Author Archives: Guus

Politicians, employers, managers, employees and more

When I was younger I always hated managers. As according to my experience they didn’t do much and earned high salaries, higher than people in technical jobs, more working type jobs. So I was kind of jealous and didn’t understand exactly what they were doing. I mean, I was and am more of a worker, doing the work, the thing that’s really important, the thing that ‘produces’. And over time I also started to hate salespeople. As they also just seemed to talk and have high salaries, often even commission based, something that wouldn’t really make me move, something like commission.

And then politics, I also didn’t really understand. As politicians all seem to be somehow dishonest people, people defending points of view they might not even support, people voting for things they might not agree with. How can you do that, how can you live with yourself doing things you don’t agree with, defending things you don’t agree with.

But slowly I started to understand that politics have a function in society. And that politicians have a role in that, that politicians are needed to play the political game, to make decisions that are virtually impossible to take for a person like me. So slowly I started to admire politicians, started to appreciate that there are people who can be, who want to be a politician. As of course there may be politicians who just want the fame, the name, the importance or whatever. But I guess most of them are just doing their job, are just trying to make these impossible decisions related to what people want, impossible decisions around benefiting groups at the cost of other groups. As somehow that is the right thing to do, decide something for the ‘common good’, even though you know this is going to hurt people, this is going to affect people in a negative way.

The same applies to doctors, medical staff deciding about life and death, especially after a disaster where there is not enough capacity or medicines or whatever is needed to save the lives of all people that need treatment. They would make these decisions who lives or dies, and still live with that. Which I guess is not as easy as it seems, no matter how they would normally point to ‘training’ and ‘procedures’ and such. But in the end I’m quite sure all of them would somehow being affected, having made decisions about treatments or who lives or who dies. In the end it’s still about people.

So yes, I started to appreciate politicians and doctors as they are doing things I don’t like to do, and as a person might not even be able to do anyway as I would be too much affected with the things they do, the decisions they make, have to make.

The thing with the managers I never fully understood. But somehow I realize that managers, especially good managers, get things done where I somehow don’t get things done. So yes, they do have value, even more than me, much more than me as stated in Think and Grow Rich about people who can get things done, can get other people to perform.

And the thing with marketing and sales people I am also starting to understand. As ‘selling’ or ‘buying’ is not only about having the product or service available. It’s also communicating the value of the product or service between buyers and sellers. And yes, that’s what I learned, especially after having ran my own business, is needed next to the product or service. Communicating about it, preferably before the deal is made.

So yes, slowly I am starting to see that there are good reasons why society, why governments, why companies are organized as they are. That indeed all those roles that exist need to be fulfilled to get things done, to serve people.

But somehow there is one thing I don’t fully understand. And that is why some people, many people, all people are being paid differently. Or not that they are being paid differently, but why, e.g. a not so hard working manager is being paid more than a very hard working laborer. As they both do their best, they both do best what they’re good at. So why would the one just doing what he is good at be paid more than the one working very hard, doing extra effort, who is not that good to deserve the higher pay.

And I don’t have the answers. And this is just what it is right now. But somehow I have the feeling it can be organized better. As the current wealth doesn’t seem to be distributed properly with our current payment system.

So maybe yes, maybe you can think with me and put some comments on how we could organize this better, that e.g. hard work would be paid a bit more, versus that only work clever or efficient would be paid more.

Change in energy

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A few days ago I read about a (spiritual) change in energy someone felt. And I think I can also feel it, I also felt it the last few days, the last few weeks. Something seems to have changed for the good, in the world. And it doesn’t change in one setting, it doesn’t change from ‘bad’ to ‘good’ in one switch, in one instant. As the last week I felt kind of terrible and it just started to change back to ‘good’ yesterday or the day before. And yesterday and today I also still didn’t feel fully OK, especially after waking up.

