Thanks for the pressure that followed me from school to work, from a young age to an adult. Thank you so much!

Shout out to every moment of self-doubt, there was a persistent voice in my head that forced me to keep going on and never give up.

Looking back, it’s perseverance which is the most valuable asset I’ve ever cultivated. You will explore how could I used this ability to overcome challenges through real stories.

Story 1: F**king school

I was never good at memorizing subjects.

For example:

In Physic: Electromagnetic induction. Principle of generating alternating current.
In Biology: Mitosis and meiosis.
…

How was I meant to grasp these complex ideas, presented as dry text and static diagrams that I'd never seen, never experienced, never even truly imagined in real life?

Yet, around me, most students committed them to memory, preparing for the "random call" oral tests, the 15-minute quizzes, the hour-long exams that punctuated our days with unyielding pressure.

I felt like a robot in a factory of perfectly programmed peers. While many classmates got good score, I was the only one left behind. The weight of academic struggle wasn't confined to the classroom; it affected the relationship with my parents, especially my dad.

He worked tirelessly every day, my academic achievements were the currency for his happiness, the only way to earn his pride. At that time, this "f**king school" became a barrier between me and the pride I wanted to give to my dad. The classroom was a heavy chain, binding me to a future that I didn’t want.

In overall, I couldn't change the education system, but I needed to play its game. Okay, so let’s find out the strategy to be “Good Student - Học sinh giỏi” without losing myself.

I found out the formula like this:

• Average GPA of all subjects must be greater than or equal to 8.0/10.
• GPA of each individual subject must be greater than or equal to 6.5/10.
• GPA of one main subject (Math, Literature, or English) must be greater than or equal to 8.0/10.

I knew my strengths in subjects that required logic and understanding. So, here’s the plan:

• Focus my energy on English & Math to consistently achieve a GPA of 8.0 or higher.
• For Literature, I aimed for 7.x, enough to keep it above the minimum.
• For the rest of subjects, I aimed around 6.5 to 7.5.

It wasn't easy. It meant spending more time on strict study routines. But after a few months, I successfully uplifted my GPA to 8.x, enough to be a “Good Student” and satisfy my parent’s expectation.

Story 2: Proving myself

People say things just don't mix together, just like cat and dog; water and oil.

As a Natural Science student in High School, nobody believed that you would be good at Literature. But in fact, my Literature score was even higher than Math in High School entrance exam.

Surprisingly, an opportunity arose – there was an exam to select students for good student's selection team in Literature (for non-honors class). Even considering, it was met with a mix of disbelief and gentle skepticism.

However, there was something inside me that urged me forward. I signed up, then spent hours in poetry and literary analysis. I didn't just want to prove them wrong; I wanted to prove that I could break out from the safety zone others tried to put me in.

The day of the selection exam arrived. I sat there and took the test. But at that time, every doubt, every skeptical glance, replayed in my mind.

And then, the school got the final list.
My name was there. I had been selected.

That moment was about the satisfaction of perseverance paying off. It taught me that never stayed inside the box, always ready to broaden your horizons.

So, if someone ever tells you what you can't do anything, just do it. Go ahead and defy any expectation!

Story 3: Break into Product Management as a Fresher

Before graduation, I received an offer letter to work as an internship at FPT Telecom - one of the biggest Vietnamese technology companies. I accepted the offer and worked immediately.

Around a half year working as an engineer, I lost my motivation to work and stood at a crossroad. Nothing wrong with the company, but sitting in one place and delivering tasks were not the long-term career path that I wanted to pursue.

I wanted to involve in building solutions from a bigger picture to execution by understanding the truly value that deliver to the customer. I found out Product Management position, which would help me to participate in full product development life cycle, also a chance to bridge the gap between user needs and technical execution.

But at time, it's hard to find a Product Management position for anyone at their early stage career. I knew that I was young, also lack of experience and skillsets.

This was the reason why I started to learn a lot of stuff by myself:

• How to make wireframe/ mockups to illustrate any idea.
• Explore user empathy, customer journey map, etc.
• Understand the difference between Waterfall and Scrum.
• ...

After a short period, MoMo (Top E-Wallet in Vietnam) opened Product Management Trainee Program and I registered it.

It was a long process while participating in that program:

• Round 1: Application form & logical test
• Round 2: Online test
• Round 3: A challenging group case study, demanding collaborative problem-solving and presentation skills
• Round 4: Final Interview with Team Leader & High Level

From second round onward, testing not just my newly acquired knowledge but my resilience. And then, I had been accepted into the MoMo Product Management Trainee Program.

Conclusion

Those early life criticisms, those voices that tried to define my limits, suddenly became the fuel for my fire. It was a commitment to keep going, even when the path was unclear or against me.

Embrace the pressure, learn from every setback and let perseverance be the motivation that push you to your own promising future.