no disaster is real disaster

In this post, I will reveal to you my first best kept secret. - I'm currently praying that it's not going to be something I regret for the rest of my life ;p

Here it goes...after high school I told my parents that I didn't want to go to university. I didn't even make the effort to take the national test or application or whatever you call it back then in 1990's. What I wanted was to be a housewife or airline stewardes, but off course my parents objected to both. Housewife to young and stewardes over their dead body as my dad, back then, was the executive vice president of the nation's flag carrier. So no way!!! So with all my learning handicaps...just for your information, so you know me better;when I was in high school, I never actually open my text books. I mean never!!!. I cheat during class tests and before report day, I would go to my parents "parcel storage room" (it's a room where my parents store the parcel's that they get from business associate that they haven't opened) with my friends and took blenders, VCR, chocolate, or even TV and wrapped it to bribe the teachers. That's how I survive high school. Well, I'm not saying that I'm dumb...I know I'm not. But I know my talents..I'm a great negotiator, debator, seller ( I can sell anything - I guess that's the reason I'm in advertising), I'm creative, I have leadership, a trend setter and I was popular in both good and bad ways. And what actually helped my carreer now (strangely) is I love to party and socialize. School for me was secondary..party was primary.

Anyway, one day my dad told me that he found a school that is to my criteria. I wanted only to study not more than 3 years and it had to be abroad. So, my dad enroll me to a hotel management school in Singapore.

I enjoyed Singapore immediately as I lived in that city for 5 years before when my dad was stationed there as asia's area manager of the national flag carrier I told you earlier. I lived alone - total freedom - and at 17 no parents and money...what would you do??? Naturally I partied, shop and fool around...I had a fantastic time and wasted alot of money that now I regret if thinking about it. So naturally, how can I graduate?? - the secret: I never graduated. Until this day.

But strangely enough, it's actually the reason why I am what I am today. A general manager of a multinational advertising agency. Actually, I became a GM when I was 29 and I was the youngest GM in the network. Even today my friends are amazed to what I have achieved. My parents and me personally too. Do you know why? It's because I work so hard to ensure that I performed, exceed and succeed, in order to distract my parents from asking for my diploma. Can you imagine? I was so scared of my dad finding out that his daughter failed, so I did extremely well at work. Uuuuh...there's something I forgot to tell you. After hotel school, I went back home to Jakarta and worked in a hotel. I got fired!!! For what??? For falling asleep in the toilet coz I was too tired after a party. And then I decided to quit work and play hard for a year. After that I went back to work in a hotel and got fired again...why?? because I just couldn't do what I want to do. I couldn't be creative.

So, on top of having to hide from my dad, I had to hide from the hotel industry coz 2 times fired is definitely not a great reputation to have. I ended up in advertising. My true love. In an ad agency, I have the liberty to express my dreams, my ideas, my creativity and someone else is paying for it. In an ad agency, there are no strict rules to follow, no politics. You can dress as you like and come in as you like, and on top of it it feels like everyday is a party. It's fun and un-monotone. My passion burns, my energy high...so I sprinted my carreer.

Blog passer..today I understand that everything happends for a reason. Sometimes you're on top, sometimes down. I don't think people should be ashamed of their failures or wrong doing. What's important is the learnings and how you pull yourself back up and proof to yourself that you're not a loser. Cause no one is. Imagine..if I was not as foolish as I was before, I don't think I'll be what I am today. Therefore, I thank all my bosses that fired me and everybody else who looks down and didn't believe in me. Bacause if all of them had done otherwise, I would not have pushed myself this hard to be me today. Thank you.

My dad once told me: failure is the begining of something better. Every successful person have experienced failure. That is why now I see failure, dissappointments, disaster in a more positive and encouraging way.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE: Always say thank you. Don't ever forget all the people that have helped you become what you are today. Even if it was only a small role, even if it seems negative back then..trust me, it played a positive big role and you should show appreciation.