She Makes More Money Than He Does. So?

Women who outearn their men.

By Hanna Rosin

When my husband and I got married I was making more money than he was. We both had steady journalism jobs but I was also writing a column on the side, which put me ahead. At the time, I didn't gloat, and he didn't care. Mostly we spent the extra money on treats for both of us—fancy meals, weekend trips—and anyway, the gender-role reversal didn't last. Three children and several job switches later, he's edged me out for top family earner. But I wonder: What if our marriage had not gone the traditional route, and I had stayed on top? Would that have changed our dynamic in some way? Would small resentments have built up over time? Or would we have felt perfectly comfortable, even proud to be so progressive?

For many American couples, this is not just a thought experiment. Researchers have recently begun scrutinizing a new kind of family ruled by "breadwinner wives" or "top income wives," defined as women who make more money than their husbands. About 22 percent of American marriages of people over 30 fall into this category, up from 4 percent in 1970. (For men without a college degree, the rate is higher: One-quarter are married to wives who earn more than they do.) And demographers expect the number of such marriages to grow, as women continue to get more college degrees than young men and to outearn them, especially early in their careers.

Already, younger people's relationships look radically different. A recent breakdown of census data showed that in all but three of the 150 biggest cities in the United States, young women age 30 and under are making more money than young men. Even if that changes when the women have children, such a vast shift in earning power suggests that the next generation may make different decisions about whose salary counts more and who should be the family's primary breadwinner. This is all happening despite widespread ambivalence. In a recent Pew Research Center survey, 67 percent of Americans said that in order to be ready for marriage, a man should be able to support his family financially, while only 33 percent said the same for women. A 2007 Pew survey found that working mothers increasingly say they would rather not work full time. And another Pew study out today shows the nation divided over the sweeping changes to family structure that have unfolded over the past half-century, with about one-third of Americans generally accepting these changes, one-third skeptical about them, and one-third opposed to them.    Read More

7 Ways to Overcome the Fear of Failure

http://www.macswomen.com/blog

The fear of failure is perhaps the strongest force holding people below their potential. In a world full of uncertainty, a delicate economy, and countless misfortunes that could happen to anyone, it’s easy to see why most people are inclined to play it safe.

But playing it safe has risk as well. If you never dare to fail your success will have a low ceiling. Most people underestimate their merit and ability to recover from failure, leading them to pass up valuable opportunities. The ability to fail big and fail often has been a mark of the spectacularly successful throughout history.

The following strategies will help you put risk and reward in perspective so you can overcome the fear of failure.

1. Consider the cost of missed opportunities – The biggest risk that people fail to consider is the benefit they lose by avoiding high risk/high reward opportunities. In his guide to career planning, Netscape founder Marc Andreesen compares a well managed career to a diversified portfolio. The ideal career contains a wide range of job opportunities (some risky, some safe) that combine to form a relatively safe career with a high potential for growth. Taking high risk opportunities is essential because they offer the greatest reward:

The issue is that without taking risk, you can’t exploit any opportunities. You can live a quiet and reasonably happy life, but you are unlikely to create something new, and you are unlikely to make your mark on the world.

2. Research the alternatives – The unknown is a major source of fear. When you don’t know what you’re dealing with, potential consequences seem far worse than they actually are. Take the power out fear by understanding it. Research all the potential outcomes (both good and bad) so you genuinely understand the risk of failure and benefits of success. Analyzing these outcomes will help you see through the fear of failure and make a logical decision.

3. Put the worst-case scenario in perspective – One of the most powerful questions posed by Tim Ferriss in the 4-Hour Workweek is: If you chase your dreams and fall flat on your face, worst-case scenario, how long will it take you to recover? The answer is probably less than you expect. How hard would it really be to find another job? Chances are you could recover completely in a few months. Is the fear of a few rough months strong enough to keep you in a mediocre situation indefinitely?

4. Understand the benefits of failure – As Emerson said, life is a series of experiments, the more you make the better. Each failure is a trial in an experiment and an opportunity for growth. Even if a failure costs you financially, the educational benefits can far outweigh the loss. Working for a startup instead of a big company is considered risky, but according Paul Graham, “Managers at big companies prefer to hire someone who’d tried to start a startup and failed over someone who’d spent the same time working at a big company.” Maybe that experience at a big company isn’t as safe or as valuable as you think?

5. Make a contingency plan – Another way to overcome the fear of failure is to reduce the downside. Hedge your risk by creating a contingency plan. Even if your first option fails, you can maintain the status quo with a solid backup plan. Daring to fail doesn’t mean you have to risk losing it all. If you manage risk intelligently, you can capture the benefits of high risk opportunities while leaving yourself a safety net.

6. Take action – The best way to reduce fear and build confidence is taking action. As soon as you do, you’ll begin accumulating experience and knowledge. Everything is hardest the first time. It’s like jumping off a cliff into a lake — after you do it once, you see that the water is safe and each time afterwards is easy. Start off with small steps and build up your confidence until the fear of failure is manageable.

