The Journey

I will always remember what my x-president, Charles Johnson of Franklin Templeton Investment said: Perseverance and Persistence will get you what you want. In life patience is also a virtue, to wait for the correct moment then act. When things does not come your way, there is another way you should persue… always keep trying, because trying is better than not doing anything.

People reject and fear failure, especially in my previous culture, Singapore, where competition is high and mistakes are very costly. So much so that, the term “ka-su” – “afraid to lose” is so evident that people are afraid to try and the safest route is always taken. The question is that if you do not try and make mistakes… how are you going to progress? Failure is the process of success. It is when you experiment, you discover new ways, it is when you think you make a mistake, and you learn to turn it around to different routes and better advantages. I guess this is what America has taught me over the years.

The result is not simply completing the race... but the process that is the most important. Kellogg, the business school of management has taught me that. When I first heard the concept, I was appalled, but thinking about it further has made me realize that it is true. The process is the hardest part: to figure how to get to the finishing line, that will impact your character, your mind, body and spirit. Are integrity, values and character compromised?

Don’t get me wrong, reaching the end is important. To start something and continue to the end, makes you disciplined but… it is how you do that is most important.

My inspirational movie: the Peaceful Warrior.