9 Lessons to learn from Richard Branson

Richard Branson is an icon of business. He is also a model of fun and success. His book Screw it, let’s do it was a fun read and here are the lessons I gleaned.
Just do it – This is just like the Nike slogan. Whatever you want in your life just do it. All the movers and shakers of this world have been men and women of action. They decided what they wanted and just went ahead with their plans. They were not worried about the opinion of others.
Have fun – If you need to perform at your best week in and week out then you need to love your work. Keep on bringing the passion to your work. Keep loving what you do for your living. That is the number one route to happiness. Also have fun in your life whatever fun is for you. Maybe going on a hot air balloon is not fun for you but that’s fine as all of us are different and have different aspirations.
Be bold – This is the most important word we all need to pay attention to. The actions you take daily determine where you end up in life. If you don’t like something in your life you can change it by changing the actions you are going to take. If you don’t like where you are headed then change your direction. Your action towards your direction will determine your destiny. The only way to take massive action is to be bold with your life. Take some chances and calculated risks. This is where Richard Branson is a great example.
Challenge yourself – The only person you should compete against is the person you once were. So, keep challenging yourself in your work and in your personal life. For example, if you usually run 3 miles try running 4 miles.
Stand on your own feet – I take this to mean you take complete responsibility for your own life. For it to be its up to me. I own everything in my life. Self-reliance is the key to a life of happiness and success.
Live the moment – Our attitude towards our life will determine how much we enjoy it. If nothing is ever good enough we will not be happy. The best way to be happy is to live in the moment. We may not be where we want to be but if we are waiting for a future time to be happy that time may never come.
Value family and friends – Yes at the end of our lives what we will remember most are our memories. So, take the time to connect with family and friends. The moments you spend with those closest to you is more important than anything else.
Have respect – Richard Branson is famous for treating everyone with courtesy and respect. That is a great lesson for all leaders to follow.
Do some good – The quality of your life will be determined by the quality of your contribution. Each of us can make a difference with the time we have in our own way. We may never reach the success of Richard Branson but we can all contribute in our own unique way.
The lesson to learn from Richard Branson is to live life to fullest and have fun whatever that looks like to you.
The views expressed in this article are my own and do not represent my organization. Thanks for reading this post.

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