Having the right attitude will help you overcome adversity
I refer to the news feature, “The Big Read: Moving up the 'escalator' — it takes a village to ensure every S'porean has a fair shot in life” (Nov 2).
In addition to those interviewed, I would like to illustrate through my own personal experience that a difficult start in life should not hinder one from making something good of it.
I was born to a very poor family and it was a huge challenge to meet our daily basic necessities. I remember how crowded it was living with at least 10 other family members in a small Queen’s Crescent flat off Queensway.
We had to endure frequent bouts of darkness at night as the power supply was cut off because we could not pay our utility bills. To have three meals a day was infrequent — there was simply not enough food and money to go around.
From the age of 13, I was already working part-time in various jobs such as going door to door selling otah (fish paste wrapped in banana leaves), being a golf caddy, selling festive greeting cards and other menial jobs.
When I was in secondary school, I did not enjoy a single day of the school holidays because I would be working throughout the period, and also during weekends.
However, I did not let such dire circumstances bring me down. Instead, I learnt from young that I simply had to work and study doubly hard to overcome such adversity, so as to have a better life in future.
It was a near miracle that I was named the best all-round student in my secondary school because of my GCE O-Level results and involvement in extra-curricular activities.
Though my results were good enough to get into a junior college, I opted to go to a polytechnic. When I graduated from polytechnic in May 1994, I had only S$1.17 in my bank.
I did not let this affect me and worked very hard during my stint with the Singapore Police Force and my subsequent employers.
Throughout my working life, I saved up the majority of my bonuses and invested wisely.
Today, I have a more-than-decent house and car for my family.
The key lesson for all is this: In a country like Singapore, everyone can succeed so long as one possesses the right attitude by working and studying very hard, and saving and investing wisely.
Too often, I have personally seen many people giving themselves convenient excuses on why they were not successful and worse still, blaming their family situation and even the Government for their predicament. If only they would hunker down and do something for themselves.
