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Break Free from the Motivation Trap Today

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Unmotivated? Try Five Smarter Ways to Reach Your Goals
Image by Th G from Pixabay.

Motivation has become the latest motivational fad, joining “work-life balance”, “resilience”, and “put the oxygen mask on before helping others” mantras.

We’re promised that motivation alone can make us lose weight, exercise daily, or launch a successful business.

We “just” need to feel motivated. Moreover, we’re told that “when we’re motivated, things come easy to us.”

The problem with buying into the “motivation” hype is that we don’t achieve the desired results, we interpret it as a personal failure, voiced in statements such as

“I need to motivate myself.”

“I lack motivation.”

“I’m lazy.”

But why is motivation so hyped, and what other tools do you have to reach your goals?

Let me show you.

Motivation Reality Check

Motivation: Enthusiasm for doing something.

Cambridge Dictionary

Wouldn’t it be fantastic to be enthusiastic about everything we do? The self-improvement industry would like us to believe so.

For example, imagine being

  • Thrilled to clean your toilets
  • Excited about waking up at 3 am to calm your baby who’s crying inconsolably
  • Overjoyed to have a meeting with a very unhappy customer

You may be laughing, but what this points out is that we don’t require motivation for much of what we do every day. Or at least, not the kind of “enthusiastic” motivation.

Not only that, we do them without expecting to be “joyfully” motivated. Most of our actions come from other feelings, such as obligation, which can be self-imposed, legal, or contractual.

The “motivation” trope also minimizes the challenges along the journey towards our objectives.

For example, becoming a compelling speaker may be easier for a native speaker who is an extrovert and enjoys being the centre of attention than for a shy person with a stutter.

But why is the motivation cliché so successful if there are so many downsides? Because many profit from it.

Governments and Societies

The mantra that motivation is the magic bullet runs deep into our lives, and it informs policy to public opinion about what is acceptable or not.

For example, the UK government has recently made it much more difficult to claim disability benefits under the pretext of encouraging more unemployed disabled people to try to get back into work.

I was also shocked to read the stigma people experience when taking weight-loss drugs, as it’s perceived as cheating because they’re unable to stick to willpower, diet, and exercise alone.

The examples above are only two of the many ways we weaponize “motivation” against people enduring hardship.

The Motivational Industrial Complex

Nike’s successful slogan — “Just do it” — is an excellent example of how we’re sold the idea that we only need to want something to get it.

And many reap the benefits:

  • Motivational speakers
  • Self-help books
  • “Aspirational” influencers

Does that work? For the business, yes, but it’s less clear about those expecting results.

A great example is TED talks, which are based on the premise that “powerful ideas, powerfully presented, move us: to feel something, to think differently, to take action.”

Their website highlights 2.5 billion global views and content shared 400 million times in 2023. I’ve personally enjoyed tens — maybe hundreds — of amazing TED and TEDx talks delivered by fantastic speakers about incredible ideas.

How many have changed my behaviour or “motivated” me to do something differently? Hmm… I struggle to think of one.

The defence rests.

Patricia Gestoso’s Newsletter: Fresh thinking about inclusion, tech, professional success, leadership, and systemic change through a feminist lens.

Subscribe HERE

The Alternatives to Motivation

The good news is that we’re all living proof that we’re very good at doing things without feeling “enthusiastic” about it.

The problem is that often, we don’t remember that when we feel “unmotivated,” our environment — and our internalized guilt — blames us for it.

For those moments, I encourage you to use the checklist below

Reframing Motivation as a Luxury

What if you see motivation as the cherry on top rather than the cake? As shown above, we don’t summon “enthusiastic” motivation to do them (caring for a sick parent, cooking, changing diapers).

Instead, explore what other emotions you could use to prompt you into action. What about loyalty? Moral obligation? Pride? Curiosity? Frustration? Love? Anger?

If you need inspiration, check this list of emotions.

Chunking

Our brain loves rewards — even the small ones. Rather than always focusing on the big win (for example, the planned revenue in your business), take the time to set short-term goals (the number of prospect calls you will do in a week) and then celebrate when you achieve them.

