SECRETS BEHIND ACHIEVEMENTS

WE asked three of the many high-powered women at the Women of the Year awards for some words of wisdom about what was the catalyst that has driven them to achieve so much.

HON. KATE JONES Queensland Government Minister:

“My mother and grandmother inspired me for different reasons. My grandmother had very little education so I was determined to make the most of my opportunities to learn. My mother had me at a young age and she made me understand that you are either in there trying to change things or sitting on the sidelines. People laugh when I say this but at the age of nine I decided I wanted to be a politician. I must have liked campaigning because I ended up being school captain and have been out there ever since.”

KATIE PAGE

(Above, with Mayoress Ruth Tate): “There was no one thing that gave me an epiphany but part of me always wants to do things as well as I can. I was truly blessed because I had wonderful, supportive parents who encouraged me. The schools I attended and the teachers were exceptional so I had the perfect set of circumstances to help me get ahead. To be honest I really had no idea what I wanted to do but simply a burning desire to do it better, keep improving and then move on the next challenge.”

REBECCA FRIZELLE:

“Part of it was my parents who were constantly drilling into me how lucky we are to live in this country. There is no one moment that made a light bulb go off about what I could or couldn’t do. The simplest explanation is probably fear, doing things that scare me and then having a go. I talk things over with my husband Brett and most of the time he will simply say, ‘Give it a go and see what happens’ and so I do. My big thing is that it is the things that really scare you that make you strive harder and become a better person.”