Not too long ago, working women were considered unheard of. They were rebellious, wild things that dared to want independence and a life beyond raising a family. It is through the efforts of the women before us that we have made it to where we are today, and yet, hold very few high-ranking positions. Don’t wait for society to slowly shift its view – just because it’s statistically harder to ‘make it,’ it doesn’t mean you cannot. In fact, you can achieve your dream career. Adopt these traits and habits that successful women have and set yourself on the right path.
- Be Boldly Confident
Selling yourself short is, as you might have guessed it, selling yourself short. There is no room for the humble worker when you are climbing a corporate ladder. If you are talented, and you’ve put in the work, you deserve promotions. You deserve raises. You are the person they need. A successful woman’s self-doubt is one of the many barricades that she must face. Being self-assured means that people look to you. Doubting yourself means that you look to others. Look at yourself first, and be the powerhouse leader you know you are.
Katty Kay has written about the doubt successful woman face. How even the most successful and accomplished women in the world feel like frauds. There isn’t just a wage gap that women must overcome to break the glass ceiling – there’s a confidence gap, too. Embrace your own talent, your own competence, and your own greatness.
Note: Fake confidence can be just as detrimental as doubt. Truly believing in yourself is what will take you far.
- Take Risks
You don’t have to make sure that everything is perfect. That you are perfect; that you are the best of the best and must be judged on your merit before you take a risk. Apply for that promotion. Start something new. Ask someone out on a date. Don’t wait around for things to be given to you. Don’t wait for rewards for your merit. Jump in! Take calculated risks that will either pay off or help you learn for the future.
- Accept Your Failures
Failures are not the end of the world. They only teach you how not to do something. It is how we learn from our failures that define us as people. Accepting fault and growing from the mistakes that we have made is the only way to truly succeed.
- Set and Make Goals
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Big dreams won’t become reality unless you have a long list of stepping stones to help you on your way. Set goals, and be serious about them. The successful woman is always striving towards something. She is always completing one more step towards her goal. Make every step along the way manageable, and you’ll be able to achieve your dreams. The only thing stopping you is knowing what steps to take.
It is much easier to create a blueprint of steps if you know the path. If you are going out in a new direction, you’ll have to make it up as you go along. It’s okay, though! Take it one step at a time. Setting goals will help your focus, and each step you take is one closer towards your dream.
- Cultivate Your Relationships
No one has ever made it in this world alone. You are only as strong as your relationships, so make sure that you choose and cultivate them well. Treat every friendship like it’s the most important one. Apply the passion and commitment that you would to your friends and family to your workplace relationships. Be someone that can be relied on. Be someone that others believe in. Be someone that they look up to. The acquaintances you meet in your job could land you your dream job. It could mean getting a promotion, or a break.
If you can’t commit fully to your work relationships, always try to be professional. Go above and beyond what others expect of you. You want to be remembered for all the good reasons. You want to be liked and cheered for. You want others to want to help you.
The secret behind being a successful woman is hard work. It is being sure of yourself and what you do. It is owning your mistakes and learning from them. It is always striving towards something. It is doing everything in your power to get there. To get that promotion. To get that job. To get further in life. Insist on the future you envision, and watch it come to life.
