Richard Branson is a successful man. Very successful. The ‘holidaying on a private island with Barack Obama’ kind of successful.
Most people can only dream of the kind of success Richard Branson has had, but as we’re sure he’d tell you, it didn’t come easily. You have to fail a lot to succeed even once. That’s a lot of hours, a lot of early mornings and late nights, a lot of blood, sweat and tears.
To help people along their way, Branson has helpfully shared his top 10 tips for success on his blog. Of course, these aren’t tips that will guarantee success, but they’re certainly food for thought for any budding entrepreneurs, or indeed anyone who wants to get ahead in life.
1. Follow your dreams
“You will live a much better life if you just do it and pursue your passions.”
2. Do some good
“If you aren’t making a positive difference to other people’s lives, then you shouldn’t be in business.”
3. Believe in your ideas
“Belief in yourself and belief in your business ideas can make all the difference between success and failure.”
4. Have fun
“Fun is one of the most important – and underrated – ingredients in any successful venture.”
5. Don’t give up
“On every adventure I have been on – whether setting up a business, flying around the world in a balloon or racing across the ocean in a boat – there have been moments when the easy thing to do would be to give up. By simply not giving up, brushing yourself down and trying again, you’ll be amazed what you can achieve.”
6. Keep setting yourself new challenges
“If you don’t write down your ideas, they could be gone by the morning.”
7. Learn to delegate
“The art of delegation is one of the key skills any entrepreneur can master. If you find people who can take on tasks you aren’t good at, it frees you up to plan for the future.”
8. Look after your team
“If your staff are having fun and genuinely care about other people, they will enjoy their work more and do a better job.”
9. Get out there and do things
“Rather than sitting in front of a screen all your life, switch off the TV or the computer and go out into the world.”
10. When people say bad things about you, just prove them wrong
“Some people will react to success by trying to hang onto your coat tails. The best thing you can do is to not only ignore them, but to prove them wrong in every single way.”
For the full list of tips and more, head to Richard Branson’s blog
