What does it mean to build a meaningful career in a world filled with endless choices? And how do we make decisions with clarity when the pressure to choose perfectly can leave us feeling stuck?

In this episode, I’m delighted to speak with Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, about leadership, decision-making, and the mindset shifts required to navigate an increasingly complex world.

Minister Ong reflects on his unconventional career journey from receiving a Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarship and serving in the Administrative Service, to roles in the labour movement, the private sector, and eventually politics. Rather than following a meticulously planned path, he shares how many of life’s opportunities have unfolded through circumstance, responsibility, and a willingness to learn along the way. His story challenges the modern idea that careers must be perfectly engineered to be successful.

We also explore how modern-day abundance of choice can make decision-making harder rather than easier. We discuss how today’s generation faces far more options than before - in career, relationships, and personal paths, yet often experience greater anxiety and dissatisfaction as a result.

Minister Ong also shares his own philosophy for navigating difficult decisions: “Focus on what truly matters, avoid unnecessary regret, and accept that not every choice needs to be optimised. By resisting the temptation to endlessly analyse every option, we create space for greater clarity and forward momentum.”

In this episode, I’m delighted to speak with Minister of State Rahayu Mahzam, Ministry of Digital Development and Information, on youth wellbeing, balancing authority and humanity in leadership, and what civic responsibility looks like in Singapore’s digital age.

MOS Rahayu shares her journey from legal practice and long-standing volunteer work to being invited into politics, a path she never actively sought but gradually stepped into as her advocacy for people and the community deepened. Her reflections reveal a leadership philosophy grounded in service, empathy and authenticity.

We also unpack the psychological and social implications of growing up online and discuss rising mental health concerns among the youth, the role of government in setting guardrails, and the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration, from legislation to grassroots networks in shaping a healthier digital culture.

This conversation is also deeply personal. MOS Rahayu reflects on the realities of being a woman in leadership, navigating high-stakes decision-making while also being a mother and partner. Rather than framing it as “having it all,” she acknowledges the trade-offs, the inevitable imperfections, and the ongoing negotiation between competence and vulnerability.

Resources Mentioned:

Predictors of screen viewing time in young Singaporean children: the GUSTO cohort - A longitudinal Singapore study tracking child development and health outcomes from birth, providing insights into early influences on wellbeing. ⁠https://rdcu.be/e5WwU⁠

Mind-set Matters: Exercise and the Placebo Effect by Alia J.Crum and Professor Ellen J. Langer - Research demonstrating how identity beliefs influence behavioural change ⁠https://dash.harvard.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/7312037c-7142-6bd4-e053-0100007fdf3b/content⁠

Guidance on Screen Use in Children by Ministry of Health Singapore - National guidelines offering recommendations for healthy digital use among children and adolescents. ⁠https://isomer-user-content.by.gov.sg/3/dc21db37-3dde-4cdb-9b9f-773d93c93f93/Guidance%20on%20Screen%20Use%20in%20Children%20(18%20Jan)-clean.pdf⁠

Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act (Singapore) – Legislation aimed at providing victim-centric recourse against online harms. ⁠https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/OSRAA2025/Uncommenced/20260221020925?DocDate=20251208⁠

Touch Community Services – A community agency supporting families and individuals, including digital parenting and youth wellbeing initiatives. ⁠http://touch.org.sg/⁠

Where to Find MOS Rahayu Mahzam

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/rahayumahzam/?hl=en⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/RahayuMahzamSG/?ref=NONE_xav_ig_profile_page_web#⁠

Threads: ⁠https://www.threads.com/@rahayumahzam?xmt=AQF0_0FwsovncTXuYjn31kJnoQwKkFftUNgQisdHxuJjZW0⁠

In Part 1 of our conversation with Jutka Freiman (Ep 66) , we explored yin and yang energy, soul maintenance, and what it means to slow down without panic. In Part 2, we go deeper—into the Enneagram, one of the most powerful tools for self-understanding you'll ever encounter.

Crystal and renowned therapist Jutka Freiman break down the Enneagram not as a personality quiz, but as a map of your unconscious patterns—the strategies you developed early in life to feel safe, loved, or in control. And here's the thing: Those strategies worked when you were seven. They might be running your life now.

Jutka explains why the Enneagram shows you how to move from compulsion (from I have to, I must, I can't help it) to choice (I'm aware of the underlying pattern, and I'm choosing something different).

This conversation will help you see yourself more clearly than you ever have before. And once you see the pattern, you can't unsee it. That's when real transformation becomes possible.

Extra resources:

The Nine Enneagram Types (Overview)

• Type 1 – The Perfectionist: Fear of being wrong or bad; driven by the need to be good and right
• Type 2 – The Helper / Giver: Fear of being unloved or unwanted; driven by the need to be needed
• Type 3 – The Achiever: Fear of being worthless; driven by the need to succeed and be admired
• Type 4 – The Individualist: Fear of being ordinary or without identity; driven by the need to be unique and authentic
• Type 5 – The Observer / Investigator: Fear of being incompetent or overwhelmed; driven by the need to understand and conserve energy
• Type 6 – The Loyal Skeptic: Fear of being without support; driven by the need for security and guidance
• Type 7 – The Enthusiast: Fear of being trapped in pain; driven by the need for freedom and stimulation
• Type 8 – The Challenger / Protector: Fear of being controlled or vulnerable; driven by the need for autonomy and strength
• Type 9 – The Peacemaker: Fear of conflict and disconnection; driven by the need for inner and outer peace

Compulsion vs. Choice: The Heart of the Work

• Compulsion: "I have to, I must, I can't help it" (autopilot, driven, no agency)
• Choice: "I see the pattern, and I'm choosing something different" (awareness, agency, freedom)

How to Use the Enneagram for Growth

• Step 1: Identify your type (and be honest—it's the one that makes you uncomfortable)
• Step 2: Notice your pattern in real-time ("Oh, there I go again...")
• Step 3: Name the compulsion ("I'm feeling the need to fix/control/prove/escape...")
• Step 4: Choose wisely ("What would it look like to not do the thing I always do?")
• The Enneagram doesn't change your type—it gives you freedom within your type Common Misconceptions About the Enneagram
• It's not about putting yourself in a box—it's about seeing the box you're already in
• Your type doesn't limit you—it shows you where you're already limited
• You don't "become" another type—you integrate the healthy parts of other types
• The goal isn't to transcend your type—it's to be the healthiest version of your type

How to Find Your Type (If You're Not Sure)

• Read descriptions and notice which one makes you defensive (that's probably it)
• Ask: Which core fear feels the most uncomfortable to admit?
• Pay attention to what you do under stress—that's often the tell
• Work with a qualified Enneagram coach or therapist (don't self-type based on internet quizzes alone)