100 Best Worldwide Vacations to Enrich Your Life

This book by Pam Grout, traveler and advocate of living big, inspired me to go on vacations that make me feel more alive. My dream vacation in the book is the round the world journey to the wonders of the world such as the Pyramids at Giza, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and the Himalayas while accompanied by top notch scholars on these places. I hope to make this trip before I am too old to climb the pyramids.

I have been trying to change the way I go on vacations by moving beyond seeing tourist sites and having my picture taken. Pam Grout inspires the traveler to learn and to experience. In my recent trip to Baguio, I spent some time hiking, rappelling, learning how to ride a horse, dining on Cordillera food, learning about Cordillera culture, and having my portrait done. This trip was so much more enriching as a result than my five previous trips to Baguio where I spent most of time jostling with other tourists while buying cheap souvenirs at places such Minesview and Burnham Park.

This is just a first step though. I would like to be really immersed in the culture of the place I am visiting. Instead of having my face sketched, perhaps I should do the sketching next time. Instead of simply eating, I should learn to cook local food. And instead of squeezing so many activities in four days, I should learn the art of doing nothing for two weeks.

Peaks and Valleys

It is half a year since I read this book by Spencer Johnson and I can no longer remember any profound insight. All I know is it contained advice about how to achieve success in life, but I also remember that I already knew most of what it said. The message is given in the form of a story of a man who moves from the valley to the peak and learns about the ups and downs of life.

Since the story is mostly an exercise in stating trite life lessons, the main value of the book is as a reminder to be patient and appreciate the journey instead of simply waiting for the next peak, or complaining about the current valley.

From the valley of my quarter life crisis, when I struggled to complete my degree, juggled three different jobs, and became a young father, I look back and see several peaks, each higher than the one before without any really deep valleys in between. It's good to appreciate how far I have come as I scale the next peak ahead of me.

Lakbayan Grade

My Lakbayan grade is D!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!
Created by Eugene Villar.

Nakakahiya ang grade ko. Marami pa kong dapat lakbayin sa sarili kong bayan. Kagagaling lang namin sa Baguio. Boracay naman susunod. =)

Lonely Planet Philippines

It's hard to believe I have not posted anything in six months. I transferred to a new role as manager of a team in a critical situation so it is only now, after turning around the team, that I find some time to reflect on my readings. The "critsit" has taken it's toll on my reading: I only finished six books in the past six months whereas I completed twenty for the same amount of time last year.

Anyway, I am writing about Lonely Planet Philippines, a book I have always wanted to buy because I really wanted to explore the country. I was completely pleased with it: I read it from cover to cover. I now use it as a checklist for traveling. I'm raring to buy a car so I can take my family on road trips to nearby provinces, but we still have other priorities.

I did use the book to explore Manila and see the city with fresh eyes. My wife was not to keen on seeing places she already saw during her grade school field trip so I went to Fort Santiago alone. It was the first time I entered the fort. I saw facsimiles of Rizal's books and sculptures in the Rizal Shrine. I meditated on his sacrifice as I peered into the replica of his cell. I went up the ramparts of the fort and looked across the Pasig River. I sat there proud to be free, but sad that, a century since the Revolution, many remain as poor as they were when the Spaniards ruled.

I admire Rizal as the greatest Filipino. I see his sacrifice as a call to leadership. Our people deserve no less.

You Don't Need a Title

Mark Sanborn's book You Don't Need a Title to be a Leader is a great summary of timeless leadership ideas. The book is especially helpful in reinforcing self leadership, the idea that everyone, regardless of formal rank or title, can and should act as a leader. This is precisely the culture I wanted to build back in my former team, and this is what I would like my current team members to realize. They should never wait for the promotion before they act as leaders. They should instead seize opportunities to expand their scope and influence such that the promotion and the title just becomes a formality.

I should continue reading about leadership even if I am familiar with many of the concepts. I felt great reading this work as it reminded me of my mission and my belief in the idea of servant leadership. My superiors will rate me a great leader once I deliver the numbers, but I will only rate myself the way my own people will rate me: by the degree to which I have driven them to become better persons through positive influence.

The Hours

The Hours, the Pulitzer prize winning novel of Michael Cunningham, is depressing, but punctuated by snippets of euphoric celebration of life. And perhaps it mirrors life itself for I myself often feel I lead a life of quiet desperation only to be jolted sometimes by a moment that make it all worth it - the kiss of my child, a quiet moment with my wife, the gratitude of an inspired employee.

I am sad for Virginia, Laura and Clarissa. I feel I have gained some insight into how modern life drives women to insanity or to run away. I will never truly understand the dilemma of asserting the self while taking care of the home. I can only try and help my wife. I do not want us to count the hours and let them pass. I want us to celebrate and savor the hours that make a life.

One Minute Manager

Ken Blanchard's One Minute Manager offers a simple formula for management success: create one minute goals, give one minute praises, and give one minute reprimands. On paper, it does sound simple, but in reality, giving feedback is one of the hardest skills to master for it takes a certain level of self confidence combined with genuine compassion to be able to praise sincerely, and to reprimand without causing offense. It also takes discipline and courage to offer feedback right after the incident rather than wait for the next coaching or appraisal session.

The principles in the book are not exactly groundbreaking, but they remain true and effective. People with exposure to management literature will readily agree with them and recognize that, as in many cases, it is much easier to come up with a theory, and much harder to execute.