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Tea with AK71: A frog in a well.

Friday, April 16, 2010

As I grow older and as I get to know more people and see more things, the feeling of personal insignificance increases. 

The growing knowledge of my ignorance is humbling.




I am but a frog in a well, seeing only a patch of sky. I have asked myself before in the past if I would ever jump out of this well. 

However, over time, I have stopped asking this question. Why? 

I wonder if I really want to jump out of this well. 

I have everything I need in this well and I am protected from predators. Perhaps, what I need is just a bigger well so that I can see a larger patch of sky. 

Better to be a happy and healthy frog in a larger well than to be a frog freely hopping in the open and be in constant danger of being preyed upon?

Is this a bad thing, to be contented?  

Or perhaps I am just growing apathetic with age? 

Could it be wisdom as some told me that with age comes wisdom?  

I am not so sure since my usual rejoinder is that this is not always true.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi AK,

I guess we are in the same age group - I'm in my late 30s. I have had the same feeling of "growing knowledge of my ignorance" too. It came as I received a significant promotion from the company which I'd been working for 10 years. First job.

But I chose to leave to broaden my experiences on the personal and career fronts rather than stay on when my career prospects looked ever brighter cos I was not learning much more. It was getting too comfortable and once that happens, the inertia + age + family /financial commitments make one immobile. I didn't want to be stuck one day, so I left Sg with my family of 4 to pursue an academic PhD in the field I loved.

There's not much money in that field though and the career prospects with oversupply of PhD's isn't exactly very bright. But I felt it was impt to always be learning and learning what I love, and not be satisfied with being in a comfort zone. Cos the well might dry up one day or one might long for a broader view of the sky eventually and find that the window has passed for one to get out of the well.

Sorry for spamming your post. Just some 'tea talk'. :)

TS

AK71 said...

Hi TS,

I admire your spirit and courage to leave your comfort zone to pursue your interests. This is especially admirable when I realise that you have a family to care for as well. It has to be a major decision with some serious considerations.

Once upon a time, I thought of doing a Masters Degree. I had all the paperwork done and was accepted by NUS. I pulled out in the end due to practical considerations. I wonder how I would have turned out if I had gone ahead with that course. There isn't much money in that field as well. ;)

One day, I might return to my first love but that day is not here yet.

From your comment, I could sense your happiness with your decision. I am happy for you and I wish you the very best in your research work.

Let's do "tea" again one day. :)

la papillion said...

Hey hey,

I also filled up the application for a accelerated masters degree leading to a phD in engineering. Guess what? I got accepted, then I got cold feet, and never looked back again.

Thankfully I didn't take it...I realised I do not even like it.

My first love is to lead a carefree life :) Freedom is impt to me as well. I hate bureaucratic bullshit :)

AK71 said...

Hi LP,

You are a lucky one and I think you know that. Few people get to do what they love doing and yet make money out of it. ;)

Rangers love freedom. You chose the right character class to play in AD&D. :)

bummy said...

AK, in one quantum leap within a relatively short time, you jumped into TA and blogging. You are already in a significantly bigger well, doing very well and enjoying almost every moment of it.

the only constant is change. you are adapting well at it by managing it at your own pace. so yes jump into yr bigger & well when your desire arrives

AK71 said...

Hi bummy,

Thank you very much for your kind words and encouragement. :) Yes, all in good time, I always say, and I guess I am taking my own advice. ;)

jason said...

hello bro! we both also year of the piggy...hahah... pity i learnt stock investing the hard way - contra/buy on rumours/margin; went down in flames... so right now its slow and steady, carry out FA...my TA still sucks lah...... Fortunately i enjoy my work right now with balance also...got time to fiddle with US mkts.... and read your blogs! lol

AK71 said...

Hi Jason,

Happy to have another porky pal. ;) My own experience in investing has not been smooth sailing either. You might remember this post:

http://singaporeanstocksinvestor.blogspot.com/2010/02/excuse-me-are-you-investor.html

Learning the hard way isn't all that bad. We remember the pain and that is an incentive not to do things the wrong way again. ;)

No US market for me. Just the Singapore market keeps me quite busy. :)

Thanks for visiting regularly and for the comments too. :)


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