The Rat Race

• Veggie Bao

  20 Apr 10, 00:08

  I have a feeling u should google:

  "Who moved my cheese"

  Or something like that.

  Anyways,

  For me personally,

  I think some elements of that is inevitable. Why? Because life is not doing things u like or u want. Not always anyways. You just have to do things according to circumstances and ur responsibilities.

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 00:10

  Originally posted by ChoCoChips:

  it's a trade off.

  when u've nothing to worry about, like families and stuff 

  of cuz u can pursue ur dreams.

   

  so can i presume that you're saying that rat race is a must with family and dreams can only be pursue when you're single?

  or do you have any elaboration to it?

• ChoCoChips

  20 Apr 10, 00:11

  Originally posted by the_fallen:

  so can i presume that you're saying that rat race is a must with family and dreams can only be pursue when you're single?

  or do you have any elaboration to it?

  i guess so

  unless u're sibeh affluent lo

   

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 00:12

  Originally posted by mancha:

  Whether you are in the rat race or not depends on you. Not on what others say.

  If someone says you are in the rat race, thats their opinion.

  As long as you work to the best of your ability, with the intention of providing for your family, you are ok.

  But if you strive to beat all your friends, colleagues, and all in the field, for your own personal ego, then you are in the rat race.

  so you're more towards the free lifestyle or zen lifestyle?

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 00:17

  Originally posted by Veggie Bao:

  I have a feeling u should google:

  "Who moved my cheese"

  Or something like that.

  Anyways,

  For me personally,

  I think some elements of that is inevitable. Why? Because life is not doing things u like or u want. Not always anyways. You just have to do things according to circumstances and ur responsibilities.

  i've read that book, its a great book, but i think it's more about the mindset thingy after reading the book isn't it?

• Veggie Bao

  20 Apr 10, 00:19

  Ya, I think so.

  Why....you fed up with your job ah...?

  Maybe you can think of taking a postgrad study......I myself am thinking about it....it can be a way to refresh urself and change direction also.

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 00:22

  Originally posted by ChoCoChips:

  i guess so

  unless u're sibeh affluent lo

   

  than what about those couples who work together towards success?

  if i'm rich, i would not be here loh..

  makes sense?

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 00:25

  Originally posted by Veggie Bao:

  Ya, I think so.

  Why....you fed up with your job ah...?

  Maybe you can think of taking a postgrad study......I myself am thinking about it....it can be a way to refresh urself and change direction also.

  eh..i'm not having a job currently..so i can't be fed up with my job..

  in fact, i'm pursuing my interest currently..

  it's the thought and possiblity of going back to the rats race if it's a mission fail for me by the due date la..

  plus, doesn't studying force ppl to get deeper into the rat race having to take up bank loans and pay off the debts upon graduation by employment?

• ChoCoChips

  20 Apr 10, 00:26

  Originally posted by the_fallen:

  than what about those couples who work together towards success?

  if i'm rich, i would not be here loh..

  makes sense?

  what kind of success leh?

  $$$?

  achieving their common dreams?

   

  i'd say 

  it all boils down to what ur dreams are

• TTFU

  20 Apr 10, 00:26

  Theres places/jobs will less politicals. True that office politics is everywhere, i think its the problem of coping with it, not avoiding it.

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 00:28

  Originally posted by ChoCoChips:

  what kind of success leh?

  $$$?

  achieving their common dreams?

   

  i'd say 

  it all boils down to what ur dreams are

  as in i see quite a lot of food store business since young to now, there are examples of couples working together and making it a success, instead of the rat race, they be their own boss.

• mancha

  20 Apr 10, 00:29

  Originally posted by the_fallen:

  so you're more towards the free lifestyle or zen lifestyle?

  free lifestye, I am not a prisoner of my mind.

• TTFU

  20 Apr 10, 00:30

  When you are the boss, you have employees, and that comes politics again

• ChoCoChips

  20 Apr 10, 00:43

  Originally posted by the_fallen:

  as in i see quite a lot of food store business since young to now, there are examples of couples working together and making it a success, instead of the rat race, they be their own boss.

  if thats their common dream, and they are happy la

  but

  imagine if whatever they're working on

  is not that successful

  and they are having problems supporting the kid

  should they continue doing what they want to do

  or should they do what they need to do

   

  dunno if im answering ur qn

  lol

   

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 00:48

  Originally posted by mancha:

  free lifestye, I am not a prisoner of my mind.

  i don't understand the part on being a prisoner of the mind..can elaborate?

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 00:50

  Originally posted by ChoCoChips:

  if thats their common dream, and they are happy la

  but

  imagine if whatever they're working on

  is not that successful

  and they are having problems supporting the kid

  should they continue doing what they want to do

  or should they do what they need to do

   

  dunno if im answering ur qn

  lol

   

  don't worry about not answering the qn..this is a forum to share, discuss and talk about anything and everything..

  so far..i've seen couples that do go into business, they are more prone to making it a success leh..

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 00:51

  Originally posted by TTFU:

  When you are the boss, you have employees, and that comes politics again

  how is that so?

• TTFU

  20 Apr 10, 00:55

  When humans interact, theres always drama lah i think.

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 00:57

  Originally posted by TTFU:

  When humans interact, theres always drama lah i think.

  maybe you're right..

  but from if i'm the boss, at the least can do something to stop it ma..

• eagle

  20 Apr 10, 01:12

  Originally posted by the_fallen:

  as in i see quite a lot of food store business since young to now, there are examples of couples working together and making it a success, instead of the rat race, they be their own boss.

