RIP Antonio Puerta

Very sad. Terribly sad & shocking. Antonio Puerta, the left-back/left midfielder for Spanish club Sevilla, has died, just 3 days after collapsing on Saturday during his team's first game of the Spanish league season. Apparently, he did regain consciousness & was substituted, but later got a heart attack in the dressing room, was hospitalised where his condition later worsened before he eventually passed away. It was said that Puerta died of "multiple organ failure stemming from prolonged cardiac arrest" and subsequent coronary problems. Puerta's body will be taken to Sevilla's stadium, where fans can pay their respects before the burial.

What makes this even more sad is the fact that Puerta's wife/partner is expecting their first child. I can't imagine how she & Puerta's family, friends & his Sevilla team-mates must be feeling. It's so terrible. Someone so young, on the verge of a promising football career, taken away from us. Yet another footballer to have died prematurely after collapsing on the field. In 2003, Cameroon's Marc-Vivien Foe in 2003. I still remembered how gloomy I was when I learned of Foe's passing. Then, Hungary's Miklos Feher in 2004 - also sad & unexpected. Now, Antonio Puerta. All died prematurely from heart problems. (There may have been other footballers besides Foe & Feher who I've not specifically mentioned - can't remember them all)

It's very tragic, & a very very sad day for Sevilla, Spanish football & football in general. Even if expected, it's heartening to learn of the tributes & messages of condolences that poured in from UEFA, the Spanish Football Federation, fans & various football clubs. They include Sevilla's cross-town rivals Betis, Barcelona, Real Madrid, & also AC Milan who were due to play Sevilla in the European Super Cup on Friday (European time). That match will go ahead, & UEFA said it will be a tribute to Puerta. Sevilla's UEFA Champions League qualifying match against AEK Athens has been postponed to Monday, just a couple of days after the Super Cup game against Milan.

But well, what can I say? I don't think I need to say much; we all know how tragic this is. I did hear about Puerta's collapse on the field, but I had expected him to recover from that. I didn't expect him to go the same way as Foe & Feher. So it was a shock when I turned up to work this morning & learned about the news on the internet. It's just seems "unfair" that he had to go so early; he was only 22.

Now, I don't know much about Puerta, & I'm not a Sevilla supporter (though I do enjoy some of the football I've seen from them of late). But as a human, as a fan of Spanish football, & as one who believes in giving young football players opportunities, I mourn Puerta's death. RIP Antonio Puerta, & I pray for his friends & family & all those affected by his death. As a Christian, tragic happenings like these remind me (as it did when Foe died 4 years ago) that life is short, our time in this world is short & so we must make the most of our time here serving God, living for God's glory & prepare ourselves for life in our future destination - heaven, our permanent home.


Pics I found on the internet:

Homesick? Not really, to be honest…..

Our church (CCCB) hosted some Aboriginal visitors from Cherbourg during the weekend (CCCBers visited Cherbourg in previous 2 years; this year they visited us). And we had the visitors over for Sunday service. After the service, one of the Cherbourg ladies sang a song in front of the congregation. I didn’t catch the name of the song or the person who wrote it, but it’s about being “homesick”. “Home” in the context of the song referred to heaven, & therefore being “homesick” described the feeling of longing for & looking forward to going home to heaven. One of the lines of the song goes something like this: “Lord, I never feel this homesick before”. The lady sang it well (& I enjoyed it), & observers would believe that she is indeed “homesick”. She really sounded as if she want to go to heaven real soon!

All of that led me to ask myself : Do I feel “homesick”? Have I ever felt “homesick”? Answer: no & no. I don’t feel “homesick & I’ve never really been “homesick” before. It’s not because I don’t like heaven; of course not, far from that. Rather, it’s because I don’t think that much about heaven. I think so little about my future destination & my life is reflective of this. I’m too focused on the “here & now” struggles of this secular world, & get caught up in all sorts of things in life.

