The Real Rocky Challenge

Book Talk

geraldchuah — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:45:17 +0000

I have been invited to do a book talk at a popular monthly book lovers club/gathering in Bangsar today. My name was on the list for a couple of weeks now. Organiser Sharon Bakar, a book lover, reviewer, and writer have requested me to read November … but i could not make it due to other commitments. As I seldom speak in front of an audience, I felt quite anxious about the idea initally though it would be an honour and privilege to be invited to speak about my book, with the prospect of selling some copies too. However I thought it is time to go for it, and BREAK THE ICE, since I may venture into the speaking route in the near future. So for a couple of days I decided not to think about it, as I did not want to trigger any unnecessary panic attacts, and i thought it was best to keep it light and easy. So I came out with a sketch of what i wanted to say days earlier, but usually when I started expanding on it it becomes too long. There was no way for me to read long script of a few pages when I had only 10 minutes.
Yesterday i slept late, and I woke up at lunch time. I had a great idea for my new Rambo Code website, so i went to the computer and started writing a simple outline about one page. And I thought this will make a good introduction for my reading. So I went along with it. By the time I finish, it was already 3pm and time to go, and a friend is waiting for me to pick her up in Bangsar village, so i collected my stuff and rushed out of the house, grabbed a snack along the way. I have been there about two months ago, and I have a vague idea of the location. By the time I reached there, the event had already started. I settled on an open spot near the entrance and prepared my gear for video recording… I wanted to record it for you tube. After i have set up the camera, I tried to compose my thoughts on what to say, using the note as my guideline. I thought when you have the intro right, everything will fall into place. After the last speaker there was a 20 minute break, and i had more time to myself. that is when i browsed through the book and inserted some strips of paper to help me find the pages to read. After calming myself down, I did a mental rehearse of what would happen in the room, and how would I start my talk. That was an important move as it helped me put the whole thing in perspective. As I browsed through my book quickly, i picked up some points on what i wanted to share… but as I run through the ideas mentally, I got more clarity on what aspect of that quote or idea I wanted to speak about. One important step for me was to feel the room, and figured how I want to relate to the audience. i said although this is called readings, i don’t want to just read, which would end up being a monotone and nobody would get what I will say. So my approach would be different, at least for myself to make it conversational style. Another important thing I told myself was I am not just going to say everything in the beginning,, and then just read all the way. While picking those quotes, i will keep sharing. So it is not just talk… read, read, read, read, but more like talk, read, share, read, share, read, share… so now I had a plan. Because i notice when I was there, some writers took the reading seriously, and just read directly from the text, and there was no way the audience see the big picture unless they read the whole book, so I thougth it is only fair to make it like story telling and fill them with details in between. Now I got it, and i realised eventhough this is a simple idea, not many people get it… that the whole exercise is actually about sharing yourself and why you are passionate about the subject matter, and why you did what you did, and IT IS NOT about trying to impress the audience with your vocal intonation, or clever language. I realised though there was a perceived expectation for readers to be perfect, at the end it is about creating your own rules. So my turn finally came. After a brilliant, powerful and generous introduction by Sharon, i took my seat and started to speak. And my God, everything went smoothly as i had envisioned it. I started conversational style, telling them this has been my dream project for awhile, why i took interest in the subject matter, and what it means to me. Then I proceeded to read the front cover blurb, explain a little bit more, read the first chapter, explain a little bit more, read some quotes, explain again… and then it lead to the climactic moment about how I managed to launch my book with Jackie, as i thought that would be the most interesting part. At that point I just shared… from my heart without reading form notes. I was just bascially telling them a story, about my defination of Rocky and the last moment, when I hit rock bottom and the miracle happened. And from there on.. it was just sharing, because i did not want to miss a thing. A lot of the passages which I marked had to be skipped for the most interesting story to tell. Finally I ended it by reading a quote from Stallone, and I read an e-mail by jason Canton about the Law of Synchronicity to wrap up the whole session. I thought it was a great idea to end the sharing with something profound. For that I read quite a bit, and it reinforces the story which I shared earlier. So the whole thing was kinda explosive in an unintentional way. So this is the secret that i have learnt, to pick the important points and expound on it, and then to back it up also. Not just with what i wrote but with what other people say. It is like I am telling them a complete story. And looking back I only shared with them about the book, what was relevant to push my story. In the end, it was not the book that I was promoting, I was promoting my story, my inspiration, my ideas, and along the way, the book sells itself. The whole session was so fluid, because I decided for it to be that way. i could have bored the audience to tears by just reading straight from my text, instead i decided to share with them. my heart. And there came a point when I was not self conscious anymore. I felt comfortable, at ease, and I knew it was the right thing to do. There was a moment when some people were talking i the background and I increased the clarity of my voice to overcome that distraction. Suddenly I took ownership. I was not something i had to do, but something i wanted to say. I created that space and I put my energy into it, by sharing meaningful thoughts and ideas. At the end i got kudos from my friends saying that it was a wonderful speech. They were surprised how cool, calm and collected I was.. Well, i learnt the secret today. it starts by feeling the room, and what the audience wants, and then give them the best that you have, and then support that with someone else’s sharing. That will be a double, or triple decker sandwich with a lot of good stuff in it, I assure you…
Best of luck in your future presentations.

