Compounding Wisdom
7 Principles of Life
Are You Really Living Each Day?
Are You Really Living Each Day?
You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?
Rumi (1207-1273)
I am now 54. How many more years? How many more days? To live. To matter. To dream. To do. If I am average, I have just 10,000 more days!
When I was in my 20s and 30s, I thought I had lots of time. Now, I think I have about five projects I can do with strength and vigour. I am more aware of why Warren Buffet reserved ten slots to invest well. He said he envisioned a punch card with ten slots, and every time he invested, there would be one less slot. Quentin Tarantino only planned to make ten movies. He has made nine thus far. One more left. Wow. I can't wait for his 10th and final film.
I have many dreams, but I have narrowed my list to the following: a Broadway musical, an AI company, a health and wellness retreat at Camp Howdy, publishing a series of books, three movies, and Gospel Media Network… Which ones shall I do first?
Life is short, but there is enough time to do what you are uniquely positioned to do, that only you can do. I have thought a lot about the principles of life. There are many, but if I had to boil it down to just seven, these would be the top for me.
1. You are a miracle. A unique miracle who will never walk this earth again.
The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.
Mark Twain (1835-1910)
Out of the tens of millions of sperm cells from your father and one of the half a million egg cells, you are the unique genetic and environmental combination that will never exist again. You are truly unique. You seek to belong, to have purpose and meaning. That which we seek will eventually be found, but you must ask, seek and knock with all your heart, all your mind and all your strength. The world is waiting for you to reveal your heart. Someone is waiting for you. That has always been my philosophy, even when I was in despair or felt invisible. But after decades of seeking, I am discovering myself, finding my tribe, and voicing my heart. It may be one person (me) or some others who feel similarly or aspire to a greater vision and version of themselves, but I know each of us is here for a reason. Just like your chair, your table, your bed.
2. You are born upside down. You need to be born upright.
Being born again means becoming who you were always meant to be.
Siri Mitchell (1965-present)
My first child, Jessi, was about to be born, but she wasn’t coming out. She was feet first. A footling breech. We had an emergency C-section. She was fine and it was one of the most glorious days of my life to hold her in my arms.
The natural way to be born is head first. This means almost everyone in the world is born upside down. I believe that while you walk this earth, you need be once again be born rightside up- upright. We all wish to be upright before a Creator and our fellow man. Sometimes we lose our way and feel like we are tumbling around all over the place, stuck in sin and in guilt. We honour those who have integrity, who admit their faults, who are humble, who sacrifice, who serve, who are trustworthy, who are good and kind. We do so because they are being upright. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and stand upright, stand tall, and be who you are meant to be.
3. Your days are numbered, but you believe you are immortal.
Teach us to number our days so we may have a heart of wisdom.
Moses (1391 BC - 1271 BC)
We say ‘Friends forever’, ‘Love always’. We have eternity in our hearts and yet we know that just as we have a birthday, we will also have a death day. Most do not think about this latter day. We see it on tombstones. In my quotes, I reference the year of the quoter’s birth and their death. It is a reminder that we are mortal, that we should be wise to spend each of our days, as if it were our last. Memento mori - ‘remember death’ is wise. It seems sombre and grim, but it reminds us to be grateful for each moment, each breath, each person, whether good or bad, for everything is a tutor for us, if we have the eyes and ears to sense. Steve Jobs never believed in an ‘off’ button, because he believed life persisted forever. His products tried to eliminate this on/off button. We will one day have an off button but our souls and spirits will persist. That is forever in our hearts.
Don’t count the days; make the days count.
Muhammad Ali (1942-2016)
4. You are just water, dust and air. But you have a soul and spirit too.
The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never appear.
Daniel Defoe (1660-1731)
We are 70% water, just like the earth. Why water? We are but recycled dust for the remainder of our bodies. We have iron. Why? We have metals like Selenium, Magnesium. We breathe air, but why? 80% of our cells are red blood cells. 20-30 trillion red blood cells (rbc). Each rbc has 270 million hemoglobin! Each hemoglobin can hold 8 oxygen molecules. This blood must flow so that it supplies this oxygen to the rest of our cells- to produce energy (ATP) in the mitochondria in our cells. It’s complex but we don’t even have to think about it. Just breathe and life happens. We can then use our thoughts, our minds and our spirits to create amazing things that nourish and inspire one another. This is the gift, our creations, our innovations. We have become like gods, creating and destructively innovating to the heavens above. Our bodies are just temporary vehicles for our soul and spirit that longs to live forever.
5. What separates you from life and death is just a breath. But that breath of life has more power than anything in this universe when combined with love.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
We breathe 12 times a minute all the time. The minute we stop breathing (try holding your breath for a minute), we start to suffer. Four minutes without oxygen, our brain stops working. After five minutes, we are no longer alive. Just 5 minutes separates us from the living to the dead. Grim. How are we so fragile?
While we have breath, we desire to share this breath with others. With some, it is a deep and lasting love. Others, a seasonal love. And sometimes heartbreak, when our breath ceases, we part from loved ones.
When breath combines with love, it is the most potent force in the universe. There is nothing more powerful. This is the most important principle in the universe and is contained in one word: LOVE.
