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According to a recent survey by Northwestern Mutual, nearly three in four women reported being somewhat or very happy. But of those women, only one in four believe they are extremely or very successful. Why the disconnect?
“We as women set ourselves up against such high standards. … If you had the internal monologue that you have with yourself on a bad day with anyone else, it would sound abusive,” said ForbesWoman publisher Moira Forbes at a recent Northwestern Mutual event, Inspiring Leaders: The Power of You. Forbes believes women are often unfairly tough on themselves. She often asks successful women what advice they would give to their younger selves. “About 90 percent of the time, these women say, ‘I wish I didn’t worry as much; I wish I wasn’t as hard on myself,’” said Forbes.
That worry and critical nature can prevent women from taking risks and achieving their full potential.In order to achieve success and accomplish one’s life goals, Forbes cites the advice shared by HP CEO Meg Whitman: “You have to have a bias for action.”
See more videos from Inspiring Leaders: The Power of You at Inspire360.
The Northwestern MutualVoice Team is a group of professionals who share insights and opinions from experts and industry leaders across the enterprise. Our vision is to inspire others to take action and plan for their financial future through topics ranging from financial planning, retirement planning and distribution strategies, wealth accumulation and preservation, to leadership, philanthropy and innovation.
