I’ve loved playing badminton since I was 7. I was influenced by my siblings and cousins, as our houses were next to each other in Rawang.

Living in Malaysia, where badminton is incredibly popular, also played a big role.

During my childhood and teenage years, Malaysia had a legendary badminton player, Lee Chong Wei, who was an idol for Malaysians and others worldwide.

Because of him, when I started middle school, most of my classmates and friends were also badminton enthusiasts.

We played badminton twice a week.

To sum it up, after years of playing badminton, I’ve recently realized that there are many valuable lessons I’ve learned from the game that I can apply to my life, career, and business. Here are the lessons I’ve gained:

Precision Beats Power

Accuracy trumps brute force in both badminton and life.

On the court, a well-placed drop shot often outmanoeuvres an imprecise powerful smash.

I learned to apply this to my work by prioritizing attention to detail over hasty action.

When tackling a complex project, break it down into precise, manageable steps.

For example, I came to realize debugging a critical data science project focuses on pinpointing the exact issue rather than making sweeping code changes, leading to more efficient problem-solving.

Finesse achieves what force alone cannot.

Anticipation Is Key

Reading your opponent’s moves in badminton parallels anticipating challenges in life.

Practice observing patterns and preparing for various scenarios. If the opponent is ready for the net shot, hit the shuttlecock to the rear court to avoid the net kill.

In business, we can anticipate market trends by closely monitoring industry news and consumer behaviour.

For example, after the COVID-19 pandemic affected all industries (finance, IT, retail, food and beverage, and etc,), we can see a huge shift.

A retail store owner who anticipated the shift towards online shopping early and invested in e-commerce infrastructure weathered the pandemic far better than competitors who didn’t adapt.

Foresight is your competitive advantage.

Agility Matters More Than Speed

Quick changes in direction are crucial in badminton, just as adaptability is vital in life.

As Richard L. Evans quotes “Your direction is more important than your speed.”

I want to modify the quote too “Your direction is more important than the effort you put in.”

If you’re in the wrong direction, it’s pointless to make the effort to reach the destination as the destination is not what you wanted!

Cultivate mental and emotional agility to navigate unexpected changes.

When faced with a sudden career setback, don’t just rush into the next opportunity.

Instead, take time to reassess your skills and pivot strategically.

Flexibility outperforms raw speed in the long run.

Continuous Practice Yields Improvement

Consistent training in badminton leads to mastery, mirroring the power of habits in personal development.

This philosophy is the same as the quote from James Clear “If you improve by 1% every day, within a year you’ll have improved by 365%.”

In other words, if you improve by 1% every day. In just 90 days, you’re 3 times as good!

Dedicate time daily to honing your skills, whether personal or professional.

Small, consistent efforts compound into remarkable results.

Teamwork Amplifies Success

Effective communication and trust with your partner are essential for victory in doubles.

This mirrors the importance of collaboration in professional and personal life.

Develop clear communication channels and learn to leverage each team member’s strengths.

A startup co-founding team that clearly defined roles and maintained open dialogue navigated early challenges more effectively, leading to rapid growth and securing crucial funding.

Synergy with others multiplies individual potential.

Mental Toughness Is a Game-Changer

Maintaining composure under pressure is as crucial in badminton as it is in life’s high-stakes moments.

Build mental resilience through mindfulness practices and positive self-talk.

For instance, in a recent match, the Malaysian badminton team was trailing 16–20 in the final game. They mentally reset, treating it as if they were starting fresh with a new strategy.

This mental reset allowed them to stage a remarkable comeback, winning the game 22–20 and earning bronze medals at the Paris 2024 tournament.

⚡ Actionable Advice

1. Focus on Precision: Prioritize accuracy over speed in your work. Break tasks into manageable steps to ensure quality outcomes.

2. Develop Mental Toughness: Practice mindfulness and positive thinking to stay calm under pressure and turn setbacks into opportunities.

3. Embrace Agility: Adapt quickly to changing circumstances. Reassess your direction before taking action to ensure your efforts align with your goals.

