Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images	Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Taylor Swift is considered a teen mentor because of her strength of character and perseverance in achieving incredible things musically in her young life. She hasn’t been slowed down by barriers that would intimidate most, she fearlessly plunges ahead to achieve her dreams.

Taylor Swift has been writing songs since the age of 5 and playing guitar and singing since 11. As a girl, she performed in front of a wide range of audiences every chance she could in her hometown of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. At just 14 years old, she was hired as a professional staff songwriter at Sony/ATV Publishing and she was 16 years old when she released her first album.

Taylor Swift’s preferred way to stay in shape is running. If she doesn’t have time to go outdoors for a jog, she uses her treadmill. She also keeps a treadmill on her tour bus to stay in shape while she’s away from home. She uses running as a way to fight off pre-show jitters.

“If I’m indulging too much and not exercising enough, I can feel that. I can feel a change before I see it,” says Taylor. “For me, working out is not so I can get skinny. It’s so that I can keep up my endurance so I’m not panting on stage. Heavy breathing is the worst when you’re in concert.”

Taylor Swift is a spokesperson for a teen charity called Donate My Dress. Donate My Dress is a national campaign to encourage girls around the country to donate their prom and special occasion dresses to those who can’t afford them. She has also recently donated to the Red Cross to help with the flooding disaster in Iowa.

She just released her 2nd album and she earned four Grammy awards in January - including the most sought after “Album of the Year” award.

Taylor Swift has said she’s not afraid of the cut-throat country music industry - “I'm intimidated by the fear of being average".