Marketing Warfare: How to Use Military Principles to Develop Marketing Strategies

 

I read the Chinese version of this book around 20 years ago... Those days, I was too young, too naïve and too innocent to embrace the cruel reality of the business world. Now, I am in the age of mid 40's... So, I thought it will be nice to revisit this book with older, less naivety and zero innocent brain. Here we go... 

Relatively, I found the Chinese version is much better. First of all, the wording in this original version tends to be confusing at times. I remember I do not have this problem when I read the Chinese version 20 years back. Secondly, although it was a direct translation, surprisingly, the translator did so well in the Chinese version. Usually, the original version tends to be better. This time around, it is the opposite! Finally, the design and structure of this book did not impress me. 20 years back, I do not seem to complain on this if I am not mistaken. So, the conclusion is... an old man is twice the child: tends to demand higher, haha!

Ok, enough of complains! Now, let us look at the bright side. This book overall is so awesome! This is a book with plenty of insightful facts which accompany by tons of real life examples. I do not really study the background of the said authors. But, both really put efforts in writing this book! In this book, there are plenty of theories presented, supported by real facts and real examples to help readers apply in real world. Unfortunately, this book does not have the latest revision. Otherwise, we can have more amazing ideas from authors regarding to the competition in internet and cyber world. 

For a full rating of 10, I am going to rate this book at 9/10. As mentioned above, I do have troubles with wording and structure of this book. The whole book just not smooth in terms of reading despite the contents were prefect even in today's world. The amazing part, after more than 20 years, I still manage to find some nice quotes extracted from the book as below. So, it tells the whole story. This book is simply awesome and first class! Thumbs up!!!

How many times have your heard company people say it's easier to get to the top rather than to stay there? Forget it, that's a myth created by people who are more interested in the study of sociology than they are in recognizing the realities of business competition. It's far easier to stay on top than to get there. The leader, the king of hill can take advantage of the principle of force. 

A general tries to fire up his troops by telling them what good soldiers they are and what great equipment they have. Many marketing generals do the same thing and fall victim to their own rhetoric. They talk themselves into the "better people" or "better product" fallacies. At the end, it is the superior strategy that counts. 

Why fight an offensive war if defense is so attractive? If you can win a marketing battle and become the leading brand, you can enjoy that victory for a long time. Simply because you can now play defense, the stronger form of warfare.

Defensive principles:
1. Only the market leader should consider playing defense.

2. The best defensive strategy is the courage to attack yourself.

3. Strong competitive moves should always be blocked.

4. Be prepared to strike back

5. Keeping something in reserve

6. Reduce your legal exposure

7. Marketing peace

Offensive principles:

1. The main consideration is the strength of the leader's position: How do we decrease their share of the market?

2. Find a weakness in the leader's strength and attack at that point.

3. Launch the attack on as narrow as possible.

Flanking principles:

1. A good flanking move must be made into an uncontested area but close to the leader's position.

2. Tactical surprise ought to be  an important element of the plan.

3. The pursuit is just as critical as the attack itself: Cut your losses and let your winners ride.

4. Flanking with low price, high price, small size, large size, distribution, product form

Guerrilla principles:

1. Find a segment of the market small enough to defend. It could be small geographically, or in volume or in some other aspect difficult for a larger company to attack: Niche and pick a small enough segment so that you can become a leader: example, local store. 

- you seldom read about companies that went under because the market they were concentrating on was too small. On the other hand, you often read about companies torn apart by overexpansion, companies that launch too many markets in too large a geographic area.

2. No matter how successful you become, never act like the leader: The essence of guerrilla strategy and tactics is the opposite of what's right for the Fortune 500 crowd.

- resist temptation to make up formal organization charts, job descriptions, career path and so on. 

3. Be prepared to bug out at a moment's notice: Don't hesitate to abandon a position or product if the battle turn against you. A guerrilla does not have resources to waste. 

- Geographic, demographic, industry, product, high-end (commodities only).

Line extension long term effect is clearly the opposite of the short term effect. In the short term, line extension is almost always a success (diet coke as example). But in long term, line extension is usually a loser's strategy.

Don't spend your money to change uniforms (Burger King vs McDonald). Spend your money to give your troops better weapons.

Marketing myths create false illusions. If we could only develop a better product... and the dreaming goes on and on. You shouldn’t think in terms of betterness, only in terms of differentness.

Every marketers has 3 kinds of products: to advertise, to sell and to make money on. It's wasteful to advertise a product just because you can sell it and make money on it. Would a motion picture theatre advertise the popcorns it sells? No, you advertise the movie and you make money on the popcorns and drinks. Advertise the same items might be a mistake if it undermines your position. 

Defenders can sometimes profit by fielding a full line of products. It's always a mistake for an attacker to do so. 

If the strategy is good, the battle can be won with indifferent tactics. If superb strategies are needed to win the battle, then the strategy is not sound. The marketing general that depends on superior tactics to win the war is usually quick to blame the arm that didn’t work. In today's battleground, that arm is usually the advertising.

My Life in Red and White

 

Arsene Wenger... a man who changed my life 25 years ago...

I was originally a Magpie fan... Arsenal football came into my life in 1996 when the flying Dutchman, Dennis Bergkamp arrived in North London from Inter Milan. This was then followed by the arrival of Le Boss. I was diverted to North London football since then. The beauty of non-restricted "Wengerball" really caught my attention those days and Arsene Wenger was my hero for almost 20 years...

As such, this book meant so much to me despite the legacy of Arsene Wenger almost tarnish at the end of his Arsenal era. This autobiography is a full story of Le Boss from his childhood all the way to the present situation. After this book is published, the media seems to focus on why Jose Mourinho was not mentioned in the book. To me, it is not only The Special One. The others like Sir Alex Ferguson (at least a bit), the late Gerard Houllier, Big Sam and many others was not featured in this book too. This may sound like a little flaw to readers. However, come to think about that, I think this biography is quite special compared to the others. At least Mr. Wenger focused on himself, and it makes this biography so unique and not so "gossiping" like others.  

For a full rating of 10, I am going to rate it at 10/10. Yes, I admit that I am so much bias to this Arsenal legend as he is the one who made me fall in love in football for over 20 years. Secondly, although the gossip content is below par, at least I can concentrate on the man I admire so much. Finally, there are some quotes from the book as below which enlighten my mind after reading this book:

A coach tends to over-estimate the effectiveness of his communication. So, there are some rules that need to be taken into account: 

1. On average two thirds of people would do more if their qualities were better recognized. 

2. Less than 30% of people apply the recommendations they've been given owing to a lack of confidence, a lack of respect for the coach or a lack of clarity or of practical recommendations. It's important to be clear in one's recommendations in order to boost confidence and improve performance. 

3. When expressing a negative point, one should put forward three positive points when speaking to somebody who needs to develop.

4. One should not aim for multiple objectives: just one or two are enough.

5. Never forget that time and place are very important.

The coach should promote collective expression by creating the conditions to allow the team to take risks, and encourage them to do so. And when faced defeat, he should stay firm, believe in his convictions, above all not blame the players. When he is preparing for a match, the coach's challenge is to succeed in destroying the opponent's strong points without preventing his own team from expressing themselves. If you exaggerate the opposition's qualities, you increase your players' fear and the risk they will hide away. At Monaco, our strength, was that they did not hide: they weren't afraid of anybody.

Putting the bias and favoritism aside, actually I learn more from the other legend (which I hate him so much those days, LOL). Relatively, I think the book "Leading" is much better. However, due to my utmost love to Arsenal, this book brings a lot of sweet memories to me, and I am so nostalgic while reading this book. As a conclusion, thank you so much to Le Boss for bringing us every hard-fought matches, awesome players throughout his time at Arsenal and ultimately, the memories on Arsenal journey which Mikel Arteta is building on it. As mentioned by current gaffer ~~~ "Trust the Process" and all the best to the club I love so much! 

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

 

This book suddenly crossed my mind after reading a lousy book in "Atomic Habits". "Atomic Habits" really disappointed me. As such, I felt there is a need to revisit a book I read 20 years ago. Main thing is, I need to find out whether I really hate "Atomic Habits" that much or simply because this sort of books no more sounds appealing to me...

