Helen Paul, PhD

I attribute my success to God and God alone. I'm a Christian, and I believe everything has been scripted by God Almighty. He knows the end from the beginning, the beginning to the end. He knows everything. For Him to put me in that background, where I'm coming from - my background also helped me. I don't want to go back to that level. I don't want to go back there. So that keeps me running forward, I keep going forward. Remembering the child of whom you are, where you're coming from, and where you're going to stay in focus keeps me going. Beyond faith, I've been blessed with the right people, the right mentors who sometimes see where you're going even when you don't see it yourself. They tell you, just go do this, get this form, go on this level, move this way. Being guided by people who know beyond and following their instructions has really shaped me and helped me get to where I am today.

The best career advice I have ever received is to stay focused and don't get things twisted. When I say don't get things twisted, I mean don't forget yourself. Always stick to the vision and the dream of whatever you're doing. Stick to the vision, the goal, the dream - stick to it, and keep rolling. Don't get distracted. That advice has kept me going till this date. It's about protecting your purpose and not losing yourself trying to chase what doesn't align with your path, even when people try to pull you off course or when things get confusing or difficult.

My advice to young women is to be more intentional about everything - even friendships. Know about yourself and don't lose yourself as a woman. Try to make yourself happy. What makes you happy is what you should do. But most importantly, love yourself beyond everything. Make sure you love yourself, don't lose yourself for anything. Whatever happens, you come first. You're the engine. And put God first. Be very spiritually sound because that will help you. Most times, women lose ourselves easily trying to satisfy your spouse, trying to satisfy your family, trying to satisfy your kids, and at the end of the day, we end up losing ourselves. So I beg women to please, whatever you do, self-love comes first. Don't lose yourself. Be intentional about self. And let the wisdom of God direct you at all times, both to will and to do.

One of the biggest challenges I face is outgrowing certain levels and freedoms. When you think you've outgrown a particular level, you want to go to some places and they make you feel that you can't go there - you're famous, you're big. But sometimes I really want to do some things, you know? This applies to almost every career. As a teacher, you cannot be so free to the point that your children will disrespect you. The same thing is applicable to any career. You outgrow some things, and I miss those days where I could just do as I like. But now I can't do that again. Most people are seeing you as a role model, so you have to be intentional now, careful now. I'm a mother now, I can't do some things again. I see it as challenging that I cannot satisfy everybody again. Your former friends want you to do something, but you cannot do it. They want you to be at their party, but you cannot do that because the management says you can't go to such places. Things like that - it's a bit challenging, but it's all good. We are growing.

One of my major values is integrity and respect. Integrity means doing what's right even when no one is watching - being honest, dependable, and consistent in how I show up for others and for myself. Respect means treating people with dignity, listening with intention, and honoring the differences that make each person unique. Together, these values shape how I lead, how I serve, and how I build trust in every relationship. They're not just words - they're the foundation of my work, my character, and my legacy.