Welcome to the fifth episode of our miniseries on Finding Your Ikigai, where we invite a series of guests to explore what it truly means to live a good life, incorporating the concept of Ikigai alongside Providend’s Philosophy of Sufficiency.
As trusted advisers to affluent clients for over two decades, we’ve always advocated that clients prioritise life decisions before financial ones. These life decisions are what we refer to as “Ikigai” decisions.
In this episode, our Founder and CEO, Christopher Tan, sits down with two of his long time friends and army buddies, Han Kiat, an Associate Professor, and Maurice, an Accountant, to talk about all things ikigai and the role it plays in their lives.
For Han Kiat and Maurice, choosing to serve in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) beyond the mandatory ten years was not just a commitment, it became their ikigai, a purpose they held closely for much of their early adult lives. Now as fathers, they reflect on their shared experiences, even as their sons serve in different vocations during their National Service. Does a different path diminish the value of their own ikigai? And how did they bridge the gap between those differences with their sons?
They reflected on how simple, ordinary moments, and being there for one another over the years, can become something deeply meaningful and also part of their ikigai.
Through deep conversations with our advisers, you will gain clarity on what matters most in life and what needs to be done to live a good life, both financially and non-financially—with your Ikigai goals at the forefront of your wealth plan.
You may read the full letter by Han Kiat as mentioned in the podcast below:
A common basic military experience for all: A cord and a chord
I am an NS-man serving in the Singapore Armed Forces. As I inch towards my next jubilee birthday, I join a small but significant number of like-minded compatriots, who have chosen to serve beyond the mandatory 10-year NS cycle. Right now, I am going into my 18th year of service. The first ten is a duty, the rest is nothing short of a mission and a commitment. What has kept me going through the seasons of change and challenge, is an intrinsic motivation: to serve till the day I wear green with my son, is a day worth striving for.
The day has come, but not quite the way I imagined. My son dons blue. All of a sudden, the many planned conversations I had conjured in my mind, where we laugh and bond over silly drills, sadistic enciks, digging trenches in the rain, defecating in the field toilets, some playing rank and some playing punk, all vanished into thin air. Truth be told that I did lament over this twist for a while. But seeing how he has grown, and now cherishing the same values and allegiance to our nation, I cannot be prouder.
At first glance, these inner churnings may be dismissed as a plain vanity of me seeking self-actualization. But as I contemplate deeper, I gleaned a different insight that prompted this letter. I now believe that there is great value in a common basic military training (BMT) for all, because it strengthens a cord that binds, and strikes a chord that rhymes.
Currently, close to 90% of NS-eligible men are enlisted into the SAF. The remaining 10% are streamed directly to the Singapore Police Force (SPF) or the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). While all uniformed agencies are critical to national security, I would like to propose that the streaming of national servicemen to the different agencies could still be accomplished after forging a common foundation through the SAF BMT. This approach may seem to incur extra time for the training of those who eventually end up with SPF or SCDF, but the subliminal benefits of a common experience on social compact may outweigh such cost. Let me explain.
BMT, a cord that binds.
BMT is a transient experience in light of the entire duration of national service. But yet, it is a defining one because it is the only one that brings all strata of the society together. To some extent, I would argue that it even goes to places unreachable by public education, i.e. as a true leveler of the society that bridges the gaps where knowledge proficiency tends to divide. Therefore, it is a cord that binds citizens together, so that all can identify with the basic tenets of Singapore’s frontline, as we confront the uncertain and disruptive world as one people.
In fact, this common experience does not even need to be a positive one. In good times, it promotes celebration; in bad times it facilitates commiseration. In all times, it fosters a camaraderie and indelible memory that will continue to be used as a conversation starter for strangers, classmates, colleagues and clients, even years after that original experience. This cord binds across people and across time.
As national service has perpetuated close to 60 years of nationhood, this cord now binds within the family as well. In this age of technological divide, and where social media dominates the airtime of the younger generation, a productive father-to-son connection is hard to come by. Hence, I envisage a common BMT experience across generation to take on a bigger role in crafting the narrative of the family nucleus. A shared experience through BMT allows the joys and struggles of the father to be lived vicariously in the son. Even though my son did not share the same BMT experience, I am beginning to see how he is now taking greater interest whenever I bragged about the “good old days”. This interest came with understanding, albeit through his friends rather than himself. I can only imagine how much more phenomenal it would be if we had the same BMT experience. Therefore more broadly, it is my hope that a proposed common BMT experience can help to reclaim the much needed trust, respect and intimacy in the family that has been eroded by the metastasis of the cyberworld.
BMT, a chord that rhymes
Musically speaking, a chord is a combination of notes that when applied thoughtfully, creates a fuller tune that amplifies the beauty of the individual notes. Playing a single note louder does not do it, but combining different notes complementarily will transform it. Therefore, a common BMT is a metaphorical chord that rhymes. It is one that brings different people (and all people) together, in appreciation that the sum of the diversity is not just a good to have, but a key ingredient to build a generation that will stay and thrive together when the need arises. A common BMT is synonymous to this effect because it leaves no one out. In so doing, it then affirms the dignity and value of every Singaporean, especially those that are different from ourselves.
This chord can also be enhanced, if elements of SPF and SCDF mission can be imbued into the common BMT, to better reflect the holistic perspective of the Singapore’s resolve. Consequently, the potential implication of lengthening the training for those who are transferred to other agencies after the common BMT can be mitigated.
In closing, we are celebrating SG60 and SAF Day in the upcoming weeks in uncertain times. Amidst the turbulence in the world, I am reminded that national defence cannot be taken for granted and should continue to be the bedrock for our success. We have done well, but the changing climate may require us to do more. I hope this sharing can create a dialogue to explore a possible way where we can do it better. Majulah Singapura!
MAJ(NS) Ho Han Kiat, PhD, DABT
Music courtesy of ItsWatR.
The writer, Christopher Tan, is Chief Executive Officer of Providend Ltd, Southeast Asia’s first fee-only comprehensive wealth advisory firm and author of the book “Money Wisdom: Simple Truths for Financial Wellness“. He is also a Certified Ikigai Tribe Coach.
For more related resources, check out:
1. Finding Your Ikigai For A Life That Is Worth Living
2. Discovering Your “Ikigai” with Providend’s Philosophy
3. Ikigai Misunderstood and the Origin of the Ikigai Venn Diagram
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