A Letter to My 100-Year-Old Self

Dear Mazlan,

I hope this letter finds you in good health—though, at 100, I imagine your definition of “good health” is quite different from what I know now at 64. Have you finally achieved the balance of wisdom, patience, and acceptance that I am still working on? Or are you still chasing new ideas, thinking about the next innovation, the next disruption, the next frontier?

I sit here today, reflecting on the years that have passed, and I wonder—what has changed?

Did You Finally Slow Down?

Let’s be honest, slowing down was never in your nature. Even now, people tell me to “take it easy,” to “relax,” but that’s just not who I am. You were always restless, always looking for something to build, something to improve. You loved the feeling of being in the middle of things—whether it was pioneering IoT solutions, pushing smart city initiatives, or mentoring young entrepreneurs.

Did you ever truly retire? Or did you redefine retirement in your own way, turning it into just another phase of productivity? Did you ever stop writing, stop speaking at conferences, stop brainstorming new projects? I doubt it. The fire to create has been in you since childhood—remember those early days when you imagined futuristic worlds after watching The Jetsons? Did you ever outgrow that curiosity?

I sincerely hope not.

Did FAVORIOT Become the Legacy You Dreamed Of?

I need to ask—what happened to FAVORIOT? In my time, it is still growing, still making an impact in the world of IoT. We have expanded to multiple countries, partnered with great companies, and empowered countless developers, businesses, and cities to leverage IoT for a better future. But where is it now, at 100?

Did it grow beyond expectations? Did it become an industry leader, a force to be reckoned with in the global IoT landscape? Or did it evolve into something unexpected, something I can’t yet imagine?

I hope you nurtured it well. I hope you surrounded yourself with the right people—the kind who believe in the vision as much as you do. Because ideas are nothing without the right execution, and a company is nothing without the right people.

Did you finally see Malaysia fully embrace smart cities, powered by IoT in ways we once dreamed about? Or are we still lagging behind, still dealing with bureaucracy, still convincing people of the importance of innovation? I wonder if you are reading this with a knowing smile, shaking your head at how impatient I was.

What Lessons Did You Learn?

If you could talk to me now, what would you tell me? What mistakes should I avoid in the years ahead? What regrets did you accumulate along the way? I know myself—I will always be driven by ambition, always thinking of what’s next. But did I ever pause enough to appreciate the now?

Did I spend enough time with family? Did I express my gratitude to those who helped me along the way? Did I leave behind a legacy of knowledge, inspiration, and kindness, or did I get too caught up in the chase for success?

I hope you learned to let go of unnecessary worries. Right now, I stress over things that perhaps, in the grand scheme of life, don’t really matter. Did all those small worries fade into irrelevance with time?

Did the World Change the Way You Hoped?

Technology is moving fast—AI, IoT, robotics, quantum computing. At 64, I see the world changing, but at 100, how much more has it evolved? Did humanity finally master AI in a way that benefits all of society, or did we lose ourselves in our creations?

Is technology still something we control, or did it end up controlling us?

And what about space exploration? Have humans finally set foot on Mars? Did Elon Musk’s vision become a reality? Or did the world get too distracted with its own problems to look beyond Earth?

More importantly, did people become kinder? Did society learn from its mistakes? Did we finally find a way to balance progress with humanity, innovation with ethics? Or are we still making the same mistakes, just with more advanced technology?

I hope we got it right.

Are You at Peace?

At 100, what do you think about when you wake up? Do you still carry the same fire in your heart, or have you finally learned the art of contentment? Do you smile more often, laugh more freely, appreciate the simple things more deeply?

I hope you’ve come to terms with the things you couldn’t change, the dreams that didn’t materialize, and the roads you didn’t take. I hope you have no regrets about the things you did pursue, the risks you took, and the people you chose to keep close.

I hope you’ve forgiven yourself for the mistakes of the past and have found joy in the memories that remain.

Final Thoughts

Mazlan, if there’s one thing I want you to remember, even at 100, it’s this—life was never just about achievements, numbers, or titles. It was always about the people you touched, the lessons you shared, and the passion you lived with every day.

So, if you’re reading this with tired eyes but a heart full of stories, then I know you lived well.

And if by some miracle you still have the energy to pick up a pen, write back to me. Tell me what I got right. Tell me what I was wrong about. But most importantly—tell me that you’re happy.

With admiration,

Mazlan (the 64-year-old version of you)