Why Women Need a New Mindset If They Want to Succeed in a Mans World

Why Women Need a New Mindset If They Want to Succeed in a Man’s World Great strides have been taken along the lines of equality but as a society we really haven’t gone far enough. Although the UK has had a female Prime Minister, look around you at the rest of the world. Has the United States ever had a female president? What about many of the European nations that are said to be ultra-liberal. Most have not had women leaders, and there are even countries that don’t allow female monarchs to take the throne, even if by birth they should rightfully be the next in line. If a woman wants to succeed in what is still, for the most part, a man’s world, she needs a new mindset. You Can’t Change Others â€" You Can Only Change Yourself The first thing you need to realize is that you really can’t change others. Many couples undergoing couples therapy are told this by their therapists when they first enter treatment. There are things you don’t like about another person but you can’t force them to change. What you can do is change the way you respond to them. The same is true in the world of business. You can’t change society overnight but you can change the way you live your life so that you aren’t negatively impacted by their way of thinking. Embrace Your Femininity â€" Don’t Be Someone You Aren’t Another one of the mistakes some women make when trying to climb the corporate ladder is to be more ‘manly’ in the way that men are perceived. Strength is a big one. When trying to appear as strong as a man, some women come across as domineering and brash. Instead, embrace your femininity because it is who you are. Be strong, yes, but you don’t need to try to take on the strength of a man. It will come out wrong every single time. Learn to Deal with Rejection Over time you will probably be rejected for jobs that you are more than qualified to do in lieu of a man applying for the very same post. It is not to say that you shouldn’t continue ‘fighting’ for what should be rightfully yours and it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t file suit for discrimination, but remember, those lawsuits are extremely difficult to win and you may lose more than just the suit. You might lose your job and your self-respect amongst your fellow employees. (See? Even the language is sexist! We don’t say women employees or gal employees, so there is a lot you’ll have to overcome and rejection is just one of many.) In the End It Is All About a Positive Self Image No matter what you face in trying to succeed in a man’s world, you can’t let rejection and other people’s perceptions cloud your future visions with doubt. Always project a positive self-image so that others will know that you are completely comfortable in your own skin. Sam Ovens, New Zealand entrepreneur, says that you need to stop second-guessing yourself. You reached your current level of success based on what you knew you could do, and do well. Now it’s time to move onto the next level you are trying to attain and you can do it, you know you can. This is what you need to tell yourself every day. Learn about positive affirmations and use them to keep your self-image elevated. This is the new mindset you need to succeed in a man’s world, the mindset that tells you that you are worthy and that you can. You simply can. No matter what you try, know that you can do it and success will follow naturally.