Look and Listen

Biography

What qualifies me to give out the advice found in Twenty-something Guide to Success? Because I have been a lost twentysomething and I have succeeded, thanks to the methods of self-empowerment I share with my readers in this book. In my early life I:

• Grew up in Chicago in a low-income Asian-American household as one of eight siblings
• Struck out on my own after graduating high school at seventeen and have never asked her family for financial help since
• Had to take on a variety of part-time jobs to be able to pay the rent and tried to take a few classes at a community college whenever I found the time
• Spent most of my early twenties working hard to make ends meet and struggling to get ahead, but never managing to live more than paycheck-to-paycheck, never advancing much higher in my job, never finding a meaningful romantic relationship

In my mid-twenties, I had an epiphany. I took a closer look at myself and decided that I was not making progress towards my goals, that I was not even sure exactly what those goals were, and that I was never going to achieve financial, career, or personal success if I did not know where I was going and how I was going to get there. I made it my mission to adjust my outlook, define my goals, and develop a plan to see those goals fulfilled.

Ten years later, I:

• Am co-owner of a business that my partner and I created and that was recently sold to a Fortune-500 company
• Am a millionaire who plans to retire in only a few short years
• Found happiness with a loving husband—who is not only my partner in life but my partner in business—and a young son
• Value time with caring family, friends, and have fun with the hobbies I pursue with them
• Enjoy all the personal comforts I once only dreamed of being able to afford

Inspiration

The reason I wrote the Twenty-something Guide to Success was because I once was a twentysomething who felt lost in life and I have since succeeded. I want young twentysomethings to recognize their potential, too. But even people older than their twenties can benefit from my book. You're never too old to start over again!

What happens when you do everything you're "supposed" to--go to school, get good grades, and start sending out resume--and you still don't get a job? Or what if you do get a job and it offers you as much room for advancement as your one-room apartment? What if you never accomplish any of those "New Year's Resolutions"? You're too used to failure to get back on the dating scene, you never find the time to teach yourself how to cook, or you never shed those few extra pounds?

It's time to take the "New Year" out of "Resolutions." You need goals now and you need to strive for those goals every day of the year. Twenty-something Guide to Success can put twentysomethings who feel "lost" on the path to discovering exactly what they want to accomplish in their lives. Broken into two sections, my guide offers its readers six easy steps to propel them to success that deal with the following topics:

• Building your self-confidence and changing your attitude
• Leading a healthier life
• Finding your life partner
• Applying your new outlook in the workforce
• Taking the first step in starting your own business

I know that "success" is defined differently by everyone. Yet through a series of exercises, worksheets, and tips, I help my readers answer tough questions and show them how to dig deep inside themselves to find their motivation and direction. With the reader's input, this guide will be tailor-made to each individual's dreams and talents. Who benefits from this book and how?

• Twenty-somethings who cannot seem to get a job will learn effective job searching and resume- and cover letter-writing techniques
• Twenty-somethings who feel "stuck," struggling to pay the bills and working a job that seems to offer no advancement, will be shown how to how to draft and follow a plan for meeting new goals
• Twenty-somethings with dreams of owning their own business one day will learn the tools needed to achieve such dreams far sooner than they believe possible
• Twenty-somethings who feel lonely, who feel lazy, who are still hooked on the unhealthy habits they practiced in college will be shown how to change what they would like to improve about themselves, one small step at a time

More than a memoir of my journey to success, this book is a guide to all who read it to likewise strive for the same. This book is not just about finding a great job, it's not just about finding true love, and it's not just about living healthy and making money. Unlike other books out there, it's all of these things and more.