“The heart is extremely important – you need to have a passion for what you do – and you need to enjoy doing it.”
These words, spoken by Sir Richard Branson at the National Achievers Congress 2015 in Sydney yesterday succinctly unified a number of messages delivered to over 4000 business owners and entrepreneurs throughout the day.
With guests including fitness and lifestyle expert, Michelle Bridges, world leading trader, Greg Secker, and founder of the Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson, it wouldn’t be incorrect to say that yesterday’s speakers were an entirely unrelated assembly. By trade.
In the presence of the wisdom of some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs – understanding what it is they do all share in common is perhaps the greatest lesson anyone wanting to become an entrepreneur could learn.
Entrepreneurialism is a personality trait. It’s not a modern day concept you buy into and it’s not about what comes to you from other people, your circumstances or environment. It’s about what you have to offer yourself. Nothing said that more than Sir Richard Branson’s quip that nobody really knew what ‘entrepreneur’ meant when he started out. And yet, he was one.
All the speakers at yesterday’s event, although unrelated by trade, were the same. With Michelle Bridges pitching her first business idea at the age of 15, to Sir Richard Branson launching a magazine at 16 – they didn’t wait for approval or instruction, they simply acted because that’s who they were. “JFDI – just freaking do it,” said Michelle.
While it is imperative to seek knowledge and advice on any entrepreneurial journey – when it comes to the how, again, the buck stops with you. Nobody can tell you the right and the wrong way, though they will try.
Technology company, Atlassian, refused repeated advice to engage sales staff. Atlassian’s revenue is soaring. Sir Richard Branson’s ‘ballbreaker’ rebutting ethos of “looking for people with personality” who “care about people” has branded the Virgin Group pioneers of modern working culture. The Virgin Group is one of world’s most successful business empires today.
“If you have an idea that will make a difference to people’s lives and you will enjoy creating it – you should just do it,” said Sir Richard Branson.
The heart, the passion, the enjoyment and the ‘how to’ – nobody can give you that. If they could, they’d probably be doing it.