Fish

But tonight, while doing my ‘IFS‘ things I slowly started to feel the peace, the sounds of nature, the insects within the quiet, the things here that are so beautiful, that make this place kind of into heaven. And I still miss to share that, share that again. But now from a positive perspective, from peace, from ‘positive being’ and not from fear and worry as I used to do before. And it’s weird as I have no clue how to get there. I know now more what I want, more than ever. But practically spoken it is further from me than ever at the same time. ‘Reality’ tells me, or better ‘people’ tell me that I need to be real, that I need to be practical. And maybe I should, maybe I’m just heading towards more trouble, more towards things I don’t want.

But somehow I think more and more that I should stick to what I want, to my dreams, not give up, but be persistent, be patient. As I see more and more who I am. And that maybe I’m just a dreamer, someone who doesn’t (want to) see ‘reality’. But where would we be without dreamers, without dreams. We would still walk in animal skins or maybe even be more like animals, like apes. We would not have our daily food and other needs being given to us, and that even applies to virtually all poor people as who in the world still caters for 100% for their own food and clothes and other basic needs? And we wouldn’t have gone to the moon and there wouldn’t be cars and planes, let alone medicines. So yes, the more I think about it, the more I read about it, everything, literally everything we see around us, literally everything we are started with a dream, a thought. So should I stop dreaming, should you stop dreaming, even if it’s about things that people tell us is not ‘reality’. But we create reality, reality consists just of beliefs that have been practiced (Abraham Hicks) or the choices humanity and Infinite Intelligence or God or the Universal Consciousness made, choices you and I make.

So let’s keep dreaming. And in my own experience the more I dream, the more I want(ed) things for myself, the more I also realized in the end I (also) want to give. Yes, I want to stay in this house and yes, I like the house also because I like to show off with a big house. But I also want to share the place, invite friends, family, maybe even strangers as the place is so beautiful and it’s typically a place, a house to share. And yes, I want a big car, a black Pajero, big and that type because it’s expensive and I want to show off. But the more I thought and think about it I mainly want a car so I can move around again and visit friends or go to the beach with the dogs and (sometimes) with friends, just to enjoy, enjoy life. And to just go to the city, to be able to roam around easier, for business and pleasure. And yes, some money, not money for the money, but just money to buy new shoes and new clothes and some new stuff for my partner. And to repair the house as it’s so sad to see such a beautiful house fall apart, a house where there have been so many parties and so many people enjoyed the view and each others company. And yes, some money to just buy the food and drinks to create those parties, as at the moment I’m too embarrassed to invite anybody, in the house as it is and without proper food and drinks worthy of the house, and of course of the people.

And some simple things like a camera. Just a simple one. Not for myself as I don’t like taking pictures. But just to be able to take some pictures to share on this site, like the water system pictures I need for the first real proper page I made and I can’t finish right now because I can’t make the pictures I want to put.

And I feel guilty now, as asking things like this is ‘not done’, especially not for yourself. What crazy world do we live in, that we limit each other for ‘having’ things. What’s wrong with wanting a Pajero, or even a Rolls-Royce, but the last I don’t even want. Or wanting a big house or, indeed a lot of money. Why do we deny these things to each other. These things we all want. Where did we ever create the idea that it’s ‘bad’ to want things, material things. And why would we need to ‘earn’ these things through ‘hard work’. Again, the more I think about it it’s just crazy. Neither of us is even able to create a simple breakfast on his or her own. That is why we organized the world into what it now is. And this is the first time in history I believe we, as humanity, have the (technical) knowledge and ability to produce virtually anything that anybody would want or need. And we stick with this outdated ‘earning’ and ‘work hard’ thing.

I am dying to give my services to people, to develop websites and web applications and do some internet marketing so things can be ‘found’ on the internet by people looking for stuff or information. And all around me I see companies, shops, dying to sell their stuff. Supermarkets are full of food and anything else what anybody could even imagine. And, I think I’m repeating myself, most of the things I see around me I don’t need and don’t even want. So the idea of scarcity, that there is not enough for everybody is just a thought, just a perception. And it may be true there is not enough, as I don’t know figures about needs and wants of people and production capacity available or needed to produce all of that.

But even if it is true I’m quite sure technically we could produce, create everything anybody would want or need. So yes, I’m really to believe in these ideas about abundance, that there is enough for everybody and that that all can be done without harming other people or the environment.

