Our number One wealth: Health

Two to three persons I know died of heart attack. The most recent one was yesterday. He died of heart attack, one day after his daughter wedding in overseas. He was in his late fifties. A few years ago, a husband of a person that I know suddenly collapsed in a shopping mall. [He was] in his early thirties. He did not make a will, left my friend scrambling because his assets were frozen. I can’t write much more in details but I think you can imagine the rest of the plots. About a year ago, a young and bright engineer that I know died of heart attack while playing badminton with his friends.

I was supposed to take a break but sad feelings creeping in driving me to reach out my keyboard slowly to write something as a reminder. Not a reminder perhaps, to reflect may be, a therapy may be, aahhh……whatever…….no justification needed.

As an investor, we are quite ruthless demanding this company and that company to deliver results. We demand them to beat quarterly results years after years. If there is anything that we don’t like to hear, we dump shares. We rant. We ridiculed the CEO. Sometimes, we get what we want, a tough, inspiring, charismatic leader will show up……we pay them in million(s). They drive. People working behind those high performance organizations for whatever reasons, in the name of challenging the mission impossible, love for money, taking care of stomachs, etc……they labour harder than those slaves serving Pharaoh. Lots of companies set up nice gyms but soon you see dust and rust. Beer belly and cellulite. They design nice landscape but they get to enjoy it as fast they pass by to and fro their parking lots or maybe they were not even looking because their panda eyes were fixed on the road to think of something.

Shareholder is the king, I was once told, even though I am a small fly. Everyone needs to deliver. If you can’t stand the heat; get the hell out of the kitchen. Everybody is a kiasu-kia(sons/daughters of kiasu). We can lecture them/ourselves a thousand times -- live a balanced life but……Always but. The fear of being left behind is so strong. You don’t like to be labelled as bottom 20s performers. There is no time to think when you are spiralling in a whirlpool.

You swear to yourself this is the one last Italian job that are going to do. Buy a piece of land. Build a humble house. Stop squeezing your brains. Stop pumping up your testosterone level -- to fight like a man. Just you, your love ones, your pet. Nice wish but………….the last job????

This entry is dedicated to rest of us who work like shit, spinning in a whirlpool hoping to make our shareholders richer, customers happy and a hell for our competitors. When we earn enough, learn to lose, learn to live. When we don’t earn enough, pray one day your CEO will be willing to take a lower pay and learn to share…….If our wish does not come true, just a RM 50 wreath flowers…..you are our greatest asset, we’re going to miss you. Signed. Your loving CEO and Chairman.