Eric Ng

INTERACT

2011-07-08T20:03:00.001+08:00

It has been a year being a Sergeant-at-arms. I still remember I skipped all my tuition classes simply because I want to attend all the Interact meetings and events. I walked to State alone and went shop by shop to find for sponsors. I still remember we went for odd jobs and all the awesome events held. Before I got my SAA I remember the previous board treated me like a brother especially during the IU (One World). I really miss all the good time I had with them. I made my own membership form and attendant list. Organized two membership drives. Helped out for Dance Off and I even sponsored booklets for ICC Concert. I know I screwed up but did you guys consider and compare good deeds that I have done and bad once. When I make mistakes and people will forget about the good once. I am a little disappointed with what I have gotten. I have been working really hard for it and I really cannot accept the fact that I lost. Really sorry for all the disappointments people. I really can't dance on every IU of the others. Sorry.

My Sweetheart (:

2011-03-26T20:17:00.000+08:00

The best goal is no goal

2010-12-01T06:21:00.007+08:00

“With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now.”~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The idea of having concrete, achievable goals seem to be deeply ingrained in our culture. I know I lived with goals for many years, and in fact a big part of my writings here on Zen Habits are about how to set and achieve goals.

These days, however, I live without goals, for the most part. It’s absolutely liberating, and contrary to what you might have been taught, it absolutely doesn’t mean you stop achieving things.

It means you stop letting yourself be limited by goals.

Consider this common belief: “You’ll never get anywhere unless you know where you’re going.” This seems so common sensical, and yet it’s obviously not true if you stop to think about it. Conduct a simple experiment: go outside and walk in a random direction, and feel free to change directions randomly. After 20 minutes, an hour … you’ll be somewhere! It’s just that you didn’t know you were going to end up there.

And there’s the rub: you have to open your mind to going places you never expected to go. If you live without goals, you’ll explore new territory. You’ll learn some unexpected things. You’ll end up in surprising places. That’s the beauty of this philosophy, but it’s also a difficult transition.

Today, I live mostly without goals. Now and then I start coming up with a goal, but I’m letting them go. Living without goals hasn’t ever been an actual goal of mine … it’s just something I’m learning that I enjoy more, that is incredibly freeing, that works with the lifestyle of following my passion that I’ve developed.

The problem with goals

In the past, I’d set a goal or three for the year, and then sub-goals for each month. Then I’d figure out what action steps to take each week and each day, and try to focus my day on those steps.

Unfortunately, it never, ever works out this neatly. You all know this. You know you need to work on an action step, and you try to keep the end goal in mind to motivate yourself. But this action step might be something you dread, and so you procrastinate. You do other work, or you check email or Facebook, or you goof off.

And so your weekly goals and monthly goals get pushed back or side-tracked, and you get discouraged because you have no discipline. And goals are too hard to achieve. So now what? Well, you review your goals and reset them. You create a new set of sub-goals and action plans. You know where you’re going, because you have goals!

Of course, you don’t actually end up getting there. Sometimes you achieve the goal and then you feel amazing. But most of the time you don’t achieve them and you blame it on yourself.

Here’s the secret: the problem isn’t you, it’s the system! Goals as a system are set up for failure.

Even when you do things exactly right, it’s not ideal. Here’s why: you are extremely limited in your actions. When you don’t feel like doing something, you have to force yourself to do it. Your path is chosen, so you don’t have room to explore new territory. You have to follow the plan, even when you’re passionate about something else.

Some goal systems are more flexible, but nothing is as flexible as having no goals.

How it works

So what does a life without goals look like? In practice, it’s very different than one with goals.

You don’t set a goal for the year, nor for the month, nor for the week or day. You don’t obsess about tracking, or actionable steps. You don’t even need a to-do list, though it doesn’t hurt to write down reminders if you like.

What do you do, then? Lay around on the couch all day, sleeping and watching TV and eating Ho-Hos? No, you simply do. You find something you’re passionate about, and do it. Just because you don’t have goals doesn’t mean you do nothing — you can create, you can produce, you can follow your passion.

And in practice, this is a wonderful thing: you wake up and do what you’re passionate about. For me, that’s usually blogging, but it can be writing a novel or an ebook or my next book or creating a course to help others or connecting with incredible people or spending time with my wife or playing with my kids. There’s no limit, because I’m free.

In the end, I usually end up achieving more than if I had goals, because I’m always doing something I’m excited about. But whether I achieve or not isn’t the point at all: all that matters is that I’m doing what I love, always.

I end up in places that are wonderful, surprising, great. I just didn’t know I would get there when I started.

Quick questions

Question from a reader: Isn’t having no goals a goal?

