The Iceberg

The Iceberg represents our leadership. The top 10% that's above the water level represents our skill. The remaining 90% below the water represents our character. It's what's below the surface that sank the Titanic.

Titanic, the largest passenger ship in the world. Whereby many believe it to be the "unsinkable", on the night of 14 April 1912 hit an Iceberg and sank two hours and forty minutes later. Results in the dealth of 1,500 people.

According to the author, there were 6 iceberg warnings given out before the hit. But due to the ignorance of the crew the Titanic sank, dragging along the lifes of hundreds of passengers.

The crew tended to forget the truth about icebergs. What they saw above the sea level may not have sunk the great ship, however most of an iceberg submerged in the water. We should not underestimate the power of an iceberg, and overestimate our strength.
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The iceberg is a good reflection of our characters. Characters are the 90% of the iceberg that is hidden below the "water", we are unable to identify it by a glance. Dr Tim Elmore suggested that our character is the total sum of our: Self disciplne, Core Values, Sense of identity, and Emotional Security.

Self discipline: the ability to do what's right even if you don't feel like it.

This affects your behaviour & lifestyle, for instance like saving habits. I believe most of us understand the importance of savings, it is the right thing to do, even though some times we feel like spending all of our money on luxury, holiday vacations, housing, cars, etc. Which is why income allocation is important in our part and parcel of life.

Core Values: principles you live by that enable you to take a moral stand.

It is very much depends on individual, everyone has different opinions on the same issue. But the most important note is that we must have the right attitude. The principles that help us to determine right & wrong, helping us to create values in our life not only morally but also financially.

Sense of identity: a realistic self-image

What do you potray youself as in ten years time? A realistic self-image that we want to look forward to. Being a millionaire is a dream to everyone, actually in fact it's not that difficult. Take the initiative to draw up a financial plan, why wait?! If it is really that hard than engage a qualified financial adviser, instead of taking advise from product peddlers or product pushers, ask them the right questions and be intelligent whe you dealing with them.

Remember there's once a saying "Success is not for the chosen few. Success is chosen by few."

Emotional security: the capacity to be emotionally stable and consistent

In the twenty-first century, what makes many of us feel uncomfortable are: recession, economic down turn, and raising inflation rates. Emotional security will come only when we have financial security.

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The bad news about an iceberg is that it's what's below the surface that sinks a ship. Without proper planning in life, the weak character will eventually damage our ability. To be optimistic, another point of view is that what's below the surface supports the tip of the iceberg. Similarly having a strong 'character', a good financial plan, will hold us up long enough to use our 'skills'.