From The Girls' Book of Success

Introduction

The moment when first you wake up in the morning is the most wonderful . . . . absolutely anything can happen,” said writer and nun Monica Baldwin. “The possibility is always there.”

What magical things could you do with your morning, your day, your week, your school year, your life?

There are so many possibilities. You may decide you want to join a team or ace a class, run a large company or start a small enterprise, become a rocket scientist or a rock star, senator or saxophone player, mayor or mom, firefighter or foreign correspondent . . . or all of the above, and then some. This is the twenty-first century—there have never been so many arenas in which girls can achieve. And, by the way, these arenas are not just what seem obvious: the first-place ribbon at the state fair, being student body president, getting an A on a math test. Success is living a full and rewarding life and accomplishing what’s most important to you, so that when you’re older and looking back on your life, you’re satisfied and elated.

This book is about your dreams, but more than that, it’s about how you’re going to achieve them.

Have you noticed that your dreams fill you with a kind of emotional spark? They make you feel revved up and alive. That, in and of itself, is reason to smile when you wake up in the morning, but having the chance to transform a dream into a real experience is even better. It gives you a focus and a world to explore. The next thing you know you’re there, pinching yourself in proud amazement. Or maybe you were diverted along the way and ended up in a totally different yet equally fabulous place.

The Girls’ Book of Success will load up your mind with wise thoughts from women and girls who’ve reached goals that even they might never have thought possible. If you don’t have clear goals, it will help you explore. If you do have goals, it will inspire you to get moving, push ahead, and think even bigger. It will be a friendly mentor and handy reference on each of your many journeys to success.

How do I know it will do this? Because this is what it did to me while I was compiling it. This collection of wisdom is not your everyday textbook—it’s a treasure for your mind. All grouped together, these inspirational tidbits practically generate electricity.

See for yourself! Read one or two pages and wake up your motivation. Read the whole book and buzz with anticipation about what you want to do and how you’re going to do it. Once you’re rolling, go back and read a few quotes to keep on track.

Here’s what’s in the chapters coming up:

Winning Wisdom. This is where you’ll find insight and advice from successful women: business executives, athletes, entertainers, government leaders, and activists, to name just a few. Their juicy morsels of achievement advice are just waiting for you to put them into practice.

Success Stories. This section brings you lengthier looks at success in the real world: the nitty-gritty on how girls and women set their sights and claimed their successes. Read these accounts of adventures ranging from trying out for a school performance to breaking a national sports record; from attempting to get a job to becoming a famous CEO.

Proud Poems. Sometimes a poem is what best expresses the emotions of success. This section looks at the nature of success, confidence, and failure.

Female Feats. Check out these quick bios of modern-day movers and shakers. These stellar women have rewritten history, shattered records, averted wars, broken barriers, transformed the business world, and influenced millions with their ideas, spirit, and drive.

Fabulous Facts. What personality traits are associated with success? Who are girls’ favorite role models. . . and who do these revered women themselves admire? This section reveals the fascinating answers to these and many other questions.

So now you know what’s in the pages ahead: a ton of info to help you become a fabulous success. I think of The Girls’ Book of Success as a “toolbox” you can carry around with you, pulling out items as you need them.

If you find even one piece of advice in here that lifts your spirits or makes you ponder, I will be thrilled. If it helps you succeed, I will have succeeded. Why? Because creating this book has been one of my dreams-come-true. When I was a teen, I imagined what fun it would be to write helpful books for girls. So I couldn’t be more excited that you’re holding this book in your hands right now.

Now it’s your turn. How are you going to follow your heart, make your mark, and use your highest potential to live a wonderful life and perhaps even improve the world as we know it? Whatever it is, if you make it your intention, you can probably do it, or something equally (or more) spectacular. As they say, “shoot for the moon and you’ll end up in the stars.”

Prepare for blastoff!

Catherine Dee

Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.—Louisa May Alcott, writer, 1832–1888