United States- Reshma Saujani, founder of the international nonprofit Girls Who Code, has dedicated her career to teaching young women and girls one transformative lesson: the power of bravery over perfection.
Through her groundbreaking book "Brave, Not Perfect," TED talks, and her work with millions of girls across the country, Saujani challenges the deeply ingrained cultural messaging that teaches girls to fear failure and strive for flawlessness. She argues this perfectionist mentality is holding women back from pursuing careers in technology, leadership roles, and their boldest dreams.
Key Facts
• Saujani founded Girls Who Code in 2012 after witnessing the stark gender gap in computer science classrooms, with significantly fewer girls than boys pursuing the field
• Her "Brave, Not Perfect" framework has reached millions globally, with the concept rooted in her observation that girls delete the code of their lives before they even try because they fear making mistakes
• Saujani has expanded her mission beyond tech, launching Moms First movement which grew to over 1.1 million members in less than three years, addressing childcare and paid leave advocacy
When Saujani visits computer science classrooms, she noticed a troubling pattern: predominantly boys raising their hands, with girls sitting silently in the back. She traced this gap back to how society raises girls differently than boys.
Girls are conditioned to avoid risk and seek perfection, she explains, while boys are encouraged to climb the monkey bars and jump without hesitation. This early messaging follows girls into adulthood, where they refuse job promotions unless they meet 100 percent of qualifications, while men apply at just 60 percent readiness.
Saujani's personal journey mirrors her mission. She ran for Congress twice and failed both times, but those failures led her to discover her true calling: building a movement for girls' empowerment.
At Girls Who Code, something remarkable happens: girls arrive convinced they cannot code, and within weeks, they are building websites and designing algorithms. This experience shatters their false beliefs about their own capabilities.
Saujani explains.
This discovery becomes a turning point, helping girls question other limiting beliefs holding them back.
The implications of teaching girls bravery extend far beyond technology. Saujani points to research showing that diversity in leadership strengthens businesses, improves politics, and creates more stable, peaceful societies.
When girls learn to take risks and advocate for themselves, entire communities benefit.
Saujani emphasizes that this work is not just about mothers or daughters—it's about fathers and sons too. She encourages parents to let their daughters try new things, stick with activities even when struggling, and develop confidence through challenge.
At home, she creates space for her own children to see brave women and men as role models.
Do You Know?
Reshma Saujani celebrates feminist icons with her family every Halloween, dressing up together as women who broke barriers. Past costumes have included the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and soccer legend Megan Rapinoe, embedding messages of female courage into family traditions.
Key Terms
• Perfectionism: The tendency to set impossibly high standards and avoid tasks where failure is possible, often limiting growth and opportunity
• Gender gap in technology: The significant underrepresentation of women and girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) careers and education
• Bravery muscle: A concept suggesting that courage, like physical muscles, strengthens through consistent exercise and practice over time
• Coding as metaphor: Using the learning process of computer programming as a symbol for building confidence and overcoming fear of failure in all areas of life
Image from Wikimedia Commons