Some might think this book is irreverent. Others might find The Dip runs counter to their instincts and drives to keep on keeping on – no matter what, and at any cost.

Godin actually brings something new to the self-improvement mash up: know when to quit. It’s a message worthy of a read for those who take risks, walk uncharted roads and lead the way.

Sometimes, you just have to know when to throw in the towel.

So, a quick look at the main points etched in stone by Seth Godin in The Dip:

1. Quitters never prosper: WRONG

Seth puts forth an interesting hypothesis – one based on common sense. Quitters DO prosper. In fact, quitters are the innovators of the world. They take chances. They do things no one has ever done before.

However, these leaders from all fields of endeavor are almost certain to execute projects that don’t succeed. The key, according to Seth, is to know when to quit and move on to the next item from the long list of adventures undertaken by the daring, far-sighted visionary.

Wosniack and Jobs created the concept and prototype of personal computing in a garage, working with a piggy bank-sized budget. There success was evolutionary. Failures in design, the lack of a user-friendly interface and primitive technology limited the growth of Apple in the early days.

However, the successes far outweighed the failures and today, in retrospect, these two innovators changed world history using parts from a local Radio Shack. Godin would agree that Woz and Jobs did it right. They moved forward based on a measurement of success – not on a lost cause based solely on hope. They saw the impact the first Apple computer had – and when the Apple IIe came along in 1982, the company took off like a rocket, and geeks were learning DOS code to implement the simplest tasks.

2. Every project has an arc.

When innovators first undertake a new project, according to Godin, things start out “exciting and fun.” As the heavy lifting continues, the project becomes more and more like work, i.e. it’s not much fun anymore. (Most of us have experienced this part of the project arc many times – each time we take on a new client.)

The second part of the project arc is an in-depth analysis of whether the desired outcomes are worth “the hassle.” Well, when you’ve committed to a client you have a professional obligation to complete the project – but, if it isn’t worth the hassle, there’s nothing that says you have to collaborate a second or third time.

According to Godin, “Maybe you’re in a Dip – a temporary setback that will get better if you keep pushing. But maybe it’s a cul-de-sac, which will never get better, no matter how hard you try.”

You, the innovator, the renegade, the freelancer who follows his own course, is the only one who can decide whether a project, vision or dream is worth the hassle. If it isn’t, it’s a good time to quit, closing out that project arc.

3. Know When to Quit

You know yourself better than anyone. You know your strengths and limitations, what is and is NOT acceptable in life. This is true of anyone who opts for the “road less taken” – Robert Frost.

Well, based on those personality traits, you should be able to step back and examine the current venture from an impartial POV to determine if the headaches and hassles are worth the pursuit of your desired outcomes.

Some of us have endless patience. Others, the attention span of a three-year-old on a sugar high. You know your tolerances. You know your personal and professional limits and limitations.

According to The Dip, the smart innovator evaluates her circumstances to arrive at a conclusion based on rational analysis, not pure emotion. The innovator knows when to call it quits and move on.

4. Learn from your mistakes.

I think this is the bottomline takeaway of The Dip.

Innovators make mistakes. Smart innovators learn from those mistakes and apply those lessons to the next undertaking. In fact, IMHO, we learn our best lessons from our worst mistakes. I think Seth would agree with me.

Quitting isn’t a bad thing. It’s not a sign of weakness – it’s actually the astute thing to do in many cases. Know when to quit.

Finally, pick up a copy of The Dip by Seth Godin, or visit the author’s blog.

You’ll never again be afraid to crash and burn. Like the phoenix, the innovators of the world and of the web will rise from the ashes to pursue another avenue to success.

Image via A Guy With A Camera

This post is written upon request of BlogActionDay.org.

Natural disasters have been going wild recently; from the Taiwan’s mudslide incident to the deadly tsunami in Pacific, we have certainly done something wrong that makes the mother nature so angry till she decided to unleash her anger on those who were innocent. Notably this may be caused by climate change. While these natural disasters were unpredictable, it’s not inevitable. We can take action and prevent it from happening again.

1. Transportation. Choose to take a public transport or share the same vehicle that you colleague use to go for work. Reducing the carbon monoxide can help to make the air fresher and reducing the effect of global warming. If you don’t mind, you can even move to an apartment near to your workplace or take a bicycle. It’s healthy and you won’t have to find excuse for not being able to workout because of time constraint

2. Efficiency. If you can increase the productivity during your work, chances are lesser time will be needed to finish doing your job, and less electricity will be used in your office. Try to focus on your work, increase your knowledge and stop getting hooked on social networking site like Facebook during office hour.

