Shaun Yap

01/01/2022

One thing 2021 taught me:

Most of the things in life I took for granted, things I thought I “worked” for and deserved, were actually privileges.

Shelter, warm food, clean clothes, a job, supportive friends and family, health, pretty much everything I own, and so on and so on.

The year was disastrous and we might be less hopeful, but the silver lining (for me) is definitely getting my priorities straight.

Sure, we deserve better but it doesn’t take much to help.

Be kind.

21/06/2021

2 days ago marked my second year with Found8, and this is the longest I have stayed with a company, even my own startups.

It's momentous to me for a couple of reasons:

1. I'm impatient when it comes to growth.
2. I often think I'll be better on my own.
3. I can't deal with s**tty leaders.

As the saying goes, people don't quit their jobs but their bosses. Working with Michelle is one of the reasons that I stuck with Found8 thus long and here are some qualities of hers that I look up to:

🔘 Lead by example
🔘 The team comes first
🔘 Work hard, play harder (for real)

I won't go into details to sound less ass-kissing but I truly think we should have more leaders like her. If you'd like to know more about Michelle, do check out Cut the BS by Found8: https://bit.ly/2UoEMll

13/03/2021

It's arrogant of us to think we're the only one who's able to provide help when somebody asked for it.

- Michael Brody-Waite on Authentic as F*ck Podcast

I used to think very highly of myself and think that I must help whenever I'm able to in order to please people around me.

As the idea of self-care becoming more common, we're advised to prioritize ourselves but that doesn't mean saying no to everything. It's about not compromising ourselves.

Acknowledge our limitations, not just on time and energy but also limitations on our mental wellbeing. We are only truly capable to help when we've taken good care of ourselves 🌻

Full episode of the podcast👇

🎙️ Spotify: https://cutt.ly/bkOD3Jl
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://cutt.ly/IkOZSpW
🎙️ Other platforms: https://cutt.ly/pj5DKeE

Follow MINC. CARE for more self-care content!

12/03/2021

31 DAYS AND STILL GOING!

Starting to read the 3rd book on Clubhouse tomorrow. Thank you for being my accountability buddy if you've tuned in in the past 31 days!

See you at 7am ⚡️

12/03/2021

EP4 is out on The RM0.02 Podcast! ⚡️

I’ve been giving thoughts on where is the podcast heading and what do I have to offer, one thing I found is my weird (and mixed) anxiety about approaching 30.

I feel this is something relatable to my peers and I’ve invited Farah to talk about it on the latest episode. Check it out and let me know if you’re the same! And share what you’re anxious about turning 30 🥺

Full episode👇
🎙️ Spotify: https://cutt.ly/pzYCJZK
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://cutt.ly/8zYCXvT
🎙️ Other platforms: https://cutt.ly/pj5DKeE

09/03/2021

What have you been up to lately?

07/03/2021

Busy ≠ productive

Often we think we have to hustle 24/7 in order to be successful. It may “look” like it but it’s actually counterproductive.

Understand your limits and give yourself permission to take a breather every now and then.

Be productive, not busy 🐝

Full episode of the podcast👇

🎙️ Spotify: https://cutt.ly/bkOD3Jl
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://cutt.ly/IkOZSpW
🎙️ Other platforms: https://cutt.ly/pj5DKeE

Follow MINC. CARE for more self care content!

25/02/2021

📣🔥 EP3 of The RM0.02 Podcast is out!

Brian is my first “co-founder” in building a tech startup and we met each other 6 years ago at Startup Weekend KL

It was a pivotal experience for both of us (and our team members) although we decided not to pursue the idea in the end. We then went on a very different path where Brian eventually came back from the US and now working to take over the family business.

We talked about the journey of us getting exposed to the fast-paced startup environment all the way to how he decided to go back to the family business that's relatively slow and what has he learned from it.

Full episode👇

🎙️ Spotify: https://cutt.ly/ElExnT7
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://cutt.ly/dlExwR5
🎙️ Other platforms: https://cutt.ly/pj5DKeE

20/02/2021

11 DAYS STREAK 📚🔥

So I was thinking about what I can do on Clubhouse and the idea to leverage it as an accountability app to read came to mind.

Since then, I read at least 30 mins a day in the morning, every day. One thing that surprises me is that I'm just 3 chapters away from completing the current book (The $100 Startup), after 11 days. It's REALLY close to my original a-book-a-week ambition.

The audience grows from 2 people to 10+ but tbh, it's just an added benefit for me to track engagement while I practice my enunciation. The way I measure: More people stayed = I read better.

