Since the year dot, women who have smashed
the glass ceiling have ripped up the rulebook
Success. It’s a big world. And, contrary to
what you hear from some quarters, it’s not a dirty one. Success is empowering.
Success gives you freedom. But to get it, you have to cast aside the cliches
and rethink the rules. Here are some ideas to get you started…and remember: to
succeed, you must believe you are worth it.
and
remember: to succeed, you must believe you are worth it
- Money is the root of all evil. No, money is freedom. Women are told to look for ‘job
satisfaction’, and often take poorly paid jobs in ‘interesting’ fields.
That’s OK at 21, but as you get older, you’ll look at your peers driving
nice cares and buying flats, and your red bank statements will make your
stomach churn. If you can, go for an industry where there is a possibility
of high pay.
- TGIF. Thank
God it’s Friday? If you hate your job, how good are you going to be at it?
My husband manager of rock bands gave me some key advice over 20 years
ago. “In my company, we look forward to Mondays, not Fridays,” he said.
- “I want” doesn’t get. Yes, it does. Calmly ask your boss for what you want. Set
goals. Men do it all the time. Women have to learn it. “I want promotion.”
“I want a pay rise.” “I want to work on that key account.”
- Working 9-5. Know who get rich? People who own things, not people who do
things (pop/ movie stars excepted). Consider Martha Lane Fox, Anita Roddick
and Tamara Mellon. All entrepreneurs who started their own companies.
- Work hard and you’ll succeed. Many people work hard all their lives, and get paid next to
nothing. You succeed when you do something other people value highly it
need not involve hard work. When I started out as a bestselling novelist,
I used to goof off for ten months of the year and then write my books in a
frantic six weeks. It was awesome.
Billionaire
Warren Buffett works hard all his life
- Ladies are seen and not heard. I’ve been called ‘ambitious’ in the press and the world has
been used as an insult. Career girls are ‘strident’, ‘harridans’, ‘pushy’,
you name it. Own your desire to get ahead. ‘Ambitious’ for a man is a
compliment. We need to make it the same for a woman.
- Women can’t have it all. Why the hell not? Men can. You may need to adjust the timing
of your dreams when you have children, but keep your overall promise to
yourself: you will achieve your goals on your schedule, not the world’s.
- I work for XYZ. You don’t truly work for anyone but yourself. No company,
charity, NGO or other employer has a loyalty to you. Men see themselves in
the ‘me’ business we must too. Any job is temporary; you trade your
expertise for their money. Do great things for your company, then always
consider another, better-paying offer. Which leads me to…
- The grass is always greener on the
other side of the fence. In my experience, we
shouldn’t heed the warning. The grass IS often greener. Fresh ideas, fresh
people, fresh surroundings. Keep jumping fences. Try lots of grass.
- If wishes were horses…Ah, but they are horses, and the most reliable ones that will
ever carry you. You might not get wish number one, but you may get
something just as big and just as good.