When the breath is unsteady, all is unsteady. When the breath is still, all is still.
Hatha Yoga Pradipika (15th century)
6. You are love, but that love is trapped inside your soul and spirit.
Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.
Rumi (1207-1273)
We are love incarnate, but that love is wrapped and encased in protective layers we have built so that our hearts never get hurt. Love wishes to escape and express itself through thoughts, emotions, words, works, and actions, but rejection and criticism imprison it again. The layers of encasements over the years make us invulnerable, 'protected,' but we are now entombed alive, our hearts buried, and the grounds of our hearts hardened and loveless.
Let love be free. Let it endear other's hearts. Love hurts because it is sacrifice.
The 30 trillion red blood cells each gave up its nucleus, its life, and thus lived only 120 days in the service of the rest of your cells. This is an expression of love embedded in your life, in your body, for an example to follow. Serve, provide love and life to others, and forgive and take away their hurt and wastes of life.
7. You wish to do all that is in your heart, but to do that you must rest deeply and be still.
He that can take rest is greater than he that can take cities.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
While we spend most of our thoughts and time in activity, the law of life requires that for one day a week, we rest completely, pondering life and our purpose.
Each day, we are also required to rest, not only sleep. And each hour we also require rest. Each moment we blink, we rest. Each moment we breathe, our heart and our body rest. After we exercise intensely, it is followed by rest.
We must be still and rest, not only in our bodies but also in our soul and spirit. Our minds must rest. But we are bombarded more than ever, and there is no separation between work and life, family and self. COVID tried to teach us and ask us, "What is essential? What really matters? If you are quarantined alone, what is life without anyone else?" We must rest a short while, but then we must reconnect deeply with others, with the world, to serve and give.
My Life Questions:
The purpose of life is to be defeated by greater and greater things.
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926)
1. What will you start doing today that you dreamed about all your life?
Only you can search deep into your heart and mine this out. Seek it deeply and start today, as soon as you can. What is your first step? Do it. What is your next step? Place the last step to your dream and work backwards. And pray. Amen means "Let it be so."
My Life Lessons Then (from my younger self):
God has given us two hands, one to receive with and the other to give with.
Billy Graham (1918-2018)
1. I thought I had lots of time to do all that I wanted.
Experiment to find the ten things you want to do in life. Write and narrow your list down to 10. Continually revise and replan as you discover yourself.
2. I dreamed a lot but realized action is equally as important as dreaming.
We only have one life on this earth. Please don't waste it idly. Press on diligently, like the ant. In their short lives, they teach us that we are part of a community that serves.
3. I am a romantic idealist.
I always dreamed of 'happily ever after in love.' My mother died in 2006. I fell sick and ill. I was heartbroken many times. I failed many times in school and business. But I still dream of 'happily ever after.' I get back up after I am knocked down. One day, I won't be able to get up. But my spirit will live on. Happily ever after.
Life Advice Now (from my present 54 year old self):
Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.
Mark Twain (1835-1910)
1. Love deeply, self first and then others more.
Seek to know yourself deeply. This is the first law. But even more is to love yourself deeply. Then, love others deeply. Besides, there is only one greater law. To love God. But if you cannot love yourself, how can you love others? If you cannot love others, how can you love God?
2. Forgive always. It is the greatest gift you can give.
Whether someone apologizes or not, forgiveness is the greatest expression of love and is even more powerful when given without an apology.
3. Wander outwards but eventually come home to your heart and then give your heart everywhere.
You always have to come to your true home—your heart. All life and love stem from the heart. Keep your heart pure and cleanse it from the stains of this world and yourself. Love always.
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.
Lewis B. Smedes (1921-2002)
Next week:
7 Principles of Blood
You understand life If you understand blood.
In every drop of my blood, there is life, and in every beat of my heart, there is love.
See you next Thursday!
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7 Life Crisis Moments - The First 4: Identity, Belonging, Purpose, Relationships
It isn’t a question of if, it’s a question of when.
It isn’t a question of if, it’s a question of when.
The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.
W. M. Lewis (1878-1945)
Life is a miracle. The sun, 192 million miles away, gives us light and warmth. The clouds give us rain. The seas and mountains are the calm and majestic grandeur of being. Like the waves that toss to and fro in the storm, some moments in life swell our souls up and down through the vortex of crisis. We have seven major life crisis moments. Each one a major challenge, but also necessary as steps for growth. These crises are universal, through which every person must traverse. I am in the final two life crisis moments, having passed five.
Crisis of Identity (Youth)
The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.
Carl Jung (1875-1961)
Who am I? I am not my body. I cannot see my soul or my spirit. The world tells and taunts me to conform — just fit in. They tell us who we should be. Don't stick out and be myself. Societal norms and our education label us and conform us, and we tend to gravitate to a standard, and so we lose our individuality and the development of our soul and spirit.
I often stared at the sun, pondering this question. I read books to explore the human spirit. I travelled in these writings far and wide and felt I was not yet myself. My family life was in disarray. My father left us, and my mother, reconciling with him, moved us from London, Ontario, to Vancouver, Canada.
