The past-30 years old reflections

Have I been aging gracefully? It's time for some reflections.

1. Learnt to appreciate work more, 敬业乐业

Having moved out of my comfort zone which I was so discontented with due to a lack of 'prospect', the past 2 years of 'venturing out' served as both a learning journey that opened my eyes up to entrepreneurship and a humbling experience which led my heart to 最初。I learnt to recognise that there is no so-called 'easy job', regardless of being worker or boss - there is only job you hold passion for or no passion for. To put a price tag on a job you hold no passion for (or no meaning to you) is pointless. More money does not translate to higher job satisfaction. It became clearer to me of what I want to do and what I can do as I go back to 最初。

Over years of working in various organizations, I have also recognized that in every work environment there's shits and barriers - some people just suck it in and overcome, some people will complain, some people will escape by quitting. Look back and see what shits you have survived, cos what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Having experience different work cultures and job scopes also helped to broaden my perspective on matters and people, it also made me appreciate some of my past works better. A lot of things you will never know until you try.

At times when you are down at work, think about whether you are worse off now or without a job. It may seem like self pep-talk, but hey trust me it works!

Another takeaway is that the higher one climbs, the lonelier one gets - 高处不胜寒?  Being in power yet not in total power, being alone yet not entirely alone, being ambitious but the ambition is not yours...

At times I will recall this quote when I feel jaded
"Life is a performance art, no matter what field you are in." - Donald Trump

2. Delayed gratifications and discipline

I have learnt to let go of my addictions through delayed gratification and putting my gaming device out of sight. Stopping the gaming habit has made me more productive. I will game once in a while for the fun of it but I am no longer addicted. It was such a waste of time to be addicted to things that don't bring value to real life. (Being productive means doing housework promptly, spending more time reading, researching about stocks.... ok and I need to start embarking back on an exercise regime.)

3. Less is more

Read: The Pursuit of Less

"Minimalism is about prioritizing the things that bring value to your life."

As I grow older, material things tend to matter less as compared to experiences. To buy only things that I need - think 3 times before buying things instead of buying things that I will only use 3 times. Uncluttered space also means less time spent on cleaning up. Yeah and I have thrown fashion trend out of the window. I am more environmentally conscious and doing more of Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. I buy cosmetics that I will actually use (aging has forced me to use make up more often), instead of buying just because the colour is pretty.

I will try to travel at least once a year to experience the cultures and activities in different countries.

A skewed version of applying 'less is more' in investing is now I always start with a small position in any fundamentally sound company and scale in when the opportunity comes. Diversification and smaller positions, especially in an uncertain market, seem to give me better control and higher 'hit rate' by having more greens than reds.

More reflections to come. I shall go to dreamland first.