At the end, this is still the same "amazing" book I read 20 years ago. A reread after 20 years is an incredible journey. After all, when I can re-quote some of the nice quotes below, it clearly showed that this book is still applicable after years. Further to that, although the said 7 habits were practiced over the years, the revision on this book did trigger some new ideas on me particularly as well as my interdependent relationship. 

Relatively, "Atomic Habits" do not have this sort of attraction. Well, credit must be given to the author of 7 habits. "Atomic Habits" may not be that bad. Perhaps, the presenting styles and the practical part is not as good as 7 habits. 

Out of 10, I have no reason to revise my full rating 20 years ago. This book is still one of my bibles in life and amazingly, it is still perfectly good to maintain all the 7 habits for the rest of my life. Thumbs up and thumbs up to the late Stephen R. Covey!

My experience has been that there are times to teach and times not to teach. When relationship are strained and the air charged with emotions, an attempt to teach is often perceived as a form of judgment and rejection.

A sense of possessing needs to come before a sense of genuine sharing.

Knowledge is the theoretical paradigm. Skill is the how to do and desire is the motivation. In order to make something a habit, we have to have all three.

Effectiveness lies in the balance. Excessive focus on P results in ruined health, worn-out machines, depleted bank accounts and broken relationship. Too much focus on PC is like a person who runs 3/4 hours a day, bragging about the extra 10 years of life it creates, unaware he's spending them running. 

There are 3 social maps: Genetic determinism, Psychic determination, Environmental determination to explain the nature of man. 

Look at the word responsibility - "response-ability" - the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that responsibility.

Proactive people are still influenced by external stimuli. But, their response to the stimuli is a value-based choice or response. It is our willing permission, our consent to what happens to us, that hurts us far more than what happens to us in the first place. It's not what happen to us, but our response to what happens to us that hurts us. 

It is our willingness permission, our consent to what happens to us, that hurts us far more than what happens to us in the first place.

In the great literature of all progressive societies, love is a verb. Reactive people make it a feeling.

Proactive people focus their efforts in the Circle of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about. The nature of their energy is positive, enlarging and magnifying, causing their Circle of Influence to increase. Reactive people on the other hand, focus their efforts in the Circle of Concern.

Whether a problem is direct, indirect, or no control, we have in our hands to the first step to the solution. Changing our habits, changing our methods of influence and changing the way we see our no control problems are within our Circle of Influence.

Habit 1 says "You are the programmer." Habit 2, then, says "Write the program." Until your accept the idea that you are responsible, that you are the programmer, you won't really invest in writing the program.

Almost all of the world class athletes and other peak performers are visualizers. They see it; the fell it; they experience it before they actually do it. They begin with the end in mind.

Before a performance, a sales presentation, a difficult confrontation, or the daily challenge of meeting a goal, see it clearly, vividly, relentlessly, over and over again. Create an internal "comfort zone." Then, when you get into the situation, it isn't foreign. It doesn't scare you.

My maxim of personal effectiveness: Manage from the left; lead from the right.

The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. And this can be done in the context of the week.

The focus in steward delegation is on effectiveness, not efficiency. Certainly you can do it better by yourself, but the key is to empower someone else to do it. It takes time. You have to get involved in the training and development. It takes time, but how valuable that time is downstream! It saves you so much in long run. 

The steward relatively compares to gofer focused on results instead of methods. The steward becomes his own boss, governed by a conscience that contains the commitment to agreed upon desired results. But it also releases his creative energies to achieve those desired results.

Real self-respect comes from dominion over self, from true independence. And that's the focus of Habits 1,2,3. Independence is an achievement. Interdependence is a choice only independent people can make. Unless we are willing to achieve real independence, it's foolish to try to develop human relations skills. 

I suggest that in an interdependent situation, every P problem is a PC opportunity - a chance to build the Emotional Bank Accounts that significantly affect interdependent production.  

Seek first to understand involves a very deep shift in paradigm. Most people do not listen with the intent to understand, they listen with the intent to reply. They're filtering everything through their own paradigms. 

As long as the response it logical, can effectively ask questions and give counsel. But the moment the response becomes emotional, one needs to go back to emphatic listening.

The more proactive you are (Habit 1), the more effectively you can exercise personal leadership (Habit 2) and management (Habit 3) in your life. The more effectively you manage your life (Habit 3), the more Quadrant II renewing activities you can do (Habit 7). The more you seek first to understand (Habit 5), the more effectively you can go for synergetic Win/Win situation (Habits 4 & 6). The more you improve in any of the habits that lead to independence (Habits 1,2,3), the more effective you will be in interdependent situations (Habits 4,5,6). And renewal (Habit 7) is the process of renewing all the habits.

There is a gap or space between stimulus and response, and that they key to both our growth and happiness is how we use that space. 

Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

 

This book was highly recommended by a few friends. In fact, the topic itself was very attractive to me in the first place. The only question is, this book was written a long time ago. So, are the theories still applicable in today's world? Well, if Jeff Bezos also reading this book, there is no excuse for us to avoid this book... 

Let's start the whole journey with something interesting: the myth of building a successful company:

Myth 1: It takes a great idea to start a great company

Myth 2: Visionary companies require great and charismatic visionary leaders.

Myth 3: The most successful companies exist first and foremost to maximize profits.

Myth 4: Visionary companies share a common subset of "correct" core values. (Reality: There is no "right" set of core values for being a visionary company. Indeed, two companies can have radically different ideologies, yet both visionary.

Myth 5: The only constant is change. 

Myth 6: Blue-chip companies play it safe. (Visionary companies may appear conservative to outsides, but they are not afraid to make bold commitments to "Big Hairy Audacious Goals".

Myth 7: Visionary companies are great places to work, for everyone.

Myth 8: Highly successful companies make their best moves by brilliant and complex strategic planning. (What looks in retrospect and preplanning was of the result of "Let's just try a lot of stuff and keep what works.")

Myth 9: Companies should hire outside CEOs to stimulate fundamental changes.

Myth 10: The most successful companies focus on beating the competitors (Visionary companies focus primary on beating themselves)

Myth 11: You can't have your cake and eat it too (Visionary companies do not brutalize themselves with the "Tyranny of the OR")

Myth 12: Companies becomes visionary primarily through "vision statements". 

With the listed myths, I have no hesitation to continue this book. In fact, these myths are the issues that bother entrepreneurs now and then. So, this book unlocked and dug into details on the myth with proven data and analysis. Thumbs up!!!

Next, the best part... how the author choose and filter companies to study:

1. What companies should we study?

2. Avoiding the "Discover Buildings" Trap.

3. History and Evolution

4. Crates of Data, Months of Coding, and "Tortoise Hunting"

5. Harvesting the Fruits of our Labor

6. Field Testing & Application in the Real World

With the series of myth and filtering in choosing the company, this book itself already showed its value. The main thing about visionary companies is all about core ideology. This ideology itself is the combination of core values (not to be confused with specific cultural or operating practices and not to be compromised for financial gain or short term expediency) + purpose (not to be confused with specific goals or business strategy). After finishing the whole book, you and I will know how fragile our company is: Core value was not set and not initiated despite running business for several years! So audacious! LOL...

With this new edition, the author adds on a new chapter on conceptual framework that defines vision, adds clarity and gives practical guidance for articulating a coherent vision within an organization. For those who have read this book or better still, for those who are new to this book, kindly get this latest version. This chapter is so valuable and gives plenty of insights to readers. Although a bit repetitive, a final reminder with all sorts of examples will further clarify the core ideas of this whole book.

For a full rating of 10, I have no hesitation to rate this book at 10/10. There is nothing to complain about this book. The author and the team of researchers really put in enormous efforts to provide an insightful and detailed perspective on how to build a visionary company. Well, as mentioned above, is this book still applicable in today's high technology world? The answer is yes! The theory of "stimulating progress while preserving core" will be there regardless of how the world changes. Full thumbs up to this book!!! 

Last but not least, I tried to excerpt some nice quotes from this book. In the end, I found too much info that I needed for future references. As such, unlike the usual quotes, I will categorize below as some valuable notes:

The core value need no rational or external justification. Nor do they sway with the trends and fads of the day. Nor even they shift in response to changing market conditions.

In the early stages, most visionary companies just tried to get off the ground and make a go of it and their ideology became clear only as the company evolved.

