“This isn’t what I wanted,” she thought. But for the sake of her family, she accepted.
On her first day, the thick smell of crude palm oil clung to the air, the machines roared, and male colleagues cast doubtful eyes.
“A woman won’t last long here,” one supervisor muttered .
Many might have quit. But Hana chose another path: to endure.
Grit Is Not Just Passion, But Habit
Every day, Hana arrived earlier than most. She read through old engine manuals, took notes, and learned directly from operators. At night, she revisited technical journals, filling notebooks with her observations.
Her peers laughed. “Why bother? Tomorrow the machines will break down again.”
But Hana knew: success doesn’t belong only to the talented, but to those who persist repeatedly .
From this, she built habits:
Consistently writing reports.
Consistently checking machines in the rain.
Consistently coming to meetings with ideas .
From Failure to Recovery
Once, a project under her lead failed, and fingers quickly pointed at her. Hana nearly lost her resolve.
But she remembered her ROTU (Reserve Officer Training Unit) days: “Fail forward — failure is data, not defeat.”
She reorganized the plan, learned from the mistakes, and eventually created a Preventive Maintenance System that saved the company massive costs .
A Deeper Purpose
Hana realized life was never just about a paycheck. Every time she saw mill workers’ children smiling as they received school aid, her heart filled with meaning.
“Happiness isn’t pleasure, it’s purpose,” she whispered .
That purpose ignited her passion — turning palm oil into not just a career, but a calling.
The Peak of Leadership
After eight years, Hana was appointed as the First Female Palm Oil Mill Manager. From a once-dismissed engineer, she now stood before hundreds of workers.
At the podium, her voice trembled but was firm:
> “I am not the smartest person. I am just the one who never stopped trying.”
The Essence of Grit in Hana’s Life
1. Problems never disappear – learn to enjoy life while solving them .
2. Small daily habits build the future .
3. Effort + attitude are the only two things under your control .
4. Just start, answers will follow .
5. Purpose matters more than short-term pleasure .
6. Hope fuels perseverance, even after failure .
🌟 Conclusion
Hana’s journey proves that grit — the blend of passion and perseverance — matters more than raw talent.
She began in a career she never asked for, faced failure, and endured doubt because of her gender. Yet through grit, Hana not only succeeded but became a symbol: that true achievement doesn’t belong to the gifted, but to those who never stop moving forward .
📚 References / Footnotes
1. Lakshmanan, S. (2022). Palm Oil Industry in Malaysia: Efficiency & Transformation. Sandakan Refinery Journal.
2. Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner.
3. Ericsson, K. A. (2006). The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance. Cambridge University Press.
4. Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press.
5. Frankl, V. (1946). Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press.
6. Seneca. Letters from a Stoic. Penguin Classics.
7. Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living. Delta.
8. Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting Blessings Versus Burdens. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
9. Seligman, M. (2002). Authentic Happiness. Free Press.
#blog #blogger #kembarainsan #manager #manager #engineer #management #grit
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