I'm super glad I found a way to keep myself accountable and enjoy reading a little bit more every day. And the better news is, there are more and more rooms talking about books on Clubhouse!

I'll be charging through the last 3 chapters tomorrow (possibly a 2 hours session) simply because I can't wait to start the next one! I'll be reading Elon Mush's biography by Ashlee Vance 🤩

If you'd like to listen in, follow me on Clubhouse!

17/02/2021

We often think good things have to be hard 🧗‍♂️😥

Sometimes, we set strict goals that make it easier for us to give up (like how I wanted to read a book a week), and sometimes, we wanted it to be perfect, so much so that it's all in or nothing.

But self-improvement is not about achieving ONE goal, it's about being consistent and making progress. Think of it this way:

Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.
-Atomic Habits, James Clear

Can't make it today? Let's try again tomorrow 💯

Full episode of the podcast👇

🎙️ Spotify: https://cutt.ly/jkhbd4h
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://cutt.ly/7khblcp
🎙️ Other platforms: https://cutt.ly/pj5DKeE

17/02/2021

JUST IN 📣🔥🔥

The RM0.02 (aka 2 cents) Podcast is now live!

If I only get to say one reason why I started this podcast series, it’d be SHOWING UP.

It’s not the first idea that came to mind.
It’s not professionally planned and made.
It’s nowhere near perfect and it’s most likely not gonna be “the thing”.

But I’d like to start, to ACTUALLY create. Slowly and consistently.

All I have in mind right now is the frequency (2 EPs a month), a couple of friends I’d like to invite, and some topics I’m going to explore. The rest is unknown but I’m excited to find out 🤩

Check out the first episode 👇

🎙️ Spotify: https://cutt.ly/jkhbd4h
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://cutt.ly/7khblcp
🎙️ Other platforms: https://cutt.ly/pj5DKeE

15/02/2021

Awareness and acknowledging a problem is always the first step in tackling it.

Instead of relying on willpower to keep ourselves in check, find out what's the trigger for your bad habits, then make it harder to do. For example: Do 10 push-ups before you scroll social media or put your phone in another room so that it's harder to reach.

Or as Daniel recommended, inject a sequel action.

What's your worst habit? Mine is definitely Clubhouse for these two weeks 😅

11/02/2021

📢 EP2 IS OUT!

I like how I'm able to catch up and learn more about my friends through The RM0.02 Podcast. In this episode, I've invited a high school friend of mine, Minnie Chang to talk about self-care.

She's always been an inspiration to me for being a powerful woman, who's passionate about her work and content creation, while studying for her master's degree, full time!

But there's more to that. We talked a little about unlearning, drawing boundaries, and how to help others without compromising ourselves.

I shared something personal towards the end too.

Check out the full episode below👇

🎙️ Spotify: https://cutt.ly/bkOD3Jl
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://cutt.ly/IkOZSpW
🎙️ Other platforms: https://cutt.ly/pj5DKeE

10/02/2021

What are your small wins today?

Full episode of the podcast👇

🎙️ Spotify: https://cutt.ly/jkhbd4h
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://cutt.ly/7khblcp
🎙️ Other platforms: https://cutt.ly/pj5DKeE

09/02/2021

ATTENTION IS LIMITED ⚠️

As you may have already heard, Clubhouse is the new thing in town. Everyone is sharing how exciting it is to tune in and learn, and FOMO-ing the s**t out of it.

I spent more than 13 hours on the app last week (and no less on any other app 🤦‍♂️), and I realized one of the biggest drivers for me to click into any room was: What if I missed something good?

Don’t get me wrong, I do learn stuff on Clubhouse and made some genuine connections. But as a content creator and consumer, I keep reminding myself "attention is limited resources" so that I’d focus on creating value and be mindful of how I spend my attention.

We all have 24 hours a day and there’s only so much we can do. Have fun, but be aware of how you invest your attention too! 💯

07/02/2021

How can I be as great as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson?

Justine Musk (Elon Musk’s ex-wife) answered:

Extreme success results from an extreme personality and comes at the cost of many other things. Extreme success is different from what I suppose you could just consider 'success', so know that you don't have to be Richard or Elon to be affluent and accomplished and maintain a great lifestyle. Your odds of happiness are better that way. But if you're extreme, you must be what you are, which means that happiness is more or less beside the point. These people tend to be freaks and misfits who were forced to experience the world in an unusually challenging way. They developed strategies to survive, and as they grow older they find ways to apply these strategies to other things, and create for themselves a distinct and powerful advantage. They don't think the way other people think. They see things from angles that unlock new ideas and insights. Other people consider them to be somewhat insane.

Be obsessed.

Be obsessed.

Be obsessed.

