pomodoro!

Pomodoro is a fun sounding technique that helps to maximize your creative capability. Check out this link to find out more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH-z5kmVhzU

Allocating a fixed amount of time for each task and challenging yourself to complete said task within the given time can often help you focus. Try it today!

9. Reward yourself

Time for a treat! =D

So you’ve completed the task(s). Now what? Well, you’re now a free man. Picture handing yourself a permission slip to take a nap, have a beer, watch some TV or play some games. You can also start working on other tasks if you feel in the “zone”. Whatever it may be, know that you earned it.

10. Stop reading this

Start procrastinating. Start working.

I assume that by reading this, you too, face an incarnation of that infernal beast, Procrastination. And by reading this, I assume you’re not focusing on getting your tasks done. Well, what are you waiting for? Stop reading this (But do check back often, I love the company~) and start kicking.

“Dreams remain dreams unless worked upon. Start working.”

Do you have any other tips on fighting Procrastination? Have you employed any of the tips to crank up your productivity? Please leave a comment~ I’d love to hear from you! =D

“You’re not alone”

The road to your dreams is one fraught with untold fears and unknown dangers; A journey that requires you to bear the weight of your fate; It is a journey that can break the toughest of men, and crumble the sturdiest of egos. But it’s the best journey there is. And you’re not alone.

I’m a dreamer. My dream is to change the World. I dream of a more connected and more passionate World. These are dreams that I took upon myself. I’ve always known that they would be daunting tasks. But I never knew that they could get this tough.

Every single day, I found myself plagued with self-doubt and renewed knowledge on just how little I knew. The burden I bore upon my back threatens to snap me in two. And I feared that I’ll never be able to realize my dreams. I fear that I may break.

You are not alone.. You are never alone.

Just when I felt that I was really going under, when I felt like I was at my lowest point, I reached out to the people around me(And I’m so glad I did); I spoke to my family and friends on the various fears I had. Expecting nothing other than a chance to rant at first, I was surprised by the amount of support they showed! With their help, I managed to find the strength to stand again. It may have been just a few, simple words. But during those moments, these words became my pillars of light; they gave me support and they illuminated my situation. They guided me and helped me see again. I am no longer alone in this arduous journey. In fact, I wonder if I’ve ever been alone.

The bottom line is, I could never have done all I have (which still isn’t much… yet) without the support of the people around me. Be it family and friends.. even strangers! So the next time you feel down and low, talk to someone; share with them your troubles. Reach out to your peers and welcome them into your life.. You’ll be surprised at just how helpful and supportive people can be. Start today!

On that note, allow me to say a word of heartfelt thanks to my friends, Belinda, (@BelindaAng | http://belindaang.com/) for all the wonderful advice and support, Jason, (@Jayvig | http://jayvigmedia.com/) for introducing me to the social media scene, Deborah, (@DebDobson|http://itsjustmytake.wordpress.com/) for being such a kind and encouraging friend, Tommy, (@TommyTRC |http://tommytrc.com/) for your patience and last but not least, James, (@Jamesblute) for challenging me and guiding me along. Thank you. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve all of you. =D

“Your journey is your own. But you don’t have to walk alone.”

How have your friends helped you through tough times? Do post a comment.. I’d love to hear from you! =D

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” – Mahatma Ghandi

Me: <Interesting and thought-provoking concept> (ShamelessPlug)

Negative Fella1: You’re mad.

Negative Fella2: You’re crazy.

Negative Fella3: What makes you think you can do it?

Negative Fella4: Simpsons did it.

Negative Fella 5:  O.J did it.

Negative Fella 6: HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH~

Negative Fella 7: Right. (Sarcasm)

Negative Fella 8: You’re dreaming. (Not in a good way)

Negative Fella 9: If that would work, others would have done it by now.

Negative Fella 10: Meh.

I’m sure you’ve heard some, if not all of the above before. And sometimes they get to us. Sometimes they change our lives. Sometimes, because of them, we stop dreaming.

What we really need, I feel, is faith in our dreams. Believe in what you love; believe in your passions and dreams. But most importantly, believe in YOURSELF.

It’s always good to discuss your ideas with people. But when negative comments come your way, consider them. Think about them. Question them. Do NOT just take everything thrown your way as the truth. Try and understand why your ideas aren’t accepted and ask for feedback on how to improve them. Negative feedback can be the most valuable feedback you can hope for. But make sure listening to the right stuff.

Make sure you hear everything. But listen only to words that bear wisdom and good faith.

No one can rebuke a passionate man. Believe in your passions. That’s the best argument.

How do you deal with negative people? Do drop a comment on your experiences or queries~ I’d love to hear from you! =D

Introducing the mascot for Lovtoo! He doesn't have a name yet.. Suggestions?

