10 top life reflections from my last birthday.

Another year. I usually don't celebrate my birthday as I am the guy who organises/plans the celebrations of others, but this year was different.

This year represents gratitude for all I've learnt so far, everyone who has supported me on my journey, and every experience/opportunity I've had till date.

I made a list of 10 of my top lessons, cutting across my life in entrepreneurship, career and community.

1. Value people.

You need people in everything you do. Team mates, friends, mentors, mentees, career buddies, customers, vendors, employers etc, just to name a few. The more you value people, the more you're likely to enjoy the benefits of the relationship. When you value people, you will be valued too. It has many unimaginable long-term benefits.

2. Money isn't everything.

In the quest for higher pay, more revenue, bigger profits etc, be careful what you trade as these things never come 'FREE'. Don't end up sacrificing your health or your peace of mind just to get that extra pay. Sometimes, it's not worth it, but I understand life puts us in difficult circumstances sometimes. Avoid cutting corners that take you through very high risks that eventually lead to loss. Just be careful what you ask for, and what you get yourself into. Desire money, but don't trade everything else for it.

3. Celebrate littles wins too.

Always appreciate every step forward, even if it's just an inch further. In the ambition of landing great achievements, it's the consistency of making incremental steps that sum up into big achievements. So next time you think you only made just a little progress, remember it's better than not moving forward at all. Don't be too hard on yourself for not going as far as you want to go. Instead, build on what you've done and watch yourself go even further over time.

4. It's okay to fail.

Failure is not a state of you, it's a state of your situation. Because you failed at something doesn't mean you're a failure. As a matter of fact, you have another opportunity to pick yourself up, learn from it, and do better. Having a winner's mentality is all it takes. Once you see yourself as a winner, failure can't hold you down for long. As humans we may react to failure (it's okay), but it shouldn't paralyse us from going further.

5. Feedback makes you stronger.

Not all feedback is positive. Sometimes feedback can be cold especially when you think you've worked so hard and deserve that outstanding feedback. It's okay, it's better to know so you understand how to improve. We are all work in progress, so take feedback as an opportunity to come back stronger. Receive feedback with grace, think about it, and use it to your advantage.

6. People are watching you.

The few speaking engagements and other rare opportunities I've had in the last few years have reminded me how we are all being watched. Everyone who invited me to a privileged platform had been watching me for a while. Your voice, your text, what you say and your opinions reveal a lot about you, and has the power to attract some attention to you (or push attention away from you). What do people see when they watch you? Think about it. As someone told me years ago, "Let your voice be heard where you want it to be remembered".

7. Opportunities are time-bound.

Many opportunities don't hang around forever. The time you have now may not be available tomorrow. That scholarship, business opportunity or career opportunity you've been thinking about may not be available to you next year. Sometimes you have to seize opportunities as soon as you can especially if they are truly important to you.

8. You can't force growth and development.

It's impossible to turn a seed into a plant within a day, and force it into a tree within 72 hours. It's not natural. Same applies to learning and development. Many things come with time and experience. Fast-tracking may be possible when boarding an aircraft, but you can't fast-track learning topics and becoming an expert almost immediately. Instead, continue to learn, and you will grow. Continue to grow and you will become a subject matter expert with time. Learning should be a continuous habit. It eventually contributes to our growth and development.

9. Take trust seriously - stay true to your word.

As professionals, a lot of people rely on our expertise and resources. It's a privilege to be regarded as someone in this regard. But when you promise, and under-deliver, or don't deliver at all, it destroys trust. People will trust you more when you say and do, promise and deliver, go over and beyond etc. It's okay not to be in the capacity to deliver, but make it clear from the beginning. It's okay to decline, but when you assume responsibility, you should hold yourself accountable. Do you stay true to your word? Think about this.

10. Don't be personally entitled.

In business/contractual terms, you may be entitled to a few things such as your salary, company benefits, customer benefits etc. In personal relationships, it's not exactly the same. Setting natural expectations on family, friends and other contacts on a personal level can lead to many unhealthy disappointments. The reality is, they may not have the same relationship with you, have the same values as you, or be in a position to support you. So the next time you're wondering why a friend isn't your customer, or why you asked someone for help, or sought support from somewhere, if they were unable to support, thank them and keep it moving.