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2 weeks have passed since I blogged that I am doing a little experiment. I have been keeping a very close tab on my progress towards my goal of achieving a better physique. When I did my weighing and measurements this morning, the scale put a smile on my face. I have put on 1.2 kg (2.6 lbs) so far. But it is not just about putting on the pounds, my body fat went down to 18.2%. That shows that I am not adding fat or flab, which is a good indicator that I am gaining weight healthily.

The next logical step after setting a goal is to make a plan to achieve it. It all depends on your type of personality when you design an action plan. Are you someone who needs details, details and details? If being meticulous is your character, then start developing a plan that takes you from A-Z in details. But if you are someone who likes a helicopter view of everything, then it is alright to do the planning at the macro level. It is important that you must be comfortable with your plan, and not dread to even have a second look at it after you have spent hours developing it.

I have made many attempts to set goals since my high school days. Every year, sometime around Christmas, I will be like many other millions around the world who will make wishes for a better life. I will set my new year resolutions, things like, to own a sports car, to ride the roller coasters at Orlando, to learn Japanese... You get the idea. From the advice that I have learned, it is best to write it down and place it where you can see it everyday. So, I will print it on a nice sheet of colour paper and paste it in front of my desk. Cool! Then, what happens?

When your baby learns to take her first step, she will most likely fall initially. As a parent, you will naturally encourage her to try again. You will lend her a hand to hold on to and gradually let it go, until she can stand on her own. When she is ready, she will lift her foot again. A fall on the bum, or sometimes a knock on the head, is common. But you can observe that she will get up and keep on trying again and again. Then, finally, just when you do not have your video camera ready to shoot that prized moment, she takes her real first step on her own.

Give a man a fish and he will live a day. Teach a man how to fish and he makes a living. I am using this old saying to guide you to a better life. I am not going to give you money but I am going to tell you what you need to do to make money. If you only have time to read just one book every month, think of how much knowledge you would have acquired after a whole year. You will definitely be better off than those who rather spend all their spare time glued to the tv or surfing Internet. What if you read one book a week?

What is the definition of success? When you mention the word success, some people will think of becoming a millionaire, having a grand house with your own private pool, a Ferrari, a personal butler service at your call. That is probably more of an illusion that we have been sold by today's media. Is success just about living a luxurious lifestyle? Far from it. Michael Jordan sees success as bringing glory to his team. Warren Buffett believes that he should not lose his money in his investments. That is how he defines success.

Two good friends grew up in the same neighbourhood, went to the same school and graduated from university with flying colours. Not long after graduation, they found jobs without much problem but realised that they would had to go separate ways. Kenneth was posted to work overseas in a multinational company, while Duncan got a software engineering position in a local start-up firm. As excited as they were with their future, they had a hard time bidding farewell to each other.

I often ponder on how Neil Armstrong managed to walk on the moon. Can you imagine that was done 40 years ago from today? What was the level of technology like then? I guess even a basic laptop computer that you use now will have better performance than whatever they used on board Apollo 11. So, how did they (Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong) get to the moon? And what drove them to do it? Before 1969, no one has landed on the moon, although they were flights that orbited it.