How to Be Brave, Not Perfect with Reshma Saujani

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In this special episode, Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, talks with guest host Laysha Ward, executive vice president and chief external engagement officer for Target, about her new book, Brave, Not Perfect.

This conversation took place before the outbreak of COVID-19. But we’re airing it now because it clearly speaks to the challenges many of us face today. Tune in for practical advice and inspiration from Reshma to help you navigate away from the pull of perfectionism, which will only make you more anxious, and toward a life that is bolder, braver, and ultimately happier.

Show Notes:

“What I learned to do is work on silencing that voice in my head that told me I wasn’t smart, wasn’t good enough, and I didn’t belong.” —Reshma Saujani

What you’ll learn in this episode of Women Amplified:

- The origin of perfectionism in women and what “brave, not perfect” means
- The importance of building the habit of being brave as a form of self-care
- Why you need to prioritize yourself without feeling guilty
- How to forgive yourself and create time by saying no to unimportant things
- Understand that perfectionism and people-pleasing don’t serve women; being authentic does
- The best and the worst advice Reshma has ever been given
- How Reshma learned to create equity herself as a woman of color
- Why failure is not attractive for women
- The importance of assessing why you’re doing what you’re doing

Laysha Ward, left, interviews Reshma Saujani at the 2019 Massachusetts Conference for Women

This Month’s Guest:

RESHMA SAUJANI is the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, the international nonprofit organization working to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a computer programmer looks like and does. The organization has already reached 185,000 girls in all fifty states, Canada, and the United Kingdom. She is the author of the international bestseller Brave, Not Perfect, and the New York Times best-seller Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World. Saujani’s TED talk, “Teach girls, bravery not perfection,” has more than four million views and has sparked a worldwide conversation about how we’re raising our girls. In 2010, she surged onto the political scene as the first Indian American woman to run for US Congress. Saujani lives in New York City with her husband, Nihal, their son, Shaan, and their bulldog, Stanley. @reshmasaujani

This Month’s Guest Host:

LAYSHA WARD is executive vice president and chief external engagement officer for Target and a member of the company’s executive leadership team. She leads Target’s enterprise-wide approach to engage and deepen relationships with external stakeholders to drive positive business, social and environmental impact. Ms. Ward serves on the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Advisory Board and the Stanford Center for Longevity Advisory Council, and is a member of the Executive Leadership Council, the Economic Club of New York, the Economic Club of Chicago, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and The Links, an international women’s service organization. She also sits on the for-profit board of directors for Denny’s Corporation. She was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the board of the Corporation for National and Community Service, and continued through the Obama Administration, where she served as board chair. Ms. Ward received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University and a master’s degree in social services administration with an emphasis in management and public policy from the University of Chicago @layshaward @target

Additional Resources:

Website: Girls Who Code

Read the book: Brave, Not Perfect

Implement Laysha Ward’s Anti-Racist Strategy

Follow Laysha Ward’s Shared Stories column

Hear from more great Conferences for Women speakers in our new podcast, Best Breakouts