9 Career Lessons From Richard Branson

Having recently re-read Richard Branson’s book ‘Screw It, Let’s Do It – Lessons In Life,’ I realised that his ‘life lessons’ equally apply to our careers.

So I have adapted his 9 Life Lessons into the 9 Career Lessons below:

1. Just Do It: If you have a career ambition which you passionately want to pursue - then just do it. So set goals for yourself - no matter how big or small. Develop a simple plan (DON’T over-plan), take action consistently and have the faith and belief in your ability to achieve it along with a healthy amount of realism.

2. Have Fun: Stay positive and have an upbeat outlook on life. Do work you enjoy and work with people you enjoy being around. If you get to the stage where you have spent far too many days not enjoying yourself - then it’s time to: a) change your mindset and how you view things or: b) change your job.

3. Be Bold: If you want to do something - go for it. You don’t want to have regrets. Bold does not mean reckless - it means going for what you want whilst taking measured risks. Weigh up the risks and rewards objectively and then use your intuition to make the final call.

4. Challenge Yourself: Apply for jobs which are out of your league, network with people more senior than you, mix in circles you don’t normally mix in, go learn some new skills. As human beings we are naturally wired for growth. Being static is a sure way to lethargy, frustration, depression and regret. Challenging yourself improves your confidence whilst making you a much more valuable employee.

5. Stand On Your Own Feet: Yes, challenge yourself but expect to pick yourself up when things go wrong. Take personal responsibility for your career and don’t expect a recruiter, head hunter, your boss or HR to manage it for you.

6. Live In The Moment: Don’t let thoughts about the future or the past distract you from what is happening right now. No matter how bad the market is, how bad your job is or how bad your job searching is going - if you stay focused on the now, there is always something of value for you to appreciate and enjoy.

7. Put Family And Friends First
If you were to get seriously ill tomorrow or even lose your job then it’s your family and friends who will get you through it - not your clients, not your employers and not your team. So start putting your family and friends before everything else.

8. Have Respect: Having respect for everyone and not just people you want to impress is the path to long-term career success. In the hyper-connected world we live in, it is very easy to find out about someone’s real character and reputation very quickly. Sounds ‘fluffy’ I know, but be nice, have respect and don’t damage your reputation.

9. Do Some Good: Helping a client out with a problem, mentoring junior colleagues and getting involved in community projects that your business supports are all activities which enrich people around you. But they also help you build character, develop new skills and widen your network, whilst at a personal level giving you a greater sense of satisfaction from your working life.

The last paragraph on the last page of Branson’s book reads “Whatever we want to be, whatever we want to do, we can do it. Go ahead, take that first step - just do it.”

So what’s your first step…?

By Sital Ruparelia. Cross posted on the 6 Figure Career Management Blog

Comments

[Jacob from JobMob]

Sital, great adaptation. It all sounds straight from Branson's mouth, what a wonderful personality.

Stumbled this for you:
http://jobmob.stumbleupon.com/review/25253986/

[Time Tracker]

Nice article! You might also want to check out Matt Rissell's productivity interviews and article:

http://blog.tsheets.com/2008/business-help/productivity-secrets-of-the-most-successful-people.html

[Barbara Ling]

Excellent article! The fact that RB is also dyslexic makes his achievements and viewpoints even more admirable.

Stumbled!

Barbara

[Hairstyle]

No matter how busy life can become, always put your family and friends first. Life is short, spend time with the people you care for most. They will not be around forever. Be a good person too.