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Awaken The Giant Within by Tony Robbins is a transformative guide that empowers readers to take control of their emotions, finances, relationships, and life.

I know the title may seem cliché, but this book truly opened my eyes. Tony provides profound yet simple techniques that anyone can use to reach their prime state.

Readers should care about this book because it offers actionable steps to break free from limiting beliefs, make lasting changes, and create a life of purpose and fulfilment.

Whether you’re seeking to improve your mindset, overcome challenges, or unlock your true potential, this book offers the tools to make it happen.

Here are 10 quotes that I found intriguing and worth sharing with you:

#1

In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.

#2

Everything that happens in your life — both what you’re thrilled with and what you’re challenged by — begins with a decision. I believe that it’s in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped. The decisions that you’re making right now, every day, will shape how you feel today as well as who you’re going to become in the nineties and beyond.

Think of every moment in your life as a fork in the road — every choice, big or small, is like steering the direction of your life.

Whether you’re feeling on top of the world or dealing with tough times, it all traces back to the decisions you make.

Tony Robbins is saying that the choices you make today don’t just affect how you feel now; they’re also laying the groundwork for your future.

So, when you decide, you’re not just making a choice for the moment — you’re shaping who you’re going to be in the years to come.

#3

three decisions that we all control each moment of our lives: what to focus on, what things mean, and what to do in spite of the challenges that may appear to limit us.

Alright, here’s how I’d break that down: Every moment, you have three choices that are totally in your control.

First, you decide what to focus on — whether it’s something positive, negative, or neutral.

Second, you choose what that thing means to you — is it a problem, an opportunity, or just something that happens?

Lastly, you get to decide what action to take, even when things seem tough.

These decisions shape your life, so if you make them wisely, you’ll move in the direction you want to go, no matter what challenges come your way.

#4

If you don’t set a baseline standard for what you’ll accept in your life, you’ll find it’s easy to slip into behaviours and attitudes or a quality of life that’s far below what you deserve. You need to set and live by these standards no matter what happens in your life.

Imagine your life is like building a house. If you don’t decide what quality materials you’ll use, you might end up with a weak foundation or walls that easily crumble.

This quote is saying that if you don’t decide what the minimum quality of life or behaviour you’ll accept, you might start accepting less than what you truly deserve.

It’s like letting bad habits or negative attitudes creep in, which can bring down your overall happiness and success.

For example, if you don’t set a standard to always treat yourself and others with respect, you might find yourself in toxic relationships or jobs that drain you.

So, set clear standards for yourself and stick to them, no matter what challenges come your way. This will help you live a life that aligns with your true worth.

#5

Everything you and I do, we do either out of our need to avoid pain or our desire to gain pleasure.

#6

The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you’re in control of your life. If you don’t, life controls you.

Success comes from mastering how you handle pain and pleasure. Instead of letting pain or pleasure dictate your actions, you should learn to use them to your advantage.

For example, if you use the discomfort of a tough workout as motivation to get fit, or if you harness the joy of achieving small goals to drive you forward, you’re taking control of your life.

But if you let the fear of pain stop you from pursuing your goals or let temporary pleasures distract you from your long-term objectives, then life ends up controlling you.

In essence, it’s about directing your responses to life’s ups and downs, rather than letting them steer you.

#7

It’s not actual pain that drives us, but our fear that something will lead to pain. And it’s not actual pleasure that drives us, but our belief — our sense of certainty — that somehow taking a certain action will lead to pleasure. We’re not driven by the reality, but by our perception of reality.

Think of it this way: We’re not really motivated by pain itself, but by our fear that something will hurt us.

For example, if you’re scared of failing at a new job, it’s not the actual failure that’s driving you to avoid it, but your fear of how bad it could be.

On the flip side, we’re not motivated by pleasure alone either. Instead, it’s our belief that doing something will bring us happiness that pushes us to act.

So, if you believe that starting a new hobby will make you happier, it’s that belief, not just the idea of the hobby, that drives you.

Basically, it’s our perception of what might happen, not the reality itself, that influences our actions.

