How much is your time worth - Fábio Ennor Fernandes - E-Book

How much is your time worth E-Book

Fábio Ennor Fernandes

0,0
8,99 €

-100%
Sammeln Sie Punkte in unserem Gutscheinprogramm und kaufen Sie E-Books und Hörbücher mit bis zu 100% Rabatt.

Mehr erfahren.
Beschreibung

ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT FULLY MASTERS OF OUR TIME, WHAT CAN CHANGE OUR FUTURE IS OUR CAPACITY TO ACT INSTEAD OF COMPLAIN. Unfortunately, people can't take the reins of their own routine. They are constantly overloaded with work, with no time left for other areas of life, and, as a result, their existence is usually far from what they would like it to be. They feel unmotivated, exhausted, and have trouble sleeping—a comprehensive unhappiness. Yet, instead of moving towards change, they continuously complain about anything and everything. How can we transform this reality and live a successful, fulfilling, fun, and worthwhile life? ln How Much is Your Time Worth?, Fábio Ennor Fernandes shares valuable tools, ideas, and positive provocations that will help you improve your daily life. Here you will find inspirations to balance all areas of life—business and experiences; money and peace; time management; your own well-being, that of your family and of those around you—focusing on aspects such as self-respect, sincerity with yourself, and above all, a positive attitude and good humor. ln this book, you will learn how to: - Define what you want and what you don't want; - Consider other perspectives; - Always do your best; - Appreciate the power of togetherness; - Live your life with

Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:

Android
iOS
von Legimi
zertifizierten E-Readern

Seitenzahl: 257

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Bewertungen
0,0
0
0
0
0
0
Mehr Informationen
Mehr Informationen
Legimi prüft nicht, ob Rezensionen von Nutzern stammen, die den betreffenden Titel tatsächlich gekauft oder gelesen/gehört haben. Wir entfernen aber gefälschte Rezensionen.



DEAR READER,

We would like to know your

opinion about our books.

After reading this book,

visit our Facebook page on

facebook.com/editoragentebr,

follow us on Twitter

@EditoraGente and

Instagram @editoragente,

and check our website

www.editoragente.com.br.

Sign up and voice your opinion.

Publisher

Rosely Boschini

Publishing Manager

Rosângela de Araujo Pinheiro Barbosa

Junior Editor

Alexandre Nuns

Editorial Assistant

Rafaella Carrilho

Graphic Design

Fábio Esteves

Copy Editor

Sofia Soter

Cover

Fabrício Gimenes

Mariana Ferreira

Cover Adaptation

Gisele Bapstista de Oliveira

Cover Ilustration

Eunho Lee

Ilustration page 158

Thobias Daneluz

Desktop Publishing and Graphic Design

Gisele Baptista de Oliveira

Proofreading

Monique D’Orazio

Conversion to Epub

Linea Editora

Copyright © 2022 Fábio Ennor Fernandes

Original Title: Quanto vale o seu tempo? Uma estratégia para ressignificar o trabalho e a felicidade a partir de sua equação mais valiosa: tempo + liberdade © Fábio Ennor Fernandes 2021

All rights reserved to Editora Gente.

Rua Natingui, 379. Vila Madalena, São Paulo, SP, Brazil – Postal Code 05443-000

Phone number: +55 11 3670 2500

Website: www.editoragente.com.br

Email: [email protected]

Cataloging-in-Publication Data (CIP)

Angélica Ilacqua CRB-8/7057

Fernandes, Fábio Ennor

How much is your time Worth? / Fábio Ennor Fernandes ; translator: Stella Ribeiro Alves Correa. - São Paulo : Editora Gente, 2022.

192 p.

ISBN 978-65-5544-224-3

Original title: Quanto vale o seu tempo?

1. Career guidance 2. Personal development I. Title II. Correa, Stella Ribeiro Alves

22-3152

CDD 371.425

Indexes for Systematic Catalog:

1. Career guidance

NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Fábio Ennor Fernandes impressed me from our first conversation because I realized how he had found the meaning of his life through his values, family, and the search for simplicity. Moreover, he leads the Walking Together movement, an initiative to promote small towns in Brazil, calling on entrepreneurs to create opportunities for development and growth, tracing opportunity routes beyond the large urban centers.

Fábio is the typical person whose goal is always to make things work, no matter the situation. His story has the power to inspire all readers, for he shows that there is always a way out to deal with whatever the challenge may be.

