Success, redefined: Purpose and positive social impact
The Straits Times, 5 Aug 2024, Success, redefined: Purpose and positive social impact
SINGAPORE – Cash, car, credit card, condominium and country club. These were the “5Cs” once said to define success in Singapore.
While these are not bad things in and of themselves, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said such a narrow definition of success can lead to society becoming more frenetic – and competition more toxic – as Singaporeans seek to outdo one another.
In a six-minute video message on June 22 where he outlined his vision of the kind of society that he and his team of ministers hope to build, PM Wong said there needs to be a broader definition of success. This goes beyond the narrow metrics of academic and material achievements, and values every individual for who he and she is.
“Success is about excelling at what we do today, persevering at it and doing it with pride instead of worrying about status or rewards,” he said.
Evolution of success
The urgent push for industrialisation and economic growth in the 1960s and 1970s fostered a culture that highly valued academic excellence, career advancement and financial prosperity. Globally, the post-World War II era saw many countries equate success with economic recovery, industrial growth and political influence.
Today, the digital economy, environmental challenges and social justice movements have contributed to a redefinition of success. Many people are increasingly valuing purpose-driven careers, sustainability and social impact.
Finding purpose in one’s life has become a central component of success. This involves aligning one’s work and life with personal values, passions and a sense of contributing to the greater good. Success is often measured by a combination of personal fulfilment, meaningful work and positive social impact now.
The rise of remote work and digital nomadism comes in tandem with the desire for lifestyles that value personal well-being and freedom. Many covet experiences over possessions as they pursue travel, personal growth and community engagement.
Some countries are placing increasing emphasis on happiness and well-being as national goals. For example, Bhutan, which has pioneered the concept of gross national happiness, prioritises citizens’ well-being over mere economic growth.
In Singapore, the Government’s growing emphasis on holistic education, mental health and work-life balance signals that success is not solely defined by material gains. This was reinforced by the Forward Singapore dialogue sessions, which sought to refresh Singapore’s social compact, including the need for wider definitions of success and a stronger sense of collective responsibility towards one another.
Initiatives that promote volunteerism, social innovation and community engagement are helping individuals find deeper meaning and satisfaction in their lives. For example, the first Volunteer Festival, or VFest, was launched by the Ministry of Social and Family Development in July to encourage volunteerism, as part of its Year of Celebrating Volunteers in 2024.
PM Wong said more opportunities will be provided for Singaporeans to chart their own paths and pursue their own definitions of success.
Speaking to students from the universities, polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) at a dialogue on July 2, he said today’s students have access to far more opportunities than previous generations, with many more options and career paths.
Attitudes and mindsets are shifting, and more types of jobs are now respected. More people are opting to start their own business or take on less conventional careers.
“We all have our own abilities and strengths. There is no need to compare with others, to squeeze into boxes we are not meant to fit,” he added.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat also suggested 3Cs in place of the 5Cs at the Singapore University of Technology and Design’s Ministerial Forum in 2021: creating more value for society, caring about the environment and wider community, and charting the way forward.
Shared success
Human beings have a tendency to measure themselves against others, an impulse that needs to be checked, especially when the wide use of social media means that feelings of inadequacy are prone to be amplified.
PM Wong said in his video message that success is not a zero-sum game, adding: “We are all in this together, and we truly succeed only when we succeed together.”
He wants to see a Singapore where every Singaporean matters, and where everyone is valued for who he or she is, a sentiment voiced by participants in the Forward Singapore dialogues.
“One where we can all strive to be the best possible versions of ourselves. One where our success is defined by how we help each other to do well collectively.”
In his presidential campaign, themed “Respect for All”, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam called on Singaporeans to jointly build a culture of kinship and respect, and empathy for one’s fellow citizens. He urged people to bring out the best in one another, and feel that they truly succeed only when everyone succeeds together.
Today, success is not just about what one achieves as an individual, but how it is achieved, and the impact one has on others and the world.
By valuing personal fulfilment, meaningful work and positive social impact, society can create a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.
In education: holistic and lifelong learning is key to success
In a nation renowned for its academic excellence, stellar grades have long been the gold standard by which Singapore students, parents, and educators measure success.
Today, however, the definition of success in education is in the process of evolving, as the recognition grows of the toll that immense academic pressure takes on students.
At the same time, the global call for 21st-century skills such as critical, adaptive and inventive thinking, communication, and civic, global and cross-cultural literacy, also means that success in education has to encompass more than just academic achievements.
Beyond grades: a holistic approach
Success in today’s educational landscape is about nurturing well-rounded individuals who are not only book smart but possess strong life skills and social-emotional competencies.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has adopted some initiatives to increase the chances for success and promote holistic development. It has reduced the emphasis on mid-year exams and implemented full subject-based banding in secondary schools, for instance, which allows students to take subjects at levels that play to their strengths.
The Applied Learning Programme promotes hands-on learning for primary and secondary students, while Direct School Admission recognises talents and achievements beyond national examinations.
MOE also enhanced the Edusave awards beginning in 2024, to better reward students’ achievements in non-academic domains.
Students have more pathways to pursue their interests and strengths at polytechnics, the ITE, and other vocational routes.