It’s been said that those believers who are conscious of their future destination live their lives fervently for the Lord, in preparation for life in that future destination. Actually, I don’t think those were the exact words, but u get the idea. Well, anyway, here I am, a believer who’s not totally conscious of or focused on my future destination (as I said, heaven’s not something I think much about) & who takes it (heaven) for granted. Perhaps this is not a happy thought for some of you believers. But that’s the truth, & it’s yet another item on my plate to think over. It would be good if I can find ways to invigorate me to think more about heaven & what changes I can do to prepare myself for “the next life”.

Helping friend move, Qld Roar's season opener

I was out & about yesterday (Sat 25/8/07). I, together with a few others, helped a friend (S) from Clay move apartments. Her new apartment is just next to her workplace, & it's pretty nice. The move was quite physically demanding; lots of hard work & it was quite tiring. But luckily, many hands make light work. I was quite shocked at the amount of my friend's (& her sister's) possessions, as reflected in the number of boxes we helped move. Luckily, the move was smooth. As S right remarked after the move, many hands made light work. S provided lunch - 15 boxes of Dominos pizzas & garlic bread. The lunch was meant for everyone who helped with the move. However, some of them (the bunch who came with the removal truck) had left before lunch started, so there were lots of food for those that remained! We managed to see S's new fridge delivered to the unit, before leaving.

I dropped off a couple of people, then went to the shops to look for a plastic raincoat to take to the Queensland Roar season opener v Adelaide later that evening (it was threatening to rain). However, there weren't any suitable raincoats, so I went back home & showered. After that, I was out again. Dinner was had with some friends at Jackpot Noodles at Toowong. (I had crispy skin fried chicken with rice). After dinner, we caught the train at the Toowong Station & headed to Suncorp Stadium for the game.

The stadium was buzzing prior to the kick-off. The game was a rather good one, even if some of Qld Roar's moves floundered through bad final pass or tame goal attempts. Qld conceded an early goal (within 10-12 minutes of kick-off), but they but managed to equalise around the 44th minute mark. They then put the ball in the back of the net just a minute later via a freekick, but the goal was disallowed. So the half-time score was 1-1, & the referee's decision to disallow the goal drew loud jeers. Then, Adelaide regained the lead within 2 minutes of the second-half, & when Qld's captain Craig Moore was sent-off after collecting his second yellow card, thing looked bleak for Qld. Nevertheless, Qld didn't give up & with little more than 10 minutes left in the match, they equalised - a Qld defender headed in from a corner kick.

Final score: Qld Roar 2 Adelaide Utd 2. A win would have been better, but considering how the game went (twice, they had to come back from going behind), a draw is a fair result & one I can live with :) The goals that Adelaide scored were avoidable, & Qld must defend better. They also must improve on their finishing. That said, Qld did hit the bar twice & had a couple of other good chances. On another day, they could have won. At least the game was rather enjoyable, on a whole. The attendance was a little over 16,800, which was not bad at all considering the threat of rain. Atmosphere at the stadium was good, as always. I screamed a lot, as usual. I look forward to the next game at Suncorp Stadium. Bring it on!

PS: My friend T had bet with his colleague that Craig Moore would get sent-off, as he's familiar with Moore's tendency for rough play from watching Moore play his club football in Europe (before signing for Qld Roar). Since Moore did get ejected, T will be $100 richer. Good on him.

"Long" time between the drinks

Hmmm. It's been some 10 days since my last blog post. For some people, that may not seem unusual by any means. But for me, 10 days without blogging - I think I've just set a new personal record, as I usually blog every few days. Ai yah.....

And no, it's not as if I've been deliberately slack or anything like that. It's just that I've got so so much on my plate at the moment. But I'll be making a few posts in the next few days. I remember wanting to post my reflections on the recent study series in my Clay Bible study group. And I may also have a few other stuff to blog. Stay tuned!

Article - sleep patterns

I guess I'm among the 1 million people that the article below says have sleep problems (although I don't have it every day), & technology is a significant contributor to this. I can think of some friends who are also in the same boat as me.

For me, not only is technology (internet, including YouTube, blogging, etc) causing me to sleep less, it also eats away at my Quiet Time. In fact, it takes over my Quiet Time! Sad, but true.