You are not defined by external labels or circumstances, I realized. I am shaped by my values, and my words and my behaviour shape my reputation. I was both a sinner and a saint. I would try to lean into the saint side of me. I would embrace this journey of self-discovery, a lifelong process to answer this age-old question: Who am I?
I am me. I am Kevin Ham. I am a dreamer who dreams of doing something great for my fellow humans — to inspire, to help others unlock the heart of their human potential, and also do great things myself. I would be a healer of souls. I would be a renaissance man, living and creating the dreams in my heart. Diving deep into my heart, I would explore myself, unearth the gold deep inside of me, and show it through pictures, words, poetry, books, musicals and movies.
To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
Crisis of Belonging (Adolescence)
True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.
Brené Brown (1965-)
My father left his job at Ford and started his own business, a grocery store called Pinto. I would see the bags of coins he brought home. I would take handfuls of coins, go to school, and give them to my classmates. That was my way of quickly making a lot of friends. I did this until the teacher told my parents.
Where do I belong? That is the next question we need to answer. While we start to discover ourselves, we quickly realize that we need to be part of something greater than ourselves to fit in yet be authentic. Peer pressure to conform to the group to belong outstrips the desire to be who we truly are. Do we fit into predefined, predetermined moulds and lose ourselves in the pursuit of acceptance?
It forces us to absolve our identity in return for acceptance and belonging. We encase our spirit and soul with layer upon layer of armour that protects us from being hurt. We shield our inner selves and mask ourselves to look and feel part of our tribe. We no longer unsheathe or unclothe our hearts to be vulnerable.
But despite being part of the tribe, we don't feel we truly belong until we find a person or cause that allows us to put our guard down and be truly vulnerable — to speak and feel with our hearts.
True belonging comes from self-acceptance, not the airs of conformity and camouflage. It happens when you connect with people who see and appreciate your authenticity.
Value depth over breadth of relationships and seek out people who value you for who you truly are rather than what they want you to be.
The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.
Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
Crisis of Purpose (Early Adult)
The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.
Mark Twain (1835-1910)
But why am I here? I want to do something in this world, but what? I want success, but what is success for me? We are told to get a good education, a good job, a good salary, and a good title and position. Without a deep purpose, these feel hollow.
It is said there are two most important days in your life: the day you are born and the day you understand and know why. The first was September 25, 1970. The second was August 5, 1986, the day I first believed in God, when I was born again.
It is the reason I keep going. I dream of building God.com, Religion.com, and Heaven.com once I get Jesus.com. I obtained the first three over 7 years, and the last one is still pending after 24 years.
I just came back from Guatemala, where I gave two health talks on the 7 Principles of Life and the 7 Principles of Blood. I felt that this is what I love to do. I connected these principles to body, mind, and spirit.
The pursuit of purpose isn't about achieving a title or status. It's about finding work and a way of life that brings deep meaning to your life and fills your spirit with joy and peace. Instead of focusing on external reward and validation, focus on internal fulfillment and peace.
Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997)
Crisis of Relationships (20s/30s)
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
I am a romantic. Aren't we all? We dream of princes and princesses, fairy tale endings, and happily ever after. The Bible tells the story of Adam. He was given authority over all creation. Then, he was asked to name all the animals. As he named them one by one, he saw that each animal had a mate, male and female. This is what he lacked. He had no soul mate, even though he was all-powerful and perfect. His soul lacked love.
Then, from his rib was made a woman, Eve, bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, and the two became one — two bodies, one heart.
In the pursuit of success and ambition, relationships are in the background. Instead, they should be the most important. It isn't for what we live but for who we live our lives for and with. Our spirit and soul desire a deep-seated connection with someone who matters most to us and who matters deeply to us. This feeling of love on so many levels, whether it is friends, family, or a life partner, fills our souls with love.
Love is the most potent force in the world. Kings fall under its sway and give up their thrones. Love is blind because it does not adhere to the rules and laws of cultures, religions and countries. Love has no boundaries. Who matters most in your life? Prioritize them always. All that you do is for them.
Relationships are not just maintained; they are nurtured and cultivated with love, genuine care, and empathy over a long time. Make sure you create these moments, taking the time to make people feel special.
Find your true loves in all facets of your life.
Intense love does not measure, it just gives.
Mother Teresa (1910–1997)
My Life Questions:
Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides.
André Malraux (1901–1976)
Who am I?
Sometimes, it is helpful to break this question down into sub-questions.
What are your three core values? Write them down.
What are the dreams in your heart? Write them down.
What are the plans to make your dreams come true? Write them down, experiment, and redefine this plan often as you navigate them.
My Life Lessons Then (from my younger self):
The most common form of despair is not being who you are.
Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
1. Be true to yourself. Focus deep.
You may go far and wide, but eventually, you must go deep into your heart and explore its depths for your fears, dreams, and being.
2. Never quit.
It's easy to quit because sometimes life becomes too hard. I often thought of suicide when I was younger. But I didn't want to disappoint my mom. If I had lost her early, I perhaps would have had no hope. When we are in moments of despair, we may call it quits. At these times, we must go deep and resolve never to quit. I made that decision. I think it was the best decision of my life. Maybe I will fall into despair again in the future. But this lesson has stayed deep in my soul.
