The Women of Impact Conference is designed for women in IT, to give us a place to network and motivate one another. We unite women from all over the world to help each other and co-developing our careers. That's exactly what we are set to do again next week.

Women of Impact (WOI) has been an annual staple at Cisco for several years. It's a free, global event that's open to all Cisco employees to help women in the IT field gain practical knowledge to help our careers, as well as expand our network of professional allies. We are also joined by Customers and Partners from around the world! Last year, our theme was#BeFearless, as we encouraged women to invest in themselves and take risks that could drive them further than ever before. This year, we're going further still, and encouraging women to#BeUnstoppable!

What It Means to#BeUnstoppable

Everyone encounters obstacles in life. Roadblocks in both our personal and professional lives can distract us, drag us down, or keep us from getting where we want to be. But to#BeUnstoppable! means to stay committed to your goals and keep moving forward despite whatever setbacks arise.

I have learned that we women often feel forced to make sacrifices in our lives and careers that keep us from having the lives we want, or attaining our vision for the future. But I have also learned that the only person forcing us to make those sacrifices is us. More often than not, experience shows that the roadblocks to our success are our own frustration and self-doubt.

Everyone gets discouraged sometimes. It's not a sign of weakness, but simply a sign of being human. The key to success is in how to react in the face of that discouragement and self-doubt. If we allow negativity to cloud our mindset and interfere with our commitment to our goals, then we will never attain them. But if we remain firm in our convictions and decide that failure is not an option, then that will fuel our hard work and boost our confidence. As a result, we can achieve whatever goals we set our minds to.

Of course, it takes more than just determination and self-confidence to#BeUnstoppable! It takes knowledge and experience, and the drive never to stop obtaining more of both. And it takes an ability to see every situation as an opportunity for growth and progress, and a willingness to take advantage of those opportunities, in order to move forward.

Sometimes, as we push ourselves, the end result isn't entirely clear. We can lose sight of our goal, or simply not understand how our current actions will help on the path towards that goal. When that happens, we simply need to have faith: faith in ourselves! And faith in what we're trying to achieve. Keeping your end-goal in sight and having the courage to succeed is a surefire way to#BeUnstoppable!

Women of Impact 2016

So how will the Women of Impact 2016 Conference help you to#BeUnstoppable? Through Women of Impact, you can connect with mentors and allies to advise you and help you through when things get tough. You can gain useful knowledge about what's going on in the world of IT, as well as what it takes to succeed both professionally and personally.

Most importantly, Women of Impact allows you to connect with other women in IT who have been through it: the women who ARE unstoppable and who have already achieved many of their goals. Hear from, interact with, and take inspiration from role models in the field, real Women of Impact, who personify what it means to#BeUnstoppable! Please join us!

We are having a#CiscoChat on Friday, March 4 from 8-9am PST with VP, Chief Inclusion and Collaboration Officer, Shari Slate, Senior Director Finance/ Inclusion and Collaboration Lead, Jill Franze and Social Media Coach, Jane Scandurra to chat about what it means to#BeUnstoppable. Join us!

These are just a few of the things you'll be able to do at the Women of Impact 2016 Conference. To learn more about the conference, follow us on Twitter @cisco_woi and Like the Cisco Empowered Women's Network Facebook page. We look forward to having you join us on March 4 for the#CiscoChat and March 10 for the virtual Women of Impact Conference.

Follow Silvia Spiva @silviakspiva
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