C4.2 Taking One Step at a Time and Staying Persistent

Image of girls and women using technology.

Level 4 Prompts - Reflect & Write: Reflect on the following prompts and write out your responses. You will use them later on in the lesson.
Taking One Step at a Time, Not Getting Overwhelmed

1. Step-by-Step: Write down one big tech goal you have, then break it into five small, manageable steps. Enter how you will tackle each step without getting overwhelmed.
2. Persistence: Think of a time when you stayed committed to learning something difficult. How did you keep going, and what strategies helped you persist? Enter ways you could use similar strategies to persist in tech.
3. Curiosity: What’s one tech concept or tool you’ve always been curious about? Enter how you plan to explore this curiosity, whether it’s through a course, a book, or building something simple.
4. Lane Identification: What’s something you naturally excel at (a talent or gift) that could give you an edge in tech? Enter how you could use this strength to find your unique “lane” in the industry and how you might focus your growth efforts.

Non-Tech Related Prompts

1. Pacing Yourself: Think of a non-tech goal you worked toward (e.g., training for a race, learning to cook, mastering a musical instrument). How did you break that goal down into manageable steps? Enter how this approach could be applied to learning tech skills.
2. Mindfulness: When you’re feeling overwhelmed in your personal life, what activities or practices help you stay grounded? Enter how these mindfulness techniques could help you pace yourself in your tech career.
3. Growth Journey: Write about a personal growth journey unrelated to tech (e.g., building confidence, learning a new language). What kept you motivated, and how could those motivations apply to your tech career? Enter specific examples.
4. Resilience: Describe a moment when you experienced failure or setbacks in a non-tech context. How did you handle it and keep going? Enter how this experience strengthened your persistence and how you could apply that same resilience to pursuing tech goals.

Level 5 Prompts - Reflect & Write: Reflect on the following prompts and write out your responses. You will use them later on in the lesson.
Staying Curious and Never Being Afraid to Grow

1. Exploration: If you could take a “tech adventure” for a day, where would it take you? Enter how this adventure could open new doors for growth.
2. Self-Growth: Reflect on a moment when you were nervous about trying something new but did it anyway. How did that experience help you grow? Enter how you could apply that same bravery to learn new tech skills.
3. Continuous Learning: What does “lifelong learning” mean to you? Enter your vision for how you will continue to grow and learn in tech throughout your career.
4. Curiosity Plan: Pick one emerging technology or trend that fascinates you. Enter how you could learn more about it through projects, reading, or networking and outline the first few steps in your learning plan.

Non-Tech Related Prompts

1. Curiosity: Outside of tech, what topics or areas have always fascinated you? Enter how your natural curiosity has led to new experiences or opportunities, and how that attitude could help you in a tech career.
2. Continuous Improvement: Describe a personal project or goal where you learned and improved over time (e.g., perfecting a recipe, practicing yoga). Enter what kept you committed to improvement and how that lesson applies to staying curious in tech.
3. Hobby Growth: What’s a hobby you’ve enjoyed for years, and how has your approach to it evolved? Enter what that hobby has taught you about long-term growth and how you could apply similar strategies in tech.
4. Self-Discovery: Reflect on a moment of self-discovery unrelated to your career. What did you learn about yourself, and how does that lesson influence how you approach new challenges? Enter how that self-awareness could guide your tech journey.

Lesson 4: Taking One Step at a Time and Staying Persistent
Objective: Help individuals focus on manageable steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed and learn the importance of persistence and growth.
Instructions:

1. Step 1: Reflect and Respond
   Using the prompts under Taking One Step at a Time:
   • Break down a big tech goal into smaller, actionable steps.
   • Recall a time you persisted through a challenge, and consider how that mindset could help you in tech.
   • Think of hobbies or personal growth journeys where you saw improvement over time.
2. Step 2: Generate ChatGPT Prompts
   Use your reflections to ask ChatGPT for advice:
   • “How can I manage learning Python while working full-time?”
   • “What’s a simple step-by-step plan to transition from my current field to a data analyst role?”
3. Step 3: Research and Find Role Models
   • Search for women on LinkedIn who have documented their step-by-step journeys in tech. Use hashtags like #WomenInTech or #CareerChange.
   • Note the strategies they used to stay persistent and how they celebrated small wins along the way.
   • If possible, reach out to them and ask for advice on staying motivated or balancing learning with other responsibilities.