3. There is always hope. There is always love.
I thought I would never find love. But as I found love, I marvelled that love found me. It wasn't perfect, but love is overlooking all the imperfections, yet still loving. I realized that love is everywhere if you open your eyes and heart widely. There are so many people in this world looking for love. It's not just one soul mate you have in this world, but potentially millions—each unique and different. Like hide-and-go-seek, you must seek the love, define that love and let that love grow once found.
Life Advice Now (from my present 53 year old self):
One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
1. Forever in my heart
I seek eternity in things--to live a life beyond myself. Out of this body, I wish to pen words and thoughts for future generations. I want to make modern musicals and movies that stir the soul and move the heart.
Forever is a lifetime of being and living and dreaming.
Each of us has this within us.
2. Only one
You don't need a whole lot. Just one. One love. One purpose. One friend. It helps to have one more just in case something happens to the one, which we know, given time, it will. Then, we live in the moments, in the memories. My mother died in 2006, but I still think of her often. It was hard growing up under her strictness and her high expectations for me to do something great, to live her dreams. But I am who I am because of those struggles, those expectations. I did not let them put me in despair but rather used them as stepping stones to build my character and life as I struggled through them.
Find that one.
3. Purpose. Never forget.
Just do it. Let His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Next week:
Life Failures, Mortality and Legacy.
Are you doing what you are born to do?
Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.
Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968)
See you next Thursday!
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The Power of Your Dream
What do you really want?
What do you really want?
You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage — pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically — to say ‘no’ to other things.
Stephen Covey (1932-2012)
What were your dreams as a child?
Who did you want to become?
What did you want to do?
Deep in Your Heart
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
Just think back and dig deep into your heart.
We all dreamed of something, often borne out of our needs and our wants.
When I was hospitalized at age 14, I wanted to be a doctor, which became my main drive in life. Then I became a doctor, but I also wanted to be an entrepreneur on this fast-growing Internet. I decided to go for it.
Then, I dreamed of making epic movies in my 50s, writing books in my 60s, and building a health and wellness centre and a meaningful Gospel Media Network. I'm 53 and turning 54 in a couple of weeks.
It's a constant drive that informs my choices. I work backward to give birth to these deep-seated dreams.
But before all of this, the pertinent question is:
"What do you really want in life?"
If there is only one thing you want to accomplish in life, what would it be?
Curing Cancer
The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.
William Osler (1849-1919)
One day, not too long ago, I found myself in the most elegant European hotel, Burgenstock, sitting atop the mountains above Lucerne, an hour away from Zurich. My friend, Ron Baron, suggested I spend a week there, citing it as the best hotel in Europe. Okay! I said, so I booked it. I love Lucerne, but this required a 30-minute boat ride away on Lake Lucerne, followed a cable car ride up the mountain straight into the hotel.
As I perched over the mountains in my hotel room, I started reading a book called 'The First Cell' by Dr. Azra Raza, an eminent oncologist and researcher at Columbia University.
I couldn't put it down.
Azra had known for the past 50 years, that she wanted to cure cancer. As I read the book, my heart leapt onto the pages. Her opening brought streams of tears flowing down my face.
Her husband, Harvey, also an oncologist, had just been diagnosed with his second cancer--the very same form of cancer that he was trying to cure and treat--blood cancer. Azra and Harvey had devoted their lives to treating those afflicted with this horror. And, now, she would be asked by Harvey to be his oncologist.
Pure Poetics
Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.
Robert Frost (1874–1963)
As I read each chapter, I sent her an email telling her how wonderful and heartfelt her book and her heart were. I wanted to help her. She had written about how difficult it was to get funding from billionaires. She had written to 100 and received one reply, who endowed her research: Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, a billionaire oncologist, part owner of the LA Lakers, an astute early investor in Zoom, and producer of groundbreaking cancer therapeutics.
Then I asked Dr. Azra Raza (is this not the coolest name ever?) if I could be so bold as to write a book with her. She asked me to call her and proposed we do a documentary combined with some related writings. And so began our relationship. I asked her to be my mentor, as I marvelled not just for her heart to cure cancer but also for her love of poetry, especially Emily Dickinson. She could quote her by heart and from many of Emily's 1,800 poems.
Her daughter Sheherzad, who lost her father at the age of 4, had gone to film school and interned under Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, also a cancer researcher, whose phenomenal books would be made into documentaries by the great documentarian Ken Burns. Sid had won the Pulitzer Prize with his first book, a stellar story on the biography of cancer from its first appearance to now, The Emperor of All Maladies. Both Sid and Azra are superheroes in the realm of cancer fighters. Both will change the world. I can tell by their hearts and their minds, a dynamic duo who will revolutionize these immortal cells that refuse to die. And Sheher is documenting everything, our discussions, including the fundraising concerts with Hugh Jackman, Diana Krall, Christopher Cross, Elvis Costello, produced by Susan Brecker, another dear wonderful friend, whose husband Michael Brecker, famed Jazz saxophonist, passed away from cancer.
Left to Right: Siddhartha Mukherjee, Susan Brecker, Azra Raza, Me.
The Dream to Cure Cancer
Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.
