As a country and as a world, we are not comfortable with women in leadership roles. We call little girls bossy.

So please ask yourself: What would I do if I weren't afraid? And then go do it.

I believe we need affordable child care. I believe we need flexibility. I believe we need institutional reform and public policy reform.

My hope in writing 'Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead' was to change the conversation from what women can't do to what we can.

We have to ask ourselves if we have become so focused on supporting personal choices that we're failing to encourage women to aspire to leadership.

Women systematically underestimate their own abilities.

It is the ultimate luxury to combine passion and contribution. It's also a very clear path to happiness.