Quick answer: It can be a goal, or you can learn to do it along the journey, by exploring new methods. I’m always learning new things (like having no goals) without setting out to learn them in the first place.

Another question from a reader: So how do you make a living?

Answer: Passionately! Again, not having goals doesn’t mean you stop doing things. In fact, I do many things, all the time, but I do them because I love doing them.

Tips for living without goals

I am not going to give you a how-to manual for living without goals — that would be absurd. I can’t teach you what to do — you need to find your own path.

But I can share some things I’ve learned, in hopes that it will help you:

Start small. You don’t need to drastically overhaul your life in order to learn to live without goals. Just go a few hours without predetermined goals or actions. Follow your passion for those hours. Even an hour will do.
Grow. As you get better at this, start allowing yourself to be free for longer periods — half a day or a whole day or several days. Eventually you’ll feel confident enough to give up on certain goals and just do what you love.
Not just work. Giving up goals works in any area of your life. Take health and fitness: I used to have specific fitness goals, from losing weight or bodyfat to running a marathon to increasing my squat. Not anymore: now I just do it because I love it, and I have no idea where that will take me. It works brilliantly, because I always enjoy myself.
Let go of plans. Plans are not really different than goals. They set you on a predetermined path. But it’s incredibly difficult to let go of living with plans, especially if you’re a meticulous planner like I am. So allow yourself to plan, when you feel you need to, but slowly feel free to let go of this habit.
Don’t worry about mistakes. If you start setting goals, that’s OK. There are no mistakes on this journey — it’s just a learning experience. If you live without goals and end up failing, ask yourself if it’s really a failure. You only fail if you don’t get to where you wanted to go — but if you don’t have a destination in mind, there’s no failure.
It’s all good. No matter what path you find, no matter where you end up, it’s beautiful. There is no bad path, no bad destination. It’s only different, and different is wonderful. Don’t judge, but experience.

And finally

Always remember: the journey is all. The destination is beside the point.

‘A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.’~Lao Tzu

ICC Carnival and District Interact Conference is just around the corner

2010-11-13T02:08:00.000+08:00

I am so damn excited. :D

Life after PMR

2010-10-14T02:16:00.000+08:00

It's so fucking bored after PMR. I still prefer life before PMR. Especially FIRST DAY OF TRIALS. Go PLAY with bike summore la..... haha

ICLSPJ INSTALLATION.

2010-08-07T11:18:00.000+08:00

ora et labora / pray and work

2010-08-02T22:14:00.000+08:00

my life is fully screwed in form 3. it is so stressful until i can't even breath smoothly and can't even sleep in peace every night. i just wish everything could turn better before it's too late. one more thing i find so stupid is i got caught posting a stupid wall post on some group that thet use to tease my teacher. i hope nothing happen to me or else everything will be screwed even worse. i only have one hope for now. i hope EVERYTHING moves on in a good and perfect way and no more BIG problems occuring in my LIFE. Get out of my life you Mr. Problem... :'(

Esprit de Corps

2010-08-02T21:54:00.000+08:00

Esprit de Corps means a common spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group or morale. xD

I can't wait for INTERACT INSTALLATION! xD

2010-08-02T21:44:00.000+08:00

I am fully incharge or the security. haha. i don't even know what am I supposed to do. some random guy came and ask me, 'what am i supposed to do during the install? i am under security' haha. i also not sure what am i supposed to do, how could i teach him.... let's see how is it going to be... xD
The poster above isn't the latest one because our Principal doesn't approve that one. :)
I think the new one must be more awesome

Form 3 life

2010-07-19T00:09:00.004+08:00

I really love my interact and prefect's board of director this year. It was totally perfect. I know they are going to leave me and I am sooo damn SAD now. I am just thinking, inmagine they really leave I am sure I will cry la.... Yew Wing, Tamil Selvam, Muktanand, Ilavarasan, Raymond Wongand etc. They are super awesome. Danny, Alex, Aaron , Sharan, Naga, Adrian, Fuad, Amsyar and everyone in the Interact Club of La Salle Petaling Jaya thanks for giving me such a good opportunity to let me perform or help you guys out. I have learnt a lot of lessons from you guys through out this whole year. I even got the post Sergeant-at-Arms this year. I had a lot of good time just because of you guys. I just don't know how to thank you guys. All I can do is to perform and do my best in the future. I will try and maintain all the achievements that you guys achieved this year. I know it must be very hard, but I will set you guys as my role model and try my best do achieve my GOALS. I just want to tell you guys that you guys are always the best LEADERS.

