pure joy

I just announced the first two shortlisted candidates that are one step closer to living their dreams today on of all days, April Fool's Day. I called them personally to congratulate them. And what I heard was truly heart tugging. I started this competition for one reason, which was when I saw my brother break down and cry when he failed his attempts to be a pilot after SPM. I still remember him calling me while I was in New Zealand after the incident. He was so down and distressed that he had a complete mental breakdown and even got into an accident. His tears on the phone is something I still remember until today.

This competition is special for me because he never heard back from AirAsia and flunked the MAS examination but he got back up. That was how much power a dream has over someone. The hope that it brings is simply astounding and the raw power that empowers you to do things you have never done before is unbelievable. Being in a position to open doors to dreams is not empowering but it humbles you. It makes you think about how you are at the same time giving hope and might also be crushing the other majorities that are awaiting their chance. It makes you really consider the many possibilities that you have and how you use that power. Spiderman said it best that with great powers comes great responsibilities.

I worked on launching this for 4 months but the conception had already begun in my mind before I joined AirAsia. I left my highpaying corporate power position because I knew I could not make an impact like I can right now. Life's too short to be wasted on material gains and stuff that does not last. If I could in this simple one instance change the lives of ten individuals, would that not mean more?

I've struggled from the conception of the pilot competition idea on how do I say no to the dreams of people that are so sincere. Some might not have concentrated in secondary school but want that opportunity so bad. What do I say to these people that have the heart but not the company demands on only selecting the best? What really is the best? When I selected Chee Keong and Daphne, their blog posts showed their hearts and their will to reach out for their dreams. When I called them, they displayed so much raw emotion. So much joy for it to be false. The joy that they had hope and they had a chance to fight for their dreams. I could hear the tears in their voice that they had made it one step further. They knew they were not there yet but this meant something. This competition was born on the will that you have to fight for it. I will give you a hand but the road to being a pilot or whatever you want to achieve in life is so hard and its a struggle.

Their voices reminded me of my brother when he got his shot at living his dream. You have to be strong to live your dream and really want it. I used to think money was my motivation and the dreams of success. Just goes to show how shallow I was. What I want right now is to make a positive difference on the people around me, be it AirAsia staff or the guests that the blog touches. Words truly can change minds and lives. You just have to believe.

PS. Baby, my dream remains holding hands until we grow old and watch every sunrise and sunset together. luv u....

Goals

Now, I've been asked by the candidates of the 'So You Wanna be a Pilot?' competition many many times for tips and to understand what is it I'm looking for. Ive purposely left clues to candidates on how to find this blog for the answers they are looking for through the placement of twitter on the blog and my name mentions in the post 'The Whole World wants to be a pilot'. Want to see how many smart enough to follow the trail.

People have been asking me since I was 12 on what I wanted to be. The answers have gone from archaelogist, to priest, to architect, to businessman, to conman. But the answer that I always had was the same as the Japanese sword saint, Miyamoto Musashi; to be the greatest under heaven. And like Miyamoto, I came to realise what being the greatest means.


When I was born, my dad chose an audacious name for me, in English it reads Tan Yeong Par but in Chinese, it is Chen (family name) Yeong (brave) Par (tyrant). Chinese have a believe that if you can not live to your name, you will pay for it with your life. Needless to say, my grandmother was furious and I grew up challenging everything regardless of the odds. Doing what I do in each job is a challenge. Right now, my words are my words and like Miyamoto who went around the land searching for the greatest, I started out that way too way early in my career. Seeking to make a name for myself. Now, Miyamoto according to records after defeating his arch rival Sasaki Kojiro finally understood the meaning of being the greatest after that. Being the greatest meant that you had to understand that you were the not the focus of the universe and that the world does not revolve around you, rather, greatest is just a word. The way of the sword is a journey of self discovery and thats all that matters.

To be the greatest, it means that you have come to realised that the only opponent has always been yourself. When you have reached that peak, you look around and see so many more peaks around you but you do not go around beating each peak. You grow with your peak in your own way. That is the Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū or Niten-ryū school that Miyamoto established. I have dreams of my own that the blog has come to represent and I think I may have found a measure of peace, I came to realise that when I left a 'real' job at Sime Darby and decided to be the 'greatest under heaven' and forge my own road. I want to see how far I have come and how far more I have to go. Now, how does this all fit into the 'So You Wanna be a Pilot?' competition? This is a competition where it is all about the candidates understanding their motivations, and putting in their best efforts.

What I'm looking for are the 'greatest under heaven'. Those who understand their limitations, their strengths, and willing to do what it takes to be a pilot. Simple? Not so. I've been swamped by countless calls by mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and others on the competition. If you want it, all I can say is, come and get it! this is your fight, your duel, your life.

You have to stand up and want it. I want to see your sweat, blood, and dreams in your posts. If you can't do that then you're not up for it. This competition was designed on several physchological reasons which was never revealed. For one, the amount of entries you sent shows your confidence level or even how much you want it. The amount of effort you put in shows your character, although you have the results but if you expect it, you are only going to get so far. The amount of creativity that shows how much you think out of the box. Your writing shows me more than you know and if you are serious about this. Yes, there are other ways to be a pilot but how many reveal to you as well whether you are making the right choice?

So are there any out there that are 'greatest under heaven'?