10 Pieces of Advice from Successful Women that You Can Use
Read Time: 3 minutes.
March is recognized as Women’s History Month. Women’s History Month highlights the unique contributions of women throughout history and contemporary society. When it comes to the world of business, women have started to make incredible new strides. In fact, women are three percentage points more likely to start a business then men. Additionally, 42% of all U.S. businesses are owned by women. Let’s look at 10 pieces of advice from successful women that can be used in your life:
1: Lillian Vernon, Founder of Lillian Vernon Corporation
“It was a risk. I had a husband, and I was pregnant with my oldest son. But I don’t look at risks the way other people do. When you’re an entrepreneur, you have to go in feeling like you’re going to be successful.”
Risks are what set successful people apart. While other people are weighing the pros and cons of making a decision, successful people have already gone for it. It is okay to be afraid of something, but it is not okay to not do something because you are afraid.
2: Arianna Huffington, Co-Founder of The Huffington Post
“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”
Mistakes are inevitable. Mistakes suck. Mistakes are also one of the best ways to learn. You will not always be right; in fact, you will probably more often be wrong. Failure is a part of success.
3: Anne Sweeney, Co-Chair of Disney Media Networks
“Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.”
Everyone is different; we all have different wants, needs, and goals. Don’t base your success and your goals on the ideas of other people.
4: Ellen DeGeneres, Comedienne
“I work really hard at trying to see the big picture and not getting stuck in ego. I believe we’re all put on this planet for a purpose, and we all have a different purpose… When you connect with that love and that compassion, that’s when everything unfolds.”
Success can often go to people’s heads. Remember to always stay grounded. Try to not get hyper focused on the small details that may distract you from the big picture.
5: Trish Bertuzzi, CEO of The Bridge Group Inc.
“Lean in, speak out, have a voice in your organization, and never use the word, ‘sorry’”
Studies have shown that women tend to apologize more than men. Successful people don’t let themselves be silenced. Be an advocate for yourself and have a voice. Don’t apologize for it.
6: Meg Whitman, Former President and CEO of HP
“Do what you love, and success will follow. Passion is the fuel behind a successful career.”
When you love what you do, you will be good at it. When you are good at what you do, success will follow.
7: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
“You will be defined not just by what you achieve, but by how you survive.”
How you handle the bad things reveals a lot about your character. People look not only what you accomplished, but how you managed the obstacles you faced to get there.
8: Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo
“There is nothing like a concrete life plan to weigh you down. Because if you always have one eye on some future goal, you stop paying attention to the job at hand, miss opportunities that might arise, and stay fixedly on one path, even when a better, newer course might have opened up.”
Adapt, change, and evolve. Take chances when they arise and don’t let tunnel vision slow you down. You may be so focused on one path that you’ll miss new ones.
9: Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM
“Growth and comfort do not coexist.”
Change is hard; change is also the only constant in life. Growth is uncomfortable, but so is staying in the same place.
10: Marissa Mayer, Former CEO of Yahoo
“I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.”
Successful people constantly push themselves and take chances. When you make moves outside of your comfort zone, that’s when the learning happens.
To summarize:
Use these 10 pieces of advice from successful women to jump start your life or business. If you’d like to free up your time to concentrate on growing your small business, ask us how we can assist you with services that can give you a fresh perspective—and keep you focused firmly on the future.