3. Recycle. Do you have any old newspapers in your home? Instead of dumping it, why not try to recycle it? Chopping down acres of trees won’t help to make this earth cooler, so if you want your next generation to live in a world with cleaner air and better weather, recycle would be a good choice to choose from.

4. Limitation of agricultural burning. The haze surrounding South East Asia’s countries is one of the best example of the poorly enforced regulation regarding agricultural burning. Open fire smoke, especially from burning rubbish, contains 350-times more cancer-causing substances than cigarette smoke. So keep an eye on those who burns rubbish and advice them not to do so.

5. Plant More Trees. Help to make this world a greener place by telling this idea to your friends and relatives. The power of one person may not be sufficient to change the world, but by telling everyone else to follow your footsteps, together we can make a change to the earth by cultivating more plants and trees. Remember to tell the school teachers and discuss with them if it’s possible to create an activity which teaches the kids on climate change issue and growing plants in the house area.

There are a lot of actions we can take; It doesn’t have to be pricey or complicated, just a simple move can make a big difference to our mother earth. Forward this message to anyone else and start to make this world a better place!

Image via Mike Baird

Most bloggers spend countless of time working in front of the pc days after days, weeks after weeks without paying much attention on exercises & ignore their health. What they don’t realize is that it doesn’t have to be some long & boring cardio session, all you need are some simple and easy exercises that you can do at home. These workout routines not only help to keep you fit but also will tone your body as they work on every single part of the muscle groups.

1. Bench Dips

Position your hands width apart on a secured chair/table. Straighten your feet & put it on a chair in front of you. Straighten your arms and slowly lower your upper body and keep your elbows tucked into your sides all the time. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, slowly push yourself back up to the starting position with your triceps.

2. Sit ups

Lie on the floor & straighten your legs at a 45 degree angle with your hips touching the floor. Place your arms in front of your chest & breath slowly as you raise your upper body off the floor, forcing your chest muscles toward your thighs. Focus the strength on your abs. Slowly lay down to the floor after that.

3. Standing Calf Raises

Start with your heels down. Keep your knees straight & slowly rise up using only the strength of your ankle. Consider purchasing some dumbbells once you have get used to your own bodyweight for more challenge.

4. Push Ups

Position yourself facing down on the floor and balancing yourself with palms face down & using your legs. Your hands should be at the same width as your shoulders. Keep your lower back straight. Slowly bend your arms and lower your body to the floor.

If the exercises mentioned above are too easy for you then I will definitely recommend you to visit sites offering free tips on how to build muscle where you can kick start your fitness journey with some beginner advices. If you dont mind to splash some cash, then you can purchase either a.)Arnold’s Bodybuilding For Men which is an oldie but goodie, b.)How To Get Ripped, Cut & Buff (Can be found at RippedCutBuff.com), which is an ebook acknowledged by Christopher Fee, an authority in strength training who’s a certified trainer with a 4-year degree from Springfield College, or look out for great deals at http://dumbbellsforsale.com where you can enjoy free shipping for every $25 spent on their websites. Trust me, as a buyer of these products you are guaranteed to benefit a lot from them.

Here are 20 words of encouragement to keep with you for those days when you just feel blue:

1. “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined” – Hendry David Thoreau. The author of Walden was someone who dared to dream, who dared to live the life he imagined.

2. “Leap and the net will appear.” – Zen proverb.

3. “Throw back the shoulders, let the heart sing, let the eyes flash, let the mind be lifted up, look upward and say to yourself… Nothing is impossible!” – Norman Vincent Peale. Dr. Peale has been offering words of encouragement to people for more than three decades.

4. “Do, or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda. Wisdom from the Star Wars universe.

5. “Each day is a new life. Seize it. Live it.” – David Guy Powers. David reminds us of an older word of encouragement: carpe diem.

6. “Carpe Diem” – proverb. This Latin phrase means, “Seize the day.” Take advantage of life while you still have it.

7. “This, too, shall pass away,” – Abraham Lincoln. All things, even the hard times, will come to an end one day.

8. “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – Japanese Proverb.

9. “When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” – Alexander Graham Bell. Failure should never blind us to new possibilities.

10. “Use what talent you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.” – Henry Van Dyke. Every effort will pay off, the important thing is to try.

11. “A diamond is merely a lump of coal that did well under pressure.” – Proverb.

12. “Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you.” -Aldous Huxley. You can’t control your situation, but you can control how you respond.

13. “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt faced many difficulties in his life and overcame them, often by just hanging on.

14. Never, never, never, never give up.” – Winston Churchill. Churchill knew the importance of standing up for what is right, no matter how hard.

15. “I thank God for my handicaps, for through them I have found myself, my work, and my God.” – Helen Keller.

16. “Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain.

17. “What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.” – Richard Bach. Change is not always a bad thing.

