During our college tropa reunion two weeks ago, Omarotti has announced his purchase of a Ford Fiesta. A bank has just approved his 500K loan.
I do not know his reasons for buying a brand new sports car, but his No Girlfriend Since Birth (NGSB) status might give a hint.
Meanwhile, the annual reunion was held at another tropa's newly constructed 3-floor house. His mansion - his first act as a family man - stands a few steps from the Global City. Everyone was impressed by the leaps and bounds covered by these gentlemen.
Its hard not to make comparisons.
Once, these young men learned the rudiments of "life" under the watchful eyes of the publishing house. They still fondly speak of employees leaving their food inside a piss-stench bathroom only to get it later to continue their meal. They were nurtured by the House of Jomania while they were away from their homes. Who would forget the nights we ate Ma-Ling and Noodles for dinner, and then scamper into the night to beat a finals' project?
While fortunes ebb and flow, I cannot help but wonder what happened to my own life. Did I make a wrong turn in my career, or my measure of success was never at par with everyone?
And while talks of promotion at the price of other people's jobs loom large in the workplace, I ask myself,
will I still grow in my chosen career path?
will I have to give up my immaterial leanings?
do I have to give up some business allegiances so I can look after my own needs?
All I know is that changes are coming, and maybe, just maybe, for the first time I will have to courage to against the flow.
15 comments:
usap tayo kuya.
o kung gusto, lipat ka sa kumpaniya namin sa makati..
ang mahirap sa success measures ay madali siyang i-manipulate for whatever works for you. we cannot have a standard as i would like to think that success is relative dahil na din siguro i equate success to levels of satisfaction. hehehe. pero sarap din kasi yung mundane lang ang measures - dami ng pera, laki ng bahay, posisyon sa kumpanya, laki ng etits... ay erase erase... hehehe. advance happy new year!
Anteros:
This is just a prelude of a bigger story. When I finally give the verdict, (according to how my heart wants this story arc to end) I guess it all boils down to what I essentially want. :)
Kaloy:
Masarap gumawa ng sarili mong measures pagdating sa tagumpay. Pero tao lang tayo para hindi maghanap ng comparison sa iba. :)
Happy New Year rin sa iyo.
i hope you find the answers to your questions and realize what's important to you (i know this is difficult). I'm glad that the choices are yours to make. in my case, it wasn't courage that finally came but a kick in the butt :) toasting to a better year for you and everyone else.
(Sinusubukang dayuhin lahat ng naki-follow nitong nakaraang taon.)
A very simple suggestion we can provide (being clueless of what the real situation is.) is to keep a job that you enjoy. We mean really enjoy. Then proceed to look for passive income. Sa trabaho active income ka, sa sideline (tulad ng franchising, ads on your blog, etc.) diyan papasok ang passive income. Mga bagay na kahit wala ka masyadong gawin, kokolekta ka ng pera.
Kung baga sa inchik, "Kahit konti kita, basta kita. Dami konti kita, laki kita."
Happy New Year.
The only person who can answer all your questions is you. What do you want to do with your life? What are your dreams?
I agree with some of the comments above, each one of us have our own standards of measuring success. Comparison is also part of human nature.
But it all boils down to how we define things.
Example, waking up each morning or eating 3 meals a day could already be considered a success. Being with family, loveones and friends could be a success. Having all the desired material things in the world could be a success. Helping other people could already be a success.
Each one of us see the world as we are and not as it is.
What do you see Baabaa Mu[g]en? :)
simple lang yan mugen: basta masaya ka.
para sa akin, no inordinate amount of money can buy contentment. otherwise, i'd go to the nearest mall and buy it. a society-ordained definition of success is pretty much useless if i'm not happy, right? ;)
it reminds of a qoute by i-forgot-who "the person who lives life fully, glowing with life's energy, is the person who lives a successful life.
may nag advice sa akin noon, do what you love to do... until now di ko pa rin ginagawa. hehe.
...though, happiness is fleeting.
success is never final.
we often ask ourselves if we are fulfilled with what we have now.
bata ka pa naman, marami pang pwedeng mangyari. and malay mo, you'll be great, doing extraordinary things soon. :D
but i wonder what happened to me too?
success is finding one's contentment...
happy holidays, joms!
Ewik:
Here's what I learned: Contentment changes when new values come into play.
Maybe I'm just hitting a new midlife crisis.
DocCed:
I'm almost a decade old. Some people of my age are already managers hehehe. But let's see. My dad hit the spot before he turned 40. ;)
Ahmer:
Success is never final indeed. I hope I could figure what I really want this coming year.
Ternie:
With my mom retiring next year, my brother-in-law still looking for a job and my sister taking care of my nephew, suddenly, contentment takes a back seat and the need to earn more becomes a priority.
I guess that's the cause of my dilemma.
MI:
Those things you mentioned, (paying the bills, eating 3 times a day etc.) are being threatened by some changes happening in the home front right now.
And then when someone, an old friend invites you to go out or calls for a reunion and then ask what you've been doing in life (tapos wala kang masabing matino) isn't the stagnation cuts deep into your consciousness?
MgaEps:
Hayun! Passive income. Yun ang pangarap ko, yung mas malaki ang passive income ko kesa sa kinikita sa trabaho. Hehehe!
Salamat sa pagdaan!
Sean:
When the dust settles, not only will I get a kick in the butt, but perhaps a stinging question as to what I did during the past 5 years of my life.
I totally get the Measure of Success thing that you mean. For some its money, some its how many girls they've banged, some its how many of a certain thing they possess. Its all different for everyone. Some people might not get how you perceive things but who cares right? Haha But if that it isn't the case and its that you're just plain not successful yet then it might be cause you're just not there yet haha
oh shit.
i feel the same thing. kaya nga ayokong pumunta sa reunions minsan. i have my own standards as well when it comes to success. but sometimes, it's so hard to keep your humanity at bay. madedepress at madedepress ka pa din.
pero be steadfast lang chong. soon, they will see that you are meant for greatness. it's a tedious process, but it will all be worth it in the end. :)
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