Specific methods of preserving the core and stimulating progress:

1. Big Hairy Audacious Goals

2. Cult-like Culture

3. Try a Lot of Stuff and Keep What Works!

4. Home-grown Management

5. Good Enough Never Is

Framework for diagnosing your own organization:

1. Has it made the shift in perspective from time telling to clock building?

2. Does it reject the "Tyranny of the OR" and embrace the "Genius of the AND"?

3. Does it have a core ideology - core values and purpose beyond just making money?

4. Does it have a drive for progress - not part of the core ideology?

5. Does it preserve the core and stimulate progress?

6. Is the organization in alignment, so that people receive a consistent set of signals to reinforce behavior that supports the core ideology and achieves desired progress?

Few points as you consider BHAGs:

1. Clear and requires little or no explanation. A BHAG is a goal- like climbing a mountain or going to moon - not a "statement." If it doesn't get people's juices going, then it's just not a BHAGs.

2. A BHAG should fall well outside the comfort zone: it should require heroic effort and perhaps even a little luck.

3. A BHAG should be bold and exciting in its own right that it would continue to stimulate progress even if the organization's leaders disappeared.

4. A BHAG has the inherent danger that, once achieved, an organization can stall and drift in the "we've arrived!" syndrome. A company should be prepared to prevent this by having follow-on BHAGs.

5. A BHAG should be consistent with a company's core value.

"Visionary" does not mean soft and undisciplined. They tend not to have much room for people unwilling or unsuited to their demanding standards.

An analysis of the visionary versus comparison companies:

1. 11/18 pairs, the evidence shows stronger indoctrination into a core ideology through the history of the visionary companies.

2. 13/18 pairs, people tend to either fit well with the company and its ideology or tend to not fit  at all.

3. 13/18 pairs, the evidence shows a sense of belonging to something special and superior.

We found that the visionary companies were significantly more decentralized and granted greater operational autonomy than the comparison companies.

Evolutionary progress differs from BHAG progress in two key ways. First, BHAG progress involves clear and unambiguous goals, evolutionary progress involves ambiguity (by trying lots of different approaches to stumble onto something that works). Second, BHAG involves bold discontinues leaps, evolution progress usually begins with small incremental steps or mutations, often in the form of quickly seizing unexpected opportunities that eventually grow into major and often unanticipated strategic shifts.

It might be far more satisfactory to look at well-adapted visionary companies not primarily as the result of brilliant foresight and strategic planning, but largely as consequences of a basic process - namely, try a lot of experiments, seize opportunities, keep those that work well (consistent with the core ideology) and discard those that don't.

We're not saying that evolutionary progress equals to wanton diversification, or even that a focused business strategy is necessarily bad. Wal-Mart for example remain resolutely focused on one industry- discount retailing - while simultaneously stimulating evolution within that narrow focus. Nor are we saying that the concept of "stick to the knitting" makes no sense. The real question is: What is the "knitting" in a visionary company? Our answer: Core ideology.

Across seventeen hundred years of combined history in the visionary companies, we found only four individual cases of and outsider coming directly into the role of chief executive.

It is not the quality of leadership that most separates the visionary companies from the comparison companies. It is the continuity of quality leadership that matters - continuity that preserves the core.

If you're involved with an organization that feels it must go outside for a top manager, then look for candidates who are highly compatible with the core ideology. They can be different in managerial style, but they should share the core values at a gut level.

P&G already had the best people, the best products, the best marketing muscle. So, why not pit the best of P&G against the best of P&G? If the marketplace doesn't provide enough competition, why not create a system of internal competition that makes it virtually impossible for any brand to rest on its laurels?

Managers at visionary companies simply do not accept the proposition that they must choose between short-term performance or long-term success. They build first and foremost for the long term while simultaneously holding themselves to highly demanding short-term standards. 

If you are involved in building and managing the company, we urge you to consider the following questions:

- What "mechanisms of discontent" can you create that would obliterate complacency and bring about change and improvement from within, yet are consistent with your core ideology? How can you give these mechanism sharp teeth?

- What are you doing to invest for the future while doing well today? Does your company adopt innovative new methods and technologies before the rest of the industry?

- How do you respond to downturns? Does your company continue to build for the long term even during difficult times?

- Do people in your company understand that comfort is not the objective - that life in a visionary company is not supposed to be easy?

Bill Hewlett, "marketing people must play a secondary role in the question of product definition."

A particular revealing example of HP following its own vision and not falling into prey to management fads and fashions of the day came in the 1970s, when the "learning-curve/market-share" theory of corporate strategy swept American business.

Keep in mind that the only sacred cow in a visionary company is its core ideology. Anything else can be changed or eliminated.

After you drafted a preliminary list of the core values, ask this questions: "If the circumstances changed and penalized us for holding this core value, would we still keep it?" If you can't honestly answer yes, then it's not core and should be dropped. 

Suppose in 10 years quality doesn't make a difference and the only thing that matters is sheer speed and horsepower, but not quality. Quality stay off the list as core value. Quality stayed in the current strategy and remained in place as mechanism for stimulating progress, but it did not make the list of core values. Remember, strategies change as market conditions change, but core values remain intact. 

A company should not change its core values in response to market changes, it should change markets- if necessary in order to remain true to its core values. 

Can you envision these core values being equally valid for you 100 years from now as they are today? Would you want to hold these core values, even if at some point one or more of them became a competitive disadvantage? If you were to start a new organization tomorrow in a different line of work, what cores values would you build into the new organization regardless of its industry? The last three questions are particularly important, as they make the crucial distinction between enduring core values that should not change and practices and strategies that should be changing all the time.

Whereas you might achieve a goal or complete a strategy, you cannot fulfill a purpose; it is like a guiding star on the horizon - forever pursued, but never reached. Yet while purpose itself does not change, it does inspire change. The very fact that purpose can never be fully realized means that an organization can never stop stimulating change and progress in order to live more fully to its purpose.

One powerful method for getting at purpose is the "Five Whys." Start with the descriptive statement, "We make X products" or "we deliver X services," and then ask "why is that important?" five times.

None of the core purposes discussed in this chapter fall into the category "maximize shareholder wealth." A key role of core purpose is to guide and inspire.

One way to get at the purpose that lies beyond just maximizing shareholder wealth is to play the "Random Corporate Serial Killer" game.

If you woke up tomorrow morning with enough money in the bank that you would never need to work again, how could we frame the purpose of this organization such that you would want to continue working anyway? What deeper sense of purpose would motivate you to continue to dedicate your precious creative energies to this company's efforts?

As Peter Drucker has pointed out, the best and most dedicated people are ultimately volunteers, for they have the opportunity to do something else with their lives.

You do not "create" or "set" core ideology. You discover core technology. It is not derived by looking to the external environment; you get at it by looking inside. It has to be authentic. You can't fake an ideology. Nor can you just "intellectualize" it. Do not ask, "What core value should we hold?"

Core ideology need only be meaningful and inspirational to people inside the organization, it need not be exciting to all outsiders. 

The task is to find people who already have a predisposition to share your core values and purpose, attract and retain these peoples, and let those who aren't disposed to share your core values go elsewhere.

Core competence is a strategic concept that captures your organization's capabilities - what you are particularly good at - whereas core ideology captures what you stand for and why you exist.

A BHAG should not be a sure bet - perhaps only 50-70% probabilities of success - but the organization must believe "we can do it anyway." It should require extraordinary effort, and perhaps a little luck. Four targets in creating BHAG: target, common enemy, role model, internal transformation.

Purpose is the organization's fundamental reason for existence, which like a star on the horizon can never be reached; it guides and inspires forever. A BHAG, on the other hand, is a specific goal which, like a specific mountain to climb, has a specific time frame and can be achieved. Whereas identifying core ideology is a discovery process, setting the envisioned future is a creative process.

In thinking about envisioned future, beware the "we've arrived syndrome" - complacent lethargy that arises once an organization has achieved a BHAG and fails to replace it with another.

Creating alignment, which is a key part of our ongoing work to help companies transform themselves into visionary companies, requires two key processes: 1. developing new alignments to preserve the core and stimulate progress, and 2. eliminating misalignments - those that drive the company away from the core ideology and those that impede progress toward the envisioned future.

