If you read Ms. Career Girl articles on a regular basis, you're the type of woman who is dedicated to achievement and learning everything she can to move ahead. I applaud you for it. More women who are fiercely pursuing the life they were designed for are needed in the world.
I hope you have a clear picture of what you want your life to look like and that you're going for it as hard as you can.
But I'm writing to remind you of something important in the pursuit of your aspirations.
It's something I've learnt as a CEO, but I learned it for the first time as a helpless small child, seeing my widowed, illiterate, unemployed mother struggle, who finally cratered beneath the weight of the world:
Life is unpredictable, unjust, and frequently unpleasant.
You've come to this site to get job assistance. Here are a few you might not have heard in a while:
Your honours and accomplishments will not catapult you to success. It isn't the recommendation letters in your padfolio, your winning smile and elegance, or your drive to climb the corporate ladder that will bring you where you need to go in life.
If you genuinely want to accomplish greatness, you can't dismiss the critical role of cultivating Gameness, the never-say-die mentality that gets you through life's terrible times. You can bridge the gap between who you are and who you aspire to be if you have a battling spirit.
Tough times, by the way, will never quit staring you down. They'll catch you off guard, kick you when you're down, and ruin your plans.
But you know what else will never stop coming? Opportunities.
Ladies, there is no scarcity of self-improvement resources on the market. I'm sure you've gone through more than one (as have I) in your quest to become the best version of yourself. But acquiring abilities and LinkedIn endorsements will be futile if we come right up to the Door of Opportunity and then back down. You may do so because:
It is not quite in line with your expectations.
You feel unqualified to do what you've been asked to do.
You're secretly hoping for anything to provide you 'peace.'
You believe the chance needs too much of you.
This following item cannot be emphasised strongly enough.
Whatever we try to alter in ourselves, one thing will never change: we will live each day in the face of adversity that asks something of us.
I know you desire to develop in your career, which I believe is fantastic. I'm asking you to extend your horizons and answer a larger question: Are you willing to enter the ring, face a worthy opponent, and fail in the pursuit of your dreams? Are you willing to get back up and try again if you fail?
That is how we achieve our full potential: we never give up on it.
We've become accustomed to treading the concrete pathways that make us feel like we're following some kind of a plan in our comfortable and wealthy lives. We don't pause too frequently to wonder if the pot at the end of the rainbow has the riches we're looking for.
Taking on life's obstacles with a never-say-die attitude will cost you. It will cost you comfort, fleeting pleasures, and the convenience of pursuing the road of least resistance.
It will also pay off in ways that you are presently unable to comprehend.
Maybe it's worth pushing your perceived boundaries in the quest of your potential. You could be surprised by what you're capable of.
That is why gameness is the most essential quality in life.
Here's a template to get you started:
Control Your Perspective.
This is when we begin to comprehend ourselves, our relationships, and the world in general. We may make a conscious effort to improve our viewpoint as we mature and encounter new situations that teach us the vital lessons we need to thrive. If you pay attention, life has a way of doing that.
Control Your Potential.
How did we cease looking to the future with the notion that we can be or do anything we want? Just because we're adults today doesn't imply we've fully matured into the people we'll become. Don't limit your potential; instead, pursue it tenaciously.
Manage Your Issues.
We frequently choose to live with issues that might (and should) be solved. We'll learn what we're intended to learn if we navigate them with reflection and use them to our benefit.
Control Your Performance.
Have you taken the time to assess your progress in achieving your goals and fulfilling your purpose? Nothing, in my opinion, is more vital if we are sincerely devoted to living a productive and joyful life. This paradigm serves as the foundation for my new book, Gameness: Land on Your Feet, Not Your Emotions. I hope you will take the time to go deeper and learn from what life has to offer.
I'll leave you with this thought: Every day, you have the choice of withdrawing, retreating, and avoiding life's hardships, or confronting each hurdle and allowing this brief time on earth to be as full as it was designed to be.
I believe you were designed to chose the latter.