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So, when I was around five years old

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my sister who's older than me,
she was already going to school.

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My aunt was teaching in that same school.

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Now one day, I found my sister
holding all these beautiful crayons

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and drawing what looked like
a very creative drawing,

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which was actually
for a school competition.

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Now, owing to the fact
that I could not be but myself,

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I wanted to draw as well.

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I wanted to be in that competition,

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and I wanted to win that competition.

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I remember nagging my mom
and asking about it,

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like really nagging,
like a determined kind of nagging.

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And what do you know?

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All the fuss I made actually paid off!

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At the age of eight,
I won Sheikha Latifa Award for arts.

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I was the youngest artist in the country

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to draw stories
that were actually published

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for two consecutive years.

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And throughout this whole process

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I was interviewed by many
magazines and newspapers.

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Now, some of you might argue,

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"Oh well, it is not that big
of an issue or that big of a step,

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or even not that big of an achievement."

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Well, I am here to tell you,

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it is not about how huge

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or how gigantic this step
you're about to take is.

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Do not dwell on those kind of details.

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It might sound like cliche to you,
but it is absolutely true.

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It is the union of the small steps
which makes that one big step.

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So, this might be trivial to you,

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but this was the proof
that I had a talent.

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This was the proof that I can do
and be whatever I wanted.

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This was that piece
of the puzzle that inspired me.

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It inspired me to work harder
and aim even higher.

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It inspired me to win Sheikh Hamdan award
for distinction three times,

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it inspired me to win
Sharjah award for distinction,

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again for three times,
and many awards followed.

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Now, what happens is as time passes by,

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and owing to the fact that human
beings are very creative,

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we come up with ideas,

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thoughts, and dreams on a regular basis.

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What happens is we often find ourselves
in conflicts and at crossroads.

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We have the potential.

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We have the ideas.

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We want to do stuff.

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But there are walls, and bars,
and prisons that are standing in our way.

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What might come handy
in that specific situation,

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Is to recognize the person
that's surrounding you,

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and to know how to overcome the challenges

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that might face you at that crossroad.

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Today I would like to share with you
three notions that, for me,

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form the ultimate recipe
to find your solutions.

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So, the first notion I would like
you to keep in mind

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is that you have got to find your passion
and what works for you.

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You should find your comfort zone.

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You should thrive, and flourish,
and find what suits you.

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But not only that.

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You should gradually push yourself.

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You should push the envelope.

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You should find your creativity,

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and you should explore it.

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Only by doing so you'll be 
more prepared and more equipped

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to face whatever conflict
and whatever crossroads.

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The second notion that I would
like you to keep in mind is that

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you should have an absolute belief

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that there is nothing wrong
with asking for help every now and then.

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Do you want to be successful?

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Yes.

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Well, if you want to be successful,
you should play it smart.

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You should know your weaknesses.

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You should surround yourself with people
who compliment you and support you.

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Just like anybody sitting here,

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I, myself, might have some prisons.

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I myself might have some notions

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that stop me from doing things
I like and I love.

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But I figured that the only way
I would overcome that

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is if I surround myself with
my social support system.

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Now, my support system is my family.

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For you, it might be your friends.

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It might be your best friend.

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It might be your colleagues.

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It might be your advisor,
whoever you trust.

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It would never fail you

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to have someone out there supporting you.

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I can absolutely promise you.

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Whenever I feel that there's any wall,

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or any bar, or any prison that's standing
in the way of my thoughts,

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my ideas, and my dreams,

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I would refer back to my
social support system.

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I would refer back to my family.

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It never fails me,
and it always enlightens me.

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So, the third and final notion
I would like to share with you today

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is actually inspired by one of the most
influential people for me, Steve Jobs.

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What he actually said is that,

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"You cannot connect the dots
looking forward;

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you can only connect them
looking backwards.

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So, you have to trust that the dots
will somehow connect in the future."

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You have to trust in something.

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Your guts, destiny, life, whatever.

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This approach has never failed me,

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and it has made
all the difference in my life.

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And that's what Steve Jobs said.

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After a very inspiring life and career,

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Steve Jobs realized that everything
would eventually fall in place.

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Every action, every decision,
every dot in your life

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would somehow eventually connect

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to form the ultimate picture
and the ultimate dream.

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Do not stop yourself
from doing things you like

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thinking they have no value whatsoever.

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Do not stop yourself
from doing things you love

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thinking they wouldn't benefit me
or my future one way or the other.

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I think what I'm trying to say
is that you should do your best.

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Do not calculate every step
you're about to make.

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Be spontaneous. Be bold.
Be clever. Be ambitious.

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And last, but not least, be determined.

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Thank you.