So how can the Girl Scout Cookie activities help you create your future? Look closely, and you'll see opportunities to learn lots of important skills, including:

• Goal Setting
• Project Planning
• Money Management
• Economic Independence
• Teamwork
• Selling
• Networking
• Leadership

Goal Setting Goal setting will help you decide what is important for you to achieve in your life; avoid distractions: stay motivated; build your self-confidence; and greatly improve your chance of success. You goal girl! Project Planning As you get older, you will face more and more complex and difficult challenges. Some of these may involve the coordination of many different people and the completion of many tasks in limited amount of time. Cookie time is a great way to practice your project and time management skills. Money Management Learning how to manage money wisely is one of the most important life skills you can master. Cookie activities can help you learn how to budget, manage cash flow and pay your bills on time. And who knows, perhaps there is a career in business ahead for you. Economic Independence Financial know-how is at the heart of true independence and self-reliance. In order for you to create the future you desire, you’ll have to make sound decisions throughout your life, using basic skills and financial insight gained through practice and experience – like selling those cookies! Teamwork The best way to get things done is often to work together to achieve more. You probably have tons of practice working together with girls in your troop/group toward a variety of goals. Did you realize that you are improving your problem solving abilities, communication and conflict resolution skills? Selling Getting your message across is key to moving ahead in life. Even if you don’t have a job in sales, you will use sales skills every day to convince people to accept your ideas or work together to reach a common goal. The Girl Scout Cookie activity offers a safe and fun way to sharpen your sales skills. Networking Networking is one of the most successful ways to find a new job. Through cookie activities you can develop contacts - friends, family, neighbors, college alumni, business mentors – a wide variety of people who might be able to help you with job leads, references and support throughout life. Leadership As a Girl Scout, you are already well on your way to being a highly effective leader! You are developing the self-confidence, vision, wisdom, motivational impact and delivery skills that the most effective leaders use every day.

Each of these life skills is a very real, valuable asset you will call upon throughout the rest of your life. You'll definitely use them as you speak to college admissions officers or interview for jobs in the near future. And they'll also be important as you build new relationships and make plans to reach your personal life goals in the years ahead.

Take a look at the successful women from our Success Stories section -- real people who got their first taste of leadership success selling Girl Scout Cookies.