Inspiring Women: 10 Traits Of Self-Made Women

"Self-made women" are persons who were born poor or otherwise disadvantaged, but who achieved great economic or moral success solely on their own hard work and ingenuity rather than to any inherited fortune, family connections, or other privilege. Truth is a large majority of the wealthiest, most successful women (and men) in the world today are self made. 

Besides just being fabulous, these women never took no for an answer and have continued to push the boundaries of what we see as possible. World most talked about self made women like Oprah Winfrey,  Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx and many others are women we look up to, not just for their achievements but also to learn what it takes to go for your dreams and get there!

We've listed a few traits to imbibe according to forbes.com and we hope these help you in your journey to greatness. 

So calmly read, learn and emulate. 

1 .Grit. There’s no doubt about it, self-made women have a fire inside them, a fuel that keeps them going through hell and high water . When you come across a self-made woman, you can feel it in her presence. She exudes an undeniable energy of conviction and resolve. It’s almost as if she’s always in the ‘on’ state, ready and open to anything. –Amira Polack (25) Youth Campaign Lead at SAP

2. Self-aware. Self-made women are aware of who they are and have made meaning from the experiences that have shaped their worldview.Heightened self-awareness provides them with clarity, both personally and professionally, and this helps them to align their goals and objectives to their purpose and meaning. That’s a powerful combination. –Rumeet Billan (31) Social Entrepreneur & President, Jobs in Education

3. Visionary. Self-made women are able to see beyond the way things are and create something new. They are able to see opportunities where others see obstacles and unfairness. And while others often get taken out by what seems impossible, self-made women are inspired into action to construct a new reality no matter how deep or systemic the scraps. –Rachel Armstrong (34) Founder, Executive Director and Attorney at Farm Commons

4. Self-forgiving. Self-made women look at the past, the darkest moments and poorest choices with compassion, knowing they did the best they could with the resources and tools at the time. They release the weight of regretful actions and free themselves from judgment.–Maranda Pleasant (36), Founder/Editor-in-Chief ORIGIN Magazine, Mantra Yoga + Health Magazine, Thrive Magazine 

5. Focused. Self-made women have the ability to weed out what’s important and what’s not, what needs to be addressed immediately and what can wait. They know when to say ‘yes’, but more importantly, they know when to say ‘no’ . –Jessica Teal (38) Principal, Teal Media

6. Resourceful. Self-made women are resourceful. They don’t see the lack of time, money, support, or anything else as an end. Rather, they see it as an opportunity to become even more determined to get the job done. More than anyone else, they are able to navigate roadblocks to find creative solutions to their challenges. — Brittney Castro(30), CFP, CRPC, AAMS. Founder and CEO, Financially Wise Women

7. Passionate. I’ve never met a self-made woman who wasn’t passionate. And this passion — whether it’s about money, success, making an impact, or the cause they’re fighting for – is what drives them forward faster and more deliberately than their peers. –Eliza Pesuit, 30, Executive Director of Global Glimpse 

8. Comfortable Being Uncomfortable. Self-made women have learned that being successful isn’t a cake walk- that it’s often tough, scary, frustrating, and certainly lonely. They also know these feelings and experiences are part of the process of building anything and have learned to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. –Ingrid Vanderveldt (44) founder and CEO Ingrid Vanderveldt LLC, EBW2020

9. Collaborative Intelligence. Self-made women are typically intellectually diverse — meaning they have an acute ability to read people, relate to and embrace all types of people, and understand how to collaborate with those who bring a variety of opinions, experiences, beliefs and politics to the table. They are able to focus on issues and get goals accomplished without getting taken out by emotionally charged conflicts. Maria L. Chrin (50) Managing Partner, Circle Wealth Management, LLC

10. Forward Momentum. Self-made women are masters at recognizing and seizing opportunities, assessing risks and taking chances. They also know that shipping [starting, finishing, and iterating on products] is the path to achievement. Many smart, high potential women languish because they wait for an invitation instead of taking action.  –Sarah Kunst (28), Investor Board Member, Venture for America and Contributing Editor, Marie Claire

These aren’t the only traits of self-made women — being compassionate, flexible, analytical, generous, grounded, inclusive, innovative, optimistic, vocal, and striving for a life of excellence and a thirst for knowledge round out the list.

Source: Forbes.com