There’s no shame in not being where you want to be in life. Whether you’re still living at Hotel Mum and Dad, or you’re patiently waiting for the promotion that’ll solidify your career goals. Even the most successful women in the world have had to sit it out over the years or even decades before their big moment. Even so, while you’re on your way up the ladder, staying positive, celebrating your achievements, and perfecting your game face can be a quick route to showing the outside world that you’ve got this. There are some methods out there for using the tough times to your best advantage.
Here, we take a walk through some of the world’s most influential females experiences and see how taking cues from their handling of the good times and bad could help you in the motivation stakes.
Grit Your Teeth and Get on With It
The world’s no ball of cotton about to protect you when you fall. This one’s inspired by a lady not readily known for sympathy or cuddles. Love or hate her politics, Theresa May battled off fierce male competition and was anointed as the UK’s second-ever female prime minister. No mean feat. Amid an absolute tumult of negative press on everything from her awkward dancing efforts to her slightly oddball wheat field-based analogies, May refused to step down until the very last. She tensed her jaw and just got on with the job.
You’re Never Too Young to Be Boss
Alan Sugar’s right-hand woman, Karen Brady, started young, and she started strong. Becoming Managing Director of Birmingham City Football Club at just 23, Brady didn’t shy away from using her power and influence in the face of much older, distinctly more male counterparts. If you’ve got the drive and the know-how, there’s simply nothing to stop you from being the one in charge.
Just Don’t Stop
Greta Thunberg needs no introduction. She started her climate change campaign efforts when she was just a schoolgirl, and nothing seems to be able to throw a spanner in the works, not even when Russia’s President gives her a big thumbs down on the world stage. She’s got a goal, and she’s sticking with it come rain or shine, so learn from the best and concentrate on your goals, rather than what the village gossip has to say about them, and you can’t go far wrong.
It Doesn’t Have to Be A Man’s World.
It may seem like men have it easy, but you don’t need to sit your pretty self down and take it. Apply for that job you know you’re perfect for, whether or not you tick all the qualification boxes, and swagger through the interview with confidence. Celebrity case in point? Susan Wojcicki, CEO of none other than YouTube. Men dominate tech, but this remarkable woman sits on top. Formerly one of the first employees at Google, Susan acknowledges that her gender isn’t often seen in the top spot in tech, but she believes in her equal right to be there, and we do too.
Doing What You Love Can Make It Easier
Battling through the pitfalls and peaks of your career is always challenging, but if you’re doing what you love, it feels a lot less like hard work. The two brains behind Crime Junkie, Ashley Flower, and Brit Prawat know how to monetize a passion, and their podcast was recently placed second in a US list of the most popular downloads. Talking about real-life missing persons and grizzly murders might not sound like a job, but their shared love of all things true crime has led them to impressive success, and they’re not about to stop now. A job that sparks joy every day is easier to get out of bed for, simple!
Don’t Be Afraid to Be Normal
No matter where you are on the career ladder, reality can’t help but let its (sometimes unwelcome) presence be known. Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, isn’t afraid to let it all hang out. From chatting about her penchant for wearing Spanx on national television to taking time out at the United Nations General Assembly for snuggles with her new baby, Ardern uses her everywoman image to strengthen her political position; career go-getters are people too and letting your grounded side shine through can help you easily appeal at large.
Finding our way to the top might be the more death-defying free climb up the side of a sheer and shiny cliff than the character-affirming hike our male counterparts often enjoy, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pretend to be in peak fitness and claw our way to the summit all the same. Take your cue from these women of influence and let your motivation, passion, and even normalcy lead you to the places you deserve to be. Until you’ve reached the dizzying heights of success, it’s in your hands to shout about successes, however small, and paint a picture of world domination just until it becomes a reality.