Apart from the grace of God, an important factor that accounted for my achievements was believing in myself. There was nothing that was taken as a stumbling block— what appeared as a stumbling block I used as a stepping stone to take me to greater heights. I believed in myself and, because of that, nothing was considered too difficult. As I climbed up the professorial cadre in the University, there were some administrative obstacles. My husband’s support and the belief that I had in myself—that I was qualified for the position—propelled me to use all administrative and legal machineries in place to overcome the obstacles. This was despite the fact that many people around me thought it was impossible and discouraged me from using said administrative and legal means, as they had not been successfully used in time past.

In my experience, the path to excellence requires the following:

1. The God Factor: Constant direction from the Lord.
2. Perseverance: “Never give up”. A “No” today is not a “No” forever. The fact that a target was set and not met, does not mean it can never be met.
3. Believing in one self: I believe in myself. Nothing is taken as a stumbling block; nothing is considered too difficult.
4. Discipline: It is very easy to set goals, but without discipline it is impossible to achieve the goals. It takes discipline to take steps of actions to achieve a goal.
5. Diligence: Diligence is a virtue and an antidote to excellence.
6. Impact: A person can make a positive impact on the people around them; their actions can make or mar the life of another person. I decide to make a positive impact.
7. Hard work and Consistency: Hard work and consistency have their rewards.
8. Focus. Be focused.