易中天中华史：铁血蒙元

 

这本是宋元系列的最后一本，也是市面上易老师中华史的最后一本。好期待【明清】的系列。但是，看起来，还得等上一段时间。。。

一般上，最后一本通常都得珍惜。这一本也不例外。昨晚，通宵达旦一口气看完它。。。不是因为太得空，而是是这一本书籍太棒了（简直就是这一系列最引人入胜的一本！）。成吉思汗，忽必烈的事迹本来就可歌可泣。在易老师的神笔之下，除了轰轰烈烈的世纪大战，更多的是理性和逻辑的分析。易中天中华史的吸引之处在于历史除了不沉闷，还能让读者慎思和探讨过去的是与非。更甚的是，读者能够体会历史真的没有如果。每一段历史的演变就是今天的写照。

再来，这本书有个特点。易老师一直把程朱理学和蒙元种下的埋伏隐藏于书中。这一亮点足以让读者很期待明清的中华史系列。有别于其它的历史书籍，易老师不强调，但却很理性的分析这两个祸端的利与弊。时代的驱使往往造就了一些必然因果。但是，对与错彷佛没有一个界限。始终，历史不允许如果。历史读者要的是省思以防重蹈覆辙的可能性。这就是阅读历史最大的益处。

这最后一本真的启发了我许多深思。感觉上，真的随着蒙古大将穿越时空经历一场又一场的伟大事迹。最终，还体会到了许多制度和文化的利与弊。因此，10分满分，不得不给予这本书10分！我忘了之前易老师中华史的哪一本让我废寝忘食，但是，这一本肯定是让我手不释卷的一本书籍。

以下是书里的经典语录：

蒙古人对于推翻大金毫无兴趣。相反，留下那帮蠢货看管牧场，把羊养肥了再来屠杀要合算得多。但是指望蒙古人不再南下，就像相信狼不在吃羊。何况，狼已经掌握了进出羊圈的技术。留在中都是被吃，躲到南京也是，不过或许能把被吃的时间从初一推迟到十五。

造成暴行的原因以其说是残忍，不如说是无知。因为游牧民族完全不懂城市的用处。因此，当时他们是不知所措的。这就好比北极熊的到了数码相机，除了拆的七零八落，不会有别的结果。

在世界史上，这是个奇迹。第一，尽管这个民族的崛起速度惊人，事先却没有任何预兆，也无规律可循。第二，新帝国在失去了极具个人魅力的领导核心之后，并没有失去前进的方向，反倒生机勃勃地成长，突飞猛进地发展，以至于直接挑战中华，基督教和伊斯兰三大文明，让世界陷入混乱。

忽必烈留下的遗产是大元帝国。请问，大元是蒙古帝国，还是中华帝国？是蒙古帝国变成了中华帝国，还是中华帝国变成了蒙古帝国？好像都是，又好像都不是。

蒙古人既是文明的破坏者也是创造者，尽管这并非他们的使命和初心。忽必烈没能保住大蒙古，却开创了大中华。

士大夫在两宋的地位很高。但是，蒙古人把这一切都毁灭了。按照所谓的“七匠八娼，九儒十丐”的说法，其地位甚至还在娼妓之下。

元的文明程度本来就远远不如宋，明清两代更是闭关锁国，海上丝绸之路被自己切断，陆地上的商道则因为成本太高和动荡不安而被废弃。明承元制，清承明制，都选择了继承不该继承的东西。汉唐之辉煌，两宋之绚丽，再难一见。

易中天中华史: 大宋革新

 

好怀念易中天老师的书籍. 这一套书在我的书架上横躺着两年。 一直很想去翻一翻，但是,这两年来真的太忙了。。。

果然，期待完全没有落空。易老师始终时易老师。一贯的幽默，一贯的神笔，历史在易老师的描写之下就是那么牛！这本书，我一拿起，简直就是爱不释手。大宋这一段三百年的历史本来就有趣。易老师的分析直接把读者带到当年的状况。很多野史也经易老师处理之后，变得相当有理。大宋是一个革新时代。有别于汉唐两代，大宋的创新（无论是被逼还是历史使然）经过易老师的分析显得更加耐人寻味。一直以来，我就是不明白宋朝怎么那么多野史。经过这本【大宋个性】的解读，终于茅塞顿开。原来创新的背后隐藏着就是一系列的突发奇想。以前从来都不欣赏赵光胤的自导自演。看来，这一场戏还真的把中华史带上了另一个沉湎。

如果易老师时我当年的历史老师，我绝对不逃课，🙂。因此，阔别两年，这一读又让我从新爱上易老师的作品了。10分满分，没得弹，本人就给足满分！太喜欢易老师的书籍了。

以下是本书的一些经典语录：

一个东西成为本位，又两个条件。首先，必须又价值。其次，辨识度要高，而且可能拥有。帝国时代，君至贵而民至贱。贱民无价值，皇帝又高不可攀，所以既不会有君本位，也不会有民本位。最适合成为本位的，正是皇家与小民之间可望的官。

时代特征：汉代重军功，魏晋重门第，隋唐重勋爵，两宋重学历。

赵宋官家意识到，最靠谱的，是由儒家思想武装起来。文官，作为个人，他们没有雄厚的社会基础，也没有强大的军事力量，根本就造不了反。而儒家忠君爱国的主张，又让他们不生此念。

士农工商的界限荡然无存。过去，士人的子孙世代都是士人。此后，商人的子孙才能为士 -- 简直就是颠覆性的变化。结果是什么呢？科技进步，文化繁荣。

的确，将政府特许的经营权，甚至出家人的身份凭证都当作油价证券来炒，是只有商业社会才会发生的事。两宋恰恰事这样的社会。

在赵宋官家的心目中，最重要的不是国家而是皇权。国家的危险在边境之上，皇权的萧蔷之内。他们宁可牺牲军事效率甚至国家安全，也要保证皇位皇权不受旁落。

岳飞之死是明杀，狄青之死却连暗杀都不算。只能叫阴杀。

狄青是被制度和文化所杀。而制度和文化是无法被送上法庭追究责任的。所有人都是凶手，也就等于没有凶手。

赵光胤就是一条江湖好汉。不但武艺高强，而且嗜赌如命。传说三十六路棍法，就是他留下的。双截棍，也是他发明的。他敢在陈桥进行一场豪赌，靠的正是闯荡江湖的阅历。赵宋官家，原本就是黑社会老大。

太祖皇帝当年从石守信夺兵权时，交换条件便是默许甚至怂恿他们以权谋私。石守信也没辜负赵光胤，在节度使任上大发横财。这其实是五代以来传统的变通。那时兵变，都会许诺部下事成之后在城中抢劫百姓。赵光胤只不过把豪夺变成了细水长流的巧取。

这其实时文明的表现。打官司总比打群架好。民众告官也比官逼民反好。如果他们连皇帝都敢告，则当时社会环境和政治之宽松，简直叹为观止。这时，即便统治时专制主义的，那也是开明专制。那么，宋代为什么开明？逼出来的。

套利对冲投资实战宝典

 

哥儿们介绍的一本书。。。一本关于套利的书籍。。。交易了十七年，老实说，要找一本关于套利的书籍简直是难如登天！我这哥儿们的确很够意思。一直以来，他就好像我的百科全书，要什么有什么。说他是我的小叮当，还真的一点儿也不为过。。。

这是书有个小特点。主题虽然是套利，但是作者很用心的把一些交易上有关联的讯息和历史背景也一并分享给读者。再来，作者除了整理出理论，理论上还配搭了许多实战交易以供读者参考。这一点，作者是做得挺到位的。套利这玩意儿一直是交易者守口如瓶的绝世葵花宝典。除了自个儿掏腰包买经验，基本上这个游戏几乎是行内的一个玄机。因此，这本书至少起到了一定的作用。我相信，读者会从这本书找到一些一直以来很想解开的谜底。

想尝试鸡蛋里挑骨头，但是，还真的捡不到太多骨头。唯一的小骨髓是，这本书整体上都着重在内地的套利交易。如果有些美国的个案，我相信这本书我会给足满分。好吧，那十分满分，这本书怎么说都值个九分吧。对于很想了解套利交易的读者们，这本书个人是挺推荐的。毕竟，市面上关于套利的书籍的确是寥寥无几。再来，对于我这个小玩家，基本上这本书也满足了我对套利的好奇心。未来，很期待这类书籍陆续登场。毕竟，套利这个秘密也守太久了。。。

The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution

Wow... what a book! Jim Simons... an idol for every trader. So far, I think this is the only book in the market about the mighty Quant. I read a Chinese version book about Jim Simons before. However, I remain suspicious on the contents of the book. Hence, when this book was introduced by Michael Covel, I have no hesitation to buy it.