With this perspective, he planned what would be his ideal life and, step by step, built the reality he has today. He’s a very good-humored person and a successful entrepreneur who helps several others in Brazil and worldwide to have successful businesses that deliver good results for all stakeholders.

Time is the crucial element because knowing that we are finite makes us willing to build something better for the world. In How Much is Your Time Worth? you will find fundamental truths and inspiration to help you structure a plan with strategies that will contribute to a fulfilling and more balanced life.

Enjoy your reading!

Rosely Boschini – CEO & Publisher at Editora Gente

NOTE FROM THE TRANSLATOR

Hi there, dear reader.

I’m Stella, the translator of this book. This note has to do with Fábio and me as individuals. It has little to do with the book. And I should warn you: it has spoilers.

As a young professional translator, I believe it’s possible to translate content without being a writer, but inconceivable to do it without being a reader. Because these roles constantly overlap, translation becomes an important relationship building block between the translator and the author. In some cases, this relationship might not be significant. But in mine, the author-translator relationship is what brought this edition alive: Fábio is my cousin.

He will tell you the story about when his parents decided to move to the countryside, considering it would be a better place to raise him. His dad’s sister lived there, and, among other things, he would open a snack bar with his brother-in-law. These two people are my grandparents, and even though I was not even born yet, Fábio became my “neighbor.” His first home was just in front of my grandma’s, where I would spend (up to this date) the most part of my years living in Brazil.

This house, which I remember with details, had a pool with a fountain, and so many times I would bother him to come play with me. According to the ones who tell stories about our family’s past, I was a little annoying when I was a kid, especially towards my older cousins. Luckily for Fábio, I would make up to him in many situations later in life. I’m not sure if he remembers I was annoying, but I would like him to never forget that because he was seven years older, and I didn’t have any siblings back then, I looked up to him as my big brother. He was a role model to me.

Seven years is a considerable difference when you are young, but as the years passed, our age gap became smaller, and we could even start going to the same places in a win-win trade. I was 15 years old and ready to start going to nightclubs made for young people. My mom thought it was too early, but Fábio’s presence would make it possible for me to go. Fábio was 21 and made some good excuses to my aunt, justifying the need for his presence in my nightlife initiation. I will never forget us going to “The Bar” in his red car. I felt special, and I had lots of fun.

More years passed, and I think I really made up to him the day I invited him for his first talk. I was in university, and the faculty was arranging events for the Entrepreneurship Week. I knew he had just started his company and, most of all, I knew him, and I firmly believed he would be a great addition to the program. I always remember the story he tells about when he was driving in São Paulo and, at a certain point, stuck in traffic, he was overtaken by a car from Correios, the Brazilian Postal Service. On the vehicle it was written: have you exported anything today? And he then told us about how he became restless and inspired with that sentence in mind.

Fábio has many stories, and this book represents a collection of them, written with authenticity, diligence, and most importantly: attitude and good humor, the words he lives by. Along this book, you will find some notes I wrote, explaining aspects of Brazilian culture. Still, I felt no need for further explanations about the text itself because the productive lightness he talks about is very present in his writing style.

Besides presenting readers with exciting stories, this book is also a present for Fábio and me. It debuts him as a writer and me as a freelance translator. I read this book, I relived many of the stories with him, and I can only wish that between this pages you find the same pleasure we did. Enjoy!

Stella Ribeiro Alves Correa

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my beautiful wife, Carolina She is, without a doubt, one of the most amazing human beings I have ever had the opportunity to meet. I am pretty lucky to have had the chance to meet you and now build our story together.

To my beloved daughters, Ana Luíza and Ana Helena. Thinking about you both made it easier to make this book a pleasant chat about life. I tried to show, from the heart, some of the reasons that make me passionate about living, so I might inspire you both to draw your own conclusions. Remember that we are fortunate to be in this world and that everything comes to an end one day. So, seize this opportunity and enjoy life with lots of self-love. I am grateful every day for you being who you are, and I will always be rooting for you.

I also extend all the affection and positive vibrations to my dear godchildren, Pedro Henrique and Antônio, my joy and pride!

I honor the memory of my mother, Sheila (1935-2009), who, through her love, developed my self-confidence, taught me to have courage, and gave me life twice.

To my father, Paulo Sergio (1941-2018), who shaped my core values and was my rock with his paternal presence. He always made me reflect on the importance of my time.

