Today is the day, but win or lose, Jessica Sanchez has touched the lives of people (not just Filipinos) everywhere. She almost got eliminated from the show when the judges, who only can save one contestant per season, did so.

Her response when asked how she felt?

“I don’t expect anything. I just do what I do. Whatever happens happens, and I just want people to know that I’ve been working hard my entire life…”

How can you be a Jessica Sanchez and why is she considered a winner in my book?

1) She takes risks.

I don’t expect anything. I just do what I do.

Its absurd that some columnists predicted she has zero chances of winning, yet today she is the one to beat to win the crown. 

She doesn’t expect anything from anyone but herself. She just do what she does, and give it her best, as seen in her performances. Jessica’s expectation comes from expecting that she will give it her all.

2) She has faith.

Whatever happens happens

Life is not what happens, it’s how you take it. If you act on your goals and dreams in life, then whatever life dishes out is a stepping stone towards success.

The Bible says, Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. It also says that Faith without action is dead. Faith is not just a noun, it’s also a verb. It is an action word. 

3) She works hard.

I just want people to know that I’ve been working hard my entire life…

In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell gave a principle called “The 10, 000 hour rule. He says that according to research, 10,000 hours is the magic number for greatness. It means that a person who achieved great things has 10,000 hours worth of experience under his/her belt. This is not the first singing/talent contest she joined, the first one was America’s Got Talent at the age of 12. In fact, She started singing when she was 2 years old.

She wasn’t born to be a winner, she was preparing all her life to be one, and that is why she is where she is today, in the final two of American Idol.

Lastly, I’m touched by her humility. In a world where pride is considered a virtue, humility is not seen as a sign of strength, but of weakness. And that is where her true strength comes from…her heart. When she sings, it’s not just her talent that shines…its her heart. She sings with so much heart in it!

That’s why win or lose, Jessica Sanchez is one reason why I’m proud to be pinoy! 

I will be in Cebu this weekend, Saturday, May 26 at the Parklane Hotel for “Steps to Financial Peace.” This highly regarded personal finance event was organized by my good friend Randell Tiongson. Randell is one of the best in the country when in comes to personal finance. You can visit his site at www.randelltiongson.com

For particulars, check out the poster below. See you in Cebu.

I was invited by Tita Toots Ople to be their guest last week in their weekly radio  program at DZXL: Bantay OFW. You can see me with Tita Toots, Atty. Gwen Pimentel, and Roderick Marcelino. My topic was on money management and debt. I also shared a little about my book YOUnique.

One of the main problems of OFW’s is their financial literacy. They can earn so much working abroad only to lose it in a short period of time becuase they don’t know how to keep their hard-earned wages.

Debt is an issue for most of them. Some even borrow money to start businesses thinking they can pay it back. Borrowing money to start a business can be a trap, many have fallen using this misleading tool.

I shared a lot of my “kapalpakan” (failures) stories to inspire them that “it’s not how hard you fall, it’s how fast you get back up again.” I gave them 3 ways to start a business: Borrow money, Look for partners, or Be Patient until you have the money to start. The best way is the third option because you are not short-circuiting the process of learning. The risk is less and your commitment is much higher when the money you put in the business comes from the sweat of your brow.

OFW are heroes, but if a hero doesn’t learn how to handle his/her finances, even a hero can turn into a zero. 

I had a blast being in the show, Tita toots and the gang are very friendly and accomodating. I can see that they do this for the love of it and for the love of OFWs all across the globe. Thank you for having me in the show. Till next time. =)