Deciding in Advance How Enough Looks Like

When we start a new activity, it is easy to feel deflated when we don’t get the expected results.

  • Launching a newsletter and having no subscribers after a month.
  • Going to two conferences and not getting new business.
  • Starting to exercise and being disappointed when you don’t see apparent changes after 15 days.

Deciding in advance how much effort we want to dedicate before quitting can help us keep going when the results take time.

For example

  • I’ll write an article for my newsletter every week for four months and then evaluate if it’s worth continuing.
  • I’ll attend five conferences and then decide if they’re worth my time and money.
  • I’ll follow the same exercise plan for two months and then assess whether I should change or persist.

Group Support

Our motivation, stamina, and energy are variable. A support group can help us feel seen, put things in perspective, and provide a safe space to vent — all of them can contribute to helping us take distance from the situation and help us regain some momentum.

Coaching

A coach helps you to do what you want to do but you are not doing it by exploring aspects such as your goals, motivations, and limiting beliefs.

Coaching also provides a non-judgmental space to consider how other dimensions of your life play into your goals.

For example, maybe you tell yourself you’re lazy because you don’t find the time to start your business, but you actually experience fear of failure. Or you chastise yourself because you don’t write a post for social media every day anymore, disregarding that you’ve been experiencing health issues that affect your sleep and make you feel more tired than usual.

A coach helps you gain awareness of both your potential and the roadblocks in your way.

Wrapping Up

Can you imagine how exhausting it would be to be enthusiastic about waking up daily, brushing your teeth after every meal, or reading every email?

The thought makes me feel exhausted.

The reality is that society, governments, and businesses glorify motivation to serve their own agendas, often to our detriment.

That doesn’t mean that motivation is useless; rather, we need to question when it serves us well and when it’s used against us.

When we’re not doing what we want to do, we must remember all the other tools available to our disposal beyond motivation.

And that includes having a laugh.

Every dead body on Mt. Everest was once a highly motivated person, so… maybe calm down.

Demotivational Quotes.

WORK WITH ME

Do you want to get rid of those chapters that patriarchy has written for you in your “good girl” encyclopaedia? Or learn how to do what you want to do in spite of “imposter syndrome”?

I’m a technologist with 20+ years of experience in digital transformation. I’m also an award-winning inclusion strategist and certified life and career coach.

  • I help ambitious women in tech who are overwhelmed to break the glass ceiling and achieve success without burnout through bespoke coaching and mentoring.
  • I’m a sought-after international keynote speaker on strategies to empower women and underrepresented groups in tech, sustainable and ethical artificial intelligence, and inclusive workplaces and products.
  • I empower non-tech leaders to harness the potential of AI for sustainable growth and responsible innovation through consulting and facilitation programs.

Contact me to discuss how I can help you achieve the success you deserve in 2025.

Break Free from Self-Sabotage: 5 Language Mistakes Holding You Back

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Woman with brown curly hair doing the be silent sign by covering her lips with a finger.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

I speak three languages — English, French, and Spanish — and have lived in six countries: Canada, France, Greece, Spain, the UK, and Venezuela.

Many things are different in my experience as a woman in those countries. Still, one that remains a constant across languages and territories is how women’s speech patterns serve the patriarchy.

What!?!

Yes. We undermine our ideas, wants, and needs by expressing them in a way that detracts from our credibility, minimises the ask, and asks for permission.

As they say that good writing is about “showing” and not “telling”, I won’t waste your time elaborating on why you do that.

Instead, I will show you five ways how you sabotage yourself and what to do instead.

The advice I’m sharing with you today is based on my experience coaching and mentoring hundreds of women in tech.

Disqualifying Yourself or Your Ideas In Advance

The credibility killer sentence: “I’m not an expert”.

Recently, I was speaking with an accomplished woman about her Master’s degree work. I wanted to learn more about it, so I asked her, “As an expert in this topic, what’s your opinion about [X]?“

And guess what? Her reply started with, “I’m not an expert but…”.

