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Shakira Dixon

Define your Own Success

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Success is defined by Webster dictionay as “the fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect or fame or accomplishing one goals.” There was a time when success simply meant obtaining an education, a well respected profession, and having a family of your own. If you did not meet that standard you were deemed a failure in society’s eyes. Thankfully with time the idea of success has evolved.  It is time that we define success for ourselves.  The question you have to ask yourself is “how I you define success?”  In order to do fulfill success for yourself you have to have a clear vision for your life and not how others will define it.

What do you want your life to look like

Success is driven by the goals you fulfill regardless of what they are.  They are your goals and they should be defined by the life you envision for yourself.  I suggest to you that money and power is not enough.  In order to live the life we need, we should incorporate our overall well-being, wisdom, wonder and ability to give. The life that you want to live should involve peace of mind. This is a result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to accomplish every goal you’ve set whether it is to become CEO of a major company or to raise children so they can be the best they can be along with being a supportive wife.

What is your passion

What is that thing that keeps you up at night?  What are you constantly researching? What makes you happy? That thing in your soul, that person you want to help.  That fire, it is what fulfills you.  Be completely honest with yourself, no matter if it is being a great mother to your children or a venture capitalist, it is what drives you.

The Why

When it is all said and done, why are you reaching for success? Why do we have these goals?  Some of us want to travel, some of us want to have a place we can call home.  Some of us are not concerned with having money in the bank.  Some of us want to fulfill a purpose we believe we have.  When you know the reason why you do these things, and you feed into that reason, then you know what success truly means and if you have met it.

Building Your Personal Brand

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d11consulting.com

Personal brand, reputation, expertise, and experience are the terms that have evolved over time when evaluating a person and what they bring to the table in their career and what they can contribute.  These words also reflect how someone would determine whether or not you qualify for a specific job or role.  At a time where social media essentially helps the world go around, your personal brand is key.

Simply put, branding is how you present yourself to others.  If you want to grow professionally, whether it be as an employee or an entrepreneur, personal branding is essential because it allows you to stand out in a crowded marketplace.  Most importantly, personal branding allows you to control how you are perceived by others.  Whether you’re interacting with someone online or in person, a strong personal brand will help you make a memorable and positive impression.

Your personal brand is not just exclusive to your online presence, but to your offline presence as well.  After all, in order to be successful, networking and being able to communicate with people are keys components that contribute to others entrusting their ability to work with you and value your expertise.

There are several factors that should be considered in not only developing your personal brand but expressing it for others to see.  Your brand should be authentically who you are, what you value and what you seek to accomplish.

While there are many ways to present your personal brand, these key elements should get you started:

Elevator Pitch

Your elevator pitch is the most succinct way to communicate your purpose, your talents and the mark you want to leave on the world.  We are at a time when audiences have very limited attention span, therefore it is important that you are exude confidence and you can get to the point when speaking to a prospective employer or customer as to why you are the best fit.

Online Presence

It is no secret that a person who is going to invest in either a future employee or business, will use Google to research whether or not they are qualified and a person with whom they would want to work with.  With that said, your online presence should not only allude to your qualifications and expertise, but give an indication as to the type of person you are.

Does your online presence show you to be a person of integrity or someone who does not act in a respectable manner?  If you are an entrepreneur, does your online presence match the business you offer?  For example, if you are a health and fitness trainer, we should expect to see elements of healthy eating and exercise within your social media post and you living the life that you want others to believe.  While there is the element of work-life balance, it is perfectly fine to post your tasteful vacation pictures or enjoying your time with friends.

Additionally, anyone who wants to have a meaningful career, should have a LinkedIn profile that outlines your experience and goals.  Your profile can also be used as a tool to network with others in your current field or desired field.  This tool can also be used to post subject matter that falls in line with your expertise or interact in discussions that can ultimately illustrate your expertise and contribute to building your network.

Networking

There are so many ways to network and meet with like minded professionals.  Some of these include workshops, national conferences and other local events such as meetups.  These opportunities not only allow you to meet and form connections with potential partners, but you are able to continue to learn about your particular industry as well as project to others your commitment to your career.

Your personal brand allows people to trust that you are someone that they would want to work with professionally and that you have knowledge of your field.  It should be ever evolving, but staying true to who you are and the values you possess as you grow professionally will always be important.

