Menyesal Tak Kerja Tak Sama Dengan Bidang Belajar

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People often ask why I’ve made such a dramatic career jump from my original field of study—which includes a degree, post-basic certifications, and numerous extra credentials. Frankly, in this economy, with the minimum wage at RM1,700, I sometimes feel like I don’t mind applying for a job using just my SPM certificate as long as kerja okay, boleh spend time dengan ana-anak.
Why did I leave the medical field? For context, I was a complete workaholic. Back then, I worked around the clock—sometimes I didn’t even go home. For most people, that pace causes immense stress, but for me, the hospital and clinic were my life. A Methadone clinic on the weekend? Need someone in Cyto? Volunteer for HIV awareness? Count me in.
That dedication lasted... until I had my first child, and then my second. That’s when the “mom guilt” started to hit, and my priorities fundamentally shifted. I realized I needed a career change. Why? Because the reality was that annual leave was impossible to get, and most of my overtime was not paid in money but only as "hour" claims. But when I needed to use those hours for a break, I couldn't, because we were perpetually short-staffed.
Seeing majority of my colleague leave, moving to Dubai or other places where their sweat, tears, and blood were genuinely appreciated and paid for. So, I jumped too. My first pivot was to pure microbiology. From there, I kept moving. Hey~ with this economy, I eventually learned that kesetiaan pay you nothing.
Simply put, once you become a parent, you must find a job that revolves around your children’s timing, no matter what. I can’t even begin to list all the hobbies, desires, or anything else I’ve sacrificed. But if you ask me whether I regret leaving the medical field? Absolutely not.
Someone else might regret my choices if their aspirations were different. For me, my core aspirations are Family, Knowledge, and a thousand-and-one other things.
For instance, when we talk about popularity—some people buy sports cars, try to impress strangers, or aim to be a Joke Star. That’s very different from a Family aspiration. I maintain a low-profile lifestyle and keep things as modest as possible.
We are different, and no answer is wrong. Even if your aspiration is Money and Fortune, that’s valid. It doesn’t mean if I don’t agree with you, I am against you. It means we all need to be celebrated; we celebrate the difference in opinion.
So, here is my biggest life lesson: Know your aspiration, so you can focus on what you really want. Especially when choosing a life partner. This is even more critical. If you have a Family aspiration but your spouse has a Popularity aspiration, you’ll likely be left doing all the heavy lifting alone, while they focus on actions simply for the sake of "public praise". You’re the one doing the work behind the scenes. If you know what I mean.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk; saya tinggalkan anda dengan offer letter yang saya ambil di Facebook:

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