We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Abigail Adams a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Abigail , appreciate you joining us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?
Ms. Adams is an inspiration to millions because she represents what is possible despite overwhelming odds. Abigail was born with Down syndrome, had a hole in her heart, and was diagnosed with “failure to thrive “. Since then she has overcome these obstacles that many believed to be insurmountable. Abigail is a very successful influencer, model, keynote speaker and the first woman with Down syndrome to complete a sanctioned triathlon. (as certified by USA Triathlon Association) She has since completed 15 more sprint races and qualified for the USAT team to compete in the national event.
Abigail , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Abigail is a remarkable individual whose journey embodies resilience, determination, and triumph. As a keynote speaker, Abigail has graced stages in diverse locations including New York, Florida, Wisconsin, Iowa, Washington DC, New Hampshire, the Carolinas, and California. Her narrative of triumph not only inspires but challenges preconceived notions about the potential of individuals with disabilities. Ms. Adams is an inspiration to millions because she represents what is possible despite overwhelming odds. Abigail was born with Down syndrome, had a hole in her heart, and was diagnosed with “failure to thrive “. Since then she has overcome these obstacles that many believed to be insurmountable. Abigail is a very successful influencer, model, keynote speaker and the first woman with Down syndrome to complete a sanctioned sprint triathlon. (as certified by USA Triathlon Association) She has since completed 15 more triathlons and qualified for the USAT team to compete in the national event.
Abigail has been fortunate to collaborate with a number of other high profile companies including Nike, Disney, Google, Adidas, Starbucks, USA Triathlon organization, Universal Studios and others. Abigail has a magnetic personality, a wonderful keynote speaker presence, over 1.3M followers on social media (Abigail the Advocate), and happens to have Down syndrome.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Never let anyone’s low expectations limit your success. Society tells us being successful means being rich and famous. We are told successful people live in mansions, drive fancy cars, and own huge yachts. If we could just become movie stars or professional athletes, we could buy all these expensive things and our lives would be perfect! But…
Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Having a lot of money or being famous doesn’t make you successful. Most of the time this idea of success makes people lonely and unhappy.
To be truly successful and truly happy you need to continue to reach your full potential every day!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My story: I am going to explain how my desire to be a triathlete pushed me to work hard and be the best me I can be.
Obstacles: people with Down syndrome have low muscle tone. Low tone means poor balance, delayed reaction, and slow learning. Which makes it difficult to physically do tasks.
How I was viewed by others: Because of my diagnosis, teachers and coaches had low expectations. This resulted in me being excluded from almost everything!
Everyone has obstacles in life. The key to success is how you respond to those obstacles! I have Down syndrome, but I don’t believe in excuses!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://abigailtheadvocate.com
- Instagram: Abigail_The_Advocate
- Facebook: AbigailTheAdvocate
- Linkedin: Abigail (the Advocate) Adams
- Youtube: AbigailTheAdvocate
Image Credits
Abigail the Advocate