Just Do More: An Option to Be Above Average

By Dr George Thien

This book provides a reminder about doing the extras for continuous self-improvement, making sacrifices, being resilient, and evolving with new habits to achieve ambition or goals to be Above Average and beyond. Challenge yourself, learn to manage & control your mindset to address challenges or obstacles, such as procrastination, & do more than average to achieve your ambition or goal to be Above Average and beyond.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris NZ
• Release date: Dec 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664107304

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 by Dr George Thien.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 05/05/2022

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Introduction

The Importance of Positive Self-Motivation

Are You Self-Motivated?

Synchronising the Forces of Self-Motivation

Left-Side Brain

Right-Side Brain

The Aba Factors for Successful Achievement of Ambition or Goal(S)

Ambition or Goal(S)

Belief

Actions

Challenges or Obstacles to Positive Self-Motivation

Procrastinations

Distractions

Laziness

Vague Planned Actions

Just Do More

‘M’ore Is Extra Effort for Continuous Improvement

‘O’pportunity Cost is Sacrifices for Priorities

‘R’esilience is Diligence for Never Giving Up

‘E’volve Is New Habits For New Lifestyle

Summary And Checklist For A Self-Motivated And Successful Achievement Of Ambitions Or Goal(S)

Personal Social Responsibility

About the Author

"Dr Thien, you have just reminded me of the person I once

was. Due to tied schedule, life has pretty much shifted to

something so routine with little time to consolidate

or even appreciate. I am so thankful that your book has awoken

my inner self to once again be the person, to quote You ‘with high

intensity of Positive Self-Motivation who will spend relatively more

time, energy and effort towards the activities that relate to the

pursuant of goal achievement’. Yes, I should strive to do MORE. It

is like I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel after all these

years of ‘it is just another day’. Thanks a trillion my friend."

Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Emilia Kamaruddin,

the first lady fighter pilot, RMAF (Malaysia)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

There was an incident when I was making preparation to deliver a topic about theories and concepts of ‘Motivations’ when my daughter, Farah lost a semi-final match in a national badminton tournament. I knew she had an ambition to be a badminton champion, and I also knew that she did not quite believe that she could be a champion, and from what I could see, she had not put in much extra effort in her journey to become a champion; just average in her context. It was a God’s will moment for the two moments to happen that initiated me to start writing a motivation book to help people who wish to be Above Average and beyond, not just in badminton or sports, but also in their career advancement, business journeys, and other ambitions or goals (such as to be more healthy). Thank God, and Farah.

In my journey of writing this book, there were many people who had knowingly or unknowingly, positively or negatively, physically or spiritually, verbally or non- verbally, directly or indirectly, contributed and given me their support. Aside from my family members, Angin (‘Maureen’), Fendi, Harris, Farah, special mention to Emilia Kamaruddin, Moslem Anoar, Joy Hunter (illustrations), Raewyn Pattemore (editing and proof-reading), and David & Amy Brown from BookPrint Ltd.

Finally, definitely not the least, I thank my parents (Peter and Christina) who brought me up and helped develop my left-side and right-side of my brain so that I can achieve many personal ambitions or goal(s); one of which is to help you in your journey to achieve your ambitions or goal(s), and thank you for taking time to read this book.

This book is dedicated to all those who want to work hard to achieve something and be Above Average and beyond.

Stay in touch with me about your journeys; my email contact is [e-mail]

INTRODUCTION

How can you be an Above Average person? What is an Above Average person? Whether you consider yourself to be an Above Average person depends on your own and others’ perception, and what you are Above Average about, and the scope of comparison; is it your income earning or health situation, or sporting achievements? An Average person is one who is neither the best nor the worst. You can choose to be an Average person and still be happy. For those who are in the Below Average status, they may set ‘Above Average’ as a goal to be achieved. For those who are currently in the Average status, they may set goals to be ‘Above Average’ and be better or the best. In an office situation, if your goal is to be a manager, then you are wanting to be ‘Above Average’; same as the sports person who is aiming to get selected into the national team or win gold medals. Your motivational forces will determine what type and level of goal that you will desire and target. How do we harness and manage these motivational forces to achieve our ambition and goals?

Just like many things in life, we tend to forget or take for granted how things work. Often there is no real need to know or learn about how things work. Not many people feel there is a need to know how Smart phones transmit voice and images from one location or phone to another. We just know or expect that it works, at least most of the time. If it does not work, we may try to google for information or get help from the experts. Similarly, you may feel that there is no need to know how motivation or self-motivation works. What matters is sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. Sometimes, we may get experts to motivate us; sometimes we google for help; sometimes we try listening to songs, speeches; sometimes we read self-help and self-development books; sometimes we watch inspirational movies or videos to seek motivational help. Sometimes we do all of the above. One of the most important reasons we seek to be motivated is to improve our chance of achieving our ambition or goal(s).

This book is meant to inspire and help people to achieve their ambition or goal(s) and be successful, through positive self-motivation; focusing on the ABA (Ambition, Belief, Actions) factors and the Just Do MORE principle (with the focus on continuous improvement). Examples of ambition or goals include getting a university degree, winning a gold medal in a sporting event, getting a promotion, starting an entrepreneurship, body weight reduction or health improvement. Achievement of ambition or goals is assumed to be directly related to success of some sort; some people will still feel successful even when they have not achieved their ambition or goals because they deemed trying or putting in 100% or more effort is already a success, and that would serve as a platform for future attempts to achieve revised or other ambition or goals. Whether your ambition or goal is to be a high achiever, or to be average, or doing just enough, positive self-motivation is an important influential element throughout the journey to achieve your ambition or goal(s). If you understand the ABA factors and the Just Do MORE principles, and do the required planned actions, routines and activities, you will greatly increase your chance to successfully achieve your ambition or goal(s). Understanding the ABA factors and the Just Do MORE principles will help you to manage and control your motivational forces that can guide you in the desired direction. In other words, you can take charge of