Perhaps even more important than a formal education.

What could be even more important than being literate? It is curiosity, the desire to learn and the courage to do the necessary. Look around you and you can see a good number of people who are successful although they missed the opportunity for a good formal education through one reason or another.

Nevertheless,whatever the reason may be, without a formal education, certain knowledge may not be within reach and certain careers are no longer possible but success and happiness in life can still be achieved if the urge to know, the desire to gain information and the courage to put all that knowledge into some tangible benefit. So, success and happiness in life need not necessarily be lost just because a person is not literate. Success and happiness are ours as long as we put in some effort to secure them.

Well, I have practiced whatever I have shared here. Of course, for me, with my fairly good formal education behind me, most things were within my grasp. As a result, besides being a successful teacher, I have at one time or another been a Holiday Magic cosmetic distributor and sales agent (1972) before the product was banned not because of its product which was excellent but for its multi-tiered distribution, an orchid planter, a canary bird breeder, a discus fish breeder, a freelance professional video cameraman, a florist, a state-level gymnastics coach and a masseur. And my strong desire to learn even more has not stopped. As a volunteer with a non-government organization, I discover there is still so much to learn and this is what makes life so interesting. And this year, I have learned how to start a blog so as to share my knowledge with as many people as possible and hope others would put in comments so that even more things can be learned here.

How did I manage to be and do so many things? Well, you can do it. It is not difficult. All that is needed is for you to grab the opportunity to learn whenever such opportunities offer themselves. Sometimes such opportunities come in the form of having to do work for others. Some lose the opportunity when they feel being taken advantage of and benefitting others by doing things for others. Many think there is no advantage in working for others especially when there is no immediate benefit in sight; no financial or material gain. For me life is so wonderful with so much precious knowledge and fun derived from just being allowed to participate in it, in the opportunity of living life to the full.

There was a time when I joined a Shaolin martial arts association. They wanted to film the performances of the lion dancers. The association bought a second-hand video camera recorder. I was approached to help. As usual, it was difficult for me to refuse the opportunity. That was in the 1980s. The camera was not automatic. So, I had to learn how to use it, to zoom in and out and learn the various techniques the previous owner had used. By helping out, I was given so much joy and experience. I not only found knowledge and pleasure. Later, someone asked me to partner him to film weddings and birthday parties. And that was how I became a professional video cameraman at one time of my life. Eventually, I stopped as too many assignments were taking me away from my children who needed my quality time.

Take for example, floristry. When I was asked by a friend to help arrange some flowers, the idea of being a florist did not enter my mind. I saw it as just an opportunity to learn something new and being given the opportunity to try my hand at it. I was amazed to find that I enjoyed the work. So, I read books on floristry. Whenever I could, with the knowledge to back me up, I observed how flowers were arranged for opening ceremonies and other certain occasions. Then, years later, when I planted orchids to take part in competition as well as decorate my compound with orchid flowers, I was approached to do floral arrangement for someone’s birthday. I went shopping for all the necessary equipment and my first sale was made. This was followed by floral arrangements for various occasions. I was so successful I even did arrangements regularly for a bank. I gave all this up when my first child was born in 1986. I did not want the spraying of insecticides for my orchids or flowers carrying insecticides to be around my child. That is a sacrifice my wife and I decided on to ensure the safety of our precious children. And all that started by helping a friend without any thought of any gain whatsoever.

Today, I am still learning by doing whatever needs to be done whenever someone wishes to give me the opportunity to do something. Recently, for the 2009 Art of Living Chinese New Year Celebration, I was told about seven hours before the event that a banner was needed urgently. Although I had never done a cloth banner in just a few hours, I told them I was willing to start on it at noon. Well, it was a non-stop effort for the next seven hours, drawing letters, half a sun and two swans, cutting stencils from whatever paper was available, fixing the stencils to the cloth, (From this point onwards I had the help of two other God-sent friends,) and spraying the letters and pictures with paint. By half past six, the job was completed. Well, tired but happy with a beautiful sense of achievement I could never have the chance to feel had I not agreed to help. I have learned how to make a banner using just a few materials.

Well, what about people who have no knowledge from books to help them? Well, In Penang, Malaysia, we had a the Honda company started by a small bicycle shop man who was willing to grab the opportunity to sell the then unknown Honda brand of motorcycles. He became a well-known millionaire.

There is a restaurant in Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia. The owner was a poor hawker who became a rich restaurateur through his own hard work and through seizing the opportunity to improve his status in life.

There are many more who found success despite poverty and sometimes hardly any education. You can read about Jay Sorensen, Thomas Chen and Jewel in the
blog:
http://money.cnn.com/2003/05/21/pf/saving/dreams_q_ragsriches