Lasting impressions from the Olympics
by Justin Hooper
When we think about the Sydney Olympics eight years ago, for each of us there are one or two stand out memories. It could be Cathy Freeman’s 400m victory, Ian Thorpes’s gold medals or the wonderful work of the volunteers. What will your memory be of the Beijing Olympics?
Will it be Phelps 8 gold medals, the opening ceremony or something more universal? For me, in 8 or 10 years time I would hope I would have a more pleasant answer to the current impressions I have of the games. At the moment, I can’t get past the pollution! I can’t believe that after all the hype and money spent, and the wonderful facilities, the Chinese were unable to do much about the pollution. I couldn’t help think that no amount of money would encourage me to want to live in an environment where I struggle to breathe, ran risks of permanent health damage and potentially shorten my life significantly and could hardly ever see blue sky or any decent views.
Wow, for me the overwhelming impressions of the Olympics are my gratitude of living in Australia.
It made me think too of the saying “be careful what you wish for, because you may just get it”. How true that is.
I recently helped a client who a number of years ago had a goal to reduce his tax significantly. He had (and still has) very high income from employment and decided that above all he wanted to pay as little tax as possible. Years later he has achieved his objective but is now desperately unhappy and stressed. The reason? He’s borrowed significantly, bought commercial properties, interest rates have gone up, new developments have been built, his tenants haven’t renewed and the property values have fallen. He is paying no tax but his life is desperately unhappy.
His financial situation is affecting his marriage, his job and his health. Be careful what you aim at.
I have always thought the Chinese plan in centuries not even in decades. These Olympics have made me wonder whether this is still true. Have they became equally short term focused with a desperate desire to “catch up” at the risk of losing themselves and their ultimate happiness in materialism?
Unfortunately, my overwhelming impression at this stage of the Beijing Olympics is the Chinese are desperately trying to create an identity of technological, construction and sporting brilliance rather than a great society. We in the West can’t criticize; we have done that so well ourselves that most of us think were successful but something inside of us tells us different.
That’s the problem with being focussed on goals. We convince ourselves that they are what we want. But in reality, we are often just living out of our identities – we convince ourselves that our goals are what we should be aiming at but for some reason, even when we achieve them we’re no happier. There’s an empty feeling which we can’t explain.
If you don’t believe me, ask yourself these questions:
- do I compare myself to others even though I know I have been reasonably successful?
- am I striving for financial freedom so that one day I can be truly myself?
- do I feel chained to a job that limits me ability to express myself/
In a world fast changing to one of more authenticity, I wonder whether the Chinese would have preferred to have left a lasting legacy.
If you’re not completely conscious in life, you can’t be completely conscious in financial matters.
Justin Hooper,CEO, Sentinel Wealth Management, www.sentinelwealth.com.au