My heart jumped from disappointment. I’ve heard this so many times.

But I know the cure for it: Awareness. So, I asked her

“Don’t you think you have more expertise than me on this topic? I told you I’d only read a couple of articles about it.”

She said “Yes” and smiled.

I smiled, too. I’d proven my point.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen this happen repeatedly throughout my career: Women diminish their credibility before stating their opinions on a subject they are experts — or at least know much more about it than their interlocutor.

Saying “I’m not an expert” is telling to your audience

  • Don’t believe me
  • Don’t judge me
  • Don’t take me seriously

What to do instead?

Continue reading →

The Three Hidden Forces That Sabotage Your Ambitions and How to Overcome Them

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Person falling backwards after slipping on a banana peel in the street.
Image by Alexa from Pixabay.

Throughout my life, I’ve devoted a lot of energy to “solve” for what I call “point blockers” — one-off events that come up as disruptive, beyond my control, or that I’ve given somehow a quality of being life-changing

  • Somebody’s death
  • A certification
  • A promotion

Which is great for short-term survival — all my brain is focused on solving the problem at hand.

What’s not so good is that — as the British say — that had prevented me from seeing the forest for the trees, missing the big picture.

And what’s the forest? The systems, the processes, and the unconscious assumptions that underpin the daily grind — the feeling of a death by a thousand cuts.

Reviewing my thinking and behaviour patterns as well as those of my coaching and mentoring clients — mostly ambitious women in tech —  reveals three forces that consistently keep us from doing what we want to do but we’re not doing:

1.- Our brain

2.- Our education

3.-Patriarchy

Whilst I’ve discussed them somehow disjointly in the past — addressing one at a time, or even two — I found new insights from looking at them as interlocked systems of oppression.

Wow, oppression? As I write it appears to be “too” strong. Am I exaggerating?

But what else can we call what crushes our aspirations, makes us feel small, and wears us down?

Not all is doom and gloom though. And to prove it, I want to share with you two ways to uncover — and neutralise— those three majestic forces acting against our best interests.

But first, let’s have a look at the culprits.

Three Forces That Keep You From What You Deserve

A woman with a brown cardboard box with the text "BRAIN" covering her head

Your brain is wired for survival. It loves the status quo. If it was for your brain, you’d spend your days in bed with a hot chocolate.

Your brain is scarred by uncertainty and avoids any new experiences. As a consequence, any change is seen as a threat rather than an opportunity

  • You don’t leave an uninspiring job because you think that it’d be worse in other organisations, ruining your chances of finding a much better role.
  • You don’t volunteer for new opportunities — a task, a project, a presentation — because you doubt your capabilities to do something you’ve never done before, even if you have plenty of evidence of how resourceful you’ve been in the past.
  • You think that your “inner critic” is your best friend because it stops you from ridiculing yourself when in reality is blocking you from greatness.
Woman carrying a tower of books in her hands. The word "Education" overlad at the bottom of the image.

You’ve been told that if you work hard, you’ll be rewarded. You’re convinced that the higher you go, you’ll have to work harder.

You’ve been indoctrinated that you have to give 150% to all you do. You believe should aim for perfection so

  • You don’t ask for a promotion because you tell yourself that you’ll have to work more.
  • You spent uncountable hours on a report until looks perfect only to shame yourself when you find a typo after submitting it, rather than aiming for a good — not excellent — report that would have taken much less effort and time.
  • You keep doing courses, getting certifications, and pursuing degrees whilst others network and find sponsors to get the roles you deserve.
Men legs under a table with the text "patriarchy" overlaid.

Patriarchy is about believing that men are superior. Tech — and most sectors — are ruled by patriarchy.

And you bear the brunt of it

  • You don’t negotiate your salary because you think you’re not worth it, even if statistics show that 94% of job offers made are upheld after candidates negotiate them.
  • You get drowned in “naturally female” tasks such as admin and glue work — taking notes in meetings, bringing birthday cakes, and providing emotional support — while your male peers focus on promotable activities.
  • You buy on the trope that imposter syndrome is a “female thing” and spend time binging on webinars and books promising to “cure you”, rather than learning how to use it to your advantage.