OMG I am so scared of EXAM

2010-05-31T23:15:00.000+08:00

I am so scared of the exam but still not studying. This is a damn bad habit. Do not follow!! lol
I think I not gonna get A for maths this exam.... :'(

Anyway, I'll do my best... XD

Sergeant-at-arms

2010-05-06T20:15:00.001+08:00

1. Find 30 members from FORM3.
2. Make a proposal on MEMBERSHIP DRIVE.
wow! I have no ideo on how to make a proposal. LOL

Touch my hand

2010-05-05T21:41:00.000+08:00

The mid-term exam is around the corner and I am still doing my cock business at school. I wonder when am I going to change. When am I going to really sit down and study. I think no hope la. I don't think I'll get good results for this exam or even PMR unless I chang myself but it's not so easy for my to change because this is my BAD HABIT since I was small. No one could help me in this case. No point asking my god to make me a better person. Haha
Good luck Eric!

ICLSPJ punya IU was AWESOME!!!

2010-04-25T11:04:00.001+08:00

I enjoyed the show while playing the songs at the control room and I really gained a lot yesterday. Thanks to everyone for giving me such a memorable day. After IU I went to a restaurant to watch me senior's performance. It was damn fun helping them. :]
I hope I could have another chance like yesterday. Haha

Thanks

2010-04-03T01:48:00.000+08:00

Thanks for letting me know that I am that irritating to you.

I swear I will never look back anymore. I've wated so much time on you and I only got a stare.

Thank you so much. At least I gained some experience.

My Life

2010-03-14T02:31:00.002+08:00

    I've been trying to become a better student and son but I've failed because I don't have the spirit to change myself. I've been wasting all my time since I was born and until today, I am still doing nothing. I really feel so sorry for my parents and teachers for not making you all happy. I hope I could change before the end of this month and hope I won't be dissapointing you all anymore. Besides, I would like to say THANKS to my parents for believeing in me.
    When the SPM results came out, I heard that that guy that went to Universiti Malaya (Ong Dee Keat) last year got 10 A's. I got shocked. 10 A's? How? I got jealous and I think the jealousy turned into motivation that can make my feel like studying. I really admire him. Hope he could gimme some advice.
When I was in primary school, Mr. Yeo told me 'Don't promise to me or anyone but yourself because you're the only one that know what you are doing.' I tried to promise to myself for so many times but I found out that it's so useless. The only way to success is to work hard and achieve it but not doing other crap and I wonder when I am going to acheive it.
    I hope there's a day for this lazy boy to success. Even the moment I am writing this essay I feel so lazy and useless. I think you all won't be interested in reading this essay becaouse I am just repeating the same thing. But I really hope I could change. :'(

Everything has been figured out, except how to live.

2010-03-07T00:02:00.001+08:00

I really got bored of what I am doing right now...

I am damn lazy nowdays....

HELP!!!

Hope you could gimme another chance... XD

2010-01-31T13:12:00.000+08:00

Sunway

2010-01-29T19:55:00.000+08:00

Going to Sunway Pyramid with my friends tomorrow but don't know whether it's gonna be fun coz I am missing every moment n remembering moments spent with you coz moments spent with you is always magical
<3

Can you stop ignoring me?

2010-01-29T19:43:00.000+08:00

Pls stop ingnoring me, coz it really hurts, don't you know? I just wanna let you noe that I still love you and I can't give up although trying damn hard to do so. I am quite proud of myself coz I didn't give up on you coz I noe I reli need you n you are the best of the best! <3
I love You
XD

Haiz!!!

2010-01-20T22:18:00.001+08:00

I rather write wif pencil!

But there's no choice for me, I've to use pen n there's always a mark on the paper!

:'(

Helo!

2010-01-19T06:00:00.003+08:00

Hey! Good morning!
Thanks for reading my blog!!!

New year, new target, new aim...

2010-01-01T20:09:00.001+08:00

3Merah is quite stressful for me so I might be going to 3Oren
:'(

All I want for Christmas is you

2009-12-03T04:34:00.000+08:00

All I want for Christmas is Ng Xin Ni!!!!!!!

2K

2009-11-23T01:44:00.000+08:00

Lol. all the monkeys n teachers in 2K...

Refering to:
a) MONKEYS: Keith, Brian, Bryceton, Darren, Chen, Teeru, Timothy, Loy, Babu...

b) TEACHERS: Cik Alawiah, Pn. Tuan Noor, En. Nazri, Pn. Sharon, Pn. Zainani, En.Asri, En. Nazal, Pn. Sandra, Pn. Noranida, Pn. Jamaiah, Cik Akma, Pn. Anuradha...
Cik Halim
Oops.. Sry... It's En...

haha! everyone's hair damn funny coz just finished playin football