If you're not obsessed, then stop what you're doing and find whatever does obsess you. It helps to have an ego, but you must be in service to something bigger if you are to inspire the people you need to help you (and make no mistake, you will need them). That 'something bigger' prevents you from going off into the ether when people flock round you and tell you how fabulous you are when you aren't and how great your stuff is when it isn't. Don't pursue something because you "want to be great". Pursue something because it fascinates you, because the pursuit itself engages and compels you. Extreme people combine brilliance and talent with an *insane* work ethic, so if the work itself doesn't drive you, you will burn out or fall by the wayside or your extreme competitors will crush you and make you cry.

✏️🗒️ Takeaway:

💡 We aren't extreme individuals like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, or Elon Musk, and we value things (happiness perhaps) differently in life.
💡 Learn from them but don’t copy them (nor anyone else)!
💡 Be obsessed with what you do, not the result.
💡 Find that balance you can live with and strive in your own way.

Full original article: https://cutt.ly/vkv5EWK

06/02/2021

Breaks are important 💯

In order to "feel" productive, I tend to chunk in as many tasks in my schedule as possible. Eventually, I realized it's nearly impossible to stick with a schedule without any room to breathe and it's not sustainable.

Dedicating time for breaks make sure that there's a buffer in between tasks. It gives us the flexibility to deal with interruptions and most important of all, it helps us maintain a sharp focus from one task to another.

Full episode of the podcast👇

🎙️ Spotify: https://cutt.ly/jkhbd4h
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://cutt.ly/7khblcp
🎙️ Other platforms: https://cutt.ly/pj5DKeE

04/02/2021

How Daniel manage ⏰

1. Identify what time works best for you (waking up early doesn’t work for everyone, it’s scientifically proven).
2. Timeboxing (or time blocking). Block out time and only focus on one project at a time.

Additional tip: Take breaks!

Learn more about timeboxing: https://youtu.be/fbAYK4KQrso

Full episode of the podcast👇

🎙️ Spotify: https://cutt.ly/jkhbd4h
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://cutt.ly/7khblcp
🎙️ Other platforms: https://cutt.ly/pj5DKeE

04/02/2021

I know Daniel as "the community guy" when I started attending startup events about 6 years ago. Little that I know, he's the Founder and Curator of TEDx KL and many other early initiatives in the scene.

We've gotten closer since I started working at Found8 and he's always generous in helping, regardless of giving advice or connecting people to me.

I invited him to the first episode of The RM0.02 Podcast to figure out how he juggles between different projects and to know him more as a friend (super glad I did so).

We also talked a little about building habits and winning meaningful small wins to make it sustainable.

Check out the full episode below👇

🎙️ Spotify: https://cutt.ly/jkhbd4h
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://cutt.ly/7khblcp
🎙️ Other platforms: https://cutt.ly/pj5DKeE

03/02/2021

WE HIT 100 PLAYS TODAY! 🔥🎉

Celebrating one small milestone at a time

If you've listened to it, thank you! Feel free to share your feedback and or topics you'd be interested in for future episodes.

ps: EP2 is already in production 🙃

03/02/2021

HOW CAN I HELP? 🌻

Hey, I hope 2021 has been treating you well so far! I know it's still tough for most of us especially with another lockdown in KL.

I can't cure COVID but I want to do a little something. Starting next week, I'll be forking out 2 hours from my weekends to help you with a task (or a mini-project).

If there's anything you think I can help you with, please send in your request here: https://cutt.ly/GjYsZAE

ps: Let me know what do you think about this initiative and if it'd work to pass it on (nominate two friends for every task I complete or something)!

Hey, it's half a month through 2021. How are you holding up? Tbh, I'm not doing as well as I wanted. I was just getting used to my new routine and another round of lockdown in KL has disrupted it. If you're having some difficulties adjusting, here's a reminder that

03/02/2021

Walking into 2021 with the best style I've got 🤓

Yes, it’s a cliche to set new year resolutions and tbh, I’ve never achieved the full list for the past 28 years.

This year, instead of setting goals to achieve, there are 3 things I commit to:

⏰ Wake up at 5am every day
📚 Read 30 mins a day
👨‍💻 Create as much content as possible

I don’t have everything figured out yet, but instead of coming up with a minute-by-minute schedule that makes it easier for me to give up, I believe I’ll come up with something as long as I commit to waking up (and not going back to bed) at 5am EVERY DAY.

Instead of setting a destination for 2021, I want to find out how far I can push myself with constant, tiny commitments.

I'm excited about 2021, and I hope it’s a good one for all of us. Now let’s go get it! 👨‍🚀 🚀