Whether you are trying to sell an idea to your colleagues or trying to make your mark in a competitive industry, it is important to be aware of your image and business reputation.

If you want truly great results, you have to push yourself. Discomfort is a necessary path to excellence. No shortcuts.

Don’t make the men in charge of your organization your enemy. You will need champions, trusted advisers to help you interpret the business landscape, inside the firm and out. And you can’t be mentored by an adversary.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, they are your best learning tool. Learning from other’s experiences is extremely important to help shape yours (mentors are a must). Even when things seem to go right, think of how they could go wrong and always have a back up plan (or seven) in place.

The network of friends you have now – teammates, colleagues, siblings, etc. can be a very powerful group. Don’t underestimate the power of female friendships in growing your professional network. Find like-minded people who like to do what you like to do and keep them close!

Believe in yourself whilst being humble, learn from everyone around you, even those who aren’t at first glance aspirational to you. Expect setbacks, they always come, condition yourself to learn from them.

Every day we make deposits or withdrawals with our words, actions, and decisions. You don’t want a negative account balance when you need to make some withdrawals!