Life has made me more of a Type A person, & here's what I learnt

A few years ago, I bought my first property. A joint purchase with my sister, as we were both unmarried.

It was my mother’s idea. She told us it was a good investment for our future, giving us more returns than leaving our money sitting in the bank.

She readily channelled some of her savings, alongside mine and my sister’s, to help with the down payment.

Initially, I was hesitant about this purchase, because ownership meant responsibility.

I had to start paying a monthly mortgage for the first time, after staying under my mother’s roof all my life.

And my mom’s contribution from her savings was a big sacrifice. What if it affects her retirement plans, or her healthcare needs in the future?

Starting to plan ahead

These concerns pushed me to become more conscious about my finances.

I started budgeting and saving more, not just for myself, but also to make sure I can reciprocate my mom’s support and take care of her future too.

My mom has always been a planner. For many years, she worked towards the goal of helping my sister and I buy a property. She grew her own savings to help us by investing, budgeting, and taking on more work.

I used to think, “That’s so ‘Type A’ of her.”

Whenever she talked to me about my retirement plans, I didn’t take it seriously. It felt unnecessary to think so many years ahead.

But I saw that planning made my mom more assured.

And as I started to plan more like her, I saw why. Feeling a sense of security about my future lets me enjoy the present better.

Maybe I could do with becoming more Type A.

What makes someone Type A?

Frequently described as driven and goal-oriented, Type A personalities may feel a push to constantly be on top of things.

Type Bs, on the other hand, are typically characterised as people who just go with the flow. This can sometimes lead to the perception that they are disorganised.

But no one fits neatly into a single box and honestly, both approaches have their strengths and can learn more from each other.

While I didn’t previously see myself as Type A, as I grew older and took on more responsibilities, I felt a greater need to take charge of my future. My mom, on the other hand, had become more comfortable in taking things as they came as she grew older and looked forward to retirement.

Does the A in Type A then stand for adulting – planning ahead and having a backup plan – while the B in Type B stands for basking – basking in the moment and enjoying life as it unfolds?

I decided to talk to a few of my colleagues who I thought might be Type A-inclined, and realised that these traits can show up differently depending on the person and their circumstances.

And perhaps there’s something we can all learn from the different ways they go about having a Plan B.

Thinking of the future

Constance, 26, is just a little over a year into her first full-time job.

She remembers clearly how going from student to working adult has heightened her sense of urgency.

Not meeting deadlines feels far more consequential now than ever before. And unlike school, which comes to an end after several years, working life stretches on much longer.

She’s already starting to plan far ahead about how she wants her career to look like, how to get there, and how much savings she should have by a certain age if she wants a family.

A lot can happen in the next 10 to 20 years, she said. Would her career plans change if she starts a family?

While she likes having her future mapped out, she knows that not everything will happen according to plan. But she’s not letting uncertainty stop her from reaching her goals.

“I’ve probably prepared for all 50 outcomes of any scenario in advance,” she said with some pride.

For example, when travelling, she tends to book plane tickets that allow for modifications or partial refunds if her plans change. Having a backup plan gives her greater confidence about dealing with any hiccups, so that she can relax and enjoy her holiday.

If she has kids in the future, she wants to have more free time for her family. She’s already thinking about how she might make that work, such as switching to a job with more flexible hours or a work-from-home arrangement.

In case that means a drop in income, she has been building her wealth. At the end of every month, she would divide her salary up into savings and expenses, making sure she has a comfortable amount saved for future needs.

Preparing for the unexpected

Fasiha, 29, knows that even the most carefully made plans can sometimes be thrown off course.

During a routine health check-up, she was surprised to discover signs of pre-diabetes and a hormonal imbalance triggered by stress.

As someone who plans everything meticulously and lives by her Google calendar, it was an unexpected wake-up call for her.

Since getting the results, Fasiha has taken steps to better look after her health, including making changes to her diet, and incorporating pilates and strength training into her workout routine.

This experience reinforced the importance of preparing ahead for the unexpected.

Now that she has recently bought a Build-to-Order (BTO) house with her husband that will be ready in 2027, this mindset has also shaped how she is preparing for her new home.

A fire extinguisher and insurance to cover her mortgage are among the things she plans to get.

Fasiha knows that these precautions might not protect against everything that might happen. But it certainly helps to put her mind at ease and feel better prepared for any unexpected situations that might spring up.

Taking care of the family

Becoming a mother has made 30-year-old Angela more intentional about planning.

These days, when her family goes on a holiday, the first thought that comes to her mind is everything her child might need, such as the weather-appropriate clothes and a bag full of medicine if her child happens to fall sick.

“When my kid was five months old, we brought her to Korea in January. It was extremely cold,” she recalled.

“So I brought three down jackets for her, one normal jacket, a windbreaker… I also had to prepare medicine in case she fell sick.”

“Every decision feels like it has a ripple effect!” she said. “And without planning forward, it stresses me up a lot.”

But, as contradictory as it might sound, it also gives her a peace of mind.

When her daughter got a fever in Korea, the fever patches Angela packed came in handy, helping to bring the fever down in two days.

She was grateful and relieved that she had planned for such an emergency.

“I will always rather be overprepared.”

Preparing for life

Life can be full of surprises. It’s not a bad idea to take a Type A attitude and plan ahead for the unexpected so that you can feel more confident about tomorrow.

To support you through life’s changing needs, HSBC Life recently launched a new term insurance plan designed to provide comprehensive protection during years of peak financial responsibility, while offering the flexibility to adapt to changing needs.

HSBC Life Term Protect Secure offers optional riders, with comprehensive coverage of up to 170 critical illnesses, total and permanent disability, and more.

And as your responsibilities ease later in life, the built-in FlexiMilestone benefit¹ lets you take a payout when you exercise your option, either partially or in full.

Need more coverage? You can upgrade it with no additional medical underwriting at key life milestones² such as when there’s a change in marital status or you’re welcoming a new child, to get more protection for your loved ones.

Whether you’re Type A or Type B, we all have our own ways of preparing for the things that matter, and having the right protection can be one of them. Find out more about HSBC Life Term Protect Secure here.

This branded article by HSBC Life reminded this writer that planning ahead can be a form of self-care.

Disclaimer:

Terms and conditions apply. Protected up to specified limits by SDIC. This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

¹FlexiMilestone Benefit is a one-time option available during the specified exercise period under eligible policies. Please refer to the product summary for terms and conditions.

² This option allows you to increase the sum assured for the basic plan and eligible riders at key life events, without evidence of good health, subject to eligibility and applicable limits. Refer to the product summary for the full list of life-stage events and conditions.