I do believe that we, Filipinos, are not Juan Tamad. We are Juan Disiplinado.
This strong belief and the desire to promote the value of discipline have inspired me to reach out to successful Filipinos I know and share with you, through the book Juan Disiplinado, the secrets behind their successes and how having discipline has made them even more successful as a professional or as an entrepreneur.
In Part 1 of this article, I shared with you the top pieces of advice from renowned Filipinos:
- Atty. Barney Almazar
- Amb. Jose Eduardo Antonio
- Bridget Co
- Abigail Co-Haw
- Peter Coyiuto
- Atty. Raymond Fortun
- Bro. Bo Sanchez
In this part 2 of the article, let me share with you the top advice from seven other successful Filipinos I’ve had an opportunity to interview:
- Peter Data
- Robina Gokongwei-Pe
- Josie Gotohio
- Alex Lacson
- Fred Mison
- Chinkee Tan
- Junie Toreja
Let’s get started:
#8. The Real Estate Man: Peter Data
Peter was at the realm of his real estate career hand in hand with the phenomenal growth of Megaworld Corporation from 1989 to 1998.
When he was the Senior Executive Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Megaworld became the most recognized real estate company in the ‘90s for selling out products in a record-breaking “sell-out” in as short as 10-28 days prior to launching.
When I first met Peter or POD, the first thing I noticed was his composure. I also saw his confidence in the way he acted and talked, even in his gestures and posture. His characteristics, traits and demeanor are of a true legend.
CONNECT: Discipline is the bridge to your goals and accomplishments
“Discipline is forming the right habits. Discipline is a lifetime exercise of combatting your bad habits and wants that contrast your goals or purpose. Discipline connects the distance between your dreams and your reality.”
Peter beautifully explains this:
“It takes discipline to get things done right. If you wish to become better, you need to know the distance between your present reality and the future you want to achieve and win.”
Here are some tips and pieces of advice from Peter Data to Filipinos who are eager to achieve their goals:
- Practice discipline. Make a conscious effort to form the right habits.
- Be in control of your body and emotions.
For Peter, practicing discipline enables you to control your emotions and bad habits and turn them into positive action that will enable you to achieve your dreams.
Learn more about Peter’s secrets to success: www.juandisiplinado.com
#9. The Front Runner: Robina Gokongwei-Pe
Robina is one of the prominent names at the forefront of the Philippine business. She is the President and COO of Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc., one of the largest retailers in the Philippines with a diverse portfolio of brands.
The company operates supermarkets, department stores, do-it-yourself stores, convenience stores, drugstores and specialty stores, covering 1,700 stores nationwide (as of 2017), as well as 2,000 franchised stores of The Generics Pharmacy.
Robina and I often encounter each other in the elevator or at the gym. One of the things I admire about her is her simplicity. In spite of being the head of one of the biggest conglomerates in the Philippines, she remains humble.
FOLLOW: Leaders should follow policies that they impose
I asked Robina how she defined discipline, her response was short but it really reflects her values.
“Discipline means following policies you wrote yourself. I manage a company and I think I shouldn’t impose policies if I can’t follow them myself.”
I’m amazed at Robina’s discipline. I run into her at the elevator as early as 8 a.m. on her way to the office. This discipline runs in the family. Her sisters also go to work early — a discipline instilled by their parents.
This practice and their family values have led them to put their name and company at the front line of Philippine business.
Learn more about Robina’s secrets to success: www.juandisiplinado.com
#10. The Financial Adviser: Josie Gotohio
Josie Gotohio is one of First Life Financial’s multi-awarded financial advisors. Since 1993, she has been gathering the highest and most prestigious distinctions of the company for 25 years.
In fact, in the same year, when she started working for First Life Financial, she already joined the Million Dollar Round Table, the elite organization of highest producing agents worldwide.
An icon to young professionals aspiring to succeed in the insurance industry, Josie defines discipline as hard work and with determination.
CONSISTENCY: Creating and following a system consistently leads to success
“In my case, I have to make sure that at the end of the day, I am able to set appointments with my prospective clients as well as ask for referrals. Because in insurance, it’s a game of numbers: 10-3-1.”
“Out of 10 names, only three will agree to meet with you and only one will buy from you. So the more prospects you have, the more chances you can close a sale. At the end of the day, discipline is actually a habit-forming attitude.”
I’ve known Josie since 2001. I’ve witnessed how she built her career in insurance and how she became successful as a financial advisor.
A person without discipline won’t make it to the top, as Josie did. She earned recognition and the respect of the people she works with because of the discipline she executed in reaching her goals.
