The Story
The Lesson of Filmmaking
When I hear the phrase showing up every day, the first image that comes to mind is a smile. For me, showing up is proof that I can. It is the quiet satisfaction of silencing the voice that says I cannot. Each time I appear, even imperfectly, I beat that voice. That is enough to make me happy. I have learnt that consistency outlasts inspiration. Inspiration is like a spark. It burns brightly but fades quickly. In Chinese, there is a phrase, 三分钟çƒåº¦, which means “three minutes of heat”. It describes a burst of excitement that rarely lasts. Consistency, on the other hand, compounds. It is slow, steady, and quietly powerful.​
When I first picked up a camera, it was not because I was inspired. It was curiosity. In 2008, I bought a second-hand Canon 60D from a friend and began taking it everywhere. I would shoot daily, watch YouTube tutorials, and try again the next day. There was no plan to become a filmmaker. I simply kept showing up. Over the years, those small acts have become instinctive. I can now feel when someone is about to laugh, or when their guard is about to drop. My brain has memorised how light falls, how emotions rise, how silence speaks. This is not talent. It is memory built from showing up, again and again.
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A Ritual of Presence
A Different Way of Seeing
Now in my thirties, I show up in a different way. My focus is on health. I treat my body as a temple, paying attention to what I eat and how I move. Training at Physique 900 has pushed me to be more intentional, more aware of my strength, my flexibility, my resilience. This season of life has taught me that rituals are not about perfection. They are about presence. When I miss a day, like during my current thirty-day challenge of running or walking ten kilometres daily, I do not spiral. I recognise why it happened, and I return the next day. Missing a day does not feel like failure. It feels like part of the journey.
People often say creativity or fitness requires inspiration. I disagree. Inspiration is not something you wait for. It is something you notice. I find ideas everywhere, in other industries, in passing moments, in unrelated conversations. My mind is always asking, what if I apply this here? This continuous flow of small experiments keeps me moving forward. It is not about waiting for the perfect idea. It is about showing up and being open enough to catch it.
A Reflection for the Next Generation
To the next generation of creatives, leaders, or couples I work with, I would say this: know your why. The why comes before the how, and the how shapes the result. If your why is strong enough, you will keep showing up, even when it is imperfect.
"Because showing up imperfectly is still showing up. And that is enough."
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