When I was in grade school, my parents wouldn’t give me allowance for summer. No school meant no cash, and I liked having cash. We struck a deal, I would work part time to earn money. My first job was interning for my grandfather. I would do boring office work like photocopying, filling brown envelopes, and cleaning the office.

My first real job was as a service attendant in Jollibee downtown Cebu. It was the biggest Jollibee in the Visayas. That job kicked my ass. We were taking out the trash, getting orders, cleaning tables, and dealing with irate costumers. Some of those costumers were assholes. That was a rough job.

It made me realize the importance of doing what I loved. But first I needed to answer the question, “How?”

If you find something you truly love, you will naturally spend all your extra time and energy on it. You will have conversations about it. It will ruminate in your head. Ideas will pop up that will help your idea move forward. You will effortlessly work on it because it is what you love to do.

So what’s the first step of doing what you love?

1 — Figure out what you love to do

Some of us were lucky enough to know at an early age what we wanted to do. My sister has wanted to be a lawyer ever since she was in grade school. The path was clear for her.

I, on the other hand, had no idea. As I was growing up my passions changed. When I was younger, I enjoyed reading comic books, then I started learning the guitar, then I dabbled in music recording, then I got my first camera, and even took a stab at video production. Then we started Zerothreetwo.com and it forced me to learn how to write. Now, I’m producing a podcast.

If like me, you don’t know, then try different things till you find it.

It is possible to find the passion and love in whatever it is you do. I was listening to a podcast interview of Mike Rowe, the Dirty jobs guy. He said that we need to turn the idea of finding your passion or your dream job around. Instead of hopping from one job to the next, it’s possible to find passion in whatever it is you are doing right now.

Mike Rowe’s show Dirty Jobs was all about people who did honest to goodness hard work. He would visit them in their work space and get a taste of what they were doing. You would think some of these “dirty” jobs had some of the most apathetic workers, but Mike Rowe saw the opposite. He saw people finding passion in their jobs, regardless of what they were doing. Could you find someone with a passion to be a a sewer inspector? Mike Rowe did. In his interview with Tim Ferriss, he talks about finding passion in whatever it is you do.

Whatever it is you decide to do, find the passion and love in it.

2 — Get good

Perhaps this is the easiest part to explain, but the most difficult part to do. Get good. How? You can read about it, learn as much as you can about it, think about it, look at the basics, but the easiest simplest way to get good is to do it.

Just do it. Do it as much as you can.

When I was learning to play guitar, I spent hours in front of a computer listening to music with the guitar on my lap. I looked at scales and practiced. I bought guitar books to teach me exercises. I looked for friends who wanted to start a band. Then we practiced as often as we could. Somewhere along the way, we would get gigs.

The first gig I ever played was in a birthday party. It was my birthday. We borrowed all the musical equipment, invited friends over, and played music. We didn’t sound good. We didn’t care. It was fun.

Over time, I started getting better. After years and years of practice, I got to a point where I was pretty good. I was a decent player. We started another band with my best friends and played all over the city.

Don’t worry about failing, looking bad, or plain old sucking. That’s just part of the process.

If you find passion in your work, you will find ways to become better at it.

3 — Don’t quit your day job

If you want to do what you love for fun, then great. Just keep doing it when you find time.

I love playing basketball. I’m never going to make it to the PBA, but I find ways to fit it in my weekly routine.

But if you hope to one day do what you love as an occupation, you are going to need to put in the work.

I’m not exactly sure where I got this quote, but here’s a favorite.

“It’s not what you do in your 9 to 5. It’s what you do from 5 to 9.”

When starting out, you will need to find a way to live. If you have parents who will take care of your day to day expenses and help you towards your dream, use that to your advantage. That just means you’ve got an extra ten hours a day to work on your dreams.

Not everyone has that luxury. If you have bills to pay, rent at the end of the month, and food to buy, don’t quit your day job. You need to find ways to keep yourself alive and well. But this means, you need to work twice as hard and sacrifice your leisure time.

No more night outs with friends, no more hours of video games, no more endlessly scrolling social media, no more binge watching Netflix, no more leisure.

That’s where you get the time to do what you love and live at the same time.

Plenty of creatives have kept a day job long after they started doing creative work. Some never quit their day job, but there are a few who have been able to replace their salaries with cash flow from their creative work.

If you have a job that pays 12k a month, don’t quit till your passion brings in the same or more. It’s that simple. If you can’t figure out how to make your passion pay as much as an entry level job, you need to rethink what it is you’re doing. Maybe you need to get better, maybe that thing you do doesn’t have any commercial value.

If it doesn’t have any commercial value, that’s totally fine. I love playing basketball. I try to play as much as my body will let me. Do I expect to make a PBA team any time soon? Of course not. But that doesn’t stop me from playing. I’m still doing what I love.

There’s no reason you can’t do the same thing. If it is something you love, you don’t need to make it a business, you don’t need to make it your livelihood.

But if you do, get ready to put in the hours.

4 — Plan

The worst thing you can do is quit your day job and hope someone pays you for the creative thing you love doing.

Take some time to sit down and plan.

But don’t take too long. There’s also such a thing as too much planning. Plan enough to know where you want to go, but at the same time be flexible enough to recover if things don’t go as planned.

“Everyone has a plan ’till they get punched in the mouth.” — Mike Tyson

Because everyone at some point gets punched in the mouth. So be flexible.

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself so you can plan accordingly:

4.1 — what are your goals?

4.2 — what does success look like?

4.3 — what can you realistically do?

4.4 — how do I get there?

Goals differ, but at the same time, our goals are usually simple.

If your goal is to be the richest person out there, then you have a long road ahead of you. You’ll need to get lucky, learn a shit ton, and work your ass off.

If your goal is to play video games all day, here’s a step by step suggestion. (1) Don’t quit your day job. (2) Play video games every waking hour away from your job. (3) Stream it on Twitch, post it on YouTube. (4) Become an expert, watch what other streamers/gamers do and learn from them. (5) Continue till you get paid more for playing video games than your day job. If it never happens, you are still playing video games for hours a day. Not a bad worst case scenario.

Focus on the goal. Be specific. Then reverse engineer how you can get there.

5- Work really really really hard

If doing what you love were easy, then everyone would be doing it. The truth is that doing what you love is incredibly difficult. It means sacrificing on leisure. It means saying no to friends. It means rejection after rejection after rejection. It means feeling useless and incapable. It means feeling not good enough. It’s hard.

The only remedy is to work through it. How hard you work is the only variable that you can control. You can’t control if people follow you, if people buy from you, if people even like you. But here’s the upside of working really really really hard, eventually you get good.

That’s why starting with passion is important. If you aren’t passionate about what you are doing, you won’t find the motivation to put in the work. And it takes a lot of work to become good.

Who are the people you look up to? The ones who have become successful doing what they love? What do you see? Most of us only see the finished product. We don’t see the hours and hours of practice, of failure, of rejection, of pain, of work, of heart ache.

So much goes into becoming good, but the main ingredient is hard work.

“Be so good they can’t ignore you.” — Steve Martin

6 — Get lucky

Would you rather be lucky or good?

You might have come across this question before. The answer to me seems obvious. I’d rather be good because luck favors the prepared.

Of course, a little extra luck can’t hurt.

Good luck.

PS — If you want to hear from people who are doing what they love, I recently started a podcast called Zerothreetwo Conversations. It is full of interviews with people doing what they love. Give it a listen.

*Header Photo by Seth Doyle on Unsplash

If you want to hear more from me, I publish a weekly newsletter called Monday Musings — a set of recommends and thoughts I had that week, subscribe here. Or follow me on instagram @sobermusings.

Originally published at zerothreetwo.com on April 19, 2018.

Every now and then, a buzz can be heard all around Cebu. Sometimes, it’s about a new mall opening, a popular movie, a weird scandal, or in this case, the presence of otherwise distant animals on our shores.

“Welcome to the wild.”

We were excited for our visit to the Cebu Safari and Adventure Park. The prospect of showing breathing animals to our two year old was enough to brave the two hour drive up North to Barangay Corte, Carmen (about 50 kilometers from Cebu City).

Before the trip, we were warned that the park was still on soft opening. Not all the animals were ready to be shown, there were parts of the park that were under construction, and processes were being worked out.

