Today, I want to touch on a deeply personal topic that resonates with many women in our community: self-advocacy and self-sufficiency regarding the freedom to make choices in the best interest of your career and family. 

As many of you know, I am a divorced mom, and I’m currently navigating the exciting chapter of supporting my high school senior with his college applications. Helping him choose the right destination for his next four years has been a journey and one that’s very significant for him. I believe that as a parent, it’s a privilege to support his future through quality education, and I’m aware that the decisions I’ve made throughout my career have enabled me to do so.

Therefore, today, I’d like to talk about how your career choices can influence your ability to support your family in the best way possible.

 Women’s Self-Advocacy and Career Choices

The freedom to choose how to support our families starts with our commitment to our careers and ourselves. As a working mom and primary breadwinner, I’ve had to make sacrifices, commuting, working after he was in bed, putting in the extra effort to deliver on projects no matter what, and pursuing my PhD at night while working and being a mom full-time. However, I’m immensely grateful for my work ethic and the investments in my education and work.

Today, these investments allow me to help my son pursue his dreams while contributing my share of college costs without the extra burden of financial worries about his education. His dedication to excelling academically and his desire to attend a four-year school where he can pursue a field of study that aligns with his abilities and preferences can set the foundation for him to thrive and bring his dreams to reality. As divorced parents, we can support his dream through our emotional support and respective financial contributions. 

This topic of giving our children the support they need for a higher education segways into a broader message for you. When you reflect on your career ambitions, it’s essential to acknowledge that your vision, efforts, and investments support you in carving out your personal and professional path and contribute by illuminating the way for your family’s success and legacy. 

Any time and resources we invest in ourselves are self-advocacy and yield a profound reward: empowerment, self-sufficiency, the capability work we are skilled at, and service to our profession and our loved ones.

Consequently, every minute you spend advancing your career and knowledge is indirectly invested in your loved ones’ future.

Laying the Foundations for a Successful Career

The steps you take in your career journey have the power to maximize your earning potential and give you the freedom to make choices throughout your life. 

However, this planning boils down to three fundamental pillars. I learned these from my mentors, and as always, I share them with you to support you in accelerating your learning–similarly to how they supported me in accelerating.

Pillar #1: Get Clear on Your Vision and Goals 

Getting clear on your target is foundational. 

What are you exceptionally good at? What do you love doing so much that you could do it all day long?

Combining these creates a vision aligning with your values and who you are today. Refocus, claim it, and integrate it into your daily work. 

While this vision will evolve, having a clear target now will guide each step you take next and every opportunity you contemplate pursuing.

Pillar #2: Acquire the Strategies and Skills 

Once you have your vision and target, you need strategies to reach it. What skills do you need to develop, and what tools do you need to acquire? 

If you’re a people leader, perhaps you need coaching skills, the ability to mentor a team, or the ability to deepen your expertise in your particular functional area. Essentially, strategize to become the “go-to” person in your expertise. 

To gain the strategies to pursue your vision and goals, it’s a game-changer to role model someone who is already where you want to be and learn from their missteps and successes. That’s a sure way to accelerate and avoid frustrations, throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what “sticks.”

When I began my business in 2017, I sought mentorship from those who had already succeeded in running successful businesses. Without this guidance, I may still be figuring out my path. That was a price I wasn’t willing to pay at the age of 47, having all the financial responsibilities to support myself and my son and pay child support.

You don’t have to do it alone—sometimes, the fastest and most powerful way forward is to leverage the expertise of others who have already walked the journey. They are ready to support you and help you speed up. This enables you to reap the most from your career earnings by making it happen sooner rather than later.

Pillar #3: Remove the Inner Conflicts

The mindset you bring to each situation is vital. Addressing doubts, lack of confidence, imposter syndrome, and limiting narratives about yourself or your environment is essential to gaining the courage to raise your hand for opportunities and pursue your next stretch role or promotion. 

Confronting and overcoming these inner conflicts will allow you to dive deep into your vision and your ability to acquire the skills needed to achieve your goals. Unless you see a bigger future for yourself than the one you’re living today, it may feel like you are running in place while watching others potentially less qualified making their way through the ranks. 

You have the potential to pursue your goals and healthy ambitions when you realize what’s getting in the way and do something about it to address it courageously. How? 

Get support, which requires vulnerability and a strong dose of truth serum. We must become brutally honest about our limitations and compassionate enough to ask for help.

Become an Unstoppable Force

Applying these three pillars makes you an unstoppable woman, leader, and self-advocate—an empowered version who believes and stands up for yourself and others. You become unapologetic about serving your team, asking for what you need, and positioning yourself for leadership opportunities.

Ultimately, you’ll empower your loved ones and their future success.

Build relationships, support those around you, and do it all with love, compassion, and resilience. Remember, you are not alone. I encourage you to step out of your shell if you feel isolated. A community out here is ready to support you if you’re open to receiving that support. 

My passion for this topic stems from personal experience. Without my career and personal development over 38 years since high school, I wouldn’t be in the position to look my son in the eye and confidently tell him that he can be at ease about his future–that we will make his educational dreams a reality, regardless of perceived adverse external factors.

You, too, can take charge of your life and career. If you need support, I’d like to personally invite you to our next leadership series, The Women’s Fearless Leadership Masterclass: Empowering Dynamic Women for Leadership Success.

These two COMPLIMENTARY leadership development sessions are designed to help you gain clarity on how to implement these three pillars, identify your vision, gain critical strategies, and craft a roadmap to tackle the inner conflict that is now holding you back–whether it’s self-doubt, imposter syndrome, or feeling overwhelmed. 

We’ll show you the roadmap to step into your confidence, build a support network, and create an action plan for your career growth. If this would benefit you, visit our events page to learn more and save your FREE virtual VIP seat at the Women’s Fearless Leadership Mastermind: https://drginnybaro.com/events

If you are a former Masterclass VIP member, check your inbox for our email, info@executivebound.com, and simply click “I’m in!” to join us.

We’re here to support you whenever you’re ready to take the reigns of your life and career and focus your resources to move forward, create a fulfilling career and life, and positively impact your team, organizations, and loved ones. 

You can always connect with us at info@executivebound.com.

Live with purpose, live with joy!

Coach Ginny