Langston Hughes (1901-1967)
Since I started riding my bike to help raise money to cure cancer in 2008, when my good friend, Elliot Koo, age 28, had terminal cancer, I began dreaming about holding a charity ride with pro cyclists. I was infatuated with four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome. I had a Team Sky bike and kit (his team at the time).
Chris grew up in Kenya and trained in South Africa. The problem was there were no mountains to practice climbing on. So, he mimicked the mountains by pressing his brakes to create resistance for himself. Try that yourself. It's almost impossible to do for very long.
One evening, I met a guy named Simon Williams at a dinner with friends. He told me he produced charity rides. On our way out, I asked him, "If there is ever a time I organize a charity cancer ride, could you help?" "Yes," he said, "It is what I was born to do." Simon had survived cancer himself at a very young age.
In 2021, I became part owner of the pro cycling team Israel Premier Tech.
A year later, who signed with the team? Chris Froome. Wow. The first time I met him, I was star-struck. I started asking him question after question, and he politely answered them all. Then, I took a lot of photos with him.
A year or so later, I asked my partner, Sylvan Adams, if the team could send someone to help with a fundraiser for Dr. Azra Raza's cancer research. He said, "How about our best, Chris?" Wow, that would be amazing!
So I called Simon, and we organized the Dream to Cure charity event in 2023. Chris graced us with his generosity and humility. We captured videos of him riding side by side with each participant.
A couple of days later, at my birthday dinner, Chris surprised me with a gift. It was his Tour de France yellow jersey—the champion's jersey he wore when he won the Tour de France. And he signed it for me. I was so humbled.
Another dream come true.
How did this happen? I reflected.
No plan could have been written for this.
It was just a very high-level dream.
All heart. A little bit of mindfulness. And a lot of luck, but I call luck by her other names, Providence or the hand of God.
P.S. In a couple of weeks, my daughter Jessi and her good friend Bella will be interning at Columbia with Azra and staying with her at home. Wait until they see her living room full of books, where she had guests like Daniel Kahneman, Nobel laureate, give talks. It's priceless.
Thank you, Azra. Thank you, Sheher. Love you both.
My Life Questions:
We do not remember days, we remember moments.
Cesare Pavese (1908-1950)
What is your dream?
Your dreams a like a GPS. Your life will keep reorienting you to that want until you face the mountains and valleys that stand between you and that want.
It is scary to embark on a new road, where no path exists, to your Dream.
My Life Lessons Then (from my younger self):
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)
1. Dream and connect by heart.
There is a pairing and need for every dream and fulfillment of your dream. Someone out there is looking for your heart, for your skills, for you. We play hide and seek, a metaphor to teach us that the things we seek are hidden but found when we seek.
2. Everything you do has value and is of use.
Many people thought I had ‘wasted’ my medical doctor dream. Azra, one of my great mentors and friends now, and I bonded and I was sitting with her, Sid, and the President of Columbia in New York Presbyterian Hospital for an hour. I hadn’t practiced medicine in two decades and there I was being introduced as Dr. Kevin Ham.
Those charity bike rides, 200 km in two days, trained me enough to be able to ride with the pro cycling team, riding in Israel, a place I had read about most of my life in the stories of the Bible. Then I met with the President of Israel with the cycling team. Wow.
3. Dreams are like clouds. Rains pour forth, but clouds also shield us from the sun.
Dreams inspire us but also they can feel so far out there, that they just remain dreams. Pray. Think. Speak. Act. On behalf of your dreams.
Life Advice Now (from my present 53 year old self):
In youth we learn; in age we understand.
Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (1830-1916)
1. Keep dreaming, even when things seem impossible. There is always a way.
Deep prayer, meditation, reflection and then thinking, speaking, writing, acting by heart is the key to our human powers. Our heart unlocks the doors that remain shut. The heart sees the way more than the eyes.
2. Life is a dream, even when it may seem like a nightmare.
The object of our want casts a deep shadow in the light of our hope and belief in our dreams. Don’t let the shadow fool you. Keep your eye on the object of your want. Let it be true. Let it be pure. Let it be heart. Let it be real. All true art is a reflection of our hearts.
3. Dream.
Go for it, always.
Next week:
Life Crisis: Teens. Mid-life. Late-life. End.
It isn’t a question of if, it’s a question of when.
The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.
W. M. Lewis (1878-1945)
See you next Thursday!
Subscribe to my Compounding Wisdom newsletter and start transforming your life.
Purpose and Mastery
The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.
J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
I became fascinated with the great composers Bach and Handel. Both were born in Germany in 1685, and both have changed the hearts of people and the world of music. Bach stayed home and wrote music for the church, and Handel went to the empire where the sun never set--England. They have each inspired me and led me to ponder what it is like to live a life dedicated to mastery and to live with such purpose.
While I took that sabbatical from work in 2009, I immersed myself in the world of music, playing the piano and dreaming.
Johann Sebastian Bach
I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well.
J.S. Bach
For most of his life, Bach was beset with tragedy and sorrow. He was orphaned at the age of ten when he lost his parents within a year of each other. He had 20 children, but 11 of them died. He lost his young daughter, three sons and then his first wife. He then remarried and lost four more daughters and three more sons, 11 dear children total. When he was old, he was in poor health and had cataracts that made him blind. How could someone produce such a treasure chest of music while being overwhelmed by such loss and hardship?
