Thinking big can be a new beginning

THIS statement is very apt indeed as every January, we welcome a new year with great expectations — expectations of a better life, profitable business, success and growth. We promise ourselves a new beginning, we make new resolutions hoping that we have a new soul. That process itself is a cleansing ritual of self-assessment and repentance that demands personal honesty and, ultimately, reinforces humility. Breaking them is part of thecycle.

Source from (Business Times): http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20130107000321/Article/index_html
Published: January 07, 2013

“The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.” — G.K. Chesterton

So, what is your New Year resolution? Do you intend to keep it and create a brand new soul and create a new beginning? Creating that new beginning itself is a big step towards achieving success in life.

We will open a new book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. This book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is “Changing the Mindset”.

With every passing year, Malaysia, just like the rest of the world, has not been spared various national, regional and global challenges.

Last year, the Malaysian business community experienced many challenges, such as the introduction of the minimum wage policy, the extension of the retirement age to 60 years, the Competition Act and insurance policy for the unemployed, etc. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) welcome the new year with bated breath and scepticism, as according to a survey undertaken SME Corp Malaysia last year, only 48 per cent are ready to implement the minimum wage policy.

While the intention is noble as the lowest-paid will now be guaranteed an income that lifts them out of poverty and helps ensure that they can meet the rising cost of living, many are still grappling with creative ideas how to manage the expected increase in operational costs and yet remain in business.

Most companies will be required to implement the minimum wage by January 1, while companies with less than five workers are expected to comply come July.

In my engagements with various trade and industry associations, l have reminded them that this policy of minimum wage was not done yesterday. Many engagements with various stakeholders were done last year.

In fact, the number of countries within the Asia-Pacific region that have some form of minimum wage has grown in recent years, and it now include Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. In some places, the minimum wage covers all workers while others have set minimum wages for specific regions or industries.

Whoever said change was easy? Let’s remind ourselves that “our life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change”. And this change requires a total change of mindset. It is time we changed our mind and truly believed in the word “opportunities”.

With a positive and a right mindset, we can motivate “action” and give an immense power to the business community to persevere. And my strong belief is that there is no rationale or co-relation between being small and hence, not being able to think big and achieve big.

Therefore, my New Year resolution for the SME sector is to help it break the shackles of disbelief and the excuse of being “small” as detrimental to its success.

I call upon all SMEs to let the rising sun of each new day of the New Year symbolise victory, new hope, new way of looking at things, new energy and new zest for growth.

There was a path-breaking development with the introduction of a robust and progressive SME Masterplan (2012-2020), which promises to address some of the fundamental issues that hamper the growth and its sustainability for the SME sector.

In the next seven years, we have a long journey to accomplish; not alone but with millions of SMEs which are ready with their ammunition to fight battles together as one army and to reach the pinnacles of success. What we want to achieve is beyond measure, but definitely not impossible.

From promoting entrepreneurship to providing innovative platforms, from technological know-how to technical skills, from new investments to financial support, from generating employment opportunities to enhancing productivity of human capital, from creating local demand to achieving global competitiveness — all we need is to think big, which in itself could be a new beginning.

At every step, be inspired by what Robert Frost once wrote, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep; But I have promises to keep; And miles to go before I sleep.”

Wishing all the readers a fulfilling and happy new year.

“New Year’s Day... now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.” — Mark Twain

Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest…
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!

— William Arthur Ward