A Mother’s Day Reflection on Leadership, Time, and Eternal Impact

Intellect can solve problems; wisdom sees beyond them. In leadership, it’s tempting to rely solely on intelligence and strategy. Yet, true wisdom involves understanding the deeper implications of our actions and decisions.

It’s past midnight. We’ve just returned from Kluang, from a 70th birthday celebration that has somehow clarified the fog I’ve been walking through. Today is Mother’s Day—but the depth of this day goes beyond flowers and cards. It’s a reflection on life-giving leadership, the weight and wonder of legacy, and the quiet, eternal brilliance that only becomes visible when we pause long enough to see it.

My mental state had been battered in the days before. Not from chaos, but from accumulation—a quiet storm that weighs, not wails. But this morning, I noticed something shift. The sighs were still there. But the sting was gone.

And in the quiet of that emotional aftermath, something whispered:

“Sometimes, healing isn’t loud. Sometimes, it’s simply the absence of pain.”

Sometimes it takes two hands to clap, yes. But sometimes, it takes only one choice: the decision to love anyway. To stay. To believe. To show up again—not because it’s easy, but because it matters.

The Morning Whisper

Mother’s Day isn’t just sentimental. It’s structural.

I was raised in a house of women—my mom, my sisters, all now mothers themselves. And over the years, I’ve observed a consistent truth: it is the mother who often holds the emotional weight of a family.

When a child is upset, they run to mom. When comfort is needed, when words are insufficient, when something just feels off—it’s the mother who instinctively knows. Not always because she was taught, but because she carried the child inside her.

And maybe that’s the key to the mother’s unmatched connection: she literally made space in her body for another to grow.

Why Mothers Matter (and What They Teach Us About Leadership)

Mother’s Day isn’t just sentimental. It’s structural.

I was raised in a house of women—my mom, my sisters, all now mothers themselves. And over the years, I’ve observed a consistent truth: it is the mother who often holds the emotional weight of a family.

When a child is upset, they run to mom. When comfort is needed, when words are insufficient, when something just feels off—it’s the mother who instinctively knows. Not always because she was taught, but because she carried the child inside her.

And maybe that’s the key to the mother’s unmatched connection: she literally made space in her body for another to grow.

The Womb as a Leadership Analogy

What if leadership was more like pregnancy than war?

• What if legacy required us to make space inside ourselves—emotionally, mentally, spiritually—for others to form?
• What if leadership wasn’t just about direction, but about formation?
• What if true leadership was womb-like—invisible, painful, nurturing, and ultimately life-giving?

As I placed my hand on my wife’s belly this morning, I felt our daughter kick. It wasn’t poetic—it was biological. And yet… it was poetic.

Because that kick reminded me: when you give life to another, you don’t lose yourself—you multiply yourself.

This is the paradox of both motherhood and leadership.

Wisdom Over Intellect: Embracing the Eternal Perspective

As leaders, we’re often praised for intellect—quick thinking, sharp insight, efficiency.

But today reminded me of something far more precious: wisdom.

Not the cleverness that wins arguments.

Not the innovation that breaks the internet.

But the eternal perspective that shapes a life.

It’s the kind of wisdom that:

• Slows down when the world speeds up.
• Chooses legacy over visibility.
• Knows that who you’re becoming is more important than what you’re building.

Biological Wisdom: Fetal Microchimerism

Consider the scientific phenomenon of fetal microchimerism—where fetal cells migrate into the mother’s body during pregnancy and stay for decades. They’ve been found in her heart, brain, lungs, and skin. These cells repair wounds. They help her heal.

This isn’t just biology. It’s a leadership parable.

Great leaders—like fetal cells—leave traces long after they’re gone. They don’t just pass through systems and teams—they remain inside them, quietly healing, quietly shaping.

Wise leadership doesn’t just influence outcomes. It transforms the people who carry it forward.

Shine from Within: The Power of Quiet Brilliance

In a world that rewards noise, performance, and attention… mothers remind us: quiet brilliance is powerful.

Think of the placenta.
It doesn’t make speeches. It doesn’t trend.
But for nine months, it serves as the baby’s lungs, kidneys, immune system—silently sustaining life.

That is leadership.

And the best leaders?

