So, when I was around five years old
my sister who's older than me, she was already going to school.
My aunt was teaching in that same school.
Now one day, I found my sister holding all these beautiful crayons
and drawing what looked like a very creative drawing,
which was actually for a school competition.
Now, owing to the fact that I could not be but myself,
I wanted to draw as well.
I wanted to be in that competition,
and I wanted to win that competition.
I remember nagging my mom and asking about it,
like really nagging, like a determined kind of nagging.
And what do you know?
All the fuss I made actually paid off!
At the age of eight, I won Sheikha Latifa Award for arts.
I was the youngest artist in the country
to draw stories that were actually published
for two consecutive years.
And throughout this whole process
I was interviewed by many magazines and newspapers.
Now, some of you might argue,
"Oh well, it is not that big of an issue or that big of a step,
or even not that big of an achievement."
Well, I am here to tell you,
it is not about how huge
or how gigantic this step you're about to take is.
Do not dwell on those kind of details.
It might sound like cliche to you, but it is absolutely true.
It is the union of the small steps which makes that one big step.
So, this might be trivial to you,
but this was the proof that I had a talent.
This was the proof that I can do and be whatever I wanted.
This was that piece of the puzzle that inspired me.
It inspired me to work harder and aim even higher.
It inspired me to win Sheikh Hamdan award for distinction three times,
it inspired me to win Sharjah award for distinction,
again for three times, and many awards followed.
Now, what happens is as time passes by,
and owing to the fact that human beings are very creative,
we come up with ideas,
thoughts, and dreams on a regular basis.
What happens is we often find ourselves in conflicts and at crossroads.
We have the potential.
We have the ideas.
We want to do stuff.
But there are walls, and bars, and prisons that are standing in our way.
What might come handy in that specific situation,
Is to recognize the person that's surrounding you,
and to know how to overcome the challenges
that might face you at that crossroad.
Today I would like to share with you three notions that, for me,
form the ultimate recipe to find your solutions.
So, the first notion I would like you to keep in mind
is that you have got to find your passion and what works for you.
You should find your comfort zone.
You should thrive, and flourish, and find what suits you.
But not only that.
You should gradually push yourself.
You should push the envelope.
You should find your creativity,
and you should explore it.
Only by doing so you'll be more prepared and more equipped
to face whatever conflict and whatever crossroads.
The second notion that I would like you to keep in mind is that
you should have an absolute belief
that there is nothing wrong with asking for help every now and then.
Do you want to be successful?
Yes.
Well, if you want to be successful, you should play it smart.
You should know your weaknesses.
You should surround yourself with people who compliment you and support you.
Just like anybody sitting here,
I, myself, might have some prisons.
I myself might have some notions
that stop me from doing things I like and I love.
But I figured that the only way I would overcome that
is if I surround myself with my social support system.
Now, my support system is my family.
For you, it might be your friends.
It might be your best friend.
It might be your colleagues.
It might be your advisor, whoever you trust.
It would never fail you
to have someone out there supporting you.
I can absolutely promise you.
Whenever I feel that there's any wall,
or any bar, or any prison that's standing in the way of my thoughts,
my ideas, and my dreams,
I would refer back to my social support system.
I would refer back to my family.
It never fails me, and it always enlightens me.
So, the third and final notion I would like to share with you today
is actually inspired by one of the most influential people for me, Steve Jobs.
What he actually said is that,
"You cannot connect the dots looking forward;
you can only connect them looking backwards.
So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in the future."
You have to trust in something.
Your guts, destiny, life, whatever.
This approach has never failed me,
and it has made all the difference in my life.
And that's what Steve Jobs said.
After a very inspiring life and career,
Steve Jobs realized that everything would eventually fall in place.
Every action, every decision, every dot in your life
would somehow eventually connect
to form the ultimate picture and the ultimate dream.
Do not stop yourself from doing things you like
thinking they have no value whatsoever.
Do not stop yourself from doing things you love
thinking they wouldn't benefit me or my future one way or the other.
I think what I'm trying to say is that you should do your best.
Do not calculate every step you're about to make.
Be spontaneous. Be bold. Be clever. Be ambitious.
And last, but not least, be determined.
Thank you.