I was excited at something new, always liked something new, but

“I was excited at something new, always liked something new, but give credit to everybody who helped. I didn’t do anything alone but try to go to the root of the question and succeeded there.” — thus spoke Katherine Johnson, the mathematician whose quiet brilliance carried humanity beyond the clouds and into the stars. In these words, she reveals not only the method of her success but the spirit of humility and collaboration that made it possible. For her wisdom reaches far beyond science — it is a teaching for all who seek greatness: that discovery is born not of pride, but of curiosity; not of isolation, but of shared purpose; not of shortcuts, but of going to the root of the question.

The origin of this saying rests in the life of a woman who dared to think beyond limits. Katherine Johnson, one of the pioneering minds at NASA during the space race, calculated trajectories that carried astronauts safely into orbit and home again. In an age when both race and gender were seen as barriers, she stood firm in her brilliance — yet never claimed glory for herself. Her words are the voice of one who understood that knowledge is not conquered, but earned through inquiry and cooperation. She was a seeker of truth, not recognition, and her success came not from ambition, but from her love of learning itself.

When she says she “always liked something new,” we hear the heartbeat of the true explorer — one who finds joy not in certainty, but in discovery. New problems, new methods, new frontiers: these are the fires that forge the human spirit. Katherine Johnson reminds us that the thrill of the unknown is what propels us forward. To fear newness is to remain in darkness; to embrace it is to enter the realm of growth. She met each new challenge not as an obstacle but as an invitation to uncover deeper truths. In this, she mirrors the great thinkers of old — Archimedes, who leapt from his bath crying Eureka!, or Newton, who sought the law behind the falling apple. Each of them, like her, pursued not glory, but understanding.

Yet what makes her words so noble is her refusal to stand alone in triumph. “Give credit to everybody who helped,” she says — and in this, she honors the essence of wisdom. For no human achievement is truly solitary. Every discovery rests upon the unseen efforts of many: the mentors who teach, the colleagues who assist, the ancestors who paved the way. In this spirit, Katherine Johnson acknowledges that her strength was magnified by the community around her — engineers, fellow mathematicians, and even those whose names history forgets. The proud may claim sole authorship of success, but the wise see that greatness is a chorus, not a solo.

There is a lesson here, ancient as civilization itself. The builders of the pyramids, the scholars of the Renaissance, the explorers of every age — none achieved alone. Their triumphs were woven from many hands, many minds, and many dreams. Even the stars she helped chart were reached by countless acts of shared faith and labor. To “go to the root of the question,” as she says, is not only to solve a problem — it is to seek truth with integrity, without vanity or pretense. She teaches us that success is not in the applause, but in the depth of understanding one dares to reach.

Consider her greatest moment: when John Glenn, preparing for his historic orbit, refused to trust the new electronic computers until “the girl” — Katherine Johnson — had verified their numbers by hand. In that moment, the fate of a mission, and perhaps a nation’s pride, rested on her calculations. Yet she did not see herself as a hero. She saw a problem, a question, and sought its root. She solved it with precision and humility, and through that act, she proved that truth needs no recognition to shine.

The lesson, then, is twofold. First, seek always what is new, for curiosity is the fire of progress. Let no fear of change dim your desire to learn. Second, when success finds you, remember to share its light. Give credit to others, as Katherine did; let your victories become part of a larger story. Work not to stand above others, but to lift knowledge itself higher. And above all, strive always to reach the root — the essence — of every question, for only there lies true understanding.

So let Katherine Johnson’s words guide you: “I didn’t do anything alone but try to go to the root of the question and succeeded there.” Seek truth with courage, embrace the new with joy, and honor those who walk beside you. For it is through shared effort and honest inquiry that humankind rises — not merely to the stars, but toward its own highest self.