Scent of a Woman...

Virtual friends!

"To:  The Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning

In a recent article which speaks of relationships in virtual online communities, Maybe You Need New Friends, Seth Godin posesthought-provoking questions about our virtual connections. 
They alsoapply, however, to the people around us who share our daily life.
“Real world friends are hard to find and hard to change. 
But virtual friends?
If your online friends aren't egging you on...
If your online friends don't spread the word about the work you're doing...
If your online friends aren't respectfully challenging your deeplyheld beliefs...
If your online friends don't demand the best from you...
Then perhaps you need new online friends.
”We all recognize the power of the influence that comes from the people around us – from their feelings and attitudes to their views on life.
Their ideas, perceptions and insights give us new ways of looking atthe world.
They change us, sometimes dramatically, but most oftenim perceptibly over time.
They are the tacit role-models we choose inour lives.
Jim Rohn, motivational speaker, wrote: 
“We need a variety of input and influence and voices.
You cannot get all the answers to life and business from one person or from one source.” 
If we are to continue to grow, to achieve our dreams, we need people around us who will challenge and stretch us, people who will “demand the best from you.” 
Surround yourself with people who bring the best out of you,who excite you to see new possibilities; 
who move you out of your comfort zone, who care enough for you to tell you what you need to know, but not necessarily what you want to hear. 
It is these people…
friends…
who will move you to explore those incredibly beautiful gifts within you that are yet undiscovered.
Choose wisely; choose well.
Remember the words of Ben Johnson, British poet:
“Very few mean are wise by their own counsel, or learnedby their own teaching.
For he that was only taught by himself had a fool for a master.”

Have a good evening everyone,"
Antonio Jovanovski


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Learning Point:

Vitual Friends
If your online friends aren't egging you on...
If your online friends don't spread the word about the work you're doing...
If your online friends aren't respectfully challenging your deeplyheld beliefs...
If your online friends don't demand the best from you...

Protect your dreams

Striving for Excellence

Professionally when we have a recognition from our work, our working opportunities appear easily.

In 2007, May in concrete, I received an invitation to be a chairman of 3 days conference in Bialystok, Poland.
The invitation came by e-mail from one Polish guy called Pawel Turel.
Sincerely, I couldn't remember who was Pawel, but the e-mail was very well written and totally motivated.
Is not every day that we receive and invitation like that, mainly in the beginning of our career.

Pawel was a ex-colleague from one finance conference in Warsaw 2 months before.
As his e-mail said, I would be the right person for this responsibility because the impact of my work in the previous conference.


Pawel Turel in Brazil

As is logic, I said yes.
The rest of invitations came in consequence.

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Learning point:

When is not expected, something great happens.
Some people says it's luck.
I don't believe in luck. Luck works.
We just have to be at the right time in the right place, in the right moment. Whatever it costs.
We just have to desire to be excellent every single day.

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Conference photo:

Family concept changed - Paysandú, Uruguay

Hi all!


Anyone has their own moment that change totally our perspective.

Concerning the family perspective one, I will share right now how it totally changed!!!

The trip began in November 2009.
It was the first trip from Montevideo to inside Uruguay.
Leonardo Innella, ex-collegue from the company invited me to go to Paysandú (I hope it right well written).
Paiysandú is region and respective capital in Uruguay. Regarding the city, is a typical city from a country which the young people leave to get better professional career to the capital.
As all other middle cities, exists higher season of the year when all people goes back to their own hometown cities.
Religion city or family festivals or events, summer or election days.

In this case it was elections.
The country wanted to vote for own President.
So it was perfect to go with Leonardo and see the city.
Actually it was more than the see the city, it changed totally my family concept.

With a honest smile and friendship, all members of the family received me with all kindness. A long time ago I didn't feel so well received by a family actually.
More than friend of Leonardo, they made me feel part of the family.

"Sunday is a family lunch day" and it was.
With all Barbecue process, which only Uruguayans can do, interesting conversations was shared at the table.
Definitely made me feel, how far I was from my family, how long days I passed in over 4 years out of my country.

Definitely these Sundays is and will be part of my family life.
Definitely these days will be enjoyed more than before.

"Little things change our lives"
This little experience changed my life, more than 2 Christmas passed out of my family.
Thanks to the kindness of Leonardo.
Thanks to the friendship of his family.



I hope they enjoy my "recuerdo" from me...
Big hug for all...

Life is a complete travel

PHOTO 1 - Montevideo, Uruguay AIRPORT

Travelling and living...

If there are some lessons, one is definitely that life is travelling.
From my point of view, I can separate my life in 2 parts.
One life before travelling alone and other life after it.

After all, life is a travel isn't it?
This is what I will describe in this post.


I am travelling back from my Easter holidays in Albufeira to Lisbon and I felt, in a way, to express finally my life/travel concept.
Last friday, a friend shared to me, how afraid she was about not resulting anything in her life. Afraid to have a full life fighting for her goals and then not get anyone.

Her sharing reminds me a comment from a cyclist, an eternal rival of Lance Armstrong at tour de France who won 7 times.
After all career biting to get the Tour de France without success, a journalist asked this cyclist: "what do you have in the end?"
He answered right away: "the most important thing is not to enjoy the end, but how enjoyed the all travel. And damm, the travel was so great!"

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Learning point:
The Most important is not enjoying the end, but how I enjoyed until the end.



PHOTO 2 - Leaving Montevideo and Uruguay
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This is my answer to Seba that asked me in Punta del Diablo beach in Uruguay:
"what do you take from your experience in Uruguay?"

In the end I want to feel that I enjoyed all moments in my life as it should be.

In the end, in "Seba's" case with Uruguayan case I won mainly a different way of living.
Today:
- I take mate once a week;
- I can't eat cow meet anymore as it sucks in europe;
- I feel more that want to create family;
- I live more happy and less nervous;
- I know how lucky I am to have a car;
- I learned new ways of negotiation;
- I got new excellent language, spanish;
- new points of working view.

And I changed in the end my way of living, not because I have to, but essentially...
...because I enjoyed all these moments in Uruguay as it should be.

Today I can say that I enjoyed all moments.
And I am continuing doing it!!!

4th April 2010
Francisco Miguel Sousa