Bieber - 100 % official Justin Bieber: just getting started

I didnt grow up with aspirations to become a big pop star. I just wanted to be a regular kid who does all of the normal things other kids do. I started posting videos on YouTube when I was 12 so my family could hear me sing. I never knew it was going to be a big thing. I mean, we were just posting videos, and a month or two later, out of nowhere, tons of viewers were watching. I come from a little town in Canada called Stratford, with a population of 30,000 people, and that made all of this even crazier. I never thought Id get to do anything other than maybe become a carpenter and maybe one day turn that into a business. The mere thought of becoming a star didnt even seem possible. It was like going to the moon or winning the lottery. But, a couple of years later, by the time I was 14, I was no longer just singing for my familythe world was hearing me sing too. The rest is history.

When I first started posting my videos, my mom and I werent looking to help me get discovered. I mean, if we were, we probably would have left our small town and headed to LA to do auditions and casting calls. No way. That wasnt the route we were on, and in the end, that wasnt the road that led me to where I am today.

A lot of people think I was an overnight success, but that wouldnt be exactly true. Sure, its only been five years, but it has also been a lot of hard work that took time, sacrifice, and relentless dedication. Plus, five years in the life of a guy who is now 18 years old is a pretty long time. Some people think hard work iswell, too hard. Me? Its all I know and a big part of the formula for success. I like doing what I do so much that I dont spend a whole lot of time sleeping. Id rather be working hard, doing my thing, and striving to become the very best entertainer I can be. I want to be great at what I doto become the best performer in the world. To do that, I need to keep striving continuously to get better, to be good to people, to treat everyone with respect and work as hard as I can. These are traits Id hope to develop whether I was famous or not.

People always ask me how I do ityou know, whats my secret to success. I tell them not be afraid to do the things in life that scare you or that you think are too hard to handle. Do what I do, and run toward them, embrace those challenges as opportunities and see how fast your life will change too!

I wouldnt be anywhere if it werent for youmy fans. You are the reason I get to do what I love. Without your love and support I couldnt keep creating my music and sharing it with everyone all over the world. Everywhere I go, whatever I do, I try to connect with as many of you as possibleand that means everything to me.

I have always had a real direct relationship with my fans because each of you has played an important part in helping me reach every goal Ive set for myself along the way. Without a doubt, you have impacted every step that has made up this crazy roller coaster journey. When I am feeling down, you lift me up. Its just like I sing in my song, Believe, where I talk about how my fans have always been there for meI mean every word. This book is my way to let you know what all of this has been like for me and how you have helped me get through it all.

Sharing my stories of being on the road is just another step in our journey togetheranother chapter along the way. My story is something I like to share with others, to show people that with enough belief in yourself and what you can accomplish, anything is possible.

This book is a look at what life is like for me both on and off the road. I hope youll enjoy this behind-the-scenes peek, your personal backstage pass to my world. I am truly one of the luckiest guys on the planet, because I get to wake up every day doing what I love mosttouring, playing, and making music, and traveling all over the world. But most of all, I wake up grateful for you, my Beliebers. You were there from the very start, and I will never forget that. Thanks to you, I get to live my dream every day.

Thank you doesnt begin to cover how appreciative I ambut from the bottom of my heart I want to say thanks for being there and for all of your support. Lets keep doing what we do, and together we can keep the dream going. Look out world cuz Im Just Getting Started.

Before I saw my first show at Madison Square Garden I wasnt totally aware of the significance of playing to a sell-out crowd at the legendary venue, but at the end of the day I understood that it is one of the most famous arenas in the world. Back then it was sometimes hard for me to fully grasp what things like this meant because I was so young and new to the business, but when my manager, Scooter, sat me down and told me this is where the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, and Michael Jackson have all played, the scope of how big this was quickly began to sink in. I guess I understood that for Scooter and the rest of the world, playing MSG is a gigantic achievement for any artist. But for me, it became important because of Taylor Swift.

Now, you might be wondering why it was Taylor who got my attention over all the other artists who have played there over the years. The answer is pretty simple. The Garden is where I first saw her perform to a sell-out crowd in August 2009. Plus, that was my first time seeing a real arena show with an audience full of fans with their hands in the air connected to the artist. That night I looked at Scooter while we were standing in the pit and said, This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Before he could respond, I added, And I want to sell this arena out.

Scooter smiled and said, Look, Im sure you will sell it out someday, but at the moment you are still at the beginning of your career and it will probably take a couple of years.