• Blog
  • Archives
  • Bio
  • Awards
  • Speaking
  • Book
  • Contact

It’s not you

Published: Tuesday, 10 February 2009

 

If your teacher comments on your work and tells you it can be better; it’s not you, it’s your work.

 

If the person behind the counter snaps at you for asking a simple question; it’s not you, it’s them.

 

If someone doesn’t want to help out with the fabulous, brilliant project that you have planned; it’s not you, it’s your project.

 

Don’t take things personally.

 

Your teacher was probably thrilled that you, their student, had the initiative to create work on your own accord and show it to them. A good teacher will teach you and nurture you to learn and grow to your potential in every field - in academia and as a person. They are not out to make you feel bad about the work you have done.

 

The person behind the counter probably had things on their mind - maybe their mother is in hospital, or their relationship is falling apart. You don’t know. Sometimes people are grumpy because they want other people to get related to them - for others to know and relate to their pain. Be kind to people, for we all have our worries.

 

Someone doesn’t want to help with your project? There are over 6 billion people on this planet. Find someone else who does.

 

Don’t be offended by what people say or how people act. The only person who can make you feel bad or lose your confidence is yourself. Don’t give other people permission.

 

About Me

Marita ChengForbes named me a world's top 50 woman in tech & 30 Under 30. I founded Robogals and Aipoly and was Young Australian of the Year 2012. Currently working on robotics company Aubot. I'm the youngest Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and I give speeches around the world.

I tweet @maritacheng and I'm on Facebook.

Subscribe

Enter your email address to receive my latest blog posts: 

 

Random Articles

  • Make a wish!

    Go. Do it. Make a wish. Be wild! Be wise! Be audacious! How much does your wish cost? Can you afford it? Then pay and do it. You can’t? Calculate how...

  • Impressed

    People are impressed by what they can't do. Hence I'm impressed by discipline.  Someone who can do the same action every day.  Such as swim, run, get...

  • Love is...

    Spending long, snug evenings with your significant other. Making time to look after your family. Jesting, gabbing and chilling with friends. Building...

  • Hardy Group interview

    The Hardy Group invited me to speak with them about healthcare, robotics and leadership.  Here I am riffing about those topics!

  • Piano lessons

    When I was younger, we couldn't afford a piano at home, so my mum would take me to my piano teacher's house each day to practise for an hour. I...

  • Andy Warhol

    What makes Andy Warhol's work unique is that he was the first to bring that kind of art to the world. You might look at his art and say that it's...

  • YouthActionNet Global Fellowship Day 3: A lot of heart

    Today, the most interesting part of the day was a session called "Open Space", where some people wrote topics they were interested in discussing on...

  • When?

    When are you going to apply for that grant? When are you going to start your assignment? When are you going to start your advertising campaign? When are...

  • Remo Office Visit

    Remo Giuffré, Founder and Director of TEDxSydney and Founder of General Thinking, and his lovely daughter Lola (an engineering student at the...

  • Manufacturing Leadership Summit, Grand Rapids Michigan

    After a long pandemic hiatus from giving speeches in person, I was invited to be the in-person keynote speaker at The Right Place’s Manufacturing...

Enter your email address to receive my latest blog posts: 

 

Scroll to Top