So let’s find a way out of this mess, this way of thinking of ‘scarcity’ and the idea that people are greedy and want ‘everything’. I’m quite sure most people are like me, and don’t want everything that’s availalbe in supermarket or anywhere else.

Being grateful

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Recently I often use public transportation. Not really because I like it, but because our motor cycle is not always reliable and we don’t have anything else. And don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind so much how to move around as there is a lot of traffic in the city so whatever transportation you use doesn’t make that much difference in how much time it takes to get somewhere. But from my basic idea about my standard of living I should use a car or at least use a taxi. And not Jeepney and habal habal as is the common form of public transport in the city where I live.

Today’s trip was a bit special though, as I was visiting a friend who lives on the other side of the city, quite far from the city center and I had never used a Jeepney to get there before. But somehow that was also a challenge and kind of fun as it reminded me of doing new things and doing things on holidays, like exploring new routes. Which basically doesn’t make any sense, I mean being excited about it, as I know how the system works and Jeepneys and buses go everywhere, so objectively it’s not a big deal, not really an issue. It’s like taking a metro ride or a train ride or a bus ride to another station in your own city in more western oriented countries or big other cities.

But still, I am a foreigner and still feel a bit of a foreigner living in a holiday type country, so somehow these things are still exciting and are somehow still related to exotic holidays. And that’s what I often forget. That no matter my current circumstances I still live in a house that 99.9% of all people in the world can only dream of. A house with a view that is so special for anyone ‘foreign’ to Asia or anyone liking beautiful views over a bay or something. So yes, a real ‘holiday’ view for anyone foreign to Asian countries, foreign to tropical countries that not so many people will ever experience, especially from Europe, the United States, Canada or similar regions.

So yes, I have that every day, that beautiful view from that beautiful dream house.

And so today, lately, I also try to experience that holiday type feeling when I just ‘commute’, just take a Jeepney to the city. And it kind of works, as I indeed realize that most people only can experience this ‘thing’ in holidays, while I have it every day.

But today there was more. As indicated, it was quite a trip and I didn’t know exactly what Jeepney to take and what route would be the easiest or fastest way back. So on the way back I just hopped on the first one that went towards the city, in the direction I wanted to go. And I ended up in Carmen being pointed to a Jeepney towards Cogon, an area in the direction back home. As I had stayed a bit longer with my friend than I intended it was quite late and I was quite tired, also from the travel towards Cogon. Anyhow, in the end I just ended up in a Jeepney on the very well known route back home.

And suddenly it hit me, while I was watching the other passengers, probably on the way home after a long and hard day’s work. Suddenly it hit me how privileged I have been in my life, how excited my life has been. As most of these people, and not only these people, but most people in the world, would normally just live an ordinary life, stay in the same city or country going to school, finding a job, having a relationship and marry, or not; having children, or not. Be happy or unhappy. Have a good life or not. But mostly have just an ordinary life, nothing extraordinary.

And looking back at my life it has been an exciting life. More exciting than most people can ever imagine, more exciting and varied than virtually anybody could even imagine, even dream of. And it was suddenly on this fifteen minute Jeepney ride home that I realized how rich a life I have lived. And I am still alive and so much more can come.

I realized that I grew up in a pretty well off family. Not really rich, but something like upper middle class. So yes, that was a pretty good life, including visits to family and friends, also far away. To cities all over the country where I lived. And later holidays to various other countries. So yes, even at a pretty young age I think I have seen much more of the world than most people would ever see.

And yes, there were the fights between my parents. And it was not fun. But somehow it seems to have made me who I am. And made me see what I don’t want.

And there was the loneliness, the ‘being different’, the being gay. And it was terrible when I was in it, so terrible that there was a period where I didn’t want to live anymore, couldn’t live anymore. And somehow that period always stayed with me. And I didn’t like it. But today, somewhere on this Jeepney ride home, I saw that the downs in life are pretty much the same as the ups. That it’s about living life, experiencing life.