But despite this, Cebu Safari and Adventure Park still had plenty to be excited about. It’s one of the largest safari parks in Asia at 170 hectares. It is home to about a thousand animals from a hundred species from all over the world.

If anything, the soft opening showed a glimpse of what the park could become. World renowned perhaps? An international tourist destination? There was talk of more animals to be housed in the park, as well as rides like a zip line, a hotel, and we even saw an unfinished amphitheater for animal shows. I found myself day dreaming about the possibilities. After all, I only wish the best for my beloved Cebu and this park could be one of the things that puts it on the map.

We paid 800 pesos per person and the little kiddo got 50% off. Rates are likely to increase as the park adds more facilities and becomes more popular. While waiting, I overheard a couple comparing the entrance fee of the Singapore Zoo to the Cebu Safari and Adventure Park. “Mas sulit ni,” they said.

As of this writing, the park is only open on weekends. For reservations, you’ll need to email sales@cebusafari.ph or contact 0995 835 3460.

The wild?

In the Cebu Safari and Adventure Park, there are no small display cages. This gives the animals a chance to move around instead of sit still. This was particularly true in the case of the Celebes Crested Macaques. They were jumping, running and pushing each other all over the place, monkeying around. There was one instance when two Macaques were sitting on top of a cut log. As we were watching, they quickly embraced and closed their eyes. As soon as someone said, “Ka cute!” they jumped down and scurried along.

I had a proud dad moment when the little kiddo, normally averse to new things like touching cute furry animals like a harmless donkey, was game to feed the Blue-and-yellow Macaw. We bought a feeding tray and slowly walked towards their area. The Macaw was as close to my son as any animal I’ve ever seen. He didn’t panic, he was nervous though, at some point he stopped looking at the Macaw as it was feeding, but he never let go. Fortunately, the Macaw didn’t poop on us.

There were many opportunities to interact with the animals. For more harmless animals like the Capybara, the world’s largest rodent, there were walkways that crossed through their space. This gave onlookers the ability to touch them if they allowed us to. Fortunately, the Capybara seems so much cuter and cleaner than our ordinary house rodent.

When I was a kid, my favorite animal was the cheetah. I was excited to learn that they housed a few cheetahs.

Unfortunately, these were one of the few animals with a smaller space. As much as I would have loved to see these beautiful cats running full speed in the grasslands of Africa, they can go as fast as 120 km/h, I understand that having them around means limiting their space. Still, it was an experience to see them up close.

Anyone with a kid knows that Giraffes are a highlight. There’s no animal that looks quite like it, tall with beautiful skin patterns, and let’s be honest, their faces are a little funny looking. We caught them just as they started feeding on greens. That’s when it happened, it stuck its long tongue out to get a taste. Turns out, their tongues measure 18–20 inches long.

There were a bevy of small animals to look at as well. When we were having our lunch in one of the restaurants, we were right next to a space filled with Meerkats. Astute observers might remember Timon in the animated hit, The Lion King, he was a Meerkat. Unfortunately, the Meerkats in Cebu Safari Adventure park weren’t singing Hakuna Matata, but they entertained as they ran around the dirt and whizzed through their many holes as we had our lunch right beside them.

While the Meerkats were on one side of the lunch area, an expansive lagoon filled with various birds were on the other. There were many birds ranging from ducks to swans to cranes. The little kiddo was excited, but he called all of them ducks. The smaller ones were baby ducks, while the bigger ones were mommy and daddy ducks. I was as clueless as the kiddo.

At this point, our little two year old had stayed up since 7am in the morning. His excitement kept him awake throughout the car ride and the whole safari. By mid afternoon, he was ready to sleep, but did his best to stay up. There was no way he was missing the Bengal Tigers. They were the last animal we visited. I had seen tigers before, but they were always motionless. We were lucky to catch them right after they were released from their holding areas. Three of them, one male and two females, were walking around their space with regularity.

Come back?

Only time will tell if Cebu can sustain this ambitious concept. This isn’t the first safari in the Philippines. The first one was the Calauit Safari Park in Palawan, famously started by Ferdinand Marcos. Time had taken its toll on the park. Mired with budget cuts, controversy, and unhappy workers, the Calauit Safari Park in Palawan is an example of the concept gone wrong.

Fortunately, the Cebu Safari and Adventure Park has a chance to be world class and become an international tourist destination. Can you imagine tourists from all over the world circling Cebu in the map? And one of the main attractions could be this park.

As they said, they are still in soft opening, but it is full of possibilities. In two years, I’m excited to bring kiddo number two there, just in time for when he can appreciate the animals.

By then, who knows what the park will look like?

Follow Cebu Safari and Adventure Park in Facebook.

If you want to hear more from me, I publish a weekly newsletter called Monday Musings — a set of recommends and thoughts I had that week, subscribe here. Or follow me on instagram @sobermusings.

Originally published at zerothreetwo.com on March 14, 2018.

When people learn that I commute via bicycle, the same questions pop up.

“Dili ba kuyaw? (Isn’t it scary?)” A little bit, there is no shortage of dash cam accidents that happen all over Cebu on the internet. “Dili ba init? (Isn’t it hot?)” This is the Philippines, so yes. “Dili ba abug? (Isn’t it dusty?)” Sometimes, but not as often as you think.

Biking as a commute around Cebu is not for everyone, but because of our traffic it might be the perfect option for you.

Despite the risks, cycling in Cebu is the mode of transportation that makes the most sense for how I want to live.

Physically, this is the best I’ve felt in ten years since exercise is neatly built into my day. It has given me more time, since I’m not stuck in traffic. And I feel better knowing that in my own little way, I’m helping decongest the streets of Cebu with one less car on the road.

Most of my rides are to coffee shops for meetings, trips to my office, the occasional exercise run, and a long ride once a week to Minglanilla. You might see me whizzing by the general vicinity of AS Fortuna, Banilad, Hernan Cortes, and Mandaue Highway.

I’ve cycled about a thousand kilometers around our city and I’ve got a few things to say about it.

Cebu is not a cycling city.

We could dream of one day having the infrastructure of cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdarm. Unfortunately, most of our streets don’t even have sidewalks, much less bicycle lanes.

Cycling in Cebu means braving the giant trucks, the wayward jeepneys, the unpredictable cars, the hefty tricycles, the speeding motorbikes, the numerous pedestrians and the occasional stray dog crossing the street.

These are all characters to contend with, and many of them are faster and bigger on the open road. But the open road in the city is difficult to find, which makes the bicycle one of the most agile and fastest options available.

When the traffic is at a standstill and even the motorcycles stop moving, the cyclist can find ways to continue moving forward.

As with any commuter, cyclists have a few bad apples too. I’ve even seen a few that have ignored red lights, biked through and merged with incoming traffic.

But there is no need to be reckless, even in the busiest intersections, cyclists can easily get off their bike and walk through the crossing along with all the other pedestrians.

Cyclists aren’t immune to traffic.

For the most part, the bicycle allows you to whizz by traffic, but there are roads that slow even the most agile commuter. Cars, trikes, and motorcycles can clog up small roads. Even with an agile bike, you’ll find yourself queuing just like everyone else.

The cars take up most of the real estate while the motorcycles block the cracks. Many times we’re all waiting for a truck to take a U-turn or park inside a small gate. This is notoriously true in Hernan Cortes.

Steer clear of long trucks and buses.

The most gruesome accidents happen when a cyclist gets too close to a truck or bus.

The first time I cycled beside one, I was surprised by the length of the truck. Then once we picked up speed, it was genuinely frightening because it felt like a vacuum was pushing me towards the wheels. It took extra effort and focus to stay straight.

Fortunately, if stuck in traffic, trucks and buses are the slowest vehicles on the road. On the open road however, they act like Speed Racer.

I stay away.

Watch out for drivers that suddenly veer towards the sidewalk.

When I was still new to cycling, there was an incident that made my blood boil. A jeepney overtook me and suddenly veered towards the side. It forced me to slowdown to avoid getting caught between him and the sidewalk.

The driver didn’t see me and I wanted him to know I was there. When the he stopped, I forced myself through the small gap between the jeepney and the sidewalk. As I passed the front, I slammed the passenger door and sneered at the driver. Then I cycled passed.

