The Layne Beachley Aim for the Stars Foundation was created to inspire girls and women across Australia to dream and achieve. Having experienced the financial pressures of supporting my professional surfing career, I set out to establish a foundation offering assistance for those who need some extra help to achieve their ambitions. It is a hard task to be the best at your chosen aspiration when you are busy trying to substitute your income or do your school work. There were plenty of moments when I wanted to quit but I cannot begin to imagine where I would be now if I let money dictate my love for surfing! For the first eight years of my surfing career I was my sole financial supporter. Working four jobs to fund my overseas ventures and contest endeavours meant very little time was left for surfing itself. A typical week would consist of sixty hours waiting tables, folding t-shirts, teaching people to roller blade and a total one hour of surfing. Not the best regime for becoming a World Champion, but with every working hour my passion and perseverance grew. Still, I found myself living two lives. I was only getting out of surfing as much as I put into it, which at the time was far from 100%. I came to the realisation that it is a hard task to be the best at your chosen aspiration when you are busy trying to substitute your income. I appreciate everything I achieved because I had to work so hard for it but by the time I made it on tour and to competition day, I was pretty much exhausted! The Layne Beachley Aim for the Stars Foundation was built to prevent girls and women alike from having to go through this same amount of adversity. My desire is to encourage, motivate and provide for all aspiring women. Encompassing academic, sport, cultural and community pursuits, Aim for the Stars offers ambitious and dedicated females an opportunity to receive financial and moral support to help them achieve their goals. My support will give them the opportunity to maintain a determined focus on their goal, to achieve their dreams earlier in life and allow them to further their ambitions and aim for the stars. The foundation is an investment into the future of Australian women. Statistics show that involvement in sport or like interests detracts from drug addiction, criminal intent and teenage pregnancy. Pursuing personal endeavors enhances goal setting skills, encourages self discipline, furthers self esteem and fosters a motivational nature, all of which benefit professional, academic, personal and social interaction throughout life. A little bit of finance or just the knowledge someone believes in their personal ambition may be all it takes for a female to achieve greatness and ultimately happiness. Layne Beachley