Protected: I am nobody

geraldchuah — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 23:33:39 +0000

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SPECIAL OFFER (three days only: from June 20-22, 2007)

geraldchuah — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 19:03:39 +0000

(Limited edition, hard-cover, autographed copy)

IN THE EYE OF THE TIGER:
SURVIVAL PRINCIPLES FROM SYLVESTER STALLONE’S LIFE & FILMS

Foreword by Jacqueline Stallone
252-pages, 34 original hand drawn illustrations, hundreds of powerful quotes and interviews
12 film sypnopsis: Rocky 1-6, Rambo 1-3, Over The Top, Lock-Up, and Cobra.
Article Going The Distance with Rocky (personal account of how I met Sylvester Stallone)

Normal Price: RM69.90 Postage: RM5.00 (for Malaysian residents only)

(Available in all major bookshops in Malaysia, including Borders, MPH, and Popular)
———————————–

SPECIAL OFFER (for three days only from June 20-22, 2007) in conjunction with the release of my news by Bernama and Daily Express which is spreading throughout the world like wildfire. Please read below for more information.

Dear Readers,
I am very happy to announce today that the news about my book IN THE EYE OF THE TIGER is featured by Bernama, and is now circulating around the globe.
Today I Googled News the word Stallone and the article reported by Bernama came out tops at No. 1 position (which means anybody in the world looking for news about Sylvester Stallone will read about my book first!)
I am so happy that my `Going The Distance With Rocky’ story will now be read by millions of people around the world. So to commemorate this special event and for a limited time only, I am making my book available online at a special discount of only RM55. You save RM15 !
Why not own an autographed hard cover copy of the book today by sending me RM55 + postage RM5 (within Malaysia) = RM60, to my Maybank Acc at 114253292047.
Also send me an e-mail with your full name and address, receipt no as prove of payment, and I will personally send you a copy of the hardcover book to your doorstep in less than a week.
The autographed limited edition copy of the book is a true collector’s item which you cannot find anywhere else in the world. It is NOW a sizzling hot item now that millions of Stallone fans know about it, and are stampeding for it.
Currently the number of copies of the hard cover books are limited and are selling out like hot cakes. And it will not be available again, as the second print will only be in soft-cover version.
So don’t miss this opportunity of a lifetime to own a copy of the book today before the demand comes in like a tidal wave, now that the news about the book is already out in the open.

SPECIAL THREE-DAY OFFER (from June 20-22, 2007)

Total payment:
RM55 + postage RM5 = Only RM60

GO FOR IT!

Own a copy of the book today. It will change your life!

Regards,
Gerald Chuah
gchuah@gmail.com
+6012-2739732

P/S: If you buy the book within this special promotion period, I will e-mail you a copy of the Bernama article, so you can read first hand what the rave is all about, and I will also keep you inform of what’s coming next, so you can have a front row seat to this real Rocky challenge.