Perhaps Bach set his heart on fire by composing the world's most beautiful and meaningful music. Bach's music was the first music sent into space. He set his heart on composing music for God and man; perhaps that is why we feel so peaceful listening to his music.
At the beginning of each piece of music, he wrote, "Lord help." At the end of his music, he wrote, "Soli Deo Gloria" (Only Glory to God). His music was praise, prayer, and honour to God--a conversation between man and God in the form of musical notes.
Bach was prolific, writing over 1,000 works. The depth and complexity of his music pushed the boundaries of what was possible with music, and his music became the standard of excellence.
Bach believed his music should have a higher purpose. His sacred works like "St. Matthew Passion" were composed to honour God. His music was an expression of his faith and for mankind to feel the passion and love of the beloved Creator.
His works were not well known outside his country, but 70 years later, Felix Mendelssohn praised Bach and revived his work to worldwide acclaim. Bach's unmarked grave was discovered and raised to prominence, as his music inspired and lifted the great musicians and crowds who would listen to his music.
I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well.
J.S. Bach
George Handel
My Lord, I should be sorry if I only entertained them. I wish to make them better.
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Despite suffering from poor health and financial distress himself, he put on concerts to raise funds for people imprisoned for unpaid debts.
Handel's profound sense of purpose is evident in his great Magnum Opus "Messiah" (Hebrew for 'Anointed One'), which, at 260 pages, he wrote in just 24 days as he set the words of the Bible to music. Handel said it was as if the music were dictated to him by God, and he just transcribed the notes furiously onto paper. The Hallelujah Chorus in "Messiah" is said to have inspired and uplifted King George II so much that he stood up during this part. It has now become a tradition to stand up during that moment of the performance. The delightful and powerful Hallelujah ("Praise the Lord") chorus has the power to transform the heart through the power of its music and singing.
Handel composed over 40 operas and 29 oratorios, but when he first incorporated Scripture into his music (though now very accepted and praised), it was a point of contention among the civil and religious communities of his time. He fell into hard financial times and struggled until his revival with the popularity of "Messiah."
I have been most industrious and have achieved much with my music. However, I desire to create works that will outlast even my lifetime.
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Ludwig van Beethoven
Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Beethoven was inspired by Bach and Handel and throughout his lifetime, he relentlessly pursued musical mastery despite much hardship. In 1797, around age 26, Beethoven started to lose his hearing, and by age 44 (in 1814), he was almost totally deaf.
Beethoven's famous Symphony No. 5 was written in 1804 and Symphony No. 9, considered his Magnum Opus, was composed between 1822 and 1824.
How could it be that he wrote his greatest work of music while completely deaf?
He knew and felt music intuitively. During his "late period," he became an innovator. He pioneered the transition between classical and romantic music periods, reinventing the symphony, sonata, and string quartet. He stirred souls with emotional depth and complexity that were familiar yet entirely new.
He believed that music had the power to stir the human soul and convey profound human emotions and ideals. Through his music, he expressed his beliefs in freedom, justice, and the triumph of the human spirit.
Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
John Milton
The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.
John Milton (1608-1674)
John Milton had a dream to write an epic poem like Homer's Odyssey and Virgil when he was just a teenager. He studied Latin and Greek, literature and theology and studied at Cambridge.
In a letter written in 1645, when he was 37 years old, Milton expressed his long-held ambition to write a great epic poem. He referred to the project as something he had been contemplating for many years.
His early writings and sonnets also reveal that he was formulating ideas for an epic narrative even before he began working on "Paradise Lost."
The concrete work on "Paradise Lost" began in the early 1650s, when he was in his early forties. Yet as he embarked on his dream, his vision faltered until he was completely blind in 1652, at the age of 44.
He thought he had to give up on his dream of writing the epic book he had envisioned. This caused him unspeakable agony. He valued the power of vision and the loss of his sight was devastating. He expressed his sorrow and frustration in his poetry, "Sonnet 19," where he laments his inability to serve God through his writing due to his blindness.
“When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide;”
Despite his despair, Milton also saw his blindness as a test of faith and resilience. His struggle with his disability became a part of his creative and spiritual journey. He started to envision his book deeply in 1658, recited it to his daughter, and completed his Magnum Opus in 1667.
While his epic took nine years to complete, it was in his heart from a young age. He had composed much of the book in his mind and recited it to his daughters by memory so they could transcribe it.
It is considered one of the England's greatest literary works.
My Life Questions:
The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.
William James (1842-1910)
What is my Purpose in Life?
Each of us has a purpose in life. What is yours?
A chair has a purpose. A building has a purpose. You have a purpose.
I have many dreams. Most of them I will never realize, but why?
Perhaps because you do not have the courage to start.
We limit ourselves. These limits prevent us from ever starting.
My Life Lessons Then (from my younger self):
Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.
John Wesley (1703-1791)
1. I wish to do something for someone that outlasts my life.
This is called a legacy. Deep down we all have this deep seated desire to matter, to have purpose, to have mastery of something.