 

4 Ways to Empower Yourself By Empowering Others

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jessicaciampini.wordpress.com

You can’t lose by helping other people win. – Paul Carrick Brunson

I often wonder where so many of us got the notion that we are in this competition with each other and by helping others we lose something.  This idea could not be any further from the truth.  Often times empowering someone else opens up the possibility of empowering yourself and building trusting formidable relationships.

I am willing to admit that it is not always easy to purposely empower others and it requires some vulnerability, but once done honestly and unconditionally, you end up gaining so much more.  If you surround yourself with likeminded people and form genuine relationships, whether it be friendships, colleagues or a romantic bond, then some of those factors that strengthen the connection should consist of encouragement, honestly and inspiration.

We as woman should continue to work towards forming relationships that will only make us better.  Previously, I mentioned ways that we can encourage ourselves, here are some ways that we can empower those around us.

1. Be a Role Model
ne of the easiest ways to inspire and encourage others is to simply be your best self and be an example of what a woman who accomplishes her goals with integrity looks like.

2. Compliment and Congratulate Others
Take the time to applaud people on their accomplishments and their best qualities.  While, we shouldn’t do our best for a simple applause, it is a huge confidence boost when others acknowledge the work we do and encourages us to continue our goals.  It also makes us feel great about our own self that no matter what is going on in our own life, we can take the time to congratulate someone else and put a smile on their face and it eliminates whatever insecurities we have in our life.

3. Simply Support
Support can come in so many ways, which can include being a listening ear, showing up at events or spreading the word about someone’s business or cause.  Often if I see an opportunity or event in line with someone’s career or business, I will bring it to their attention as well.

4. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Taking a page from The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, being completely honest is one of the most empowering things you can do.  This includes if someone ask your opinion, then provide them with the truth, whether it is good or bad and therefore a person can make a decision based of off honesty.

It is evident that empowering others does not require much, especially if you can empower yourself and living your truth.  Furthermore, you end up empowering yourself and being in a powerful and inspiring circle.

Simply put, you can only win by helping others win.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Decide to Rise

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businessoverbroadway.com

Change your thoughts and you change your world – Norman Vincent Peale

British singer and songwriter Leona Lewis has started a social media campaign for the month of June, called #empowermonth, which I absolutely love and I am ready to jump on board.  Admittedly I have a vision for my life, but sometimes the vision gets cloudy because of negative self talk, lack of encouragement or obstacles that I may face.  I know that I am not alone in this, therefore we all need ways that not only we can empower ourselves but others as well.  Most importantly, you can not genuinely empower others, if you can’t empower and encourage yourself.

As women, we often hold ourselves back from advancement with self-imposed barriers.  We tend to have a fear of failure or a lack of confidence, that unfortunately prohibits us from being our best selves.  However there comes a time when we must move past our insecurities and embrace the person we were meant to be and envision.

There are a number of ways in which we can empower ourselves, but I think the main thing we have to do is allow ourselves to dream and envision the experience and life we want to live, whether it be a womenuer, corporate executive or philanthropist.  Once you decide how you want to live your life, then you can incorporate tools that will empower you and give you the courage to make the steps towards fulfilling your dreams.

Here are some ways that every woman can do to propel themselves forward through empowerment:

  • Be Yourself
    This requires you being honest with yourself about who you are and what you want to do.  Embrace the unique qualities you have and use those to form relationships and allow yourself to lead and contribute not only to your success but to the success of those around you.
  • Embrace Failure
    Accept the fact that you are going to make mistakes, everyone does.  You become empowered when you learn from those mistakes and put them into action
  • Repeat Affirmations
    Remind yourself that you are worthy of anything and everything that you dream of.
  • Build Self-Appreciation
    People will not always applaud you for your success, therefore learn to reward yourself for accomplishing your goals and appreciating all that you have done.
  • Stop Negative Talk
    Do not speak negative of yourself or others.  Most importantly do not allow what others say of you to cloud your mind or the life you want to live.  It is fine to seek advice, but make sure that it is not only genuine but it is the best advice for you.  Remember, once you change your thoughts, you change your world.
  • Learn More
    If you want to be a leader in your industry, then you have to have the skills and the resources to do so.  Not only would this provide you with technical skills but it will also give you confidence.
  • Have a support system
    While it is important to be able to empower yourself, you should also have a support system that would be an ear, encourage you and hold you accountable.
  • Make the first step
    What is that thing that you want to do? Is it to change careers? Do you want to start a company? Then the first step for you may be seeking out mentors who can give you advice or help guide you.
  • Take the pressure off
    It is perfectly fine to take breaks and take a step back.  It allows you to reevaluate, have a clear head and look at the big picture.  It also serves as a refresher for your physical and mental well being.

