Some ramblings about Expectations

I was reading an article on the last Saturday Straits Times and saw about changing expectations of Singaporeans from ESM Goh.

He said that when he first became an MP, the expectation (maybe I should call it "dream") was "1, 2, 3, 4", which stood for 1 wife, 2 children, 3-room flat and 4 wheels.

For the generation after him, was the 5Cs (I remember reading that off Kiasu comic :p)

• Cash
• Car
• Credit Card
• Condomium
• Country Club

Now it seems to be Worklife Balance and something else (maybe branded luxury goods and travel? Do help me with that, not familiar with the current "dreams" of my generation).

Thinking about it, I actually feel that the "1, 2, 3, 4" dream seems to be a really nice and simple one, maybe the only thing I would change is the 3-room to 4-room (the 3 rooms are rather small these days). Seems very achievable, pleasant and happy (something to add to my goals list).

Don't really subscribe to the 5C's materialism mentality. It seems...... too little and sad as a end result and not part of the process.

• Cash for emergency funds and cash stash to invest during a crisis
• Car for comfort of travel, or better, rentals :p
• Credit Card to spend wisely and help you save even more money
• Condomium to rent for an additional stream of income
• Country Club for networking to expand your horizons and build a team of friends who help each other to make each other rich

The changing expectations nowadays are probably a result of mass media, unlike in the past, the amount of information we now have access to are instead perceived as missed opportunities.

One should know that opportunities are like streetcars, and most of those opportunities need funding. Why not plan and not have that apple today for 3-10 apples later?

Imagine your holidays paid off by passive income streams as it snowballs, instead of chionging OT to get more money which increases your stress levels, which may indirectly make you spend much more to relief that stress (which may include holidays), only to realise that you need to start saving up again by chionging OT (and the stress causes you to want another holiday :p). This vicious cycle repeats like a rat on a wheel.

Yet one must realise to keep both feet on the ground and head out of the clouds and reach for the stars. One should dream big but take tiny steps to get there. And well, if you miss, you'll end up on the moon. It is still better no? Dream big and plan in small reasonable goals.

Well, at least that's how I see it.

What do you think?