I read a piece about Arianna Huffington recently where she discussed how women have to redefine success and power. Think about it – Arianna turned a blog into a multi-million dollar media empire in only a few short years. Some thought her idea would never stick and she herself admits to many career hurdles throughout her life. But one piece of advice from Arianna rings true more than any other “Don’t let others define your success!”
She also offered these 3 gems during an interview with Business Insider’s Kim Bhasin.
Change Your Perspective – according to Arianna, women have issues with success and power because they have the definition of power all wrong. She said that in the current business landscape, “…people think of power as the amount of control you have over other people, and then that level compares to other people.” She urges women not to fall into the male trap of comparing whose portfolio is bigger but to consider risks and new opportunities for career growth and entrepreneurial success.
Lose the Obnoxious Roommate – most of us can relate to toxic people in our lives but the little voice inside of you that doesn’t support you is controllable. Turn off the monkey chatter and stop succumbing to the fear you create that is debilitating. That voice doesn’t want you to fail because it’s trying to protect you but in fact, failure is how we learn. When you fail – take a moment to feel terrible and then move forward and focus your energy more positively.
Be Childlike – Arianna suggests that we handle failure as children deal with disappointment. “They cry. They get upset. And then they get over it. And then it’s really over.” Kids don’t even remember why they were upset in the first place and adults can learn a lot from this.
It all boils down to how you define power and success. Arianna Huffington’s philosophy resonates with me: “Make your life about something that can make a difference in the world. Put the spotlight on what’s working.”
So, what’s working in your world?
