Economy Thoughts

Yesterday I was daydreaming about my own economic condition. I can't help but conclude that I'm still doing stupid things sometimes... Let's sum up. I have worked for about three years: one year as a teacher, and two years as a valuer. I saved a little, but I've put all my money on an cheap apartment ("rusunami"/"apartemen bersubsidi") in Cengkareng ("City Park"). Now I'm left with not much. I can't even make my stock account to its minimum limit, so I can be categorized as "poor" right now. And to be poor makes me sad...

My success must be measured with how much I can save, not how much I can make. If I make much, but spend all of it, then it's not a success yet for me. Now I'm living without any savings. It is depleted because of the apartment, besides the down payment, the other costs (stamp duty, notary, APHT, certificate, etc) account for another 10% of the apartment's value. That's the heavy cost of buying a property. Disturbs the cashflow very much...

I'm thinking of my goals in work. Reputation, knowledge, skill, and some cash. The three in front are intangible assets. I've used all my tangible asset, now I'm left with intangible ones. Yet, it still requires a great deal of time investment to do the work and get a salary, which is quickly become a very bad investment done for long.

I met a guy one day in Lombok. He's a foreigner and own a yatch. In other words, he's very rich. It's his resort that I value. One line hits me: people are like polished diamonds. You must polish many facets of it to make it shine. You can't only use one skill and one side of yourself. You must polish many sides. If you have mastered a job, it's time to leave it, so that you can polish your other skills.

Because it came from a successful man, I know that it is true. There is no job security. You are in the control of your boss if you work for someone. Someone else is controlling your fate. So now, regain it back. There's some other ways to make a living: being an entrepreneur, invest, work from home, online jobs, trade, sell, etc. That are the skills I still need to polish heavily, not just this one. I still need to learn to manage people, to negotiate with clients, to explain without teaching (this I must unlearn), and to be brave.