I realized right away this was a bad idea. Seconds later, the jeepney driver drove up beside me. “Unsa’y problema nimo? (What’s your problem?)” Then I shouted back, “Pataka rakag drive! (You suck at driving!)”

Road quality is lacking.

When the driving experience is bad, expect the cycling experience to be even worse. There are roads that I refuse to cycle on, North Reclamation is an example.

Those roads are due for plenty of repairs. They are filled with potholes, the drainage is lacking, and a layer of dust and smoke perpetually hover over the air.

Experiencing dust and smoke while cycling is a regular occurrence. Although it doesn’t happen as often as you would expect, as long as you stick to the right roads.

Fortunately, Cebu has its fair share of good for the cyclists.

Dooring doesn’t happen often.

One of the most common accidents a cyclist can experience is dooring. This happens when you bike beside a parked car, and the person inside the car opens the door without checking the side mirror to see if a motorcycle or a bicycle is about to go through.

When I first got my non-professional driver’s license, this was the first accident I got into.

I was dropping a friend off and the traffic was bad. It took us forever to reach his house. When we finally did, we didn’t bother to park. I just asked him to step out of the car so we wouldn’t waste more time in traffic. When he opened the door, a motorcyclist came flying through. I still remember seeing that guy tumble over the car as I was staring through the windshield.

Dooring doesn’t happen often in Cebu because most drivers are used to motorcycles in the city. Many of them make sure to look through the side mirror before opening the door. A lesson I learned on my first real day on the road.

Cycling in the city is much faster than driving a car.

One of my commutes involves a ride from Mandaue city to Minglanilla. That’s a twenty kilometer slog through traffic.

When I drive a car, it takes me about an hour and thirty minutes. On a rare good day, I could do it in an hour. More often than not, the trip has taken me two to three hours. This is especially true when there is a big event in Plaza Independencia.

On a bicycle, I do the trip in an hour and fifteen minutes. Even when I’m forced to pass the busy streets of Talisay and Mambaling instead of South Reclamation Property, the bicycle is consistently faster.

There are plenty of fun places to bike.

And you don’t need to go very far from the city. We have a beautiful city especially at five in the afternoon on a good clear day. The temperature will be just right, the sky will have a hue of purple, and depending on where you go, you can see all that stunning beauty.

My favorite places to bike through is on the side road beside the water on the South Reclamation Project (SRP), the road beside Il Corso. The headwind will force you to cycle slower, but having the water right there is a great feeling.

The other place I love is on the Cansaga Bay Bridge. You’ll need to push a little harder up the bridge, but when you get up there, the view is great, the wind feels wonderful, and the downhill portion will greet you at the other end of the bridge.

Other favorite spots, include gliding down AS Fortuna from Banilad when there aren’t many cars, Osmena Boulevard when there aren’t many cars, Mandaue Highway when there aren’t many cars… basically most roads when there aren’t many cars.

Fortunately, the cities can still change and they do.

We just don’t notice it because change is slow.

There’s so much our government can do to make this city better. But I decided to get on the bike because I didn’t want to wait. I didn’t want to wait for a better public transportation system, I didn’t want to wait for stricter road laws, I didn’t want to wait for them to get rid of the crappy drivers, I didn’t want to wait for the commuting experience in Cebu to become better.

Believe it or not, there are things we can do to change how we live. Cycling as a commute is the change that worked for me.

The truth is that the commuting experience in Cebu is bad. You didn’t need a blog post to tell you so. Thousands of Cebuanos go through it every day.

Traffic was the reason I started cycling. When I was stuck inside my car, my legs felt numb, my mind deteriorated, and I wasn’t happy.

Fortunately, something good can be had from bad experiences. The bad traffic allowed me to discover something I truly enjoy doing. I can’t imagine what it would be like if I couldn’t cycle anymore.

So in a way, I have to say thank you.

Thank you, Cebu traffic, for allowing me to discover the joys of cycling.

I hope one day we all stop complaining about you.

If you want to hear more from me, I publish a weekly newsletter called Monday Musings — a set of recommends and thoughts I had that week, subscribe here. Or follow me on instagram @sobermusings.

Originally published at zerothreetwo.com on February 20, 2018.

I love books, but I just can’t read. Going through a whole book without falling asleep after a few pages is a challenge for me. As early as a few years ago, I would average only a book a year. So I gave up on the whole endeavor.

Fortunately, I discovered Audible, it changed how I consume books. Every month, I download a new audio book and listen to it during my commute. It allows me to “read” a book once a month. Of course, it has its disadvantages, I can’t easily make notes, it’s difficult to do that when driving, retention is arguably less, and it’s difficult to reread passages, but I’ll take this over not reading a book any day.

Since I go through about twelve books a year, I decided to share my top six for 2017. Some of these books came out years ago. But that doesn’t make them any less relevant.

Here’s my six best books for 2017:

The Gift of Failure

Many things in life is learned as we go. When we grew up, we learned language through absorption and trial and error. We learned about the world by going to school and meeting other people. There are many things we can learn by just flying off the seat of our pants and winging it. But this is probably a bad idea when it comes to parenting. You can screw up a kid’s life without even trying. Fortunately, I had two great parents who gave me the autonomy to make mistakes.

The Gift of Failure is more than just allowing your kids the freedom to make mistakes. It’s about radically accepting failure into their lives. This is never more apparent in the book than when Jessica Lahey’s kid forgot to bring his homework to school. She was going there anyway and could have easily dropped it off in her kid’s class. But she after much deliberation, she decided against it. Risking bad grades, but knowing full well that there was a lesson to be learned.

Looking back, I appreciate the autonomy my parents gave me. I ended up with plenty of cuts and bruises, a few questionable decisions, and at least one good story to tell, but more importantly, I learned from my mistakes.

On some level, I knew the importance of allowing my kids to fail. I saw it first hand with some of my classmates. They had parents that could only be described as “helicopter parents”. Every little decision was scrutinized, every grade below “B” was a signal to panic. Some of these friends found ways to grow up and be functional human beings, but a few of them on some level still need the approval of their parents for them to go out of the house.

The Gift of Failure is a reminder to allow and perhaps even encourage my kids to fail.

The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed

Perennial Seller

When I was writing the post called These Books Taught Me How to Run a Business, I was reading Perennial Seller at the same time. Unfortunately, I published the post before I could finish the book. In retrospect, Perennial Seller deserves to be part of the list.

Perennial Seller is a book about creating and marketing work that stands the test of time. Which of course is something I try to do with Zerothreetwo, through the blog posts as well as the clothing. According to Ryan Holiday, Perennial Sellers aren’t flukes that just happen. Sure you could say a bit of luck might be involved, but after looking into it, products/work/companies/art that lasts a long time have certain characteristics in common. The book is all about what makes something a Perennial Seller.

Here’s a few notes about Perennial Sellers:

– The product needs to be great in the first place. It’s a prerequisite. How do you get a great product? Hard work, continuous iterations, editorial oversight, learning from the greats, testing testing testing.

– If you can’t explain your project in one simple sentence, then you need to redefine it. Fill in these blanks, “This is a _____ that does ______ for ______. This helps people _____.” Then move on to defining it one paragraph than one page. The clearer the better.

– To have works that last, you need great marketing. There are plenty of tools for marketing, but the most important will be to foster word of mouth. How do you do that?

– Get the product out there. Don’t underestimate the power of free. Giving away the work to people that matter creates traction and possible word of mouth.

– Price it as cheaply as possible without damaging the perception of the product.

– Create a platform. Kevin Kelly’s 1000 True Fans theory. “Platform: combination of the tools, relationships, access, and audience that you have to bear on spreading your creative work over the course of a career.”

– One of the easiest and best ways to build a platform is through an email list. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts

Stoner

Stoner is a surprising inclusion on this list because I read very little fiction and it is essentially an academic novel. The plot itself seems unremarkable at first glance. The book follows the life of William Stoner as he finds a career in academia, quickly gets married, battles with one of his students, has a whirlwind affair with a colleague, rediscovers his love for literature, and ultimately dies.

The time spent going about my daily life when I was reading this book, I found myself wondering what would happen next to William. The writing has a way of putting yourself in his shoes. There were parts of the book when I felt physical pain to what was happening to Stoner and other times when I couldn’t help but smile as I was listening to a wonderful passage.

Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that I enjoyed the book. In 2013, the New Yorker published a review for the book and titled it, “The Greatest American Novel You’ve Never Heard Of.”

A wonderful book to get yourself lost for a few days. I know it accompanied me well as I drove through our city streets. It made the traffic bearable. Even almost desirable so I could listen to the book more.

Almost.

Stoner

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life

Back in April 2017, I took a surf trip that lasted almost a week. When the trip ended, I found myself day dreaming about the experience for months. I longed to revisit the days on the shore just looking out on the waves. I knew it was going to be some time before I could do that again. Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life allowed me to day dream about what it would be like to go back out there.

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life is a memoir of William Finnegan, a political journalist, on his obsession with surfing. It chronicles his experience discovering surfing and how it impacted a huge part of his life. The book talks about his travels around the world, much of it dictated to looking for good waves. He devotes thousands of words describing in detail how a specific wave would hit the shore, how best to ride it, what to look out for, and the other people who dedicated their lives to surfing.

It’s impressive how he found the words to write pages and pages about surfing, even more so that he won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Biography for it. I’m not an expert in good writing, I just know how it made me feel as I read it. If my feelings of delight and wonder are any indication, the award was well deserved.

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life

Shoe Dog

This is the second time Shoe Dog will come out on a book list of mine. The first time was on a blog post called These Books Taught Me How to Run a Business. Here’s what I wrote:

“Let’s face it, plenty of business books are boring. Many of them explain the concepts, give examples, then reiterate the concepts again. One of the more entertaining ways to learn about business is through biographies. The Shoe Dog is a memoir by Nike Founder, Phil Knight. It’s a story about how a scrappy startup in the 70’s fought goliath, failed, thrived, and eventually won. Sometimes in our entrepreneur’s journey, we need stories like this to keep us going. The Trough of Sorrow is real. Knowing about the struggles of other entrepreneurs is important and gives us a sense that what we are going through is surmountable.

Key Concept:

Hire good people and let them do their jobs. It might seem obvious, but many businesses don’t take the necessary steps to hire good people. And when they do, they don’t allow them to do their jobs. Phil Knight’s story is as much a story about his crew in Nike. Without them, Nike wouldn’t be what it is today.”

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

Stephen King: On Writing

There’s so much to learn when focusing on a craft like writing. When I downloaded Stephen King: On Writing, I had never read any of his books, I just wanted to improve my writing. Who better to learn from than from one of the most prolific writers in history?

Fortunately, the book granted me with so much more than just tips on writing. Stephen King: On Writing was part memoir, part writing instruction. He explained many of his techniques by weaving in his personal experiences with the craft.

The most enjoyable parts of the book were about when he would delve into his personal life. I found myself liking the man more than I anticipated. I have yet to read another book of his, I just don’t read many fiction books. But his expertise and the help of the book is undeniable.

The book was filled with so much gold about writing. Fortunately, I found a site that listed Stephen King’s Top 20 Rules for Writers. But the book is so much more than just writing tips, it’s how a master in his craft came to be. Well worth the read for the inspiration alone.

Stephen King: On Writing — A Memoir of the Craft

What books impacted you for 2017?

PS — I’m currently reading Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. I suspect it deserves to be on my 2017 book list by the time I’m done. So I’ll give it a bonus mention here.

*Main photo by Glen Noble on Unsplash

If you want to hear more from me, I publish a weekly newsletter called Monday Musings — a set of recommends and thoughts I had that week, subscribe here. Or follow me on instagram @sobermusings.

Originally published at zerothreetwo.com on December 19, 2017.

Every place has its own particular way of life. Just like how every person is different, places are the same way. The particular mix of people and place make for a unique experience. Cebu is no exception. You haven’t lived here if you haven’t tried experiencing a few things.

To ensure the full Cebu experience, we’ve compiled a list of to do’s:

1. Slow down. If you are from a city with a faster pace, turn your speed down a notch. Cebu is known to have a laid back island lifestyle. Appreciate the chill vibe and the go-with-the-flow attitude.

2. Take a jeepney or motorcycle (habal2x). I know Uber and Grab all the rage these days, but you haven’t experienced Cebu till you try riding the homegrown public transportation.

3. Walk around the city. Sad to say, Cebu is not a walking city, but walk around the city anyway. You’ll realize first hand how our lack of pedestrian lanes and commuting infrastructure could use improvement.

4. Spend the whole night out bar hopping. Many of us who spent our partying years in Cebu know all to well what it feels like to walk out of a dark night club only to be surprised by the bright sunshine greeting us on the other side.

5. Eat Lechon. How can you take a trip to Cebu without tasting lechon? We’ve got the best lechon in the world!

6. Argue which Cebu brand serves the best lechon. Everyone in Cebu has their own opinions.

7. Bring home a pasalubong from Titay’s in Liloan. They have a history that spans 100 years making them one of the oldest homegrown businesses in Cebu.

8. While we’re talking about food, let’s get all the Cebu staples out of the way. Eat the fried chicken in Sunburst, Ngohiong in Domeng’s, Siomai sa Tisa, Dried Mangoes, and Steamed Fried Rice.

9. The BBQ experience in Larsians also deserves a slot on its own.

10. Smell the air in Taboan Market and buy dried fish (danggit) while you are at it.

11. Be one of the first to try the new hole in the wall restaurant. Plenty of Cebu’s go-to-restaurants started out as small hole in the walls. Keep your ear on the ground and try the latest one. On our list right now is Fat Dois.

12. Experience Cebu music live. Cebu is known to have some of the best musicians and songwriters in the Philippines. Catch a gig and see why.

13. Learn to speak a few phrases of Bisaya. Or better yet, learn the whole language. It’s not uncommon to see white guys speaking in straight Bisaya.

14. Now that you know Bisaya, learn a few one liners; DMD, ISTORYAHEEEE, CHUBI2x, pag CHURE uy.

15. Roadtrip! Cebu is ripe for a seaside roadtrip. Some like to head South to Santander while others like heading North to Daanbantayan. For a truly epic trip, circle the entire Cebu island. It will probably take one full day to do so.

16. Stroll through one of the biggest malls in the world, SM Seaside City.

17. While in SM Seaside City, go ice skating.

18. Take a taxi and have a conversation with the driver. Many of them are good conversationalists and are usually much nicer than our Northern neighbors. They’ll even give you change.

19. Wake up early and join a fun run. Cebu in the early morning is very different from its busy bustling self in the afternoons.

20. Or better yet, take a bike ride through Cebu. You’ll see more and get to your destination faster.

21. Laugh at the Cebuano sense of humour. It’s nonsense at its best.

22. Experience getting stuck because of city flooding. It sucks, but it is a part of living in Cebu. Almost everyone has a flood story.

23. Find a spot in the city to picnic. Favorite locations are Family Park in Talamban, Plaza Independencia, Fuente Circle, IT Park and Cebu Business Park.

24. Complain about irresponsible drivers. To be honest, this might be a Philippine wide problem.

25. Go over any of the bridges that connect Cebu and Mactan. This is especially beautiful when you do it right before sunset coming from the Mactan side. Don’t forget to take a photo.

26. Have a staycation in many of the wonderful resorts glittered around Cebu.

27. Visit Magellan’s Cross. As the harbinger of Christianity to the Philippines, Magellan’s Cross signifies a very important part of Philippine history.

28. While you are in the area, don’t forget to stop by the Basilica del Santo Nino. Every year during the Sinulog celebration, thousands of people come over to celebrate their faith. Light a candle, pray, explore, and buy a balloon.

29. While in the Basilica del Santo Nino, visit the image of the child Jesus, the Sto. Nino. People line up to get a glimpse of this very sacred piece of our history. It is said that this was originally a gift from Ferdinand Magellan to Rajah Humabon and his wife when they first landed in the island in 1521.

30. Since you visited Magellan, you need to also visit the first Filipino hero who famously killed Magellan, Lapu-Lapu. In the Lapu-Lapu Shrine in Mactan, he stands tall and proud with a big ass sword and shield protecting the Filipino people from foreign invaders.

31. While in Mactan, make sure to drop by any of the SuTuKil restaurants. SuTuKil is a word derived from the three methods to preparing seafood; Sugba (grill), Tula (stewed), or Kinilaw (raw with local vinegar).

