By: Susanne Birgersdotter
I came across a discussion on LinkedIn lately where women were discussing their measure of success in life. I was intrigued by some of the women’s responses, and decided to look into this subject a little further.
January 2008. Portrait of Scottish business woman Kim Winser (President and Chief Executive Officer of Aquascutum) photographed in London. January 2008. Kim Winser is listed number three of the Wall Street Journal Europes most successful business women. Winser was awarded a Doctorate by Heriot-Watt University in 2003 and an OBE for services to the fashion industry in the 2006 New Years honours list. COPYRIGHT STELLA PICTURES Photo:
LinkedIn and Citi Group conducted a study a year ago, asking both men and women how they measured success, and the results were stunning.
The most important measure to a man is a “good” salary.
There were 3 measures that ranked equally important to women:
A “good” salary
Doing what I love
Being challenged
While men are still interested in doing what they love and being challenged, those ranked a not-so-close 2nd and 3rd on their list of priorities.
Other measures that ranked higher on women’s list of priorities were:
Making an impact on the world
Helping people
Reality star Kim Kardashian was spotted at Epione in Beverly Hills, California on March 1st, 2016. Kim is getting sued by the driver she ran into during an accident in March 2014. COPYRIGHT STELLA PICTURES
Then I stumbled across a recent review of top performance portfolios at First Round Capital that found women-run portfolios outperform their male peers. When they ranked these women’s successes, they found that growth of revenue was the No. 1 priority, but a close second was work/life balance. These women were highly productive, but also found ways to mesh their personal and professional lives in a satisfactory manner.
These two studies started me thinking about my own situation, and I thought I would pass on some words of wisdom that I’ve learned about my own success and personal creed.
- I define myself by who I am rather than what I do. I’m more than just an entrepreneur or just a wife, mother, friend. I know my own strengths and weaknesses and use those in the best possible way in each avenue of my life to help me live a fulfilling and satisfying life.
- I’m passionate about what I do. Whether it’s running my own business or organizing my family life, I approach each task with energy and thought. I know what needs to be done and what I can delegate or just let go. I don’t waste my time on anything less.
- I refuel my body for both work and play through rest. I have a healthy balance between work, family, exercise, and periods of rest. Everyone needs downtime just to be silent and contemplate what’s important and what truly needs to be done. I practice mindfulness in all areas of life.
- I’ve developed skills that keep me productive. For instance, I like to plan ahead strategically and set attainable goals. I manage my time and money wisely, and I constantly work on adding value to the bottom line of my organization. I love collaborating with others and building healthy relationships with everyone in my life.
22-2-2016 Celebrity Selfies Pictured: Destinys child Beyonce Kelly Rowland Michelle Photo : STELLA PICTURES
And I truly enjoy championing change and inspiring and motivating others, which is the goal behind these weekly blog posts.
I came across a quote that I’d like to leave you with:
Belief in oneself is one of the most important bricks in building any successful venture. –Lydia M. Child
If you believe it, you can build it. If you build it, they will come.