Take the limits off!

We witnessed such a historic moment in the journey of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman confirmed to the Supreme Court, this past Friday!

As the confirmation hearings unfolded, I made sure to share clips and photos of the occasion with my daughter, and share with her what all of this means for little Black girls just like her.

Coincidentally, my daughter and I were out enjoying a mommy-daughter date - you know - manicures and pedicures, and dinner at a nearby restaurant.

I happened to check my emails and to my surprise, I noticed a job alert that I set up years ago. Curious, I opened the email, and noticed that the only criteria I set for the alert was an annual salary of $60,000.

I scoffed, paused, shook my head - and hit the unsubscribe button.

To think that less than 10 years ago, I was willing to take on a director-level role with more responsibility, be on call at all hours of the day and night, and potentially be called away from my husband and children, for (what was to me) a mediocre salary - was jolting.

What a difference a few years makes. Looking at things through a whole new lens, I’m so glad I took the limits off of my expectations! It occurred to me “Geesh! What in the world was I willing to sacrifice for $60K?”

I was willing to trade my time freedom, limit my earning potential for my talents, and miss precious family moments that couldn’t get back.

I was willing to sacrifice it ALL without asking about work-life balance or growth potential. Focusing solely on salary is such a common mistake that so many of my clients make, and I challenge every corporate climber I work with to think bigger and get out of that hand-to-mouth mindset where they're just trying to make it to the next paycheck (or just trying to get one or two clients a month if an entrepreneur) - and it all starts with managing one's expectations.

Invest in a coach, accountability partner, or community that will push you and help you to see beyond just what's in front of you and beyond the immediate future!

I did - and today I’m leap years from where I was just a few years ago. I’m building a business that allows me to work smarter and compensate me what I deserve - without requiring me to sacrifice my quality of life.

Little Black girls just like my daugter are watching us - and Ketanji Brown Jackson - and are learning from our examples. They can now see that it’s possible to take the limits off and dream BIG when it comes to their goals and what they want out of life! 

If you're struggling to get to the next level in your career or business, and need to communicate your value in the marketplace, contact me so we can discuss your goals, and identify what is really blocking you from reaching your earning potential and becoming professionally aligned.