From all appearances, Gretchen Carlson has lived a charmed life. From being a child violin prodigy to admission to Stanford University to becoming Miss America and then a tremendously successful broadcast television personality, happily married with two children she adores, she seems to have it all.

But it was not just handed to her, nor was it a series of lucky breaks. Gretchen's brand-new book, "Getting Real," is a how-to for developing a life plan and carrying it out.

I am delighted to recommend this memoir by a fellow native Minnesotan. Her story is a remarkable example of how hard work and discipline produced results in every phase of her life.

In her own words, Gretchen was accustomed to making sacrifices to achieve her goals. Whether it was practicing her violin for hours, studying hard, working out or hitting the bricks to break into television news reporting, she kept her goals in plain sight and persevered until she reached them.

In the book, she shares how she picked up her violin after a several-year hiatus to prepare for the Miss Minnesota pageant: "Once I started practicing, I was instantly back in my old mode. I discovered that the competitive spirit never goes away. Returning to music taught me something, not just about playing the violin, but about having that fire, that desire to achieve ... I had put aside my drive, thinking it was time for a rest. But I saw I needed it, I was born with it. You can teach people skills to hone their craft, but unless they have the fire in their belly, the skills don't matter. I never again let my passion slide."

Gretchen writes of the pageant: "I'm not saying that looks didn't enter it, although I wasn't even close to being the prettiest. It was about competing on a high level and challenging myself to be at the top of my game. It was about winning scholarship money that would help me pursue my dreams."

Let me add a personal note here. I was a judge at the 2001 Miss America pageant, and it is so much more than a beauty contest. Talent counts for 40 percent of the score, the evening gown/personality/expression portion is 40 percent and the swimsuit competition is 20 percent. In other words, a contestant must be talented and well-spoken if she hopes to have any chance of winning.

But being Miss America didn't automatically open doors for her. After completing her degree at Stanford, Gretchen faced the same challenge that so many new grads faced: You can't get hired without experience, and you can't get experience without being hired. Again, perseverance and hard work won the day.

Her job search led her to Richmond, Virginia, and then to Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas and New York. She had to deal with sexual harassment and an ongoing threat from a stalker who followed her from city to city. Her fighting spirit, however, helped her keep her goal in view. She mentions one of her proudest achievements, the American Women in Radio and Television "Best Series" award for a 30-part series on domestic violence for KSAX in Dallas. She currently hosts "The Real Story" on the Fox News Channel.

As a mother, she shares her work ethic with her children. "Personally, I have ambition for my kids to excel, but these days it's a challenge to define for them what excellence really means," she writes. "I know from experience how wonderful it is to compete and win, and while it is disappointing to lose, it's also an opportunity for parents to teach kids a very important lesson -- that failure in life is a key to success."

Gretchen has shared a fascinating story that serves as a blueprint for setting goals and achieving success. Hard work, determination, perseverance -- now that's "Getting Real."

Mackay's Moral: Let this Miss America show you how to achieve the real American dream.

One day, the body and its parts began to criticize the belly for enjoying a life of idleness and luxury, while they spent all their time working to feed it. So they entered into a conspiracy to cut off the belly's supplies in the future.

The hands would no longer carry food to the mouth, nor would the mouth receive the food, nor would the teeth chew it. Not long after following this plan, the parts began to fail, and the whole body began to waste away.

Then the members realized that the belly, which seemed cumbersome and useless, had an important function of its own. They could no more do without it than it could do without them. If they wanted to keep the body in a healthy state, they must work together, each in his proper sphere, for the common good of all.

The moral of this Aesop's Fable: Only by working together can the greatest good for all be achieved.

In a word, teamwork. You have to work together.

Everyone wants to be the star. Unfortunately, stars rarely win anything by themselves. For any star to shine, a team is needed to back him or her up.

Ask Babe Ruth if he could have won a single baseball game all by himself. Ask Henry Ford if he could have built a car company all by himself. Ask Thomas Edison if he could have made all his inventions all by himself.

No matter how good you are, you can be better when you work with the right team. In the business world, you need to provide an atmosphere where teamwork is not only encouraged but expected.

