Be prepared, stay humble and always on the lookout

Covid-19 has, without a doubt, made a tough year for everyone. It has shown us that no matter how many safety measures we can put in place to circumvent the challenges, we could still fall through the cracks of our preparedness. That is not to say that we should never prepare, instead, we ought to see the value of being prepared more in such a crisis. For many companies who have experienced huge growth in the past, it is also not surprising to see them collapse to a sudden halt. It really emphasizes the importance of leveraging on what is solid and fundamental, instead of something that sounds or looks good on the surface or in theory. Perhaps something we can all learn from this episode is to be discernable of how do we quantify "Value" as a company.

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less. C. S. Lewis

Staying humble in such difficult moments can be difficult. Many of us will be experiencing retrenchment and many more will have to venture into uncomfortable and uncharted areas. We often feel the validation of our own identity through the achievements of our past and now this is the fiery pit moment, where we test what we claim and what we could actually do. To stay humble and accept that a company would let one go, or face rejection from job applications is never easy and frankly, it is mentally exhausting. But likewise, there are many people out there doing their best to make do with the limited resources on their hands. In such a time, we can do our part to be humble and to help each other, instead of being critical about the outcome.

And finally, being on the lookout. Our generation and even the next generation is completely different from our parent's generation. Technology certainly equipped us in more ways we can imagine and also improved our way of life, but this signals a new era of change, where we can not be complacent about our place in society. We have to posture ourselves to look for ways to innovate, implement, and improve as we traverse through these murky waters of our time. Many opportunities will come and go and we have to always be prepared to make quick decisions and then act upon it.

I sincerely hope that 2020 will end with something that we can all take away with, instead of lamenting on what could have been done better and brooding with despair and hopelessness. I believe that in every moment of crisis, there lies the opportunity to define your true grit and strength, to test the faith that you hold, to acknowledge your accomplishments do not hold infinite value, and to be that light of hope in the lives of others.