18. “Every blade of grass has its angel that bends over it and whispers, `Grow, grow.’” – The Talmud.

19. “Don’t worry, Be Happy.” – Bobby McFerrin. This one, of course, is more effective if whistled.

20. “It is not the possession of good things which bring happiness-it is the ability to enjoy what comes.” – Proverb.

Top 20 Letting Go Quotes

1. “When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” – Alexander Graham Bell

2. “We can never turn back the pages of time, though we may wish to relive a happy moment, or say goodbye just one last time, we never can, because the sands of time continue to fall, and we can’t turn the hourglass over.” – Unknown

3. “Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” — Herman Hesse

4. “One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us.” – Michael Cibenko

5. All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.” – Havelock Ellis

6. “In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” – Albert Schweitzer

7. “Change is never easy, you fight to hold on, and you fight to let go.” – The Wonder Years

8. “There’s no need to miss someone from your past- There’s a reason they didn’t make it to your future” – Unknown

9. “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” – Headstone

10. “Every exit is an entry somewhere.” -Tom Stoppard

11. “True love doesn’t have a happy ending, because true love never ends. Letting go is one way of saying I love you.” – Unknown

12. “There are things that we never want to let go of, people we never want to leave behind. But keep in mind that letting go isn’t the end of the world, it’s the beginning of a new life.” – Unknown

13. “Hanging onto resentment is letting someone you despise live rent-free in your head.” – Ann Landers

14. “We need in love to practice only this: letting each other go. For holding on comes easily–we do not need to learn it.” – Rainer Maria Rilke

15. “Every breath is an opportunity to receive and let go. I receive love and I let go of pain.” – Brenda MacIntyre

16. “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” – Lao Tzu

17. “Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding on to.” – Anonymous

18. “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss

19. “We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell

20. “The Tao Te Ching says, When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need. Have you ever struggled to find work or love, only to find them after you have given up? This is the paradox of letting go. Let go, in order to achieve. Letting go is God’s law.” – Mary Manin Morrissey

Image via BL 1961

Finding the suitable words to express your feelings may be hard since it might be a bit awkward trying to figure out what to say, but well written messages or words can effectively convey your sympathy and support to the person who needs someone to stand by him. Featured are some example of words & messages that you can use to comfort & heal the wounded soul of a loved one:

Example:

Sympathy Words

- Deepest condolences
- Our heartfelt condolences go out to you at this time.
- We are here should you need our support.
- Fondest remembrances
- We’re sharing your sorrow.
- Thinking of you and offering you hope and comfort.
_ May you find peace and love in the memories you cherish.
- With deepest sympathy.
- Our thoughts are with you and your family.
- You are in our thoughts and prayers.
- Our loving thoughts will embrace you.
- You and your family are in my thoughts.
- Our hearts go out to you in this time of sorrow and loss.
- I love _________ as much as you do.
- I am so sorry to hear about the passing of _________.
- I am here for you whenever you need me.

Sympathy Messages

- I was shocked & saddened to hear the news about the death of your _________. _________ treated me like his/her own son/daughter, I will always remember _________ as a decent & kind-hearted person. May _________ rest in peace.

- The death of a loved one is a difficult time. The words are all I have to take your ache away. Stay strong & positive, RIP and God Bless _________, keep on shining up there in heaven.

- _________ may have gone from this planet but _________ are still here with us in spirit and always will be.

- The lose must have affected you deeply. I wish things had turned out differently for you. You have condolences and sympathy right from our heart.

- I know how close you and your _________ were. _________ has grown up beside you and has become a part of your soul. Your love will be with _________ forever in _________ heart, and it is through these memories that you will be able to become a better person.

- _________ was such a kind person, who will be greatly missed by anyone who knew him.

Few tips to consider when writing sympathy messages:
1. Mentioned few good memories that you had with the deceased
2. Make sure the words being used are sincere
3. Keep it simple
4. Offer some help

*** Click here if you are looking for condolence messages examples ***

Image via BL 1961

No one in this world are born to write a perfect condolence message. Of course, part of the reason is because things like this doesn’t happen most of the time. Unfortunately, we do have to face this problem once in a while. If you encountered such situation, you might want to get some inspiration from the examples of condolence messages below to get some ideas on what to write in your message.

To a colleague’s/coworkers:

Dear _________ ,
I was lucky to know _________ very well over the past few years. He was the kind of colleague who would aid you whenever you need any help without demanding any reciprocity. _________ was one of a kind; Helpful, smart, hardworking & active.

To someone who has lost their partner:

Dear _________ ,
I am so sorry to hear about _________’s death. I know _________ as a lovely person who has touched so many lives with her joy and generosity. Both of you were models of two person who live happily & harmony together, and words are the only medicine that I have to ease your pain.

