Chrissy was a single mum when she first started out. She explains, “I wasn’t a tech person at all but when you have a need, you become really resourceful.” Her need was to provide for her son and put a roof over their heads so she fought and worked her way to the top and her business is now the largest online platform in Southeast Asia. Don’t give up and always try to push yourself, no matter how hard it seems.

Success is often a team effort. Chrissy says “if you can pool a group of people behind you who believe in you, you can succeed.” Find friends or family to work together with to drive your life forward. Join a group or reach out to people who can make your dreams happen via social media. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Nanz shares that one’s mindset can be a double-edged sword. “I was declared bankrupt when my chain of 1.99 shops went bust and the greatest challenge wasn’t the lack of money. It was that I was left with nothing to do. Was I still useful?” she says. It’s hard to change one’s mindset about failure but the important thing to remember is that struggle builds character.

We are all conditioned with what psychologists call “The Negativity Bias.” We tend to focus on dangers and threats instead of the good and positive things. Fion, who tends to the old, homeless and vulnerable in her spare time, discourages people from falling into this hole. “Pick one thing you can do and do it to your best ability,” she stresses. Instead of dwelling on the problem, try to think of ways you can be part of the solution instead.

During her talk at our forum, Nanz brought up an important point. “We all have our own path and our own journey. So don’t give people advice if they don’t need it,” she says. Don’t try to tackle many challenges at once and don’t butt into other people’s business either. Focus on one task at a time as it’s easier to achieve success that way. When you’ve completed what you’ve set out to do, then move onto the next challenge.

It’s natural to feel scared of what’s to come, especially when dealing with matters close to your heart. Think of a time when you felt more confident than you have ever felt before and channel that energy into everything you do. Fear often begets more fear so if you can learn to suppress this emotion, the better off you’ll be.

With the rise of social media, people are more connected than ever and Nanz says this isn’t a good thing. “We are so obsessed with what other people think and how many likes we get on our pages,” she laments. Instead of focusing on others, try to focus on yourself first. Be more grateful for what you have and more truthful about what it is you really want out of life.

Fion notes that women tend to have high expectations of themselves in all that they set out to do and often feel a lot of guilt about the things they can’t achieve. “As long as you have pride in what you do, believe that what you do is meaningful and set your expectations in check, then you won’t feel guilty,” she explains. “Learn from the men,” Chrissy adds, “the moment they walk out of the house, the don’t feel guilty at all.”

(Related: Find out more about the Great Women Of Our Time Awards here)