And oh, look at the sleeping tips below. Let's run through them, shall we, & see how it applies to me.

Go to bed at same time - Nope, it varies every day, but I may try, though.
Have a fixed pre-bed routine - Brushing me teeth? Yeah, that's what I do before sleep.
Switch off mobile phones - I don't, but then I seldom get calls late at nite. Oh, except for once, the night before an exam, a friend called me just minutes before midnight! I will never forget that.
Avoid technology before bed - That's fine, no worries here. I already avoid that - but that's because I use technology before I brush my teeth.
No pets in the bedroom - No problem! I don't have pets, & never will have any. Ever.
Have the same wake-up routine - Brushing my teeth?

**************************************

Sleep patterns
Tuesday August 14, 2007

Sleep experts are warning that modern life, with all its technological trappings, is depriving people of sleep.

Sleep specialist Dr Sean Tolhurst joins TODAY to offer tips on how to develop a better sleep routine.

"More than a million Australians suffer from insomnia or other sleep disorders," reveals Dr Tolhurst.

"There are several factors," he says, "but TV, mobile phones and the Internet are the prime offenders in the plague of sleep deprivation affecting Australians.

"The demands on our lives are becoming greater as we get busier and the first casualty for most of us is usually sleep.

"There are several side effects of sleep deprivation. Obviously being tired is a major one, as well as an increased risk of motor accidents, mood alteration, increased chance of separation or divorce.

"Substance abuse is also a side effect, ranging from caffeine through to stronger substances like amphetamines.

"Sleep deprivation doesn't just affect those in the working world, but people across the board, from teens through to young adults, though the reasons people's sleep patterns are affected vary."

There are several steps that can help increase productive sleep time, according to Dr Tolhurst.

"Go to bed at the same time each day," he says." Have a fixed pre-bed routine and have the same wake-up routine.

"Switch off mobile phones and avoid technology before bed. Not only does this stimulate your mind, but also acts as a distraction from sleep."

Dr Tolhurst's sleeping tips:

• Go to bed at same time
• Have a fixed pre-bed routine
• Switch off mobile phones
• Avoid technology before bed
• No pets in the bedroom
• Have the same wake-up routine

http://today.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=286220

Thoughts & reflections on sermon/talk on Hebrews 13:1-7

As stated on my previous post, the visiting pastor from Singapore, Pastor Chris Chia, gave a talk/sermon on Hebrews 13:1-7 (or was it Hebrews 13:1-6? can't remember) during the Building Dedication ceremony.

The talk was really good, & I thought it was nice & appropriate given the occasion. Chris Chia was exhorting the audience, as people of CCCB, to adhere to the message of Hebrews 13:1-7. Thus we are to love each other as brothers, entertain & be hospitable even to those we don't know very well, emphatize with believers who are in prison, give honour to marriage, refrain from loving money, be content with what we have because God would never leave nor forsake His people, remember the leaders who taught us the Word of God (though this last point, I don't remember if he really dwell on in much depth). Anyway, I really liked the talk & the speaker's technique & style - he kept the talk simple & concise, yet there's real quality & substance in the content, with a dash of humour here & there.

For me, the big thing from the talk was refraining from the love of money & being content with what I possess. I remembered shifting in my seat (my friend might have noticed that, too) when he talked about those areas. Not only do I "love" money, but I also am not satisfied what what I got. Money is fine, says the speaker - after all, we do need it. But when we start loving money, then it becomes dangerous. And money (or the love of it) has increasingly become an issue for me. I may claim from time to time that I am not materialistic, yet the fact that money constantly occupies my mind suggests otherwise. You see, it's hard to not get sucked into all that when I'm constantly exposed to money & wealth every day - in my job, on the internet, in advertisements, etc etc. It's hard not to be greedy when you really desire your investments & savings to grow & grow - after all, that's a matter of you have your own best interests at heart. At one point, I was watching my investments daily like a hawk. That obsessive monitoring has died down, but mainly because I'm now focussed on another thing (which I won't reveal here).

