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​My daughter was complaining about her English assessment today. She was a bit worried as to how she would perform. We already rehearsed some scenario for the exercises where you have to imagine what happens/happened in the series of photos last night. But, emotionality gets in the way.

We all have options and solutions. I will not guarantee that they will all be successful but at least, these options are there for you to take, analyze, and, maybe, you're closer than you think to addressing the issues.

My student in the last session told me that he wanted to take a Masters of Psychology and he had to attain a certain grade level for him to be admitted to this program. It's this one or bust. 

I told him, "Well, there are many universities and programs that could be an alternative to that only one. You might be happier and less stressed if you could widen your choices a bit."

But of course, people do what they want to do, no matter how much you will warn them otherwise.

I will never ever believe that this one choice is the end-all and be-all of everything. As life happens, we know that change happens in the blink of an eye. We see systems collapsed, infrastructures paralyzed, and even the securest of securities crumbled in multiple crises environments. If a salesman is selling a widget with a ten-year warranty, you better believe that a warranty is another ploy to give you the peace of mind without the real guarantees.

Emotions have got to do with it, as well as the limited and narrow framing. Politicians and policymakers want to narrow down the issues so they can use a magnifying glass, albeit with more disastrous results. 

As for us, we need a wider vista to overcome the paralyzing and emotional roller-coaster of  created miseries. 

An association executives told a crowd that in her next strategic planning exercise, she will hire this person who happens to be a member of the association and had been waiting for her turn to be contracted.

It seemed that they get to contract only those consultants that are already part of the association for the longest time.

It seemed that it's part of the reward and seniority system.

It seemed that looking beyond their walls is counter to how they operate and think.

It seemed that for all their talk on innovation and fearlessness, they fear outside experts and perspectives. 

It's the same thing when a senior executive at an academic institution noted that they only get the big firms for management consulting. Why? What's the point? 

We can't lie about where our loyalties ultimately rests. Usually, relationships fossilized and so does thinking and then it becomes a force of habit, not a stroke of innovation. 

to 
This Thanksgiving Month, I've going to debunk the common myth about success and achievement. You didn't get lucky and you shouldn't thank that the stars aligned in the right time you were in that place.

It's the result of your own efforts, planning, faith, strategy, and perseverance- being in the right room, at the right time, with the right crowd. 
There are many countless people that are supporting and enabling you, conscious to you and/or not, since your were in Kindergarten.
There are also many people that serves as your inspiration and challenge when you're faltering and starting to waiver in your commitment.
There are loved ones that care enough to loan their monies without the expectation of return when your first start-up was launching or you need further education. 
You have tremendous amounts of ideas and sometimes talent that are enough to serve a sizable market. 
There are opportunities that just opened because of political, societal, economic, and communities coming together and doing something about these issues.
There are people that you turn when you felt dejected, isolated, and need an ego boost. 
If you see the value in your resume, that means your past and future employers see the best in you before you even believe that in yourself. 

The truth of the matter is that luck is best served on a hot plate with rice and teriyaki chicken on top. 

​Don't ever believe your lucky, believe that you can always achieve when you make it happen.