What I learned from The Art of War: Winning Battles

 Every battle was won before it was fought

- Sun Tzu on The Art of War

People use this quote on different aspects. Some use it on business, some with their work, most of the time it is use in war. But this has more than what it means. This applies to all that you do: even walking.

Let's digest it:

Doing something has basic parts

1. Goal (Ends, Want, Effect)
2. Work(Means, Task, Cause)

When you do something, you have a goal in mind: a reason why you are doing it. If you don't have a reason then you are stupid. Even just wasting your time is a reason for doing something. Let's take your reading this article as an example. Why are you reading this? It could be that you are interested with Sun Tzu and his book. Perhaps, you got interested with the article itself. Maybe you are looking for knowledge or wisdom and you ended up here by chance. Every reason is valid. Some or most may or may not like it. But, it is valid and you have a reason: which means you are not stupid.

Before you can get to the goal, you do the work first. There is no sense in having a goal without working for it. It's like wanting to win the lottery without buying a ticket. Or, wanting to be in shape without working out. I think you get what I mean.

Now, what am I implying?

I define battle as the small or big things that we do in life. From taking an bath to leading a nation. We do battle everyday. And, when Sun Tzu say "Every battle was won before it was fought" I understood it as having accomplished things right after you have decided to do them. So, if you are fickle minded in doing something or has doubts about yourself on doing it, think about this article. There's always an answer, because every battle was won before it was fought.

Two Questions to Simplify Your Life

The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. 

The Art Of War - Sun Tzu

Chapter 1: Number 3

In making decisions, one has to consider a lot of factors. In short everything needs to be considered. In the book The Art of War, there are five constant factors:

1. The Moral Law
2. Heaven
3. Earth
4. The Commander
5. Method and discipline

Which means a lot of thinking and doing is involve.

I'm lazy and I hate big tasks. I don't want to make long decision making. I want them done immediately, accurately and fast. And so, I have to just simplify the problem.

Once the problem is identified, ask these questions:

1. Is it Urgent?
2. Is it Important?

Sample: You were given 10 things to deal with and they want you to make a decision in 2 minutes. Go through each of them and ask "Is this urgent?". In the end you have divided them in two - urgent and non urgent. Next, concentrate on the urgent things and go through each of them, again and ask, this time, "Is this Important?". So, you have divided the urgent things to important and not important. Now everything is simple. Start deciding on this hierarchy

1. Urgent and important
2. Urgent but not important
3. Not Urgent but important
4. Not urgent and not important

Know this by heart and you'll be able to decide faster than ever.

52 week money challenge: extra challenge stage

Status update: I have saved P5,250.00 covering upto September 19 by using the . On the date of writing this article, I still have five weeks or more than a month of allowance, which is good... very good.

The bad part, my mortgage arrears is around P40,000. So, I have to break my bond that I wont use the money until they are completed next year. I still have until August 20 to pay for it or I get evicted - quite a challenge eh?

What I want to point out? It's ok to use what you already got. Use it only as an emergency fund, provided you're still on track or your still doing that challenge. It's your money, anyway and you might as well put it to good use. Thus the idea would make your fund a little flexible and will add another reason why you would like to start the challenge now, if you still haven't.

Happy saving!

When I Met You: Choral Arrangement

I got an opportunity to create(or should I say arrange for a choir) music. It's for a best friend's wedding and I'm sharing the piece. Here are the details.

Title: When I Met You
Artist: Apo Hiking Society
Words and music: Jim Paredes

Edit: Uploading the piece as .png was not a good idea. So I am sharing it using google drive. Here's the link for When I Met You in .pdf format. Enjoy!

52 week money challenge: select a week version

I'm guessing you already read 52 week money challenge and it's reversed version.

Now comes another version since I don't have the patience to be steady(except when driving).

I call it: Select-A-Week version

How it works?

1. Just choose the amount depending on what you have and what's highest amount that week
2. Set aside the amount
3. Cross out the week
4. Wait for another week
5. Repeat.

Let's take the chart below as an example

If this week, you were able to save Php300, then cross out the 7/25/2014. So, you don't have to just set aside Php50.00. The bigger you set aside, the easier it will be to save in the future. The following week, you were able to save Php1000.00 then cross out 10/31/2014. Now, you have Php300.00 and Php1000.00 crossed out. Let's say you save another Php300.00 the following week, since you already crossed the Php300.00, you'll just have to cross out Php250.00. That leaves you extra Php50.00, which you can also cross out or spend depending on what you fancy.

Happy Saving!

how to add location in google maps

We were able to add a map to a blog with the article how to add map to blog. But what if you dont see any marker for your location. Then, we create it. Follow the steps below in adding a pin or marker to google maps.

1. open http://www.google.com/mapmaker
2. sign in
3. click "Add new"
4. zoom in to the location
5. click on the location
6. select a category
7. add a name
8. fill in the form
9. click on "Save" button

To confirm, search google maps

*pics to follow

reversed 52 week money challenge

It's highly suggested that you read 52 Week Money Challenge first before proceeding with the article.

If you are still reading then I'll assume you know most about it already. Let's continue...

1. So you can wait for one year? Very good.
2. And you think that you'll have continuous income for a year? Even better.
3. You can afford to set aside Php2,600.00? Cool!
4. You think that the challenge will not work for you?(for some reason) Then try this one for size

Start from the biggest amount and work your way in reverse.

