Ever since I was 1 of the assessment leads for the Singapore Quality Award with Special Commendation for Insitute of Technical Education (ITE) in 2018, I am deeply inspired and sold to the vision and mission of ITE.
I think it is because for a large part of my life I was being seen or told that I am not good enough, an underdog.
I am not good enough to get into a University, I did. I am not good enough to survive the University (which I almost didn’t, gotten an academic warning in my first year), I graduated with a BSc with Merit. I am not good enough to be able to complete a marathon or lose weight, I lost 15 kg and completed my first marathon in 2011. I am not good enough to take up a PhD, I completed it in 5 years part-time (same time taken for full timer) with a Research Achievement award. I am not good enough to be a good case writer, I won two international case writing competiton. I am not good enough to be a good academic in a University, I beame one in 2013 and won several teaching excellence awards since. I am not good enough to be a IT Associate Director in NUS, I became a CIO with a MNC after more than 25 years of my career. I am not good enough to be a business owner, I am one today doing reasonably well for the first year.
I like to believe that regardless of what we want to be, all we need to do is to find ways to improve 1% towards that direction and in 2-3 years time the results will show. Consistency and persistency are critical.
The talents of ITE students have never been lacking, what is lacking is discovery within. This is the reason why I volunteered and supported ITE in every way possible both in personal and business capability. I gave free talks to students over this year to engage them to dream big and start small and continuously invest on themselves on finding their ikigai, instilling growth mindset and building resilience.
The leaders of ITE saw my values and gave me more projects. One of them is the annual senior leaders’ strategy review workshop for the second year now.
It feels great to be working on a cause that is aligned with my life philosophy.
The coddiwompling experiences continue…
coddiwomplingthroughlife
#facilitation