I was introduced the concept of a Happy Life Project, back it was 2011/2012. It felt like ages ago, because I was so busy traveling to and fro, for work, and also was busy sending resumes to large corporations to secure a permanent position, I didn't have the time and the right mind to consider something, like direct sales.
I remember my parents told me when I was growing up, that the people who do sales, are those who didn't really do well at school. I bought every single of their words. That was how ignorant I was. I looked at people who handed me name cards, stating their positions as "Sales Executive", I immediately had a mental image of them, being terrible in school.
I grew up, went into a glamorous local university. Big corporations hear the name, immediately you get hired.
I was lost.
Most of the time, the hiring manager calls me, and asked if I am interested in a certain position, I immediately say "Yes!" but deep down, I knew I was in deep shit. I took the offer though, work in one of the biggest player in the oil industry. Parents, immediate family members, friends were happy for me, because to secure a job, and to be known as an "ENGINEER" is a leverage in many terms. I went into the company, thinking God was nice to me.
HE was. I learned. From a ikan yu in a small firm, I became an ikan bilis in a big pool. Your tasks scaled down to the very tinniest bit, and even your manager's manager doesn't know you. I was finding it difficult to adapt, sure you have many colleagues, but at the end of the day, everyone is just here for work, and in order to climb up, you have to outshine, by so many levels, and in order to do that, you have to be the best (or in some cases, the worst!) to really attract the spotlight.
I was at an autopilot mode, for a while. Get to work, work for almost 6 days a week, long hours, complete tasks, as they come. Sure, once a while, after you complete a task, you get satisfied for a while and the cycle continues. Until one day, I received a memo, stating that the company has implemented the government's new policy of extending the retirement age till 60 years old. At that moment, It struck me. I was at autopilot for so long, that the only way to get hold of my life, is when I reach 60. And then this cycle would stop.
So I revisited the idea of Happy Life Project.
I was skeptical at first. To start up with a capital of RM3000 it seems to be like a big amount at this time.
I wanted to try, because I have always wanted to live a fulfilling life, and for that to happen, I need lotsa money to afford a good lifestyle. Sure, when you are young, you say things like "Cheh, money no need lah" but as I am nearing 30, I begin to worry. I can't visualize how my life will be in 3-5 years down the road.
When I just graduated, I was asked the same question, "How do you see yourself in 3-5 years down the line?"
I guess we were all programmed in a way that all answers get similar.
"I see myself to be a manager of the team. Or a senior executive."
Is that what we really want?
Were we really educated to be managers?
How many of us can actually be managers in a corporation? And how many of us would have our hopes and dreams be stomped because our education failed to teach us what happens if you do not turn out to be a manager at the end of the day.
So I paid. A small sum of money. An advice was given to me, "It's just RM3K, if you make it, you make it. If you don't, you stay miserable."
I took the challenge, I decided to be a part of this team that I have been hearing about, but did not meet in person.
I thought it was going to be an easy business for me. I have so many connections, so many friends who had the vision to do something big in life. I was very excited to introduce the concept of multi level marketing to them, but guess what, I have had so many negative remarks and rejections in 3 days than my 26 years of living. At one point, I felt really demotivated, because I am sad for my peers who were a product of the national's education system. Who failed to see a bigger picture. Who failed to understand the game of life.
It was never meant to be easy. I learned the hard way. If it was easy, anyone and everyone could have done it.
