Perhaps the most profound thing I picked up from reading the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong's biography was 2 things he mentioned inside it. The first was, for one to succeed he/she must be dan da xin xi (bold but cautious). A great leader of men, he had proved to everyone that, success is a result of hard work plus a sharp mind to think. Before I read his biography, I had heard many people say that Uncle Lim (as we all had came to affectionately call him) became successful despite being an illiterate has proved to be totally untrue.
Uncle Lim is not only fully literate, he possesses a mind which is sharper than even the smartest of us all. It's the faculty of reasoning plus street wise common sense that had earned him riches and fame even before his Genting Highlands stint. He also advised us on the virtues of having a positive outlook on life as well as to smile and be courteous to one and all cos we never know who we will meet along the way as we charge ahead in our daily lives.
Other things which I have picked up in the book was, the virtues of being single minded. This is not the same as being close minded or one track mind. It's a totally different ballgame altogether. Being single minded means when you set your mind to doing something, make sure thats what you want to do and not get distracted by your surroundings (friends, colleagues, acquaintances, family members). In this day and age, it's very easy to get distracted by people who promise you fast and easy riches. Becoming 'instant millionaires' is the buzz word nowadays with the promise of even 18 year school leavers buy. I remember a phrase from a Napoleon Hill book, "Fast to make a decision, and slow to change it..." I think he was referring to Henry Ford. Phrases like this was written about Warren Buffet, Donald Trump and other successful people, and Uncle Lim was no exception.
Once he had set his mind to developing a remote mountain into a holiday resort, nobody could get in his way or change his mind about it. He was deeply rooted in his ambition and will to succeed and charged ahead till he saw completion of it.
Another important word inside the book which caught my attention was this, the dual word used to describe 'nation' in mandarin is guojia. It comprises of the word guo which means country and jia which means family. What he says is that family is the most important building block and pillar of strength for a country to truly be a nation. For without family, we would all just be individuals running around fighting our own personal battles and amongst each other for survival. No longer do we live here, we just merely exist. So another important lesson to be learnt from this great man is the virtues of family.
I have a deep admiration and respect for Uncle Lim and every night when I flip the page of his autobiography, I feel truly honored and some what blessed that I am able to read the lines and pick up the stories written by such a great yet humble and down to earth leader of men. I would have given anything to meet him in person when he was alive, but being able to take a journey into his life though his stories makes me a truly lucky person. Like a scene in 'The last samurai' where the Emperor of Japan asked Tom Cruise, "will you tell me how he died?", in which Tom Cruise replied "I will tell you how he lived..."
(In memory of Tan Sri Dato' Seri (Dr) Lim Goh Tong)
Uncle Lim is not only fully literate, he possesses a mind which is sharper than even the smartest of us all. It's the faculty of reasoning plus street wise common sense that had earned him riches and fame even before his Genting Highlands stint. He also advised us on the virtues of having a positive outlook on life as well as to smile and be courteous to one and all cos we never know who we will meet along the way as we charge ahead in our daily lives.
Other things which I have picked up in the book was, the virtues of being single minded. This is not the same as being close minded or one track mind. It's a totally different ballgame altogether. Being single minded means when you set your mind to doing something, make sure thats what you want to do and not get distracted by your surroundings (friends, colleagues, acquaintances, family members). In this day and age, it's very easy to get distracted by people who promise you fast and easy riches. Becoming 'instant millionaires' is the buzz word nowadays with the promise of even 18 year school leavers buy. I remember a phrase from a Napoleon Hill book, "Fast to make a decision, and slow to change it..." I think he was referring to Henry Ford. Phrases like this was written about Warren Buffet, Donald Trump and other successful people, and Uncle Lim was no exception.
Once he had set his mind to developing a remote mountain into a holiday resort, nobody could get in his way or change his mind about it. He was deeply rooted in his ambition and will to succeed and charged ahead till he saw completion of it.
Another important word inside the book which caught my attention was this, the dual word used to describe 'nation' in mandarin is guojia. It comprises of the word guo which means country and jia which means family. What he says is that family is the most important building block and pillar of strength for a country to truly be a nation. For without family, we would all just be individuals running around fighting our own personal battles and amongst each other for survival. No longer do we live here, we just merely exist. So another important lesson to be learnt from this great man is the virtues of family.
I have a deep admiration and respect for Uncle Lim and every night when I flip the page of his autobiography, I feel truly honored and some what blessed that I am able to read the lines and pick up the stories written by such a great yet humble and down to earth leader of men. I would have given anything to meet him in person when he was alive, but being able to take a journey into his life though his stories makes me a truly lucky person. Like a scene in 'The last samurai' where the Emperor of Japan asked Tom Cruise, "will you tell me how he died?", in which Tom Cruise replied "I will tell you how he lived..."
(In memory of Tan Sri Dato' Seri (Dr) Lim Goh Tong)
