My Favourite Things: Success and Happiness Personified
During the week, I had the privilege of speaking with two very distinguished guests who’ll be on My Favourite Things this week: Li Cunxin, best-selling author of Mao’s Last Dancer and Vikas Malkani one of the world’s leading teachers of personal growth and self-development.
What do they have in common?
Well, the way I see it, they’re both highly successful individuals who have given their lives to giving hope to others. And they’ll both be at the Singapore Sun Festival 2010 to share their secrets to success.
Li Cunxin was indeed Mao’s last dancer. Born into utter poverty in Mao’s communist China, he was selected to train in Madame Mao’s Beijing Dance Academy at the age of 11. And after 7 years of harsh training regime at the academy, he emerged one of the best dancers in the world.
(Photograph used with permission from Mr Li Cunxin)
Li’s journey from humble beginnings and catapult to international stardom in ballet was nothing short of passion, determination, perseverance, discipline, resilience, courage and hard work; of maximising opportunities in life and turning dreams into reality. It’s also a demonstration of the importance of family and love.
Using this same blueprint for success, he made a successful transition from dancing to the world of finance in Australia years later.
People who have read Li’s book or heard Li’s story are always deeply touched and motivated.
I know I am.
(Photographs used with permission from Mr Li Cunxin)
From one inspirational speaker to another, Vikas Malkani was another person who knew exactly what he wanted out of life and how to get it. Just 10 minutes into the conversation and suddenly I had a whole new way of looking at life.
(Photograph used with permission from Mr Vikas Malkani)
Vikas is a firm believer that you are the author of your own life story and believes that every person has a right to be happy and successful. That happiness is success. And that it’s possible to to achieve success without struggles.
A football player is a case in point. He spends hours out in the field running up an down trying to defend the ball, trying to score a goal. Is he struggling? Nope. He’s enjoying it!
Vikas was in his late twenties when he started searching for true happiness. Happiness that would last. Happiness that isn’t dependent on circumstances. That’s when he discovered that happiness is a state of mind.
And the good news is… we could all be happy.
Imagine a company of say 100 people, everyone could be happy and successful and what would a company like that look like?
Heaven.