Category: personal growth

Defining Success – Does It Have To Be The C-Suite?

So many people think success is they’ve made it to the C-suite.

The C-suite is not the only success that is out there in your career in business, so I want to talk about that in this episode.

What might be a better definition of success? How about this (not mine, but well worth sharing) – “Put your heart, your mind, your intellect, and your soul, even into every small act.”

That is a secret of success. Anything that you do in life, give it 110 percent.

My idea of success has changed a lot over 55+ years. Success depends upon the season you’re in. Your 20’s are different than your 30’s, and different than your 40’s, and different than your 50’s. Every season has been different for me (and will be for you), so success looked different in every season (and will be for you).

I enjoyed my career more, I think, because I wasn’t always shooting for being number one.

Being number one is not for the weak. It’s a tough place to be. I still had success because I had a different impact, and influence, and most importantly, I enjoyed and seized the moments in my life outside of the corporate four walls.

I’ve listened to Will Ferrell’s 2017 commencement speech to USC several times.

USC is where he attended. He talks about his success, of course, with all humor involved. He talks more about his 16-year marriage, his boys, his charity. He talks very passionately about the USC family, but he really talks about his journey getting there.

He doesn’t start out by saying, “I was on Saturday Night Live.” He doesn’t talk about, “I’ve made all these movies.” He’s just happy with other things besides being the number one, and all the different things that come along with that.

We can’t all be in the C-suite.

Many of us, first of all, are not meant to be there; we’re not leaders. The good news is you can enjoy success outside of the C-suite.

By the way, top leaders need followers. We can learn from them, and probably we have similar characteristics.

How do we learn from those in the C-suite?

Ask yourself “What does a C-suite person do? What is their success?”

They prioritize. Because when you are number one, you cannot do everything. We can do that (prioritize) in any situation. They get to the point. They drill it down. They make a decision. They go forward. They probably ask a lot more questions. They get a lot of good advice from all around them.

Decisions have impact, so those in the C-suite have to make good ones, because there’s a lot of people relying on them. Trust is at the core of everything with a successful C-suite person. If you don’t have that team and support, you can’t do it.

We all have different career goals to achieve success. There’s nothing right or wrong, and success is measured differently by all of us.

Unfortunately, we tend to obsess over our goals and our career. Most of us do. All the career goals and the success you have, whether you’re in the C-suite, or you’re just going to occur in your own world. All of those goals are valid. So, no matter where you are, focus on yours, and stick to yours, and not to others.

Here are some definitions of success that you should not ignore.

  • Success is always doing your best.
  • Success is learning that you sometimes have to say no and really being careful when you say yes.
  • Success is learning.
  • Success is understanding you cannot keep what you don’t give away.
  • Success is overcoming fear.
  • Success is being loved and loving back.
  • Success is standing your ground when you believe in something.
  • Success is not giving up.
  • Success is never letting a disability hold you back and understand that you control your destiny.
  • Success goes way beyond the C-suite.

Ultimately, you define success, and you enjoy it. Have a good journey, and don’t be consumed in the destination, especially to the C-suite.

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

Silencing Your Self-Doubt

“Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt” – William Shakespeare

Self-doubt is fed by your inner voice and, of course, is self-inflicted.

This podcast is very personal, which is probably why it took me a while to write it.

If there’s one struggle that I have had in life, it is probably self-doubt. The continual questioning that ends up paralyzing me, which results in me doing nothing and not going forward.

  • The first step is to tackle the inner voice that is feeding and fueling your self-doubt. You’re the key to controlling that. Here are a few things that I came up with that have worked for me.
  • Stay strong and be resilient even in the tough days, in your rough times. Handle criticism and the negative people who lash out at you in a more understanding and level-headed way.
  • Stop dragging yourself down by always comparing yourself to other people and their lives. Oh, yes, the comparison game.
  • Become more assertive by simply saying no. We don’t do that well, do we, ladies? Say no to things that are going to add to your self-doubt, or take away confidence, or take from you moving forward.
  • Replace perfectionism with healthier and happier habits.
  • Talk back to your own inner critic. Have a two-way conversation now in your head. Talking back is okay, because sometimes you got to shut it down.
  • Find your most important dream and set your goals.

Work hard. Play hard. And your success should be celebrated. You deserve it, because you earned it. It’s okay.

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

Finding And Owning Your Voice

Finding and owning your voice.

Strengthening your inner confidence.

It’s your identity expressing itself. It’s your personality, and it’s your individual message to the world.

I believe that there is power in that feminine voice, and it’s missing in too many conversations. From the business environment – your office, the marketplace, the boardroom, to politics, and in our homes. If we are there, it’s so crucial that the voice is heard.

In this episode, I hope to help you to move forward in owning your voice, and claiming that power.

Of course, if it’s only for the greater good.

You first have to recognize you probably have something valuable to say. You have to be strategic, though, about what you say and when you say it. Don’t speak for the sake of speaking. Be sure that you speak thoughtfully, in an engaging manner, when you want to be heard.

Words really matter.

People’s perception and how they’ve heard you is your of choice of words. Speaking isn’t just saying what you want. Speaking isn’t just having your voice. Words matter to make things happen.

You must be willing to speak up when something goes against what has a deep value for you. Silence in those moments really talks about your character. And be prepared for possible backlash when you do. Criticism comes with being a leader, regardless of your gender. The labels, and the name-calling have very little to do with you, personally. It’s really about how uncomfortable you’re making some people. Don’t take it personally, and just move on.

When you’re finding your voice, it’s one step at a time. Slow and steady.

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

Catherine Lang-Cline from Portfolio Creative

This episode is about taking your business to the next level.  For part of the podcast, I’m going to interview Catherine Lang-Cline. She’s President and Co-Creator of Portfolio Creative, and she has a great story. She’s done an amazing job growing her business. It looks easy from the outside, but she’s been through everything and more that you are going through right now growing your business.

What are the barriers that most women feel are there to getting to that next level? A lot of times you are this original, and you have an idea and you’re different and you’re passionate and you might want to do things. We cover how Catherine overcame these barriers in this podcast.

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

Rehearsing Your Troubles

Just to be sure you understand what I’m referring to, rehearsing your troubles. What does that mean? If you constantly have conversations in your head. You’re thinking, you’re talking, you’re laying awake at night, and you’re playing something over and over. It consumes you. That’s what I’m talking about. 

And it probably starts with some simple comment from the people around you, the people that matter the most… your peer, your spouse, or maybe your significant other.

In this episode, I am going to cover ways that helped me conquer this, and I hope will do the same for you.

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.

No One Will Value You More Than You

Do you feel unappreciated, undervalued, overbooked, underutilized, or overlooked? Maybe you think you’re an afterthought? I would challenge you to step back and ask a simple question.

“Do I value who I am?”

Better yet, if you don’t value who you are, why should anybody else?

Tough questions. But you need to answer them if this is something resonates with you. In this episode I want to talk about the importance of value and who you are.

And if you want to be valued by others, it really does start with you.

This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.

For more information, go to the Insights page at Brady Ware and Company.

Remember to follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.  And forward our podcast along to other Inspiring Women in your life.