The Success Diaries

[thepresentfitness]

My First Taste of Success 
(All because of a simple music obsession)

 

When I was young (I was born in 1977), I started listening to music at a very young age. I can’t remember exactly when it started, but songs from ABBA, Duran Duran, a-ha, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Michael Jackson, Rick Astley, Pet Shop Boys, Debbie Gibson, and Guns N’ Roses were always playing around me when I was growing up.
 

Fast forward to today — it’s already 2025 — and I’m still listening to those songs.
 

You could say this is some kind of weird obsession. And sometimes, this obsession can go a little “overboard.” Every time my favourite 80s tunes play, I just can’t help moving my body and grooving along. Sometimes I even imagine that I’m the singer performing on stage!
 

But things went even more overboard later on. You see, I used to be a freelance aerobics instructor, and I also had a background in KpopX Fitness (a dance fitness program with simple K-pop moves).
 

One day, an idea suddenly came to me — instead of choreographing aerobics workouts using modern or K-pop songs, why not use my favourite 80s songs? How nice would it be if my participants and I could dance to songs like Like a Virgin (Madonna), Never Gonna Give You Up (Rick Astley), Forever Young (Alphaville), or Take On Me (a-ha)?
 

This idea actually started before COVID, but during the pandemic — when everyone was stuck at home — the thought grew stronger. I started thinking about it every day. It became a real obsession. To be honest, it wasn’t a healthy one, because I would lose sleep and daydream about it all the time.
 

Then one day, I decided to take action. Using my experience in dance aerobics and KpopX Fitness, I created my first choreography to Self Control by Laura Branigan (1984).

I posted it on YouTube. It wasn’t that good, honestly, but I still liked it. I knew I wasn’t very good yet, but that didn’t stop me.
 

After that, I created and uploaded more 80s dance choreographies — songs like Out of the Blue (Debbie Gibson), Everything Counts (Depeche Mode), Forever Young (Alphaville), Always on My Mind (Pet Shop Boys), Into the Groove (Madonna), Take On Me (a-ha), and Shout (Tears for Fears).
 

Then another idea came to me — what if I could conduct a full dance aerobics class using only original 80s songs? Wouldn’t that be amazing? Because as far as I know, nobody else was doing it. Most Zumba or dance fitness programs only use modern songs, and even if they play 80s songs, they are usually remixed or covered versions — not the originals.

So I started planning. I wanted to create a 50-minute to 1-hour workout that people could enjoy. I sent out a few cold emails (not many), and to my surprise, one organisation replied! They even agreed to let me run a free trial session.
 

On the day of the trial, it didn’t go very well. The group who attended didn’t have the same kind of coordination or energy as regular Zumba participants.
 

Still, we managed to start the workout once a week. The only problem was that not many people joined, and sometimes, classes had to be cancelled due to low attendance.

So I started to think — maybe the choreography was still too difficult for them. They needed something simpler and easier to follow.
 

That’s when another idea came. I went back to traditional aerobics techniques — layering movements and repeating them more often. I also made the workout more cardio-intense, because from my many years of experience, participants feel happier when they sweat and pant — that’s what makes a good workout!
 

But to make it work, the music had to flow like a non-stop disco — one track moving smoothly to another without sudden changes in beat. I didn’t have that kind of mix, so I decided to make it myself.
 

Thanks to modern technology, nothing is impossible. I invested in music mixing software and created my own 80s aerobics mix using original tracks. I only increased the speed slightly — just enough to make it suitable for fitness, without changing the feel of the original songs.
 

In every one-hour session, I also created a special choreography for one popular 80s song (for example, Take On Me by a-ha). That song would be the main highlight of the day.
 

And guess what — the participants loved it!
 

Soon, there were fewer class cancellations, and I even opened another class per week.
 

To me, this felt like a very special kind of success. I never expected that I could create something unique and market it to others.
 

It’s one of the best achievements I’ve ever experienced.
 