2. Mastery takes time, with deep thought, deep work and practice over a lifetime.
Every master starts as a baby, an apprentice, a novice who was not great at their dream. Over time, with deep focus, deep practice, deep work, they became a master. So it is the great lesson of life.
The adage, “Practice makes perfect” rings ever true.
Life Advice Now (from my present 53 year old self):
We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.
Chuck Swindoll (1934-)
1. I will create my own Magnum Opus, my great work for which I am purposed.
Just like these masters reinvented what they experienced with the dream in their heart, they took something familiar and made it entirely new, imbibed with the passion in their heart. People recognize this passion, as it sparks life in your soul.
I believe everyone has a Magnum Opus, but it must be pursued like these great masters.
2. You will be beset with trouble, obstacles and resistance. Yet you should push on.
As I struggle with my own likelihood of blindness—due to severe wet macular degeneration, that I was diagnosed with at a relatively young age of 50—I wonder how many more years I will have my sight.
Draw inspiration from John Milton, who wrote his Magnum Opus while he was blind and Beethoven, who composed Symphony No 9 while he was deaf. And, Helen Keller who wrote 12 published books and flew a plane while being both blind and deaf.
3. Dream for that things that bring spice and joy to your life. And when you make your dream come true, that will be your legacy. Through that action, you will inspire others to dream.
Go for it, always.
Next week:
My Dream: God.com
A pipe dream in the making
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.
Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)
See you next Thursday!
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Fear VS Faith
To Lead or Not to Lead
To Lead or Not to Lead
Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
Will You Live in Fear or by Faith?
Do the thing you fear, and the death of fear is certain.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
As the subprime financial crisis smacked the world into fear and trembling, entire industries started to crumble: the financial industry, the real estate industry, and then the tech world and other sectors.
This doubt and uncertainty about whether we were going into a global depression as industries suddenly went on life support made everyone, including me, fearful of the uncertain future.
Fear infected the entire world. Much like the global pandemic did for everyone's health, this fear infected every heart with the fear of losing house, business, and wealth. With banks collapsing, people's savings and deposits were at risk. Wall Street shut down, and brilliant finance MBAs had nowhere to go for jobs.
I started emailing Harvard MBAs in early 2009 and offered them jobs at Reinvent. One of them was willing to come to Vancouver. Her name was Michele Zaitlyn. Then, at the last minute, she emailed to tell me she decided instead to start a business with her classmate, Matthew Prince. That business was CloudFlare. I wish I had been more curious and funded their startup idea. They are now both billionaires and have done a fantastic job of providing cybersecurity for Internet businesses. And Forbes has listed Michele as one of the world's richest self-made women in 2024.
My business peaked in 2007, and I saw the downtrend cycle happening all over the domain world. Fear started to slowly infect my heart, too.
I purchased my last $20 million domain portfolio in Dec 2007 and stopped buying domains.
Though I was alive, my heart stopped believing
Every man dies. Not every man really lives.
William Wallace (1270-1305)
As subprime continued into 2009, I decided to be prudent, go back to foundations, and reduce the size of the team to the essentials. It was the most difficult business decision I had to make. I decided to keep tech but downsize all other departments. I couldn't sleep or eat a single meal, and I felt heartbroken having to let so many of my team go, to let the dream of becoming a great company die.
I would often hug my children and cry inside.
As I addressed my team about our decision to let two-thirds of the team go, my voice trembled with sadness and care. Many came and tried to give me solace, saying they understood. Some were upset and disappointed.
Reflecting on this time, I realized that whatever I felt was ten times worse for those impacted by my decision. A part of me died that day. I felt it was time to leave business and return to my original passions: health and God. I had only planned to do business for three to six months back in 2000. It had now been nine years.
I made a cowardly and difficult decision to also part from my Director and mentor, Dr. Chris Hartnett. I took the easy way out and cut it off quickly, without an explanation, thanking him and giving him something for his heart and mentorship. It's a decision I regret immensely.
I asked three team members to take over the business, and I would start transitioning management to them: Rob, Mona, and Don.
I would move on to the next phase of my life. I would play the piano to console my soul and study the Bible more deeply to come closer to God.
A New Heart
The heart has reasons that reason cannot know.
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
I played Moonlight Sonata and Disney songs, as well as played and sang hymns. It helped me. I thought a lot about life.
As the days, weeks, and months passed, new ideas began to flood my heart like lightning.
Three dreams took hold of my heart.
Social commerce
Gospel Media Network
Three movies I envisioned
In the next six months at home, I was absorbed in network effects and social commerce. The network effect is one of the most powerful effects in the world, and I believe it is even more powerful than the compound effect. During my time at Harvard, I studied network effects intensively.
What are Network effects?
A network increases in value with every new user. A good example is a phone. It has more value as you have more people you can 'network' with. This is the principle that social networks, commerce networks, and movie networks are based on. If leveraged well, they have inbuilt virality.
Instead of starting from scratch, I thought I could buy an existing network. Startups are hard!
