Heidi's Guide to Happiness

For those seeking a higher level of happiness and more success in life via a few simple rules, there is no shortage of books to turn to. Many of these books feature seven "rules," whether they're the seven habits of highly effective people or the seven spiritual laws of success. Heidi Klum goes one further.

Her new book, "Heidi Klum's Body of Knowledge," which arrived in German bookstores on Thursday, offers eight "rules of model behavior."

Have a blast

Among the pearls of wisdom gathered by Klum on her journey from being a spotty-faced teen in the small German town of Bergisch-Gladbach to becoming a sought-after model and successful businesswoman are: Find your own unique style; tap into your seductive side; broaden your horizons by traveling the world; and have a blast while it lasts.

It's not exactly Deepak Chopra. And Klum is aware of that, even beginning the 190-page book by asking why it is that a model should be telling others what to do. But she doesn't take herself too seriously, peppering her supermodel wisdom with behind-the-scenes stories, beauty secrets (a must for anyone who's ever struggled with self-tanner) and other dishy anecdotes from her rise to the top.

More than just pictures

"I wanted to write something because I thought I had so many great stories to tell and I had so many pictures, and I didn't want to just do a picture book," said Klum at a recent book signing.

And besides, as Klum rightly points out in the book's foreword, the qualities that got her where she is today -- optimism, persistence, and a sense of humor -- could also help us less photogenic mortals be a bit more successful in life.