Archives November 2014

When I tell people that I’m an average guy, I really mean it.

What do we mean by average? Average is becoming so commonly used to describe the exceptional and overachievers that the standard of average has been set pretty high. There are people who pretend to be average, and then there are average people who eat at Bedok food centre, average people who have to queue to top up their EZ-link cards, average people who buy groceries from Fairprice Xtra, average people who spend weekends with their families at Tiong Bahru Plaza.

Me? I really am average.

In terms of outward and physical appearance, I don’t fare very well.
I am average.

In terms of grades, I don’t score very well in school. I went to a neighborhood school, and then a polytechnic, just like many other average people. With my average diploma, I went to do Sociology in an average private university.
I am average.

In the army, I served my national service just as an average section commander. If you would like to attend a commissioning parade, sorry but you have to find someone else.
I am average.

In terms of my career, I’m not some doctor or lawyer or entrepreneur. I am just a lowly banking executive trying to make ends meet and struggling with an accumulative workload.
I am average.

Unfortunately, society doesn’t value average.
I thought average was becoming the new exception for a period of time.
It allowed people to dream.
It allowed people to take a step of faith.
It allowed people to be bold.
However, society soon realized that average people can’t be good leaders.

Fairy tales always end with the princess getting together with a rich handsome prince. No young girl growing up would wish for herself to marry an average guy.

Guys are taught to drive flashy cars and own a bachelor pad and have wads of money. No young boy growing up would wish for himself to be an average guy taking the MRT to work. Ask any young boy what does he want to be when he grows up. A pilot, an astronaut, a doctor, a lawyer, the president.

Average shall remain as average, and average will never be the new exception,
Because society values merit.
And society is made up of average.

I used to be a very cautious person. I mean, this was the way we were brought up. This was what was taught in school. “Think before you act” and to always consider the consequences of your actions, and how your decisions today will affect your life tomorrow.

As a result, many of us are afraid to step out of our comfort zones. We want to remain in a place where we can feel secure. We want to know that there is still some protection or back up plan in the event that we fail. If we are walking on a tight rope, we want to know there’s a safety net below.

However, after making a bold step to live alone in Thailand for a year, my mindset switched a little. Perhaps it had to do with the Thais way of living, their happy-go-lucky lifestyle and simple approaches to happiness, but nowadays I believe in spontaneity.

Stop weighing the pros and cons every time you have make a major decision. If you really want it then just go for it. Do whatever makes you happy. Do whatever makes you smile. Regardless of instant gratification or delayed gratification, do whatever makes gives you satisfaction and fulfillment.

I think that life is short. It doesn’t really matter if what you are doing today might be a grave mistake tomorrow. We have heard thousands of stories about people making come backs from failures, and besides, nowadays success does really happen overnight for some people. The bad decisions you make today might turn out to be your stepping stone to success tomorrow.

Sometimes we get stuck at decision-making because we are afraid we might lose out if we didn’t choose the better choice or option. I have a history of making bad decisions, but hey, I’m still here.

We make decisions all the time, everyday. Sometimes we aren’t so sure where do we begin, but just give it a shot. It may turn out well, or it may turn out badly.

But that’s life. It’s not perfect.

If it turns out well, good for you.
If it turns out badly, just move on.. Because nobody wins all the time.