I tried to buy Myspace, the declining social network displaced by the uprising Facebook, but it sold before I could place my offer. Turns out Allen & Company could only be reached through a warm introduction and I couldn't make the connection in time. In 2011, Myspace sold for just $35 million, six years after Rupert Murdoch's (FOX, Newscorp) company had bought it for $580 million.
I decided to learn the ropes of social commerce. The latest phenomenon was Groupon, and I wanted to recreate it with a social cause component by donating 10% to a local charity. I hired a COO, Tony Lam, from Electronic Arts, who built a team for this new company, GoodNews.com.
Little did I know that the pattern above would repeat itself as I embarked on new startups in new industries over the next 15 years.
I had wondered why the people in the Bible didn't learn the lessons from the past, repeating the same mistakes despite the warnings.
Now I know. :)
My Life Questions:
A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.
Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
1. What decisions can you make when in fear?
Flight or Fight? Run. Hide. Cower. Or the very few who Fight! Fight! Fight!
Fight the fear.
The remedy for fear is hope and faith.
My Life Lessons Then (from my 29 year old self):
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.
Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
1. Are you making decisions in fear or by faith?
Decisions are drastically different when based in fear versus based in faith.
Fear crumbles and destroys while faith believes, making even the impossible possible.
2. Life always gives you chances to learn the lesson over and over again until you do
It, too, shall pass. That is the lesson of the Bible and life. Everything passes.
We have one life to live, learn, and make a difference for someone else—even just one person. Sometimes, that person might just be you. My goal is to make a difference to more than me, one by one.
3. You will make bad decisions.
You do not have to be mean, demeaning, and uncaring when you make hard or bad decisions. Even if it is wrong, do it with care and compassion.
You need to make tough decisions. It's part of the seasons of business. Leaves fall, trees become barren. This happens to all businesses in time, to mighty empires, and to us in our seasons of life. There is a beginning and an end to products, businesses, and life. Be grateful for life's journey and those who walk the same path with you.
Life Advice Now (from my present 53 year old self):
Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.
Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)
1. You do not have to make hard decisions in haste.
You did not have to lay off your team suddenly, with no warning, explanation, or compassion. Give people time to adapt, even at your expense.
2. You did not have to be so extreme.
Instead of abrupt changes, think of transitioning and succession planning. Be gracious and help grow leaders. Build your systems to innovate and, believe and operate at the highest levels. Be great. Make those around you great.
3. Do good even at your own cost.
A good name is more important than ego, money or power. You must endeavour to keep your character and name, as well as respect and honour.
Next week:
Starting a Side Hustle
Making it work for you
Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.
Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)
See you next Thursday!
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Is this what I want to do for the rest of my life?
For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been No for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
Steve Jobs, 1955-2011
When I was 14, out of nowhere I went from totally healthy to suddenly hospitalized. I was bedridden and unable to walk or move. I experienced constant, severe pain as inflammation affected all my joints. I decided that if I were to live through this experience, then I would become a doctor to help people like me.
Fast forward 15 years, I received my medical degree from UBC and was in my final year of medical residency at UWO. I was working 80 hours a week, seeing 40 patients a day and on call every third day. I had pursued medicine to help people. But, with only 12 minutes per patient, I didn't feel like I was actually helping anyone. Being a doctor reminded me of how my father was stuck working “inside” his laundromat and dry cleaner businesses. He worked 7 days a week from 7 am to 11 pm, serving as many customers as possible.
Question 1: Is this what I want to do for the rest of my life?
I had spent the last 15 years with the singular goal of becoming a doctor. I achieved it but now felt disillusioned. I was newly married and had a beautiful newborn daughter on the way. Needless to say, I was at a big crossroads.
I pondered whether this was what I wanted to do for the next 40 years of my life. I still wanted to help people but this was clearly not the way to do it.
Question 2: What do I really want to do with my life?
I knew that I wanted the following:
To help patients avoid getting sick in the first place rather than just recover from disease.
To spend more time on health education than on “diagnose and prescribe in under 12 minutes”.
To be free from the shackles of financial constraints.
Question 3: What do I not want in my life?
I knew that I did not want the following:
To spend my time putting band-aids on problems. I want to explore them deeply and get to their root.
To be on call, working nights. My mom was a nurse who did graveyard shifts. It was very hard for the family. Much respect to all the doctors and nurses who take these night shifts.
To be shackled “inside” a business, like my dad had been.
Today, ask yourself these 3 questions:
Is this what I want to do for the rest of my life?
What do I really want to do with my life?
What do I not want in my life?
Spend some time each day writing the questions and answers in a notebook. Yes, physically use pen and paper. Post this by your computer, bathroom mirror or some place you can see it daily.
And, if your actions do not align with your answers for too many days in a row, you know you need to change something.
What do I really want to do?
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” — Confucius (551-479 BC)
I wrestled with what to do. I felt trapped, the momentum of my life decisions since age 14 driving me to a path that wasn't what I had envisioned.
After much soul searching, I finally decided to make a big career change while completing my medical residency and getting my medical license.
I wanted to transition and become an Internet entrepreneur.
Life Lessons Then:
It’s not too late to make a decision to change the trajectory of your life.
Next week: Starting Something New: The Entrepreneurial Blueprint
My Simple Plan to make $10,000/month within months
See you next Thursday!
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