Finally, we have a book that tells the whole story about Jim Simons. Well, I believe this book presented the real Jim Simons compares to those rumors and articles being circulated on the internet. The author did well in presented the whole chronology on how Jim Simons and co started till the latest. Along the way, there are newcomers as well as those who gave up. Hence, we can see how this quant revolution being made. Amazingly, it was an exciting but real tough journey.

You do not have to equipped yourself with great mathematical skill to read this book. The author did so well by presenting simple ideas that every reader shall be able to understand. After all, even if those coding was revealed, we might not understand at all. Basically, finance experts may not understand coding. Same thing applies to coder who may never understand the games of finance. So, again, what Jim Simons achieved, by combining both is really a remarkable stuff.

I believe some readers may be disappointed with this book. After all, this book does not reveal the real secret behind the success of Renaissance. However, like I mentioned above, unless you are a coder, otherwise, there is no point to show you the code. To me, this book is good enough. In fact, I rate it as excellent, 10/10! First of all, it is so hard to get the information on the mighty Jim Simons. Secondly, I am eager to know the history on how Renaissance being established. So, this book revealed what I want. This book is definately well worth reading. It is well written and surely a must read for those who works in financial market like me.

Last but not least... as listed below, I pick out certain points from the book which I found interesting. Thumbs up to the author in writing this book.

Simon quoted: "God gave me a tail to keep off the flies. But I rather have no tail and no flies. That's kind of the way I feel about publicity."

"The lesson was: Do what you like in life, not what you feel you 'should' do," Simon says. "It's something I never forgot."

Lenny Baum developed a saying that became the group's credo: "Bad ideas is good, good idea is terrific, no ideas is terrible."

Markov chains, which are sequences of events in which the probability of what happens next depends only on the current state, not past events.

In a Markov chain, it is impossible to predict future steps with certainty, yet one can observe the chain to make educated guesses about possible outcomes. Baseball can be seen as a Markov game.

A hidden Markov process is one in which the chain of events is governed by unknown, underlying parameters or variables.

"I don't want to have to worry about the market every minute. I want models that will make money while I sleep," Simons said. "A pure system without human interfering."

Stochastic equations, the broader family of equations to which Markov chains belong. Stochastic equations model dynamic processes that evolve over time and can involve a high level of uncertainty.

I strongly believe, for all babies and a significant number of grownups, curiosity is a bigger motivation than money. ~~~ Elwyn Berlekamp

Berlekamp argued that buying and selling infrequently magnifies the consequences of each move. Mess up a couple times, and your portfolio could be doomed. Make a lot of trades, and each individual move is less important, reducing portfolio's overall risk.

Berlekamp and others developed a thesis that locals, or floor traders who buy or sell, like to go home at the end of trading week holding few or no future contracts. Similarly, brokers on the floors of commodity exchanges seemed to trim future positions ahead of the economic reports. Medallion's system would buy when these brokers sold, and sell the investments back to them as they became more comfortable with the risk.

Certain trading bands from Friday morning's action had the uncanny ability to predict bands later that same afternoon, nearer to the close of trading. If market moved higher late in the day, it often paid to buy futures contracts just before the close of trading and dump them at the market's opening the next day.

"I don't know why planets orbit the sun," Simons told a colleague suggesting one needn't spend too much time figuring out why the market's patterns existed. "That doesn't mean I can't predict them."

Simons, too, became nervous when his fund went through rocky times. On the whole, though, Simons maintained faith in his trading models, recalling how difficult it had been for him to invest using his instincts. He made commitment to refrain from overriding the model, hoping to ensure that neither Medallion's returns, nor the emotions of his employees at Renaissance, influenced the fund's moves.

It continued to identify enough winning trades to make serious money, usually by wagering on reversions after stocks got out of whack. Over the years, Renaissance would add twists to this bedrock strategy, but, those would just be second order complements to the firm's core reversion to the mean predictive signals. 

Never place too much trust in trading models. Yes, the firm's system seemed to work, but all formulas are fallible. This conclusion reinforced the fund's approach to managing risk. If a strategy wasn't working, or when market volatility surged, Renaissance's system tended to automatically reduce positions and risk. 

Simons often emphasized the importance of not overriding their trading system. But, in market crisis, he tended to pull back on the reliance on certain signals, to the chagrin of researchers who didn't believe in ever adjusting their computer programs. 

Medallion made between 150,000 and 300,000 trades a day, but much of that activity entailed buying or selling in small chunks to avoid impacting the market prices, rather than profiting by stepping in front of other investors. What Simons and his team were doing wasn't quite investing, but they also weren't flash boys. 

Medallion still held thousands of lonf and short positions at any time, and its holding period ranged from one or two days to one or two weeks. The fund did even faster trades, described by some as high frequency, but many of those were for hedging purposes or to gradually build its positions. "I am not sure we're the best at all aspects of trading, but we're the best at estimating the cost of a trade, " Simons said. 

Medallion still did bond, commodity and currencies trades, and it made money from trending and reversion-predicting signals. The gain on each trade were never huge, and the fund only got it right a bit more than half the time, but that was more than enough. 

How the firm wagered was at least as important as what it wagered on. If they found a profitable signal, the wouldn't buy when the clock struck nine, potentially signalling to others that a move happened each day at that time. Instead, it spread its buying out throughout the hour in unpredictable ways, to preserve its trading signals. 

Instead of the hit-and-miss strategy of trying to find signals using creativity and thought, now you can just throw a class of formulas at machine learning engine and test our millions of different possibilities.

亚当理论

老友介绍的一本书。。。据老友形容，这本书神奇到能让所有的交易者呈现空杯心态，然后改过自新的一本书。哇！这么神，怎能错过呢？

这本书是著名技术分析学者（师傅）Welles Wilder的呕心力作。Wilder 利用这本书颠覆了他一生引以为傲的技术分析。金融市场就是有它残酷的一面。很多交易者终其一生才明白简单的原理远远胜过复杂却又未必有效的方法。这本书恰恰带出了这个残酷的讯息！

有一点我很佩服！作者贵为技术分析的老祖宗，却又能承认自己的不足，然后空杯心态的放弃毕生研究！单单这一点，这本书就已经值回票价了。作者很用心的把所谓的亚当理论解说的清清楚楚。除了理论，作者呈现更多真实例子来巩固亚当理论的可行性。有一点，我确实费解？为什么把这理论称为亚当理论呢？这一点作者倒是漏了解说。

这是一本翻译书。基于老友推荐的功力实在行，我这个急性子就用最快的方法买下了这本翻译版本。庆幸的是，这本书的翻译还真不赖。实际上，整本书完全没有翻译的缺陷。虽然文字不完美，但是胜在明明白白。

如果满分是10分，我会毫不犹疑给予10分。除了这本书写的有理，我觉得作者也很诚恳的把它呈现出来给读者。对于市面上一直不断在寻寻觅觅圣杯的交易者来说，这本书简直就是当头棒喝！姑且不谈亚当理论的可行度。。。但是我很肯定书里的理论足够敲醒一群庸庸碌碌的交易者。这本书我个人非常欣赏。以下是书里的一些精彩语录：

从事交易不需要了解太多，比你看到的还要少。

任何好的系统和方法，几乎都可以赚上一整子钱，但是迟早会产生恶果。

假设我们声称任何一笔交易不会亏损超过300美元，为什么是300美元呢？为什么不是200美元还是400美元？这可能是我们做出来最武断的事情了。

出场的目标又如何？最不武断的行为是让市场告诉我们何时获利了结。其中一种方法就是顺着交易的方向不断移动止损点，直到触发止损出场为止。

那一年有几种商品出现大幅波动，我们只要转而交易这些正在波动的产品就行了。

优秀的交易者会利用方向和持续期，而非转折点。

我们所犯的最大错误是每次都不肯认赔小钱。我们所犯的第二错误是不跟随趋势。我们所犯的第三错误是不去赚大钱。

任何时候加码，绝对绝对不要超过最初买进的头寸。

当回档买进，其实就是在强势中的弱势情况下买进。反而，我们要见强买强，见弱卖出。

杰西利佛莫一生中赚过很多钱，但是又全部赔光了。我们能称他为优秀的交易者吗？不能。我们赚了很多钱不重要，重要的是我们能留住多少钱。

进场交易：
1. 突破。
2. 趋势改变
3. 缺口或当日高低价差大。

亚当理论：
1. 进场交易三个条件。
2. 没有想在底部或高部进场。而是等到线索2和3都满足，中心对称图显示市场不会回档到目前的进场水平后，才进场。
3. 根据市场之前的低点初步设止损，因为中心对称图尚未指出该如何设止损。
4. 要么保持止损不动，要么只沿着交易的方向移动止损。
5. 跟原先进场交易时一样，我们在同样的考虑下增加头寸。

千万别逆势交易，除非又明显的证据表明反转已经发生。（请注意，是已经发生，而不是将要发生或应该发生）

亚当理论所说的是概率很高的事，而不是绝对的事。

准确捉住顶部和底部的几率比在拉斯维加斯吃角子老虎机还差。

Phantom of the Pits

Finally.... I found the English version of this book. Three years ago, I read the Chinese version. I was so impressed with it. Yet, I found it hard to find the original version be it at Amazon, Kindle and anywhere. Finally, a friend of mine sends this ebook to me. Thank you so much, mate. You are the man always.