• Build cultures, not campaigns.
• Foster resilience, not dependency.
• Remain consistent—even when unseen.

We’re not called to outshine others.
We’re called to shine from within.

Kok Hwee: A Life Lived on Purpose

In the evening, we drove to Kluang to celebrate a man named Uncle Kok Hwee on his 70th birthday.

Honestly, I was hesitant. It was a long drive, and I was tired. But something told me: you may not get this chance again.

And I’m so glad we went.

Because what I witnessed was not a birthday.

It was a masterclass in legacy leadership.

Here was a man whose children love him, whose wife adores him, whose friends from university days (40 years ago!) flew in to honour him. Politicians. Business leaders. Faithful mentors. All gathered not for obligation—but out of deep respect.

He ticked every box of the 4 Healths:

• Physical health ✔️
• Mental health ✔️
• Emotional health ✔️
• Spiritual health ✔️

And above all, his life radiated a quiet brilliance—one that didn’t demand attention, but drew it.

He didn’t build a brand. He built a life.

Case Study: Yvon Chouinard – The Patagonia Decision

In 2022, Patagonia’s founder gave away his $3B company to a climate trust. No press conference. Just a simple letter.

Why? Because some leaders don’t need the spotlight.
They operate from the womb—quietly, courageously, generationally.

Deloitte reports that purpose-driven leadership drives:

• 30% higher innovation
• 40% higher team trust
• 25% higher retention

Purpose-led leadership isn’t just ethical. It’s effective.

And it mirrors the womb: unseen work that sustains life far beyond its origin.

Legacy Is What Others Become Because of You

At the celebration, people testified about Kok Kwe’s life—not about how smart he was, but how good he was.

They spoke of his values. His kindness. His generosity. His faith.

He wasn’t the loudest.

He wasn’t the richest.

He was the most consistent.

And that’s when I realised: legacy isn’t what you do for yourself—it’s what others become because of you.

Leadership is not about climbing. It’s about carrying.

You don’t rise to the top to escape others. You rise to lift them with you.

That’s righteousness. That’s significance. That’s the kind of influence that multiplies long after you’re gone.

Endure Like Stars: Legacy Over Limelight

Stars shine not for themselves, but for the world.

Their light travels vast distances—even long after the star itself is gone.

Pregnancy is the same.

Research shows that childbirth and breastfeeding can biologically reverse aging in women by 3 to 8 years. That’s right—while pregnancy is demanding, it’s also regenerative.

And so is leadership.

When you give your life to others—you don’t just grow them.

You grow yourself.

This is the paradox:

The world says you lose when you give.

But the truth?

You gain eternal weight.

The Regret That Taught Me Again

Earlier that day, I missed a photo with my mother-in-law during Mother’s Day celebration.

It seems like a small thing—but it pierced me.

Because I know our days are numbered. And moments don’t wait.

In leadership—and in love—we think we’ll have more time.

But we don’t.

And so today was my reminder:

• Take the photo.
• Make the trip.
• Say the words.
• Forgive the slight.
• Honour the elders.
• Hug the children.

Because if you don’t—you might still be “successful.” But you’ll miss the legacy.

Reverse Insight: More Blessed to Give Than to Receive

Motherhood is sacrificial.

So is leadership.

The world tells you to keep, protect, accumulate.

But the womb teaches otherwise:

You get stronger by giving life away.

You grow not by adding titles, but by giving your time.

You’re remembered not by what you took, but by what you gave away.

And that’s the leadership I want to model.

Not sharp. But deep.

Not busy. But present.

Not temporary. But eternal.

Just like a mother.

Just like the wise.

Just like Uncle Kok Kwe.

Final Thought: The Legacy Loop

Tonight, I plant this reflection into my subconscious.

I want my future self to remember:

This is what 70 can look like.

A life where joy is present. Friends are faithful. The body is whole. The spirit is light.

And most of all—where love has multiplied beyond the visible.

Legacy isn’t a result.

It’s a loop.

It starts in the womb of sacrifice.

And it lives forever in the hearts of those we’ve quietly shaped.

So today, on Mother’s Day—I honour the womb.

And I choose to lead like a mother.

Because some of the strongest leaders… never held a microphone.

They held a child.

And in doing so, they held the world.