Running an Extra Mile…

I was running earlier. I am trying to beat a personal challenge by the end of August. My goal is to lower and bring my weight to my ideal body weight by the end of August. It has been an struggle but I should meet my goal.

When I was about to finish this afternoon, I realized that if I want to attain my goal, I should run an extra mile (kilometer) or a couple of it. This reminds me a lesson from one of my favorite authors – John Maxwell. The difference between being ordinary to an extraordinary is the word “extra.” Want to be a cum laude? Put an EXTRA effort. Want to top the exams? Flex more muscles! Add EXTRA minutes to your study time. Want to keep your business at peak? Add an EXTRA to your services. Want to keep good people? Then add EXTRA care as you deal with them. Put an EXTRA effort to everything in such a way that you attain your goals successfully. Bring it on! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Lessons as I Travel…

1. I was apprehended in NLEX for overspeeding. It took me several days and some time and money to regain my right to drive. Lesson: Take life slowly. Haste makes waste. In tagalog: “Ang nagmamadali, nagkakamali.”



2. I was in Cagayan de Oro when I noticed my bag wad severely damaged on the side. It was a very important one for me as it was given by an important person. In the afternoon I brought it in for a repair when the man said it is beyond repair. I have to let go of the bag and buy a new one. Lesson: “May mga nasisira na di na pwedeng magawa. Kailangan palitan na.”

3. I was with Dr. Chu and Congresswoman Magtoto in Davao City. At one point we were talking about buying lots, lands and properties. At one point, politics. Big time topics! Lesson: If you want to expand your horizon. THINK BIG!



4. I was slated 10 days in Phoenix-Mindanao. I had to transfer to 4 cities in that time span. I failed to do light packing which gave me a slight problem. Lesson: It’s difficult to travel with an excess baggage.

Note: This is a repost from my old blodspot.

Pass or Fail

This is one of the days when thousands of people feel nervous at first, then mixed reactions engulf their emotions after a while. It is because of the board exam.

I am usually very vigilant in waiting for the results. I am probably one of those first 10 people who know the result is already out. This day though, I failed to do it. Charge it to wrong timing as I was having my car fixed. My internet access there wasn’t that fast enough to compete with the thousands who were accessing the same website. After a while, I already got a copy of it and immediately looked for names. Before I was able to find the first name I was looking for, my wife already sent a message through viber – my sister-in-law passed.

Fifteen minutes after the release, messages through text and twitter started flooding my gadgets. It’s a no-brainer that most of those who messaged made it on the list. Of course I celebrate with them. Replying to them is as easy as sending one word – congratulations. My heart is overjoyed as I see those appreciation messages and I can imagine how happy they are, for the reason that I was in their shoes once upon a time.

And  there are those who failed but still managed to text me for appreciation. One specific message almost crushed my heart. The reason is, he quoted a tweet that I posted yesterday – “One failure will never change the purpose in your life.” I believe that this person is not far from attaining his success. I am excited to see his name in the next board exam. As I always say in the class, “Hindi sukatan ng pagkatao ang board exam.”

To all my colleagues and future colleagues out there, I have the same message. Whether you passed or failed, FOCUS! To my new colleagues, don’t allow the ecstacy of passing halt you to attain the next stop. To my future colleagues who did not make it this time, stay in the game. Pour out your emotions first, compose yourselves and take the exam again. As I always say… BRING IT ON!

The Best Never Rest

“THE BEST NEVER REST.”

I saw this quote captioned in an upcoming movie. I suddenly remembered something which happened years back when I was reviewing for my board exams.

I am a fighter, a competitor and it’s always my goal to be on top. However, I always tell my wife and my sons (and students) that I am not intelligent but diligent. I double my effort in studying, making my presentations excellent and showing off good discipline in class. One of my greatest motivation is a quote from the Bible: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” (Col. 3:23 NET).

I have this subject in review classes that always boosts my interest. It is a no brainer that is why it’s my favorite subject to teach now – Psychiatric Nursing. My interest on this subject became more intense when the very mentors who taught the subject were no less than Madam Betty Meritt (now a member of the Board of Nursing) and Mrs. Lucila Espinosa (Chief Nurse of the National Center for Mental Health). Ma’am Betty once quoted in our class that “rest and relaxation are equally important with study time.” I took that remark by heart. I increased the number of my rest and relaxation time. I overdid it, though, taking her teaching the wrong way. That instead of attending to my review classes, I opted to watch movies or relax in the malls. The result is obvious. My scores became average.

