Francis Kong shows students the way to success: 'Be passionate and remarkable'

Francis Kong shows students the way to success: 'Be passionate and remarkable'

By YVETTE TANOctober 12, 2012 12:30pm

“There was a time when doing business was easy. All one needed was a roadmap, a business strategy plan,” so said motivational speaker Francis Kong recently before students of Enderun Colleges.

But that was before the advent of the Internet, when a good business strategy guaranteed success. Kong cited Henry Ford, who introduced the assembly line to the automotive industry, as an example.

Nowadays, a roadmap isn’t enough, said Kong, because a roadmap “is only effective if the terrain is familiar and the geography doesn’t change.” To be a successful businessperson today, one also needs a compass, “to navigate through different terrain.”

A well-known inspirational speaker and corporate trainer, with some of the country’s top companies and businessmen as his clients, Kong had the audience listening raptly as he gave tips on succeeding in today’s entrepreneurial landscape. 

An entrepreneur’s compass, Kong said, are his values. “[Acquiring] skills are easy but sometimes, values and philosophy are challenging.” This is where passion comes in.

Kong cited three men whose visions changed the world: Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Steve Jobs. Ford revolutionized the automotive industry by implementing the factory line. Edison changed the world through his inventions, which include the lightbulb, and Jobs created an iconic brand that is a leader in its industry. 

Kong pointed out the difference between succeeding during Edison’s era and Job’s time, which is now. “Thomas Edison, who himself is hailed as a genius, famously said, ‘Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. Accordingly, a genius is often merely a talented person who has done his or her homework,’” Kong said. “Steve Jobs, meanwhile, said, ‘And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.’”

Be remarkable

While both Edison and Jobs were workaholics, the difference, said Kong, is that Jobs wasn’t just an inventor, he was a visionary. He wasn’t just irreplaceable, he was remarkable.

The difference, Kong said, is that a remarkable person makes waves. A remarkable person inspires people to do good things. For most people, remarkability isn’t a goal, it’s a byproduct of their passion. 

Kong offered three ways for people, especially the youth, to work toward remarkability.

The first is never stop learning. Graduating from school does not mean an end to learning. The world is always moving forward, with new discoveries being made and new things being invented. In an age where information is fast acquired, you can’t afford to be left behind.

Next is attitude management. Kong said, “If you hate your professor now, just wait until your two masters: your boss and your mother-in-law.” Professionalism is important, because “how can you manage your business properly if you can’t manage your own attitude?” 

And lastly, Kong reminded the audience that “Your life is special, you are unique, there is no one else like you.”

“You are in control. Don’t let other people control your lives for you,” Kong said. You may not be able to choose your circumstances, but you can choose how you respond to them. You may not be able to choose your family, but you can choose your friends. Kong added that “winners are always in the company of winners,” and that you should “be careful of the company you keep.” Hang out with achievers and you will be pressured to do good as well.

Kong said that “the number one fun in the Philippines are the people.” Filipinos are creative, relational, and know how to insert fun into any situation. These are natural resources that we should be tapping into.

In today’s climate, where job security is fast becoming a thing of the past, people are relying more and more on their passions to fulfill their life goals. Though it was aimed at students about to set foot in the real world, the points Kong made can be applied to everyone, whether entrepreneur or employee.
–KG, GMA News