Danica Patrick & The Secrets To Success

Not every little girl turns to her parents and says, "Mom, Dad...I'm going to win the Daytona 500 someday!" Most little girls are too busy playing with Barbie® dolls and other childhood toys. Well, not Danica Patrick! On Monday, February 27th, 2012, forty-three of the top drivers in the world will compete in "The Great American Race"—NASCAR's biggest, richest and most prestigious motor-sports event.

Danica Patrick was made to win the Daytona 500. Her passion has set her up for success and she has taken the IndyCar Series, NASCAR and American open-wheel racing by storm. So, how does she do it? Let's take a peek at how Danica remains fabulous and has become the most successful woman in the sport of auto racing ever:

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1) Start and Stick with It: Although Danica started young at the tender age of 10 by driving go-karts at the Sugar River Raceway in Brodhead, WI, one of the keys to her success has been sticking with the sport she loves. 3 Ways Successful Women Fail In Love

She didn't start out as a NASCAR Nationwide Series driver like she is today. She had to work at it. She worked her way up and qualified for division after division and got hired by racing team after racing team. She even moved to England at age 16 so she could advance her career and race in British national series events. She then returned back to the U.S. in 2002. Whatever it takes and wherever it takes her, she sticks with it and does it to the best of her abilities.

2) Leave Your Mark: Wherever Danica has been, she's left a series of successes trailing behind her as she's gone on to pursue the next pole position in the next racing series.

In Britain when she was younger, she earned a second-place in Britain's Formula Ford Festival, the highest finish by a woman in the event. In 2005, Patrick became the fourth woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500. Patrick's fourth starting position was the highest ever attained for the race by a female driver. Subsequently, she also became the first female driver to lead the race at Indianapolis. Patrick's fourth place there was the highest ever finish for a female driver at the Indy 500, besting the previous record of ninth set by Janet Guthrie in 1978. She was also named Rookie of the Year for both the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and the 2005 IndyCar Series season. What a heck of a way to leave a legacy! Fabulous!

3) Success Formula 1 = Passion + Beauty: Who says you can't drive a NASCAR race car and be beautiful? Not Danica Patrick! The 5 Most Disturbing Things We Do For Beauty

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Patrick was featured on the cover of the June 6, 2005 issue of Sports Illustrated, making her the first female Indianapolis 500 driver on the cover. She was featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2008 in a 4-page spread and again in 2009. She has also been an advertising spokeswoman for brands such as Secret deodorant, Honda cars, and most recently, GoDaddy.com. In 2007 she was voted sexiest athlete in the Victoria's Secret "What is Sexy" list.

Why can't a woman be beautiful and pursue her passions? It works for Danica. It could work for you too!  Can A Woman Be Both Powerful And Feminine?