10 years ago
18 March 2010
In a recent blog by Adam Khoo titled, "The Expats Will Rule Singapore" (read more at www.adam-khoo.com/304/the-expats-will-rule-singapore), Adam made a prediction.
I agree with Adam's views. Having everything in the world is killing the motivation to move (forward). Yet, there is dilemma of when to stop wanting so that we can enjoy the happiness of contentment.
Enjoying the Process (of working towards an achievement) is what Warren Buffett inculcates onto his "disciples". It is the process that fortifies and strengthens a person character for a life-time. The end-state gives a momentary sense of joy.
I have also seen, met and know Singaporeans who Work to Learn, not Work to Earn. There is one friend of mine who worked part time for FREE during his Uni days to gain experience in a particular industry and to get closer to the mentor whom he wish to learn from. Not all is lost. This person is from Gen Y.
From my perspective, why I am seeing a lot of resistance of locals against expats is due to an underlying strong nationalism built over the years. This is both positive and negative. Positive because now we have a population whom call themselves Singaporeans and has a national identity which they wish to protect. Of course, bread and butter issues differs from the ideals.
Let's not be complacent. Challenges are interesting amid difficult to surmount. Take them head on and have a fulfilling journey.
Warmest regards,
Leroy
"When I Stop Learning, I Stop Living."
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I'm in pretty much a dilemma in this situation. On one hand, challenges is what makes a person. It gives one focus, and allows a person to surpass itself and go onto greater heights.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this only applies if the person has already been equipped with necessary skills in his lifetime by receiving an sufficient level of education. This is not the case for lower level workers. In crude-speak, they are pretty much screwed. They live in a country where cost of living is high, and are unable to compete with workers from poorer countries.
of course, i'm going off-topic, since Adam Khoo's expat refers to white collar workers..
Hi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. I see a potential for a quick discussion here. As I don't have your contact details to further this discussion, I can only voice off here in the blog.
Getting the necessary skills to surmount challenges is part and parcel of the process of learning. Why would one want to receive a sufficient level of education? Because his/her Pa Pa and Ma Ma says so? Or b'cos this person knows that the education path can lead to want he wish to achieve in life? The PURPOSE makes a great difference.
I have seen several uncles & aunties, who are selling chicken rice at local coffee shops. They are doing decent small business with manageable profit margin. Yet, many such simple people doing decent small biz are driving a Mercz.
I once thicken my skin and asked one such uncle, did he bought his Mercz by using his profit from his chicken rice stall. He answered yes, he paid in full for the car. I asked how profitable is his biz as I cannot imagine a small stall like his can earn him such good profit.
He shared with me that his biz wasn't this great few years back. He had learnt how to cook chicken rice but it wasn't that tasty to attract a lot of customers. He almost wanted to give up his biz already as he was barely making any profit out of the biz. But he refused to give up, tried ways to improve his cooking and fine tuning his recipe. After a few years, his biz starts to improve slowly and there are more and more recurring customers eating his food.
I am not really sure what's his target for success. In my own perspective, I see this uncle as a person who is willing to learn, gain new skills or perfect some, engage his fighting spirit to preserve, to achieve his target of good business for his humble chicken rice stall. He has that purpose to drive him. He has that meta-attributes to succeed. Commendable.
We are not born equal. But all of us has the equal opportunity to succeed amid different paths with different difficulty levels. Most importantly is, do we really DESIRE for success? Or do we submit ourselves to fate and depends on luck? I prefer L.U.C.K. - to Labour Under Correct Knowledge.
And for Adam's blog entry, I think he is focusing on meta-attributes such as DESIRE and FIGHTING SPIRIT for success. Not about white or blue collars workers.
Cheers!
Leroy
Hello Leroy & to all Souls
ReplyDeletewho have this great affinity
with me here...
I'm never against anyone to pursue learning new skills (knowledge). In fact, this IS the very reason why we can continue to meet our material needs, for we are all currently blessed to manifest in this human form.
Adam pointed out extraordinary people who showed great success in their respective roles in the society. That was reality, a false perception, a possibility. A choice can be made and the outcome should be non-attachment. For the Chicken rice store owner, that was his choice, his Karma (past). But in that $$$ making process, he has attracted heavy bad Karma (Future) as well. Let not your livelihood and means to earn your keep spiral you towards destruction. As a value investor myself, I am fully aware of this phenomenal and have chosen ethical value investing very carefully. The principles of earn money is easy to understand and apply, but the way of the heart is the ultimate problem we all have to face and solve.
I have been studying in depth over the past years in various aspects of material gains, personal development and taken very serious study and experiences in spiritual elevations.
My ultimate conclusion is stunning. All of us are under a great illusion into thinking that we need a lot of material wealth. All is lost the moment our breathe stops. All worldly endeavors terminate at that point. No man ever defies death. Period.
Are you prepared for that? You should pay grave attention to preparing for that day before it is too late (it can happen any time, least you expect it!).
We are in a period of great dangers and opportunities. Many wise men have already noticed this and have picked up the consciousness of unity. Great catastrophe is befalling (read the news), yet many of us have our hearts still blinded by infinite desires for material gains. Allow not your senses blind to your wisdom eye, for peace and contentment is never achieve with worldly knowledge. Develop your wisdom in Nature, such as the law of cause and effect, can you find peace and be with the void.
Exhibit our Greatest Love to All matters can we ever hope to clean our heart, for all our perceptions to the world is all in our heart, right in front of you.
POI
Be Blessed & @Peace,
Wai Loong
Bro,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your timely reminder. I see that you have developed deeper meaning of lives. Cheers! :-)