Learn more about Josie’s secrets to success: www.juandisiplinado.com
#11. The Patriot: Atty. Alex Lacson
A lawyer by profession, Alex Lacson’s first love is writing books for the country and helping the Filipinos find their way to their destiny of prosperity and greatness.
Alex has been a friend for more than 20 years. I admire his patriotism and love for our country. Despite his success, he remains humble. He is dedicated to his family, work, and advocacy of spreading love for the Philippines.
HABITS: Discipline is a way of living
“Personal discipline is a way of living your life, a way of doing things in a definite manner, towards a certain goal. It is about your daily or regular habits on how to live your life, on how to do things in a certain way that would help you attain a goal in life.”
Alex’s top pieces of advice to the modern Juan focus on creating habits built around your purpose in life:
- Challenge yourself to be the best you can ever be.
- Form good habits that will shape your character.
- Live with a purpose and a dream.
- Focus.
Learn more about Alex’s secrets to success: www.juandisiplinado.com
#12. The Servant Leader: Fred Mison
Fred Mison is a lawyer by profession and a teacher with a lot of passion. He served as a soldier in the Philippine Army for 12 years. He also worked as a public servant in the Bureau of Immigration for almost five years and a former Senior VP at the Philippine Airlines.
I first met Fred when I needed a speaker for a general assembly for our company. He immediately said yes to inspiring the young sales force in our organization. His passion for teaching has always been evident.
I’ve always admired Fred’s humility. Despite his success as a West Point graduate, a top-notch lawyer and a former government commissioner, he remains approachable and modest.
BETTER: Fred believes we are all gifted and that we are capable of leaving things a little better than we found them
“There will be times that you will be given an opportunity to do something more, something greater. Make use of that opportunity. Bear in mind that there’s always room for improvement and change. You can be that catalyst regardless of how little or simple your role is here on Earth.”
“We are all gifted with different talents. We just have to make use of our uniqueness in a productive way and in every opportunity given our way.”
Fred gives these advice to the modern Juan:
- Never lose hope for our country.
- Stove and take initiatives.
- Always find time to improve yourself.
- Share what you can.
Learn more about Fred’s secrets to success: www.juandisiplinado.com
#13. Mr. Chink Positive: Chinkee Tan
Chinkee Tan, also known as Mr. Chink Positive, cam from humble beginnings. He was raised in Tondo and lived there for 23 colorful and challenging years.
When Chinkee was 12 years old, his father lost his business. Life became difficult for their family. Chinkee went to school without any money or food. During lunch break, he would go to the bathroom and drink water as much as he could from the faucet. That was his lunch.
Instead of pitying himself, he went into sales. His first venture as a young boy was selling toilet paper. From there, he sold pants, shoes and shirts.
WILLINGNESS: Discipline means doing whatever it takes although things are hard
“A lot of people have great ideas, but only a few want to execute their ideas. You just have to be willing to do it. Some people are not willing to do what they love to do because of fear of rejection, failure and what other people might say.”
“To overcome fear, build up courage and put your faith and hope in God. God will give you the grace to overcome fear. Once you’re able to do it, be consistent and passionate. Give everything. Once you believe and you start doing, things will start happening for you.”
Photo above: With Chinkee Tan and Bro. Bo Sanchez
Here are Chinkee’s top advice to the modern Juan:
- Believe in your dreams.
- Believe in yourself.
- Believe in God.
- Do it.
Even as a young boy, Chinkee already faced difficulties. His discipline was one of the factors that led him to survive and, later on, thrive in life.
I want to emphasize on how he delayed gratification. This is one manifestation of discipline. Instead of celebrating and going on vacation with friends, he chose to work. He makes sure to prioritize savings before spending. We can all learn from this.
Learn more about Chinkee’s secrets to success: www.juandisiplinado.com
#14. The Builder: Junie Toreja
Junie Toreja is dedicated to contributing pathways that will allow people to live a more convenient life. He aimed to build sturdier roads and bridges that will connect people in achieving their dreams and goals.
This dedication led him to establish construction and real estate companies , which he spearheads as President and CEO. At the forefront is Toreja’s Construction Supply Corporation.
RELATIONSHIPS: Build relationships as early as possible
“There are two kinds of relationships: the horizontal and vertical. The horizontal kind is your relationship with people. It could be building your career, growing your relationship with family and friends, building a business, and even politics.”
“Try to build good relationships with all the people around you. Then, the other kind is the more important one — build a good relationship with the Lord. That is the vertical relationship. Horizontal and vertical. It’s like a cross. When you do this, you will never go wrong.”
Here are Junie’s top advice to the modern Juan:
- Stay committed.
- Always have an exit plan in what you’re doing right now.
- Never burn bridges. When you seek conflict, you will always lose.
Learn more about Junie’s secrets to success: www.juandisiplinado.com
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