I quipped to my wife: “Singaporeans do not know how to stop.”

It’s the same on the road. You know those go-straight-turn-right lanes? If a car gets stuck behind one turning right, the driver will quickly switch lanes—even when the car ahead is already completing its turn. Ironically, they probably waste more time switching lanes, but the perceived delay is unbearable.

Our national anthem, Majulah Singapura (Onward Singapore), embodies the spirit of progress—a mantra ingrained in Singapore since independence. But Singapore is like a bird with widespread wings but no claws; it cannot even perch on branches to rest.

While SG60 should be a celebration of our achievements, it’s also an opportunity for reflection. During the recent National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong remarked: “We’ve come a long way, but we cannot stand still.” Yet standing still is something Singaporeans almost never do. PM Wong doesn’t need to remind us; we’ve mastered the art of perpetual motion.

In my observations, Singaporeans rarely pause. We don’t stop to smell the flowers, listen to the birds, or admire the sunset. Instead, we hurry from one place to another, as if our lives depend on it.

Douglas Toh, a journalist from The Edge Singapore, aptly noted that Singaporeans are “first world in everything but behaviour.” I believe this stems from a siege mentality. We’ve been taught that as a tiny nation with no natural resources, we must work harder, move faster, and stay ahead to survive.

No doubt, survival is crucial. But as Captain B from Pixar’s Wall-E poignantly said: “I don’t want to survive. I want to live!” Indeed, Singaporeans must learn to live—not just survive. Survival is part of living, but living is so much more.

Even in organisations, survival mode often hinders progress. Companies too consumed by daily struggles fail to plan for the future. They move forward but remain stagnant.

Of course, we shouldn’t rest on our laurels. With rapid advancements in AI and technology, keeping pace is essential. Yet sometimes, the best way to move forward is to stop—to review the past, take stock of the present, and strategise for the future.

Migratory birds rest at designated stops to refuel before continuing their journey. Even Formula 1 cars require pit stops to win races. Singaporeans must learn to do the same.

Majulah Singapura—onward we go. But let us remember: progress isn’t just about moving forward. Sometimes, knowing when to pause is the first step toward taking a greater leap.

According to Speedtest Intelligence by Ookla, Singapore has a huge performance gap over its SEA neighbours, with a median fixed broadband download speeds of over 150 Mbps throughout 2021.

Thailand is close behind to Singapore, but the gap is huge if you look at Malaysia (75.91 Mbps), Vietnam (67.91 Mbps), and the Philippines (47.50 Mbps) markets.

Brunei and Laos are top two of the bottom four in the region with speeds of close to 30 Mbps. Indonesia and Cambodia were the slowest with median download speeds of 20.08 Mbps and 18.89 Mbps respectively.

To learn more, you can head over to the Ookla Insights report here.