“Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late” - Benjamin Franklin
I'm currently in Hawaii since my Mom now lives here. After her birthday last May 29, she was rushed to the hospital one early morning as she felt very weak and her feet were sore. She was diagnosed as having chronic kidney failure so she had to undergo several dialysis treatments until now. Aside from that she had a double bypass surgery the other day. She already came out from ICU and is now recovering very well.
Prior to going to the US about 3 years ago, she already had diabetes and she brought all her medications with her. One of the problems were she was doing self-medication for the past 2 years and it was only recently that she had a proper checkup with a doctor in Hawaii. She used to say "tsaka na lang" as she was quite busy with work.
As I was watching her in the hospital today, I was reading Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational - The Hidden
Forces That Shape Our Decisions". The chapter I read today is about "The Problem of Procastination and Self-Control" (Why We Can't Make Ourselves Do What We Want to Do.
He talked about Americans having big homes, big cards, big screen plasma TVs but the problem is they have the biggest decline in personal savings rate..that Americans have succumbed to rampant consumerism...and the recent explosion of consumer credit...i.e. the average American family has six credit cards...
He then asks..why can't Americans learn to save part of their paychecks, as they know they should? Why can't they resist those new purchases? Why can't they exert some good old-fashioned self-control?
To add further, we promise to save for retirement, but we spend the money on a vacation or big purchases. We vow to diet, but we surrender to the allure of the dessert cart. We promise to have our cholesterol checked regularly and then we cancel our appointment. WHY DO WE LOSE THE FIGHT AGAINST PROCRASTINATION SO FREQUENTLY?
Dan Ariely defined procastination as simply "giving up on our long-term goals for immediate gratification."
Anyway, this "tsaka na lang" o procastination problem is everyone's problem, whether American o Filipino.
Lessons learned:
- In health, preventive medicine is generally more cost -effective than remedial or corrective approach. Prevention means getting health exams on a regular basis and LIVING A HEALTH LIFESTYLE before problems develop.
- In personal finance, we often hear PAY YOURSELF FIRST. This means every pay check, save first before you spend. But this is SO HARD TO DO for most of us!!!
- In terms of insurance, my prospects would often say "tsaka na lang" ako kukuha ng life insurance or critical illness. Di ko pa kailangan. Then. they will often ask you later pag may sakit na sila or they are uninsurable already.
- In the bible, John the Baptist said that we need to change our ways for the Kingdom of God is at hand. But normally, we only change AFTER going through some personal crisis....
- In our relationships, we often take for granted the people who are close to us....Carole King sang "and it's too late, baby, now it's too late...though we really did try to make it...something inside has died..."
- In sports, before the Bradley boxing match, Manny Pacquiao said "tsaka na lang" ako lalabas, nanunuod pa ako ng Boston Celtics vs. Heat game...nagalit tuloy mga judges sa kanya...=)
While in the hospital, I met Manang Teofila, she is a 71 years old Filipino immigrant and she is a cleaner here. I said to Manang that I am impressed with her that despite her age, "masipag pa rin sya" coz she is still working. She said na "kailangan ko pa rin magtrabaho kase para makatulong sa mga apo ko sa Pilipinas na naka depende sa akin." She further explained that "wala naman kase ako naiipon kase pag may kailangan ng tulong sa pamilya ko sa Pilipinas eh nagpapadala ako. Katulad nun pinambili ng jeepney ng anak ko."
What would you feel if you heard her story??? She is already 71, still working hard, and yet has no savings for her retirement... I was an OFW before and I "emphatise" with Manang Teofila. I used to say when I was earning British pounds, "tsaka na lang ako magiipon kase I need to enjoy life while in a foreign country and as long as I support my family."
Procastination. Tsaka na lang. Bahala na.
Do we really have to wait for a "painful" experience before we can change for the better???
Hope this helps.
Ge