The bottom line is that you’ve learned to narrow your ambition and blame yourself for it.

Two women covered of dirt on exercise atire are going over a fence. One of the has her face to the camera and looks tired.

The good news is that it’s all a lie

Here is proof

Are We Doomed to Trip Over The Same Stones Forever?

Our brain, our education, and patriarchy appear as formidable forces — and they are!

Moreover, there is no “vaccine” or “magic bullet” to erase them in the blink of an eye.

  • Our brains stay with us until we die.
  • It takes ages to “unlearn” our education.
  • Patriarchy is in the air we breathe — from the roles we take at home to our politicians and institutions.

Is there an alternative? Actually, I have two for you.

One on your own and the other with support.

Alternative #1: Do It On Your Own With 3 Questions

There are two kinds of self-awareness

  • Self-awareness about yourself — knowing what you think, feel, and do.
  • Self-awareness about others — grasping how others perceive you.

To battle the three forces that keep you from greatness— brain, education, and patriarchy — it’s imperative to focus on the first kind of self-awareness: Your thoughts about yourself.

How do you do that? You ask yourself three magical questions when you notice that you’re refraining yourself from stepping into boldness.

Question #1: What am I hearing?

You’re about to apply for a job and you hear in your head

  • This job is too demanding for me.
  • People won’t like me.
  • They’ll be disappointed when they read my CV.

Do you see how those “voices” are reproducing the “three forces”?

Question #2: What am I saying about myself?

I have the luxury of meeting amazing women every week. Weaving in our conversations, I often hear them say about themselves:

  • I’m not the smartest person but I work hard.
  • I was just lucky to get promoted.
  • I don’t know how to ask for a salary increase.

How do you expect to get inspired to try new things when you’re kicking yourself down all the time?

Question #3: What am I assuming?

This powerful question comes from my study of the ​Thinking Environment​ framework, which posits that

The quality of everything we do depends on the quality of the thinking we do first.

​Nancy Kline​

A core component of the Thinking Environment is ​uncovering untrue assumptions​

The key block to high-quality independent thinking is an untrue limiting assumption, lived as true.

What does that look like in practice? Let’s look at the example I mentioned above of applying for a job.

*Thought* This job is too demanding for me.

What assumptions am I making about the schedules and flexibility of the role?

*Thought* People won’t like me

What evidence supports my assumption that nobody in that organisation would like me?

*Thought* They’ll be disappointed when they read my CV.

What proof do you have that your CV is not exactly what they are looking for?

In summary, questions are great if you have the self-awareness required to pause and allow yourself to reflect on what’s going on in your head.

However, your brain offers you “thoughts” at a rate of ​900 words per minute​, so it’s a mighty task.

The good news is that you don’t need to do it alone.

Alternative #2: Do It With Coachering©

Board with the text "You got this" on a desk with a laptop in the foreground.
Image by LMSunday from Pixabay

Throughout my own lived experience as well as my decades of expertise as a mentor and coach, I’ve concluded that the best external support to help materialise impossible goals comes as the ideal combination of mentoring and coaching.

I called that perfect balance coachering© — a unique combination of coaching and mentoring that is personalised to the recipient, taking into account their background, current situation, and their goals.

This is how it works in practice.

As a coach

  • I provide a confidential and non-judgmental space with no distractions to uncover the reasons behind your behaviors, enabling true change.
  • Unlike self-help or quick-fix programs, I address the root cause of the issue and give you tools you can use for life.
  • I know how to motivate you to do things that you thought were impossible and keep you accountable for massive action.
  • I have a library of techniques to help you overcome anxiety, procrastination, self-doubt, overwhelm, and self-criticism.
  • I continually show you how you are growing and improving and tell you the truth without holding back.

In brief, as a coach, I help you to do what you want to do but you’re not doing.

