After years in network marketing and before that, the corporate world there is one thing we have learned that holds true no matter the person, the scenario, or the time… When we allow ourselves to be completely authentic to our own desires and talents, we flourish at unexpected skills and tasks. However, when we try to hide our skills, dumb ourselves down, or try be someone or something that we’re not, everything seems to fall apart. Have you ever felt that in your own life?

Know what happens when you have a solid, brand spanking new trampoline to jump on? You jump higher, you try new tricks, and you shoot for the moon! Now pair that up with a confidence in yourself, and the sky is the limit. Once you open yourself up to being your authentic self and you activate your true gifts (including those you may have forgotten over the years), you’ll be standing on stronger ground to take risks. Smarter risks. Because when you’re in a place where you’re following your heart above all other voices, that inherently makes otherwise risky moves much smarter. Risks like:

• Becoming more bold and comfortable in your networking marketing business
• Explore new ideas based on your true interests.
• Actually setting aside time for yourself to connect with the people who support you most (aka your trampolines).
• Allowing yourself to lead a more fulfilled and balanced life according to your own true desires

If those don’t sound like risks then what is stopping you from doing/having all of them now? Something to consider the next time you bend to meet the needs or expectations of others…

Are you risking smarter? Share with us below!

We’ve all known that person, the one who literally cannot utter a sentence without it being chock full of negative energy. What a downer. And little does that person know that by simply shifting their point of view from crappy to happy they could be considerably more successful in their career and social life, and a WAY healthier being. The big question is, how can we stay positive in a world full of debbie-downers? Well, here are 3 ideas to get you started:

Keep the right company

There is no doubt about it, negative thoughts are contagious. And unfortunately for all of us, negativity spreads faster than the flu. So, don’t put yourself in the middle of hotheads, crab apples, whiners, and so on.  Avoid them at all costs. Instead, find friends who always give you support, vibrant, positive thoughts and winning attitudes. Sooner or later, those good vibes will rub off on you and you too will radiate positivity, happy mojo. Think of positivity as the gift that keeps on giving!

Do your best and enjoy the rest

Mark Twain said it best: “Twenty years from now, you’ll be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did.” Living in the moment and enjoying the process without worrying about the outcome is the key to living a happy and fulfilled life. If, at certain times you aren’t satisfied with the result, use that moment to learn, and avoid making the same mistakes in the future. People fail, so what? Why think of failure a negative when really all it is is an opportunity to learn and grow? The process of life, the ups and the downs are all just the beginning of greater you.

Laugh more

Yes, having a sense of humor is important. The old saying that laughter is the best medicine… well it’s true. A sense of humor has been known to make cancer patients live longer, make people look younger, and provide for one heck of a happy life.  Laughter is relaxing, it’s life-giving and we all should have the ability to not take ourselves and our lives so seriously. By no means are we suggesting that you run off and join the circus (if it’s your dream however, you should), what we ARE saying is to just be you and take life and all it throws at you with a grain of salt. Seeing the world in a fun, positive way sure beats the alternative, right?

“Am I doing enough?

“Can I really quit my job and starting my own network marketing business?”

“Should I be doing more?”

There is no doubt about it, we all constantly barrage our brain with questions that make us doubt our ability to improve and grow.

It’s part of human nature to try as hard as possible to stay within the status quo. Evolution tells us that generations of humans got through arduous living conditions by seeking shelter and safety above all else. Now that we very rarely struggle to find that kind of physical safety, our brains haven’t changed all that much. We’re hardwired to seek the status quo, and our minds do an efficient job of holding us back even when we strive for something new.

We do this when we’re afraid we can’t create a better situation for ourselves, when we believe this is as good as it’s going to get for us, when we can’t fathom of anything better coming our way.

If our brains are hardwired to stay within the status quo, creating doubt and fear of change, how can we change that hard-wiring? How can we flip the switch on our minds so that the questions we ask ourselves become helpful instead of hurtful?

