Book excerpt: This project was birth out of the desire to bring awareness to the plight of women in leadership. The concept of the sling shot is used as a metaphor for life. When we think of a sling shot we think of a toy sometimes used to teach students about physics. In this book, the concept of the sling shot provides the premise that all the negative situations we face in life act as sling shots. Although being pulled and stretched by people and situations can be viewed as negative during the experience, in retrospect it can be viewed as preparation designed to maximize our impact and influence. “The amazing thing about this concept is that upon Breaking Free from the Grip of Life Sling Shots, just like the ball in a sling shot experiment, one’s life has the opportunity to propel at a high rate speed toward one’s destiny and the individual is provided the opportunity to achieve at levels that seem impossible to others. The challenge is how to maintain one’s moral and ethical values when faced with the adversity of dealing with Life’s Sling Shots.”