One time while I was queueing at the ticket booth of SM Centerpoint, the man in front of me was wearing a black “No Fear” shirt brand that carried a very timely slogan. I can still vividly remember the exact words printed:  “While you are resting and relaxing, somebody out there is preparing.” It was a clear reminder. So, I went back to the review center and attended my classes.

Don’t get me wrong.  Rest and relaxation are indeed important to us. God himself gave a law us to keep the Sabbath Day holy. But let us always bear in mind that if we want to gain a spot at the top, we must focus and overcome the petty things seemingly insignificant but are distracting us.

Here’s a little something to steer us to success: We can balance our activity (or studies) and recreation. But, if we want to maintain excellence, we must put to heart that the BEST NEVER REST.

ANNIVERSARY BLOG: TENSIONS

“Lester, do you take this woman to be your wife – to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, to provide for her forsaking all others, clinging only to her as long as you both shall live?” “With all my heart, I do.” These were the very words I answered with the pastor’s question during our wedding.That very sweet time when we swore to be together as long as we both shall live.

June 28, 2004. It has been nine years since we got married. Nine years of God’s grace and faithfulness. I couldn’t think of any other reason of sustaining each other except for God himself thriving in our hearts. We were never made perfect and we are not exempted from the troubles of marriage. Tensions rose in our lives and if I try to even number those challenges, I guess this blog will never end.

But one thing I realized is that tensions are never bad at all. If a clothesline has no tension at all, it will sag. Applying the correct pressure on both ends of the pole or wall will stretch the wire for it to be useful in hanging those clothes. In the principle of fracture management, applying the right amount of weights for traction will make it effective to align the bones while healing. On the other hand, too much pressure could be as well counterproductive. It may break the wire (in case of the clothesline) or may cause muscle spasms (in case of the traction). God probably made each one of us differently to make the right tension in our lives to be better people.

When I was single, I made it a statement that I will never marry until I stabilize myself financially. Had I waited for that time, I would have remained single until today. Although God designed me to be an earner, I was never meant to be a saver. I didn’t know the meaning of savings. I was an impulsive buyer. When I got married, God filled that space in my life. Someone now handles our finances – my wife. Often, she would push me to act out my vision. God gave her as an equalizer for me. If I am the bass, she is the treble. Simply put, she is the best for me.

As we celebrate our anniversary today, I know great challenges are bound for us. Am I afraid? The answer is NO. Because we believe that God meant for us to be partners for life. Together as a couple, we make the right tensions in life.

Lesson for the day: PAIN: STOP OR PURSUE

I woke up 6 AM today to work out in the gym. It’s my second day since I enrolled there. I plan to shed off those pounds I gained during the busy days of my work. Yesterday, I had the energy to finish it with a breeze, running 10.1 KM, burning more than 600 calories.  

Today is a different story though. Since it’s been a while since I ran, my body adjusted as the pain built up overnight. The fatigue that started to develop last night is still felt by my body. In other words, my goal of 10 KM or more may not be as easy as yesterday. I am determined to finish it though.

The first 5 minutes was a struggle. But when I felt my adrenaline increase, I maximized my run to up to 6.5 KM. Then I suddenly experienced pain on my calf. I knew it was not an injury. It’s probably a build up of lactic acid, which is manageable. I was forced to slow down a bit. In my desire and determination, I went into cycle, speed up, slow down, speed up, slow down until I noticed I was able to reach my goal. Yeah! 10.5 KM. I was able to burn a total of 1200 calories within 14 hours.

I realized that in our lives, pain may cause us to stop or give up. Pain from failing an exam may compel us to despise our course. Emotional pain from a person we love dearly may hamper us from loving that person, or worse, end up hating him/her. Offenses from people in church may cause us pain and totally forget about our faith in God.

The key then is to PERSEVERE… DON’T STOP! If we know our goal, persist and attain it. WE MAY SLOW DOWN BUT WE SHOULD NEVER EVER THINK OF QUITTING.

An apt quote from  http://www.actlikeaman.org validates my point: “Pain doesn’t tell you when you ought to stop. Pain is a little voice in your head that tries to hold you back because it knows if you continue you will change. Don’t let it stop you from being who you can be. Exhaustion tells you when you ought to stop. You only reach your limit when you can go no further”.
– Lester Lintao

Regenerated: A Review of Icon 2013

It has been a while since I wrote an idea.  It’s late in the evening now but I cannot help myself from coming up with this thing burning within me.