It’s time to ask yourself a new question — a better question.

We strongly believe in the power of questions. Asking yourself a thought-provoking question can change your life more than any simple answer can. But there is one question above all that we encourage everyone to ask themselves. At most, it takes a few moments to ponder. If you aren’t ready to answer it, come back to it later. If you are ready to answer it, your life may change forever.

The question is:

Do I deserve better?

At some point, we’ve all been guilty of accepting less than we deserve. Doubt and fear of change can keep us locked inside our current situations, even if they’re not good for us. If you asked yourself what you deserve out of your life — in your career, your relationships, your health, your everything — does it match up with your current situation?

Asking yourself what you deserve gives you a clearer map of where you want to go — your destination. Once you can see your destination, it’s much easier to identify what you need to do get there — your path.

It’s time to change the way we think and speak about our dreams. We’re all for living in the moment (viva la flip flops!), but we also want an amazing, fulfilling, enviable future, too…. And herein lies the catch: When we set goals, we all too often miss the mark and we don’t achieve our goals because they’re too specific (aka really difficult to reach). If when you think about your goals and you’re feeling more like that they’re something that you’re “supposed” to be doing rather than something that you are driven and excited by consider this: Goals come from your head and dictate what you think you ‘should’ be doing. Intentions, on the other hand, naturally provide us with more leeway than hard-set goals. Setting an intent to do something is more about ‘being’ versus the actual act of ‘doing’ something. Kind of like the difference between saying that you are going to achieve a top leadership position in your network marketing company versus setting the intention of simply sharing the amazing opportunity that network marketing provides. What’s more, setting intentions will help you tap into the power of your own creative energy, which opens up worlds of possibilities. And honestly, who wouldn’t want more of that!

Framing goals as intentions can help you create and live your happiest life — and even more, when you set an intention and then act on it to demonstrate your commitment, amazing things occur.  By setting an intention, you make it clear to yourself and others, just what you plan to do. Set an intention to redefine what it means to be serious about your dreams, because we are positive that with a little planning, creating a large-and-in-charge tomorrow is totally doable. So, what should you do with your life? Everything — now, here’s how to get started

1. Get clear about something you want and write it down.

2. Share your intention with someone in a way that will supportively hold you accountable to taking action.

3. Do something today to demonstrate your commitment to your intention.

4. Acknowledge that you did what you said you would and then, take the next step.

Given all the unknowns and sometimes craziness of life, there has never been a more important time to dream. So, the next time you’re thinking about setting an intention, shoot for the moon! Who knows, you may just land among the stars…

Have a tip about dreams, goals, or intentions? Share it with us below!

Okay so you are lying in bed amped and ready to start that juice cleanse tomorrow. You are going to rock that cleanse SO hard and everyone (including yourself) is going to notice your new glow and hopefully the few lbs you shed. Awesome. Then the morning arrives, you peel yourself about of bed…. and decide to start the juice cleanse tomorrow while eating a donut.

So what happened? It’s called fluctuating ambition. Crazy, who knew right? Well, it’s a real thing, but luckily we have some super simple tips to help combat waning ambition! Let’s start with a few reasons why our ambition fluctuates:

1. Energy (ahem, or lack there of)

Energy levels usually determine what we want in the moment. If energy is low, so is ambition. Who can conquer the world while taking a nap? Not us and probably not you. Dang!

2. Procrastination

Procrastination is easy, but it messes up ambition.

If you want to make progress, but also want to delay the work, you’ll get ambitious when you can’t do anything about it (like when you’re lying in bed at night). You’ll label tasks as non-urgent and pass the baton to your sleeping-self, who can’t do anything but sleep. This cycle often repeats itself and nothing gets done!

3. Fear of real opportunities

Bold ideas are tamed like a circus tiger when you know they’ll never happen. What’s scary about the idea of fighting crime when you’re at home in your pajamas? Nothing, but it’s scary to walk the streets with the full intention of engaging evil doers.

