Microbusiness Mentor

Article in my series of Mistakes Women Entrepreneurs Make (Lessons from an Entertainment Icon)

Mistake: You want it all, and you think you can get it all by giving it all.

Madonna was described as walking a tightrope of juggling her career while being a wife to her husband and mother to her children. I doubt that Madonna can be lackadaisical in the wife and mother domains if she is a driven business woman.

Madonna probably wanted it all, and tried to get it all by giving it all.

Those of us who are ambitious and driven are almost programmed to behave this way in key areas of our lives, both professionally and personally. I have alluded to in my article, “Women Entrepreneurs, Do You Really Want Everything?” that we have been conditioned socially to aspire to great heights in all areas, which is great… but not simultaneously (and purely due to logistical reasons of being a human being bounded by the phenomena of time and space).

I’m not saying we shouldn’t “give it our best effort” in whatever we choose to do. However, I don’t believe the equation:

“give it all” = “get it all”

We tend to give at the expense of our boundaries - whether this be personal or professional.

This conditioning of “wanting it all, right now” sets us up for disappointment and disillusionment with ourselves and our lives. This is especially crippling for driven women because ambitious and driven women are often the most self-critical.

Like what you've read? Stumble it and spread the word.

Copyright notice: This article and any images herein may not be copied, in part or in whole, in any media, outside of this website as part of a collection of articles without my prior written permission.