Most people internalize what they have been told about who they are and what they should want, not realizing how strongly it influences their decision-making. For women especially, it could inhibit their ability to successfully negotiate their relationships, careers, and futures. Carrying around cultural baggage of mixed messages, women are told in the same breath to go out and ask for what they want, but at the same time not be too assertive. These contradictory narratives, Fisher-Yoshida demonstrates, lead many women to wonder: Am I good enough? Do I have enough experience?

Yet, women continue to break the mold as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and representatives at the highest levels of government. What makes the difference? After interviewing more than 100 women at different stages of their careers about how they negotiate, in and out of the office, Fisher-Yoshida concluded that negotiation outcomes are often decided before getting to the table. The self-talk women engage in is one of the best predictors of their outcomes. In addition to personal insights and firsthand accounts, Fisher-Yoshida shares no-nonsense steps for disrupting negative self-talk and instead using that inner voice to channel better outcomes. With greater self-awareness women can change the stories by which they live and negotiate.