By Roxanne Calder
Financial freedom and independence are key to bridging the gender pay gap. So too are the journey of self-actualization and the innate power of self-belief that accompanies it. Having faith in oneself is the catalyst for taking action, pursuing opportunities and advocating for one’s value. And it’s needed to realize our dreams.
The tools and tips here come from dream achievers: the talented, extraordinary and inspiring women I interviewed. Each of these women chose to take control of their destiny and define their own values. These are not women who waited for permission or validation. They claimed their space.
This chapter shares more of their advice and wisdom for you to claim your space too. Wisdom isn’t just having experience: it’s the development of a deeper understanding of the world. It requires self-awareness, compassion, mindfulness, patience, and an open and questioning mind. Wisdom isn’t a given either. Reaching ‘the top’, being successful, mature —or old for that matter —doesn’t mean you have wisdom. It takes a rare and open mind to cultivate wisdom.
Before the accolades and achievement is the work. These women shared a path similar to that of many others —one of wins and setbacks, obstacles, chances taken and lost. So, if you find yourself thinking ‘It’s okay for them’ … it wasn’t. Their successes were not handed to them, except for one incredible gift: they grew up believing they could achieve whatever they wanted in life!
Amazing facts about amazing women
- Julia Ross became the first and only single-owned female company CEO to list on the Australian Stock Exchange (I believe at the time it was also a global record, but who’s counting).
- Nagi Maehashi’s first cookbook, Dinner, launched in 2022, is the fastest-selling cookbook in Australian publishing history. Not to be outdone, Nagi’s second book, Tonight has broken the record of the highest first week sales for a Non-Fiction title since BookScan Australia records began in December 2002.
- Professor Fiona Wood’s enduring legacy is her work with co-inventor Marie Stoner pioneering the innovative ‘spray-on skin’ technique (ReCell). Today the technique is used worldwide.
- Leila McKinnon has interviewed seven Australian prime ministers and Beyoncé (twice!).
- Kristina Karlsson was the founder of kikki.K, a business with 1500 employees, an online store serving over 150 countries and a total revenue of $650 million.
- Peta Credlin is one of the longest serving chiefs of staff to a national leader in Australia and the longest serving female chief of staff to a prime minister.
How did they do it? Well, we’ll discover the tools and tips that helped these incredible women realize their success.
Follow your dreams
Sometimes, to achieve your dreams, you’ve just got to be brave and take the plunge.
–Nagi Maehashi
What one action did you take today towards your dream life?
–Kristina Karlsson
I guess I was a particular female. I was never giving up my dream for anyone.
–Julia Ross
When I interview people, or provide coaching and mentoring, I always ask, ‘What are your aspirations?’ I also follow up with, ‘And what were they when you were younger?’ The answers often reveal a lot, shedding light on forgotten ambitions and untapped talents. Dreaming is more than imagining future possibilities: it’s about connecting with what truly motivates and drives you, and understanding how those ambitions evolve over time.
But, let’s not confuse dreaming with wishful thinking. The dreams I refer to, life dreams of real possibilities, are anything but that. Wishful thinking is passive; it’s hoping for an outcome without putting in the work and effort, or creating a pathway to achieve it.
It’s the belief that success might just ‘happen’ to us. Here is the crucial part: to hold a dream —to see all that life can offer —requires more than just imagination. It demands intention, courage and an openness to possibilities.
Real dreams and aspirations are active and intentional. They require a clear vision paired with the willingness to invest time and effort and even face failure in pursuit of that vision. Dreams are not realized by us simply ‘wanting’ something to happen.
Reaching your dreams is about planning, enduring the challenges and remaining resilient in the face of setbacks. They are also a way to reframe reality by setting a direction for your actions, choices and efforts. At the same time, be cognizant of working within life’s constraints because life will present us with certain unchangeable facts.
Harnessed with the right mindset, these limitations help to guide us to alternative pathways. Dreams, in their true form, are both grounded and infused with a sense of possibility. It’s a delicate balance, embracing the possibility of something greater without losing sight of the steps and effort required to get there. Dreaming means understanding the landscape of your current life and envisioning something more … much more.
This is not a fantasy but a deeply personal possibility that aligns with your values, talents and, of course, hard work. Your dreams won’t come to life without intent and effort, whether that means gaining new skills, seeking mentorship or finding allies who will champion your vision.
Dreams are the starting point for personal transformation. With purpose and persistence, even the most profound internal barriers —like self-doubt or feelings of inadequacy —can be overcome.
Nagi Maehashi talks a lot about the importance of dreams. She says,
“I remember thinking in my 20s that I really wanted to put my hard work and energy into something else, something for myself. I always had that at the back of mind; it kept me going through those really rough patches at work and the long hours.”
For Nagi, the dream wasn’t just about starting RecipeTin Eats. It was about creating a life for herself by the beach, a dream she had nurtured for years before seizing the moment. Here is Nagi’s take on dreams.
Nagi Maehashi: ‘I’m not afraid to dream big. I’ve always had it in me’
Nagi tells me how one day, out of the blue she decided to go to the northern beaches of New South Wales for a walk along the cliffs. She said, ‘I didn’t even live there then, but had always loved the thought of it.’
She continues, ‘I came across this small, rundown, old beach house, and it was for sale. I could see it was empty, so I snuck around the back. I know I shouldn’t have! I saw it had 180 degrees of ocean views. It was way too expensive for me, but then I thought, “I’ll try another way.”’
Nagi tells me how she reached out to the owner and he agreed to rent it to Nagi cheaply because it was ‘so rundown’. She says that she moved in a week later and fell in love with the lifestyle that she had only ever imagined before. This is where RecipeTin Eats comes in.
Nagi explained that she tried the commute to work for 3 months. But it was too much. That was the instigator for the next part of her dream. Nagi said to me, determinedly, ‘I wasn’t willing to give up my lifestyle, so I thought, this was the time I should try something for myself. I thought, if not now, then when?’ Ta da … RecipeTin Eats was founded. ‘Sometimes, to achieve your dreams, you’ve just got to be brave and take the plunge.’
As Nagi talks casually about these pivotal moments in her life, they might seem impulsive … but don’t be fooled. They were well thought out. Nagi conducted a SWOT analysis of her skills and identified the new ones she needed to develop. She had also been saving all these years, always keeping in mind her ultimate goal of doing something for herself. The foresight in savings provided Nagi with the ability to start on the way to realising her goal, but also acted as a ‘security’ for those times of immense struggles and self-doubt.
During those trying times, it can be tempting to give up. Having the backup of financial security helped Nagi stay focused and resist the temptation and lure to give up.
Now Nagi is an international success story. She has billions of visits to her website, millions of followers on social media, and a global fan base from pretty much every corner and country in the world. She has also set up a charity called RecipeTin Meals, because ‘no-one should go hungry’.
Edited extract from ‘Earning Power: Breaking Barriers and Building Wealth for Women’ (Wiley $34.95) by Roxanne Calder. Roxanne is the founder and managing director of EST10 – one of Sydney’s most successful recruitment agencies. For more information on how Roxanne can assist with your recruitment needs, visit www.est10.com.au.