This time around, I found it better. First of all, it is due to the original language and no flaws on the translation. Those technical items are surely easier to understand compares to the Chinese version. Secondly, I felt it smooth while reading this version. Having said that, the Chinese version actually did remarkably well in terms of translation. However, readers will definitely prefer the original version. This is the power being a Malaysian since we are trilingual in nature.

As times goes by... trading world had changed dramatically thanks to the introduction of algorithm and robotic trading over the years. As such, certain point are not so relevant today. For example, we are no more in the situation where slippage easily occurred unless a trader is still a "manual" trader. Secondly, due to the fast moving speed in internet, market trending seems get crowded and as a result, we see shorter trend these days. Hence, what the author mentioned on the day trader's edge over the position traders may not be relevant giving current market situation. Come to think about that... it will be nice if "Phantom of the Pits" can come out with the revised version of this book. Well... provided the so called "Phantom of the Pits" really exist in the first place, LOL!

This time around, I spend quite a lot of time in digesting this book. First of all... since there is no revise version to counter current market's situation, I need to brainstorm the idea of this book in response to the current trend less market. As we all know, market trending is not as great as last time. David Herding mentioned umpteen times that the market is simply overcrowded with trend following method. Hence, this book actually provided some limelight and alternative to the old school trend following style. For a full rating of 10, I am going to rate this book at 9. On the Chinese version, I rated it at 10/10. This time around, I reduced 1 point due to two reasons. Firstly, I found it quite annoying when the book ended with tons of articles by the author (not "Phantom of the Pits") which is not related to trading. Secondly, as I moved into old and bold trader (compares to 3 years ago), this book is not so inspiring. The quotes below tell the whole story. In the Chinese version, I managed to list out tons of quotes. This time around, the quotes selected not so much. Having said that, this book is still one of the best trading books I read. Thumbs up!!!

You must be larger when correct on a position than when your position is wrong. Each add onto the original position should be done in smaller and smaller steps. 

It all depends on your trading plan. One correct way for a day-trader is to see that the position is proven correct and then add at a proper retracement. This will not be the case for trend trader. Trend trader would most likely have at least one add at a breakout or breakaway gap. Your method of adding must be validated by your trade plan. 

Day traders will have problem with Rule 2 unless they position properly and understand that their adds must only be made correctly. Day traders are in for quick profit so it is hard to have a good add plan. Their best trader is to put all positions on at once and use Rule 1 to take them off unless or until proven correct. This is the proper probability in a loser's game like trading.

Trend traders will get larger when they are correct, but day traders will start larger and get smaller when they are wrong. Day traders can be large when they are wrong, but trend traders will never be large when they they are wrong. This is due to the nature of a loser's game for day traders. By reducing your positions when wrong, your exposure is not extreme for a day trader. 

Rule 2 must be used if you expect to make money in long run. Your validation of how you add is according to your trading plan. 

Day trading plan is certainly going to be geared for the quick profit, so why shouldn't you have your biggest position to work with from the start? Right or wrong, you are going to use Rule 1 to protect all cost. 

This is your enemy... to love to be right. You will become the best trader you can be by being wrong small, not right small. 

Most of your trades that don't confirm within a logical time frame are usually going to look bad sooner or later. Why not take the sooner? 

Most traders look to remove their positions just as soon as they prove them right. They forget what their true purpose in trading really is. It is not only to make as much money as possible, but to make it in the least amount of time. 

You could use day traders to your advantage in trading by knowing that they would have to get out by close. 

You expect to be wrong if you are thinking and trading correctly.

Our thinking must become adult in trading. As a child, we often don't need a reason but just the rule. As an adult, to be effective in trading, it is important to know why and not just the rule. 

The most critical time of a trade is immediately after you have just entered the position. This is the time you must be most sensitive to news and events. 

If you using point and figure charts, you can see the 45-degree line of support and resistance. 

Look for a system that back-tests data currently. What I mean by this is that it must be current in the last six month or so. What good is the system if it takes the last 50 years into consideration but not the current six months that reflects current market conditions best. 

Compare both the long term and six month sets of data. If they conflict, you must refine the system somewhat to a better signal generator. If your can't refine it better, then use both set of signals and throw them out when conflict. 

终身学习：哈佛毕业后的六堂课

好久没阅读一些学术性的书籍。这本书堪称史丹福和哈佛没有教的必修课。因此，特别吸引了我。

结果是。。。这本书太棒了！棒在那里？第一，这本书的学术性太高了。读完整本书后，老实说，真的获益不浅。诚如书的主题所说，这本书的确是终身学习的一个主题。里头概括了所有人生必备的一些工具。如果能够运用一半以上，我相信人生会走的更顺畅。

第二，作者本身堪称是个成功的生意人。我感到好奇的是。。。作者哪来那么多时间上那么多课程。我也是生意人。我还是个不成功的生意人。但，一个不成功的生意人都腾不出时间来上课，黄总却能在那么短的时间上了那么多课程。佩服，佩服还是佩服！或许，是时候放下一些来换取另一些吧。。。

第三，这本书脱离了一般学术性质的本质。如果主题让你觉得很压力，那就大错特错了。这本书写的很轻松。读者应该会很轻松的了解作者想要表达的意义。学术性有，但又不大伤脑筋！这类书籍怎能不吸引读者呢？

再好的书总有些缺陷。这本书，个人觉得太多学习过程了。书的主题是终身学习。因此，作者很贪心的把整个人生需要概括的学习过程都写进去了。我个人认为要啃完这本书的确需要花上些时间。虽然大致上轻松，但免不了要用上一点脑筋去思考。因此，如果这本书分成两个段若或者两本不同的上下集，我觉得会更好。

10分满分，这本书我给于9分。整体上，这本书很值得推荐。第一，如果把它当作是新的学习知识，这本书绝对称职。第二，就算有些知识你和我都很熟悉，这本书还是能够启到加深知识和复习的作用。

最后，有些语录还是值得记录的。黄总整本书的经典语录的确让我获益不少。

哈尔埃尔罗德总结出一套“早晨程序”，包括运动，阅读，感恩，冥想和定目标等。他还指出，也许你觉得每天早晨花一个小时很奢侈，但当你做了之后就会发现，这一个小时可以让你之后的十五个小时获得最高效率的最好方法。

当你知道自己处于某种情绪时，你会让自己停留多久？情商的意义是如何管理自己的情绪，尽量缩短极端情绪持续的时间。这里不单单指负面情绪。因为无论那种极端情绪，维持太久的时间都是不好的。人需要在大多数情况下处于不悲不喜。因为这种感觉对身体是最好的。

所有的情绪和反应都是你自己产生的。所以，当外部世界朝你轰叫时，你不需要有任何情绪反应。如果有的话，就观察它。观察它的来，观察它的去。

影响力原则：
1. 互惠性原则
2. 稀有性原则
3. 权威性原则
4. 一致性原则： 个人的言语和行为一致
5. 社会认同原则
6. 相似性原则：建立私人关系，抓住共同点，给对方一些真诚的赞许

