Chris Meistre

If you look at the Chinese Zodiac, you will see that the Year of 2010 is the Year of the Tiger. According to the Chinese calendar, the Year of 2010 starts on 14 February 2010 and ends on 2 February 2011. The Tiger is also the third sign in the Chinese Zodiac cycle, and it is a sign of bravery. This fiery and courageous fighter was admired by the ancient Chinese as a sign that kept away three of the main household tragedies, namely Fire, Thieves and Ghosts.

Tigers are physically powerful, gracious, brave and independent. They are extremely bold animals, yet they are friendly and loving. Sometimes you’ll also find them being selfish and short tempered. Tigers seek attention and power and they live dangerously which leads them to trouble. They take risks, and are always searching for excitement which together with their dose of courage makes for an interesting life.

The Tiger is seen as a protector. May the Tiger look over us this year!

17 days until the end of the year!

It’s been a very busy and exciting year for us. New businesses were started up and grew, a few steps closer to having more passive income and a whole new outlook on life. The growing part doesn’t only apply to our business lives. More importantly it applies to our personal lives.

This time of the year is usually when people that thinking about new year resolutions. I don’t believe in new year resolutions and I’m glad because I’d probably be sitting now thinking of all the resolutions I didn’t keep. I’m not saying not to set up goals, but when you want to do something, just do it.

I have been reading Retire Rich, Retire Young which I bought some time ago and just never got around to reading.  But no, I’m not bringing this up to make this part of your new year’s resolutions.  One thing that stands out from the book is that people have different realities.  It’s these realities that stands in our way of getting what we want from life.  So if anything, why not try and expand your reality by doing something you thought you’d never be able to do.  See how that will change your life!

People are always talking about passion, and what their passion in life is.  I always wonder if they’re talking about A passion or THE passion?

I have various passions in my life:

• my little family (wife and doggies)
• 4x4ing
• outdoors
• building online businesses
• web application developments
• reading

Those are just a few.  I cannot say which of these or any of my others are THE passion in my life.  There is no ONE BIG passion that I have.

It has often made me sit down and think: does it make you a feel better for having many passions or one big passion in your life.  Or am I mistakenly thinking the things I like in life are my passions?

Anyways, just a thought.  Would love to hear someone else’s take on this.  What’s your biggest passion if you’ve got one?

Sometimes I think that people think I’m a hypocrite.  According to WordNet on MyDicionary, ‘hypocrite‘ means a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he does not hold.

If you read through my previous posts on this blog, you’ll see that I often post about things I want to do, or how I’m trying to change my life to be more comfortable with myself.  Often it’s difficult to incorporate these things into my life.  It’s a case of easier said than done.

One way that I try and keep to the things I’m trying to do is by talking about it to friends.  Some things I feel so strongly about, I cannot help but try and urge people to at least listen to what I have read or heard.  It has often happened that I tell people we’re trying to do something different in our lives and it comes out as if I’m preaching to them.  They see me as not doing whatever it is I’m saying myself, and the word hypocrite is written all over their faces.  They obviously want to see me leading by example, but because I’m in the beginning stages of trying something different, I also struggle to keep to the things.

As an example, I’m trying to be a more positive person about things.  I now tell people it’s not cool to be negative, when I know they’ve often seen me as a negative person. Or when I started realising that making excuses for not doing things will keep you from experiencing true adventure in life.  Things like that I just want to share with friends.

So does that make me a hypocrite?

Although ‘hypocrite‘ means a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he does not hold it does not mean a person who professes believes and opinions while trying to uphold them.

If you do see me as being a hypocrite the next time I tell you something, then I’m sorry, but I only do it because I think you’re worthy to share my findings of life with.  And NO, I’m not trying to force you to do anything you don’t want to.  If it doesn’t gel with you, then ignore it!

Society has forced on us values that just makes no sense.  Some of these values just doesn’t do anyone any good.  You can read books, use affirmations, go to self help seminars and use whatever other tools are out there to help you progress to a “better person”, but in the end you are trying to multi million rand house in an informal settlement.  It’s just not supposed to be.  In the end, you’re just playing with yourself.

Why must you be a person that works from 8 to 5?  Who decides to normal acceptable behavior is?  Why do we look down at people with little money and up to people with lots of money?  Why do we want to drive that fancy car?

Self destruction might sound very bad and counter productive, and it goes against all the self help books that are out there.  Some times it’s better to just break yourself down to the very core and start with the basics.  The more books you’ve read, and the further you are with your self help affirmations, the more difficult this will be.  Therefore it’s better to take a look at yourself sooner and consider what your core values are.  For each of the values you have been taught, consider how it is helping you, holding you back or hindering your progress to the future.  Keep the ones that really helping you, and dump the ones that are just in your way.

It’s not as difficult as it might seem in the beginning.  You just need to ask yourself questions and question yourself and your believes.  That is how you find out who your are.

I came about writing this because I heard the quote “Self Improvement is masturbation, self destruction is the answer” in the Fight Club movie, and upon searching and reading a few articles on the Internet, it actually provides much more than meets the eye.  Check out other Fight Club Quotes.