5 Secrets of the Highest-Paid Women

1. Always be yourself.

Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo's Indian-born chief executive and the nation's top-earning female CEO, wore traditional saris to her early job interviews. These days she routinely wears them to corporate events.

2. Your name is your brand, so guard it with your life.

"I am very careful with the brand itself. The pots that I put my name on — I designed them." —Top-earning chef Rachael Ray

3. Don't waste energy combating haters.

"I can't expect everyone to love everything that I do." —Top-earning musician Beyoncé Knowles

4. Make sure your man is fully committed to you — and your success.

"I would come home from a meeting and I'd say, 'Sorry I'm late,' and [my husband] would roll his eyes.... I got a much better husband the second time around." —Top-earning Wall Streeter Sallie Krawcheck

5. Position yourself for the job you want.

"When I was working my way to the top of tennis, I didn't say I was number two. I said I wanted to be number one." —Top-earning athlete Maria Sharapova

Click here for more from the MONEY CONFESSIONS PACKAGE

The Purse Diaries: What Women Spend



Real Life Money Confessions



Mo' Money, Mo' Problems