Finally, to my father-in-law and friend, Cacau (1947-2021). I can say that I had the privilege of sharing a genuine collection of good experiences with him, not to mention the joy of having him as my first reader. He was—and will continue to be—my reference in how I pace the rhythm of my life.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to start by thanking my in-laws, who have always welcomed me with open arms: my dear mother-in-law, Renata, who has done for me more than many mothers have done for their children; my sister-in-law, Cris—I have never seen anyone with such a big heart; my super brother-in-law, Paulo, endowed with an extraordinary generosity; my brother-in-law’s wife, Danielle, who is always in a good mood; and my niece and nephew, Gabi and Manu, who must be from another world to be such special people!

My partner and brother by heart, Eduardo Bredarioli, who has helped me to learn that life is as it is. And as if that wasn’t enough, he also gifted me with the presence of his wife and now my dear friend, Raquel, together with my “nephews,” Eduardinho and Pablo.

Thanks to my other brother by heart, Rodrigo Baracat. Besides the countless stories we lived together, he welcomed me into his family. Thus, I want to register my true adoration for Auntie Eduarda and Uncle Evandro. They taught me a lot and made me feel very loved.

Along with these two, I complete the friends’ group with Fábio Lopes, Rafael Darahem, Marcelo Pepe, Leonardo Costa Pereira, Humberto Meirelles, and Daniel Darahem. Each one, with their essence, showed me the strength of the famous saying: “A man is known by the company he keeps!”

To my first and great friend, Rodrigo Tavares, who I have been proud to have by my side since I was three years old. In addition, he gifted me with a godson and my dear Letícia.

To all from my first and second-grade family, in the name of my uncle, João De Simoni Soderini Ferracciu, one of Brazil’s most fabulous advertising professionals and one of the most refined and intelligent people I have ever met. He certainly had a lot of influence on my life, for he was my great reference and source of inspiration.

I also highlight the significance of my super godmother, Mônica. She believed in me and always kept an eye on my steps, besides putting my beautiful cousin, Mariela, on my path. And I cannot forget to thank my cousin, Stellinha, who changed my life when she invited me to give my first talk.

I thank my dear friends, Professor José Augusto Correa and Tales Andreassi. They’ve also changed my life by allowing me to collaborate with the Center for Entrepreneurship and New Business from Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV). Talking about the impact of LIDE (Entrepreneurial Leaders Group) on my life, I want to give my deepest thanks to João Doria, who gave me an opportunity and transformed my life.

I am also grateful for the unique opportunity to be friends with and learn from a myth named Luiz Fernando Furlan.

A special thanks to my dear friend, Célia Pompeia. I am incredibly proud to learn from her, and it’s been a joy to be able, together with Johnny and the super team, to help write LIDE’s history around the world.

On behalf of my friend Marcos Scaldelai, I thank all the dear LIDE presidents around the planet for their trust.

From LIDE Ribeirão Preto, I want to thank my dear Maurílio Biagi Filho. I can safely say that none of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for all his energy. I have never seen one person helping so many people.

I thank my dear Chaim Zaher and his daughter, Thamila. They have supported every step I’ve taken, and they can’t even imagine how much they have helped me!

My acknowledgments also to all our affiliates for their trust, on behalf of our super committee of maintainers composed of my friends: Maurílio Biagi, from Maubisa; Adalberto Batista, from Trexx Holding; Alberto Borges Mathias, from Inepad; Antonio Manuel Alecrim, from Basequímica; Chaim Zaher, from Grupo SEB; Daniel Garcia, from SPSP; Daniel Maranhão, from Grant Thornton; Dorival Balbino, from Riberball; Eder Mialich, from Supermercados Mialich; Eduardo Silva, from Edan Bank; Flávio Batel, from Solstic Advisors; Gabriel Paulino, from Terra Nova Trading; Rui Flavio Chufalo Guião, from Grupo Santa Emília; Jardel Massari, from Ourofino; João Naves, from Rodonaves; Júlio Cesar Paim, from Unimed Ribeirão Preto; Nelson Castro, from Cory; Silvio Crestana, from Embrapa; Thamila Zaher, from Grupo SEB; Tomie Sakamoto, from Arezzo; Marcelo Salomão, from Brasil Salomão Advogados and William Oliveira, from Totvs IP; together with our super team of stars: Monize (Morango), Mariela, Elias, Samara, Joelma, Dani, Fabrício, Victor and the teams from WHF and Phábrica de Idéias.

I want to leave a special thanks to my dear friend, Marcelo Salomão, for his trust. Besides being my oldest supporter, he became my new partner at LIDE Ribeirão Preto, so that we can continue this journey even more united.

It is also essential to mention that nothing would have happened without the efforts and connections of my dear friend, Patrícia Meirelles.