Empowerment requires that you believe in yourself and exude confidence, if you don’t no one else will and they will take you but so seriously.

To quote the lyrics from Leona Lewis, remember, “I AM, I EXIST, I AM HERE.” Live your life and make IT great the best way you know how, DECIDE TO RISE[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Closed Mouths Don’t Get Fed

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tripeaksconsulting.com

If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it.  If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.  If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place. – Nora Roberts

Many of us have dreams that are so hidden in fear that we think that they are either too big to come to fruition, or someone else ends up using our ideas. There is also the misconception that if we seek help to bring our dreams to light then we show signs of weakness or we are incapable of making it work.

How will you move toward your dreams and goals if you remain quiet and don’t seek advice? What is more important – your pride or achieving your definition of success?

Part of accomplishing your goals is to be vocal, seek out mentors, and form strategic partnerships that can contribute to your success.  Successful people will tell you that their network of associates, partnerships and mentors are the main tools that propelled them forward.

Be Clear

To get the answer and the help you need, you have to be clear and specific of what it is that you desire. Take the time to internally formalize what your needs are. If you want a specific career, be clear on the role you want and the type of organization that you would like to work in.

You also have to do your research. Why would someone assist you if you don’t have some knowledge about the industry you aspire to work in? To quote the fictional character Jerry Maguire, “Help me, help you.”  You have to be able to show a perspective mentor that you are worth their time.

Ask With Expectation

There is a difference between entitlement and expectation. You don’t want to approach someone with the attitude that they are supposed to provide you with guidance or assistance. However, you should exude confidence and believe that they will provide you with what you need, especially if you are clear about the direction on where you want to take your career. Most people are not going to be willing to help you if are unsure of yourself. So, it is important to be strategic when you ask for help and from who you ask for help.

The Right Opportunity

Part of being successful is to be able to view common occasions as mini opportunities. You can grow your network at brunch, volunteer groups, even at a  parent teacher conference. The key is that you have to be able to make a connection with people and be open to where the conversation may lead. It is important to note that you should make an effort to make connections with people who are inline with the goals you want to achieve.

In the end, there is always more than one way to get what you want, but you have to know what your end is. Knowing how success is defined for you, will allow you to be open to know what opportunities you should jump on and who you should be vocal to.

If all else fails, remember, “A closed mouth don’t get fed.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Equal Pay Day is More Than a Hashtag

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washingtonpost.com

On April 14, 2015, women across the country were posting various memes and status updates with the hashtag #equalpayday. This date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women working full-time only earn approximately 78% of what men earn.

We desire to earn more, but unfortunately we do not put ourselves in a position to earn more. We should be making steps every chance we get in order to be deemed equal. Beside your social media stance, what are you doing to make sure you are earning what you are worth? The following tips will help prepare you to get that equal pay you’ve been tweeting about.

Do Your Salary Homework

There are several resources available to assist you in determining what the average salary is for your position.

Salary.com provides a comprehensive list of any and every position in a field, as well as required skills and salary details. It also allows you to compare different levels of a role to see where your skills position you.

Glassdoor.com provides actual salaries for actual positions within companies. It also gives you the ability to perform your search based on your position and location to find out what the actual companies in your area are paying as reported by previous and current employees.  As a bonus there are also company reviews.

Recruiter is an industry-specific recruiter who can quickly assess your experience and let you know the average salary for a position.

Quantify Your Value

You should always keep track of any accomplishments at work.

  • Did you add to the bottom line?
  • Did you lead a number of projects?
  • Did you implement a new initiative?

If you are going to express to someone you are worth more than what they are offering you, you have to be able to express why.

Negotiate

Many of us accept whatever is offered to us whether it be during the offer of a new job or a raise without even exploring the possibility of negotiation. Keep in mind that you have every right to negotiate if you have a valid reason to believe you deserve more. If you are confident in yourself and prepared with your research, what you are able to contribute and your accomplishments, you are in a better position to express that to the decision maker.

Also, keep in mind that negotiation does not solely have to be about your annual salary. Determine what matters to you most, is it flexible working hours, more vacation time or a promotion with more responsibility? These are benefits that you should be able to ask for if you know you deserve them.

Remember, no one else is going to see your values or your contributions unless you make them aware. You don’t get what you don’t ask for.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]