A famous violinist played amidst thousands of people on a busy morning at L’Enfant Plaza. In 2007, a cold January morning, Joshua played his $3.5 million violin in a busy commuter station. He was dressed in a casual t-shirt. You would expect people passing by to stop and listen to his melodious tunes. However, that was not the case. He played for 45 minutes.
In those 45 minutes, about 2000 people passed through. All of those people were rushing to go to work. About 20 people gave him money for his lovely tunes. He was playing classic melodies which have lived for centuries. Yet, only 6 people stopped briefly to listen to his tunes.
Are people so busy running that they forget to appreciate the little things in life? People did not understand the value of fine music in the middle of the metro station because it was very odd for a renowned violinist to play there. Yet, they would have cheered if Joshua Bell had played those very tunes in an amphitheater.
When he was finally done, no one applauded. There was no recognition. Nothing.
What do you think the experiment meant?
People were so busy with their modern day life that they ignored top class music. A girl who was learning to play the violin had quoted that if she was there, maybe she would not have recognized him without his usual elements. But this proves that people are trapped in a rat race. It can be said that a group of people travelling by train to their respective jobs is just like a herd of animal passing through fields.
Even the great musician could not change a thing. He could not make those people stop and listen to him.
When you are trading your life or precious hours mindlessly for a fixed salary, you risk being blinded to living a real life. Those people had become blind and deaf together because of their weekly schedules. Neither did they bother to hear the melodious tunes of a world class violinist nor did they recognize him. A busy life changes a man.
Most people trade 5 for 2
People work as hard as they can so they can earn 2 days of break. The people who passed by Joshua Bell might have noticed him if it were a weekend. If they did not have to rush to the office, they might have stopped for a while and listened. They might have even recognized him!
This means that your life does not start on a Friday night and end again on a Monday night. People work like zombies during the weekdays. During those 5 days, they ignore their surroundings. They are willing to give up their life and entertainment so that they can earn a “living” in those 5 busy days. How do they spend their hard earned cash? They enjoy by spending their cash on their weekends.
This is similar to having two best franchises in the world. First, 7-Eleven — you might work from 7am till 11pm daily to make ends meet. Second, you follow an “EESO” which means Saturday and Sunday ON! You also work during weekends when required.
So are you really trading 5 for 2?
If a person is living such a busy life, can he or she make some time for himself or herself? If you are working from 7 am till 11 pm, do you have any time to make plans? You will eat your dinner and go straight to bed after returning home because you have to wake up early the next day. That is the harsh reality. You will be living your weekday routine throughout the week because that’s your habit.
I am doing a lifestyle business that provide mobility freedom and flexible working hour. I can watch the earliest show of a movie at the cinema during weekday, which start before 12 pm. I get to buy the cheapest ticket, but manage to sit on the middle empty couple seat. In the afternoon, I can play basketball almost every day with some teenagers and college students. Sometimes, I take my parents for vacation during weekday and non-peak hours.
Ironically, it is also hard for me to arrange a weekday family getaway. I am also trapped in my weekday curse of a routine. I cannot escape the routine of trading 5 for 2. This is because I have a son who has to go to school every weekday. I also have a wife who is managing a business which is pretty hectic during the weekdays. I along with my family am somehow stuck trading 5 for 2.
Imagine this…
Life would have been really different if people did not have to trade 5 for 2. Imagine how life would have been for you if you did not have to follow the trade 5-2 weekly show. You could make time for things you actually enjoyed. You would not have been wasting precious time on working 5 days a week.
- You might have gone to the Bahamas!
- You might have written a novel. Anything could have been possible.
- You would have been free as a bird.
- There would have been no restrictions. You would not have to worry about going to the office on time every day and tolerate your boss.
- You could spend some quality time with your family.
- You would have appreciated all the small things in life.
In a 5-2 life, you would have hated the rain while travelling to work. But when you do not follow that life, you would actually appreciate the beauty of rain. You might even get drenched! Who doesn’t love getting drenched in the rain?
Try living your life without trading 5-2 and I guarantee you that it will be one of the happiest moments you can achieve in your life.
17 replies to "Are You Sacrificing Your Life For A Trade 5 for 2"
I was thinking…..perhaps in such a condition, the music or the tune he played is not suitable. It is not attractive enough despite being high quality. Furthermore music is very subjective just like beauty. Whether it is high quality or not, it is in the ears of the beholder.
Swapping 5 for 2…….the pressures of life demands that too. I divide my 5 days into 2 to have life….but I lose 1/2 of my income in this materialistic world. I gain time for myself and family but I lose opportunity to spend for myself & family. Which one is of high quality? Quality is unto the beholder. I am still going through this experience and hv yet to decide what is good and what is bad coz’ life is a roller coaster.
