.Monday, November 24, 2008.
What does Success mean to me:
Success means acheiving the goal I have set for myself to improve on my weak points.
On the other hand, not being able to acheive my goal does not mean that it is a failure!
Identify one famous personality, whom I deem to be successful:
Lee Kuan Yew!
Background and biography of Lee Kuan Yew:
Lee Kuan Yew was born on 16 September 1923, succeeded in being the first Prime Minister of Singapore in 1959 to 1990.
Born to a wealthy Chinese family, Lee Kuan Yew studied at the University of Cambridge and became a lawyer and a socialist. He worked as a legal adviser to labour unions and won election to Singapore's legislative council in 1955, while the country was still a British crown colony.
He helped Singapore achieve self-government and, running as an anticolonialist and anticommunist, his numerous reforms included the emancipation of women.
Lee Kuan Yew industrialized the country and made Singapore the most prosperous nation in Southeast Asia.
Why he is so successful:
Not only did he achieve both labour peace and a rising standard of living for workers, though his mildly authoritarian government at times infringed on civil liberties, MM Lee's chinese had improved by leaps and bounds. On the other hand, his English is wonderful and inspirational.
Minister Mentor Mr Lee Kuan Yew started to learn Mandarin at the age of 32 and Hokkien at 38. He even published a book, Keeping my Mandrin Alive.
Keeping My Mandarin Alive: Lee Kuan Yew's Language Learning Experience "
At the working level, in daily life,
I do not see Mandarin becoming
obsolete because nobody is using it.
It's not possible. The habits will remain.
The markets, hawker centres,
supermarkets, they will use Mandarin.
But you don't have to have high-level Mandarin.
You can get by with about 2000 words.
That keeps it a living language."
Lee Kuan Yew
How he has inspired me:
Everytime he's on the news or speaking durin a meeting or something else, I enjoy listening to him because his almost-perfect English is inspirarional! Listening to him inspires me to write a better composition everytime I am assigned to one. :D
Identify one person I know personally, whom I deem to be successful:
My father!
Background and biography of this person:
Born in 1964, his father left him at a young age. His mother had to work day to night to support this family. Luckily for both of them, my father was the only child.
For many other facts, I am unable to reveal for privacy purposes :]
Why is he/she successful
While clearing my storeroom with my mother, I found my mother's and father's secondary school report book. My brothers and I have always thought that my father did well in his school.
But we were proven wrong when we looked through his report book. His mathematics, Science and Geography, the subjects that he seems to be very good in now, were in RED (fail).
Now that he is able to coach me in my geography, math and science, it only meant that he had put in alot of effort to improve. My father has a "Never Say Die" spirit both in his studies, he work and his care for us, siblings. I believe that this is why I deem him as successful.
How he has inspired me:
He has inspired me by being a good role model, so I won't go astray.
He does not lecture me when I do not meet his target, but instead encourage me, and of course I'm expected to do better!
He inspires me with different life stories and analogies too.
How can this programme help you to get closer to your goals?
Tough question. I'm pretty unsure because all I have been doing is blogging and nothing else.
Maybe they can encourage and motivate me.