Think Long Term

I was just reading the preface to Built to Last by Jim C Collins; it’s a bestseller book about successful habits of visionary companies.

There was a lot to learn about how great companies should be run, but I realize also that there was a lot of relevance to how we should live our lives.

One thing great companies did was to think long term.

There was a CEO of a great company in the book that said,“ It may take us longer to get established in a new culture, especially as we have difficulty funding people who fit with our value system. Take china and Russia, for example, where you’ll find rampant, corruption and dishonesty. So we move more slowly, and grow only as fast as we can find people who will uphold our standards. And we’re willing to forgo business opportunities that would force us to abandon our principles…. In everything we do, we take the long term view. Always.”

I think that’s really relevant for us, because as youths we still haven’t really learnt how we can think long term; we’re not really clear about what’s for us in the long run and all that, so we end up thinking short term.

Would taking this job be good for me?

Should I get into a relationship with his person?

I remember when I was in army, I met quite a few sergeants who signed on in army purely because of the pay. Instead of getting the NS pay like us (a pathetic $550), they got the regular pay of $2k+. But guess what, as I spoke to this one sergeant, he regretted his decision. These guys were spending their days purposelessly in the unit. Eating. Sleeping. Slacking around in office.

And how many of us have gotten into relationships in the spur of the moment; only to realize a few months down the road that the person you’re with isn’t the one you want to marry? Lots of emotions and unnecessary heartbreaks.

If we really start thinking long term about the important decisions in our lives, perhaps we wouldn’t have to make so many detours. Perhaps we wouldn’t make so many mistakes.

Q: Which road should I take? Orchard Road or ECP?

A: It depends. Where are you going?

When you see your destination in your life, you can make much wiser decisions and make less detours along the way. You don’t do stupid things like try to take Victoria Street to get to Far East Plaza. Ha.

Think ahead, and plan now. You’ll do so much better then.