I just came from a conference – Icon 2013. It’s really all about finances and investments. For those of you who know me, you may ask, what in heaven’s name is this nurse-educator doing in such seminar? Well,  I pried into the same question before. I just want to look for possible ventures for my life and this may be a good way to look for a spark. 

I had a set of expectations about this seminar as I know some of the speakers like Mr. Chink+ Chinkee Tan and Pastor Dennis Sy. My excitement built up to a significant level as this was a highly-touted and well-advertised event.

The opener of Mr. Randell Tiongson alone was already a delectable appetizer. I have talked to this man in person but it was my first time to see him on stage. It was fun talking to him at the football field while our sons were playing together but it was a totally different experience seeing him deliver a talk. One can just notice how seasoned he is in using the microphone to mentor people.

Immediately after Randell was the classic style of Mr. Chinkee Tan. He has well-polished skills in motivating people. More than that, he walks the talk. No wonder, even the President of this country lauds his book. Absolutely recommendable speaker and author.

The hype from the first speaker was even made more inspiring by Pastor Dennis Sy. He very well established the values about finances. I can’t forget this clause (which I tweeted) –  “Having the wrong WHY in getting rich can destroy you totally”. My Christian belief entirely supported every word that came out of his mouth. 

After Dennis was Mr. Efren Ll. Cruz. Frankly, his discussion was too technical for me to understand but I am sure the rest of the participants appreciated him.

The surprise package for me was Mr. Marvin Germo, a young and dynamic guy who talked about stocks. For so long, I refused to even learn in this  area but this guy made it as if I am learning basic arithmetic from elementary. His passion believing that this country is a gem is very viral.  

Admittedly, before this conference, I slacked down for a while. I ran out of ideas on how to improve myself and excel more in my job. Fortunately, the insights I gained from this event came to me at the right time. My shrinking esteem has been regenerated. I may take some time to gather myself up but one thing is for sure. This seminar taught me how to wield better weapons for me and my family’s future. 

Life has been a battle for me. If it becomes tougher soon,  I will just go back and tell life these words: “I know my God is bigger than you. You may give me tough challenges but I tell you what,  BRING IT ON!”

Lester Lintao

BRING IT ON: A Note from a Student

Boastful his looks may be

Relax, more than his physique, there is this heart of a professional man and a passionate nurse

I am one of the proud witnesses of how he has influenced the lives of us, the young

Never did he think twice to share what he has and is in fact willing to give more of his time for free

God’s one of the greatest gifts in my life I consider

 

Indeed, he’s one of the best and a man of wisdom, honor, love and above all, faith

To his family, I know they are very lucky to have him and for us, his colleagues, we’re so blessed to meet him

 

On his journey of life, may he continue to extend his very helping hands to other people… For…

Nothing compares to the wisdom (not just only those related to the nursing profession) we have gained as we spend certain days of our lives with Mr. Lester Lintao. The one and only, the lecturer, motivator, joker, the good Samaritan, a husband, a father, a brother, the exceptional man behind… BRING IT ON!

Written by: Macky of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

Opening Remarks @ Prime Oathtaking

Atty. Rodrigo Gerardo Francisco Olaguer (designation); Dr. Roberto Palec, Chairman, Board of Governors, Philippine Nurses Association; Madam Michaela Magtoto, President, Prime Review Center; beloved Deans, Faculty members, Co-academicians, Parents, my new colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, good Afternoon!

A few months ago, I was standing in front of this venue on a different role: delivering my lectures, giving examinations and encouraging several students to study hard as they were to take their board examinations. On every item discussed in exams, I saw several reactions. Some were happy that somehow they got correct but in most cases I saw frustrations and confusions. We experienced the strenousness and felt the struggle each one went through just to pass the board exams. Most of you who are here made it! Your hardwork paid off! Congratulations!

Right after learning about the board exam results, a lot of us got surprised and saddened on the news that the usual oathtaking was called off. A lot of mixed reactions were raised in the social media. Most of the aired contentions were feelings of dismay and frustration. And why not? It is for the fact that the thing that they worked for will not be celebrated into an event known as oathtaking.

It is on that note that Prime Review Center,  thru the brilliant ideas of Dr. Thianlyn Chu and Ma’am Mitz Magtoto came out of the very reason why we are all gathered here.  This morning, we will welcome our new fellow nurses as they render their oath to our very profession and declare their pride of being a nurse.

To you, my new colleagues, I have long claimed to be your colleague. This is the day to do it formally. Congratulations! Delight in the fruits of your hardwork!  It is my prayer that this will mark the beginning of your motivation to success. After this, it is time to move on, go on and BRING IT ON!