10 Laws of Lifetime Growth

Rori liked our going into serious stuff once in a while. He particularly enjoyed reading "Neoteny" by Ed de la Torre. Ed Canela's post of a short film from the You Tube answers this need, too. I felt quite depressed after watching it.

Here's another one from Ed de la Torre's blog that I'm sure Rori will like. I hope the others will love reading it, too. I'm sure we will all get something from the author's wisdom and from Ed's own reflections. Shall we all try to follow these Laws?

10 Laws of Lifetime Growth
Edicio de la Torre
Posted in his blogsite August 17, 2007

Typhoon Egay’s rain kept our whole household indoors today. Had some time to clean up the files on my hard disk and flash disk.

Re-read a file on the 10 Laws of Lifetime Growth. I think it was December 2006 when I browsed through a section of National Bookstore in Makati and saw the catchy title Laws of Lifetime Growth. It was small and slim book, so the 1300 peso price tag was a turn off.
I did not have enough money to buy the book, but I had time to speed-read it. I read enough to quote my favorite “laws” to various audiences, but could never recall all the 10 laws.

Later, I downloaded the complete list of 10 from Dan Sullivan’s website. Here they are:

1. Always make your future bigger than your past.

2. Always make your learning greater than your experience.

3. Always make your contribution bigger than your reward.

4. Always make your performance greater than your applause.

5. Always make your gratitude greater than your success.

6. Always make your enjoyment greater than your effort.

7. Always make your cooperation greater than your status.

8. Always make your confidence greater than your comfort.

9. Always make your purpose greater than your money.

10. Always make your questions bigger than your answers.

My immediate reaction to the first law was “You’re telling this to a 63 year old going on 64?” But the idea does spur one to continue growing.

A Maori leader I met at a conference in Changmai also found the first law challenging. She said the problem with her people is that they may be dwelling too much on their past, driven by the need to assert and celebrate their tradition and history. “We should spend more energy in imagining and creating a bigger future.”

Whenever I find such interesting lists of aphorisms, I ask myself what could be useful to the grassroots leaders with whom I work.

Since I had a bit of time, I decided to translate the 10 Laws into Filipino.

It took longer than I expected, and am still not satisfied with the results. It’s not just a matter of capturing the meaning, but of comparable sensibility and tone. The Italians have an apt saying about the perils of translation - Traduttore, tradittore. A translator is a traitor.

Anyway, here are the 10 laws in Filipino. I hope my first effort inspires others to take a shot at doing it better:

1. Gawing higit pa ang iyong bukas kaysa sa iyong nakalipas.

2. Gawing higit pa ang iyong natutunan kaysa sa iyong naranasan.

3. Gawing higit pa ang iyong iniambag kaysa sa gantimpalang tinanggap.

4. Gawing higit pa ang iyong pagtatanghal kaysa sa inaasahang palakpak.

5. Gawing higit pa ang iyong pasasalamat kaysa sa natamong tagumpay.

6. Gawing higit pa ang iyong ligaya kaysa sa ibinuhos na pagsisikap.

7. Gawing higit pa ang iyong pakikipagtulungan kaysa sa iyong katayuan.

8. Gawing higit pa ang tiwala sa sarili kaysa sa lagi mo nang gawi.

9. Gawing higit pa ang iyong adhikain kaysa sa yamang iyong angkin.

10. Gawing higit pa ang iyong mga tanong kaysa sa alam mong mga sagot.