A healthy dose of Hope

“A road built on hope is more pleasant to the traveller, than a road built on despair even though they lead to the same destination.”

Life is all about choices. Some easier, some more challenging, but we live in comfort knowing we always have a choice. We can choose how we hold on to pain and fear, just as we can choose how we frame our mishaps and stumbles in the road or how we can choose to react to everyday situations. We are extremely lucky to be able to do this and live in a time where this is the case.

This brings us to ‘hope’. As trite a word it is, we do need something to work toward, and ‘hope’ seems to have landed neatly in our lap. 

We invite you to ponder these questions for yourself: 

• What seeds of hope do you choose to plant as we reach mid-year? 

• Are you committed to watering these seeds? 

• Are you ready to embrace the fruit of your efforts? 

ntroducing... not one but three inspiring individuals - Dr Hsien-Hsien Lei, CEO, AmCham Singapore, Mathew Howe, Grobrix Founder and Sara Mahmud-Marshall, first jobber and Junior strategist at  VMLY&R - we spoke to, to explore our hopeful topic. Here we share their candid reflections from the past year, together with the hopes they have for the future.  

We learn that the power of the collective spirit has never been more pertinent, that purpose is what motivates, and when we look at what really matters most we can boil it down to the simplicity of connection, well-being and contribution. If we can judge ourselves, not against one another, but stick together and set our goals based on this magic triad, perhaps we have more chance to be light-bearers that champion a new ‘hope’ for the future. It is after all our future and wouldn’t it be lovely to leave a better one behind?

What are you lucky to have? 

HHL: 

My mom, who usually lives in California, came to visit us in November 2019. She ended up staying for 16 months. My children had never had the privilege of spending so much time with their grandmother before. We are lucky to have options for keeping our family safe and comfortable during a time of great uncertainty. 

MH: 

Having loved ones close by and the ability to invest this time in starting a new venture. I am grateful I am doing something I’m passionate about, something I consider my calling and something that is all mine. Having left corporate life nearly a year ago, the tipping point to take the jump boiled down to the fear of not knowing became greater than the fear of failure.

SM: 

Being present in my siblings' lives and developing friendships with them as they get older. I feel so lucky to be more present and take on a more supportive big sister role. 

What do you hope to see through over the remainder of the year?

HHL: 

I hope to keep my energy levels up. Working with my team keeps me focused and provides me with the fuel I need to sustain momentum.

MH: 

I’m on a mission to launch Grobrix – an urban indoor vertical farming modular aeroponic unit – in 10-15 homes, in restaurants, a bar, a hotel and in offices. The idea is to gauge people's reactions. Think, personal urban farmer service, a bit like having a personal trainer and gardener in one. I hope to empower and educate urban communities to grow their own food.

SM: 

To gain confidence and self-assurance and to stop comparing myself to other recent grads. 

What is a short-term and long-term goal you have? 

HHL: 

To contribute more to public health as an advocate to strengthen the connections between science, policy and business.

MH: 

I like to imagine how we can help teach kids how to eat healthier and eventually impact the school curriculum with nutrition and the sciences. If we get kids to grow their own kale – and enjoy it – maybe we have a chance they will eat better. That’s a win in my book.

SM:

To rebuild my friendships and spend more time with the people that matter. As well as, learn how to ask friends for help and let them know when I'm not doing okay. 

How have you grown as an individual? 

HHL:

I’ve improved in my ability to understand other people’s point of view and why they might approach a situation differently from me. I still have strong reactions but have learned to hold back in expressing them.

MH: 

I’m a lot stronger mentally and roll with the punches. I’ve been meditating a lot and staying on top of my physical health which helps keep me in the right frame of mind. For example, missing a deadline might seem like a big thing or you may have let someone down, but, at the end of the day, there are bigger problems in the world.

SM:  

I've learnt to enjoy my own company more, make the most of 'me time' moments and I listen to my body more. I know when I need a walk, to eat more vegetables or get more sleep.  

How important is the collective spirit to you, and are you part of a network that’s been particularly supportive?