News about my book travels further with coverage by Bernama and Daily Express

geraldchuah — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:04:23 +0000

Since my book launch early this year, I have gotten ample publicity from the local media. It shows the subject matter is interesting enough to be featured. And for me, a first time author it is a great feeling to be “recognised” for my effort and accomplishments. Getting an interview is like wind beneath my wings which gives me an opportunity to soar higher and further, as the news about my book travels far and wide. You can’t keep a light under a bushel you know. To me, this book has been a positive force in my life, and it is time the whole world hears about it. The purpose of the book is to promote hope and optimism in others. Various mainstream media have written about me – NST, Star, Harian Metro, online magazines, and other Chinese magazines. I guess a topic about a local writer writing about a Hollywood star is uncommon and will definitely attract attention, especially one that takes inspiration from Rocky and Rambo series. Who does not know Sylvester Stallone? Even Iraqian children were seen carrying a flag emblazoned with the picture of Rocky symbolizing hope for all who struggle no matter what war they are fighting. And what’s more, this is a real story, as exciting as any seat-gripping adventure movie. My book has been long in coming, and the significance of the whole journey is that with one final push I managed to get it published on the 11th hour 59th minute, to coincide with Rocky 6, the last episode in the series. And all through the journey I did not know what will happen next. I just moved forward in blind faith. To go that one more round as I have promised myself to do. The greatest honour for me was having my book launched by none other than Jackie Stallone herself (Stallone’s mom). How do you respond to that, in terms of dreams meeting reality? I remembered during my book launch on Jan 22, 2007, I was seated in between Jackie Stallone and Dr. Stephen M. Levine (Stallone’s parents). It was a proud moment indeed to be recognized for my effort, and to be acknowledged by both parents. To know that they have come a distance to meet me, even though we haven’t met before was a true miracle. And to think that I am an unknown writer in a sea of accomplished authors, to have this opportunity to fulfill this incredible dream in such a meaningful way, was a fairy-tale ending that really blew my mind. It was not about being good enough, but it was about going the distance. I have kept the faith and I finally got to see the rainbow. This is not just about a book, but the journey which is a real rocky challenge by itself. Remember Rocky doesn’t care about winning, all he wants is to go the distance, and so did I. Never did I know what the outcome of this challenge would be… but like Rocky I just stumbled my way to victory. Even from day one, when I started writing this book, the message that I really want to share with the world, is that nothing is impossible, if I can do it you can do it too. Go for it, make your dreams a reality, and be all you can be, once in your lifetime!
p/s: I was so glad to receive an sms from a dear journalist friend of mine who now lives and work in Sabah. She knew about my book way back since we started our career in journalism at the NST office in Bangsar. She now works as a sub-editor with The Daily Express, the widest circulated daily in Sabah. She sent me an sms today saying she saw my article in Bernama and she will fetch my story to be used in her entertainment pages. Wow. I can’t imagine her surprise when she read about my story on her computer screen. If she was drinking or eating, she must have spilled some food on her table, but she said it was a pleasant surprise to know that it wasn’t just words and empty promises but a dream has become a reality, and such good news will always be a welcomed surprise.

Feeling happy.

geraldchuah — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 06:35:17 +0000

Imagine the happiest day of your life. There is a perpetual smile on your face. You go about doing everything spontaneously. Nothing can go wrong – because you have given yourself permission to be happy. And you have a series of happy moments lined up for you. Contrast that to a rainy day, when you are feeling blue and unhappy. And you can’t seem to point a finger on the reason why. Now I will tell you the reason why. There are many things in your life that can cause your unhappiness, and the root cause is you have denied yourself something in the past. There was no sense of completion or fulfillment to what you really wanted. And that became the source of your fear, self-doubt and confusion – the blindspot that keeps haunting you. The solution is simple backtrack a little and ask yourself what you really want. Beyond every loose end in your life is the answer that you seek. Go For It. Is your life a bunch of loose ends? Now tie up those loose ends and be complete. Be aligned to your original purpose and intention and you will find there is power in there to shape your life.

