There are many life success lessons to learn but in this post, here are 3 life success lessons women should learn before turning 30. This is a review and lessons extracted from the movie, hidden figures that I found compelling as these lessons helped me turn my life around at 27.

When a colleague I had a business meeting with the night before mentioned the movie, I was intrigued by the storyline and wanted to know more.

This column provides you with some key ingredients to succeeding in life, be it in your studies, business, or life in general especially if you’re close to 30, past 30, and need a shift.

The movie follows three beautiful African American women in the prime of their careers who help NASA with the successful launch of its first space expeditions, whilst fighting through the societal limitations of not only being women but also African American.

Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan & Mary Jackson portrayed by Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spencer & Janelle Monae respectively, were the brilliant mathematician’s minds behind the program were able to create massive shifts in NASA’s & America’s history.

Let’s dive into the 3 life success lessons to master as a woman.

Lesson 1: Be Adamant In Obtaining Your Goals.

One of my favorite scenes was when Mary Jackson aspiring engineer in Nasa’s Program also portrayed by Janelle Monae, finds out that her dreams might be crushed because she does not possess the prerequisites to apply for the position. The bad news deliverer even tries to make it difficult for her to try, but does she give up. 

No, she does NOT!! Mary Jackson then petitions with the court to enroll in a segregated high school to attain what she NEEDS to get to that OUTCOME. BECOMING A NASA ENGINEER.

Of course, with sheer determination, resilience, and doing her research, she convinces the judge to allow her to become the very first African American female engineer in Nasa’s Space Program.

The Message – You might be working towards your goals, but curveballs will hit you unknowingly. And these curve balls might sometimes take human form. Be adamant. Be focused and continue to do whatever you need to to get to where you want.

Life Success Lesson 2: Be Resourceful & Speak Your Mind.

Let’s talk about my favorite character from the movie Katherine Johnson. Katherine Johnson enters the realm of vulnerability where she is underestimated for the value she could bring to the team. A team of men and 1 woman. 

She is ridiculed and given part of the information she needs to perform her everyday duties; which of course deems overwhelming and not ideal. Not only that but she is also ridden with the burden of segregated washrooms and finds herself rushing approximately 40 minutes across the property to her assigned washroom just to relieve herself. 

The one thing I loved about Taraji’s character the most was her resourcefulness. Being able to utilize the resources she had to obtain her results. She knows that it will take an almost hour of running across buildings, therefore she carries her work with her so that she can multitask. 

Of course, a woman can take so much, so she begins to ASK FOR WHAT SHE WANTS. You can only do so much with what you have for so long. Until you add to the resource pool. Slowly sometimes, and sometimes fast.

At her breaking point, Katherine Johnson finally speaks her mind and explodes her feelings for the first time in full force.

The lesson – You can take it. You can take and accept and utilize your resources, and your circumstances for only so long. But NEVER ALLOW your circumstances to take control of you. Be ready to OWN YOUR CONTROL at some point, or else you will keep yourself behind. 

Life Lesson 3: Be Ready & Willing To Learn.

Character three Dorothy Vaughan portrayed by Octavia Spencer is far from the silent but outspoken one. She knows exactly what she wants and she takes account of her resource pool while consistently adding what she needs.

Octavia has her eyes set on a supervisory position, which she keeps being shut down from by her superiors because of her skin color. Yet she never gives up.

And even though she gets frustrated about it sometimes, she is perfect at maintaining her cool about it. There is one scene in the movie that takes place in a library.

A library where she goes to find a computing book that is going to solidify her momentum up the success ladder. Of course, with the segregation, she is thrown out, but not before she has the chance to take the book she so desires.

Why did she take it? Because she has a desire to learn & educate herself. She remains persistent in learning all she can. She also remains determined toward the supervisory position & often drops a hit on her superior every chance she gets. Even if she gets shut down. In the end, she gets her desired outcome.

The 3rd Lesson – What we need to learn might seem unavailable to us at the time. And the resources we need will also sometimes seem out of reach, but only if you allow it.

In this technological age, everything is at our fingertips…literally. The internet is VAST and ever-growing with information. Good and Bad..the power and choice to use it with direction are yours.

The Takeaway

It might be just a movie, but in the end, the life lessons extracted from it are very powerful. Not only for women but also for men.

And even if you’re already past 30, you can still learn these lessons. It takes time, but these 3 life success lessons are a great first place to begin.

Sometimes we place all our focus on the negatives, the challenges, and the things against us. Not realizing that we have the power to shift our focus and ultimately shift our lives.

With consistency, you can experience a 360-degree turn of events. This is why it’s necessary to troubleshoot where you are now as I highlighted in one of my previous level-up posts.

If you’re committed to rewriting your success story, now is the best time. Join the conversation below sharing your biggest takeaway.

xx Bisous.
Menellia.

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