But next to the loneliness I mostly think of, I mostly remember, there were also the good things, the bicycle holidays to France, how many people do that. And later having my own big bike in my early twenties. And I enjoyed it, loved it, this feeling of freedom and power you have on a big bike. Still, the best feeling I can ever imagine. So yes, how many people have had that, a big bike in their early twenties.

And yes, I can go on and on and on right now, with all the good things I experienced. The holidays I spent all over the world, visiting all continents before I was forty. The trip to Japan when I was a student. My moving to Asia, living in a different country, living in a different culture, experiencing a different culture.

And yes, recently I encountered poverty, real poverty, although somehow it’s not really real as I still somehow have access to money, something many people, even many people I know, don’t have. And somehow I still have capital in the form of part ownership in our house. I have pension rights. I will probably still inherit some capital when my mam won’t be there anymore. So yes, I am experiencing the fear of having no income, having no money to eat. But still, somehow from a kind of safe position, not from a position having really nothing. And don’t get me wrong, the fear is real and what I’m experiencing the last few months, weeks is no fun, believe me. But it’s a rich experience, it’s a new experience, and therefor it’s an exciting experience.

And that’s what hit me today in this simple Jeepney ride home in between the commuters. That my life has been really exciting and that the downs are as exciting as the ups. And that there is still more to come. And that I’m able to share this feeling, this experience.

Project Inspiration for Success

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Inspiration for Success is more than a website. Our intention is to inspire people through different means on the internet and in the real world to achieve success, to be happy.

From current reality to what I want

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Well, the basic question is how to get from the current situation, where I am now, to where I want to go. Although while writing this it sounds like it doesn’t make any sense. As there is only ‘now’. And yes, somehow there is something ‘past’ and yes, somehow there is something ‘future’. But I am getting more and more confused about how it all comes together.

And yes, somehow there is no ‘coincidence’, somehow you can indeed define your own life. But somehow also there are ‘circumstances’ you don’t have (direct) control over. And somehow everybody is unique and has his or her own ‘characteristics’.

And again, going back to ‘inspiring’ I’m not fully sure how to continue this. Although somehow this site, this project is also something like my life story. Things to do or not to do. But that’s where it gets more tricky the more I read and think and write.

So we have something like ‘there is only now’. And we have something like ‘everything is energy’. And we have something like ‘we are all part of the same consciousness’. And there is something like ‘there is not time’, there is more something like a space-time continuum.

And we have something like ‘feelings’ and ’emotions’ and ‘physical reality’ and ‘choice’.

And related to all of this I like most the ideas of Abraham Hicks, who says something that everything in the Universe is looking for something like ‘a best place to be’, ‘this feels better than that’.

But again, the more I am thinking about these things I can’t make any direct relation to my life and how to go to a ‘better place’. Although the answer according the philosophy of Abraham Hicks is something like ‘just feel good and reality will follow’. But that has been a problem for me, especially the last few days, weeks. As I just felt lousy and I didn’t find a way to change that (yet), although while writing this I feel a little bit better. And that has been a bit like that all my life and is also kind of the cause of why I feel, or felt, like I felt.

And the story of my life seems to be that ‘everybody’ has been telling me that ‘I have to change’, or the last message ‘you won’t get anywhere until you change your ways’. So I tried to ‘change’, all my life. Often something like ‘doing what other people want’, especially my partner and my boss.

So when reading Think and Grow Rich that is exactly what you should NOT do, following advice from or listening to others. And in many other places, especially from people who appear ‘happy’ or ‘successful’ I read to NOT do things to please others. To be ‘myself’.

And there again I get lost, because being ‘myself’ seems to cause a lot of problems with others. As that means something like ‘I want this and someone else wants something else’. Although Abraham Hicks gives a solution for that, something like ‘allowing’, allowing yourself and allowing others.

And I think I made progress with the ‘allowing’ I think, although I’m still not fully sure how it works.

The main thing that keeps haunting me though is that other people seem to be much more successful and happy than I am. But of course there is no way to check if that is really true. And that’s the problem, but I guess also the main reason for this site, this blog. And the reason for this post.