A GOOD ATTITUDE MAKES A GOOD JOB

Everyone wants a good job. But exactly what is it, that makes one job good and another job not so good ? Comedian Sam Levenson once said,

“When my immigrant father came here from the old country, he found out three things; that the streets were not paved with gold; that most of the streets were not even paved; and that he had to help pave them.”

We would all like to have big, glamorous, important jobs. What we find when we get one, however, is that it is full of mundane details and isn’t so glamorous after all. It can even get downright boring and frustrating some days. We have to do many things we really don’t want to do. We have to deal with many people with all sorts of profiles and personalities. But we forget that small, dull, routine jobs can sometimes be important.

Couple of years ago when I was complaining about being stuck in a “bad job", I received some good advice from one close relative. She suggested that if I couldn’t find a job I liked, I should concentrate on what I liked in the job I already had. She went on to say that my attitude flavored the way I looked at my job.

She was right. Attitude is important. A good attitude can make a good job. A poor attitude can turn even the best job sour. In almost any job, there is usually an element of excitement involved; whether or not we find that excitement actually depends on our attitude.

Here are four thoughts to help you maintain a “good job” attitude :

• Think about who or what benefits by what you do. Even if you’re only a small part in a major operation, remember that each and every one of us has an important link – and that makes you important.
• Comfort is a deadly trap. History teaches us that soft living leads to a decline as most satisfied people don’t push for change or growth. Struggle produces progress. Think about how you could improve what you’re doing. Striving to meet a challenge can add excitement to any job.
• Find something to get excited about. Something to look forward to. Something to dream about. Something to devote your life to.
• Keep telling yourself that you can do it. Be positive and stay away from cynics, whiners and complainers. They’re not going anywhere – you are ! If you keep telling yourself that you can do it, you probably will. Don’t let anyone tell you not to give your dreams a second thought. Aim to soar with the eagles !

All in all, your job can be wonderful or miserable. The difference is really up to you - as it’s all in your attitude. Wallahu'lam.

Gunung Tahan melalui Merapoh

Berikut adalah "laporan asal" oleh Ketua Ekspedisi (Sdr Sham Otai) semasa KPTMTREKKERS & wakil2 pelajar dari semua kolej cawangan KPTM (kecuali Batu Pahat) menyertai XPDC Gunung Tahan 6-11 Ogos 2008 sempena sambutan 25 tahun KPTM.

Assalamualaikum...

Apa khabar semua? Alhamdulillah, sekali lagi kptmtrekkers berjaya membawa student KPTM utk menawan puncak gunung...gunung tahan the highest in Peninsular Malaysia and the toughest in Malaysia. Tahniah juga kepada semua yg telah bertungkus lumus untuk menjayakan xpdc ini...tanpa kalian semua tak mungkin kita semua akan berjaya...

Komen saya takde apa sangat...cuma saya berbangga semuanya dah boleh di panggil pendaki tegar...tak kiralah dari ahli kptmtrekkers termasuklah juga student kptm sendiri. Kerana sepanjang pengalaman saya mendaki saya jarang sekali dapat bertemu pelajar KPTM yg aktif mendaki gunung yg hardcore sepertimana yg telah lama dijalankan oleh IPTA dan IPTS lain. Tapi dgn pencapaian kali ini maka kita telah dapat membuktikan yg student KPTM juga boleh menyaingi student dari IPTA dan IPTS lain bukan setakat dari segi akademik malahan dari segi ko-kurikulum.

So, saya akan start beri komen dari hari pertama hingga ke hari akhir.

Hari pertama

Perjalanan dari Kuala Juram ke Kem Kor...memang agak mudah sedikit sebab bukit2 yg hendak di daki pun tak berapa tinggi...ada 5 sungai yg kena diseberangi...tahap mental student pada hari pertama alhamdulillah...semuanya happy dan enjoy dgn trek...cuma trek yg berhampiran dgn Kem Kor agak mengelirukan...ada yg tersasar dari trek...tapi walau bagaimanapun alhamdulillah tiada yg sesat (boleh rujuk cik cda kita). Orang pertama sampai di kem Kor lebih kurang pukul 4.30 petang dan org terakhir sampai pun +- kul 5.30 ptg.