(Disclaimer: I’ve since passed this class to another fitness instructor for personal reasons — I’ll share more about that in the future.)

[radiusulnar]

Wonderful.  How did you navigate the whole Compass and MRSS music licensing issue? I am so confused what is needed from them to use music at events.

[Steve5380]

Congratulations!  With this first taste of success you can realize that success is something that can come naturally to you.  

 

I share with you the gift of passion for music that came also very early for me.  But it was classical music,  not something to dance to but to listen with concentration.  This lead to my passion for playing music, playing the piano for vocation and the violin for necessity ( lack of a piano at home )  In my 82 years of life music has been at my side like a gift from nature.

 

Another early gift I received was my passion for mechanics, that with modernization transformed into passion for electricity, electronics, optics, computers.  Electrical engineering has been my profession, and I owe it a challenging work of design and development in a wealthy industry.  A natural success.

[Why?]

I believe that using music in private or intimate circumstances is totally acceptable.  Due to copyright concerns, you most likely require a license if you promote it nationally or on YouTube.   That being said, music is similar to food.  No one-size-fits-all solution for everyone.   Can you imagine playing piano music like Chopin, Mozart, or Bethoven during a workout?  I will undoubtedly throw in the towel,  and sue for emotional blackmail.😬  That being said...

 

A group of  middle-aged women at our HDB void-deck regularly engage in aerobic exercise too, and they frequently performed their exercises in tune with the songs from the 1980s and even before, such as Carpenter/Nate Kingcole era.   The song was chosen at random to appeal to the participants' childhood memories more than their mundane physical activity.   

 

If you asked me what I prefer.  I like to incorporate, dance with aerobics with appropriate music such as this example.

 

Edited November 7 by Why?

[thepresentfitness]

Rewriting My Life Story at Midlife
 

When we were kids, we were often asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Some kids said “doctor,” some said “teacher,” some said “policeman” or “astronaut.”

I probably said “teacher” a few times. But what I really remember was sometime in the 80s when MTV was just starting. I saw a guitarist on TV playing an electric guitar — it looked cool, and it sounded amazing. Right then, I told myself, “I want to be a rock star!”

My Teenage Years: Lost Direction

After O-Levels, I had to choose what course to take in Polytechnic. Honestly, even as a teenager, I was still immature and unsure about life. Somehow, I chose Marine Engineering in Singapore Polytechnic — maybe because I thought it had something to do with the sea and sailing.

That was 1995.

And you know what — BIG MISTAKE.
 

I hated the course. The study content didn’t interest me at all. I failed one semester and had to repeat six months. I admit, I was still childish, and people did call me immature.
 

Then came National Service. I panicked about my future and decided to sign on as a regular policeman.
 

And again — BIG MISTAKE.

Maybe I was attracted to the blue uniform, but those five years felt like hell. I counted the days until my bond ended. The moment it did, I quit.

Drifting Through Jobs

After leaving the police, I took an admin job. The pay was low, the hours were long, and the environment was full of backstabbing. I quit after a few months.

Later, I joined a stat board — WDA (Workforce Development Agency). The environment was better, but the job wasn’t fulfilling. I had to deal with negative jobseekers every day, and their negativity affected me.
 

This was around 2004–2005 — the period when gym culture in Singapore started booming. Everyone wanted to look fit and muscular. I joined a gym too and eventually became very interested in fitness.

Discovering My Passion for Fitness

I took up courses to become a Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer. Eventually, I quit WDA and became a rookie trainer at SAFRA EnergyOne.

But honestly, working in a Singapore gym wasn’t easy. The customer service expectations were crazy. I still remember one night when the gym was closing at 10pm, but one guy refused to leave and argued with me. I only got off work ten minutes late, but I felt so drained.
 

Personal training was also tough — it was more like doing sales. So I switched to something that suited me better: Group Exercise (Aerobics).

