TL;DR – Disruptions to our plans shouldn’t deter us from planning ahead. The trick is to look both ways and entertain all possibilities.
Blame worrying for low birth rates
Let’s face it, most Singaporeans are worriers. We worry about our jobs even before starting our tertiary education. We worry about getting a flat when we’ve just started dating someone. We worry about our child’s education even before conceiving and the list of worries goes on…
In the recent National Day Rally 2022, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong assured Singaporeans that there will be enough homes for everyone in the future and that housing will remain affordable. PM Lee shared that the nation’s challenge is not about finding space to build enough homes, but it’s about having enough babies to grow up and live in them.
Caught up with our goals
We were brought up in a very systematic educational system. Perhaps that’s what cultivated us to be planners. Nothing wrong with being a planner but perhaps living life from a different perspective could be a blessing in disguise.
“If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning to Fail” – Benjamin Franklin
Look Both Ways (launched on 17 August 2022) follows Natalie, a college school student who has a one-night stand with her friend one night before graduation. The movie shows two parallel outcomes of her life after she takes a pregnancy test.
Disclaimer: Spoilers are head if you read on…
When life gives you lemons
The parallel of Natalie’s life getting disrupted by her pregnancy hit her 5-year plan rock bottom. And many of us would think that having a child could mean sacrificing our career aspirations or setting us back on our financial goals. These thoughts are valid but, what if, that’s what she needed at that point in her life to inspire her for the next phase of her life?
The other parallel showed Natalie landing a job as an assistant for her idol – Lucy Galloway. Taking that job seemed like she was on the right track to her career goals but instead, it delayed her from finding her unique voice through her illustrations.
Setbacks can propel you forward
In the end, things were finally shaping for Natalie on both parallels because she kept reinventing herself each time she gets hit by the uncertainties of life.
So, the next time you reject an idea or worry about something that’s not aligned with your plans, look the other way because you could get a different outcome whilst still achieving your goal. Remember, there’s more than one way to reach your goals and give yourself more credit because you’re tougher than you think!
Watch the show and share with us your thoughts in the comments below. What’s your takeaway from this show?
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