Hari Kedua

Hari kedua adalah cabaran gunung tahan yg sebenar. Perjalanan dari Kem Kor ke Permatang akan menegak dan memang betul2 mencabar...even saya sekali terasa semput jugak lah nak menyampaikan ke Kem Permatang. Dari Kem Permatang ke Kem Kubang..pendakian masih di teruskan trek masih menegak lagi...banyak trek yg berakar dan trek yg memerlukan kita jadi 'spiderman'. Anyway peserta pertama sampai di Kem Kubang tepat jam 11.15 pagi dan peserta terakhir pada jam 1.50pm.

Memandangkan guide mengarahkan untuk menunggu semua peserta sampai di Kem Kubang agak lama jugaklah perserta terawal menunggu dan berehat tambahan pula angin kat situ kuat kena lak dgn hawa sejuknya...adalah yg buat mcm2 xtvt...panjat pokok ler...poco2 ler...hehehe

selepas semua peserta sampai...peserta yang awal terus memulakan pendakian ke kem belumut...ke kem belumut tak lama amik masa dalam 30 minit aje...sebab jaraknya tak jauh dari kem kubang. tanpa henti rehat kami meneruskan perjalanan untuk ke Kem Bonsai...lagi 5.5 km untuk sampai ke Kem Bonsai...memang sayup dan hampir2 habis nafas nak berjalan...kami berhenti dulu di Bonsai kecil tgk view dulu...dari sini boleh nampak Puncak Tahan.

Selepas berehat lebih kurang 30 minit...kami pun meneruskan perjalanan ke Kem Bonsai...nak ke Kem Bonsai ni mencabar mental jugak...boleh dikatakan semua mengah nak menyampaikan ke sini. Dari Kem Bonsai kita boleh nampak trek nak ke bukit botak...mmg sayup treknya...rehat lebih kurang 5 minit group terawal meneruskan perjalanan ke Kem bukit botak...trek nak ke bukit botak pun mencabar juga sebab kawasan adalah kawasan terbuka...dimana semuanya pokok bonsai rendah...so hawa di sini agak panas sedikit...yg menyebabkan peluh byk keluar dan tekak cepat kering.

Group terawal sampai di Bukit Botak pukul 5.30 ptg. Mmg ramai pserta yg mental nak sampai ke bukit botak ni...sebab trek nya memang nampak tapi bila berjalan terasa jauh...adalah cerita yg ada peserta mengeluh...menangis..hehehe... utk sampai ke bukit botak ni...peserta terakhir sampai jam 7.30 ptg. So semua pun berehat, nak hilangkan keletihan...anyway yg bestnya peserta kita ni walau teruk masa trekking tapi bila sampai di kem semuanya akan happy malahan boleh bergelak ketawa lagi...itu yg saya respect tu...so malam tu tido di Kem Bukit Botak...hasrat nak tido di puncak tidak kesampaian sebab masa tidak mengizinkan.

Hari Ketiga

Pukul 5 semua dah bangun tido, bersedia untuk mendaki ke puncak Tahan. Tepat jam 6.30 kami memulakan pendakian ke puncak tahan. anyway tak susah pun nak sampai ke puncak tahan tu...hanya 25 minit jer....tapi bila sampai di puncak...nampak kepuasan pada muka setiap peserta...semuanya happy yg tak terhingga....setelah puas bergambar...kami semua turun semula ke Kem site pada jam 8.30 pg...untuk berkemas semula untuk menuju pulang ke Kem Kor...tepat jam 10.30 semua sudah berjalan turun ke ke Kem Kor.

