Chasing My Ambition With No Fear

My unexpected career turn

Law was my first love. I read law at the University of Indonesia in the ‘90s and always thought I would become a lawyer in my professional career.?

But as fate would have it, I ended up entering the world of finance and banking instead. This started as a 16-year stint with Bank Mandiri, one of Indonesia’s largest financial institutions. I then moved on to payment service provider GHL Systems Berhad before finally landing my current role as 2C2P’s Partnership Director for Indonesia.

In total, I’ve been in this field for 22 years. And to think it all began from that one small step I took on campus all those years ago when I applied for a finance-related job opening.

Today, I dare say that payments is my passion. While I pretty much abandoned everything that had to do with law, I followed my heart, and now I’m settled in a fulfilling career.

The challenge of being a working mum

That said, the finance and payments industry is not entirely a bed of roses. As with any other industry, it comes with its own set of challenges. One of my biggest challenges in life happened when I accepted a promotion from Senior Manager to Assistant Vice President at Bank Mandiri.

At the time, I had to move from Jakarta to Palembang, a city one hour's flight away. I had also started a family and had two young children attending elementary school. Due to my job, I had to make the painful decision to leave my children behind.

I could only go home to be with my children once a week. And this went on for two and a half years. While my situation was difficult, I don’t regret what I did. The way I see it, life is full of risks and choices. You can never avoid curveballs, and neither can you predict definite outcomes.?

So you just have to do it and live it. Always take a step back and remember that you have the freedom to choose. I chose to step out of my comfort zone and take a chance to grow and develop. To me, nothing’s worse than the regret that results from not taking action to chase my dreams.?

Family and friends are indispensable

I wouldn’t be where I am today if not for my family and friends. My family gave me the support I needed when I worked in Palembang - they helped me care for my children while I was away at work.

My friends have also formed a massive pillar of support for me. While I have seen my fair share of friends coming and going, those who stuck around have been wonderful in supporting my life and career.

Always ask the essential questions

The German writer Goethe said that “doubt can only be removed by action.” This quote rings true for me, beginning from the time I started my career as a junior bank manager.?

One of my seniors at the time constantly enforced the importance of asking the necessary questions, emphasising that many successful professionals got to where they were because they were not afraid to dispel their doubts.

And this is advice I’ve held dear to my heart. In maintaining a curious disposition, you’ll always be able to learn and build your knowledge.

Drive communications in the workplace with empathy

Apart from asking questions, it’s crucial to infuse your workplace communications with empathy. Empathy is an integral part of what makes us human - by being emotionally attuned with others, you can improve how you interact with them.?

The first step to being empathetic in your communications? Listen. This action should be obvious, but people tend to forget that in communications, both speaking and listening carry equal weightage.?

Let others speak their mind and pay attention to what they have to say. And don’t forget to pay attention to their body language, too - this will be a tremendous help when you’re in talks with your partners or clients.

Outside of the workplace, empathy and emotional intelligence also apply significantly to your relationships, whether it’s with your friends or family members.?

To find out more about the importance of empathy, check out Daniel Goleman’s Everyday Emotional Intelligence - I can’t recommend it enough as it has inspired me to be more empathetic in my communications.

#LifeAt2C2P