#7

If you ever wonder why people do what they do, again, you need to remember that human beings are not random creatures: all of our actions are the result of our beliefs. Whatever we do, it is out of our conscious or unconscious beliefs about what will lead to pleasure or away from pain.

In simple terms, Tony Robbins is saying that everything people do is based on their beliefs about what will make them happy or avoid discomfort.

For example, if someone chooses to work long hours, it might be because they believe it will bring them more financial security (pleasure) or keep them from feeling anxious about their future (pain).

So, whether people realize it or not, their actions are guided by their beliefs about how to achieve pleasure or avoid pain.

#8

Anytime you have difficulty making an important decision, you can be sure that it’s the result of being unclear about your values.

When you’re struggling to make a big decision, it usually means you’re not sure what matters most to you.

Think of it like this: if you’re trying to choose between two jobs, but you’re confused, it might be because you’re unclear about what you value more — career growth or work-life balance.

If you can clearly identify your core values, it becomes easier to see which option aligns with them.

So, getting clear on what you truly value helps you make decisions that are right for you.

#9

We don’t have to feel negative about weeds. They’re a part of life. We need to see them, acknowledge them, focus on the solution, and immediately do whatever it takes to eliminate their influence from our lives.

Imagine weeds in a garden. They’re like the problems and challenges in our lives.

Instead of getting frustrated or feeling bad about them, we need to recognize that they’re just part of the landscape.

The key is to see them, deal with them head-on, and then focus on removing them so they don’t take over.

For example, if you’re dealing with a setback at work, don’t dwell on the frustration.

Identify what’s going wrong, take steps to fix it, and shift your focus to improving the situation and moving forward.

#10

Whatever you hold in your mind on a consistent basis is exactly what you will experience in your life.

What Tony Robbins is saying here is that your thoughts shape your reality. If you constantly think about something — whether it’s good or bad — it’s going to influence how you feel, how you act, and eventually what happens in your life.

For example, if you always focus on your problems, you’ll keep finding more problems because that’s where your mind is stuck.

On the other hand, if you consistently think about solutions and positive outcomes, you’ll start seeing opportunities and take actions that lead to better results.

It’s like planting seeds: whatever you plant in your mind will grow in your life.

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Have you ever found yourself struggling to remember what you’ve learned? If you’re anything like me, the answer is probably yes.

Whether it’s trying to recall details from a book, a lecture, or even a YouTube video, the challenge of retaining information can feel overwhelming.

For a long time, I wrestled with this frustration — until I discovered a game-changing tool: ChatGPT.

Now, I have to be upfront: I didn’t figure out these techniques all on my own.

I owe a lot of my newfound learning strategies to an incredible YouTuber named Bri Does AI.

In one of her videos (which you can check out here), she dives deep into how she uses ChatGPT to enhance her memory retention.

Inspired by her methods, I started experimenting with ChatGPT myself, and the results have been nothing short of transformative.

The Struggle with Retention

In the past, my learning process was a lot like filling a leaky bucket. I would pour in information, only to watch it slowly seep away.

No matter how many notes I took or how many times I reread my textbooks, the knowledge just wouldn’t stick.

I knew I needed a new approach, something that would help me not just understand but truly retain what I learned.

That’s when I decided to take Bri’s advice and experiment with ChatGPT myself.

I made some adjustments to her original prompts by incorporating personas, context, and specific tasks, which helped make the prompts even more effective.

Flashcard Companion

Another effective method for improving retention is using flashcards for review.

This approach is especially beneficial for students who want to thoroughly go over the notes they’ve taken.

I’ve found it particularly helpful to create flashcards based on my own notes.

Create at least 20 flashcards from my notes below in question-and-answer format. Make sure that the answers are in point form and that the flashcards cover ALL the content in my notes.

My notes:

[insert notes]

Discovering Spaced Repetition

One of the first techniques I tried, thanks to Bri, was spaced repetition.

If you haven’t heard of it, spaced repetition is a method where you review information at increasing intervals over time.

It’s like flexing a memory muscle — the more you revisit something, the stronger your recall becomes.

