Post by oldman on Oct 20, 2013 4:50:00 GMT 7
The moment we are born, we struggle to be noticed and to be loved. When we enter the education system, we struggle to compete academically with all our classmates. We want to be at the top of our class in everything that we do.
Then, when we enter university, we realise that there are lots more intelligent people in this world and even though we were amongst the top students in our school, we pale in comparison to the top students from all around the world. Suddenly, we realise that competition is indeed global.
Even more so when we start working for the first time. We compete against the best brains in the world for the jobs that we currently hold. As the years go by, this competition will become even more intense as the world flattens and people can move easily between countries and continents. As a global economy, there will be increasing pressure to compete against the smartest people in the world.
As competition mounts, so will the struggle for life. It is fair to say that people now are under more stress than before. When goods become cheaper in price, this usually means that everyone's salaries and work schedules from the production of the goods, to the marketing, distribution and selling of the products will also be affected. The easiest way of cutting costs is to find a place with the lowest wages. As a result, most goods are now produced in places like China and India. The cost of the raw materials is usually fixed and one is unlikely to find much savings here.
The next area of savings is likely to be in the distribution of the product. With the penetration of worldwide logistic companies like Fedex, any inefficiencies in distribution in the various countries are likely to be eradicated soon enough.
The next glaring area of savings will be in the marketing of products. Here, the internet is taking over the marketing of many of the goods that we buy. What this means is that marketing folks have to work harder and harder to justify their existence. This will put pressure on salaries and these poor marketing staff have to work harder to keep their jobs. As most marketeers belong to the middle class, this segment of our society is likely to shrink further and the gap between the rich and the masses will increase further.
I fear for our children as the shrinking of the middle class means that it may no longer be viable in the future to just be a professional marketeer as middle class salaries are likely to come under more pressure. Kids have to learn that they need to aim to become business owners and investors in order to lead a comfortable life. Learning how to invest may no longer be optional. Instead, it may become a neccessity.
All these potential issues stem from our desire to buy cheaper products. Yes, it is our greed for more that resulted in people having to work harder. As they work harder, they spend less time with their families. So, although we appear to be 'richer' in terms of materialistic things (which are cheaper to buy), we may be much 'poorer' in terms of the quality of life.... as the salaries for most of us will, in one way or another, be affected by the reduction of the price of goods that we sell.
This is why I still prefer the good old days even though products were more expensive. If a loaf of bread cost 20 cents more but this will enable us to produce our bread locally, why should we fault such a system? By paying a little more, we ensure that many more people have stable jobs locally. The lowest cost may not always be the best solution.
In the future, it may no longer be possible to live a comfortable life as a middle class citizen. One has to aspire to climb beyond the middle class. This is why it is important for all of us to recognise that we cannot continue life as is but instead, we should plan ahead and try to find ways of freeing ourselves from the bondage of working for a living. Working for a living means that one is working to earn sufficiently just to cover our daily expenses. The problem with working for a living is that we will usually not have a plan to free ourselves from this stressful routine.
Sadly, in today's context, freedom is only possible if one is financially free. Hence, even more important than working for a living is the need to look at our circumstances and find ways in which we can be financially independent as early as we can. This way, we leave behind the struggles of life and be able to finally enjoy ourselves doing the things that we truly love to do. Only then, can we be truly free.... free to live, free to think and free to dream.
We are often told that the key benefit of capitalism is freedom. Yet, most of us are chained to the need for money and have to work hard to feed our families. Capitalism works best if one is not a slave to money. We must have a plan in mind to know how much money is needed for us to retire and then, let money work for us and not be a constant slave to money till our last dying breathe.
We must recognise that life is really a struggle for financial freedom and the earlier we are free, the earlier we can reduce the stresses of our lives and hopefully, live a fuller, longer and more meaningful life.
When you are financially free, you also have the flexibility to deal immediately with any issues or emergencies that may surface in our lives. The truth is that life is full of uncertainties. One never knows what will happen next. To be able to prepare for life's eventualities, one has to try to achieve financial freedom as early as he can.
Like it or not, when we are working for others or even working for ourselves, our time is really not our own. When emergencies happen, as they often do, we have to balance the responsibilities of the job and the time that we can commit to the family. Many talk about a work-life balance but those of us who have worked from home for tens of years will know that though the theory and concept are good, it is very hard to put into practice as usually work takes the upper hand over family matters. Put another way, if you lose your job, you will lose the ability to provide for the family. Companies know this and you know it as well. As such, in practice, most executives, especially senior executives will always put business ahead of family issues.
If our priority in life is our family, then the only solution is to make ourselves financially independent as early as we can. Only when you are financially independent can you tell your boss to wait while you sort out your family matters first as you know that you are not dependent on the job for the sustenance of your family. Your boss too will also know this. You are able to truly prioritise what is important because you are financially independent.
Hence, it is very important for all of us to be able to find our pot of gold early. Life then, has a new meaning as you are able to do what you really want to do in life. When you are financially free, you can open your mind and truly follow your dreams.
