Cara Alwill Leyba - Girl On Fire: How to Choose Yourself, Burn the Rule Book, and Blaze Your Own Trail in Life and Business

Contents

GIRL ON FIRE

How to Choose Yourself, Burn the Rule Book, and Blaze Your Own Trail in Life and Business

Cara Alwill Leyba

Who would you be if you stopped waiting for permission?

A Note from The Author

In 2015, I self-published a book called Girl Code . It was a manifesto for female entrepreneurs who wanted to learn how to break the habit of comparison, trust their own brilliance, and boldly step out into the world to pursue their dreams. A curated collection of my own personal experience and perspective as an entrepreneur, peppered with standout advice from other women in business, and packed with actionable exercises to move you toward creating your own future, Girl Code became a worldwide sensation, transcending cultures, age groups, and industries. The book launched a movement of women who learned it is not just important to support other women in business it is necessary. In fact, it was such a hit that Penguin Random House decided to offer me a book deal to re-publish it and take the message even further. To date, Girl Code has now been translated in seven languages.

Four years after its original publication, Im still receiving dozens of messages per day from women across the globe who are discovering the tenets of Girl Code , and using the book to transform their lives and businesses. One of the most powerful messages I recently received was from a woman who discovered an unauthorized, underground translation of the book in her local library in Iran. She shared with me that Girl Code gave her hope, and most importantly, the push to pursue her dreams of becoming a musician in a country where women face more adversity than most of us can imagine. I didnt even care that someone had translated the book without my approval, or that I wasnt making a dollar from it. None of that mattered to me when I realized my book was helping these women who just wanted to be happy in a society where they are often left powerless and diminished.

When I shared an image of that unauthorized version of the book on my Instagram account, more and more Iranian women messaged me to share that they, too, had discovered Girl Code and were so grateful for its message. I can recall at one point in time, thinking that landing on the New York Times bestseller list would be my pinnacle of success as an author someday, but the letters from these Iranian women and all women from around the world have blown that idea out of the water. To think that a body of work I created and self-published from my dining room table in my small, Brooklyn apartment is changing the narrative of a culture is a gift I cant quite put into words. And to me, that is what true success looks like.

It was that message, and the thousands of others I have received throughout the past few years, that have propelled me to write this much-desired follow up to Girl Code . Now that women entrepreneurs are banding together in sisterhood and realizing the importance of collaboration over competition, its time to take things to the next level. Its time to rise up, together, and challenge the status quo. Its time to question the way things have been done in the past, to write our own rules, and do life and business our way. The world needs us to utilize our voices now more than ever. We must step into our power and we must let nothing hold us back.

The business world is changing rapidly, and there has never been a better time to choose yourself. Gone are the days of waiting to be chosen by an agent, a record label, a company, or a publisher. We no longer need the gatekeepers, we just need an unshakeable belief in ourselves and an unstoppable drive to make it happen. Youll notice I decided to choose myself for this book, and self-publish once again. Theres good reason for it. And were digging into all of it.

Now is the time to show up for ourselves. We all have the ability to design a career beyond our wildest imaginations without permission, selection, or validation. Girl on Fire will show you how to do it.

This book is for every woman who has had a vision that others might not understand. Its for every woman who is sick and tired of playing by the rules. Its for every woman who has known she was meant for more and has waited far too long for someone to give her the permission she thought she needed.

Im so thrilled you have decided to join me for this conversation. Lets do this.

With love,

Cara

PART ONE

CHOOSE YOURSELF

The Girl on Fire Manifesto

W hen I sat down to write this book, I asked myself: who is the woman who needs no permission? Who is the woman who chooses herself, who waits for no one, and who blazes her own trail in life and in business? Who is the Girl on Fire ?

In the world of business, there are enough blueprints for success floating around out there to make your head spin. There are coaches and self-proclaimed experts and network marketing uplines and #girlbosses who all seem to have their own formula for success. At any moment of the day, someone is on Instagram or a podcast or a Zoom call declaring that they have the secret sauce. Just pay 12 installments of $5,995 and you, too, can do it all just like them.

When people talk about industries being saturated, its only because everyone is out there trying to be a carbon copy of everyone else. Of course, it doesnt feel like theres room for anyone else when every single business looks identical to the next! How could there be?

In a crowded marketplace, potential customers and clients dont need another copycat they need you. The real you. The raw you. The rule-breaking you. The you that knows exactly who she is, and what she wants. The innovative you. The creative you. The you that doesnt need a permission slip to put herself out there and chase all of her dreams. The you that sets the world on fire just by being yourself.

Its time to break out of those boxes weve been squeezing ourselves inside of. Its time to reject the status quo, become intimate with our own intuition, and start doing things our way. Its time to step into our uniqueness and be bold enough to choose ourselves, burn that damn rule book, and step into our power as capable, talented, badass women.

Its time for a revolution.

I decided to create a Girl on Fire Manifesto to set the tone for this book. Who is the woman who chooses herself? Who is the woman who just goes for it? How does she think? How does she work with others? Whats important to her? What are her values? These points below will guide you on your journey, and well unfold each one in detail throughout the following chapters. I recommend bookmarking this page, because youll want to come back to this often and use these as quick reminders when you need a little boost.

The Girl on Fire Manifesto

She chooses herself. She doesnt wait to be chosen by the gatekeepers or celebrated by the mainstream.

She is her own permission slip, and she needs no approval. She isnt consumed with what people say about her, and she doesnt wait to pursue her dreams until she has enough likes online, or in real life.

She views rejection as redirection. She strives to evolve, not give up. She takes constructive criticism and creates magic with it. She doesnt spend time feeling bad for herself. She is in a constant state of refinement and growth.

She speaks kindly to herself and optimistically about her dreams. She chooses her words wisely and creates a mental environment of positivity and hope.

She rejects the status quo. Just because something worked in the past doesnt mean its the only way to do things. She comes up with creative solutions and thinks outside the box. She does business in a way that feels good. Her metric for success is how on fire she feels while shes creating.

She knows failure is a possibility but she does it anyway. She values experience over winning. Shes addicted to the feeling of not knowing what is going to happen next. She knows that without rejection, there is no chance to reinvent herself.