Recently, Open Colleges took the time to interview 12 of Australia’s most inspirational women online and get those lessons down in print for people just like you and me.

Reading their pointers inspired me to finally start thinking seriously about launching my own business and made me think about my next step forward off the never ending precipice. I hope it does the same for you.

Here are my 5 take home messages from Australia’s most successful women.

1. Education is Valuable

While you may get lucky and achieve greatness without having done one day of extended study, such people truly are few and far between.  Of the 12 women interviewed, 10 have completed tertiary studies. All those who studied cannot speak highly enough of the opportunities it has provided them with.

Study does not only happen at uni either by the way.

To keep yourself fresh and up-to-date in the market you should always be looking around for opportunities to upskill. Two words: online courses.

2. Find your passion and make it your job

I know, you feel like you’ve heard that one before. “But how?!” you scream.

Sometimes passions don’t translate into jobs all that well; sometimes we simply aren’t any good at some aspect of our passion (ie science and you wanted to be a Nutritionist); sometimes a passion doesn’t come up until we try something we didn’t think we’d like.

The only way of finding out any of these things is to give them a go. If you keep trying you will eventually find something that clicks.

3. Don’t be afraid of unconventional routes

If you believe in your idea then you need to simply get up and do it. Go out and get that thing that you want. If you have a weird little interest on the side, go out and explore it. You never know how it might come back to be something that will inspire you or give you an idea for a new direction.

4. Don’t be afraid to change careers

Almost all the women interviewed had done a number of different jobs in their lifetime and none of them are even near retirement age yet! Things have changed from the good old days. People rarely stay with the one employer in the same job for their entire lives and why would you want to? Get out there and give things a go.

Each different career will give you a new set of skills that will then lead to opportunities you have never even considered before.

5. Talk to other women on this journey

This one could also be called NETWORKING, NETWORKING, NETWORKING, but that word has always given me the heebie jeebies. I feel so much pressure when I hear it. Just talk to other chicks. Share ideas. Go to events. Join forums. They will inspire you and give you ideas which will give you the energy to keep on going in the hard time.