Hello KC, my take is – if you can’t do what you love, then love what you do. And life becomes rosy/rosier. You are not short-changing when you do this; but rather looking at the silver lining in every cloud. One has to be both a pragmatist and a dreamer; after all, you only have 1 life and this is not a dress rehearsal. Hence, best is always to begin with the end in mind
Hi KC, I think most of people could not escape the 5 to 2 system. It is either you are link directly to it as an employee or indirectly link to it due to your immediate family (spouse or child) engagement to the 5 to 2 system.
Even for full time stock investors who are out of the corporate rat race has linkage to the 5 to 2 system as they (stock investors) too would also have to work during market trading hours which operate from 9 to 5.
Hi KCLau.
Its true. We (Malaysians) were brought by saying “son you must study well to get a good results so that you will get a good job to have a good life”.
But life is still not good with the 9 to 5 job. Commitments are high and not easy to meet. Usually start doing part time to earn extra income. There again we trade for time.
It is a conterminous rat race. Not every body will get a chance to get out of this race.
Rgds
Raman
hi KC, I think it really depends on what one wants. Whether if someone like to venture into S/E , start new up business , family business or if no choice – E. It is not that bad to be in E after all, as long as you find something you like to do. FInd to be at the center of tri-triangle of passion, dream and money you will experience self actualization. For me as an employee, i love what i am doing as i can travel the world and have flexible hour of work but in return, i need to be on call 24hr and answer for $50 million of sale number per year, not to mention handling customer complaint and product quality issue. So there is no perfect job except you have are fu-erdai or if you have succeeded from your investment / business that provides you a fortune. LIfe is about give and take a little bit and pursuing what you want. I do not trade 5 for 2, i trade my 2 for 5 cause i enjoy what i am doing now from Mon to Fri.
That’s the best situation – working on something you like and pay the bills at the same time. You are a happy person!
Very true KCLAU, especially the 2nd part even if you free of 5-2, you’re bogged by your kids and wife etc programs too..so any ideas on ths?..2. kids?..home school programs? any webinar and options on home school or using newest tech here in malaysia?..i.e can go to school wherever in the world..jst a thought ,..i guess its readily avail out there somewhere if not here or its just a matter of time really.?
cheers
I think striking a balance is the best. When you have too much of something, it might turn worthless literally. For example, too much freedom and you might feel bored and live life without direction. Too relax – you might miss the sense of accomplishment, etc.
I left my job to have a long paternity leave. It has been 7 months now although I have just planned for 3 months. Due to some circumstances with the new job that have been offered, I was unable to start my work in August and then to Oct and next to Dec. Now, I am back to look for a job in 2017. As much as I would like to have the freedom just like how i experienced it for the past 7 months, however, my financial is limited and I need to come back to face the reality of 8am-7pm kinda of job (Notice I typed 8-7 rather than 9-5? cause u actually used lot of your time to commute to office and back to home later). I did spend quality times with family and friends but as KCLau mentioned, they too are trapped in 5-2 kinda thingy. So I am the only one who doesnt really trap in that during these periods. So if must, you have to get your family out the 5-2 kinda thing as well to really enjoy the true freedom.
True, which is kind of hard to pull off. Your family members have to live on the exact same value system. But each person is different and forming a family most of the time require compromise and sacrifice.
Many people work to live. No plan just work but it will come retirement when these ppl will be lost of what to do,their life is messed up,no more routine,nothing to do. Trading 5 for 2 can one day b trading 2 for 5. So start looking for something 5o do when retire or retrench.
KC,
I took a mini retirement in 2013 and left the trade 5 for 2 life. I had fun spending time with my first born. However due to financial commitment eg mortgage and loans, i had to return to the rat race.
If i decide to make another attempt of leaving trade 5 for 2 life, what would be your best advice to me? What did you do that enable you to maintain your current lifestyle without having to worry about ends meet?
I was a self-employed ever since I graduated with an engineering degree. So the fear is not that much compared to those who are contemplating to quit day jobs in the later years. The freedom, I work on a lifestyle business. I shared about the whole process here on this webinar: https://kclau.com/webinar/lifestyle-business/
True, it is meaningless to trade 5 for 2.
Good write up KCLAU cifu :-)
Hi, I’ve been reading your blog and I have to say that I’m one of them who trade 5-2. I’ve been wanting to leave my job for the past 2 years but somehow been dragging myself from doing so. I guess the uncertainty and the fear is too strong that make me still have the energy to go to work. On top of that, I’m not 100 % sure what sort of work can i do if I quit my job. Appreciate your opinion on this
Actually, it is not wrong of being an employee. The top CEOs, some of them are employees too. However, it is important to work on something that you feel good working on. If you hate your job, it might be the job functions, the company culture, the environment etc. Just make a change. It does’t have to be a drastic change. Small changes everyday will ensure progress too.