Being a visionary means thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom. Envisioning one’s future is a powerful tool for a successful life. This lesson gives a real-life example of a woman who decided to create her future instead of adhering to society’s restrictive views of women. It helps girls understand the importance of being a visionary and how to incorporate the character trait into their lives and relationships.

A visionary sees a future that doesn’t yet exist. Every business, idea, book, nonprofit, invention or electronic gadget began with someone being a visionary. It starts with an idea and a picture in one’s head. What follows after that is a lot of grit, determination and grace.

Visionaries are resilient. They are problem-solvers and are dedicated to the task of thinking. They love to brainstorm and get excited about the opportunities to solve problems in order to bring their visions to fruition. This constant problem-solving leads to constant mental and emotional growth and maturity. It leads to owning one’s life. One vision will lead to another and another and another.

A true visionary shares her dreams with others and encourages them to want more for themselves. Girls need to encourage each other to envision detailed futures—and, by that simple act, maybe they can help bring about a future when all women from all walks of life have that same freedom.

To be a visionary is to be empowered. Strong girls understand they are in control of their own lives and know they are responsible for determining their futures. So, make those visions count. Make a difference. Envision something phenomenal.

Amelia Earhart is an icon in American history. Everyone has at least heard her name, even if they haven’t heard her story. Amelia’s spirit tells us to enjoy being a woman and understand that enjoying the adventure of living supersedes any limitation feminine stereotypes can place on us.

Amelia was not concerned with the opinions of others. She was all about adventure and encouraging other women to be adventurous in their lives as well. Amelia offers girls a break from the pressure of perfect, filtered selfies. She tells them: Go get dirty, climb a tree and be open to the idea of getting a couple of scrapes on the way down. She urges girls to forget about makeup for one moment and go for a bike ride or to laugh loudly at something they find tickling and ridiculous. She dares girls to live differently. Stretch your imagination and picture yourself doing something thrilling and new. Life is about breaking out of norms and forging your own path—and just walking the beaten path is a challenge if you are more concerned with your next perfect selfie.