  The problem now is, even if you are your own boss, you are still part of the rat's race. And the problem is, do you even recognize this fact?

  Whether a not it is a rat's race depends on you. If you see it as one, then you will be in. Know your goals, know your destination, know your targets, and work towards it.

   

  Financial freedom is what you meant I guess. It is a mindset. If my expenditure is capped at 500 a month, I can consider myself as having achieved it as my monthly passive income is approximately 650. But if my expenditure is $2000 a month, then I haven't reach it yet. It is something subjective.

• mancha

  20 Apr 10, 01:15

  Originally posted by the_fallen:

  i don't understand the part on being a prisoner of the mind..can elaborate?

  You see people here having their own hang ups about trival matters. They could easily be objective and not be judgmental, and be free of any ill feelings.

  Are they not restricted and encumbered by their own minds?

• the Bear

  20 Apr 10, 08:40

  Originally posted by the_fallen:

  than do you have any suggestion or ideas on how to get out of the rat race?

  
  by moving out of the box...

  the "management gurus" con-men-sultants always tell you to "think out of the box"

  so get out of the box totally..

  recognise that you only NEED a few things in life.. which is summed up by the Celts from a long time ago:

  flax
  fire
  fodder
  frig

  or

  something to wear
  somewhere to keep warm
  something to eat
  someone to love

  if your neighbour has a bigger car, so what?
  if your friend has a bigger house, so what?
  if your colleague has a bigger paycheque, so what?
  if your relative has children with higher grades, so what?

  will you be happier if you actually got a bigger car, bigger house, bigger paycheque, "smarter" children?  or will the idiotic relentless race to be bigger, more or whatever the heck actually make you unhappy?

  i guess it's my philosophy which is kinda hard for some people to accept.. it is a "so what?" attitude... i'm happy being a little guy, doing my work, earning my wage, able to provide for my family and able to afford occasional luxuries for them... doesn't matter that my colleagues have been working their asses off and got promoted and driving bigger cars, living in bigger condos.. all in all, i think i'm actually happier than them...

  for all intents and purposes, i removed myself from the rat race..

  and i'm much happier for it... i have my flax, fire, fodder and frig.. and most of all, i have peace of mind...

   

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 11:43

  Originally posted by eagle:

  The problem now is, even if you are your own boss, you are still part of the rat's race. And the problem is, do you even recognize this fact?

  Whether a not it is a rat's race depends on you. If you see it as one, then you will be in. Know your goals, know your destination, know your targets, and work towards it.

   

  Financial freedom is what you meant I guess. It is a mindset. If my expenditure is capped at 500 a month, I can consider myself as having achieved it as my monthly passive income is approximately 650. But if my expenditure is $2000 a month, then I haven't reach it yet. It is something subjective.

  the way i view it in my definition as a boss is same to the cashflow quadrant whereby it is a Business Owner with people working for you.

  So by firing yourself, you no longer work, and have people working for you. You aren't in the rat race, able to free yourself to invest and hire more people to work for you and grow your money keeping the net profit after paying all expenses and liability.

  Rat race is when you are doing the same thing for the same result repeatingly but if a person is doing the same thing for multiple results and benefits, is that person in a rat race? (the super rich, isn't in a rat race; that's how i see it)

  as for financial freedom; i think you're referring to only the passive income and not specifically financial freedom; it is the ability to free yourself completely from work without worries, and have money generating on automated process even as you eat, sleep or travel. That is true financial freedom where you can still spend without worrying for your budget in my humble opinion la.

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 11:46

  Originally posted by mancha:

  You see people here having their own hang ups about trival matters. They could easily be objective and not be judgmental, and be free of any ill feelings.

  Are they not restricted and encumbered by their own minds?

  okay, so that is referring to dwelling on past matters and experiences which prevents individuals from moving forward and from progressing to improve themselves right?

  having to stick with the same nasty unplesant feelings and experience stuck in that particular period of time.

  is it something like that which you're referring to?

• the_fallen

  20 Apr 10, 11:49

  Originally posted by the Bear:

  
  by moving out of the box...

  the "management gurus" con-men-sultants always tell you to "think out of the box"

  so get out of the box totally..

  recognise that you only NEED a few things in life.. which is summed up by the Celts from a long time ago:

  flax
  fire
  fodder
  frig

  or

  something to wear
  somewhere to keep warm
  something to eat
  someone to love

  if your neighbour has a bigger car, so what?
  if your friend has a bigger house, so what?
  if your colleague has a bigger paycheque, so what?
  if your relative has children with higher grades, so what?

  will you be happier if you actually got a bigger car, bigger house, bigger paycheque, "smarter" children?  or will the idiotic relentless race to be bigger, more or whatever the heck actually make you unhappy?

  i guess it's my philosophy which is kinda hard for some people to accept.. it is a "so what?" attitude... i'm happy being a little guy, doing my work, earning my wage, able to provide for my family and able to afford occasional luxuries for them... doesn't matter that my colleagues have been working their asses off and got promoted and driving bigger cars, living in bigger condos.. all in all, i think i'm actually happier than them...

  for all intents and purposes, i removed myself from the rat race..

  and i'm much happier for it... i have my flax, fire, fodder and frig.. and most of all, i have peace of mind...

   

  i think your philosophy is to be contented with what you have and dont' work hard or blindly pursuing materialistic gains at the expense of happiness and tiring ourselves in the process right?