In 1995, due to my post-graduate diploma training in the Netherlands, I courageously took the opportunity to work with more qualified scientists where I learned various skills, including proposal writing, conference presentation skills and how to be involved in publishing. However, this did not help me to be sufficiently assertive or to stand out on my own as a credible scientist. I kept reminding myself of René Descartes’ statement, “It is much better to prepare and not have the opportunity, than to have the opportunity and not be prepared.” When I became an AWARD Fellow in 2009, I was prepared for the opportunity to be assertive, visible, and credible.