What If You Could: Chasing Your Dreams Just as You Are

by Jacinda Ardern, Ruby Shamir (Other)

From the former prime minister of New Zealand comes a guide for teens on chasing your dreams and embracing the unexpected qualities that truly make a person strong.

When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand, she was one of the youngest people in the world leading a country. Many people thought she would never succeed—herself included. Wouldn’t her insecurity, overthinking, worrying, and kindness stop her from being able to achieve her goals?

As she soon learned, though, it was exactly those attributes—as well as caring and wanting to listen to and serve others—that made her into the empathetic, adaptable, and effective leader that she was.

While sharing her own experiences and challenges as a young person, and then as prime minister, Jacinda Ardern asks readers to realize that true strength, success, and power come from embracing ourselves just as we are—imposter syndrome and all.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 2, 2026

About the author

The Right Honourable Dame Jacinda Ardern was elected the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand at the age of thirty-seven, becoming the country’s youngest Prime Minister in more than 150 years. Since leaving office, Ardern has established the Field Fellowship on empathetic leadership. She is a Senior Fellow at Harvard University, continues to work on climate action, and is the Patron of the Christchurch Call to Action to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. Ardern also works on a number of projects that support women and girls, but considers her greatest roles to be those she will hold for life, including that of mum and proud New Zealander.