I’ve been really stressed lately. Being new to blogging, new to entrepreneurship, new to the social media scene, and entering a field that’s alien to me, I am constantly bombarded by things I never knew. And it feels like the more I learn, the more I don’t know. As the stress builds up and as worries slowly invade my every thought, I find myself feeling lost; unsure of what to do and how to do it.

Having said the above, I have this to add: I’m enjoying every single second of it.

It’s true! All the stress I’m going through, all the hard work I’m putting in, is all so that my dreams can become a reality. Yes, I’m stressed. But I’m also excited and energized by the things I do and the things I see! I know that the reason I’m feeling the stress is because I’m actually doing something. Every stressful day is a step closer to my dream.

And even when I’m faced with uncertainty every day, though I spend every waking minute thinking about my work, while I don’t have any tangible results yet, I have no intention of giving any of these up.

I’m just like anyone else.. I find this journey tough and unbearable at times too. But I’m not going to give up. I ask you to do the same.

This is my journey. It’s mine to experience. And I’m going to.

You have your own journey. It’s yours to experience. Will you?

If you have similar experiences or tips on handling stress, please drop a comment and share it with me~ I’d love to hear from you! =D

“There are no problems; only opportunities for improvement.”

In life, there’re no shortages of obstacles. Whenever we meet one, we are presented with a choice. Do we run away? Do we climb over it? Do we go around it? Or do we use it to our advantage?

What’s really stopping us from doing the things that we want to do? Is it the obstacles? Or is it ourselves?

In one of my earlier posts (“Are you Dreaming?”), I wrote about how we begin to lose the ability to dream as we grow older. A dear friend of mine, James (@JamesBlute), commented that one of the reasons for this “is because we are taught later in life to conform to certain rules and perceptions on what life should look like.”

As we grow older, we begin to add more responsibilities upon our shoulders. Do we allow these responsibilities to weigh us down till they ultimately form a prison about us? Or do we allow these responsibilities to push us to achieve more?

You don’t have to allow common perceptions to decide what you live by. If you agree with it, adopt it. If you don’t, why should you accept it? Is it because everyone else is doing it?

The truth is; we always have a choice. And knowing this is the first step to making the right choice for you.

The next time you come to an obstacle, tell yourself that you have an opportunity to make the most out of the obstacle. Whether or not you make use of that opportunity, now that’s your choice.

Please do leave a comment on the problems that you have encountered that deter you from pursuing your dreams~ I’d love to hear from you!

What’s your problem? What’s your choice?

To all my friends in The United States~

“Somewhere in our growing up we began to be aware of the meaning of days and with that awareness came the birth of patriotism. July Fourth is the birthday of our nation. I believed as a boy, and believe even more today, that it is the birthday of the greatest nation on earth.”

-Ronald Regan

HAPPY FORTH OF JULY!!

“Just do it”

Shivers went down my spine as I arrived at the venue. Looking into the empty bar, I spotted a lady wiping the counter with a cloth. I paused for a moment to think about life. The thought was quickly brushed aside; I had bigger things to worry about. Steeling myself for the ordeal to come, I mustered up a smile, walked up to the lady and said: “Reservations under Shawn Poh”

It was the 30th of June a few days back. It was Social Media Day ’10. And it was also a day of reckoning for me. It was the first time in my life organizing an event for over 20 people I didn’t know. And I was in trouble.

The booking had been late. I didn’t manage to distribute the information well. What if it rains? Should I be getting food and drinks for everyone? What if the attendees don’t talk to each other? Do I need an activity for the event? What’s a good venue? What’s a good time? What’s the age limit? What if no one turns up? What if too many people turn up? What if people can’t find the place? What if? What IF?

At a point of time, I started regretting. I should have allowed people who were more experienced to take up the job. They would know other people in the field. They would know what to do; I didn’t. At that point of time, to me, I screwed up a potentially awesome event. And because of that, I wasted an opportunity for everyone who attends to have a great time. If the event was a flop, it would be my fault.

Looking back at that moment, I can only feel thankful for diving in headfirst. The event was, by my standards (Which isn’t much to boast of), a success. I met lots of interesting people and had some great conversations! < Thanks to the event, I managed to meet these awesome people! : @belindaang@dunderground @CCAirways @ctham @carlgriffith @chrisirhc @daphnemaia @discthrower @veggeloo @summerisque @infernoxv @missy_gi @mohanbelani @preetamrai @robin_low @skribe @smithankyou @Wysie_Soh @ssumin @sylvdoanx @thomasbabuj @clicktokill >

Planning the event got me asking myself some questions that I’ve never considered in the past. And as a result, I think I’ll be better at organizing something like this in the future. I learned plenty and I have gained a perspective that was otherwise unachievable. Sometimes, it’s okay to take a leap. Sometimes, just doing it can be the best answer for questions you never had.

Take a leap today. Why not?

Post a comment and tell me about leaps you have made and leaps you intend to make. I’d love to hear from you!