“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” – Michelle Obama
When one thinks about successful women, many things come to mind.
And that’s because a lot goes into being a successful person, whether man or woman.
When you bring it down to women, it’s another ball game entirely because we begin to consider all kinds of things like what their success means for their romantic relationships.
When a man is successful, nobody wonders if they’ll be liked because that’s already certain, but it’s different for women.
Successful women are in a class of their own.
They have traits and habits that can be perceived as admirable, intimidating, or both, even to their fellow women.
In a certain post, I talked about why men don’t want independent wives.
But there’s another breed of men who absolutely love this kind of woman.
It’s just life; one man’s thrash is another man’s treasure.
Some men find the qualities of a successful woman attractive, while others may struggle to handle them.
So whether it’s in a good or not-so-good way, what exactly is it about the things successful women do that drive these men crazy?
8 Things Successful Women Do That Drive Men Crazy
1. Being confident and taking no-nonsense
Successful women are confident in their opinions and don’t shy away from expressing them.
It takes a lot to be successful, and when you go through that journey as a woman, you pick up many lessons on the way, one of which is how to be unshaken.
So, most successful women are grounded and audacious; you’re unlikely to find them cowering in fear or wavering at every slight challenge.
Some men love this because they love a woman who challenges them intellectually and in other ways, while others feel threatened by her assertiveness.
These women are not just confident, they’re also usually very firm and have a low tolerance for rubbish.
They don’t have time for mind games, indecisiveness, or toxic behavior.
So, a guy who’s only around to play games will definitely not get along well with her.
If you decide to be her man, just know she won’t tolerate disrespect, dishonesty, or lack of effort in a relationship.
Men who aren’t ready to level up might feel pressured or feel like she’s asking for too much.
But a successful woman is unapologetic, and if he’s not serious, she’ll walk away without hesitation.
2. Being goal-driven
A successful woman has a clear vision for her life and doesn’t let relationships distract her from her ambitions.
And, of course, a man who thinks a woman’s world should revolve around him just because he’s in her life will find this difficult to comprehend.
He wants to be the air she breathes and all she thinks about every waking day, but that’s not what he’s getting.
He’s getting a woman who has daily goals to accomplish, businesses to run, and money to make.
This can drive a narcissistic guy crazy in a bad way.
He’ll feel insecure and sidelined and may try to make her feel bad about being successful, but hopefully, she doesn’t fall for it.
On the other hand, some men admire this determination in a woman and find it super attractive and even sexy!
3. Setting high standards
Setting standards is something everyone should do, but successful women take it a notch higher.
A successful woman, especially one who has a healthy sense of self and knows her worth, will have high standards.
Not because she’s trying to be proud or make herself a goddess but because she knows what she deserves and doesn’t want to settle for less, whether in love, career, or friendships.
If a woman like this meets a man who is used to being in control or easily impressing women, there’s going to be a clash, in a bad way.
The man is going to be pissed and frustrated at her standards and refusal to just go with the flow.
If all the women he’s met in the past have been easily impressed by him, he’s about to be shocked because this one is different.
But for a man who equally has a healthy sense of self and knows how to respect a woman, she’ll be his dream come true.
4. Being financially independent
When a woman makes her own money, everything changes: how she sees herself and the choices she makes.
I still remember how I felt the first time I was paid well for a job; nothing beats that feeling.
When I met my husband many years later, he was very impressed by my financial independence but still made it his duty to take care of me financially with his money.
This was a perfect balance that I loved.
I don’t rely on a man to take care of my needs, and it’s very empowering.
However, I also love that my man still spends his money on me while encouraging me to make more of mine.
This is not the case with every man.
Some men prefer traditional gender roles and find financially independent women intimidating.
They begin to feel insecure when it’s clear that she’s got her finances together and doesn’t need them to survive.
5. Having a strong circle
For a man who’s a narcissist and who plans to isolate the woman, this will scare him away.
As I already mentioned, a successful woman’s life doesn’t revolve around her man alone.
She has friends, mentors, and support systems.
She’s not the kind of woman whose sole source of support and love is her man.
Nope.
This woman has a community, a whole village that she supports and that supports her in return.
And like I said, a narc may feel left out and insecure about not being her sole focus.
6. They’re okay being alone
I once dated a guy who badly wanted to feel needed by me.
That wasn’t the issue, though.
The issue was the fact that he wanted it all the time.
I could never be doing my own thing without him feeling left out and asking questions that suggest that I don’t desire the relationship anymore.
It was exhausting.
I don’t know if it’s because we have many male-centered women in the world or what, but many men seem to have this twisted mindset that they’re the oxygen their women breathe.
And I don’t mean this in a cute and lovey-dovey “I can’t live without you” way, but in an unhealthy and suffocating one.
Many successful people enjoy their own company and don’t need a man to feel complete.
It doesn’t mean they don’t desire love or companionship; oh, they do.
They just love their space, too.
But men who thrive on being “needed” might not get this.
They will struggle with this level of independence and find it difficult to adapt to.
7. They take charge of their life
Whether it’s making career moves, investing, or traveling, a successful woman is in charge of her destiny.
She has a “no one is coming to save you” mentality that drives her to take charge and face her life squarely.
This can be attractive yet intimidating to men who are used to leading.
Some men may want her to soft pedal a bit, especially when they’re in her life.
It’s like they’re saying, “I’m here now, let me take care of you.”
Some men don’t even want to give a relationship with such a woman a chance at all because they believe she’s too much.
But like I’ll always say, you can’t be too much for who’s for you.
One of my older friends met the love of her life on one of her solo trips to Mexico.
They’ve been married for some years now, and he never stops saying her passionate attitude to life was what drew him to her.
So you see?
8. They challenge traditional gender roles
When people talk about gender roles, I don’t thrash it completely because just because it’s not my thing doesn’t mean it’s not working for others.
Some people are fine with it, and that’s okay.
But a successful woman might not conform to it.
She’s unlikely to concur with the societal expectations of a “submissive” partner whose job is to cook and clean up after her man, who doesn’t do the same for her.
And, of course, what will this do to a man who loves the good ol’ traditional dynamics?
It’ll drive him nuts.
But that’s okay.
Successful women have been driving men crazy in both positive and challenging ways since time immemorial, so it’s not a new thing.
I have to mention that a woman’s success is never the problem; it simply filters out those who aren’t ready to handle it.
The right man will admire and appreciate these qualities, while the wrong one will feel insecure or frustrated.
So it’s a win-win.