The Best Years

From around 2007 to 2019, I had my best years teaching group exercise. Back then, there weren’t as many branded programs like Zumba or Fight-Do. I enjoyed being on stage, cueing music, motivating people, and sharing my fitness knowledge.
 

I believe I was really good at it — my classes were energetic and educational. But as a freelancer, income was unstable.

Turning Points and Hard Lessons

In 2014, I visited a Feng Shui consultant from Wayonnet Group to find out what kind of career suited me. He told me my “Fire” element was too strong — meaning I could get angry easily, act stubbornly, and might scare away people who genuinely wanted to help me. He advised me to stick to stable jobs and not be my own boss.
 

I tried to follow his advice, but my temper and impulsive decisions still caused problems.
 

At one point, I paid over $5,000 for an Options Trading course (including $3,000 for an Ameritrade account). I didn’t understand much and ended up losing money.

Before that, I also lost about $2,000 in an MLM scam introduced by a “friend.” That was when I learnt a painful lesson — never trust blindly, even friends. I stopped making new friends after that.

A Home of My Own

In 2015, when the government opened up BTO flats for singles, I applied for a 2-room unit — and I got it! My small 38sqm home became my biggest pride. My CPF fully covered it, so I didn’t have to pay cash.

Out of curiosity, I engaged another Feng Shui consultant to assess my home — mainly to ask again about my career direction. This time, the consultant said something different: that I could actually be my own boss. That shocked me because it was the opposite of what I heard in 2014.

Still, I didn’t take action right away.

The Struggle and COVID Years

In 2019, I found another job but couldn’t fit in. Most colleagues were Gen Z, always smoking and behaving immaturely. I quit after one year — just before COVID hit.

When COVID came, freelance work dropped drastically. The fitness scene became even more competitive with new programs like Zumba and Fight-Do. I couldn’t earn enough, fell into depression, and felt completely lost.

Finding Hope Again

Somehow, through watching motivational influencers and spiritual teachers online — especially a Feng Shui YouTuber named Clement Chan — I started to regain hope. His content inspired me to rebuild myself.

I began reflecting on my strengths:

1. Strong background and knowledge in fitness training.

2. Years of experience creating group workouts and choreography.

3. Skills in sports massage for pain relief.

4. Basic TCM knowledge that can blend with fitness for a more holistic approach.

I also studied some Feng Shui and Bazi online.
When I think about it, I actually have a lot of valuable knowledge to share.

So, I decided to focus on content creation — especially YouTube. I already had a few channels, but now I’m taking them seriously. My goal is not just to make money but to help people through my content.

The Comeback

To support myself, I looked for an office-hour job — something stable that still allows me to create content after work. It wasn’t easy, especially for someone middle-aged and unemployed for some time.
 

But I stayed positive — really positive. I practised affirmations, meditation, and daily gratitude. Some people may laugh at this, but I swear it works.
 

And on 2 June 2025, a day I’ll never forget — I got hired!

A proper office-hour job, good colleagues, kind bosses, and even a clear promotion track. (They told me I’m marked for faster promotion!)

This company even allows “moonlighting,” so I can continue working on my YouTube content.
 

One of my channels recently hit 1,000 subscribers — and it’s still growing. It may not be a huge success yet, but it’s a start.
 

For once, I feel like my life is finally taking shape — not from luck, but from clarity, persistence, and positive mindset.

 

A Closing Reflection

Looking back, I realise that life doesn’t always follow the path we expect. Sometimes we stumble, take wrong turns, or make choices that don’t seem to lead anywhere. But along the way, each mistake, each detour, somehow shapes who we become.
 

It took me years — maybe half a lifetime — to understand that it’s never really too late to start again. The key is to keep going, to stay open, and to believe that even small steps can lead to something better.
 

I’m not claiming to have everything figured out. But for the first time in a long while, I feel that things are falling into place — slowly, but surely. And that, to me, is already a kind of success.

[doncoin]

@thepresentfitness I am happy for you. Thanks for sharing.