Yes, I do give some money away (to Compassion, Open Doors, friends doing ministry training etc). That is fine. But I think the problem is in how I deal with or view the money left over after giving some away. I'm not content with that "left over money". I always "moan" that it's not enough, & believing that I need more, I crave for more. That's not being content with what I have. And that brings another area to question - trust. Do I trust God to look after all my needs? Whether I do is questionable, given the way I've been struggling with the love of money & being content. It suggests that I don't trust God enough to look after my needs - or, that I don't trust God enough to look after me the way I want.

It's really difficult to shake off these struggles, but I pray that God will help me be content with Him & love Him more & love worldly things less (things which do not last). I know it's wrong to be caught up with worldly things, but knowing what's right & doing what's right are 2 very different things for me - simply because of the way I am. Perhaps it's a good thing I got the chance to hear Chris Chia's talk - it's a big "wake up call". I seem to be one of those who need water thrown at my face. I'm sure I will get plenty more warnings in the future.

Hmmm, just looking at what's transpired above - eeek, I've ranted & raved long enough! Which might say something about the extent of my struggles. Ai yah, perhaps I'd better sign off here.

Packed Sunday (12/8/07)

I had a full day yesterday. Here's what I did (after teaching Sunday School):

** I bought some goodies that were baked by the sisters from YF, as part of some fund-raising thing. I've tasted most of the goodies, they were pretty good.

** Then I had lunch at Fortitude Valley with Ivan & Maria (parked my car at Maria's place). We had crispy roast pork (siew yok, I believe is the Chinese name), roast duck & chicken, with some vegetables & soup. Yum, it's tasty & cheap, I just loooove all that meat!! Forfot the name of the place, but I will recognise it when I see it again.

** Then the 3 of us headed over to CCCB Coopers Plains to attend the Building Dedication ceremony. Church got the building some while ago (1 year plus). If I heard correctly, the church recently got council approval to use the building at Coopers Plains as a place of worship. Hence why we had the ceremony. There was a huge turnout, & we heard various testimonies that gave a background on the history of CCCB Southside which covered the previous buildings occupied by the church before the current premises at Coopers Plains. Visiting Pastor Chris Chia (who's on sabbatical from his church in Singapore) gave a superb sermon/talk (see next blog post). There were lots of food after the dedication service.

** We then headed to Winston's place for a while, & had a rest. Then we (myself, Ivan, Maria, Winston, Eilen, Able) headed off for dinner at a pizza place at Wishart (I think it's called Pepperoni's). Wong joined us. I think I last went there about 3 years ago. Anyway, since we had quite a bit of finger food from the dedication service, we didn't order much pizza. They were tasty!

** Then all of us we headed off to Cavendish Road State High School to watch a fund-raising musical conducted by Brisbane Chinese Alliance Church (BCAC) to raise funds for its new church building. The musical is Pilgrim's Progress, based on the text written by John Bunyan. As per the BCAC brochure, Pilgrim's Progress is about 2 characters (representing ordinary Christians) going through a journey to the Celestial City. Through their pilgrimage, both characters come across many characters that symbolise the people in the Bible (characters which either help or hinder a Christian's spiritual growth). I personally enjoyed the musical & appreciate the talents of the BCAC cast & crew. The singing was quite good. Thank God that the musical was a success, & I pray that lots of funds are raised for BCAC.

** On the way back to New Farm, we stopped at McDonalds drive-thru. Maria got a apple pie while I got a chocolate sundae, & gulped it down before arriving at New Farm. I've been eating non-stop all day!

All in all, a very long Sunday, but a good one. I don't think next Sunday will be quite as packed. We shall see....

Pics - Transformers shoes

Look at these pics. I got these from a friend this morning - he knows I'm a huge Transformers fan (Transformers G1 always rules!!).

Apparently, these can actually be worn! Cool, eh!!

Challenging words from Clay planning meeting

On Tuesday evening, I joined a few leaders from the Clay group for a planning meeting. In a nutshell, the meeting was held to plan the timetable for Clay (for both Southside & St Lucia groups), & also to have some thoughts/discussions on the future direction of Clay.