To implement this, I asked ChatGPT for help in creating a study schedule that utilizes spaced repetition.

For example, after learning something new, I would review it the next day, then three days later, then a week later, and so on.

The result? I found that information I would have forgotten in days now stayed with me for weeks, even months.

The prompts I used:

First prompt,

I want you to act as an [industry expert] who really has a great understanding of the [insert topic], can you create a study schedule for learning about [the topic] while utilizing the spaced repetition technique? Please state when I should review the material at increasing intervals over 12 weeks.

Second prompt,

I am currently king a history class on the [insert topic] and have a test in 4 weeks. Could you please quiz me on the subject and then based on the answers I got right and wrong, use the spaced repetition method to tell me when I should review the material to prepare for my test?

Teaching to Learn: The Feynman Technique

Another powerful method I discovered is the Feynman Technique.

Named after the brilliant physicist Richard Feynman, this technique involves explaining a concept in the simplest terms possible, as if teaching it to a child.

To make this more engaging, I set up a prompt in ChatGPT where I became the teacher and it played the role of a curious five-year-old.

I would explain a topic — say, quantum mechanics — in the simplest language I could muster, and ChatGPT, as my “student,” would ask questions.

The process forced me to confront gaps in my understanding and helped me solidify the concepts in my mind.

If I couldn’t explain something simple, I realized I didn’t understand it well enough, prompting me to revisit the material until I could.

The prompt I used:

You are a five-year-old who loves to ask questions and tell me when you are confused. I am explaining a topic to you and am trying to utilize the Feynman technique to explain the topic that I’m learning to you in a simplified way. Please act like a five-year-old ask me questions, and wait for me to respond. Also, please state if I explain something wrong and correct me. The topic is [insert topic].

Making Learning Fun: Rephrasing and Character Teaching

The journey didn’t stop there. I also found value in rephrasing, where I would write out everything I knew about a topic and then ask ChatGPT to analyze my explanation and suggest improvements.

This helped refine my understanding and catch any mistakes or ambiguities in my reasoning.

The prompt:

Here’s my knowledge of [insert topic] in my own words. I want you to act as an expert of [insert topic] who has more than 20 years of experience, could you analyze and suggest improvements, and point out gaps in my knowledge?

But perhaps the most fun technique I stumbled upon was assigning ChatGPT a fictional character and asking it to teach me from that character’s perspective.

Interestingly, this is similar to a feature offered by another AI tool called Forefront — definitely worth checking out if you’re curious!

Imagine learning about stoicism from the viewpoint of Seneca or Marcus Aurelius — it turns the learning experience into an adventure, making it more memorable and engaging.

The prompt:

I want you to act as [insert character], tell me about [insert relevant topic] and how can I use it in my life?

Storytelling and the Memory Palace

When it comes to memorization, storytelling is king.

I asked ChatGPT to turn complex information into short stories, weaving facts into a narrative that was easy to remember.

Here is an example of the prompt:

I want you to act as an expert in biology, can you create a short story on human organs where the organs are having a party? Describe the role of each organ plays in the party set up.

Additionally, inspired by Sherlock Holmes, I tried the Memory Palace technique.

I would mentally associate pieces of information with specific locations in a familiar setting, like rooms in my house.

As I “walked” through these locations in my mind, the information came back to me effortlessly.

The prompt:

Let’s create a memory palace for [insert topic]. I’ll start with [location].

A New Way of Learning

By integrating these techniques into my study routine, I noticed a remarkable improvement in my ability to retain information.

Details about stoicism, which once blurred together in my mind, became clear and distinct.

ChatGPT transformed from a simple tool into a powerful ally in my learning journey.

As I reflect on these experiences, I can confidently say that using ChatGPT has been a turning point in how I approach learning.

Whether you’re a student, a lifelong learner, or someone who simply enjoys expanding your knowledge, these techniques can help you retain what you learn in a more meaningful way.

Share your interesting, creative, or useful ChatGPT prompts in the comments below — I’d love to see what you’ve got!

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