Bad Advice

geraldchuah — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 06:15:18 +0000

There are two kinds of advice in this world. Bad advice and right advice. This may not be the advice from others, but advice from yourself, deep within your heart. Small nuances in meaning in all these advice that you listen to can affect your happiness or change the outcome of the situation. Good advice does not neccessarily mean good, it could be bad, when it generalises the situation or undermines your ability. When that happens it becomes a bad advice. Imagine yourself riding a bicycle and holding onto the handle grip. It keeps the bicycle aligned as you move forward. Then imagine what happens if you let go the grip. You will become unsteady and you will fall. A bad advice causes you to lose your grip and fall. You see since young, we have all been grappling for something called self-worth. You do something and you want to be recognised and rewarded for your worth. But then someone comes along to give you good advice which denies you, or goes against what you believe or really wanted. So you accepted it and you move on – unfulfilled. And then as you progress you feel more and more unfulfilled and disempowered. Then you ask what is wrong here? How is it you wanted something but subconsciously you deny yourself. and you could never be present to your own happiness. Because you have been thought to deny yourself of your own self-worth and do the things that will make you fulfilled. And whether you realise it or not you have been taking action that hurts you. My advice to you my friend is to listen to the advice that will boost your self-confidence that will help you find your own self-worth, and that will propel you forward. Not an advice that leaves you confused, indecisive, or become self-depreciating.

Rediscovered the art of writing

geraldchuah — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:51:19 +0000

I have always wanted to write a personal blog about the entertainment scene. i used to cover that scene but not anymore. I guess I missed all the human interest stories, all the events which made my life as an entertainment journalist special and interesting.. And I have been thinking about creating a blog to write about some of these events myself, but nothing seems to ring a bell until this evening, when I have got a brilliant idea. It is called True Entertainment. Yes i have decided to use this title as the name for my blog. Sometimes it just take the right words to keep everything in focused. Why I came out with the idea? is because I believe there is more to entertainment than just reporting what happened to whom, and when. It is about giving your honest feedback and look at some of the interesting spillover effects of the what, where and how and not always to glaze over it. In other words just report the truth. Make it serious entertainment if you like. But it gives an alternative account to what happens out there. Why? I think too many entertainment stories and column are either too gossipy or lengthy and fail to deliver the story as it is. I’d rather read a reaction piece. Because there are many truths we can learnt from it as well, not only to be tickled, and entertained to get value

Trying to be

geraldchuah — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:45:19 +0000

I had another powerful insight about Rocky just now. I was driving back to office after dinner when I was hit b a realisation that Rocky was not trying to do, but he was trying to be. I realised Rocky’s achievement came not from what he did, but by what he believed and his daring to become a bigger person. That was the real challenge. And for him to be this bigger person he first had to start by reclaiming the space to be – to create the foundation for this new character to exist and to stand on. You see, Rocky had a feeling, an awareness and a belief. He already knew deep inside who he could become, even though he has not crossed the bridge yet. So all the training, all the hard work was not about doing, but it was about expanding the foundation of his inner being to allow a greater person inside to stand out. Rocky’s determination and preparation was to usher in a larger reality to his life, which is his greatest challenge of all. It starts by first believing you are more, and bigger than that. Then only did he start training furiously. But throughout the journey, it was never the success of brute force, but rather the triumph of the human spirit because he underwent a spiritual journey of change and transformation. So it is not about working hard, doing more of the same but, believing you are a bigger person in life who deserve better, and you are surrounded by resources that will enrich your life. Life is a process of becoming and being.

You can do anything

geraldchuah — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:32:38 +0000

Our daily life seems to be interjected with a series of hiccups. This cannot be, that cannot be. We are living with too many nos, we don’t even know what is the source of the resistance but we live with it like an automated response. For example I found the camera lens on my mobile phone to be dirty. I really wanted to get it cleaned, but i didn’t have the tools. Then i thought why not roll some tissue paper and twist it in the hole to remove the dust and grime. Then suddenly an inner voice stopped me, you can’t do that. I paused and thought for awhile, and answered why not? Before proceeding with my own method of doing the job. Just because you have not seen or heard others doing it first, does not mean you can’t. Just because there is no way, does not mean you cannot create a way. And just because you have never found another way of earning a living does not mean, money does not exist through other channels except your own. All of us have so many preconceived ideas embedded in our subconscious mind. Turnaround… imagine a person sitting on a chair, slowly turning his head to the left, not seeing things the way they are, but with a slightly greater awareness of what it could be. That is the breakthrough in increasing your space to be.

