Was 2024 a good year for you? Let's review your yardsticks...

You have limited time and energy. Think of what truly matters to you and focus on that to lead a more meaningful life.

- Tan Seow Hon and Lim Su Ching

In June 2024, then newly minted Prime Minister Lawrence Wong encouraged Singaporeans to broaden their idea of success, find meaning and fulfillment in what they do, and strive to be better versions of themselves.

As we approach the end of 2024, it is good to take stock of whether we have lived meaningfully.

Answers to three powerful questions can help you assess the past year and guide your decisions today and in the future.

WHAT IS YOUR YARDSTICK OF MEANING?

Ask yourself what is truly meaningful to you. Are you drowning in hyper-competition and endless comparisons?

It is easy to forget to ask ourselves what we truly value when chasing the 5Cs (cash, car, condominium, credit card, and country club), being overwhelmed by the daily demands of life, or even joining the "tang ping" (lying flat) culture. Yet, as psychologist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl put it, humans have a drive to find meaning. Meaning is what motivates individuals to keep going in difficult circumstances. Meaning can likewise order how we spend our time and energy.

Ask yourself what you value instead of drawing comparisons with others, who may be driven by different beliefs. Everyone is in a different situation. Our abilities are not comparable. The demands on our time are different and vary with seasons. Someone may have an ailing loved one in the last phase of life, which may call for spending more time in caregiving, rather than accepting a senior role at the workplace with increased responsibilities in that season.