32. Don’t forget to visit a guitar factory in Mactan. The streets are lined with wonderful looking guitars. But if you want to buy a really good ukulele and have good food, stop by Uke Hub Kafe.

33. Mactan is also the favorite jump off point for Island Hopping. Most everyone in Cebu has tried island hopping. Favorite destinations to island hop are Hilutungan Island, Caohagan Island, Pandanon Island, Olango Island, and Nalusuan Island.

34. The whale sharks in Oslob have gotten plenty of press. Not everyone can agree on the ethics of continuing the attraction, but one thing is for sure, it is a rare experience to swim right next to these wonderful creatures.

35. While in Cebu, don’t forget to purchase a Cebu shirt. We’ve got a brand suggestion (shameless plug).

36. Trek up Osmena Peak.

37. Spend the night camping in Osmena Peak.

38. Wake up bright and early to traverse to Kawasan Falls from Osmena Peak. That’s about a 20 kilometer trek. It usually takes about half a day.

39. Swim around Kawasan Falls. Plus points if you did the trek right before.

40. Experience a Cebu wedding. Everyone who has gone through the chaos of organizing a Cebu wedding knows that it usually ends with wonderful results.

41. Play a game of basketball with the locals. Get ready for flying elbows, crazy drives to the rim, and non stop running.

42. Watch the world famous dancing inmates in CPDRC.

43. Say a prayer in the Simala Church in Sibonga. Through the years, many miraculous events were reported in the Simala Church, prompting devotees to take the drive down south and make a prayer request.

44. Spend your Sinulog watching the parade and reveling in the awe inspiring floats and dances.

45. Spend your Sinulog partying on the streets and feeling awful the next day.

46. Exercise in the Abellana Sports Complex.

47. Get in touch with our roots and learn a little history. Stop by Casa Gorordo, Museo Sugbo and the Jesuit House.

48. Visit Downtown Cebu. Walk through the Carbon Market and Colon Street. If you happen to be a photography enthusiast, this is the best place for a photowalk.

49. A trip to Cebu isn’t complete without taking in the view from Tops. This is one of the few places open to the public with the iconic view of our beloved city.

50. For the coffee enthusiasts, Cebu is blessed with legit good coffee. The list of good cafes change on a yearly basis, current recommendations are Degree 9 Coffee, Linear Coffee Roasters and 32 Umber.

51. While in the coffee shop, bump into a long lost friend and spend the next two hours talking. Cebu is a chill city and never is it more true than when you see a friend in a cafe.

52. The best beaches are usually a few hours drive away from the city, but they are well worth the trip. Highlights include the beaches in Moaboal, Alcoy, Bantayan, Camotes, Malapascua, Badian, and Aloguinsan.

53. A Cebu experience isn’t complete without getting stuck in traffic. How else can you complain about the traffic if you don’t get stuck in it first?

54. While stuck in traffic, marvel at all the wonderful Cebu street art. Cebu is home to some of the best artists.

55. Speaking of art, make sure to catch an art exhibit.

I’m sure we missed a good to do. What did we miss? Tell us in the comments.

If you want to hear more from me, I publish a weekly newsletter called Monday Musings — a set of recommends and thoughts I had that week, subscribe here. Or follow me on instagram @sobermusings.

Originally published at zerothreetwo.com on December 4, 2017.

When I turned 18, I was finally legally allowed to drive. This was a big deal. I pictured driving everywhere, no more jeepney rides carrying guitars to jamming studios, no more waiting for parents to pick us up, no more worrying how to get from A to B. Just drive! But first, I needed to get a driver’s license.

My dad told me to head over to the Land Transportation Office (LTO). It was customary of him to let me do stuff on my own. “Just go and figure it out,” he said.

The LTO was located in a part of town I rarely frequented. Two steel gates stationed the entrance of the office. A look inside showed a horde of people standing around under the heat of the sun. I braced myself for a long day of lining up.

As soon as I stepped inside those gates, seemingly out of nowhere a random guy asked me, “Driver’s license application, sir?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Follow me.”

Wow, that was efficient. I didn’t have to line up or even approach anyone over the counter. I gave random guy my documents and followed him around as he walked inside the LTO offices processing my papers. I genuinely thought this was how to do it. Remember, I was only 18 years old and lacked life experience in this area.

After the necessary documents were filled out and signed, random guy led me outside to a doctor’s office to have myself medically examined. While there, he handed me a blank answer sheet. Then he gave me another answer sheet with the answers already shaded.

“Just copy the answers,” he said.

Then it finally hit me, this guy wasn’t legit. I didn’t know it then, but the LTO was a government agency notorious for corruption. I was an unknowing participant in this shady system. He was what people call a fixer, someone who could bypass all the necessary red tape to get you what you want usually in an illegal manner.

I figured that I had already gone so far. So I copied the answers to the blank answer sheet and signed my name on it. I didn’t even get a chance to see the actual questions.

The driver’s license application was fast and easy. No written exam. No practical exam. No one even asked me if I knew how to drive.

After my LTO experience, I asked a few of my older friends about how they got their driver’s license. Almost everyone went through a fixer. It was the normal way of processing a license. That was fifteen years ago. I imagine that many of the drivers on the road today came from that era of the LTO. No surprise then that many Cebu drivers suck.

If most of the drivers today didn’t have to go through the actual process of getting a license, then most of us likely don’t know how to drive properly. Heck. Many of us probably shouldn’t be on the road at all.

In the Official Gazette, the official journal of the Republic of the Philippines, there’s a line that is telling when you look at how to apply for a driver’s license.

“*Applicants who fail the Basic Driving Theory Test and/or the Practical Driving Test twice shall not be allowed to apply for the same within a period of 1 year. An applicant who fails either of the tests for the third time will not be allowed to apply for a period of 2 years.” — How to apply for a non-professional license

Imagine if this was enforced in the 90’s. How many of the crappy drivers today wouldn’t be driving? How many of the crappy drivers today would have had to educate themselves to drive? How many of the crappy drivers today would take driving seriously? How much better would the Philippine commuting experience be?

If you want to hear more from me, I publish a weekly newsletter called Monday Musings — a set of recommends and thoughts I had that week, subscribe here. Or follow me on instagram @sobermusings.

Originally published at zerothreetwo.com on November 28, 2017.

It’s amazing how the right words at the right time can light a fire in you. Therein lies the power of words. Sometimes, it takes a whole book to inspire, while the truly skilled can do the same with a simple sentence.

After realizing the profound effect of words, I’ve made it a habit to collect quotes. These are especially necessary when I’m feeling down and need a little inspiration to continue forward. Everyday living can be hard and these have helped me along. Hopefully they can help you in the same way they’ve helped me.

“Don’t worry. Be Happy.” — Meher Baba

I wrote this down on a notebook in grade school. I must have been stressed out about something stupid like my grades. Many of the things we worry about simply don’t matter. We walk around stressed about our jobs, our money, our commute, our station in life, but the truth is many of us are well taken care of and could do with much less. The most important thing to me is my family. As long as we have a roof over our heads, food to eat, good relations, and the blessing of health, then no worries. Anything more than that is gravy.

“Anyone who isn’t embarrassed by who they were last year probably isn’t learning enough.” — Alain de Botton

Despite or perhaps because of my tumultuous relationship with formal education (I wasn’t the best student in school), I’ve learned that real education never stops. Over the years, I’ve created a system for continuous learning. These come in the form of podcasts that are automatically downloaded on my phone, the audio books that I “read” every month, and the curated newsletters that share enlightening articles.

The best investment is in yourself. If you wake up one day with all your material goods taken away, you will still have your smarts and a good chance of getting everything back. Only father time can take away anything you’ve learned.

“Leisure is what you give up to have the audacity to build your life that you want.” — Gary Vaynerchuk

This is the golden era of television; Stranger Things, House of Cards, Crashing, Glow, Game of Thrones, American Gods, Better Call Saul, etc. I would love nothing more than to watch all these amazing shows. I used to love spending a whole afternoon laying on a couch, snacking on Cheetos, and binge watching The Walking Dead. Unfortunately, watching these shows doesn’t get me closer to the life I want.