The meeting has been described as a "Clay leaders meeting"; however, I don't consider myself a leader within the Clay group. Uh uh, no way. I was at the planning meeting by virtue of being 1 of the 2 Clay events co-ordinators for this year.

Anyway, it was what a brother said at the start of the meeting that really caught my attention. He paraphrased a talk by David Cook:

When we choose to follow Christ, we give up our right to our own life. We lose the ability to say "No", because our life now belongs to Christ. If leaders in the church can identify a gift in you, you should seriously consider taking the role on. We shouldn't say "no" on the basis that we are too busy, because our life is not our own. We are given gifts for the purpose of building up God's people. The buck stops with us. The direction & shape of Clay is our responsibility.

Challenging words indeed. A captivating way to start the meeting, & I believe it played a considerable part in making the meeting a fruitful & encouraging one - well, that certainly was the case for me, & I felt blessed to have spent time in the company of those who attended. I am thankful that this brother shared the above thoughts.

Back to those challenging words. What was said took me back to the end of a few years ago at YF, when another brother asked me if I have given any thoughts to any roles within YF. I laughed & kindly brushed aside his question, saying there was no way I had much to offer YF & that I'm no leadership material (or something to that effect). Obviously, I'm good at saying "No" to some things! So in doing that, I managed to distance myself from taking any roles or responsibilities in YF during my time in that group.

Now, I won't say I regretted saying "no" to those YF roles, but I guess it perhaps showed how self-centered I had been (& still can be). It reminded me that I often think & live as if my life belongs only to me, usually only doing what I feel is best for myself. At least since then, I haven't always said "No" when approached for various roles within the church & Clay. I started my children's ministry involvement by accepting an approach to be an assistant to a Sunday School teacher before being promoted to a Sunday School teacher. I also was briefly involved with Teens Ministry a few years back (although, a tad reluctantly - I just didn't know how to say "no" at the time when approached for the Teens Ministry). And, I did say "yes" when approached by Pastor Steve earlier this year to be a Clay events co-ordinator (representing St Lucia Clay) - which was why I was present at the Clay planning meeting.

I must say that losing the ability to say "no" is tough, as it can (& often will) mean sacrificing a good part of your time & effort. But that is part of being God's disciple - you follow Him & serve Him. Losing the ability to say "no" is difficult especially for someone like me, who likes to do what he wants whenever he wants. Living out David Cook's message will not be easy, especially the notion that "our live is not our own". But I pray that God will help me become less selfish & more willing to serve Him in the areas that He wants me to serve.

Sermon on Nehemiah 5:1 - 7:4, soccer after church

In his Sunday sermon on Nehemiah 5:1 - 7:4, Pastor Steve posed the following question: what is the biggest danger to God's people? Is it persecution? In light of recent happenings, one may think so. Pastor talked about a young woman in Egypt who experienced torture & harm from the police & then (appalingly) members of her own family, just because she converted to Christianity. He also mentioned the group of South Korean Christians currently held hostage in Afghanistan. But persecution, as Pastor correctly pointed out, is nothing new to God's people. And the sad but true fact is, a lot of people will be open to attack & persecution just because they are Christians.

However, from the Nehemiah passage, the biggest danger to God's people came not from their enemies, but from those within their ranks. Specifically, the wealthy Jews were profiteering from the poorer people, & this injustice caused Nehemiah to be angry. He would have been thinking, how could they (the rich) be be doing this to their own people?

So what is the biggest danger to God's people? Persecution? Opposition? No. The good news about persecution is that it shows God's enemies are fearful, & the persecution only strengthens believers & spur them on to seek Christ. Actually, the biggest danger to God's people is the faithlessness of God's people towards each other. This was the case in Nehemiah's time, & is also the case today. As pointed out by Pastor, the Western church has all the wealth, but do not seem to be doing very much with it in terms of helping the church in poorer places. In some developing countries, several villages share 1 Bible, & then the Bible is passed on to another lot of villages. The people in those countries are poor & could not afford to get many Bibles. In such countries, the church is growing. We in the more advanced world, with the money we have, could do more than we are currently doing to help the church in the poor areas.

Pastor's sermon reminds me of how lucky I am to be living in a place where I am not persecuted for my faith (not that I'm very active with my faith). I should also reflect on what I can do to help less fortunate fellow believers in the developing world.

********************************************

After church, a few of us played soccer at one of the UQ fields in Carmody Rd. It was fun, though my team got hammered big time (probably because the other team had fitter runners). I think for every goal we scored, the other team scored about 2. My sister & brother-in-law also played, & they seemed to enjoy the football as much as I did.

I did more running than expected & lasted longer on the field than I thought I would. Nevertheless, it was very veerrrryyyy tiring. At the end, I was left sore & could barely move. The next few days were painful. Due to my lack of fitness & not excessively high stamina, my whole body (especially legs) were aching like mad. Every leg movement was such an ordeal. Even moving a leg out of my bed hurts. Walking from bus stop to work was a torture - I practically limped, & colleagues at work could tell something was different with the way I walked. "Played soccer on Sunday....that's what it did to me", I would tell them & pull a face to indicate how much of a toll the soccer took on my physically. Colleagues would laugh.

Luckily, I can feel that recovery is imminent. I should be ok by this weekend! The whole thing reminds me of the physical limitations of my earthly body. Never mind - when I get to heaven, I will be given a new body. There will be no more aches & pains of the sort that I have experienced lately. Isn't that good?

Pfffhhh....another one of these invites

Wow, feels like I'm a wanted person, with all these invitations I'm getting. Remember a couple of invitations I've got from the ICAA these past few months to apply for a CA American Express Platinum Card? Each time, I turned them down. Well, my bank St George has just sent me a special invitation (that's what the letter said, special invitation) to apply for Australia's lowest rate Platinum Credit Card, with a conditionally approved credit limit of $10,000. The annual fee is just $89, the lowest in Australia. Compare that to the $295 annual fee for American Express Platinum Card.

Like the AMEX Platinum invitations before, I will toss aside the St George Platinum invitation. Signing up for the St George Platinum Visa means an extra $10,000 credit limit to my name. Given a potential "change in circumstances" in the foreseeable future (which I shall not elaborate here), the last thing I need is a hike in my credit limit. In fact, I need to cut down what credit limit I already have. I will have to look at my 3 current credit cards & look to reduce some of the credit limit, & possibly ditch at least 1 of those cards. One day, I might sign up for the St George Platinum card. But not now. Now's not a good time.

Article - 7 deadly workplace sins

Interesting article from MSN. I see there are some things to avoid in the future, as I seek to build my way upwards. Though, looking through the article again, I can see some areas where I currently have no issues & hopefully never will.

For instance, envy. There's no envy from me towards anyone at work. I don't resent anybody for their success or for what they got.

Anger? Nope. OK, I have periods of stress at work (as was the case during the past few weeks), & some people can sense when I'm stressed, & there have been occasions where the stress is reflected in the way I speak to colleagues. But there's never been any angry outbursts towards anyone, & hopefully I will never ever resort to that. I get along with colleagues, so there's no reason to verbally shoot people to flames.

Also, I'm no sloth. Quite the opposite - I work really hard (there's a bonus to be had at the end of the rainbow - the harder I work, the bigger the bonus). If I may say so, I'm a damn good worker. *thumps my own chest*

Gluttony - come on. I do have a life, & I do have a good work/life balance. Work (though stressful at times) hasn't yet driven me insane!

Lust - nope, not in the manner described below. I don't have any fixation for what others have or achieve.

Having said all that, the stuff below is something to look at in my career advancement in the future & my "path to paycheck promise land". Yeah.

***************************

Seven Deadly Workplace Sins
By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer

You know the type.

The guy who takes full credit for a job well done – albeit any help he received along the way.

The “one-for-the-taking-and-focused-on-quick-ways-to-get-ahead” cougar lady.