I want to thank dear Flavio Batel, who had a far-reaching influence in my life when he invited me to be his advisor at Solstic Advisors, a group I am very proud to be part of. Also, to my childhood friend, Betinho Biagi, who invited me to join the board of a brilliant initiative called Projete o Futuro (Project the Future). I am very honored to contribute to this project.

Talking about our project Walking Together (WT), I must thank all our dear “walkers” that make our journey incredible and our “pilots,” the true ambassadors in these wonderful “small” towns. A special mention to my cousin and friend, Otávio Juliato, who’s taken the first steps of this journey with me.

Soon after that, WT gave me a great gift: a brother by heart named Victor Bermudes. Besides embracing with me the cause of taking WT to the whole world, he is a fantastic human being and a friend for all hours, who overflows with joy wherever he goes. I wish for everyone to have a Victor in their lives.

I also bring special attention to our Team-One, the superheroes: Zitão, our dream strategist; Luan, our tireless warrior; Arruda, the natural trailblazer; and Mariela, our number one.

Gui, the giant—I am sure he is a robot with artificial intelligence; Monize, our dear “Morango,” who is omnipresent; and William, our guru of numbers. Not to mention the super partners Accenture, Brasil Salomão, Corelaw, Grant Thornton, NavegarTi, Saffron, SobTIC, TokenLab, and Totvs, all of whom, with their incredible skills, have contributed and will continue to contribute so that, together, we can establish the Age of Generosity.

I would like to thank the brilliant team at Editora Gente, in the names of Rosely, Rosângela, and Alexandre, for all the dedication with which, together with my dearests Joyce and Marília, they helped me make this dream come true.

All my respect and admiration to my dear friend, Edu Lyra, this giant who did not come into the world for nothing. He is what I call a force of nature. Founder of Gerando Falcões (Creating Falcons), he kindly accepted writing this book’s foreword.

Finally, as promised, I want to give fair recognition to the one who helped me find the title for my book. It had to be him, my dear friend, who’s a true creative genius, named Fabrício Gimenes. After about eighty title options, it was this guy who, precisely, even before reading the manuscript, just knowing my story, looked at me and said: “Fabião1, for all I know about you, the title should be How Much is Your Time Worth?” As if that wasn’t enough, Fabrício also presented me with this incredible book cover—which immediately won me over—with a striking and reflective illustration by South Korean artist Eunho Lee.

Thank you all so much for being a part of my life! The coolest thing is that we are just getting started, and there are many good things ahead!

1Translator’s note (TN): In Brazilian Portuguese, the suffix “ão” is added to a word to convey the meaning of a big object (augmentative nouns). Adding it to a given name means a tall or big person, closeness, affection and/or admiration.

PRESENTATION

BY LUIZ FERNANDO FURLAN

FOREWORD

BY EDU LYRA

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

OH NO!

THE ALARM CLOCK AGAIN!

CHAPTER 2

A LIGHTER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE LIFE

CHAPTER 3

WHAT YOU WANT AND WHAT YOU DON’T WANT

CHAPTER 4

TO EACH THEIR OWN (DEPARTMENT)

CHAPTER 5

A LWAYS DO YOUR BEST (MORE THAN THAT? NO WAY.)

CHAPTER 6

SALES HAVE ALWAYS SAVED ME

CHAPTER 7

WALKING TOGETHER, THE POWER OF TOGETHERNESS

CHAPTER 8

TAKE THIS LIGHTNESS WITH YOU

AND IF THERE EVER COMES A DAY…

AFTERWORD

BY EDUARDO BREDARIOLI

PRESENTATION

BY LUIZ FERNANDO FURLAN

Fábio is one of those people who has so many stories that, at some point, he would indeed need to write a book, and I am glad to see this project coming true. We met at LIDE, a group I have been part of since its creation, almost 20 years ago, coordinating entrepreneurial efforts in Brazil and worldwide. In 2016, LIDE’s founder, João Doria, invited me to be his temporary substitute because he would be a pre-candidate for mayor of São Paulo—and the rest of the story became history. His political career took off, and what was temporary became permanent. From then on, I started to be more intensely in contact with Fábio, and I could see what an admirable human being he is.

What strikes me is his ability to gather people, unite people of all kinds, and make everybody exchange experiences, network, and support each other. He managed to put together a management committee of great magnitude, with distinguished Brazilian people—which is not easy. All of LIDE’s presidents, whether in Brazil or abroad, like Fábio a lot, they talk to him, get advice from him, expose ideas, because he always knows how to make a win-win happen. In short, but not only: he is a person I admire.

