Let Your Career Take Flight with Advice from Amelia Earhart 

When you think of a strong, independent, successful female who was a pioneer in her field, who can help but think of Amelia Earhart?  In case anyone has forgotten, Earhart was the first female aviator to fly across the Atlantic Ocean – solo.  Despite widespread fascination with her eventual disappearance, the most interesting part of Amelia Earhart, in reality, was her life and her unwavering pursuit of her aviation career, in a time when women were typically expected to marry and raise a family. 

So how does Amelia Earhart have an impact on your modern-day office job?  Well, frankly, she serves as an inspiration for women everywhere who are pushing the boundaries of their fields and refusing to accept failure. 

Luckily for us, Earhart was also an author, editor, and educator who had quite a way with words.  Let's take a look at some of her most famous quotes for insight on propelling our own careers forward, whatever those careers may be.  (And totally not judging you if you decide to print some of these out and hang them on your desk for inspiration!) 

"The most effective way to do it, is to do it." 

Amelia Earhart never let her fear of failure tie her to the ground.  And despite the adversity, she faced from biased airline mechanics, competitive aviation races that banned women, and society at large, Earhart continued to push limits and break records in pursuit of her passion.   

Oftentimes we get caught up in the what-ifs, in the over-analyzing of a situation.  Sometimes you might feel that something is holding you back – whether that's inexperience, uncertainty, or fear of adversity and failure.  I'm certain that on some level, Earhart felt some fear about spending 34 hours in a plane alone over the ocean.  But she never allowed her fears – or other people's opinions – to hold her back from pursuing her dreams. 

"Never do things others can do and will do, if there are things others cannot do or will not do." 

The first time Amelia Earhart flew across the Atlantic Ocean was as a passenger since she did not have enough experience flying the exact type of plane available for such a journey – and afterward, she immediately expressed the wish to fly the route herself and set about learning the controls.  Earhart saw no value in sitting idle through a monumental flight – anyone could be a passenger.  She wanted to accomplish something no woman had done before. 

In your career, are you taking the steps you need to be not just average, but remarkable?  Are you going beyond the bare minimum of your job description to solve the problems no one else can?  Obviously, no one is saying that it's going to be easy.  Every decision you make involves an element of risk – just think about the ultimate risk Earhart took with her life by attempting that solo flight.  But don't settle for mediocrity, and don't be the passenger in your own career.  Take the controls and learn how to fly! 

"Women must try to do things as men have tried.  When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others." 

In all of her work, Amelia Earhart continually encouraged women to become involved in the growing aviation field – from helping found an organization for female pilots called the Ninety-Nines, to using her position as associate editor of Cosmopolitan magazine to promote women in aviation, to protesting the Bendix Trophy Race when it banned female flyers in 1934.  She embodied the modern-day anthem of "women supporting women" far ahead of her time.   

Women today need to stand up for one another.  As a professional woman in today's workplace, you need to provide mentorship and support to your fellow female coworkers.  We all need to work together to create a work environment in which women are empowered to try, to fail, to try again, and to ultimately create great things in our work.  The key to our professional success lies in trying.   

So, what's your Atlantic Ocean?  Take some inspiration and courage from one of the strongest women of the twentieth century – and clear the runway! 

This information is for educational purposes only, and not to provide specific legal advice. This may not reflect the most recent developments in the law and may not be applicable to a particular situation or jurisdiction.