一群聪明人未必能够达到共识。在没有制度的前提下，我说我的，各做各的。在一个社群建立的初期，真的需要一个领袖人物。

社群能否成功建立，其实和大家聪明不聪明没有必然关系。重点是制度和领袖。

我无法控制别人的想法，我只能更勇气的面对自己，对自己说的话和做的事负责。

人生幸福来自六个需求的满足：
1。人生的确定性：虽然人生充满变数，但人需要有确定性。
2. 人生的不确定性：每天重复同样的日子，会非常无趣。所以，生活也需要一些不确定性。
3. 个体的重要性：知道自己的价值。
4. 连接与爱
5. 成长
6. 贡献

我对压力和担忧从新定义：我要积极做好我所能做的事，也要认识到意外产生的必然性。既然意外是不可避免的，坦然面对，积极处理，其实这何尝不是提升我个人能力的一种方式呢？

如果付出有个前提，想得到什么，那当然会不开心。如果付出只是为了帮助别人，自我提升，那内心的满足也会源自于此。

如果没有找到符合自己需求的组织，那么就建立一个属于自己的“大头脑”。

一家成功的企业具备七个要数：
1. 优秀的企业文化。
2. 前瞻性的战略。
3. 不断的创新。
4. 做好市场推广。
5. 建立好的销售系统。
6. 完善法律和财务体系。
7. 不断改进和优化。

不是每个公司都需要做大。当风投想给你一笔资金，伴随而来的也有很多的不确定性，也就和你的基本需求背道而驰了。

当一间公司运作的非常好，从某种程度来说，他就应该把个人和公司之间进行一次分离。这时候，他会同时具备两种身份，一个是“事业执行者”，另一个是“事业拥有者”。作为前者，他是公司的一名员工，为公司创造价值；作为后者，他拥有属于自己的部分。

如果我们想有更长远的追求，想要获得进步，我们首先需要认识到自己的舒适区及其边界，然后能够打破它，扩大我们的活动范围，逼近我们的极限。

大城心事3：小说版

陈峰又有新书了。身为陈峰大哥的忠实支持者，这本书怎能错过呢？

第一本大城心事我觉得不错。至少让我们这班陈峰粉丝重温一下这几年和峰哥熬过的三更半夜。然而，大城心事2我却不怎么想购买。理由是，感觉上，听好像比读更能投入。这回，大城心事3来个大改革。峰哥把它编成了短篇小说版。基于好奇的推动下，终于去书局把这本书买下了。

结果是。。。小说版真的好多了。第一，阅读过程不再那么沉闷。上回阅读大城心事1时，总是感觉有点重复性。毕竟内容一切都听过了。这回，虽然也有似曾相识的感觉，但是比较容易投入。第二，小说版因为文字上的修饰，感觉上没大城心事1那么粗糙。第三，峰哥在每一则小说后都附上自己的“峰言峰语”。这一段结论堪称一绝。大城心事的精髓恰恰就是“峰言峰语”的一切。

原本想把一些书里的经典语录记录在此。但是，最后发觉到每一段“峰言峰语”都是经典的语录。因此，感觉上好像多此一举。10分满分，这本书我给予满分。峰哥这回太有创意了。这本书肯定会带来巨大的回响。峰哥，加油！

西方金融如何改写中国现代史

好久没阅读台湾的繁体书。这本书的主题本身就很吸引我。西方金融加上中国现代史，很有趣的组合。况且，历史加金融，两个都是我的最爱。怎能错过呢？

这本书没得弹。整体上，虽然花了很多时间和绞尽脑汁来理解，但是时间与精神上的付出非常值得。至少，这本书启发了我很多新的概念。很多概念其实一直在金融界里不断重复。只不过，当局者迷。很多时候，我们在里头很难客观的去看待一切。更多的时候，我们甚至忘了这些所谓的概念在千年金融历史中根本都没停止过。

再来，作者很用心的收集各个资料。最棒的是，作者自己的结论堪称一绝。整本书我几乎找不到任何我不认可的地方。还是那一句，作者无论针对历史，还是自己的论点，到最后都启发了我。谢谢作者的用心。

如果想要鸡蛋里挑骨头，那这本书唯一的缺点是作者让读者太用脑了。里头有些东西，我们这班金融奴隶都未必能马上明白；更何况，那些没有金融知识的读者。简单来说，这本书不容易阅读，需要足够的耐力和恒心去慢慢体会作者的用心。

10分满分，基于能够在鸡蛋里挑到骨头，那就给个9分吧！这本书我十分推荐。看一看以下的经典语录就能够证明这本书真的超棒的！

一定有那么一个从前，如果想发横财，就可以把家搬到海边去住。因为那时作为交易手段的货币都是用小贝壳穿成的。中华民族的发源地远离海洋，贝壳非常稀罕，自然价值不菲。贝这个字在当今的金融字典里还是满天飞。化了贝就是货币，代了贝就是借用他人的钱，分了贝就是贫穷，乏了贝就是贬值。

任何一个时代，任何一个国家，都可能上演量化宽松的故事。皮特首相和咸丰皇帝的故事告诉了我们一个事实：政府操纵货币发行，结果不一定都是噩梦，有些人恐怕就是比他人有更好的运气。

人们防泡沫也在与时俱进。经济学家发展了总体，个体经济分析，金融学家完成了中央银行和商业银行理论，心理学家提供了对人的精神与行为的解释，社会学，政治学，管理学都提出相应概念，帮助建构健康的市场程序。历史学家说了一句实话：告诉我们没有任何东西可以像证券市场上的泡沫，反复发作那样展示出人类的劣根性，要想从历史中学到点什么，是多么的困难。

中国历史上曾有十几次法家思想主导的改革，都将完善经济放入改革中。然而到了清末，除了朝廷六部，政府没有调理货币经济的总管，没有负责国家债务的机构。更糟的是清官们对货币的特权一直不开窍，浪费了政府的信誉。。。以至于西方现代金融的大潮，和中国分流的越来越远。

金融是增长的追随者，而非领导者。现代金融追随着四大需求：政府，国际贸易商，工业资本家和千千万万的资本市场投资人。

西方人有这样的习惯和本事，到别人家里做客时间不长，就能长篇大论，不但谈自己家事，还能对你家里提出许多意见与建议。今天到海外的书店，摆在架子上议论中国长长短短的书籍，肯定比在中国书店里看到的书籍还要多。中国人也很早就养成了习惯，喜欢听外人怎么说，然后可以批评他们多么的不了解自己。

西方人给予未来的财政担保，使的袁世凯有了与革命的讨价还价的底气。两年后等钱到账之时，袁世凯已不满足于大总统。钱袋子不但除了政权，而且使政权的人堕落。

银行家必须具备的能力是创造性思考，谈判能力和广泛的人脉；而交易业务越来越依靠资讯技术，更快的获取与执行才是制胜的利器。传统银行家的人品在这里变得无足轻重。

企业上市学

曾经阅读无数台湾香港企业上市指南。。。一直很纳闷马来西亚怎么就没有自己的指南呢？终于，皇天不负苦心人，该来的始终会来。

这本书真的很珍贵。或许，对于从事金融业务的专家们，这本书显得太简单。但是，对于寻求上市的企业们，这本书真的起到一定的作用。至少，它简单的介绍了企业上市学。基本上，很多企业家对于上市这一块还是懵懵懂懂的。很多时候，很多企业甚至不知道上市的可行性，而一味的寻找银行的庇护。善于运用资本运作才是企业的王道。

这本书除了写的好，内容确实很丰富。作者在书里还独家专访五种证券交易所上市案例。这五个个案有它各自独特的一面。读者肯定能从五种不同的上市个案中了解到整个上市学的精髓。

整体来说，这本书根本找不到任何瑕疵。唯一美中不足的是，这本书的字体也太小了吧。对于老花越来越严重的我来说，阅读时其实挺吃力的。基于这个小瑕疵，10分满分，个人给与9分。这本书开拓了我许多视野。这类指南在市面上是少之又少。因此，很期待作者继续出版更多这类型的书籍。

借运借势风水创富术

这本书我2013年读过。依稀记得当年的评价是褒贬不一。褒的是这本书写的丝丝入扣，读者很容易投入书中的内容。贬的是作者视乎暗藏许多秘密。整本书几乎都只停留在理论上，实践起来还真的犹如海底捞针。那，这回又如何呢？