So, if you are using Php50.00 for your start week, then you start with Php2,600.00. e.g. as follows

• 1st week - Php2,600.00
• 2nd week - Php2,550.00
• 3rd week - Php2,500.00
• 4th week - Php2,450.00
• etc... etc...

Hence, it's call Reversed 52 Week Money Challenge. Since it's the same challenge, but in reverse.

What is so different about it?

I just feel that I won't finish the challenge with the normal way of doing it. I felt that it would be such a drag that I have to shell out that much. And, it's easier to just lower down the amount you are saving every week. On the last week, I just have to let out Php50.00 and it's done.

But, if there are still people not satisfied with the reverse method, then wait till I discuss the selective method.

Happy Saving!

how to add map on blogs

Im working on another blog of a friend about her restaurant and found a need to put a map

So, I went to Google for assistance. Lo and behold, it assisted.

Now, let me share to you how it goes.(pics to follow)

1. open maps.google.com
2. search for the location
3. click the gear at the bottom right corner
4. click "Share and embed map"
5. click "Embed map" tab
6. choose the size
7. copy the html code
8. paste it to you blog

i start to save

In line with my previous post entitled saving money weekly, I start to save. I want to prove that I can do what I preach. So, I got myself an another account aside from the payroll where the funds will be coming from

Nothing special... just a regular saving account from a local bank.

Happy Saving!

saving money weekly

I came across a an idea called 52 Week Money Challenge. Let me share to you how it works. The idea is to save Php62,900.00 in 52 weeks(one year) and we start with only Php50.00.

What is it?

From the label 52 Week Money Challenge, it's a Challenge. It's about saving Money. It runs for 52 weeks (1 year). In a nutshell, you religiously save an increasing amount for the whole year.

How do you do it?

1. For the first week, you save Php50.00.
2. On the second week, you save the same amount as last week, which is Php50.00 - plus additional Php50.00. That's Php100.00
3. On the third week, you save the same amount as last week, which is Php100.00 - Plus additional Php50.00. That's Php150.00
4. On the fourth week, you save the same amount as last week, which is Php150.00 - Plus additional Php50.00. That's Php200.00
5. You repeat the cycle for one year or 52 weeks.
6. Enjoy your money.

Minimum Requirements:

• Make sure you can wait for one year
• You have an income for at least a year
• You can afford to set aside the amount of the last week. If you are using Php50.00 as base, then that's Php2,600

Tips: 

• Put it in a bank account to avoid the temptation of spending your money
• Have a goal on how to use it when you are done. (eg. cellphone, project car, travel)
• You can change the base depending on what you can afford. If you are a student you might want to start with Php10.00 or Php20.00

If you think this is not effective to you, then consider changing some of the parameters. Say, reverse it(which i am using). Start from the biggest amount(Php2,600). Or, if you have an erratic amount of income, then just choose what you can afford on the week. I'll be discussing this next time since i have just thought of it right now.

Happy Saving!

making sophia's logo

i have a friend who has a cafe, but doesn't have a logo, yet. so i took the liberty of creating one. and here is how it went...

what i created...

they asked for a powder blue or pink...

it was a little heavy, they asked something lighter...

it's ok. but see another color. let's go vintage brown...

 a little pale. let's do pink. and lose the ornament while you're at it...

too thick for pink. let's lighten it up with baby pink...

  a little more, please...

let's call it a day and do it some other time. lols!

Pacquiao - Mayweather Jr: Why it wont happen.

Now that Manny Pacquiao proved he was right. What's next? Facing Floyd, that is. A thrilling idea that just became a concept: a what if. But why it will never happen?

Because Mayweather Jr. want's to retire as undefeated. This is the only reason I can think of. If you say he fears Manny, I don't think so. I bet he can stand toe to toe with Pacman. He has the skills. He is undefeated. And he knows how to box.

Now the question is why he wants to retire undefeated? Two reasons I can think of - money and/or prestige. You wont get anything else out of being undefeated except for those two. If you're undefeated, you're value goes up. You become famous. You have control over your fights... Things like those. Can't blame the man for thinking about his future. Specially if you have a colleague like Mike Tyson. Being reminded of how it will be without money will definitely make you think twice.

I'm just not sure why would he choose a good retirement over proving that he is the best. If I know that I am the best then I know that I can defeat whoever is placed in front of me. Specially for a boxer, nothing is more precious than proving to the world that I am the best. And for Mayweather Jr., that should be a piece of cake. That's if he, really, is the best.

Maybe this is all just work for him. A job that he was to do even if he doesn't want to do it. In a way that's being professional and I think I can admire him for that. But,being a boxing fan, or an spectator at least, I would think low of how a boxer he is. He maybe undisputed or undefeated, but he will never be the best or the greatest as far as my opinion is concern. Even without considering Pacquio in the picture, Marquez will be better or greater that him.

Being undisputed or undefeated doesn't mean being the greatest or the best.

dedon island resort, philippines amongst the dream hotel to visit before you die

from matadornetwork.com(which is also credited for the picture below), found, i, the 48 epic dream hotel to visit before you die which, i would say, is worth reading (and watching the pictures). what hit me though is the dedon island resort: a resort in my own country which i didn't even know existed. so, without further ado -

DEDON ISLAND RESORT