Date: April 18, 2025 | Time: Evening Reflection
This is my second reflection of the day, after a deeply meaningful International Day and Raya Celebration at Stellar International School, followed by a powerful Global Leadership Summit session.
The session today focused on the seven frequencies of communication: the motivator, the challenger, the commander, the healer, the professor, the seer, and the maven. We shared reflections on which frequency each of us operates in, and how others perceive us across these modes.
As I closed the session, I found myself reflecting out loud: how I’ve evolved from commander to healer over the course of my life.
When I was younger, everything was about the dream—my dream. I wasn’t thinking about people, just performance. But seasons change. Fatherhood, marriage, loss, faith—they all have a way of reshaping not just what you do, but why you do it.
Some remain stuck in past seasons, still playing old frequencies even when life has shifted. But true leadership requires transition. And transition, at its heart, requires maturity.
From Profit to Purpose
I used to be that young man obsessed with financial goals. I wanted to retire by 38. That was the plan: make money, exit early, travel the world.
And to be fair, I was on track. My first business was thriving. We did great work, served our clients well, scaled fast. Too fast, in hindsight.
And yet, when I stood at the peak—negotiating to take over an international school, expanding aggressively—I felt something unexpected: emptiness.
“I had reached the goal. But I lost the meaning.”
Then came a turning point.
I met a mentor. He lived differently. With wisdom. With peace. And it forced me to confront a question I never dared to ask:
Why do I want to retire early? What am I actually chasing?
And when I couldn’t find an answer that satisfied my soul, I did the unthinkable. I sold my company. At half the price. Just to close the chapter.
And that’s when Stellar began.
Stellar: A New Life, Not Just a New Venture
Starting Stellar felt like a second life. Like a real-world version of Jumanji—but with one life left.
This time, I didn’t want to chase speed. I wanted to build right.
From the very beginning, I told myself: this time, it’s not about the money. It’s about the legacy.
We took two years to get our preschool license. People laughed. Said we were wasting time. But we did it properly. No shortcuts. No under-the-table deals.
“That license wasn’t printed. It was earned.”
And it wasn’t just a license for the school. It was a license for me to live out my values, visibly and consistently.
Reverse Leadership: From Fast Growth to Deep Roots
“The opposite of growth isn’t slowness. It’s rootlessness.”
I used to think slow was bad. That delay meant failure. Now I know: the deeper the root, the stronger the tree.
What we did in those two years built trust. Integrity. Quiet influence.
When it came time to apply for our international school license, the state director himself endorsed us. Why? Because he saw our integrity. Not in our marketing—but in our actions.
You can’t fake trust. You earn it—by doing the right thing when no one is watching.
The Father I Wanted to Be
Before all this, I started my career as a lecturer. I loved teaching youth at the crossroads of life.
But when I saw the brokenness in secondary school students—the anger, the rebellion, the fear—I realized something:
“This isn’t a student issue. It’s a parenting issue.”
So I went deeper. I asked:
What kind of father do I want to be?
And that’s when I made a radical decision: I’d go into preschool education.
Not because I knew how. But because I needed to learn.
I wanted to help parents be present. To tell them:
“Your presence is more powerful than any school.”
And I wanted to model that with my own son.
Integrity Is My Operating System
We returned money to parents who didn’t even realize they were overcharged. We refused to bribe officers when others suggested it.
“Malaysia is only as clean as we are.”
That’s what I told the licensing officer. And I meant it.
Integrity isn’t a value we teach. It’s the foundation we stand on.
I want our students to see it. Not in our slogans. But in how we run our schools.
That’s why Stellar matters. Not because we are perfect. But because we are intentional.
SoulTake Complete
Today, I saw many things:
- A school that embraces global culture without losing local soul.
- A summit that reminded me of who I’ve become.
- A moment to pause and remember: this second life is sacred.
And I return to this truth:
“You only get one life. But you can be born again—through decisions, through seasons, through surrender.”
Good night. SoulTake complete.
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