12 Lessons Tyra Banks Taught Us About Business And Beauty

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Tyra Banks turns 44 today and, already, the former supermodel has accomplished more in a few decades than most will in a lifetime.

The 5’10” stunner once said she’s always seen modeling as a stepping stone, and that it was, propelling Tyra to go on to become an actress, author, talk and talent show host, and creator and executive producer of America’s Next Top Model which is in its 24th season. With an estimated net worth of $90 million, a Harvard Business School certification, two Daytime Emmys and a number of firsts as an African American model under her belt, it would reason Tyra knows a thing or two about handling your business and running one.

She also knows quite a bit about beauty; not just because she spent years in makeup chairs being primped and polished, but because she’s had to battle her own insecurities and learn to look in the mirror and love her body, whether it was considered too thin or too big.

So, in honor of her birthday and her business smarts, we’ve put together a list of 12 lessons Tyra has taught us about loving yourself and excelling at what you do. Take heed.

You can have all the potential in world, but unless you have confidence, you have nothing.

I’m not afraid of wanting money at all. Money will give me more power to do things that are truer to my spirit than what I’m already doing.

Never dull your shine for somebody else.

Self-love has very little to do with how you feel about your outer self. It’s about accepting all of yourself.

Stop saying these negative things about yourself. Look in the mirror and find something about yourself that’s positive and celebrate that!

You’ve got to learn to accept the fool in you as well as the part that’s got it goin’ on.

I know I’m an overachiever, and I’m not apologetic about it.

Love every part of yourself. Even the things that frustrate you. They make you who you are!

Just because you don’t know if other people are experiencing the same thing as you are, it doesn’t mean that it’s not happening. Everybody doesn’t necessarily share everything. Just know that what you’re going through, other people are going through it, too.

Don’t chase the money… chase the passion. Because that’s what is going to keep you happy and motivated and jumping out of that bed Monday morning.

We are often told we can’t have brains and beauty, and I really hope that my message is that you can put on that red lip and curl your hair and put on that power dress – you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.