You know how our parents often have a huge influence in our upbringing and hence who we are as adults. I’ve been doing some thinking about that lately and it’s so true. The lessons my Mom and my Dad have taught me growing up have really shaped who I am.
So starting with my Dad I’ve decided to compile the things that my Dad has said so that perhaps one day my kids can grow up and read these quotes. Some of these are not necessarily his exact quotes (because I may not remember them word for word) but reconstructed based on his meaning of what I remember him telling me.
Here they are:
1. On investing in Property
“There is no such thing as ‘cannot lose money in property’. I’ve seen in my lifetime many sharp property market crashes that have bankrupted people”.
2. On Banks
“Bankers only want to lend you money when you don’t need it”.
3. On Taking Things For Granted
“Never take anything in life for granted. Even your wife or your kids could leave you”.
4. On Health
“When you don’t have health, nothing else matters”.
5. On investments that sound too good to be true
“I am cursed to never successfully earn easy money in my life. So I avoid opportunities to make easy money and only focus on making it the hard way”.
6. On Kids
“When you are old and helpless and only then will you know which of your kids really love you”.
7. On reading contracts
“Always read a contract line by line 3 times before you put pen to paper”.
8. On Sports
“Always buy the most expensive equipment. So if you lose you have nothing else to blame on but yourself”.
9. On being a professional in a powerful position
“Never be cocky when you have power as a result of a job you have. For once you lose it, you will once again be a nobody but everybody will remember what an asshole you were when you were somebody”.
10. On cars
“You can tell how safe a car is by the sound the door makes when you shut it”.
11. On the money in your bank account.
“Never tell anyone how much money you have.”
12. On religion
“Believe in whatever religion you want but don’t impose it on anybody”.
13. On appearing too smart
“Remember that empty vessels make the most noise, and nobody likes a smart alec”.
14. On the value of money
“Always remember how hard it is to earn money, and how easy it is to lose it”.
15. On making decisions
“Never make a decision when you’re emotional. It is most certainly always the wrong one”.
16. On planning something
” When planning something, always be patient. Get everything in perfect order before you strike”.
17. On the need to have a check and balance on everything
“When there is an opportunity to cheat or steal, it’s not a matter of who will do it, but when it will happen”.
18. On envy
“Never create jealousy. It will only bring harm to you”.
19. On being wronged
“When someone does you wrong, forgive but never forget”.
20. On the way to treat people around you
“Treat everyone with equal respect irregardless of who he is”.
21. On choosing an opponent
“Never pick a fight with someone with less to lose than you”.
22. On family
“Blood is thicker than water until money gets in the way”.
23. On humility
“Always treat people well on your way up, because you will see the same people on your way down.”
24. On keeping with the law
“You can do anything you want in life but never anything do illegal. It is never worth it.”
and here’s a last one
25. On Traveling
“When you travel you only need to remember to bring 3 things. Passport, air ticket and money. Anything else you forget can be bought”. (This was from the days where we couldn’t just buy air tickets online).
Timothy Tiah – Co-Founder of Colony, Kuala Lumpur Co-Working Space