Susan Abraham

I think that whenever I had an obstacle in life, I did not give up. When I went to engineering school, I was the only girl, but I graduated number one in my class because I really put forth that effort. Even in my professional teaching career, there has been a lot of obstacles, but I did not give up on who I am and who I want to be in life. Even today, life might not go my way, but for some reason there's this deep determination in me that even though I have setbacks, I'm not done yet. I'm not willing to give up on the path that I'm going through. I've always taught myself that my value comes from me - what other people say is their opinion, it can be good or bad, and I can take it for what it's worth. But even though people speak negatively of me or they don't like something, I always try to improve myself.

I really like the motivational videos by Les Brown, and he says something that you are an uncommon breed. I always tell my students, you are uncommon, you are not the average person, you are better. When you are uncommon, there's something unique about you that people don't find very often. I think God has put in you what you are good at and how you can change the world. You have to dig down deep inside and really find who you are, because what God has given you is uncommon and it's going to put you apart from others, and you have to find that. Never, ever give up on the person that you were meant to be, because somebody is watching you.

You are an uncommon breed. You are not the average person, you are better. When you are uncommon, there's something unique about you that people don't find very often. In today's world of social media and all these outside influences, I think God has put in you what you are good at and how you can change the world. You have to dig down deep inside and really find who you are, because what God has given you is uncommon and it's going to put you apart from others, and you have to find that. Don't always look towards others - what can they do, what are they doing, let me do what they're doing. No. Each one of you is gifted, each one of you is talented. You have to find that within you. I cannot tell you, I can only show you the way by doing all these different projects, I can show you the path, but it's for you to walk that path, and it's going to be hard. But never, ever give up on the person that you were meant to be, because somebody is watching you.

I don't want to pay for anything where I have to be recognized. I don't want to buy it. If somebody wants to recognize me, they can recognize me, and I will be very grateful for it, but I feel like I don't want to buy my recognition or buy a position or buy a spotlight. I have built my principles on this - whatever I do, whoever I touch, and whoever I influence, I'm very happy, but I've always told myself that I will never buy that influence or buy a position like that. I have to stand by my morals and my values. I truly feel that God will bless me, and even if I had to take a step back and maybe not have all the recognition that would come with this, I know that good things are gonna happen, but I have to stand with my principle that I don't want to buy recognition. It will come to me. I want my work to speak for itself. I've always taught myself that my value comes from me - what other people say is their opinion, it can be good or bad, and I can take it for what's worth. It has to be that nice balance of knowing that you are doing a really good job and being able to, when the time comes, go in front of people and acknowledge your work, but also sometimes staying behind the scenes and helping girls, helping my students.