I have the luxury to work under mentorship back when I was a 21 years old young man. The trade off was, I'm only paid a mere SGD$1,200/mth salary! I was working as a kitchen helper at that time.
I was constantly being NLP by my mentor that I have to live, breathes and eats on my job so as to be a good worker and probably a successful entrepreneur in the future. The definition of being able to do that in the past was to work 7 days a week, no leave, no MC and even when I was sick. I was told to just rest at the corridor behind our kitchen door! Oh yes, just in case you thought I'm from some alien universe and working under some crazy boss, no, I'm not. It's a local boss that I'm working with in Singapore.
These days when I'm running my own business, I'm constantly reminded of my early years under those extreme mentorship. Although those training was hard and seems ridiculous at times, I actually appreciated that I've gone through it for 5 long years.
As people tends to be smarter nowadays, I'm sure not many will buy the idea of having such mentorship in exchange for a low wages. But how true is being able to live, breathes and eats your business being an important attribute? Yes I would think it is important, if you run your own business.
Every single day, before I go to bed, I will run through the day in mind again just to think what else could have been done better so that I can improve my business even if its just for 1%. I will ask myself questions like: Have I network enough? Did I make sure that our staff are maintaining the food standards? Have I been polite to my customers? Have I even done enough to show my staffs that we need to have the right attitude and discipline just to make the day work well?
So whenever I start a new morning, I'll remind myself to improve on the things that I have not done enough yesterday and I'll make sure to do it better today.
The bottom line is, whether you are running a business or working for someone else. I feel that as long as you can live, breathes and eats in whatever you do and excel in it. In my eyes, you're already a successful individual.
Take ownership in the things you do even if it does not belongs to you. Do your work so well not because when the boss is around and I'm sure you'll be running your own business very soon.
And I'll like to make an affirmation, a big YES to I LIVE, BREATHES, EATS my nasi lemak business! Do you?
A bonus photo taken 15 years ago in that Hell's Kitchen.