Don’t get me wrong. I still find time to relax, I play a ton of basketball, sneak in a few minutes of Hearthstone, and even occasionally watch a good movie with the wife, but the vast majority of my time is spent with family or building the life I want. But I know that in order for me to have that life, I need to sacrifice. That means saying no to night outs with friends, waking up early to write, grinding through the entrepreneurial ups and downs, and, yes, not watching a few episodes of Silicon Valley.

“No yes. Either HELL YEAH! or no.” — Derek Sivers

The “Hell yeah!” or “No” concept is simple. Here’s an explanation by Derek Sivers.

Use this rule if you’re often over-committed or too scattered.

If you’re not saying “HELL YEAH!” about something, say “no”.

When deciding whether to do something, if you feel anything less than “Wow! That would be amazing! Absolutely! Hell yeah!” — then say “no.”

When you say no to most things, you leave room in your life to really throw yourself completely into that rare thing that makes you say “HELL YEAH!” — https://sivers.org/hellyeah

Back in the early days of Zerothreetwo, we used to get plenty of media invites to fancy events and openings. We met a lot of cool people and got treated like VIPs, but in the end of the day, it was not why we started the blog and it took so much time away from actually building a business. So these days, we politely decline most requests. Nothing against them, it’s just that we’ve chosen to focus on different things.

There’s only 24 hours in a day. In order to spend it doing what we want and with people we love, it means saying no to a lot of things. Use those hours wisely.

“I hate ideas… Execution is what matters.” — Casey Neistat

I’m still surprised when I meet people who keep their ideas close to their chest. They are afraid someone will steal it. Their good idea is so good that anyone who discovers it is sure to the riches that is bound to follow. Hogwash.

Many of these “idea people” are just that, they come up with ideas. At some point everyone has good ideas, but they don’t mean anything unless they act on them. Ideas are a dime a dozen. Action, movement, and execution are rare commodities. Show me someone who can execute an idea to fruition, that’s a person I would love to work with.

“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” — Pablo Picasso

Here’s a phrase that I hate, “I’d like to write/compose music/draw/insert-creative-act, but I’m waiting for inspiration to strike.” They need the above quote by Pablo Picasso. Or this one by Chuck Close, “Inspiration is for amateurs.”

The secret to doing good creative work is to just do it. Wake up with purpose, roll up your sleeves, and just work. If you aren’t any good yet, that’s fine. Everyone starts out like that. Learn as much as you can, but continue to do the work. At first, your work will suck, but the more you do it, the better you become. Don’t wait for inspiration. Start with a blank page and fill it as fast as you can. That’s usually when the inspiration lightning strikes.

“If one only wished to be happy, this could be easily accomplished; but we wish to be happier than other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are.” — Montesquieu

It took me a long time to admit this to myself, but I have a tendency to compare. I may not say it out loud, but I think it. It’s an awful habit that doesn’t make living any easier. There’s always someone with more; more money, more time, more health, more in life. The truth is I have everything I need. I have the life I want. I have a beautiful healthy family. I do something every day that I enjoy. My health is fine. I have more than enough. What more can I ask for? Don’t worry. Be happy. Right?

“If you’re offended easily, you’re a bad resource allocator. It’s a waste of energy and attention, which is a greater sin than wasting time.” — Tim Ferriss

This doesn’t have the same ring to it as the other quotes. Maybe Tim should have said something like, “If you are offended easily, you need to be offended more often.” One of my favorite things to do is watch comedians like Louis C.K. and Chris Rock. Believe me, some of the things that come out of their mouths are the most offensive things you’ll ever hear, but it’s so damn funny. Life is just easier if we let things bounce off us instead of penetrate our souls in a bad way.

“You are the average of the five people you ‘re around the most.” — Jim Rohn

Naturally, this quote made me think about everyone I surround myself with. At first it was easy to think in terms of success. Who are the successful people around me? But as with most things, this quote goes deeper than that. It doesn’t mean that I need to surround myself with Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, although hanging with them would be tremendous on my profit and loss card. It means reflecting on who is making a positive impact in my life. Am I always around someone who complains and drags me down? Am I around someone who indifferently criticizes my choices? Am I around someone who doesn’t contribute to my life or theirs? Am I around someone with no ambition what so ever? Who do you surround yourself with?

“A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.” — Seneca

Suffering and failure aren’t always bad things. In many cases, the sting of hardship is what can motivate to become more than you already are. I remember my failures, but I don’t dwell on them. I remember the time I didn’t get a job because I failed out of the training. It hurt and I felt bad, but it made me think about what went wrong and allowed me to do better for my next job. A life of leisure and no troubles is overrated and likely non-existent. Everyone goes through trials. It’s what we do after the failure and suffering that matters. Do you bounce back? Or do you wallow?

Any quotes that light a fire in you?

*Header photo by Lauren Peng on Unsplash.

If you want to hear more from me, I publish a weekly newsletter called Monday Musings — a set of recommends and thoughts I had that week, subscribe here. Or follow me on instagram @sobermusings.

Originally published at zerothreetwo.com on November 21, 2017.

Whenever my friends learn that I’ve been commuting via bike, most of the time, I’m met with a perplexed face and a resounding, “Why?”

“It’s really hot out there. Don’t you sweat like crazy?”

“The reckless drivers are going to kill you.”

“The road smoke and dust doesn’t bother you?”

“What happens when it rains?”

Most of the time, I respond by lamenting against our insane car culture, our general lack of physical exercise, how it is faster to bike, how much more convenient it is, how it is safer than you think, etc. etc. etc.

But the simple truth is, I bike because I enjoy it. I look for any excuse to get out there. The other day, the wife wanted dinner from Matias which was only a few kilometers away, so I volunteered to pick up the food. My commute back and forth was less than 15 minutes. If you’ve ever tried to visit Matias on a weekday in the middle of dinner, you know how it can be a hassle to drive there. You need to brave the traffic on the way there, then navigate the crowded intersection, and finally look for a parking spot. With the bike, I was in and out. Simple easy and fast.

That said, I can’t use the bike everywhere. There are still many instances when using a car is much more convenient.

So here are my rules for when to bike and when to drive.

If it’s a reasonable distance, bike.

Most of my commute is to a construction site in Minglanilla. That’s about twenty kilometers per way. That’s too far for my ability. On the other hand, the rest of my commute is only a few kilometers away. Work at the office? Bike. Buy something at the corner store? Bike. Withdraw cash at the bank? Bike. Play basketball at the gym? Bike. Easy peasy.

If it’s one destination, bike.

Most of us go to one destination every day. Then we stay there the whole day and then go back home. For many people, biking to one destination isn’t so bad. You might get a little sweaty, but then that just means you bring an extra shirt and maybe take an alcohol bath while at work. This isn’t an unheard of solution. Here’s an excerpt from an article that came out two years ago in GMA News called On two wheels: Biking in Metro Manila.

“For corporate employees, the dress code is a concern, but nothing that can’t be dealt with. ‘You’re supposed to be an executive and look all nice and spiffy. But sometimes leather shoes don’t work well with bikes. So you have to redefine the corporate image. Instead of leather shoes, I wear leather boots, something more comfortable. I just learned to wear an undershirt, change clothes, get to work earlier and take an alcohol bath,’ Oliver says.

It requires some adjusting, but the benefits are more than worth it. ‘If we’re talking about practicality, the argument in favor of biking writes itself — you avoid the traffic, you don’t have to spend anything for gas or parking, and you sneak in some cardio while you’re at it,’ Amanda says when asked how she would encourage others to bike.” — On Two Wheels

If I’m carrying stuff that is too much for a bag, drive.

Sometimes there’s no way around it. A car is especially useful for bringing things around. This is especially true when I have to haul construction material to Minglanilla. Gallons of paint and sacks of cement are impossible on a bike.

If I’m the only passenger, bike.

It frustrates me when I hear drivers talk about how motorcycles or jeepneys cause traffic. Next time you are stuck in traffic, look around. Most of the vehicles stuck with you are private vehicles. Most of these vehicles take up space that could fit four people, but many of them are carrying one person. I’m guessing that the number of people in private vehicles take up a vast majority of the road area compared to people on motorcycles or jeepneys. Look at the jeepney next to you, how many people are in there? How much space is the jeepney taking? How many people are in the private cars? Look at the motorcycle, how much space does it take?

Bikers do their part to ease traffic simply by taking up less space.
Have you ever seen this photo?

