How to Be a #Girlboss: 5 Lessons from Sophia Amoruso

#Girlboss, hardbound in glorious pink, is a business book about how a woman built an empire from the ground up. It is the author’s chronicles of her rebellious unruly youth of stealing, jumping from one job to another, and diving through a garbage bin for bagels to being a successful businesswoman. A few days after reading this book, I saw an online article about 30 business books every professional should read before turning 30. Lo and behold, it was the 6^th book in the list.

Enjoy this summary of my favorite lessons from the Cinderella of tech herself, Nasty Girl’s founder and CEO, Sophia Amoruso.

1. On mirin’

“Don’t look up to someone, because all that looking up can keep you down. The energy you expend focusing on someone else’s life is better spent working on your own. Just be your own idol.”

This was on-point. I guess keeping mentors is the idea, but not looking at oneself as inferior to these people. You surround yourself with them because they motivate you and influence you in a positively amazing way.

2. The Red String Theory

“When you believe in yourself, other people will believe in you too.”

When you believe that what you are doing will yield positive results, it will. You don’t get taken seriously by asking to be taken seriously, so just show up and own it. Abandon anything in your life and habits that might be holding you back. Create your own opportunities.

All the things that you can control must contribute to your dream, it must feed your goals. “You are your own biggest advocate.” So stop caring so much about what other people think and find a way to hear what you want.

3. Enjoy the Ride

“If the plan changes, that can even be better.”

When you approach everything as if it’s a big, fun experiment, then it won’t be a big deal if things don’t work out. Focus on what you are good at and find a place where you can flourish.

With the intention and determination to achieve your goals, you also have to leave room for the universe to have its way. Don’t get too focused on one opportunity that you get blind to other ones that might come up. And if something’s not working out, you can always go for something else for a while. It’s not giving up.

It is also surprising to realize that the famous advice to “begin with the end in mind” can actually cause you to miss all the fun stuff. Bask in the experience and take with you not just the superficial success, but more the more essential lessons learned along the way.

4. Magical  and Positive Thinking

“Treat you mind like your money: don’t waste it.”

We control our thoughts and our thoughts control our lives, NOT LUCK. Luck just implies that we can get something that we didn’t even work hard for. We get what we put out, so we should focus on getting what we want and avoid being distracted by what we don’t .

Magical thinking is how you visualize and project yourself into the professional and personal life that you want. BUT it only works when we actually get off our asses and do stuff. More importantly, “the more you know what you want, the less you’re willing to put up with what you don’t.” Hell yea!

We decide on what to feel about outcomes, and that is what matters most. Focusing on the negative is a huge drain and waste of time.

So don’t spend time thinking about things (even people) that you don’t want to have a place in your life. It’s your decision how much time you spend thinking of people you don’t even like (Bleh! *vomits*). You have to forcefully kick people out of your head.

‘Nuff said.

5. Know Thyself and Take Risks

“No matter where you are in life, you’ll save a lot of time by not worrying too much about what other people think about you.”

And when you accept yourself, you’ll be amazed by the acceptance that you will actually get. Knowing yourself also means that you are excited and passionate about your ideas that you make them work. Finally, take risks because those are where breakthroughs happen.

The rest of the book gives practical and specific tips about certain business and employment matters such as cover letters, preparing for an interview, getting investors, and even power-dressing. This proves that the book does not just serve as an inspiration; it is also very useful with steps that you can readily apply to your next day at work.

A few more favorite lines:

Bet on yourself. Beat the odds.

Compete with yourself, not with others.

Life stops for no one, so keep moving. Stay awake and stay alive.

It’s a quick, enjoyable, and very entertaining read so I would recommend this to all, and not just to girlbosses. (;

Like it? Share this post so your friends can also rekindle (or get introduced to) the inspirational story of Sophia Amoruso! Thank you for reading. (: Here’s a virtual donut as a token of my appreciation: