5 secrets of the most successful women
I don’t know many people who love their job quite as much as I do. I come away from coaching sessions literally buzzing from head to toe. I know, I sound like a maniac, but honestly, there is nothing greater than seeing potential unlocked and dreams being allowed a chance to come true. It really can happen. With the right framework and mindset in place, it is possible to achieve whatever you want.
On the mindset point particularly, in my time as a coach I’ve noticed some recurring themes. To support my clients, I’ve also put many hours into finding out what the most successful women out there have in common. I wanted to share with you the top 5 habits shared by the women who really stand out:
They believe in something
All successful women are absolutely crystal clear on the reason they do what they do. When your purpose is clear, everything becomes easier. Hard work, setbacks, tough decisions and even the competition are all very different when they’re viewed through the lens of a strong core purpose. When you’re committed wholeheartedly to your cause then you damn well keep on going until you achieve it.
Take Coco Chanel for example. She lost her mother at 12 and her father abandoned her in the same week. Her whole life caved in around her ears and she grew up in terrible circumstances. Her driving force? She was determined to overcome that poverty and make a name for herself. I think we can safely say she nailed that one.
2. They have goals
Goals and purpose go hand in hand. Very few people would set out on a car journey without knowing where they’re going but a surprisingly large number of people set out in business in exactly that way. When I work with a new client, the very first thing I get them to do is work out exactly where they want to get to and by when.
The beauty of well set out goals is that they give you a framework to stick to and, when it comes to making decisions they you a very simple way of making choices without too much emotional drain. When you’ve put all your emotion into crafting a set of goals you’re completely thrilled by you can be very clinical further down the line.
3. They get help
For me, there’s two types of help that are critical to success – Outsourcing and outside expertise. Outsourcing is a godsend for time poor, cash rich (and even not so rich) business women, and I strongly urge anyone to outsource as many time consuming tasks as they can. Cleaning, admin, even childcare… anything that costs you less than your own hourly earnings should be outsourced to a good quality provider. As Jessica Herrin of Stella & Dot put it, she “nearly died alone on I-Can-Do-It-All-Island” and no one wants that!
Outside expertise covers the likes of mentors and, more commonly now, coaches. It’s very rare to read a true success story without mention of that one person that provided a much needed break or some words of wisdom at a key moment. Get out there and speak to people about whatever it is you want to achieve, share your dreams and vision for the future. People love to help and every connection you make will shift you on in some way.
4. They take action
Successful women take action. In the words of Isaac Newton, ‘Bodies at rest tend to stay at rest. Many people just can’t seem to get underway and as a result they simply don’t take action.’ It often takes courage and sometimes even a bit of naivety but the main thing that successful women do is that they take the first step and then keep going until they create consistent momentum.
No one ever got successful by sitting at home and thinking about it. High achievers get out and do. They take risks, learn from everything, good or bad and then fill in the gaps along the way. They have a bring it on attitude and they just go for it. For me, I tend to find that the most successful women I work with just don’t see barriers in the same way as other people. They focus on finding a way to overcome things rather than the barriers themselves.
5. They celebrate success
Anyone who practices mindfulness will already be aware of the power of gratitude and it’s role in building a positive and resilient mindset . It’s so important when you’re working hard to achieve your goals that you take time out to celebrate success and reflect on what you’re grateful for. Celebrating success charges your energy reserves and builds you up for the next stage of the journey, especially when you focus on just how much effort you’ve put in to getting to where you are now. As Oprah says, “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
All in all, successful women are rule breakers, risk takers, hard workers and bounce backers. Find as many as you can and make them your tribe.
