What If You Could

From the former prime minister of New Zealand comes a guide for teens on chasing your dreams and embracing the unexpected qualities that truly make a person strong.

When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand, she was one of the youngest people in the world leading a country. Many people thought she would never succeed — herself included. Wouldn’t her insecurity, overthinking, worrying, and tendency to empathise stop her from being able to achieve her goals?

As she soon learned, though, it was exactly those attributes — as well as kindness and wanting to listen to and serve others — that made her into the empathetic, adaptable, and effective leader that she was.

While sharing her own experiences and challenges as a young person, and then as prime minister, Jacinda Ardern encourages readers to realise that true strength, success, and power come from embracing ourselves just as we are — imposter syndrome and all.