Discovering the Beauty Within
Those who are larger than life, and seemingly possessed with superpowers, are humans too, like the rest of us.
This is what I learned when I engaged some of the speakers of the 2011 Money Summit in a conversation via Facebook messaging. Some of them are downright funny (hilarious even), and all are inspired and inspiring.
Here were the questions I asked:
1. Who were you before you became successful?
2. What interests you apart from your business or your career?
Why those 2 questions?
I want to find out if successful people have a common trait which made them successful, and I wanted to find this “special trait” by looking at what they have written and how they wrote it. The things and events a person discloses about himself and his life, what a person gives importance to, gives a glimpse of that which sets him apart (I was pleasantly surprised at the glimpses some have allowed me).
It is interesting to note, though, that 2 common traits these successful people have are (1) their speed in answering my query and (2) their interest in me. Most, if not all, ended their messages with, how about you? Interest in the customer/consumer/fan (or whatever I was to them), showed that they listen (or want to listen) and that they care (or want to care). I think that is important (it is, as a matter of fact, preached by marketing gurus Jay Abraham and Rich Schefren) and was probably one of the main reasons of why they were successful.
And then there is the past. I wanted to find out if anything happened in the speaker’s past that spurred him to becoming what he is right now. The past is usually the barometer for the present (and the future). It usually motivates, encourages, haunts, taunts and spurs a person to go to the light or the dark side (these speakers embraced the light).
And then there is the ice-breaker, so to speak, the unexpected question that opens doors (again an Abrahan-Schefren lesson) that is in no way connected to their successes – but are really the sum total of why they are successful – their interests and special somethings that they let into their lives, that they spend their valuable time on and let flourish, that urge them to be great-er. Most mentioned family and finding time for the self, others a love for education, and people, and helping, and winning.
Without further ado, here are glimpses into the lives of Money Summit Speakers Eireen Diokno Bernardo and Ian Del Carmen. In the next articles will be the interviews of Noli Alleje and Mark So.
IAN DEL CARMEN
I’m just a simple, ordinary guy working a full 8 hours (most of the time more than that)… My first job ever was as a service crew in McDonald’s Meycauayan back in College while I do different direct selling stuffs like Avon, Sara Lee, etc. My passion for acting and writing brought me to the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) acting for its teen theater arm then later writing a stage play that won 3rd place at an NCCA awards called “Pera o Wala” … Then I was able to join ABS-CBN after being one of the 40+ chosen few from almost 5,000 applicants for the ABS-CBN Writers Circle batch one. I wrote for some variety shows and talk shows then started directing some segments for “Pinoy Big Brother”.
In my spare time, I just stay home. I love watching TV and movies. I’m a movie collector, I buy original DVDs and Blu-Rays for my collection. I also collect TV series DVDs like CSI, Six Feet Under, etc. If I’m not working, I love to travel. I go and meet new friends outside my regular world. I crave for knowledge so I also enroll in some courses on TV and film whenever there are available courses and whenever my schedule permits.
EIREEN DIOKNO BERNARDO
Before eBay, I was with Consumer Product Research Division of Trends MBL and Synovate. For a brief time, I was also a stock market trader at IB Gimenez Securities, where I meet my husband Angelo Bernardo, Jr., who was a stock technical analyst then. When we got married, I was a housewife for almost two years and a full time mother. And then eBay happened.
When I take off my hat as eBay Queen, I become Madam Sangre, and I do and become several things – I turn into an artist and I call her SANGRE. I need to do that, totally separate myself from Ecommerce, IT, graphic, softwares, financial, computer and become tactile and create things with my hands. It is pleasurable for me. I paint with oil and acrylic on stretch canvas. I make Filipino inspired costumes, I teach and create with my daughter fashion jewelries, I also design bags. I love singing especially Filipino kundiman songs, pop jazz to soft rock music. I like experimenting with foreign gourmet food, eating with my family, and drinking wine with my husband. I attend art exhibits, dress up and do cocktails with friends and colleagues.
At the end of the week I transform into another being, the one they call in the field MADAM SANGRE. I have played extreme sports for almost 4 years now, war games with BB airsoft guns, alongside my brothers-in-arms. You might not believe it but I play with almost 100 men or more in one given scenario. It is what I need, at the end of the week, I need to shoot somebody, shout, run, jump, assault, defend, think about military tactics. It is a different reality. It is not virtual but still animated. Normally we go outside Metro Manila, to isolated juggle locations or abandoned buildings for this sport.
Didn’t I say amazing?
Article by Issa. Painting by Danvic. Copyright 2009-2011.
Website: www.YouWantToBeRich.com
Email: issa@youwanttoberich.com
P.S. You can still catch Money Summit 2011 in Cebu, now with discounted rates. Please email me at issa@youwanttoberich.com so I can give you details of the offer (and my additional offers).
P.P.S. There were features on the Rescue72 Disaster Preparedness Vest in several media, including a Yahoo video of Ms. Eireen Bernardo (thanks again, Eireen) which you can catch here. Please also like Rescue72 on Facebook. Thanks!