7. Burn the boats - When ancient Greek armies traveled across the sea to do battle, the first thing they would do after landing was to burn the boats, leaving them stranded. With no way to make it home besides victory, the resolve of the soldiers was strengthened. When success and failure are the only options, you have no choice but to follow through.

If you have a goal, but are afraid to commit, force yourself into action by burning the boats. Register for an exam in advance if you want to go back to school. Set a deadline to move to a new city without signing a lease. Fear of failure disappears when you realize it can’t save you.

Image by tomgrau

Courtesy

Motivate Yourself In 7 Simple Steps

1. Put clear and measurable goals

No quantity of motivation will be sufficient when you have indistinct targets. An example of an indistinct goal is, “I require a boyfriend. Instead, try something real like, I wish to go on two dates every week, and outline the little tips required to help it become a reality.

2. Get yourself a buddy/mentor/friend

The old saying”strength in numbers” holds right. There’s nothing superior to having like-minded individuals to offer you a little encouragement. Visit www.macswomen.com

a premiere professional Westchester, NY based organization for women in business.

3. Be optimistic As well as realistic

Having an ambitious target is great, but if it is unachievable, you’re set yourself up for steady failure.

4. No negativity

Negativity just breeds extra negativity all of which will hinder your development in the long run. Encompass yourself with optimistic people.

5. Motivational phrases

Yes, they really work! Saying it is half the battle, believing it, so the next time you end up wanting a pick- me- up, have a deep breath and mean it whenever you say, I can do that! I am successful!  I have ALL the tools I need to accomplish my dreams! I am valuable! 

6. Concentrate on what you have and never on what you’re lacking

When we’re pressured, it is easy to forget all the optimistic things we’ve already achieved. When you have a big weight loss aim, for instance, remind yourself frequently of the small weight loss achievements along the way. Stay looking forward to and not back.

7. Picture your long-term goal - Visualize

Take a couple of minutes daily to image yourself once you’ve reached your goal. Use the outcome for an advantage and pay attention to the way you look and feel. By imagining yourself successful in the future, you’ll find a way to concentrate on the large picture instead of little hurdles along the way.

For more inspiration and business building resources, visit Motivators and Creators Women's Group's Blog here: http://www.macswomen.com/blog

TIME 100: The women of 2011

TIME magazine released their 100 issue today, a list of the 100 most influential people in the world. This year the list features 33 women, up from 31 in 2010. Progress!

The honorees make for an interesting mix: list-constants Oprah and Hillary Clinton, NASA biologist Felisa Wolfe-Simon, author of "What to Expect When You're Expecting" Heidi Murkoff, actresses Mia Wasikowska and Blake Lively, tennis champion Kim Clijsters, Congresswoman and shooting survivor Gabrielle Giffords, Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards, Brazil's first female president Dilma Rousseff, future princess Kate Middleton, tiger mom Amy Chua, and Afghanistan's only female prosecutor Maria Bashir, just to name a few.

To honor these awesome women, we've compiled a set of videos of some of them doing what they do best: Watch Videos 

Lead From Within

by Lolly Daskal

When you Lead From Within, you step inward to seek the life you yearned for–a life of commitment and fulfillment of your heart’s desires. By listening to your inner self and following your compass within,  you will find a life that is aligned with your talents, truth and values.

You probably do not know at this moment what that means or what your life will look like once you have decided to Lead From Within. You may be uncertain of it all means or how to attain it. It does not matter: Leading From Within, will bring you closer to the life you yearn for!

Leading From Within will form the basis and context for all the decisions, big and small, that you will make in all the days to follow. As you take this step inward, you will see the abundance of the universe, the inexhaustible gifts of spirit, flow in to support you.

Leading From Within, will be your map, your compass, your North Star, and your support system as you chart your life course.

Lead From Within, will be the light of your heart that guides you to a life of MORE — more of everything you truly desire.

You can have it.

You don’t need to feel trapped, limited or “stuck in a rut”. You can lead a more passionate, fulfilling life.

Read more

How to Lure Potential Customers to Your Site

By Karen E. Klein

As a white-label daily-deals sales site, I have found it very difficult to get myself placed in search engines and to get the right keywords because I'm so specialized and my business is such a niche. I have tried Google AdWords, posting on Craigslist, Yahoo advertising, and Facebook ads with little response. Any advice would be appreciated. —A.C., Phoenix

It's not uncommon for a disruptive business model or new business service to have a tough time finding the right marketing category off the bat. If you persist—refining both your model and your marketing strategy as you go—it's likely that you'll find the sweet spot for reaching your target market.

Your goal is to define that market. As a provider of "white-label daily deals," it sounds as if you want to set up couponing programs and sell them to online publishers that can rebrand them to offer them as their own.

Read more