It’s hard to truly understand someone, especially with all the noises in our own lives that drain our time and patience. If entrepreneurs have their one-liner pitch for their business idea, then why shouldn’t each of us have our own pitches? Something that describes ourselves - our motivations, intentions and our general way of life.

This is what we call a motto. “Italian for pledge, and motti when plural,” as says so on Wikipedia.

I’m pretty sure I derived parts of my motto from somewhere else, although I don’t remember it now. But this motto has been on the back of my mind for a while now, and it guides everything I do with an invisible hand. It goes as follows,

“Understand the past, plan for the future, and just survive in the present.”

The reason for the beginning and middle part is obvious. I won’t bore you by explaining it. The main idea is that the present as we perceive it really isn’t the present. There is a time lapse of when things are happening in reality and when we perceive reality. Putting science aside, the present happens too quickly for us to make good conscientious decisions all of the time.

In other words, don’t bet on making the right decision when you are suddenly given the opportunity, and withstand any troubles you face knowing that you have a solid plan, built on experience and knowledge. Survive the hurdles, and you will continue on your plan – better than what you were before.

Peter Kao