As a Mentor

  • I share with you valuable insights, knowledge, and experience gained from my own career and personal journey, helping you to avoid common pitfalls, navigate challenges, and capitalise on opportunities more effectively.
  • I give you guidance on developing specific skills relevant to your career goals. Whether it’s leadership, communication, technical expertise, or other competencies, I can offer you advice, resources, and feedback to help you enhance your capabilities.
  • I believe in your potential, boosting your confidence. I provide encouragement, validation, and support, helping you overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome, and empowering you to take on new challenges and pursue ambitious career goals.
  • I can advise on your career path, educational opportunities, and professional development initiatives, helping you to make informed decisions and progress more rapidly toward your objectives.

As a mentor, I leverage my knowledge, experience, and support to help you accelerate your career progression and achieve your goals more efficiently.

How do I know this works?

Some of the results women in tech have gotten from working with me are

  • A 70% salary increase within 6 months.
  • Transitioned from career ceiling to dream job within 10 months.
  • Promoted from individual contributor to manager within one year.
  • First trustee role within 4 months.
  • Got sponsorship and precious advice from experts from mastering social media and cold pitching.
  • Developed an impactful and authentic communication style that got them a promotion.

Testimonials

Patricia’s coaching was truly transformative. After returning from maternity leave, I struggled to focus on my progress amidst various challenges. Her insightful and compassionate approach helped me reframe my situation and refocus on my goals.

Thanks to Patricia, I achieved milestones I once thought were out of reach. I am incredibly grateful for her exceptional coaching and unwavering support.

Hanlin, Head of BI & Analytics.

I am happy that I’ve met Patricia in time. I am going through a career change period, which has become less frightening and more strategic.

She helped me see the patterns of how my mind is holding me back, and by the end of the coaching program, I noticed a shift in my self-confidence and resilience. In our sessions, we uncovered the root causes of my inaction, and solutions emerged naturally from her insightful questions. She also shared her wisdom and vision when I needed it.

She is passionate about coaching and empowering women and has all the necessary expertise to help. I enjoyed every session. Thank you, Patricia!

Alena Sheveleva, Research Fellow

Patricia was able to look at my experience, and then where I was right now. It literally felt like she was weaving together different strands to then hone in exactly on career blocks and give me some ideas to move past them.

Her style was to ask questions rather than give me a simple to-do list, I also liked the way I felt I could trust her professional experience. She knew what I was talking about from inside my chosen sector.

Ruth Westnidge, Software Engineer

Call To Action

Holding yourself back from applying for a new role?

Thinking your ambitions are “too big” for you?

Feeling “behind” after returning from maternity leave?

Then, pause and ask yourself the three magic questions

  • What am I hearing?
  • What am I saying about myself?
  • What am I assuming?

Or decide that you’re worthy of getting the support you need and check the Feminist Tech Career Accelerator to learn how coachering© can help you achieve your goals without burnout.

Click below to learn more about the Feminist Tech Career Accelerator

Check the Feminist Tech Career Accelerator

I cannot wait to meet you.

90 days to the end of the year: Four strategies to achieve your 2023 goals

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Image of an analog alarm clock with a picture of a girl superimposed giving the impression that she's trying to climb the numbers in the clock.
Image by ThePixelman from Pixabay.
Click here to learn how you can you accelerate your tech career

Apologies to those of you who were expecting an article last week. Ten days ago my personal computer decided that it had given it all. I now have a new computer and I’m back to writing. Disaster adverted!

One of the things I was mulling over while I was sorting my computer was that from today, Sunday, October 1st, I have 3 months (roughly 90 days) left until the end of 2023. 

I was in shock first, thinking who stole my year. Then, I shifted to mentally assess how well I was doing with achieving my goals. I did that randomly, which, of course, triggered anxiety because my mind went straight to the things that I hadn’t accomplished. 

And finally, I calmed down.

I started by remembering all the things I’ve done and especially thanking my past self for writing a post before the summer compiling my achievements to date.