Meaningful action is scarier than meaningless action. That’s the takeaway point: If you only find yourself inspired when you can’t do anything about it, there’s a good chance you fear real opportunities.

4. Lack of confidence

Related to fear, low confidence will stop you from doing great things. Ambition the night before shows you want it, but it could be that deep inside you don’t believe you’ll get the results you want. If you don’t envision success, you’ll avoid action.

The higher your confidence, the more stable your ambition-meter will be.

Okay, so now that we’ve outlined all the termites that eat away at our ambition let’s explore a few ways to conquer fluctuating ambition:

1. Learn to turn your brain off

In times of extreme ambition, you think clearest about what you want. Since you’re likely removed from the action aspect of it, you’re not scared to imagine a great future. Don’t be fooled by your tired, timid, scared self the next day, because you’re over-thinking it. A great solution to this problem is to turn your brain off and mindlessly do whatever your earlier self said would improve your life. If you can master this trick, you’ll form good habits, which will carry you through times of low ambition.

2. Find your prior mindset

Maybe, for one reason or another, you can’t shut your mental stations down. In this case, try to recapture your ambitious thoughts and feelings. How did you get ambitious before? Why were your ideas appealing then? The only thing that’s changed is you – your ambitious ideas from before are still great. Focus on the exciting benefits of taking action and you might just reclaim your ambition before the day is gone.

3. Do something else

Just kidding. What a terrible idea. No!

4. Talk to a friend

Have you ever talked to a friend about something and answered all of your questions without them saying a word? Knowing that another mind is analyzing their thoughts and ideas makes people think in a more logical manner. Beyond that, friends can offer new insights and ideas to help you move forward.

If you said you were going to work out the night before and now you’re tired, perhaps encouragement from a friend will convince you to stick to your original plan or maybe your friend will join you at the gym! There is strength in numbers!

5. Move it

Yes, physically move around.

Ambition is a mental trait, and the best way to jump-start yourself mentally is to get active (or yes, caffeine works too, you addicts!). Even a brisk walk can do wonders for your ambition. Exercise is magic that way.

6. Learn to love progress

Everyone loves success, but progress is the choice of champions. Progress is how every single expert becomes an expert. Progress is how athletes become elite. Progress is how you’ll get good enough to achieve whatever your ambition drives you towards.

Don’t focus on success, or your ambition will jump around according to your results and fluctuating expectations of reaching success or failing.

But when you focus on progress, you’ll always get it with effort, and your ambition will remain stable if your aim is true. Progress can be made without success, but success won’t happen without progress.

Where is your ambition at? If your ambition-meter is low, use these tips to recharge it. If your ambition is soaring, it’s probably two in the morning and you can’t do anything about it, but now you’ll know what to do to recapture the magic when it’s time for action.

Content information via Pick the Brain

What if we were to tell you that we had in our possession 5 questions guaranteed to improve the quality of your life, make you happier, less likely to get into arguments, more likely to reach your goals and be more popular with other people… Think that might be something you might be interested in hearing? Betcha would! But before you jump ahead, there is a slight catch to these questions. In order receive their full potential you must commit them to your brain by constant and thoughtful repetition, and then before you know it, it will be like second nature to you and you’ll think, “how and the heck was I living and thinking before!” and it will have your friends believing that your body may or may not been invaded by a very clever, charismatic and slightly easier to get along with space alien. Could be pretty awesome… So let’s get to it!

1. What Else Can This Mean?

As a human being you have developed your own way of looking at things. You see the world through a filter or lens built up and fine-tuned on your beliefs and values. As such you only ever see your own reality, never reality itself.

It’s taken you years to build up your own filter and because of that you’ll often try and hang on to it for grim death, sometimes in the face of overwhelming contrary evidence.