老实说，这一轮还好。不只还好，简直是顶级的好！第一，诚如当年评价般，作者写的太棒了。这本书从第一页开始，几乎没有冷场。作者“讲古佬”的方式的确得记上一功！第二，当年很介意的理论，今时今日竟然变成了不罗嗦的秘笈。看来我对于风水的理论的确是更上一层楼了。（也可能是自我感觉良好的一层楼吧，哈哈）这一轮阅读，所有的理论我都照单全收。基本上，好像在复习和肯定这几年的实践经验。因此，这本书就像我的导师般，肯定了我一些想法。

10分满分，这一轮我毫不犹疑的给足10分。纳闷的是，我上网寻找李老师的其它书籍；但是，选择并不多。难道李老师这本书籍当年卖的不好？如果是真的，很多读者会“走宝”。这本书对于风水新手或许有点混乱。基本上，李老师这本书更适合一些对于风水理论有少许了解，又尝试过实践经验的读者。这一类读者肯定会在这本书得到许多共鸣。。。

购屋风水指南(室内篇)

这本书五年前在我当时的新屋上帮了我许多忙。近期，因为一些特殊原因，又有需要风水的时候了。于是，这本书又派上用场了。

这回，这本书，我读得很快。第一，虽然是五年前阅读，但记忆犹新。里头的点点滴滴还是影响很深刻的。这回，感觉上，复习多个阅读。重点是，这回肯定还是帮的到我。

老实说，这本书很实用。对于购屋者，它提供了基本的一些风水贴士。这些基本功至少不会让购物者买错或是买到一些不符合大自然力量和缺乏磁场的产业。当然，如果把它当作圣经来看，那风水师就得喝西北风了。因此，这本书只能做参考。但，参考的价值确实非常高。

这本书还有个特点。五年前阅读和五年后阅读基本上效果还是行的。基本上，大自然的定律无论岁月怎么摧残，毕竟还是大自然的力量。人类怎么伟大，人类怎么自私贪婪，毕竟还是得向大自然低头。因此，这本书的存在是有它的意义的。当然，不是市面上每一本风水书都能写的那么好。这本书对于不想对抗大自然的我已经是足够了。10分满分，上一轮给予8分。基于五年后这本书还是有它的作用，这一回我决定给足10分。这本书真的挺棒的！

Robert Kuok: A Memoir

Robert Kuok... a well-known Malaysia tycoon with business interests around the world. I read few books about the mighty tycoon. However, there are so far zero good books on him. So, when this book was published, I was so excited with it. Unfortunately, this book lies on my shelf for quite some time. I wanted to read it so much. But, I need to find the right time as I do not want my reading journey disturbed by the routine responsibility. Since I am kind of free recently... this is the right time to start it.

This book cost RM 139.90! It might sound expensive to some. But, let me tell you this: if you own this book, you are sitting on a gold mine. The memoir traces Sugar King's life from depression, world war two, Malaysia establishment up to the rise of mighty China. Overall, this is not only a story of the tycoon. It is a mixture of business, politics and opportunities. Readers will find it inspiring, motivating and interesting. After all, this is the only book penned by Robert himself. Hence, relatively; compares to other Robert Kuok's book, this book is definately number one choice for readers.

This book offered a lot of wisdom and perspective in life which was inherited by Robert's late mum. Surprisingly, Robert's mum was not born with silver spoon. In fact, she was rise up in the turmoil of real mess in china and colonial Tanah Melayu. However, the book clearly showed that this woman was born with natural intelligence. Robert mentioned umpteen times that whenever he got a problem, the mother's advice was always his best options.

This book also touched on with political situation after Malaysia was established. With the recent reformation on Malaysia, Robert's vision was spot on those days. Imagine if Tun Hussein Onn had listened to Robert. Malaysia might be one of the mighty giant countries alongside Singapore and Korea now. Well, there is no "if" in history. Main point is... Robert obviously is the man with great vision!

For a full rating of 10, I have no hesitation to rate this book at 10/10! There is a lot of great stuff to explore in this book. Everyone needs to read this book. It is a must read book since it brings along tons of wisdom in business, relationship and life. Last but not least, listed below are some of the great stuff from the book. I tried hard to choose the best part. But, it ended up with a long list. So, that sums up everything about this book. Excellent is the only word to describe it. Thumbs up!!!

Man must work; work is therapeutic, it binds your mind and body together. When you work, you wake up earlier than everybody, you go to bed earlier than everybody because you need to charge your batteries.

Bankers live by simple creed: Lend money to those who do not need to borrow. When you are penniless, your bank will desert you as if you're a leper... "Bankers are not my friends. Among my friends, some happen to be bankers."...Now, if that doesn't drive you forward in life to make as much money as possible so you can thumb your nose at those bankers, then what will?

I have always felt that wisdom is in the air. Structured learning is fine. But you can pick, you can distil, wisdom by yourself.

Now, there is only so much time in any given day. When you're awake, you must focus on what you really want in life. Many young men go in for the loviest sports cars and other material things. I saw very early on that these symbols of luxury and pleasure are not the real things in life, and they tend to distract you from focusing on what is important.

All my life, I have sought partners, because I know that there must always be teamwork in a society. It we cut each other's throats, the fourth or fifth dog gets the bone.

The experience drove home to me the importance of speed and trust. You must be super quick in driving towards your goal, since you are not working in isolation and competitors will come at your from all angles. You must also develop resilience, and be able to bounce back after the inevitable reverses.

Having made friends with all the major sugar brokers in the city, I was winning, dining and spending money like water on them. It was good public relations as only a Chinese knows how, practicing thrift on yourself, but generosity toward your friends.

Back in the 1960s and 1970s, the oceans were teeming with fish. While volatility has not changed that much since then, there are many more sharks now. Sometimes, it seems like there are no fish in the sea - only sharks. Honours graduates in science and engineering are being recruited. PhDs are hard at working algorithms, and I don't even know what that means. If today's technology and speed of information had existed in the 1960s and 1970s, I would have been like a fish out of water.

One thing I learned from the Japanese is that you should focus on products which there are large, established markets and for which demand is uniform and sustainable.

I was eager to diversify from commodity trading. Why? Commodity trading is inherently risky. The only way you can trade commodities and make a fortune is to take substantial risks. There is no joy in getting too big in commodities trading. If you reach too high, you are in danger of going burst.

If you own just one hotel you might as well sell it at the right time - it's more of a burden than anything else. You must expand logically and sensibly.

I could make the same statement about the need for simplicity in doing business in general. Within a complex business you don't have to make it more complex. There are simple ways of tackling problems and operating the business.

All business on earth is management. In the hotel world - in any business world - you must look for three ingredients when you hire staff: talent, integrity and the stamina for hard work.

I sometimes employ this tactic when I'm in doubt about a project: I chat with a man cleverer than myself and offer him a joint venture deal. If he says, "Oh my God, it's an awful thing," then you know it's poison, and you are able to see the deal clearly through other people's eyes.

Another businessman's reaction might have been to sue the guy. I say: In life, when you can get out, get out. Life is not reasonable. You mustn't face life thinking everybody is going to be reasonable. You must look at life and assume everybody is going to be unreasonable.

I have not come across any people as loyal as the Chinese. The Japanese have a kind of loyalty, but it's an uncritical, bushido type of loyalty: they are loyal even if the boss is a skunk. Unlike the Japanese, every Chinese is highly judgmental, from the most educated to the uneducated.

The decent Chinese have helped to build up Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, and made these countries what they are today. But you also had the rise of the unscrupulous and ruthless Chinese, who in turn have devastated many parts of Southeast Asia. Why were these people allowed to wreck havoc? It is because the leaderships have been weak. Singapore had the same number of Chinese crooks, but you try and find one today.

Man must always remain humble because no matter how strong you are today, one day there will be someone stronger than you. Even if you have a lot of material wealth, please remember that you cannot live in isolation; you are always just a member of society.

Many people think that shyness is a great virtue. Well, if you want to join the business world, leave that outside your door. You have to be thick-skinned, able to take knocks. You will be insulted; you will have people slam doors in your face. But there is always another door, another road, and a way to forge on.

Before you enter business, you should vow that in whatever you do, you will be guided by the laws of morality. This will ensure long term survival. Adopt good, clean and honorable means of doing business, avoid dirty, tricky and unscrupulous methods.

The golden rule for good health is to lead a simple life, physically and mentally.