Daniel Wong

How To Care Enough To Change The World

Updated on June 3, 2021 By

A few years ago, I had the privilege of attending a talk by this incredible woman, Marian Wright Edelman.

Marian Wright Edelman

Children’s rights activist, Marian Wright Edelman

Edelman is the founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund, and she’s been awarded more than 65 (yes, 65!) honorary degrees. She was also the first black woman to be admitted to the Mississippi bar.

To say that she’s an impressive woman is an understatement!

The way that Edelman concluded her speech was exceptionally memorable.

“I cannot preach like Martin Luther King, Jr. or turn a poetic phrase like Maya Angelou…”

She proceeded to list a large number of distinguished people, and the characteristics they possessed that she did not.

What you can achieve when you care enough

Edelman went on to say:

“But I care and am willing to serve and raise my voice with others for children… I care and am willing to serve and sacrifice to build our children a better future.

“I care. I really, really care. You can change the world if you care enough.”

You can change the world if you care enough.

If that statement is true (I like to think that it is), it’s no surprise that a lot of advice you hear from career development gurus revolves around pursuing a line of work you care deeply about.

It’s entirely true that in today’s Information Age, it’s no longer enough just to be compliant, competent or even charismatic. You need to care.

[Read more…]

Do You Want To Lead A Meaningful Or Memorable Life?

Updated on June 3, 2021 By

motivational poster

Who could disagree with this saying?

Those crazy nights that often involve alcohol, friends, loud music and irresponsible behavior—those are the ones that remain permanently etched in your mind.

You’re probably not going to say something like, “For the past month, I’ve slept at least eight hours every single night. It’s been AMAZING!”

Everyone enjoys talking about the wonderful things that have happened in the past and reminiscing about the good old days.

It’s also undeniable that shared memories bond people together. That’s why leaders intentionally create shared experiences in an attempt to foster unity and camaraderie.

Why good memories can be bad

But, at the same time, I think that memories are overrated.

[Read more…]

A Simple Way to Make Faster and Better Decisions

Updated on December 22, 2023 By

motivational quote

Recently, I was looking for something to help me stay motivated, so I decided to put up this quote at my work desk. It’s been more effective than I expected!

Of course, the fact that I put up this quote at all means that I occasionally stop when I’m tired, discouraged or bored.

I sometimes lack the willpower to do what I know I ought to. I don’t always make the best possible decision—and I’m guessing I’m not the only one who struggles in this area.

(As an aside, one of my colleagues commented: “Daniel, that quote isn’t completely true. At least once a day, I see you taking a break to have a snack. Obviously, you also stop when you’re hungry!)

What you desire now vs. what you desire most

It’s human nature to focus on the short-term rather than the long-term, to be attracted to pleasure and to avoid pain. When we make choices based on how we feel, we tend to give in to what we desire now, at the expense of what we desire most.

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How to Make the World a Better Place by Sleeping More

Updated on June 2, 2021 By

sleeping babies

The magic phrase that helps you make friends

My good friend once shared with me his secret formula for building rapport with people he’s just met: He tells them that he’s sleepy.

“I’m so sleepy. I could really use a nap right now…”

He said that, in almost every situation, the reply goes something like this: “Yeah, I’m really sleepy too…”

Ta-dah! Just like that, he’s magically established common ground with the other person.

The funny thing is, my friend confessed that he sometimes uses this relationship-building technique even when he’s not feeling sleepy!

[Read more…]

What Campfire-Building Can Teach Us About Achieving Greatness

Updated on June 2, 2021 By

campfire

You’re pretty ambitious. You have goals and dreams, and you’re hardworking. You want to be successful, and you have the drive to make it happen.

You won’t ever be satisfied with average, or even good. You want to be great.

But as you pursue greatness—whether it’s in your academics, your career, your business, your relationships or your life—you sometimes wonder if it’s worth it.

The sacrifices, the disappointments, the frustrations… what’s it all for?

In an attempt to do more and be more, maybe you feel like you’ve lost sight of what’s truly valuable.

I’ve by no means achieved greatness—far, far, far from it. But in thinking about what it means to live a great life, I’ve realized that it’s a lot like building a campfire on a cold night.

[Read more…]

How to Stop Caring About What Other People Think Without Being a Self-Righteous Jerk

Updated on March 14, 2025 By

how to not care what people thinkI still remember when I received my first “hate” mail.

After I wrote a guest post on how to take charge of your unhealthy eating habits at PickTheBrain, the first comment on the article — by someone called LAR — was very negative (the comment has somehow disappeared though):

“I usually like this website but this article is rubbish. Are you promoting for a weight loss company? Dieting, which, don’t kid yourself, that’s what you’re promoting here, is not in any way helpful to actual health. In fact, studies show the biggest indicator of weight GAIN is a diet within the last six months.

Food is just food. There is no good food or bad food except for what you believe and seriously, tying foods, any sort of foods, as acceptable or unacceptable is unhelpful. Further, suggesting that thinking ‘do you want to lose body fat?’ isn’t helpful. Why don’t you just come straight out and say ‘nothing tastes as good as thin feels.’

It’s insensitive, badly researched rubbish.”

I almost couldn’t believe that I could upset someone so much by writing an article on healthy eating!

At the time, my older brother Jonathan was already an experienced writer. He was used to getting plenty of hateful comments from readers. I half-jokingly said that I now understood how he feels.

His response: “Haha. Man up, Daniel. Deal with it.”

In my family, that’s the unique way we sometimes handle our frustrations and disappointments. No pity, no sympathy, no compassion.

How to not care about what other people think? That’s what this article is about.

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How to Take Charge of Your Stress and Busyness

Updated on December 22, 2023 By

It’s a picture-perfect evening at the beach.

The sun is setting. The seagulls are squawking. The waves are gently brushing against the shore.

The beach is almost deserted, except for a young couple out for a walk with their five-year-old son. As they stroll along, the son picks up some seashells.

Most of these seashells are chipped or broken. They’re still beautiful, but they’re more like seashell fragments.

All of a sudden, the son spots something bright orange in the distance, 20 feet into the sea. He sprints toward it. When he gets to the water’s edge, he exclaims, “Mom! Dad! It’s a starfish! It’s a starfish!” [Read more…]