To someone who lost their siblings:

Dear _________ ,
Words cannot express my deepest hurt and sadness for your loss. _________ was such a great person & I will miss him deeply.

To parents who has lost a baby child:

Dear _________ ,
You have been faced with such adversity it is hard to even know what to say. I am so sorry for your devastating loss. I know you have been waiting anxiously for the arrival of this little baby and things are now much more difficult for you to accept.

***Click here if you want to have more sympathy words & messages***

Disclaimer: Do not use any credit card numbers, except your own, to use on the internet. It’s illegal to use other people’s credit card numbers to purchase your own stuffs. Free credit card numbers featured in this post is written purely to test one’s knowledge to see if these are valid. It should be viewed from a purely academic perspective.

Credit card is a mystery combination of random numbers that allows you to purchase something without taking out cash from your pocket, magic eh? But do you know how those numbers are calculated? If they are not valid, how can you detect it? Easy, just apply the Luhn check and you will start to discover those fake credit card numbers!

1. Starting with the check digit (Which is the last digit of a credit card), double the value of every second digit (from right to left). E.g. For a 16 digit credit card number, double the 15th, 13th, 11th, 9th…digits (Digits in odd places). It sums up to a total of eight numbers.

2. If doubling of a number results in a two digit number, add up the digits to get a single digit number. This will result in eight single digit numbers.

3. Now, replace the digits in the odd places of the original credit card number with these new single digit numbers and you will get a new 16 digit number.

4. Add up all the digits in this new number. If the final total is perfectly divisible by 10, then the credit card number is valid (Luhn check is satisfied), else it is invalid.

Yeah, I know it’s a bit confusing, that’s why I have created more examples using these images, have a look and you will understand it very soon:

First example was done using a MasterCard credit card :

Note that the credit card number starts with the letter 5, so that means the card is issued by MasterCard. To determine whether it’s a valid credit card number, I have included the image together with the workout:

As what you have seen, the total sum of the credit card numbers using the doubled digits is 66, which means it cannot be divided completely by 10, thus it is invalid.

Let’s take another example using a Visa credit card :

As what you have seen, the total sum of the credit card numbers using the doubled digits is 35, which means it cannot be divided completely by 10, thus it is invalid.

ENDING

If you have made this far, here are some additional points to be remembered. Free credit card numbers don’t mean that you can use it to purchase items anywhere, these are experiments for E-Commerce owners to test if their system is fully functional. Millions, billions or even trillions of numbers can be generated using the Luhn Check. If you successfully get one working number, you still need to type in the CVV and personal details to verify that you are the owner of the credit card, so work harder and apply for a credit card

Think you have learned what I have taught you? Try these test from Paypal and see if you can get all the answers correct.

Additional Resources :
Card Identification Features (pdf file) – Explanation of different credit cards by several credit card companies.

Credit Card Numbers and Credit Card Generator by Graham King. Great resource for E-Commerce owners

Anatomy of Credit Card Numbers by Merriam Park

Credit Card Number – Wikipedia.

Image via Paylife and UMS Alumni

Hate the new Facebook interface? You are not alone.

A lot of Facebook users are not satisfied with the change. According to Techcrunch, 94% of the Facebook users are not happy with the home page revamp. Haven’t they ever heard of the saying “If it ain’t broken why fix it?“

There are people who don’t like the current view and tried to fix it by posting up tutorials on how to switch back to old version of Facebook, however just few hous later Facebook has fixed the problem to make sure everyone is getting to the current version.

So far there is currently no appropriate way to revert to the good old version. The other methods are complicated and rely on past Facebook data, which will all be removed very soon. It’s obvious that Facebook doesn’t like them and they will always be stopped. Don’t even bother to make any changes.

If you are frustrated just as any other FB users, join the Facebook group now & hope that one day Mark Zuckerberg will make any amend to the Facebook page.

Forget about all those fancy words Maxis has to say about iPhone 3G, do you really think it is worth to buy it nowadays in Malaysia? It has been a year since iPhone was released in the States, the craziness towards this gadget has gone, & perhaps the most important thing is that you cannot show off in front of your friends simply because it has been quite some days since they were popular. My friends at UTP had bought their own iPhones back in 2008 & from their reviews it seems that iPhone is nothing more than just a hype. No MMS, No Flash/ Java support, No Firefox, only 1 picture is allowed in each email you send, no video recording, no Radio FM… & the list goes on. Here is a comprehensive blog post from Bytebot on whether you should buy an iPhone from Maxis. Do note that I have nothing against Maxis, but IMO it is just too late for them to announce the touch screen phone to the local citizens.

Well folks, if you have bought from Maxis you are welcome to post about your new iPhone right down the comment box & share with fellow readers