Perjalanan kali ni banyak menurun..seperti biasa pit stop kami di Kem Kubang...ada peserta2 yg dah tangkap lutut sebab trek banyak menurun...setelah semua sampai di Kem Kubang kami pun meneruskan perjalanan ke Kem Kor...seperti biasa dalam perjalanan ke Kem Kor tu...kolam mandi telah dapat di kesan...mcm biasa ler...ahli kptm trekkers yg nakal2 ni pergi ler mandi kat kolam tu...siapa kepala dia tak perlu disebut...rasanya semua tahu...hehehe...sampai kena marah dgn guide ler...hehehe...anyway itu bukan masalah besar pun...sebab yg pergi mandi tu semua pengiring...hehehe...byk penglaman...tapi malam tu guide yg marah tu minta maaf semula...dan dia pun cerita lah perkara mistik yg pernah berlaku di kolam tu...anyway...mistik mcm mana pun...yg pasti kami dah puas terjun kat situ...hehehe...so malam tu bermalam di Kem Kor...masing2 sibuk menghabiskan ration...

Hari Keempat

Perjalanan pulang ke Kuala Juram...kali ni perjalanan tak lama amik masa 4 jam ajer...kalau yg laju tu ada yg amik masa 2 1/2 jam..sampai di Kuala Juram mcm biasa...geng nakal kptmtrekkers ni terjun di sungai yg dilarang mandi tu....hehehe...ketua dia siapa...jgn tanya...hehehehe...

Akhirnya cik liza pun sampai...sempat lagi masak tu...makan2...barulah boleh bergambar dgn banner...

Anyway trip tahan kali ni memang menyeronokkan...saya memang puas hati...letih dah menaip ni...dah lenguh jari...ada apa2 kemusykilan boleh tanya pserta xpdc yer...hehehe

wasalam
(Sham Otai)

Sesapa nak tengok gambo XPDC leh checkout this URL http://picasaweb.google.com/mspakngah/XPDCTahan

RESPECT versus POPULARITY

Respect versus popularity – this is a dilemma we all have to face at work. We want to do a good job, but at the same time we want to be friends with everyone too. And the desire to keep everyone happy can become a weakness.

The truth is, if you’re doing your job properly, you’ll seldom be everyone’s favorite person. But the pay-off comes in the form of a deeper liking and admiration.

Don’t worry about popularity; work on respect. That will take you a lot further in the long run. At work, your most valuable career strategy is not to be liked or popular, but to be effective. With respect, job success can be yours.

But respect is never given for nothing; you earn it by how well you do your work. Winning respect from colleagues and subordinates starts at the very beginning – from day one of our job.

Every decision is either a building block or a stumbling block on the road of career progress. And we should use this time to lay the groundwork by being professional – in other words, be responsive, responsible, innovative, transparent and reliable.

Here are some tips to gain respect at your workplace :

• 
  Know what you believe in and what you want. Plan how to get it and stick to it. Nothing loses you respect quicker than indecisiveness and inconsistency.
• Keep your distance. Be friendly but not over familiar. Sharing with colleagues is natural, and the warmth you create helps get the job done. But know where to draw the line. Don’t confide intimate details of your personal or gynecological history. Learn the value of discretion.
• Don’t share all your dilemmas. Even if you resolve them, you’ll have left a lingering impression that you’re unable to cope with pressure.
• Be good. Know that you’re good. Self-respect is the key to it all. With that you place a higher value on all your transactions, which pays off in the way people deal with you.
• Accept that you can’t please all the people all of the time – or even some of the people all of the time.
• Keep in touch – always know how others are. Don’t ask anyone to do anything you wouldn’t do yourself.
• Communicate simply and often. A sense of humor can be one of your most effective assets. A well-chosen joke gets home the message more clearly than a hundred homilies.
• Keep your eye on the objective. Don’t get drawn into colleagues’ personal lives.
• Keep your head cool. Don’t respond instantly or say yes to everything. A calm presence is an invaluable asset.