Next, I asked myself what were the top 3 things I wanted to accomplish before the end of the year.

Finally, the juicy question I want to share with you today: How do I get them? 

I came up with four different strategies that have helped in the past. I hope they work for you too.

Four ways to get what you want this year

#1 Ask for help

You may have been expecting something like “do a Google search”, “get a certificate”, “make a list” or any other satisfying way to proactively procrastinate. Don’t-you-dare.

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and ask for help. In my experience, this is going to be especially difficult if you’re a giver. You’ll try to talk yourself out of it. Examples

“People are going to think I’m needy”.

“I cannot bother others with my problems”.

“Nobody can do this but me”.

Then, think about all the times you’ve helped people. Out of your goodwill, simply because you’re a kind person. Then, think that others are kind too.

And now it’s when it becomes uncomfortable for me because I’m going to do what I’m preaching…

HELP: I want to grow my coaching business so I’m looking for more clients. There are two ways people can work with me

One-on-one: I have two programs. The first focuses on becoming your own version of success The second is geared towards helping people who have experienced — or are experiencing  — hardships to move forward again and face life in a more healthy and sustainable way.

Last week I got a fantastic testimonial from somebody who finished one of the programs

I am happy that I’ve met Patricia in time. I am going through a career change period, which has become less frightening and more strategic.

She helped me see the patterns of how my mind is holding me back, and by the end of the coaching program, I noticed a shift in my self-confidence and resilience. In our sessions, we uncovered the root causes of my inaction, and solutions emerged naturally from her insightful questions. She also shared her wisdom and vision when I needed it.

She is passionate about coaching and empowering women and has all the necessary expertise to help. I enjoyed every session. Thank you, Patricia!

Alena Sheveleva, Research Fellow 

Group coaching: I’ve developed a 6-month program for people managers to give them tools to better handle the pressures of their work and move from stressed employees to satisfied professionals. The program is designed such that the managers can use the tools with their reports as well.

If you’re interested or you know somebody who may be, please connect with me.

Ufff. I did it. I asked for help.

#2 Be like a toddler

Through my years of being a coach and coaching others, a tool that comes up often is using our imaginary future self to help us unstuck ourselves.

Some examples

  • Write a letter to your future self.
  • Write yourself a letter from the future asking for advice.
  • Use visioning to meet with your future self.
  • Imagine yourself in 20 years receiving a prize, what will be your acceptance speech?

And so on.

They can be helpful to open ourselves to possibilities but they can also offer so many choices that we get trapped in analysis-paralysis limbo.

Also, sometimes it can be difficult to get inspired by a “version” of ourselves that we may not find particularly enticing.

For example, I found that some of my clients in their 60s and 70s are not super excited to ask for advice to their 80 or 90-year-old version of themselves. For some of them, it’s triggering since they wonder if they’d even be alive by then.

To prompt myself into action my trick is actually the reverse — what a toddler would do?

Because toddlers

1.- Have a great focus.

2.- Are very persistent.

3.- Make very clear what they want. .. and they are happy to let go of it if they find something better.

4.- They are open to experimenting with everything as “play”.

5.- They are extremely self-confident.

(6.- And they ask for help — see point #1 above)

So, when I’m stuck on inaction, rather than asking my future self for advice, I appeal to my “toddler energy” to get me moving.

Let me know in the comments how you’ll apply #ToddlerEnergy this week.

#3 Get a sponsor

I’ve been a mentor for years. Also, I’ve had many mentors. And as a woman tech, I’m reminded several days a week of the importance of mentors.

Let me tell you a secret: Get a sponsor.

Whilst a mentor is somebody who talks to you about their career and gives you advice based on their experiences, a sponsor is somebody who talks about you in rooms where you aren’t present (yet).

A sponsor

  • Makes introductions to people who can help you achieve your goals.
  • Recommends you to key stakeholders for projects, initiatives, and roles.
  • Uses their clout to help you to get what you want.

In summary, a sponsor actually puts themselves in the line for you — they vouch for you. 