Space to be

geraldchuah — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:20:00 +0000

This is an important point that is often overlooked. You want to do many things, but you can’t seem to get started. You don’t know why. Then you realised the past conditioning where you are brought up did not allow you any space for action or self-expression. All your life you have been impacted by your dad’s indifference or your mom’s reluctance. When you were young, nobody listened to you, so you felt lonely and dejected. You were lost. And you were determined to change all that. And unconsciously you grow up to become a resigned and cynical person. In order to be a good child, you allowed yourself to be controlled by the whim and fancy of others eventhough your felt your personal space intruded upon. you felt ashamed and incomplete, and powerless as the two main characters you grew up with dominated your life, denying you the satisfaction of your own personal well-being. And you don’t even realise why you encountered so much inner resistance whenever you wanted to do something good for your own. It is like a devil within, a self-saboteur that will ruin you opportunities and relationships time and again. And for years you felt lost, confused, defenseless, and you do not know why. Then one day while driving to work in your battered car, you realise your outlook in life has been shaped by your dad and mom’s behaviour which you have resisted when young. In short, you do not have your own space to be. You are now living, and reacting to life through their eyes. And you don’t really live your own life. Then you realise you have no space to be, all their unhappiness and sadness in life were channelled to you unconsciously. And you have been living against it. So as part of them is in you and you are against it. The outcome is that you don’t have no space to be at all. In fact like they say, you have not even arrived. Think for a second. all the good qualities you embrace, all that you ever wanted to be, all the attributes that will make you a strong and an effective person have not been expressed until now because you have been living in their shadows and the constraints of their outlook. You’ve got to regain back the space. Urgently. How? Stop doing what you do. Be still. Create a space for yourself. Enjoy that space. Go back and just watch TV. Give yourself a treat. Buy yourself a good dinner. Be with good company. Just relax and enjoy the stars. And then imagine you are the star in your own soccer league, you now have the ball at your feet, and you can take it wherever you want. But this playing field belongs to you and no one else. Start by reclaiming back your space little by little. You cannot build your house until you have cleared the land. Remember this is your life. You need to find your own space to grow and do the things you like.

Establish your strengths

geraldchuah — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:37:40 +0000

If you ever felt powerless or incomplete is because you have not established your strengths. If you deliver a punch halfway, will it work? No. Ask yourself have you been living your life in weakness controlled by other’s people whims, opinions, and decisions, or your own? Visualise this a martial artist clenching his fist, in ready position, in a confident stance with both arms slightly lifted in a curve for energy to flow through. You are strong because you establish your strengths, not your weaknesses. Use your skill. Use your knowledge. USE YOUR ADVANTAGE. If you are a step ahead, move the next step. Do what you are good at. If you are good at writing inspirational articles and then do so. If you are good at analytical thinking then do that. If you are good at organizing then do that. If you are good with computers then do that. If you are good at delivering a speech then do that. Once you have gained confidence at doing what you do best, and you know yourself then nobody can push you around. And you will be making good progress because it works to your advantage. You are able to leverage your strength and ability surpass the limitations around you. I cannot overemphasize this point. When you do the right thing and you do right, there will always be a sense of fulfillment and a good feeling shining through which reminds you, you are on the right path.

Turn on the lights

geraldchuah — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:21:10 +0000

Life is very simple. It is just like a set of switches. If you turn off the switches then it will be dark, if you turn it on then it would be bright. There is no mystery to it. It’s simple logic. Everybody has got positive attributes, but if you always turn off your lights – that means you deny yourself, deject yourself and deprive yourself of a sense of completion or self-satisfaction, then you will always live in darkness. Each switch represents your positive strength and ability. Do you always deny yourself, do you always doubt yourself, do you aways shortchange yourself, then you are virtually turning off your switches. no wonder you are living in darkness. Your ideas, talent, resources, opportunities are like life switches that will turn on the light to brighthen your life. You know that. But if you always turn off your own lights, or you let other people do that, you will be sad, troubled, depressed and unhappy. Instead turn on your lights by doing what you love and sticking to it until you reach a stage of completion, until you see some results and improvements that will spur you onto higher ground. So Go For It!