This has to do with leadership, friendliness, and a lot of organization. When reading this book, you will wonder how this guy did so much, but don’t be mistaken, there is a lot of planning behind his smile and disposition. Fábio is a person who has an organized base, and today, this makes all the difference. His admission to LIDE Ribeirão Preto and his opportunity to be the coordinator of the LIDE units were significant boosts for all of us. It is a strong part of his skills to know how to deal with different interests and structure agendas and requirements to meet everyone’s needs. The basis of everything he talks about and does is organization with a lot of discipline, a very impressive attribute. He faces challenges with diligence, and the people who socialize with him notice how much he overcomes every day.

I believe that people like Fábio should be encouraged to share their experiences, especially with the youth, because whoever reads them will surely relate to the sincerity with which he talks about his problems, the situations he has been through, and the positivity with which he leads his life. As we read, we realize that, even in moments of discouragement, he overcame the challenges and built a very positive path.

Another point worth mentioning is that his structured and optimistic style allowed him to be a man way ahead of the trends. Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, he had already started to restructure LIDE by increasing online interactions and having a remote job that did not depend on where he was. I am pretty sure that, with his attitude, the transition for him was much easier.

Fábio has this life experience of doing what seems tremendously difficult: prioritizing goals together with well-being. Especially after the appearance of the mobile phone, managing time and priorities became much more complex because everything has become indispensable. People are in the streets looking at the screen, and probably 90% of what they look at is not even significant, but it drains their time, consumes their attention, and gets in the way of their plans. This book comes as a reminder of what is genuinely important, what are the things you can’t be distracted from.

Fábio tells a story of many accomplishments, but he talks about them with the ability to laugh at himself. He narrates his weaknesses and disasters, showing there is strength when we know how to be vulnerable, creating identification and a lot of empathy for those on the other side of the text. Self-criticism is a type of power, and Fábio has that to spare. In this book, he is the protagonist who exposes himself even before being judged, creating empathy, and presenting his deficiencies and weaknesses in a way that inspires the admiration of those reading the book. One does not live on victories and ego alone. There are people like us who win, lose, and break even, but the final sum is positive. And if there is one truth about Fábio, it is that he came to contribute.

Luiz Fernando Furlan

Chairman of LIDE

Former Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade

FOREWORD

BY EDU LYRA

It is an honor to write the foreword to this book And by the end of the reading, you will be agreeing with me. That’s because Fábio Ennor Fernandes has one of the best networks in Brazil. If not the best one. He has created real situations to connect people—which means that being invited to write the foreword to his book brings me profound joy and satisfaction. The truth is, he could have asked the richest men in the country or the most influential politicians. Thus, receiving the request to write this foreword shows the identification and harmony we have with each other.

To begin with, I am in love with this guy because he writes what he lives. And he lives what he writes. He has built a rare story based on a beautiful life, entrepreneurial principles, family, and loyalty to his values. The content Fábio shares here can help those who want to do something meaningful with their lives while enjoying the journey to get there. So, while reading this book, remember it was written by a real person. It’s not marketed; it’s real, seasoned with the journey’s comings and goings, with its successes and failures. It brings lessons in time management, resilience, and creating things from the ground up—like the fabulous Walking Together. He also brings helpful content not only for entrepreneurs, but also for teachers, social agents, and CEOs of large companies.

I am not quite sure how I met Fábio, but I remember all the beautiful things we shared in detail. He has taken me to the countryside for his Walking Together event; he always sends me a message to know how I’m doing and how the projects are going. And when I launched my book Da Favela para o Mundo (“From a Slum to the World”), he came from the countryside of São Paulo and arrived earlier than everyone else—he was the fourth person in the queue! It was a joy to give him that autograph and that hug.

In this book, you will get to know more than a story. You will understand a lifestyle and a way of conquering your dreams. Like everything Fábio does, this is an optimistic and, above all, respectful book. He presents it with humility, always advising that the most important thing is to know your own measure of happiness, respite, and money.

My strongest memory of Fábio is this: he’s always smiling. This demanding life has not stiffened this guy. He is human, detail-oriented, and caring when dealing with people. He always wants to make an impact. He never forgets to invite me to meetings he thinks might give me a boost and asks me to introduce my anti-poverty programs in the countryside slums. In short, he is a guy to have as a friend. An entrepreneur to be admired. And a writer to be read.

