When Hazmi first stepped into the oleochemical plant as a junior engineer, he wore ambition like a badge and pressure like a shadow. The humming machinery, the towering distillation columns, and the endless maze of valves and pipelines both thrilled and overwhelmed him.
But Hazmi had something most didn't—gratitude.
Even when he had to stay up until 2 AM for a shutdown or got scolded for a miscalculation on a P&ID drawing, he whispered a silent "thank you" to the universe. He was grateful for the opportunity to work with machines that most only studied in textbooks, and for the salary that helped his parents in the kampung pay off their debt. Each small win—an approval from his manager, a successful line flushing, or just a smooth morning start—was something to cherish.
Still, like every engineer worth their salt, Hazmi faced his challenges.
He struggled with his communication. The operators thought he was too ‘book-smart’. The technicians didn’t trust his decisions. His heat exchanger design? Over budget. His chemical cleaning procedure? Delayed production.
Instead of hiding from these problems, Hazmi wrote them down in a notebook he called “Lessons from the Boiler Room.” Every mistake was an entry. Every lesson, a new line of code in his personal firmware.
Eventually, Hazmi realized something else—the third lesson of life: acceptance.
He couldn’t control the weather during a tank cleaning job. He couldn’t control when a supplier delayed shipment. He couldn’t even control his own manager’s mood swings.
But he could control how he responded.
Rather than blame others, he prepared contingencies. Rather than explode in frustration, he took a slow walk to the control room, letting the hum of the DCS screens soothe him.
With time, acceptance turned to clarity—and clarity helped him find his goals.
He didn’t just want to survive his shifts. He wanted to lead shutdown turnarounds. He wanted to reduce energy usage by 15%. He wanted to build a safer, smarter plant. So he set goals—realistic but ambitious. Monthly improvement targets. Weekly team briefings. Personal KPIs. They weren’t always met, but they kept his compass pointing true.
But Hazmi knew he wasn’t alone in this.
He embraced feedback like an engineer embraces data.
He asked operators after every job, “What do you think we could do better?”
He asked his manager during reviews, “What’s the one skill you think I need to improve?”
He listened, nodded, and applied.
One day, a technician said, “You’ve changed, Hazmi. You actually listen now.”
That comment meant more than any certificate.
Ten years later, Hazmi stood at the front of the plant’s training hall, now a Senior Facilities Manager. A new batch of engineers sat in front of him, eager and nervous.
He looked at them and said:
“Engineering is not just about solving problems. It’s about growing as a human being.
Be grateful. Face your challenges. Accept what you can’t control. Set bold goals.
And always, always seek feedback. That’s how you turn bolts and beams into breakthroughs.”
And with that, he handed them a small booklet.
On the cover: “Lessons from the Boiler Room – By Hazmi.”
End.
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