“Yeah wei, we’ll make sure we’ll prove them wrong in their face!” Daryl responded.
We were walking up the pedestrian bridge over to uptown as we were having a conversation about how rich we were gonna get, thinking about earning Rm60k in our first month and then subsequently our first million in less than a year by the age of 17 thrilled us beyond words.
Everything seem so promising, the business set up, the people we’re working with, the office and the compensation plan. We thought we were on the right track, money and fame await us as we were told to not only traditionally work hard, but to work smart too. We just got to buy their products and then expand your network, and these people will be earning money for you while you shake your leg at home eating roti canai. (okay this is random)And that night, we were walking to their “mini” office for our usual meeting.
They were also keeping the hype by repeating the upcoming news of moving into a huge office at Berjaya Times Square and having a grand opening right at the entrance at the ground floor. We were thinking if this is a scam, it wouldn’t be this big!
True enough, it wasn’t a scam. But we still didn’t make it.
Reason? We realized it’s more than just the business, the key to “MLM” (Multi level marketing) was the network. It’s the people in the business that matters ultimately. Regardless of how much their pay out is, how great their product could be, the business can’t go far without great team leaders and team mates spurring and working together.
We emptied all our bank account, Daryl got into quite a debt. We ended with nothing. But that didn’t break our spirit. Figures like Ray Kroc (The father of franchising & the person who made McDonalds the fastfood icon today), Howard Schultz (The person who made Starbucks the icon of coffee today), Sam Walton (Founder of Walmart, the largest and most powerful hypermarket in the world) inspired us to go on .Al l their stories come with the similar tale, never give up. Trust me, they all tried very hard and failed so many times to reach wherever they are today.
We knew it ourselves, inspiration alone won’t get you there, with aspiration, you would. Or so we thought.
We tried from researching our own recipes to sell high end biscuits, branding it as “Irisdae”, to opening our own float store right in front of our secondary school to learn things from scratch, and ultimately “ESPGL.com” the online gaming community for the famous game, Call of Duty 4.
We sweat it out, we spent our money, we had countless sleepless nights, we were mocked, laughed, ridiculed by our friends and even relatives. But that only made us stronger, we wanted to proved them wrong even harder. But, eventually it all came to an end. (There are many reasons why but let’s not dwell on that now)Because through it all, we knew deep down we have left God far, far, far, far, far, far away in a place that we will never visit again. But God loved me so much, that He couldn’t bear to see me go any further and He had to take the rod and tell me, “it’s enough, don’t be foolish any longer.”
Through the adventure, I’ve upset my parents countless times, embarrassed them to their other relatives whenever they asked what we were doing, never finished my studies properly thinking that I would be earning millions anyway, so does the certificate even matter?
I’ve also lost my girlfriend whom I loved so deeply over 4 years because I was just too busy trying to keep the business going.Made so many empty promises to so many people, building false hope and broken dreams. We also made plenty of enemies in the process.
And then God helped me realized, I’m really starting to lose it all.
You know what’s the best part? He told me this.
“And yet, I still Love you.”
Despite all the things I’ve done against everyone and most of all to Him. Despite how much I should deserve to be left somewhere to be labeled as a “failure” and a “very selfish person”. Despite how arrogant I thought I knew how life should be lived and God can stay out of it, He was always there waiting and waiting, just bearing it all watching His own child going deeper into darkness.
Why this story? Well I was watching “The Social Network” the other night and seeing how “Mark Zuckerberg” found Facebook and becoming the youngest billionaire and also entering into Time’s magazine. It reminded of those days, if God hadn’t showed me the way of life, he would have been my next biggest inspiration, my biggest hero maybe.
But today, I watch the show and thought to myself “oh okay, so this is how facebook was found, it’s good to know =) “That’s it. It only meant that much to me, or should I say, “little”?
Because to everyone in this world, who can be compared to our Almighty Loving God? I’m already His precious child, should I need to achieve fame and fortune? What could mean more than living eternal life? =)
“You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all
I'm seeking You like a precious jewel
Lord, to give up I'd be a fool
You are my all in all
Jesus, Lamb of God
Holy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Holy is Your name
Taking my cross my sin my shame
Raising again I praise Your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down You pick me up
When I run dry You fill my cup
You are my all in all”
-Gary Heng
Images were taken from
http://malaysia-cuti.com/
http://www.hdap.com/professional.html
http://halo2and34u.com/call_of_duty_4.aspx
http://www.documentic.com/diploma/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/6196827/Facebook-faces-Arab-boycott-for-putting-the-Golan-Heights-in-Israel.html
http://www.kandle.ie/2008/09/17/the-cross-a-sign-of-hope/
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