Edu Lyra

Founder and CEO of Gerando Falcões

INTRODUCTION

SOMEWHERE IN THE FUTURE

I stroll on the shore. I love the end of the day at the beach when the sun has just set, and the sky is still pink-orange. The weather is mild, neither cold nor hot, and I feel a breeze while listening to the waves… It is the perfect scenery to think about life. I feel I am up to date with it and that if it all ended right now, it would have been worth it. I was fortunate to have realized how I enjoy spending my days at an early stage of life. From waking up whenever I wanted, to becoming the light and productive person I always thought it cool to be, always respecting myself and the people I love. Knowing what really matters, it was much easier to get to the point, get what I wanted, and focus on being a collector of good times. It was imperative to plan to own my time and focus every second on what really made sense.

I must go back home and get ready because today is a big day for me—we are all together and excited about a great party. I like to celebrate with everyone together: my good friends, my beautiful family, my wonderful wife, my gorgeous daughters, and of course, my granddaughters, who fill me with joy. I have spent my life thinking about this moment with a smile on my face. I couldn’t have a better present for my long-awaited 104th birthday. Time goes by fast, but I tell you: it is possible to do a lot in this so-called life.

BACK TO THE PRESENT MOMENT

I begin this book by showing you my best tool to make choices. Whenever I need to decide on something, from the most routine issues to the most complex things, I just have to imagine the life I want to have on my 104th birthday. I think about my core values that will lead me to that feeling of inner peace, based on having a light and, at the same time, productive life, which I summarize in two fundamental ideas: attitude and good humor.

This imaginary retrospective makes me check if I am on the right track towards my 104th birthday. It even helps me reflect on some vital issues, such as what it means to be actually rich. Is it that more money, the merrier? How much money do I need? How much does this life I seek cost? What is the easiest way to reach the ideal life? Perhaps, rich people are those who have time to collect remarkable stories. This is such an exciting subject that it could become a book… And it did!

I ask myself these and other questions that sometimes go unacknowledged by those who live in a hurry. These questions are vital to finding a life strategy that matches my values, talents, and desires. From simple reflections like these and other clear-cut rules—which I will detail in the book— I have concluded it is possible to evaluate if I am in control of my life, living, or just surviving to meet other people’s expectations.

This book exists to tell my story, and I would love you to know it, but not only that. I also want to share with you a way of thinking, planning life, and becoming engaged in your business or job. I want my story to be a valuable tool for your life. May my conclusions and solutions inspire you to balance and integrate businesses and experiences, money and peace, and your well-being, your family’s well-being and the well-being of the people around you—which are as important as your own.

Overall, I feel that my life flows well because I don’t demand perfection from myself, nor do I need to spin at my maximum productivity. I just require emotional balance to be well every day from the inside out. I don’t give myself the right to complain about anything. I swear.

My main intention with this book is the same as I have in all areas of life: to give rise to positive actions and changes. The sum is simple: if I want to live in a nice home, I must help my family. If I want to live on a nice street, I must help my neighbors. If I want to live in a nice city, I must help my community. The same happens with my country and my planet. If I help bring the discontentment of the world to an end, I am sure I will live in a happier world.

Therefore, I will share strategies that have worked for me and that will, undoubtedly, contribute in some way to improving the lives of some people. We are in the age of generosity; we need to help each other. Help always makes its way back to us. One day, I heard a sentence from a friend that confirmed my words: “If you are not generous because of your character, be generous because of your intelligence.” Strong, isn’t it? But it is true. Generosity comes back to us. Oh yes, it does!

I am thrilled with this book project because I vibrate with each of the stories I have to tell. I believe that when we discover and get to know stories with different points of view, we rethink our values, appreciate what is good, and adjust what can be improved. I bring inspiration, ideas, and provocations, not cake recipes or magic formulas. I humbly share how I have built my life, focused on reaching 104 years of age with excellent reasons to celebrate.

My life is ordinary, but I try to make it as fantastic as possible for myself and everyone around me. Most people have an ordinary life, and the big question is how to make it exciting, fulfilling, and fun so that it is worth living. In my case, it was with a good attitude and good humor. The attitude is necessary to take the first step, breaking through the inertia towards somewhere. And the good mood is to lighten the burden when the going gets tough. After all, problems will always arise, but it is easier to solve them in good spirits.

I genuinely believe that we can walk together and this book can be a bridge. Just like in my events or my talks, this is an invitation to spread the motto: “Is it bad? So, change it, don’t complain!” With this, I get close to people who share these values; I make new friends, new partners, and new experiences. One thing leads to another.