Dream on

Over the past few days I've had the opportunity to meet two very successful millionaires. Both were kind enough to give an insight into their life, work and achievements.

The first took the track of studying, then going out to work in a company, eventually making his way up until he can afford two villas. He shared how the high flyer life looked good from the outside, like flying overseas just for a lunch appointment, then back home the next day. The typical singaporean's ideal "dream". So to speak. But he also said that although it may seem like an impressive way to live, he didn't like it. In the slots of free time that he has, he is left trying to find meaningful things to do. Perhaps the most common realization I have noticed from such people is that they do not find their life fulfilling. Which is odd, isn't it? This is the track that most people want, that most people would kill for.

The second was studying, then he came to the realization that that may not be such a good idea, so he went back to the core of his interest and pursued that. He shared of how difficult it was, how scary it was, even having to sell his blood to chemical testing companies to be able to meet the payroll of his contracted employees. He said that he always dreamed of making a game that would sell millions of copies. Yet when that day came, he was in the office alone, looking at that piece of plastic saying "this shit is what I almost died for?'. But despite that, every day he looks forward to work. He loves his work, and despite meeting his lifelong goal already, he loves his work more and more.


Today I had the pleasure of representing Tyler projects for a games development masterclass with speakers from the top developers/publishers in the field organized by the IDA singapore. The amount of money that the goverment is trying to pump into this field is really quite overwhelming. Even institutions like SMU which currently house our office provided funding to help kick start the company.

But despite all this, its still very difficult to succeed.

I must say that even with all the encouragement, funding, courses to try and teach people how to be entrepreneurs and mentoring from large industries provide, I cannot see the real crux of the matter being taught.

Its not as easy nowadays as last time. Despite the majority of mindless Singaporeans going through the education system without questions, feeding off supplied purposes in life, there are a growing number who crave for more. These people want to start something new, they want to find meaning in their work, but they do not know why.

They can learn how, of course, with all the help the government is providing, but I wonder if they will ever find the answer to 'why' they should do it.

Perhaps the "why" is the one thing that they should be teaching. Maybe they don't teach it because it comes in such a painful way. I know mine was.

I wonder how Tianyang found his. There's alot of know-how behind the running of Tyler, but I can also feel a genuine desire somewhere.


2 years to be the leader in my niche market. Thats the first short term goal to that big dream. But I now know that that the end of the dream is not what I'm looking for.

But the dream itself.