by mohammadalamin584@gmail.com | Dec 24, 2024 | Career, Resources
Some moments change the course of their lives.
These are moments of pride or regret.
Back in 2013, I had the chance to pursue my career outside Singapore.
It was an opportunity I couldn’t ignore, but also one that I was afraid.
Taking up an overseas assignment in my late 30s wasn’t a decision I took lightly.
In my mind, I was doubting ‘Are you 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙇𝙇𝙔 sure?’
→ “You haven’t led a team in 6 years!”
→ “You don’t even speak the language!”
→ “And you will be overseas alone for 2 years”
It was a choice between “playing it safe” in Singapore or leaping into the unknown in Indonesia.
My stakes were high, and the risk of failure was real. 
But I knew I didn’t want to look back and live with regrets, so I took the leap.
Settling into my new role in Jakarta wasn’t easy.
I had to learn the language, adapt to the culture, and work hard to earn the trust and respect of stakeholders.
It was tough at the beginning.
But it taught me humility, patience, and showed me the beauty of human potential through the people I worked with.
What started as a 2-year assignment turned into 4 of the most rewarding years of my career.
That experience taught me lessons I never would have learned had I “played it safe”.
It even led to a new opportunity in the e-commerce sector later on.
Looking back, I supposed my leap of faith paid off.
——–
Change is never easy.
Instead of seeking guarantees, we can learn to take calculated risks
and put our best efforts into making failing a non-option. 💪
The point is …
→ When nothing changes, nothing changes.
Sometimes, we just have to trust ourselves instead of giving in to fear.
When we do, we give ourselves a chance to succeed.
And our next chapter might turn out to be the best one yet.
📌 Was there a time when you took a leap of faith too? How did that turn out?
by mohammadalamin584@gmail.com | Dec 18, 2024 | Mindset, Programs
I enjoy making new connections during webinars.
Last week, I met June, a Singaporean who migrated to Australia, in a webinar breakout session.
Her new life in Perth has been nothing short of an adventure.
At age 56, she lived to tell the tales of her 2 ‘impossible’ from her bucket list – bungee jumping and skydiving!
As someone petrified of heights, her courage intrigued me.
Just as how her stories surprised me.
June recalled how she spent weeks preparing for the bungee jump – researching, preparing, and rehearsing her jump mentally.
As the date drew nearer, her thoughts of backing out got louder.
“I kept having visions the rope might snap … and what if I got myself killed in the process? I questioned, do I REALLY want to do this at 56?”.
On D-day, she froze on the platform.
It took her more than an hour to finally leap.
By contrast, she was glowing when detailing her skydiving experience.
“Wasn’t skydiving a lot scarier?” I questioned.
“No, I enjoyed it more! My instructor had done hundreds of jumps.
I felt safe with him”, she explained.
Here’s what struck me:
⏩ When she trusted the process, June turned doubts into thrills.
From doubting..
‘do I REALLY want this’ → savoring her experience
whether her ropes might snap → trusting her instructor
whether she would hurt herself → assurance of having a guide
I resonated with June’s stories.
I had my ‘standing on a bungee platform’ moments each time I changed roles in my career.
I felt the same when I transitioned from my corporate career into coaching – the “What ifs.”
What if I fail?
What if this is a mistake?
What if I have to return to corporate looking silly?
After several ‘career bungee jumps’, I began to recognize these doubts are just part of our human response.
They are not real.
If you’re going through a transition and feeling unsure,
instead of doubting yourself → 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁𝘀.
Recognize them as protective instincts, not your limits.
Talk to someone who’s taken a similar leap and give yourself a chance for a new perspective.
Ready to cross out your bucket list?
by mohammadalamin584@gmail.com | Dec 18, 2024 | Career, Programs
It has been said the first time is the most memorable.
But what if it can also be the most disruptive?
Years ago, my former CEO shared a simple yet profound principle:
“When we allow ‘just this once,’ we open the door to excuses.”
“A small compromise will lead to a habit that could sabotage your entire effort.
Never underestimate the Power of Once.”
That was his point – when we allow ourselves a single exception,
it could change the course and set a pattern.
Studies show it takes about 66 days to form a new habit.
But it only takes one exception to break that momentum and start a mental cycle of excuses.
And for most of us, that “just once” is all it takes for our plans to go off track.
That sets me thinking – what if we could turn this power of once into something positive?
Just like one small exception can lead us off track,
taking one intentional first step forward challenges our limiting mindset
and can lead us towards the career and lifestyle we want.
What about you?
→ Was there a moment where you allowed “just once” to sabotage your progress?
→ What first step can you take to get closer to your desired career or lifestyle?
→ What results would change if you made that ‘’just once’’ choice today?
“Once” may seem insignificant.
Yet it only takes “once” to start a change.
I hope this post can be the start of a positive “once” for you.
📌 How has the power of once played out for you so far?
by mohammadalamin584@gmail.com | Dec 18, 2024 | Career, Programs
One of the best advices I received was when I started as a Call Centre agent.
Back then, my manager said,
“Don’t ask for opportunities. Instead, ask,
‘Am I ready when those opportunities arise?’
Because if you’re not, opportunities won’t matter. They’ll pass you by.”
His words hit me hard. They felt like a double punch.
Earlier that day, I found out the promotion that I’ve been waiting had passed me by.
How often do we focus on waiting for the “right opportunity” instead of preparing for it?
We tend to believe playing it safe by waiting is the best approach.
But is it?
Every time we choose to play it safe, we’re choosing to stay in comfort.
We stay put, waiting for the ‘right moment’, to be “more prepared”.
But what are the real costs of the waiting game?
– While we wait, competition increases.
– As we get older, fewer opportunities come our way.
– When we believe we’re not ready, others sense it too. We get overlooked.
– Over time, the career and life we desire drift further away – while we wait.
📌 So here’s something to consider:
What are you truly giving up by waiting for “YOUR” opportunity?
Remember, as you wait, time, competition and opportunities DON’T.
by mohammadalamin584@gmail.com | Dec 18, 2024 | Events, Mindset
Do you know …
Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan was inspired by the final words of Gary Gilmore, a convicted murderer who was executed in Utah in 1977.
Dan Wieden, co-founder of the advertising firm that created the slogan,
was inspired by Gilmore’s final words,
“You know, let’s do it”. And the rest is history.
But is it REALLY simply – Just Do It?
When I started posting on LinkedIn last Nov, I felt miserable.
Every post was a 3 to 5 hour struggle.
My pain wasn’t just about content creation.
It was the conflict between wanting to introduce myself as a new coach and the pull back of doing it an introvert.
This friction led to inconsistent effort and procrastination.
Did you also have these moments?
When you hesitated…
When you couldn’t simply – Just Do It.
So what stopped you?
What did you want?
How did you feel?
Often times, we get stuck by the frustration of what we want and how we feel about ourselves.
Understanding this deep lying conflict will empower you to take the right actions – FOR YOU.
𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 – 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗼 𝗜𝘁.
