Kim Kardashian maintains that she built her own success despite being born wealthy.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star said that despite being born affluent, she deserves her success: "Yes I was born rich; it was a classic Californian lineage: lavishness and ostentation, luxury mansions with pools, private clubs, exclusive friendships, and luxury cars. Despite the affluence, at only 31 I've been able to build my own empire in the world of entertainment and, although looks and friendships are important, I want the new generation to understand that if you don't believe in yourself and in your own ideas, you go nowhere."

Kim - who helped her entire family shoot to fame - insists she didn't have her own identity as a youngster. "I've always been very shy, ever since I was a girl: I copied and did everything my sister Kourtney asked me to do, even when at school she would put me in embarrassing situations with boys. She was my idol."