When you are financially free, you are in charge of your life because you are fully prepared for all the challenges that life will throw at you.
Then, when we enter university, we realise that there are lots more intelligent people in this world and even though we were amongst the top students in our school, we pale in comparison to the top students from all around the world. Suddenly, we realise that competition is indeed global.
Even more so when we start working for the first time. We compete against the best brains in the world for the jobs that we currently hold. As the years go by, this competition will become even more intense as the world flattens and people can move easily between countries and continents. As a global economy, there will be increasing pressure to compete against the smartest people in the world.
As competition mounts, so will the struggle for life. It is fair to say that people now are under more stress than before. When goods become cheaper in price, this usually means that everyone's salaries and work schedules from the production of the goods, to the marketing, distribution and selling of the products will also be affected. The easiest way of cutting costs is to find a place with the lowest wages. As a result, most goods are now produced in places like China and India. The cost of the raw materials is usually fixed and one is unlikely to find much savings here.
The next area of savings is likely to be in the distribution of the product. With the penetration of worldwide logistic companies like Fedex, any inefficiencies in distribution in the various countries are likely to be eradicated soon enough.
The next glaring area of savings will be in the marketing of products. Here, the internet is taking over the marketing of many of the goods that we buy. What this means is that marketing folks have to work harder and harder to justify their existence. This will put pressure on salaries and these poor marketing staff have to work harder to keep their jobs. As most marketeers belong to the middle class, this segment of our society is likely to shrink further and the gap between the rich and the masses will increase further.
I fear for our children as the shrinking of the middle class means that it may no longer be viable in the future to just be a professional marketeer as middle class salaries are likely to come under more pressure. Kids have to learn that they need to aim to become business owners and investors in order to lead a comfortable life. Learning how to invest may no longer be optional. Instead, it may become a neccessity.
All these potential issues stem from our desire to buy cheaper products. Yes, it is our greed for more that resulted in people having to work harder. As they work harder, they spend less time with their families. So, although we appear to be 'richer' in terms of materialistic things (which are cheaper to buy), we may be much 'poorer' in terms of the quality of life.... as the salaries for most of us will, in one way or another, be affected by the reduction of the price of goods that we sell.
This is why I still prefer the good old days even though products were more expensive. If a loaf of bread cost 20 cents more but this will enable us to produce our bread locally, why should we fault such a system? By paying a little more, we ensure that many more people have stable jobs locally. The lowest cost may not always be the best solution.
In the future, it may no longer be possible to live a comfortable life as a middle class citizen. One has to aspire to climb beyond the middle class. This is why it is important for all of us to recognise that we cannot continue life as is but instead, we should plan ahead and try to find ways of freeing ourselves from the bondage of working for a living. Working for a living means that one is working to earn sufficiently just to cover our daily expenses. The problem with working for a living is that we will usually not have a plan to free ourselves from this stressful routine.
Sadly, in today's context, freedom is only possible if one is financially free. Hence, even more important than working for a living is the need to look at our circumstances and find ways in which we can be financially independent as early as we can. This way, we leave behind the struggles of life and be able to finally enjoy ourselves doing the things that we truly love to do. Only then, can we be truly free.... free to live, free to think and free to dream.
We are often told that the key benefit of capitalism is freedom. Yet, most of us are chained to the need for money and have to work hard to feed our families. Capitalism works best if one is not a slave to money. We must have a plan in mind to know how much money is needed for us to retire and then, let money work for us and not be a constant slave to money till our last dying breathe.
We must recognise that life is really a struggle for financial freedom and the earlier we are free, the earlier we can reduce the stresses of our lives and hopefully, live a fuller, longer and more meaningful life.
When you are financially free, you also have the flexibility to deal immediately with any issues or emergencies that may surface in our lives. The truth is that life is full of uncertainties. One never knows what will happen next. To be able to prepare for life's eventualities, one has to try to achieve financial freedom as early as he can.
Like it or not, when we are working for others or even working for ourselves, our time is really not our own. When emergencies happen, as they often do, we have to balance the responsibilities of the job and the time that we can commit to the family. Many talk about a work-life balance but those of us who have worked from home for tens of years will know that though the theory and concept are good, it is very hard to put into practice as usually work takes the upper hand over family matters. Put another way, if you lose your job, you will lose the ability to provide for the family. Companies know this and you know it as well. As such, in practice, most executives, especially senior executives will always put business ahead of family issues.
If our priority in life is our family, then the only solution is to make ourselves financially independent as early as we can. Only when you are financially independent can you tell your boss to wait while you sort out your family matters first as you know that you are not dependent on the job for the sustenance of your family. Your boss too will also know this. You are able to truly prioritise what is important because you are financially independent.
Hence, it is very important for all of us to be able to find our pot of gold early. Life then, has a new meaning as you are able to do what you really want to do in life. When you are financially free, you can open your mind and truly follow your dreams.
When you are financially free, you are in charge of your life because you are fully prepared for all the challenges that life will throw at you.