I don't think until now I have ever read two books so quickly in my entire life. If like me, you're a big dreamer and have huge career goals, these are the two books you need to read to get yourself motivated and get on the road to be coming, as Sophia Amoruso would describe a Girl Boss.
#GirlBoss by Sophia Amoruso
"While your reading this, I have three pieces of advice that I want you to remember: Don't ever grow up. Don't become a bore. Don't ever let the man get you. Okay? Cool. Then Lets do this." -Sophia Amoruso.
GirlBoss, written by the founder and CEO of Nasty Gal, provides a tried and true account of her unconventional journey to success of the launch of clothing brand and online shopping outlet NastyGal.com. The book is less of a 'How To' business guide, but more of a holy grail bible about entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and as she puts it 'never letting the man get you down'. The book really shone light on how the straight and narrow isn't the only route to success and taught philosophy about when to follow the rules and when to break them. Never before have I come away from a book feeling seriously motivated and ready to take charge of my life, and get what I want by working hard for it. The book proves that success isn't about how popular you were in school or how much of a brain box you were in your degree, and rather about innovation, trusting your gut instinct and working hard for it.
5 Things I learnt from GirlBoss:
1. You are not a special Snowflake. 'A Girl Boss is someone who's in charge of her own life, gets what she wants because she works for it, who knows when to throw punches and then to roll with them.'
2. Failure is your invention. When your goal is to gain experience, perspective and knowledge, failure is no longer an option. Failure is your invention.
3.There's zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas. The world has been set up for extroverts, and sometimes for the introverts out there, it can feel as if your being over looked, but just because you're not the loudest in the board room or the one pushing their ideas, doesn't mean you don't have the ability to be successful.
4. Create your own opportunities. She didn't find Nasty Gal, she invented it.
5. Money looks better in the bank that on your feet. Learning how to manage your money means you won't find yourself stuck in place, jobs or with people you hate just because you can't afford to go else where. Being in a good financial spot and open many doors so save your money in the bank and not on your closet!
Not That Kind Of Girl - Lena Dunham
“Between porn and studio romantic comedies, we get the message loud and clear that we are doing it all wrong. Our bedsheets aren’t right. Our moves aren’t right. Our bodies aren’t right."
Refreshingly realist, this book is purely reflective of a young girls journey through life with all the twists turns, bad sex and any thing but glam experiences that unravelled on her way to the top. Dunham has become a bold voice for the 20 something women and proves that opportunity can be found anywhere and to learn from life experiences, it will be a story to tell later after all.
This memoir and insight to her world is both personal and brave however identifies with many common thoughts and fears shared by women the same ages, and therefore she voices some of the dark, crazy thoughts we all share. In doing so, there is a certain sense of recognition within her writing, which as a 20 year old girl I can identify with. Dunham lays bare vulnerable moments with astute detail in which you can sense both humour in her revolutions but also tragedy, particularly in her experience of rape as a young girl.
The narrative entwine both her past stories and current reflections of experiences, perfectly mimicking how our inner thoughts wrap around our experiences and what we take away from them. She therefore offers wisdom and shows how to grow by accepting both the beautiful, traumatic and the mundane. Over all a really thought provoking read and a refreshingly real perception of life as a young creative in the 21st Century. She talked about everything from the embarrassing, disgusting, disturbing, and awkward social situations and what she's learnt from it.
Caitlin B xo
