“Don’t you dare underestimate the power of your own instinct.”
-Barbara Corcoran-
There are times in life when you meet a woman who just gets it. She speaks with conviction, has a presence that could rival Queen Bey and candidly rattles off her successes and failures. She’s dressed sharply. Every phrase that rolls off her tongue sounds like a perfectly concocted sound bite, but it’s also authentic. To most anyone, she’d come across as a threat, because this woman really knows her stuff, but to you, she’s fascinating. She’s a badass.
We all have an inner badass; our very own Sasha Fierce who’s waiting to be unleashed. But where is she? And why does she go into hiding? How can you get to know her and channel her more in your job, in your relationships and in your life?
Get Your Mantra Going
Find a phrase that makes you tick, then keep it to yourself. You know that feeling you get when you have a juicy secret? It’s fun to know something nobody else knows, like the fact that the Marc Jacobs on your arm was purchased at TJ Maxx and not Saks. Think of how amazing this secret can be if it super-charges you and encourages you to be your true self.
Consider phrases like, “You own this.” “I’m a badass.” “Today, I won’t let anyone f**k with me.” They can be as sweet and charming or as edgy as you want them to be. This phrase is for you and only you to hear. Once you come up with your own mantra, repeat it over and over and over again in your head. Say it to yourself when you’re feeling down, frustrated or beaten by your day. Think it in your head before you pick up a call or walk into a meeting. Own this phrase and use it to boost your self-confidence. It’s your secret sauce. And it works.
Just ask our woman crush Barbara Corcoran, who says she boosts herself with a badass monologue before walking into rooms full of men. “I get arrogant in my head—hopefully I don’t act arrogant on the outside—but that arrogance pushes me forward,” she confesses.
Perception Creates Reality
Once you’ve crafted the perfect-for-you mantra, start to live it. You know how baseball players have a walk-out song before they go to swing? Think about what song can light up your phrase. Listen to it as you get ready in the morning. Keep it on your phone for a quick headphone-play when you hit your afternoon slump. Crank it when you get home from work after a particularly rewarding day. Use it, like your mantra, to motivate yourself.
Now think about what woman your mantra and walk-out song embodies. How does she carry herself? What makes her stand out? How does she style herself? Think about these things and start enacting them in your daily life. Maybe the badass version of yourself rocks a mean magenta gloss, neon power purse and heels that would make shoephiles like Star Jones swoon. Perception creates reality and as a business woman, you know this. Think about how you want others to perceive you, future boss lady. And now channel that until it becomes reality.
You Have The RIGHT To Be There
Back to our woman crush du jour, Barbara. At this spring’s National Association of Professional Women conference in New York City, she said something that set our hearts on fire. “You have the RIGHT to be there.”
Remember this the next time you’re at a power lunch or in a strategy meeting where you feel like you aren’t being heard. You have your job for a reason. You’ve earned it and you have the right to be there, just like anyone else. Don’t let a man, a snarky mean girl or your own inner doubts tell you anything less. Own it and every ounce of your bottomless potential.