If the family is all going out with me, drive.

I’ve got a family of four. The other three don’t bike… yet.

If I want to exercise, bike.

In today’s modern lifestyle, we can go through a whole day without moving our body. The typical work day for most people is wake up, walk to the car, drive to work, park, walk to the cubicle, sit down. There’s hardly any movement there. The human body was not made to stay still in front of a computer in a cubicle. Back in the stone ages, we were moving much much more. We used to crouch, run, climb and hunt for our food. We used to do a lot more physical activity than we do now. The lack of physical activity is one of the main causes for many of the ailments we complain about, like coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast and colon cancer, and even depression. Bike because it is good for you.

If I want freedom, bike.

One of the most gratifying feelings about biking is the ability to go anywhere anytime. It’s refreshing to go out of our neighborhood, hit the streets, and explore. A few years ago, there was one lazy Sunday afternoon at our house. No one was doing anything. I was bored and needed to get out. This was before I got into biking. So I wandered to the backyard and saw a beat up old bike. I decided to give it a go. I ended up biking all the way to the Cansaga Bay Bridge. I marveled at the beautiful scenery, the water, the boats, and the horizon. Under the bridge, I discovered a group of skater kids trying out tricks. I sat there for a good thirty minutes just watching them do their thing. The bicycle made an otherwise boring day into a day of adventure and freedom.

If it rains, drive.

Singing in the rain, fun. Biking in the rain, sucks.

If I want to be happy, bike.

“Every time I’m on a bike, I smile.” — Anthony Desnick

In the Ted Talk by Anthony Desnick called The Amazing Way Bicycles Change You, he ends by gushing about how a bike makes him feel. It’s impossible to be sad on a bike. That feeling is real. There’s no other way for me to explain it, even if the bike conditions in Cebu are less than ideal, I always enjoy my experience. It makes me happy. That alone is worth as much time on a bike as I can afford.

If you want to hear more from me, I publish a weekly newsletter called Monday Musings — a set of recommends and thoughts I had that week, subscribe here. Or follow me on instagram @sobermusings.

Originally published at zerothreetwo.com on November 14, 2017.

The sun had set and darkness settled in. The streets look different from the outside, away from the shelter of cars and bright headlights. The only refuge was the dim from the lampposts as they cut through the night and shined on the streets. Cars hummed along like impenetrable juggernauts while motorcycles ruled the small spaces in between. The random pedestrian popped out of nowhere running across the chaotic street with blatant disregard for life. The traffic moved like a choreographed symphony. And then there was me on my bicycle.

I found myself with a helmet over my head and a worn down bike between my legs, determined to find my spot in this dance. How did I get myself into this? What compelled me to even give cycling around our city a try? It all started when I was stuck in my car, staring at the mess of traffic in front of me, unmoving and seething.

Cebu is succumbing to the stagnation of our infrastructure despite moving forward economically as a city. While I’m happy to see our city progress so fast, better job creation, more entrepreneurial opportunities, improvement of the quality of schools, and plenty of other developments. All this comes with a price, one of the side effects is the worsening traffic.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the causes, yet most of us don’t acknowledge the fact that we are the bottlenecks. Next time you are stuck in traffic, take a look around. What is taking most of the space on the road? Don’t get me wrong. Cars are great, but as a means of transportation in congested cities, there are more efficient ways to move individuals from point A to point B. While our politicians waste time and argue about which form of public transportation is better, we can still do our part. There’s no need to wait. We can decongest our city simply by looking for alternatives. There are many options already; hail a cab, download ride sharing apps like Grab, Uber or Angkas, take a jeepney, or even just walk.

I’ve chosen to bike.

Of course, there are risks when biking around the city, especially for the first time commuter. So my first ride was a simple one. It was dark and I had a basketball game a few kilometers away from my house. That was going to be my first bike ride through the streets of Cebu.

I started with the basics. We had a crusty mountain bike that no one had used in years. I brought it to a bike shop and had it repaired. I also bought a bike helmet, a big handkerchief for my face, and a chain lock to secure the bike while parked. I realized later on that I forgot to buy blinkers and a headlight.

Before the ride, I checked the shortest route on Google Maps, said goodbye to my wife and kids, took a deep breathe, and left. I was nervous. When driving a car, it’s easy to go on autopilot. You don’t have to take into account the puddles, the potholes, the weather, and the inclines. When on a bike, everything matters. The smallest pothole can send you tumbling to the ground, even slight inclines can prove to be taxing on your legs. Of course, it goes without saying that you need to watch for everyone else on the road, the fast cars, the humming motorcycles, the stray pedestrians, everyone plays a role. My first realization as I was biking was the need to be hyper aware of everything that was happening around me.

I treated being on the bike similar to being a pedestrian. I stayed close to the sidewalks, didn’t go to the middle of the road, and kept looking behind me whenever I had to veer towards the middle. The only time I veered towards the middle of the road was when I had to pass an intersection with a traffic light. Then I peddled hard to keep up with everyone through the intersection.

When I got to the basketball court, I looked for a place to park the bike. Any place that could secure the chain lock was fine, but I found that as I was playing basketball, all I was thinking was that I hope the bike is still there when I get back.

Is it safe?

That was one of the first questions from friends when I told them about my commuting experiment. I can’t deny the risks, but the truth is that it is safer than most people think. It is very difficult to make a bicycle go at a speed that rivals even the simplest motorcycles. The most common injury from falling off a bike is a bruised ego and minor scratches, but people cling to the horror stories of someone getting hit by a truck and severely injuring themselves.

Accidents can happen to anyone. You might feel safer in a car, but that doesn’t mean you are less likely to experience an accident, or even more likely to live longer. According to a study by the University of Glasgow who tracked the health of more than a quarter of a million people over five years, biking to work lowers the risk of dying early by 40%, and reduces the chance of developing cancer by 45%. Turns out a sedentary lifestyle is riskier than one that involves riding a bike every day.

We’re not alone.

As I was biking, I noticed another thing, I wasn’t alone. I mean of course, I wasn’t alone. There were plenty of cars, motorcycles and pedestrians on the street, but there were bikers as well. I never noticed them before. I was surprised to find that our streets have plenty of bikers. It’s funny what you notice when you allow them into your worldview. There were many every day bikers. Some were out getting a good ride for exercise, but most were simply commuting from point A to point B. I couldn’t help but feel a kindred belonging. They were just like me, finding a place for themselves in the dance on the streets.

If you want to hear more from me, I publish a weekly newsletter called Monday Musings — a set of recommends and thoughts I had that week, subscribe here. Or follow me on instagram @sobermusings.

Originally published at zerothreetwo.com on October 12, 2017.

When I was in my early twenties, I had a conversation with my father that I’m not proud of. The exact details of the conversation escape me, but I remember this sentence coming out of my mouth, “Running a business is easy. It’s common sense! Make more money than you spend.” I was wrong and I was right. You should make more money than you spend, but running a business is not easy. I had so much to learn and I didn’t know it. Fortunately, I didn’t let my ego get in the way of learning.

One of my life hacks for continued learning is an Audible subscription. Every month, I’m credited with a new audio book. For some reason, I can’t get myself to finish reading a physical book, so audio books are my way around that problem. Sometimes I download a book for the purpose of entertainment like We Learn Nothing (beautiful short stories), but other times, I’m downloading a book because I want to learn something. It so happens most of what I want to learn is about business.

Here are the books that taught me how to run a business:

Rich Dad Poor Dad

Every one has that one book that blew their minds when they first read it. Rich Dad Poor Dad was that book for me. I read it when I was in highschool. At this point, I probably should give it another reading, because I may not agree with everything anymore, but it paved the way to how I approach and think about money.

Key concept:

It’s been a long time since I read the book, but one key concept I remember is the difference between an asset and a liability. Assets create cash flows directly to your pocket. Liabilities take money out of your pocket. Most people consider their personal cars and houses assets. According to Robert Kiyosaki, they are wrong.

Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!

The Four Hour Work Week

The Four Hour Work Week started my educational affair with Tim Ferriss. Packed full of actionable tidbits that can help you run a business without ruining your life. Contrary to what the title implies, this is not a book that will shave your work week to four hours. On the other hand, it’s a book that teaches you how to use your time wisely. Efficient use of your time as an entrepreneur is what makes or breaks businesses. This book has tons of actionable tidbits towards that goal.