It’s not that you’re an unreasonable person because everybody is the same to a greater or lesser degree. Every single person has their own filter and has their own difficulties accepting that they are one of over 6 billion realities.

You can separate yourself from your automatic repetitive way of thinking though by asking yourself with a genuine sense of curiosity, one simple question.

“What else can this mean?”

That one question forces you to look for alternate ways of viewing things.

Your partner being late for a date may mean he/she hates you and doesn’t respect you, OR it may mean that they simply got stuck in traffic. That headache you’ve had for 2 days may be a tumor the size of a grapefruit, or it may mean you’ve been overdoing the caffeine.  That abuse that your boss just hurled at you may mean you’re a worthless piece of garbage, or it may mean his wife has just left him and he’s taking it out on you…

Often we don’t know what the reality of the situation is. Think of how many times in your life what seemed like a terrible event turned out to be a huge blessing in the fullness of time. What if we treated everything (within reason) like that and kept asking, “What else can this mean?” “What else can this mean?” “What else can this mean?” until we find an answer that makes us feel good?

Some people say that’s not realistic. We say what’s realism and if you can set your own, why on earth wouldn’t you want to?

“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.”  ~ Albert Einstein

2. Who Can Help Me?

In terms of setting and achieving goals, too many people get wrapped up in the “How can I do this?” mode of thinking. That can be useful and  many people have reached their goals by purely taking that approach.

However, there is an easier and quicker way and that’s to ask yourself, “Who can help me?”

Whatever it is you want to do, it’s almost certain that somebody has done it before (or at least something very similar). Find out how they accomplished it and model them. Speak to them if possible and learn from their successes and their mistakes. If there is no option to speak directly (always tricky with dead people), read up on them and talk to people that may have known them.

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel just remember, the quickest route to success is to follow a beaten path.

“Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.” ~ Douglas Adams

3. What Am I Grateful For?

Try and stifle that eye roll and yawn for just one moment. We know the whole attitude of gratitude thing has become more clichéd than a drunken Oscar winners acceptance speech, but there is a reason for that. It’s because it’s incredibly, awesomely, stunningly (insert over the top adjective of your choice here) powerful.

The act of searching our minds for things that we’re grateful for is a brilliant state changer. It will improve your mood, make you feel more resourceful and stop any thoughts of self-pity that can lead toward developing a victim mindset creeping in. And if you can’t think of at least 10 new things each day to be grateful for you’re not looking hard enough because they’re out there.

“He who does not thank for little will not thank for much.”  ~ Estonian Proverb

4. What’s My End Game?

Would you set off in your car with no idea where you were going, why you were going there, or when you were likely to get back?

I suppose you may do that once in a while for a bit of spontaneity, but it’s not something many people this side of sane do on a regular basis. Yet we often get drawn into situations with absolutely no idea of what we want to achieve. For example, have you ever been in an argument intent on proving the other person wrong? Did it ever pan out like you hoped it would? Did they thank you afterwards for making them look like a complete idiot? Did they go on to compliment you on your dazzling intellect, rapier like wit, and mention how lucky they were to know you? We suspect not.

Next time you find yourself about to get involved in a disagreement, ask yourself “What’s my end game?” You’ll probably realize it isn’t to spend 2 hours bickering about who invited the in-laws for dinner, resulting in you saying lots of things you don’t really mean, the net result of which is you spending a night on the couch.

“If you wouldn’t write it and sign it, don’t say it.”  ~ Earl Wilson

5. What Can I Learn From This?

One of the things that separates the super-successful from the rest of us mere mortals, is the ability of the former group to learn from their mistakes. In fact we’d go even further than that and say it’s not just to learn from them, but also to embrace them.

They see a failure as feedback. They know that it’s impossible to be really successful without failing a lot, so they want to fail and fail fast.

Think of any negative situation you have been in recently that didn’t go your way. Now ask yourself “What can I learn from it?”

