3 Things Children's Books Taught Me About Success

In order to understand the most important elements in personal growth in terms of achieving success, one must first determine the most important element in learning, because, to learn is to grow. Sam Walton explains the key to learning best in his autobiography, Made in America, “You can learn from everybody.” To prove this statement to be true, we’ve collected some classic children’s books and searched them for tips on achieving a self-defined success. So, whether you’re an aspiring attorney or an aspiring chef, the following tips for success will be relevant to you.

Set Goals: Scrambled Eggs Super!, Dr. Seuss
In Dr. Seuss’ classic children’s book, Scrambled Eggs Super!, Peter T. Hooper explains to his younger sister the strategy he had to set in place to become the best chef there is. Peter goes on to share his idea of cooking scrambled eggs with eggs from birds other than hens. He searches far and wide to find different eggs that will serve as the key ingredient to his unique scrambled eggs. The majority of the book, Peter is sharing with his younger sister what it took for him to obtain and prepare the ingredients to cook his omelette skillfully.

To reach success, we must know where we are and where we want to be so that we can map out how to get there. Peter had to know what he wanted so that he could prepare the proper ingredients to achieve his own self-defined success. Peter set goals in order to become the best chef that ever lived.

Prepare: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is about a caterpillar that becomes a butterfly. The story is filled with pages and pages of colorful food that the caterpillar eats. After eating very much, the caterpillar builds a cocoon around himself, sleeps for two weeks, and wakes up a beautiful butterfly.

Whether the caterpillar realized it or not, he was destined to become a butterfly. In order for him to fulfill his destiny, the caterpillar had to prepare for the transformation by eating enough to sustain himself for two-weeks while he slept in the cocoon. In order to become a butterfly, the caterpillar had to prepare for the process.

Stay on the Track: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Mo Willems
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! is about a pigeon that really wants to drive a vehicle. The book starts out with a bus driver stepping away from a bus. The bus driver requests that the reader make sure the pigeon does not drive the bus. Throughout the entire book, the pigeon desperately pesters the reader to allow him to drive the bus.

The pigeon is like the obstacles in our lives that have the power to distract us. Binge-watching a television series or scrolling through our social media accounts can be pigeons to our success. Like the readers of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, we must stand up to our distractions and stay on the track to self-defined success.

Whatever it is that you aspire to be, never count out a resource to learn from, because like the great Sam Walton said, “You can learn from everybody.”

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trish perez

Trish Perez is the senior editor, content curator, intern, web designer, chef, custodian, and proof reader at Storm Praise Publishing. She also serves as lead in the creation of the children's series, The Adventures of Josie and Bud, which makes its debut in December 2017.