Key Concept:

This is one of those books with plenty of useful concepts. If I were to choose just one, it would be the Pareto Principle — for many things roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. What 20% can you focus on that will give you 80% of the results? Since most of us waste our time on things that aren’t important, this mindset forces you to look at the most important aspects of your business and focus on that.

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9–5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

Oh and you should really be listening to his podcast.

Built to Sell

Written more like a short story than a business book, Built to Sell follows Alex, the owner of a design firm, as he tries to grow and ultimately sell his business. When I read this, I had no intention of selling my company. I still don’t, but it showed me a mindset and provided many actionable tips to run my company more efficiently.

Key Concept:

These tips are lovingly referred to as Ted’s Tips, Ted was Alex’s mentor in the book. Here are a few of the Ted Tips that struck me.

1. Don’t generalize; specialize. If you focus on doing one thing well and hire specialists in that area, the quality of your work will improve and you will stand out among your competitors.
2. Relying too heavily on one client is too risky and will turn off potential buyers. Make sure that no one client makes up more than 15% of your revenue.
3. Two sales reps are always better than one. Usually naturally competitive types, sales reps will try to outdo each other. And having two on staff will prove to a buyer that you have a scalable sales model, not just one good sales rep.

Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You

More of Ted’s Tips here.

Shoe Dog

Let’s face it, plenty of business books are boring. Many of them explain the concepts, give examples, then reiterate the concepts again. One of the more entertaining ways to learn about business is through biographies. The Shoe Dog is a memoir by Nike Founder, Phil Knight. It’s a story about how a scrappy startup in the 70’s fought goliath, failed, thrived, and eventually won. Sometimes in our entrepreneur’s journey, we need stories like this to keep us going. The Trough of Sorrow is real. Knowing about the struggles of other entrepreneurs is important and gives us a sense that what we are going through is surmountable.

Key Concept:

Hire good people and let them do their jobs. It might seem obvious, but many businesses don’t take the necessary steps to hire good people. And when they do, they don’t allow them to do their jobs. Phil Knight’s story is as much a story about his crew in Nike. Without them, Nike wouldn’t be what it is today.

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

The Dip

Speaking of the Trough of Sorrow, there’s a great book about it, from none other than Seth Godin, called The Dip. Knowing when to quit or plow through is an art in itself. As Seth Godin said, “The old saying is wrong. Winners do quit, and quitters do win.” The challenge is figuring out if you are in a Cul-de-Sac or a Dip.

Key Concept:

The Cul-de-Sac means there’s no more left to go, full of stagnation, and no potential for real growth. It’s the end of the road. The Dip is the long hard period before success and/or mastery. Anything worth doing has a dip that needs to be powered through with grit and persistence. Are you in a dip? Or a Cul-de-Sac?

The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)

Zero to One

Even though I don’t run a Zero to One business, this book was an eye opener. Written by the famous contrarian venture capitalist, Peter Thiel, the book is an exercise in thinking differently. Peter does a good job at challenging notions that most people think is true. I didn’t agree with everything in this book, but it is worth reading even if just to see a different point of view.

Key Concept:

We’ve been taught to think of monopolies as a bad thing when in fact, we should invest in businesses with the potential to become monopolies. In his book, a monopoly is a company that does something 10x better than its closest competitor, which in effect renders itself free from competition. Competition, on the other hand, spells death for business. You are forced to cut prices, make better products, and your profit margin becomes smaller and smaller as more competition arises.

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

Anything You Want

One of my favorite people is Derek Sivers. He’s the guy who started CD Baby, one of the first companies to sell music online. His insight into business and life in general is a huge inspiration to me. You should listen to his interview with Tim Ferriss in particular. There’s so much gold in there. Also his book, Anything You Want, is contrary to how most of us approach business. In many ways, it’s almost similar to Peter Thiel’s Zero to One in that it questions the conventional thinking of how businesses are run.

Key Concept:

No “yes.” Either “HELL YEAH!” or “no.” If you are over committed or feeling scattered, you might be saying yes too often when you should be saying no.

“When deciding whether to do something, if you feel anything less than ‘Wow! That would be amazing! Absolutely! Hell yeah!’ — then say ‘no.’

When you say no to most things, you leave room in your life to really throw yourself completely into that rare thing that makes you say ‘HELL YEAH!’”

– Derek Sivers

Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur

#AskGaryVee

Entrepreneurs today wear many hats. One of the most important hats in a business is marketing. Gary Vaynerchuk is a master marketer that anyone can learn from. The #AskGaryVee Book is an easy to read, easy to understand, and straight to the point in showing what entrepreneurs need to do in this new internet landscape. He does this in a very AMA like book by answering 370 questions posted by his audience.

Key Concept:

The book is wide ranging in its topics as he touches on plenty of topics like social media, family, self-awareness, leadership, etc. Many of what he talks about is online, you can even search topics on his website and watch the episodes.

#AskGaryVee: One Entrepreneur’s Take on Leadership, Social Media, and Self-Awareness

Rework

Most of the books on this list are about new ways of doing work. Rework takes new ways to work to new heights. Written by the founders of 37signals, the book has many of the concepts they use every day in their company. Like how to work remotely (coincidentally they have a whole book about that too), how venture capital is a last resort and most companies don’t need it, why your company does not need to grow, why you shouldn’t hire rock stars, and many more concepts.

Key Concept:

This book is packed with concepts. Here’s my favorite — Meetings are toxic. Most meetings are a waste of time. Usually meetings are held to explain a concept or topic. Instead, we should focus on trying to make the concept clearer and simpler. If you must have a meeting, set a time, invite as few people as possible and never have a meeting without a clear agenda.

Rework

Profit First

This book was huge for me. I had taken accounting courses in college and figured out a way to keep track of everything using excel sheets. My system isn’t perfect. I’m well aware of its shortcomings, but it allows me to keep track of everything in a very simple manner. It’s one glaring weakness was its inability to give me an overview of my business. The profit first method changed that and allowed me to see things clearly.

Key Concept:

The point of most businesses is to make a profit, hence the name Profit First. This methodology bases all your costs on revenue. For simplicity’s sake, let’s assume that there are five basic buckets in every business; Total Revenue (all receipts from sales go here), Profit, Owner’s Pay (how much you pay yourself), Tax, and Operating Expenses. Each bucket is assigned a percentage of total revenue. Here’s an example — 2% profit, 50% owner’s pay, 15% tax, 30% operating expenses. Notice the change in mindset? Instead of basing expenses on arbitrary projections, your expenses is based on revenue. Hence, your business is as big as the revenue allows.

The easiest way for me to share the main concept I got from this book without drawing it out on a diagram would be to share a link, here it is. I can’t overstate how much clarity I got when applying the Profit First technique.

Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine

The Lean Startup

For those starting a new business or launching a new product, the Lean Startup methodology will save you lots of time and effort. The idea is to find out as soon as possible if your idea will work. You don’t even need a product to do that. You just need to answer this question, “Will people pay for my product?” The best way to answer that is to get people to pay. Sell them on a promise to deliver your product. That’s what kickstarter does. Instead of spending hours and hours creating something you aren’t sure people will purchase, spend the time trying to sell the idea. If someone is willing to pay you cash for the idea, then you have something going for you.

Key Concept:

Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about customers with the least effort.

– Eric Ries, The Lean Startup

Don’t waste your time creating a product nobody wants. Figure out what your MVP is and get that out quickly.

The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

Purple Cow

Seth Godin holds a special place in my entrepreneurial heart. His style and way of thinking has influenced me more than I could say. Purple Cow is a wonderful book that argues against the TV model (make average stuff for average people and sell it through heavy promotion). It is a book about making something worth talking about, making something remarkable. In Seth words, “Ideas that spread win.” Is your idea/product/service remarkable? Do you have customers spontaneously telling their friends about it?

Key Concept:

And finally to end, every business needs a product worth talking about. If you see a purple cow on the road, you would talk about it. It would be remarkable. What kind of product/service/company can we make that is remarkable?

If you want to hear more from me, I publish a weekly newsletter called Monday Musings — a set of recommends and thoughts I had that week, subscribe here. Or follow me on instagram @sobermusings.

Originally published at zerothreetwo.com on September 26, 2017.