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In the movie Working Girl, Tess McGill is an ambitious, working-class 30-year-old from Staten Island with a bachelor's degree in business that she achieved by taking evening classes. She works as a stockbroker's secretary in lower Manhattan, aspiring to reach an executive position. Tess has a bit of a Cinderella story in terms of exceeding the limitations others put on her. In real life, it is not quite as easy. Here are three of my tips to Start Charting your Own Course.

The research is clear, people with ambitious and focused friends are more successful than those that don't. One of the ideal ways to leverage your friends is by having a personal board of directors that can provide honest feedback, career advice, and push you to make the power moves that will move you forward. They are people like Emmett in Legally Blonde, who supports Elle Woods as she is cross-examining her first witness. Your board's members are invested in your career because they care about it and you. They will tell you what you need to hear—not what you want to hear, and push you to do more and go farther. They will notify you when it is time to leave a job, apply for a new position, and acquire new skills or behaviors. This type of ambition and encouragement significantly affects people's careers.

We all remember that scene in Pretty Woman where Vivian goes into the shop and is ignored and mistreated by the salespeople. Later, she returns and asks if they work on commission and tells them their treatment of her was a “big mistake.” Many outside counsel believe they are excellent at customer service, and I will tell you your clients may disagree. One of the biggest complaints I hear from in-house counsel is the lack of customer service. So, I am here to tell you that focusing on it can be a differentiator.

In the movies and TV shows, there is always that person when something goes wrong who says either "let me make a call," or "I know a guy…." These people have cultivated, over time, networks that can help them. And it is a powerful asset. Not all networks are equal. Power networks are broader with deeper relationships and more connected contacts. Power networks contain connections who know of opportunities and share them. Power networks energize your career and life. And you don't have to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth to have one. Anyone can create a power network. Here are three steps to cultivate a power network that can light up your career.

When considering launching a career comeback, you must start by researching what is necessary to succeed in your desired role. Whether you want to climb the corporate ladder or become a rainmaker, this is true. You need to understand the skills (legal and not), behaviors, and experiences that will better position you for the desired role. To do this, you must have clarity about what you want. If you do not spend some time speaking to people and doing informational interviews to obtain that clarity, you will not be successful.

You need to change your mindset from a fear mindset to a growth mindset. That is appreciating the benefits of letting go of your fears and of their perfectionism. By conquering fear, you will move forward — it may not always look like success, but it is because fear failed to keep you in place.