The Destiny Analyst

Leading Feng Shui, Bazi and Qi-Men consultant Dato' Joey Yap talks about how Chinese metaphysics can help change your destiny.

Despite being an Accounting graduate, Dato' Joey Yap chose to devote his life to a career as a professional Chinese Metaphysics consultant. The intrepid entrepreneur established the Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics and Joey Yap Consulting Group, which are multimillion-dollar global organisations devoted to Chinese Metaphysics training and consultation services. He gained world-recognition and became a self-made millionaire when he was 26. He has consulted and conducted public speaking engagements for numerous industry movers and shakers such as HSBC, Bloomberg, Credit Suisse, Microsoft, Samsung, IBM, HP, Citibank, Standard Chartered, OCBC, SIME UEP, Mah Sing, SP Setia, Shell, Volvo, AXA, Singtel, ABN Amro, CIMB and Hong-Leong. Joey is also the bestselling author of over 120 Chinese metaphysics and astrology books, which have sold more than three million copies to date. In this issue, Joey reveals to Smart Investor the secrets of transforming one's destiny.

Smart Investor (SI): Can you share how you got involved in this particular discipline?

Joey Yap (JY): When I was young, I was told by fortune tellers that I was destined to be below average and that I'm not going to be successful in life. Many of them said that so I started to learn the system because I wanted to know how they arrived at the conclusion. Metaphysics knowledge (Bazi, Qi Men, Feng Shui) helped me transform my life and ultimately, the lives of others. I practically invented the category of Feng Shui and Bazi consulting. Prior to this, the sector was populated by mostly horoscope practitioners. I've been in this industry for 19 years now since my university days, consulting for fun and some pocket money at that time, and the business developed from then on. Today we are advisors and analysts to investors, financiers, bankers, professionals to tycoons. We help them manage their luck and assist in their decision making.

SI: Did you find it challenging when you first embarked in this industry? How did you overcome it and add value to your business clients?

JY: Back then the market in Asia and Malaysia was dominated by fortune tellers and horoscope practitioners who have been doing this for a long time. If I had tried to do this when I was 21 years old in Malaysia, I probably wouldn't have been able to establish a market at all. I started doing this internationally first, where they do not have a stereotypical frame of reference, and received a good response. That gave me the courage and confidence to expand the business and bring it back to Malaysia. At that time, the general perception of this industry was not so positive but it has improved greatly over the years. We have a totally different market now. We are here as strategists, not fortune tellers. People know that we stand for results. It takes time to build trust with my clients, they need to see results. So we need to know our stuff and help them get what they want. It's not easy but I have confidence in the system that I practice and I am constantly refining it. My business tycoon customers are very demanding and rightfully so. They are already great financial strategists and are wealthy - they don't need fortune telling. They want to be able to control their destiny. They want to know how they can continue winning and it's my job to make sure that happens. I try to understand their approach to launch and position a product. When we know the specific outcome, we can help them plan on what to do to make that happen.

SI: So what happens if one's chart is not very 'good'? How does one transform one's destiny to be better?

JY: Firstly, how do you define something as good? The traditional fortune tellers may define ‘good' as being born in a rich family, not having to work so much and not having to worry about anything. I personally wouldn't define that as ‘good' because I think we have to make it on our own steam. If we can identify our talents, expand on that and begin to contribute then we are successful. If you can just do these three things, you can change your life:

1. Find out what our gifts are - Don't look at your chart and focus on what you are weak in. Look at the one thing that you are good at. That is called your gift. When you develop this and spend time on this, you begin to contribute and achieve fulfilment.

2. Look at what we can be grateful from - Surely there must be something good and valuable from the chart. So, look at it positively. All problems are caused by us trying to rectify something in the past or worry about something in the future. When you find things that you can be grateful for, you become happy. Happy people are luckier people.

3. Look for meaning - If life has meaning, we will be fulfilled and happy. Otherwise, you don't know why you are doing the things you do. So it doesn't matter what type of chart it is, we all can find these three things. Based on that, I say that life can be transformed. I didn't change the system, I just changed the way we should interpret charts. If we focus on the good things in our chart and invest our time in that, our lives will be better.

SI: How could an understanding of Feng Shui and astrology play a part in shaping a person's approach to business and investment?

JY: It all boils down to knowledge and information. Knowledge is not power, it's only potential power. You have to act on knowledge in order to make it useful. A lot of people could read their charts but they don't know what to do with the information. As analysts, we make use of the info and do something with it. This is what separates horoscopes practitioners from us, destiny consultants. People asked me if they have the luck to invest in shares and why is it that every time they invest in shares, they lose money? I tell them that it's not about the luck, but that they are looking at the wrong pieces of information. Do you know about the market, industry and company that you are buying into? For us in metaphysics, we will study the destiny chart of the person running the company because that person will determine the company's success. If I want to invest in Apple, I will look at Tim Cook's chart. His date of birth is easily available in Google. I will understand his leadership style, why he made the decisions he made and I will try to anticipate what's coming and whether the company that he's leading will be successful. We use astrology as a tool to help guide us make better decisions rather than leaving things to fate or spending your days doing things at random.

SI: From your readings on many successful people, what have you gathered on the most important traits that these successful people have in common?

JY: Individuals have different sets of nature. You should do something suitable for your nature. We help identify which is the path of least resistance to your success and what you are good at so that you can develop it further. The talent is a gift but it still needs to be developed. The chart merely helps you to find out the areas which you can be good at. Anything worth doing is worth doing badly at first. People are always saying that they are looking for their passion. Of all the rich and powerful people that I know today, I can tell you for a fact that they did not find their passion. They created the passion. When you like something it's because you are good at it. That's why you can tell people that you are passionate about. There's no one in this world that is passionate about something that they are bad at. They spent or invested substantial time in doing it, badly at first until they become great at it and subsequently they discover that they are actually quite passionate about it. The chart helps us create our passion by telling us areas that we are good at. When you start doing this, and in two to three years' time, you become so good at it that you tell people that you are passionate at this stuff.

SI: What brings you the greatest fulfilment?

JY: I didn't embark in this direction to make myself rich. Making money is secondary and is a by-product of what I do. I get recommendations, people come to my courses, and get consultations - these are all byproducts. With the money I receive, I formed the academy and team so that I can reach out to more people. To me, the greatest satisfaction comes from contributing. I believe that when you are trying to contribute, you will create a positive momentum that triggers the universe to help you. When we are contributing, it brings us from 'me' to 'we'. We are no longer trying to get something but rather, we become somebody and ultimately, achieve fulfilment.

Forecast for the Year of Wood Goat 2015

Here are some highlights of Joey Yap's outlook for 2015:

Water-based Industries:

Although Fire is weak in 2015, water is also in very short supply this year. As such, the outlook seems unfavourable for water-based industries e.g. logistics, tourism, travel, aquatics, drinks, fisheries.

Spill-over Effect from 2014:

2015 has elements of 2014 and whatever that transpired in 2014 will spillover to this year as well, such as increase of transportation and food prices.

A Year of Revolution:

2015 is a Yin Hai year where the Yin wood pig is in day pillar. Yin Hai represents revolution in the old days. One can expect to see people rebelling against big and small matters and changing jobs this year.

Market Slowdown:

When we study an astrology chart, we look at how the people feel, in general. Many people are fearful this year. This indicates that the market and economic growth may experience a slowdown.

Real Estate:

We expect real estate to do rather well this year due to a strong earth element. Since the wood element is in control, it may not do exceptionally well. However, the combination of the Wood/earth factor indicates that it is a good time for buildings and projects to be launched.

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