Success is Within Our Reach

David Schwartz, author of The Magic of Thinking Big, states that the number one obstacle on the road to success is a feeling that major accomplishments are beyond reach. It is not surprising to me that this is considered an obstacle. Schwartz considers it the number one obstacle. This is exactly why feminists for years were so vocal about "role models," so that young women could envision their ambitions and see them within their own reach.

Okay, so now there are women in all kinds of high-profile positions. They anchor the news, fight fires, run Hewlett- Packard. If we see it can be done, why are the majority of working women still in low paying jobs? I believe the answer lies in the results of a survey done by a major magazine years ago: women see other women as candidates for high-paying jobs, but see themselves as "unqualified." They do this in such great numbers that women working full-time earn 71 cents to the dollar as compared to men.

This is not saying we are unqualified, it is only that we perceive ourselves to be. This is more than enough to hold us down. Your boss will not follow you around trying to convince you that you deserve more responsibility and pay. It doesn’t happen that way, period. Men and women who see themselves as qualified are requesting and demanding higher pay. They are also receiving it.

Our self-images have not kept pace with our opportunities. There are several reasons for this, one being the 40% rule (See Each of Us.) This convoluted attitude is self-defeating, but not fatal. We can overcome it. We can see ourselves as qualified, which puts the accomplishment within our reach. Awareness is the first step. Small adjustments make a big difference.