The hot-headed jerk that jumps down your throat at any sign of question or disagreement concerning his latest project.

While most of us share a common goal of achievement and success in the workplace, we also know that there are ways to accomplish this ambition – and ways to fall short.

“Success in the workplace doesn’t happen ‘on a wing and a prayer,’ but rather by knowing what specific job promotion pitfalls to avoid in working toward that heavenly pot of career gold,” says John McKee, business coach and author of “21 Ways Women in Management Shoot Themselves in the Foot.”

To avoid becoming the once-respectable, often-humble guy who got a promotion but lost his wits (and gained an ego), follow McKee’s advice on the seven deadly career sins to assure career advancement and move you on the path to paycheck promise land:

1. Pride
Despite any help they received along the way, time and again, people take full credit for their accomplishments in the office, thinking that personal success will fast-track their career.

The sin: “What often goes unrecognized is that people around, and especially below, the serially solo-successful resent the ego-centricity, and may actually begin to actively undermine that person’s efforts in the future.”
The salvation: “A dose of acknowledgment of and appreciation for one’s peers and subordinates, so they may share in some of the glory, can go a long way to foster one’s long-term success.”

2. Envy
It’s OK to acknowledge another’s achievements, but lamenting “what should have been yours” can be destructive and adversely impact your own ability to focus on current job tasks, McKee says.

The sin: “Allowing yourself to be overly envious of others in the workplace can sabotage your self-esteem, which is one vital characteristic every successful business person shares.”
The salvation: “Rather than being envious, let the accomplishments of others become motivational fuel for your fire in working toward your own successes.”

3. Anger
Anger doesn’t benefit anyone in the workplace – it only damages your reputation, credibility and professionalism.

The sin: “Those prone to angry outbursts rarely get promoted; they are seen as being poor leaders who cannot inspire or motivate others.”
The salvation: “It’s fine to feel passionately about your job or a project at hand and to disagree with others, but learn how to channel those emotions into actions that will work to your benefit in the eyes of others – especially your superiors - rather than against it.”

4. Greed
An employee’s selfish desire for “more, sooner” is what motivates many workers. While these folks may do well in the moment, they won’t be prepared to take things to the next level, McKee warns.

The sin: “Taking this notion to the extreme can and will be self-defeating as core values become misguided and life becomes unbalanced in the process.”
The salvation: “The road to success requires a long-term approach in all aspects of one’s job duties. Those laser-focused on quick, short-term gains may do well in the moment, but will be ill-prepared to take things to the next level.”

5. Sloth
Indolence gets you nowhere in life – especially in corporate America. Laziness in the workplace will have you sitting idle, watching others surpass you in success and authority.

The sin: “Simply put, complacency and laziness have no place whatsoever in the workplace – especially for those with high aspirations. Expecting one’s past achievements and successes to carry them forward in their long-term career is imprudent.”
The salvation: “Treat every work day and every project as if your job, and your future at large, depends on it. It very well may.”

6. Gluttony
Too much focus on only one facet of life, like work, is a recipe for overall failure. Make sure you’re ready – professionally and personally – to take on new and bigger challenges, for which expectations are also bigger, McKee says.

The sin: “Many individuals move up the corporate ladder so fast that they actually end up failing as a consequence. More isn’t always better – especially if you’re not ready for the challenge at hand.”
The salvation: “Achieving career success also includes maintaining a life balance, and a misplaced professional desire can create a backlash both at home as well as amid peers for your perceived obsessiveness.”

7. Lust
The old “grass is always greener” adage applies to the workplace as well. Spending your time focused on others’ work achievements rather than working to further your own is a sure-fire career killer,” McKee contends.

The sin: “Spending an inordinate amount of time fixated on what you don’t have rather than what you do will foster a bad attitude and negative overall demeanor.”
The salvation: “One’s overall ‘presence’ in the office plays a big part in who gets promoted and who doesn’t. No matter how ambitious, it’s prudent to be ‘present’ and make the most out of your current position at this moment in time.”