Timothy Leary once said, "Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition." Or maybe some women just lack inspiration. Maybe it's motivation. Do we need a new direction? Do some of us just like to make excuses for not being more successful? Mind you, all of these things could apply to men as well.
My goal here is to offer a different perspective on the topic about women and the discrimination they allegedly face in the tech and digital world in this country.
Whatever the reason may be, I don't believe in a glass ceiling. And I definitely don't believe putting men on a pedestal either. Men are not the ones who always set the standards in business: We don't need to be equal to them. Some of us are not flawed and some of us don't need fixing. What some women need is a new stance or outlook, because it's not the 1960s or 70s anymore.
Things are different now -- much different. We have access to Google, online education, offline education, women-only networking groups, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TechCrunch, Mashable, W3 Schools, small business grants, the Cloud, open-source software, smart phones, and everything in between.
With an abundance of resources, the topic of women facing discrimination in the tech and digital world doesn't seem to change or go away. What explicit obstacles are actually keeping women from acquiring advanced job positions? Is it simply because there aren't enough women interested in this industry?
Either way, discrimination is an antiquated argument and I'm going to attempt to set things straight while pointing out that ambition has nothing to do with your gender, religious background, or ethnicity. In this generation, with the help of the internet and technology, ambition is defined by how well you can do the work with a drive that is unstoppable and infectious.
If you're a woman reading this and you truly feel that discrimination is the reason you're not successful, then you might fall into one of the following categories (and yes, I know there are exceptions):
Make me a sandwich
Are you sure it's discrimination or choices? This is the woman who believes they need to choose between work life and home life where the latter wins. This could also be the woman who hasn't been able to find a balance between the two things in her life. Let's be clear: All of these are choices. Some men have these choices and responsibilities too.
As a woman, we have to realize and accept that all choices have pros and cons. Did you research your choice? Did you speak to other women, a business coach, or a mentor about the situation? Did you really think this through and consider how it would affect your personal career goals?
If this is really a problem, why not research other options? Virtual offices are the new thing. Start your own company from home using the internet, especially if you're a tech geek or digital goddess. Do something, but don't make excuses for your choices and fail to seek alternative options to keep your career moving forward. If you can admit to yourself that you haven't tried hard enough to choose your destiny, then yes, make me a sandwich (and go light on the mayo, please).
Remember: half-assed is half-assed regardless of chromosomes.
