In a recent LinkedIn post, Lissele Pratt reflects on the pressures faced by women in male-dominated industries, particularly in her early finance career. Pratt shares a personal evolution in her perspective, moving from a belief that she had to consistently outwork her male colleagues to a more nuanced understanding of ambition and belonging.
Pratt recounts her initial experiences on the trading floor, where she was often the only woman. Surrounded by comments suggesting women did not belong in finance, her immediate response was to double down on her work ethic.
“So my response was to work. I made sure I was always on the phones, stayed for extra hours in the evenings and built my own lists on Google ready to call the next day.”
This intense dedication, Pratt acknowledges, did contribute to her career advancement. She developed resilience and used the negative comments as motivation. However, she expresses a shift in this mindset as she reached her early thirties.
Evolving Perspectives on Ambition and Belonging
While still committed to hard work and ambition, Lissele Pratt now questions the necessity for women to feel they must constantly prove their place through sheer effort. She draws a critical distinction between working hard out of a genuine drive for more and working hard as a means to validate one’s presence.
As Pratt articulates:
“There’s a difference between working hard because you’re hungry for more and working hard because you’re trying to prove you belong.”
This insight, she suggests, is something she wishes she had grasped earlier in her professional journey. Pratt’s reflection highlights a common challenge for many women in leadership and specialized fields.
The Cost of Constant Validation
The pressure to work twice as hard can stem from deeply ingrained societal expectations and early career experiences, as Pratt experienced. According to Pratt, the finance industry, in particular, presented an environment where such pressures were amplified.
“My mindset was simple: just work harder than anyone else around you.”
While this approach yielded tangible results in terms of career progression, Pratt’s current view suggests a potential emotional and psychological toll. The underlying message, she implies, is that belonging should not be conditional on an exhausting cycle of proving oneself.
A Call for a Different Approach
Lissele Pratt’s candid post serves as a powerful reflection for professionals, especially women, who have navigated similar environments. Her message encourages a re-evaluation of the motivation behind hard work.
Pratt concludes by posing a question to her network, seeking to understand the shared experiences of those who have felt the need to work harder simply to be taken seriously. This open-ended query invites further discussion on the systemic biases that can necessitate such a demanding approach to professional validation.
In essence, Lissele Pratt’s LinkedIn post offers a mature perspective on career development, emphasizing that while hard work is essential, the underlying reason for that effort—intrinsic ambition versus external validation—can significantly impact one’s professional journey and sense of self-worth.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Lissele Pratt on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on September 7, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →