{"id":3254,"date":"2013-09-07T17:22:01","date_gmt":"2013-09-07T21:22:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=3254"},"modified":"2013-09-23T09:25:10","modified_gmt":"2013-09-23T13:25:10","slug":"the-diana-nyad-swim-7-career-lessons-for-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=3254","title":{"rendered":"The Diana Nyad Swim: 7 Career Lessons For Women"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"forbes\"<\/a>My\u00a0Facebook\u00a0and Twitter feed was ablaze last night with shout-outs to Diana Nyad, the 64-year-old endurance swimmer, who vanquished the fearsome Florida Straits and finished a daunting 52-hour, 54-minute, 18.6-second, 110-mile swim from Cuba to Key West.<\/p>\n

One fiftysomething female pal posted, \u201cYou\u2019re never too old to chase your dreams\u2026.\u201d Another said, \u201cI turn 55 on Sunday, and she has inspired me beyond belief!\u201d<\/p>\n

Diana Nyad\u2019s \u2018Xtreme Dream\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first person to have accomplished this feat without fins or a shark cage, Nyad is an inspiration to all of us boomers, especially women. She\u2019d been trying to complete this challenge for 35 years, failing four times previously. On\u00a0her website<\/a>, Nyad called it her \u201cXtreme Dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

(MORE:<\/strong>\u00a025 Quotes That Will Make You Thrilled to Be Over 50<\/a>)<\/p>\n

In fact, I think her magnificent achievement offers important career lessons for women in midlife.<\/p>\n

Despite the naysayers who thought she was too old to complete the swim (and not just because of venomous jellyfish and the potential for fearsome sharks), Nyad proved that persistence, willpower and fierce dedication to your dreams can trump age.<\/p>\n

Her 3 Messages to the World<\/strong><\/p>\n

When she hit the shore, Nyad spoke from the heart: \u201cI have three messages. One is we should never, ever give up. Two is you never are too old to chase your dreams. Three is it looks like a solitary sport, but it takes a team.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a perfect triad of advice for so much of what we aspire to do in life.<\/p>\n

7 Career Lessons for Boomer Women<\/strong><\/p>\n

But, putting on my career expert hat, here are seven lessons boomer women can learn from Nyad\u2019s breathtaking swim:<\/p>\n

1. Be prepared for setbacks.<\/strong>\u00a0Nyad put in four years of\u00a0arduous training<\/a>\u00a0and meticulous planning to deal with health and safety problems she knew she could encounter.<\/p>\n

(MORE:<\/strong>\u00a0How Women Can Reinvent Their Careers After 50<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Lay the proper groundwork to achieve your career goals, anticipating what could thwart them and coming up with appropriate Plan Bs.<\/p>\n

This is especially key if you hope to switch careers in midlife. I\u2019ve found that those who succeed are typically the ones who have planned and pursued prudent, well-researched moves.<\/p>\n

Incidentally, during Nyad\u2019s swim, she mentally sang to herself the Beatles\u2019 \u201cPaperback Writer,\u201d which includes these apt lyrics about persistence:\u00a0Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book? It took me years to write, will you take a look?<\/em><\/p>\n

2. Don\u2019t be afraid to fail.<\/strong>\u00a0Achieving a career goal that requires a leap of faith usually takes spirit, strength and a thirst to find meaning in life. Nyad demonstrated that brilliantly.<\/p>\n

Each time she had to abort this swim previously, Nyad declared it would be her last. But she then went back into the water to try again. Her personal pursuit was unshakeable.<\/p>\n

You won\u2019t always succeed when trying to land a job, get a promotion, score a raise, execute a project or launch a venture. But you can\u2019t let that possibility stop you from making the attempt. And, of course, you\u2019ll learn from your mistakes and failures along the way.<\/p>\n

3. Ask for help.\u00a0<\/strong>To paraphrase Nyad, moving ahead in your career, as she did in the Florida Straits, \u201ctakes a team.\u201d It\u2019s critical to have encouraging mentors, networking contacts, colleagues, family members and friends who can encourage you and suggest ideas to help you succeed \u2014 especially if you\u2019re considering taking a dramatic dive and switching careers. \u00a0Don\u2019t be shy about\u00a0requesting advice<\/a>\u00a0from them.<\/p>\n

After each try, Nyad consulted with experts on how best to finish the swim the next time. After her attempt two years ago was foiled by an asthma attack, for example, she invited a pulmonologist to join her 35-member support team.<\/p>\n

4. Take advantage of the latest technology.<\/strong>\u00a0For this swim, Nyad wore a special suit to shield her from jellyfish and applied a gel that helped keep their venom from penetrating her skin.<\/p>\n

The shark divers who swam ahead of her carried zappers to ward off the predators.<\/p>\n

You probably won\u2019t need such accouterments for your job or your next one. But there are undoubtedly new software programs, websites and social networks that you should know. If you\u2019re not up to speed, take a\u00a0class at a community college or online<\/a>\u00a0to become comfortable with essential technology.<\/p>\n

5. Stay in shape.<\/strong>\u00a0Nyad reportedly never felt her failures were about her physical training, but the things she couldn\u2019t control, such as stinging jellyfish and strong currents.<\/p>\n

When you eat healthfully and follow a workout regimen, you\u2019ll boost your physical vigor and mental sharpness. As a result, you\u2019ll have the necessary get-up-and-go to face career challenges ahead. You\u2019ll also present yourself better as a job candidate, preventing hiring managers from thinking you\u2019d lack the stamina to excel at work.<\/p>\n

6. Look to your heart for guidance.<\/strong>\u00a0Nyad followed her own, pushing past setbacks and\u00a0pursuing her passion<\/a>\u00a0every stroke along the way.<\/p>\n

As New York City\u2013based career coach\u00a0Maggie Mistal<\/a>\u00a0writes, \u201cMost of us assume that the way to find a job is to see what\u2019s available in job listings or to select a career based on someone\u2019s advice, but these often lead to unfulfilling choices. It is in our hearts that we should seek guidance about finding career paths that lead to long-term success and happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. Remember to give thanks.\u00a0<\/strong>Despite her exhaustion and salt-swollen tongue and lips, Nyad paused two miles from shore to thank her crew. According to her\u00a0website<\/a>, Nayad told them, \u201cThis is a lifelong dream of mine, and I\u2019m very very glad to be with you. Some on the team are the most intimate friends of my life, and some of you I\u2019ve just met. But I\u2019ll tell you something: You\u2019re a special group. You pulled through; you are pros and have a great heart. So let\u2019s get going so we can have a whopping party.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nyad\u2019s words suggest that although swimming is a deeply solitary pursuit, even athletes like her rarely accomplish their goals alone.<\/p>\n

Her praise offers a good reminder that when you complete a project at work, you should send a similar message of gratitude to your colleagues. It\u2019s not just the right thing to do; offering thanks today will also carve a path to the career support you\u2019ll need in the future.<\/p>\n

\"Kerry<\/a>Kerry Hannon<\/a>,\u00a0Contributor<\/em><\/p>\n

Kerry Hannon has spent more than 25 years covering personal finance for Forbes, Money, U.S. News & World Report and USA Today. Her website is\u00a0kerryhannon.com<\/a>. Follow her on Twitter\u00a0@kerryhannon<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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