Don’t live your life taking punches

geraldchuah — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:10:50 +0000

Put it this way, nobody likes to take punches. But the reason why people do, is because they feel helpless and powerless deep inside. They feel they have no power over the circumstances, so they just suffer whatever outcome and result that comes their way. In a victim mindset and mentality, they expect the worst and welcomes it, because they believe they have no other alternative, so they put their weaknesses ahead instead of their best foot forward. So everytime they get punched, they will ask themselves why me again? And the answer that comes naturally is because I deserve it. But look at it in a third party perspective, do you have to wait for the punch to come an inch to your face, before you decide to intercept or intervene? No, you could have reacted a mile before it comes near you. You could have stepped up and fight back, before the assault comes anywhere near you. In fact you will not let it come within your personal space at all. We all have got weaknesses and strengths, but you have got to protect your weaknesses and use your strength. Not the other way round. That is the secret to power and confidence. That’s the way to get ahead, and win. If you fight back it will make you look like a hero, if you suffer and complaint. It makes you a coward. Who do you want to be? So you been living your life like a hero or a coward? Don’t spend the rest of your life taking and avoiding punches. Look at yourself from outside the box. What kind of person do you want to be, and see how you can protect yourself and fight back courageously. If you don’t who will. Think about it.

A sense of completion

geraldchuah — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:56:12 +0000

It doesn’t take a lot to get to where you want to go, if you are in the right frame of mind, and condition. And how does this happen? Life happens naturally when you know you are in control and not being controlled by others. A lot of times, we have allowed things, circumstance and people to control our lives. And we felt helpless as a result. It is like not knowing your left hand from the right hand. As a child we seek approval and validation, and we wait for orders when we already know what we want. What if people continue to treat you like a child even as an adult? How would you feel? In a disempowered state, we wait for things to happen instead of making things happen. And worst of all we allow things to happen to us, than to take control of our lives. A sense of completion can happen as simply as when you say something, you want to be heard and understood, and not always having the conversation diverted to something else. So there is no feeling of completion or satisfaction in your life. Look at your home, your car, your office table. Is it always in a state of mess. What is the source of that? Are you always being late for appointments? Do you miss the opportunities in front of you. You always wanted to make a difference but you do the wrong things to sabotage yourself over and over again. Know that it stems from a feeling of incompletion already programmed deep inside, which seek to create more of the same. What you need to do is to seek completion in your task, in keeping your word. In doing one thing right, before you attempt to do 10 other things. Completion gives one a sense of power and control in your life. You tend to look for things that will support you rather than tear you apart. By being complete with yourself, everything else will fall into place. Be complete today.

Have you ever felt lost?

geraldchuah — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:40:22 +0000

Have you felt disempowered, lost, and confused. Seeing the road ahead and yet cannot take it. Having all the qualities and attributes of success and yet you cannot get to where you want to be? Knowing your true potential and not being able to make the most of your life. Most of all living in fear and procrastination. Living in shame and confusion? This is the worst torture anybody can go through in life… to be crippled, as though your hands are tied behind your back, as though you are blinded or your legs chopped of so you cannot go where you want to go. What is the source of all that? It is a feeling of incompletion that means you feel something was not right in your life, and you never allow something to be right. You know you have ample time to finish the work to impress the boss. Instead you wait until the last minute to screw it up.. so that you will fail again, and struggle, being lost and confused instead of climbing onto higher ground. There is a chance for you to be happy, but you screw it up too… In fact your whole life you have been screwing everything up with people, money, resources, talent and time just so that you can reproduce that sense of incompletion which you felt as a child, when your favourite toy gun was snatched away from you and kept somewhere you will never find it again. How will all these experience impact your life or anyone’s life? Will you have the power of self-confidence and self-expression? Or will you keep repeating the mistakes to validate your fear and failure and continue to play the role of a victim.