This article originally appeared and was published on AOL.com
There are still miles to go for women in the business world, but the strides made in recent years have been nothing less than empowering.
As of 2016, women held about 24 percent of all senior business roles in the world, which was up about 2 percent from 2015. But this number seems to lose its value when compared to the 33 percent of firms in the world with no women in any senior management role.
Still, for countries like Russia, where women hold nearly half of all senior management positions (45 percent), it becomes clear that there are trailblazing women in the workforce.
Sometimes, the best way to be inspired to continue working hard and looking forward at the possibilities is to hear it from someone who’s done it, and done it well. We gathered quotes from 10 of the most successful women in business about everything from work ethic, to taking risks, to never giving up.
Regardless of where you are in your career or what your gender is, these words will make you that much less likely to want to hit snooze and instead jump out of bed and crush your day at the office.
“You create opportunities by performing, not complaining.”
-Muriel Siebert, first female member of the New York Stock Exchange
“Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.”
–Anne Sweeney, President of Walt Disney
“I learned to always take on things I’d never done before. Growth and comfort do not coexist.”
-Virginia Rometty, CEO of IBM
“Just as my mother said, ‘You can do anything if you put your mind to it, you work hard and you take that responsibility,’ and I think that that would be my message.”
-Marillyn Hewson, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin
“As a leader, I am tough on myself and I raise the standard for everybody; however, I am very caring because I want people to excel at what they are doing so that they can aspire to be me in the future.”
-Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo
“You can and should set your own limits and clearly articulate them. This takes courage, but it is also liberating and empowering, and often earns you new respect.”
-Rosalind Brewer, President and CEO of Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
“The only way to do something in depth is to work hard. The moment you start being in love with what you’re doing, and thinking it’s beautiful or rich, then you’re in danger.”
-Miuccia Prada, co-CEO and lead designer of Prada
“It is within everyone’s grasp to be a CEO.”
-Martha Stewart, founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
“With kids, they don’t do what you want them to do when you want them to do it. Organizations don’t necessarily, either. You’ve got to listen. You’ve got to learn how to influence.”
-Ellen J. Kullman
“So often people are working hard at the wrong thing. Working on the right thing is probably more important than working hard.”
-Caterina Fake, Co-founder of Flickr and Hunch
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