This diversification of educational pathways underscores a key principle: success is not a one-size-fits-all journey. By valuing different talents, Singapore’s education system is aiming to become more inclusive and equitable.
Despite these moves to broaden the definition of success in education, however, parents and students say mindsets are slow to change, underscoring how it is very much a work in progress.
But change it must, with the future economy demanding multifaceted skills. PM Wong told about 900 students at the Singapore Management University on July 2 that those who position themselves to ride trends such as digital technology, artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability and the rise of Asia, will be in a good position for the future.
Beyond school: lifelong learning
The pace of acquiring skills and new knowledge will not let up as Singaporeans face the reality of having to change jobs every five years today, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.
Speaking at The Straits Times Education Forum 2022, he said: “The skills to learn, learn fast, unlearn, and relearn, become more important than getting a particular grade at a particular point in life.”
Sounding a similar note at the Institute of Policy Studies 35th Anniversary Conference in June 2023, PM Wong, when he was deputy prime minister, said formal education early in life is not the end point of Singapore’s meritocracy.
“Our refreshed meritocracy must be a continuous one, with learning opportunities at multiple junctures of life. Everyone must have the chance to try again, do better, and move forward in life years after leaving school,” he said.
Singapore’s Budget 2024 included a $4,000 top-up of SkillsFuture credits for Singaporeans aged 40 years old and above to encourage them to refresh their skills and progress in their careers.
PM Wong acknowledged it is impossible to remove pressure from the education system entirely.
He urged young people to try and find meaning and purpose in what they do, and to continue to excel and grow.
“Hopefully, with that attitude and mindset, you will feel less of a pressure to compare with others,” he said. “You will feel less of a pressure in society at large, and we can all flourish and thrive in our own ways.”
In sports: winning not the main measure of success
The life of a modern athlete bears little resemblance to the traditional office job. There are no work desks or computers, no office to clock in at, or typical work attire to put on.
Yet, make no mistake: Being an athlete today is undeniably a full-time role.
Swimmer Joseph Schooling dedicated himself entirely to his sport to win Singapore’s first Olympic gold medal at Rio 2016.
Runner Shanti Pereira’s full-time commitment to sprinting ended Singapore’s 49-year wait for track and field gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games held in 2023.
And with the Paris Olympics under way, kitefoiler Max Maeder aims to join their ranks, another example of how total dedication is essential to reaching the pinnacle of sports.
With these elite athletes, success tends to be measured by competition outcomes: the medals, records and rankings they have racked up.
This yardstick of success – “Did you win?” – trickles down to all levels of sport. But it is not, in truth, the best or even the most important one.
As interest and participation in sport continues to grow, it is important for young athletes to learn that success lies in setting personal goals and reaching them through hard work and tenacity. Sport is more about the process and the journey towards mastery than it is about medals.
Personal bests may not make headlines like world records, but it is undoubtedly a win for an athlete, even an elite one.
At the Hangzhou Asiad in 2023, a 427-strong contingent from Team Singapore – the Republic’s largest-ever – had its worst-ever haul of golds and overall medals this millennium. But top sports officials hailed the overall performance as “successful” with “significant wins” for Singapore’s athletes, citing the youthfulness of the squad. Of the 427 athletes, 334 were debutants.
At a press conference after the Games, Singapore Sport Institute chief Su Chun Wei said: “Many of these performances we have witnessed here in Hangzhou have inspired the Singapore spirit and united Singaporeans.”
His view that personal bests are triumphs to be celebrated is shared by the Government.
At a parliamentary debate in July 2023, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth Eric Chua urged Singaporeans to “not forget that it is not all just about medals” and said that sport also helps rally communities together, and foster national pride and cohesion.
“Rather, it is about journeying with our athletes as they work through their daily struggles in realising their maximum potential,” Mr Chua added.
Maybe more important than the podium victories are the victories over self-doubt and limitations, the courage to try, fail, and try again, over and over.
Olympian Schooling and sprint queen Pereira are rightly celebrated for their historic achievements, but equally inspiring are their personal stories of resilience and determination to overcome setbacks, disappointment and criticism to arrive at where they are.
Singaporean para-athlete Toh Wei Soong, who missed out on a bronze medal in the S7 50m fly by 0.16sec at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021 used the setback as fuel to work even harder. He goes into the Aug 28 to Sept 8 Paralympics in form, on the back of claiming three gold medals at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games in 2023.
Para-archer Nur Syahidah Alim also overcame a setback of her own in Tokyo, where she suffered a surprise exit before the quarter-final, by winning the women’s compound open title at the Asian Para Archery Championships in Bangkok in November 2023. The month before, she secured her maiden Asian Para Games medal – a silver in Hangzhou.
These athletes have pushed boundaries and paved the way for future generations to build on – and surpass – their achievements.
While gold medal hopes are high for teenager Max, he is not the only headline act for the Republic at the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. Everyone in the 29-strong Team Singapore contingent has worked tirelessly to be at sports’ marquee event, aiming not just to participate but to make his or her mark on the world stage.
While a medal may not be on the cards, each of them has a story to tell, an achievement to be proud of and a journey to look back on with pride.
Now, that’s success.