More importantly, everyone on the team not only has to pursue the same goal, but must also feel that his or her role is crucial to the team's success.

To illustrate the importance of assembling a team, consider these questions:

Do you need more than one person? Maybe the work calls for different skill sets or different perspectives. Or maybe it's just too much work for one person to handle. For example, a chef alone can't run a restaurant; waiters, busboys, dishwashers and other people are required. Form a team when you really need a concerted effort.

Will the project create a common purpose? Sometimes forming a team is useful when you want to build a sense of teamwork in your department. If the project will pull people together and give them a common goal, a team can strengthen bonds and have a positive effect long after the task is completed.

Can you depend on the team members to support each other? If the team consists of members who don't get along or respect the others' contributions, the work will suffer. Promote team-building exercises and activities to enhance the group's dynamics. Provide opportunities for each team member to showcase their contribution.

Finally, does the project truly require a team to accomplish the goal? If a project can be completed successfully by one person, why waste the skills and talents of otherwise busy workers? Use teams wisely to maximize productivity.

Don't underestimate the value of creating teamwork opportunities outside the normal business arena. Company ball teams, choirs, volunteer projects and outings allow people to get to know each other on a different level, which can translate into better cooperation in the work place.

Mackay's Moral: Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success.

A few weeks ago, daredevil Nik Wallenda walked untethered atop Orlando's 400-foot-high Ferris wheel -- as it was spinning. This is the same guy who traversed a tightrope stretched across the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and between two Chicago skyscrapers.

In an interview, he said he wants to be an inspiration for others. People don't need to risk their lives, he clarified, but they should push themselves to do better and be greater.

One of the reasons we admire people who take risks is that most of us are scared stiff at the prospect of taking risks ourselves. "I could never do something like that," we say. Sometimes it seems that the only people who can take risks successfully are the people who have nothing to lose.

Fortunately, most of us will never have to worry about taking monumental risks. Of course, we use that to downplay the importance of the risks we do face. If it's not something that involves real, measurable danger -- skydiving, for example -- it's clearly not important as far as risks go. What you really mean is that you think the fear you feel about your "small" risk is misplaced -- an overreaction.

The same fear that keeps you from taking a tangible risk like skydiving can also keep you from seeking a promotion. It keeps you from going back to school to get your master's degree, or taking a vacation without checking messages every 45 minutes.

You don't call it fear, of course, but that's what it is. It's amazing how the human brain can be so effective at using circular reasoning and rationalization as a way to avoid taking action.

In short, playing it safe isn't the way to get ahead. You've got to go out on a limb sometimes -- but not so far that you fall off. Intelligent risk-taking involves these steps:

-- Know your motivations. What do you really want to achieve? Why? Don't take major chances on something you're not enthusiastic about. You'll work harder on goals that are important to you. Failure at something trivial may make you reluctant to try something really important to you.

-- Define success at the start. Figure out what you want to achieve in specific, measurable terms. You don't have to account for every variable, but you should have a solid idea of the results you're looking for.

-- Look at the best and worst outcomes. To evaluate risks and rewards, try to determine what the worst-case scenario would look like, whether the payoff is worth that risk and how you could prevent it from happening. Consider the best-case scenario as well: How will you recognize success? What will you do next? This helps you prepare for contingencies.

-- Consider your timetable. Do you have to take this risk right now? How quickly do you need results? Don't rush if you don't have to. Breaking your plan down into individual segments can help you minimize risks and learn what's needed to succeed.

-- Focus on benefits, not dangers. Keep the hazards in mind, but don't let them overwhelm you. Think about the potential outcome, and you'll be able to stay the course even when the road gets rocky.

-- Get started. You can make all the plans you want, but ultimately you have to take the leap. Don't turn preparation into a full-time activity. Determine what you need to begin, and then do it. You'll feel more energized when you're in the midst of the struggle than when you're just getting ready.

-- Do what matters to you. Taking a risk to please or impress someone else will not produce the gratification or results that you had hoped for. What is important to Nik Wallenda is most likely not on your to-do list.

Mackay's Moral: No risk, no success. Know risk, know success.