In any situations there will be something that you can learn and if you can take those lessons forward and avoid replicating them in the future then you have extracted a positive from a negative.

Never leave the scene of a ‘failure’ without taking a positive from it and the good news is, they are always in there if you look hard enough.

“You always pass failure on your way to success.”  ~Mickey Rooney

Content via Pickthebrain.com

 

After years of living life in our flip flops we have come to see mornings as a the shiny new foundation upon which we build our entire day – mentally, physically, and spiritually, and NOT a time to rush around like a lunatic, curse traffic, and lose our minds. In fact, we find that we are infinitely happier, healthier, and more productive when we give ourselves a little TLC as part of our morning routine. And while it may require you to make a few minor concessions, it is totally worth the reward.  With that we share with you 6 morning habits to shake up your a.m. routine and provide you with an awesome foundation to start each beautiful, opportunity filled day!

1. Wake Earlier

If you were to Google this theory there are about a bazillion articles praising  the benefits of being an early riser. For those of us night owls this can seem more like Chinese torture than a blessing, but when you really think about it, this truly is the key to overhauling your morning routine. With more time, you are free to develop new ways to start your day and at the very least, actually enjoy the morning, free from the chaos of the alarm clock and having to rush out the door.

2. Meditate

We think mornings are a particularly fab time clear out the complications in your life and replace them with calm, purpose, and confidence. Just how do you do that you ask? Well, meditation of course!  Meditation is the practice of silencing the mind and a few of its many benefits include improved concentration, better health, and increased knowledge of self. And with all those perks, who wouldn’t want to spend a few minutes each each morning meditating and clearing the way for the day? Well, it seems so foreign to many people, that they don’t know where to begin, so here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Yoga: A form of meditation that controls breathing and promotes a flexible body, along with a clearer mind.

Prayer: The most widely practiced form of meditation, found in most religious traditions. Prayers can be spoken or written on your own or with the help of your religious leader.

Reflection: A way to meditate through the written word, spoken word, thoughtful contemplation or music. Keeping a journal is also a useful meditation method.

Walking: An effective way to meditate while also involving physical exercise. Slowing down the pace and focusing on your movements, rather than the surroundings, helps to focus thoughts.

Some of the other methods of meditation include: guided meditation, qi gong, tai chi, body scan, mantra repeating and mindfulness. All of these can be conducted in the morning to start the day off right.

3. Think the Impossible

Allowing your mind to let go of the rational and, instead, to explore the world of the “impossible” is a great way to get your creative juices flowing. And Aristotle did once say that the mark of an educated or mature mind is that it’s able to “entertain a thought without accepting it.” Simply shut your eyes and visualize how you want the day to unfold in it’s most infinitely possible sense. Give yourself a free pass to think even the most seemingly impossible things! This will give you direction as you go about your day and help you to avoid getting caught up with “urgent” but unimportant tasks.

4. Feed Your Brain

A nutritious and balanced breakfast is essential if you want to fire up your metabolism and keep yourself powered up throughout your day. Forget the carbs, they will only leave your energy levels crashing midday, and instead eat whole-grain cereal, eggs, fresh fruit or a even a health shake for breakfast!

5. Exercise

Exercising in the morning energizes you for the day—not to mention all those yummy feelings you’ll have knowing you’ve done something disciplined and good for you! Studies have shown that exercise significantly increases mental acuity—a benefit that lasts four to ten hours after your workout ends. Exercising in the a.m. means you get to harness that brainpower, instead of wasting it while you’re snoozing. An early morning workout also “jump starts” your metabolism, keeping it elevated for hours, sometimes for up to 24 hours! As a result, you’ll be burning more calories all day long—just because you exercised in the morning. (bonus!)

