Arshiya Sultana is an incredible Salesforce Agile Coach, dedicated mother, self-improvement seeker, and Equality ally. And our Ohana has taken notice. This month, Arshiya has been named our Salesforce Woman of the Month! Here’s just a few of the great things Arshiya’s colleagues and friends had to say:

• “Arshiya is an amazing coach and leader. She has the ability to inspire people.”

• “She is kind, supportive, and passionate about what she is doing at Salesforce.”

• “She is an evangelist for giving back to the community and furthering equality in Hyderabad.”

After hearing all the praise, we couldn’t wait to sit down with Arshiya and hear her take on how she’s gained such respect and admiration. We weren’t disappointed — here’s what she had to say about finding success in the game of life:

First, I take great pride in being nominated for this honor. So, thank you. As for my success, I have a simple philosophy: I think of life as a video game and myself as the lead character. Like most games, the only thing we have control over is ourselves. We have to know when to jump, duck, rush forward, and how to accomplish the goals of each level. We cannot control the environment, other characters in the game, or the obstacles in our way. But there are some things we can do to better navigate our path and keep ourselves in peak shape to take on the adventures ahead.

1. Listen to Other Characters

When you meet other characters throughout a game, you need to listen carefully to what they have to say in order to solve challenges and move to the next level. Like conversations with your peers, it’s important to pay close attention because you never know what you might learn or how you might be able to help. Recently, a coworker came to me and expressed low morale as the assignments he was working on were hitting roadblocks. After a few minutes of probing and really listening, I realized there was an opportunity to optimize his workflow process. We talked through it and came up with a plan. After a few weeks, he came back and told me that his new workflow had improved his productivity. He thanked me and said, "This made my life so much better.” I was grateful that by simply listening, I was able to make such an impact in his day-to-day.

2. Hit the Pause Button

My father, being a police officer, raised me to be aware of the fact that I have to hit pause and evaluate my progress along the way. Don’t be afraid to stop and take stock of what you need to be successful. Luckily, at Salesforce we have tools like the Pathway assessment to help us evaluate our purpose, impact, and wellbeing. I also seek constructive feedback from my peers and then incorporate necessary action items into my personal development and growth plan. This helps me become more aware of myself and my leadership style, and helps me keep up with fast-changing work environment.

3. Power Up Your Health

Just like a video game character can’t lose too many health points, you too need to focus on your wellbeing and gear up for each day’s adventure. Unplugging from work helps you come back with a fresh perspective. I believe it’s so important to take care of our bodies. If we don't take good care of our bodies, our minds aren’t going to be very fit either. When you are healthy and active, you can be more focused and bring passion and energy to everything you do. For me, I refuel by playing cricket. The game is fun, improves stamina, and is also about team building. It’s the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones.

4. Take on New Roles

To keep a game interesting, your character often takes on new roles and challenges. And the same is true in life! When I took on the new role of being a mom, I found courage to take on more at work as well. And the experience challenged me to figure out how to best succeed in both roles. Of course, raising my son has had its fair share of win and lose moments. But through these moments, I have learned that failure isn't necessarily a bad thing. It can give you the inspiration to learn from your experience and the willpower to climb over the tallest walls of adversity.

The Salesforce Woman of the Month campaign turns the spotlight on the amazing women who help make Salesforce one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies according to Forbes and one of Fortune Magazine’s Best Companies to Work For. Honorees are nominated by fellow employees and selected by a dedicated committee that works to ensure a variety of roles and regions are honored.

To hear more from Arshiya, make sure to connect with her on LinkedIn. And stay tuned for our next edition of Salesforce Woman of the Month, coming your way in March.