Caitlin with Love Mercy Intern Athena at the Zonta Young Women in Public Affairs dinner I was recently asked to share the story of my career with a group of inspiring young women who are the end of their high school journey. It was an interesting chance for me to reflect on the last 10 years since leaving high school myself, and the highs and lows of starting an organization from scratch. Here are 5 key lessons that I've learned along the way. 1. Know your motivation. Coming from a long line of educators, when I was growing up I wanted to be a teacher. On the eve of the university preferences deadline, I visited a UNSW open day and discovered a brand new degree, a Bachelor of International Studies in Development . I knew straight away that this degree was for me, and changed courses accordingly. I was also given some great advice by a mentor, who told me to start collecting inspiring articles, job postings, and interviews that made me excited to study. A cle