I Want to Be a Successful Woman—Where Do I Start?

Posted on Sep 30, 2022 Topic : Women's Christian Living
Posted by : Valorie Burton

Most women want success, whether they define it as having a happy family, climbing the corporate ladder, building a healthy bank account, or fitting into a size six dress. But before we can consider concepts and strategies for success, we need to discover what success is.

As I define it, success is a harmony of purpose, resilience, and joy. When these three elements flow together you will experience true success. Think of it this way: Success is living your life’s purpose and embracing resilience and joy as you do so.

Let’s break this definition down further.

Purpose: Service fulfills the successful woman.

Purpose is about making a difference in the lives of others. In other words, you cannot live your life’s purpose unless you are in some way serving others. Although our purpose often brings us joy, it is not about us. It is always about using your strengths in the service of others. Your purpose in life answers a simple question: How is someone’s life better because she has crossed your path?

Your Maker endowed you with gifts, talents, passions, and experiences that are unique to you. If I could travel back in time and observe you at four years old or fourteen years old, I would see traces of your uniqueness. Your strengths have been with you all along, and now it’s time for you to use them. There is a greater impact for you to make, and now is the time to make it.

Maybe you’ve got half the purpose formula right. You’re using your gifts and talents, just not in a way that ignites your passion in service to others. Or maybe you’re in the right place, serving those you are most passionate about, but you lack the opportunity to maximize the use of your talents in the way you’ve always dreamed. It can be quite frustrating. Living your purpose is not only what you’re here for, but it also empowers you to succeed.

Resilience: Hope sustains the successful woman.

As you set out in pursuit of your dreams, you will inevitably face trials along the way. A key to your success will be developing a critical skill: resilience. Nothing is perhaps more important to actually achieving success than the ability to be resilient in the face of challenges. Whatever your vision for the future, the likelihood of obstacles on the path to that vision is almost certain.

This is where successful women excel. They think differently in the face of setbacks and challenges. They say different things to themselves in the face of such obstacles. You can learn to become more self-aware about the thoughts that knock on the doorstep of your mind and choose which ones to let in and entertain.

Joy: Happiness empowers the successful woman.

Joy empowers you to succeed. As Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Wherever you are on your life’s journey, if you find a way to embrace it and enjoy it, you will already have found some measure of success.

Joy is not just about what happens in life—the little boosts of positive emotion that come when something makes you happy for a moment. Yes, that bite of chocolate will make you happy for a moment, so hey, savor it. But deeper joy comes from peace and love and knowing you are living the life you were meant to live.

Success will quite likely look different for you than it does for the woman next door or even your mother or your sister. While we are all wired a bit differently, there are some basic foundations for happiness and success that must be present. When it comes to educating yourself on what it will take for you to achieve your next level of success—living your purpose while embracing resilience and joy—you will benefit from a perspective that honors your uniqueness as a woman.