One thing that helps is to remember that feedback, like truth, is not absolute. Feedback is an opinion, grounded in observations and experiences, whi… - Sheryl Sandberg

Feedback is an opinion, grounded in observations and experiences, which allows us to know what impression we make on others.

Acting in stereotypically feminine ways makes it difficult for women to reach for the same opportunities as men, but defying expectations and reaching for those opportunities leads to being judged as undeserving and selfish.

"What triggered resilience for me," [Vernon Turner] said, "was God giving me strength and my mom telling me, right before she died, that no matter what happens, you keep the family together. I turned to football to save my family. When they measured my stature, they failed to measure my heart."

As Gloria Steinem observed, “Whoever has power takes over the noun — and the norm — while the less powerful get an adjective.”1 Since no one wants to be perceived as less powerful, a lot of women reject the gender identification and insist, “I don’t see myself as a woman; I see myself as a novelist/​athlete/​professional/​fill-in-the-blank.” They are right to do so. No one wants her achievements modified. We all just want to be the noun.