HHL: 

I’ve been very fortunate to have understanding colleagues throughout my career who took the time to help me notice my blind spots. Through situational leadership training, I learnt to view people’s capabilities at a task-specific level and to evaluate them for specific tasks. It then became clear that everyone has strengths and are good at certain things. As a leader it's your job to identify them and harness this spirit.
MH: 

You need a support network. Finding people who have done it and been in the trenches helps a lot.  As a solo founder you are on your own but mentors and coaches – even if you meet them every two weeks for a coffee – are vital as “air support”. They help from afar.

SM: 

I set up "Sara's Support Group" on WhatsApp, where I gathered my closest friends to discuss how we were all feeling, organise calls and virtual game nights every couple of weeks. It felt so nice to share our frustrations and experiences.

Where would you like to grow more?

HHL: 

The ability to set big, hairy, audacious goals. 

MH: 

Being in charge of people is something new. I’ve not had any exposure to managing people (yet!). 

SM: 

My confidence and ability to speak up more. I find myself being the one who gives others a platform to speak; at the sacrifice of my thoughts and ideas.

What help do you need to get there?

HHL: 

Mentors and coaches who challenge my thinking and push me to think bigger has helped me reassess my life’s ambition and identity, sense-checked my plans, pushed me to take risks but also made sure that I slowed down to consider options thoroughly. 

MH: 

I’d look to my mentor network for support and advice.

SM: 

I just need to start speaking up more. The more I do it, the more natural it will become. The accountability to my future self? 

In 12 months, where will you be?

HHL: 

Spending more time in the world of public health. Hopefully travelling more often to the U.S. to visit my son and family and also to further the connection between Singapore and the U.S. in public health, in particular with my alma mater The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

MH: 

I’d like to have expanded internationally. We are running a pilot “tried and tested Singapore model”  within each of our main verticals: school, offices with ‘lunch and learns’ and physical and mental well-being programmes for different businesses, and export (hopefully starting in Australia).

SM: 

I'll be enjoying the freedom post-covid, I’ll be more motivated and confident in my career and personal life. I'll have rebuilt my social network and hopefully will be spending quality time with the people that matter the most. 

Final question, in the context of new hopes for the future, what will bin and adopt?

Bin: 

HHL: 

Being overly hands-on and not allowing others to have their chance to do things.

MH: 

Operational work and less tinkering.

SM: 

Tiktok and Instagram - I have deleted the apps on my phone and only use chrome to access them - now I can spend the scrolling time to catch up with friends and do things that are good for my mind and body. Also, the pressure placed on recent grads to have their lives figured out and their 'dream jobs' sorted.

Adopt: 

HHL: 

Spend more time developing big, hairy, audacious goals and testing them to see which have the most impact. And to keep making time for work, family and personal priorities – I think I’m pretty good at doing that.

MH: 

More selling and talking to larger audiences on a virtual or real stage. I hope I can watch more people gain fulfilment and enjoyment from growing food. I hope to play some part in improving health, as well as making contributions to a more sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle as people choose to be more physically and mentally healthier, happier and empowered when it comes to their health. 

SM: 

A better routine - more early nights and morning walks. A kinder self-narrative - I want to be kinder to myself and talk to myself the way I would talk to my friends 

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So, rather than wanting things to go back to normal, let us indulge in hopeful thinking. Let hope become your mind pivot that opens a new door to possibility, to dreams and positive change. Not all change is equal, not all change feels comfortable – it isn’t supposed to – but making empowered choices to change does usually feel pretty good once through the other side. A healthy shakeup can toss out the old and provide a lens to see more clearly what is, or is not, working. These moments in time can do wonders if you open your mind, body and heart to view change as an opportunity to fix what’s broken, strive for more or empower individuals to become their own leaders. In doing so, we help one another grow. And growing together we must.  

We hope you liked reading this piece as much as we enjoyed creating it. We hope you ponder some (or all) of these questions for yourself. And, if you feel like doing so or need an accountability partner to talk about short and long term goals and tell us YOUR hopes for the future we are here and ready to listen. 

MAKE LIFE MATTER MORE. See you in July.