In the biblical book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon, one of the wisest men on earth, once said, “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.”
If we are not aware of the season we are in, we may allocate our time (and other resources) to the wrong purpose. When we are young, it may seem like we have all the time in the world, and decisions come easily because the cost of a misstep is easily mitigated by the abundance of years ahead. Yet, as the seasons of life unfurl, we find ourselves with less of this precious commodity. The pressing question becomes: how do we spend our time, and where do we allocate our resources?
In this article, I share personal stories that have shaped my thinking and explore how navigating the seasons of life requires us to make intentional choices around three essential domains for living a good life: Wealth, Health, and Ikigai.
Wealth: An Enabler, Not a Goal
If youth is springtime, then early adulthood is the summer of ambition. Back when I was in my twenties, I gave most of my time to pursuing personal success and wealth. So I attended academic, professional and personal development courses one after another. I worked long hours, often sacrificing weekends, holidays and my health to achieve financial success.
When I started my advisory career with an insurance company at 28 years of age, I was motivated by the allure of money, titles, and the privileges that came along with it. I remember in August 1998, a month before my son was born, I had a tummy ache that wouldn’t go away. Yet, I ignored the signs and carried on working until one morning, I felt an excruciating pain near my groin area. I was rushed to the hospital for a burst appendix. But I got myself discharged in just three days to close an insurance deal.
Three years later, at the age of 31, I started my own firm to pioneer fee-only wealth advisory. For the next two decades, the pace was gruelling and leisure was rare. While that season of intense work brought me a lot of personal growth and satisfaction, I sacrificed time with my family, especially with my two growing-up children. Thankfully, my wife kept the family together, and my children grew up well—and today, we remain close.
When I turned 40, my perspective shifted. I realised I had unknowingly and wrongly assumed that there would always be time to do the things that matter, especially with the people I love. So, I began to declutter my life, reduce my expenses, and free up both time and cash flow to focus on what’s truly important today, while still setting aside for the future, if it comes. Now in my fifties, I’m even more intentional about how I spend my time. I’ve learned that it’s not just about accumulation, but about mindful allocation. What truly matters is that my financial decisions serve the life decisions I choose to make in each season of life.
Health: The Quiet Foundation
When we are young, health is often taken for granted. I vividly remember my army days when I could do my 2.4km run in under nine minutes. I could scale the hills in the Brunei jungle as if nothing could slow me down. I could play badminton non-stop for five hours, and I could run marathon after marathon. I was never worried about whether my body would hold up for another adventure.
Then, in my late thirties, I faced a sobering wake-up call. During a routine check-up, my doctor warned me about rising cholesterol and, in my forties, doctors found polyps in my colon and also two non-calcified blocks in my arteries. I realised that the season of invincibility was passing. I could no longer ignore the foundations of health that would support the life I wanted. Recently, a health situation at home also meant that I need to have the health span to take care of my loved ones.
These moments marked a shift in priorities. I began to carve out time for regular exercise, made healthier food choices, and learned the importance of rest. It was not so much about adding years to my life as it was about adding life to my years.
Our health, like our time, is finite and fragile. As we age, investing in wellness becomes less about vanity and more about vitality. I have witnessed friends and family, once robust and carefree, sidelined by preventable illnesses. Their stories remind me that the season for building healthy habits is always now. And the later we do it, the less time we have. Health, like wealth, needs time to compound.
Ikigai: Living for What Is of Worth
The Japanese concept of Ikigai is about living for what is of worth. When I was in the spring and summer seasons of my life, I found value in external achievements such as academic and professional certificates, recognition, and material success. In the area of work, my Ikigai was to prove to the world that Providend’s model of giving advice would work. So, I gave most of my time to it. Today, even as I enter the autumn season of my life, I realise that I am running out of time. My loved ones are ageing, my children have grown up, and I am nearer to my retirement.
Today, I travel more for holidays with my family and, in the area of work, I spend time not just championing growth but nurturing successors as well as strengthening corporate culture. Because, like it or not, one day I will have to exit from my firm.
Unlike the seasons of weather, the seasons of life do not repeat. Some may not even experience them all. That’s why it’s so important to fully embrace the season you are in right now and find balance.
A few days ago, one of my second-generation leaders asked, “How do you balance growth and ambition with our firm’s Philosophy of Sufficiency?” My answer: it comes down to accepting trade-offs. With limited resources, we must make intentional choices and learn to be content in the seasons we’re in.
Take a moment to pause and consider: What season of life are you in today? Where are you investing your time, your wealth, your energy? Are your daily choices aligned with your Ikigai? Are you living with balance? As you reflect, I challenge you to make conscious and balanced decisions in these three domains:
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Wealth: Are you using your financial resources to support what matters most?
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Health: Are you investing in habits today that will sustain your wellbeing tomorrow?
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Ikigai: Are you allocating time and energy towards activities that give your life meaning?
In the end, we cannot control the passage of time—but we can choose how we travel through it. May you embrace your season with wisdom, courage, and contentment.
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.
The edited version of this article was published in The Business Times on 23 June 2025.
For more related resources, check out:
1. To Live the Good Life, Make Life Decision First Before Wealth Decisions
2. Health Span – The Missing Piece in Retirement Planning
3. Finding Your Ikigai For A Life That Is Worth Living
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