Top tip: Unlike mentors, you cannot ask somebody to be a sponsor. You earn it. How do you know if somebody is your sponsor? 

Share with the person what you want to achieve and make an ask, for example, an introduction to somebody who they have told you can help you. If they are willing to do it, they believe in you — they are your sponsor. If they avoid committing to it, then you may want to explore if the person is more of a mentor only.

#4 Get a coach

After reading the title, some of you may be thinking that this is a rehash of point #1. It isn’t.

I’ve been a “consumer” of coaching since 2018. And it’s been life-changing. I’ve experimented with several coaching modalities — group, 1:1, Time to Think, The Model, Playing Big — and these are some of the things I achieved through coaching

  • Launching my website after talking myself out of it for 2 years.
  • Launching my business whilst keeping my full-time position at a tech company after shattering the limiting beliefs that I couldn’t have both.
  • Holding more space for my team to co-create solutions after realising that my value as a manager was not tied to “knowing more” than my direct reports.
  • Asking for more recognition at work whilst regaining a life-work balance.
  • Writing posts more regularly after learning how to calm down my perfectionist impulses.
  • Being more conscious about the manuals I have for others and how patriarchy influences my decisions.
  • Gaining awareness of when I’m catastrophising about a situation and reducing overwhelm caused by uncertainty.
  • Benefiting from a non-judgemental accountability partner.

Recap

In summary

  1. You have three months to the end of 2023.
  2. Decide on the top 3 things you want to accomplish before the end of the year (they can be less than 3 but no more).
  3. Try the strategies below
  • Ask for help
  • Be like a toddler
  • Get a sponsor 
  • Get a coach

Let me know in the comments how it goes.

Feminist Tech Career Accelerator

Three things are keeping you from getting the tech career you deserve

Your Brain * Your Education * Patriarchy

Thrive In Your Tech Career With Feminist Guidance

Achieve your career goals * Work smart * Earn more

Click below to learn more about the Feminist Tech Career Accelerator

Check the Feminist Tech Career Accelerator

Who are you reading and who are you silencing? The tale of how I diversified the voices from whom I learn

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Three figures. One covers the mouth, other the eyes, the third one the ears.

Image by Peggy and Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay.

(6 min read)

The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is […] that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Before using the term diversity and inclusion advocacy, I had already identified the need for it. I’m a woman, STEM studies, work in tech, and I’ve been an immigrant all my life. This intersection of out-group identities has often resulted in being seen as the other. It has also prompted me to consciously endeavour to listen and empower members of other out-groups.

However, a little more than a year ago, I realized that, unconsciously, I was silencing those other voices.

Continue reading →

Disability as an Innovation Driver

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Yellow light bulb over physical disability symbols with the caption “disability as an innovation driver”

(5 min read)

The typewriter, internet, closed captioning, text-to-speech, eye gaze.

All those inventions have in common a widespread application and impact. They were also originally created to overcome a limitation imposed by a disability. And there are a lot more, as this article points out.

Surprised? I was. Stereotypes do narrow our thinking.

Myth #1: Disability happens to others.

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If there’s one thing men can do to improve women’s life at work, it would be…

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In this thought-provoking interview, Ai-jen Poo, a labor organizer and executive director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, tells men that if there’s one thing they can do to improve women’s life at work, it would be…

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Rosie: Undermining Language Detector

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Rosie

Using words like just or actually, apologizing when unnecessary, or using phrases like Does that make sense? or I’m no expert, can undermine your credibility in interviews, negotiations, and meetings.

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Empathy prompts – Walking a mile in somebody else’s shoes…

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Screenshot from comparing a text parragraph in English before and after using the Dyslexia simulator bookmarklet. After using the bookmarklet, the letters in the text have been moved around, making it difficult to recognize the orignal text.

Our privileges (gender, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic) make us blind to the disadvantages of others. Additionally, we generalize other people’s experiences based on our preferences, environment, and upbringing. As most of this behavior is unconscious, how can we free ourselves from those constraints and develop more inclusive products?

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