Measuring Success

How do you measure your success?

For many years, I almost believed that success is always about the amount of money I earn or about good career I have. But, recently my mind gradually changes. I met many right people on the right time that shows to me what success is. Through these people, I feel like God giving me piece-by-piece of puzzle to be solved rather than gives a whole picture. I called this Puzzle: "what-is-success" puzzle. 

After arranging the puzzle piece-by-piece, I come to the conclusion, that success is not merely about money or career.  For me, success is about how big your impact to other people, how big your contribution to the society. If through your lifestyle, your action, your thinking, your teaching, your writing, your invention or whatever you can think of, many people are touch and became a better people, then you are simply a success people.

I realize that living in this world is not about ourself after all, it's not about earning money and enjoy it for ourself alone. I do believe, we all are here in this world, breathing the same air, walking under the same sun, living under the same moon is NOT meant to live for our own. We're here because someone NEEDS us, because the society needs us, otherwise God won't create us.

This revelation convinces me more to pursue my doctorate and to be a researcher in IT-biomedic area. IT and biomedic area opens the posibility to make better quality of life for all people. I just finished writing two research proposals, one about early detection of osteoporosis. If I could have finished this research, thousand of people around the world will get the benefit. In their early age they would have known either they have osteoporosis risk or no. If they have one, they will do precaution act to prevent osteoporosis in their old age. Finally, they will work more productive and enjoying better quality of life. But, they wouldn't enjoyed their life if their bone fractures because osteoporosis. I can clearly imagine how world would be different by the result of this research alone.

The other research proposal is about estimation of respiratory organ motion for cancer radioteraphy treatment. I don't know how to explain because there will many technical and medical terms. Basically, it will help lung cancer patient to have better treatment.

I really HOPE, I can give something for the society - to make this world a better world. The amount of money will not determine my success, but it is  determined by the amount of people that is helped by what I've done, the amount of students that have learned from what I've taught, and the amount of readers that have better thinking by the book or posting I've written. (And through what I've done, I believe that money will automatically flow in). That what success is.

Life is not about ourself after all. It's about what we give. It's about what we contribute to make this world is better world.

Quantum Leap - The Interpreter

Knowing how to speak English is one thing, but interpreting English is completely different thing.

So, there he goes. Leaping into a character called an “Interpreter”. Last time I saw him, he was a lecturer with tons of office tasks during new coming semester. Preparing research proposal, preparing scholarship applications since he’s so eager to take Ph. D this year, preparing subjects to be taught for next semester, involving in some campus activities to make sure that he can hit Key Performance Indicators (KPI) target as a lecturer.

But then, last Saturday, the news came like brick hits his head. He was elected to interprete Pst. Steven Davis from Australia for the sunday service at Bethany Church, Malang. Why did they choose this-so-unexperienced-interpreter to interpret? The church has more experience-and-annointed-interpreters, but somehow they could not do the interpretation. One is sick and must be hospitalized, this-mom-would-be is pregnant for 5 months, and this-best-interpreter-ever couldn’t do because must taking care her of baby boy (Geee… this-best-interpreter-ever is amazingly-incridibly-accurate, though she never formally studies English!).

So, he was the chosen one, leaping into a character called “interpreter”. Must  accomplish the mission, interpreting Pst. Steven Davis’ preaching in two services. The challenge was thathe’s never done the interpretation for a service with one thousand people. The other challange was, he knew exactly that he’s not yet a good interpreter - he neither having rich vocabulary nor knowing lot “christian-terms”. I saw him, he was scared to death! He prefers to do 100 TOEFL tests or translating 1000 pages rather than interpreting an Australian preacher in front of thousand people.

So, what happen then? I believe your guess is same like mine. In the first service, he totally messed up the sermon and the service as well. Lot of words missed, lot of sentences not delivered clearly, many times he used inproper term. He ruined the whole service. I really felt sory for him…

After the service then I saw him humbly himself… Spoke to the deputy-pastor if should he be replaced. The deputy-pastor simply smiled at him, and said to carry on for the next service. He’s not losing hope on him and believe that he’ll do better for the next evening service.

He went back with discouragement and uncertain feeling… Fear and doubt came. Wondering if he’ll keep doing the same mistake for next service.

At the second service, I saw God’s grace was upon him. He was able to interprete much much better than the first one. Very few words were missed, and overall he delivered the interpretation quite well. Despite of the difficulty-level, he considered that as his best interpretation. It was not by his power nor his mighty, but it was truly by the Spirit of God and God’s grace…

So, he learned something by leaping into this “interpreter character”. He knows that God’s grace always sufficient for him, he experienced personally what God’s grace is - not from what people said or what he’ve learned from Christian books, but experience PERSONALLY… Suddenly, he returned back into his body… The body of a man who loves teaching and writing, plus a valuable personal experience about God’s grace and how good God is. Then, that man started to share his quantum leap experience through this posting.

It all started with...

Yay, first posting in 2009 will be grouped in a new category called "My Doctorate Journey"... (Geee... I'm sooo eager to have additional "Ph. D" after my name, so it'll be "Windra Swastika, Ph. D"... Cool, ah? After finishing "My Doctorate Journey", next category will be "The New Adventure of Chasing Professorship", haha2...)

So, it all started with a dream (remember...? we all are ordinary people, and will stay ordinary until we encounter extraordinary dreams and the moment we step forward to achieve that dream, we're becoming extraordinary). I'm dreaming... of a white Christmas..., oh, sorry, it's over... I'm dreaming, that someday my mom and my future soulmate (whoever she is and probably with my children) attend my doctorate graduation ceremony (somewhere in Australia, USA or Japan), and when the dean calls my name to come forward to stage, my mom shouts "THAT'S MY BABY BOY...!!!" (Please deh, mom...)

But, like the wise says, the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Definitely, doctorate journey is not one or two miles away. It's a long... long journey. It takes many steps to make that dream come to past.

My first step was initialized by Ivonne Sabrina (a friend that lives and works in USA... we've even never met, yet she's willing to help me sincerely - ya, sincere people DOES exists). She introduces me with her former lecturer that already got Ph. D degree from State and gives me some valueable information. Thanks a lot, Von!

Yesterday was my second step. I attended "How to get scholarship for Universities in Japan" workshop. Another valuable information. The speaker gave us a very detail step, start from how to write the research proposal, search for professor, contact professor, fill in the scholarship application from, interview tricks, etc. He made me believe that as long as we step in the right track (of scholarship), then we'll have the same result (get the scholarship).

Ok, what next? The next two weeks will be a time for writing research proposal and contact professors (notice: PLURAL!) to find a supervisor for my research. Meanwhile, enhancing my English is a MUST!

I'll keep updating the news...