6. Take Time to Look Good

It’s a fact of life that people judge us by our appearance and for this reason alone it’s a good idea to spend a few extra minutes in the morning to ensure you go out into the world looking the best you can. But the real reason we think you should make sure you leave the house looking your best is that it will in fact make you FEEL your best. It’s true. You know that feeling you get when your hair is done just right, your makeup is just the way you like it and you’re wearing an ensemb that you absolutely adore? That feeling of confidence, power, and happiness? Why not have that everyday! In fact, a recent study found that “extra time spent grooming has a positive and significant effect on both men’s and women’s earnings”.  And for those of you mamas who are probably thinking that you don’t have time be cause you have a family to get ready, not only will you feel better when you leave home all pulled together, you’ll also be able to focus all of your attention on helping your children get ready once they are awake. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can get ready when you only have to worry about yourself. As an added bonus, your shoes will match and you will actually remember to wear both earrings and your watch!

What morning habits do you have that are an essential foundation for your day? Share them below in the comments!

- Charles R. Swindoll

Nod your head if you agree with that statement (we are nodding our heads too). We all know people who seem to have it all but still manage to carry around the worst possible attitude about life and themselves. These dream-killers have a tendency to interpret every conversation negatively, they assume the worst in all people, and love to shooting down any and all possibility-thinking with fear-based, probability thinking. The biggest problem with these Debbie-Downers is that their attitudes are like a virus, infecting everyone one they come in contact with. The more time you spend around them the more it changes the way YOU view your own life and eventually you will start to “perceive” more closed doors than open ones even though the opportunities for your life grow infinitely every day. Can you imagine a super pessimistic person trying to innovate? Why would they even try? Can you imagine an unhappy person trying to solve extreme poverty or end world hunger? Just seeing the stories would send them into a serious shame spiral. So rather than letting those clouded glasses dull your sparkle, choose NOT to be worn down by negativity. Life is too short to not see the world just as it is, chock full of opportunities and lots and lots of open doors.

We are drawn to happy people. We want to follow happy people. Happy people engender confidence, seek change, find purpose, and succeed even in the midst of the most difficult circumstances.  If they old adage is true and you are the company you keep, then why not surround yourself with people that create opportunities and seek to solve big problems, and to also be that person for others in return.  Being negative is taking the easy way out.  It take vision and courage of conviction to look at the bad stuff and see the good. It’s like the salesperson who gets a no and realizes that they are just 1 more person closer to yes!

YOU and you alone have the power to choose happiness.  So stop blaming circumstances and making excuses. Choose to actively enjoy the journey. Turn all the negative junk bogging you down into fuel for your positivity train. Choo Choo! Because just like negativity is a virus, so is happiness, and the happier you are the less other people can ignore your light. So go out there and create, innovate, share, and champion. Getting a “no” from a potential client is just not that big of a deal, just pick up the pieces and go again and again and again. Happiness is a numbers game, the more you put out the more you get back!

Ready to start a happiness epidemic? Us too!

Be grateful. Look around and appreciate ALL the things in your life (both good aaaaaand no so good). Most of us like to complain when something bad happens to us, but it’s rare to hear someone say “wow, karma!” if something great occurs. The next time you’re faced with what seems like unusual good luck, you might try a little gratitude – it goes a long way. The good stuff in life can look like anything from people like your BFF, your hunky man, your family, your dog or the people in your life that challenge you, monetary items: your Keurig, your flip flops, or that really expensive face cream that’s keeping those wrinkles at bay, and it can also be moments: snuggled up on the couch with a hot cup of tea, dancing in the rain, and even the times when you think your world is falling apart. The key here is to soak it all up. Appreciate it all. Be grateful that it has entered your life because this the whole point of your fabulous existence!

Act with love. Is there any other way to act? Open your heart. Open it to everything. Follow it. Let go of anger, spite, and negativity because they undermine your actions and effect your character. Act as you would hope others would act, which is with ease, grace, love, and good feelings. Since karma is literally the result of your actions, remember that what goes around comes around. If you can see the link to what’s happening to you in your actions, you may very well have your answer there.

Check your motives. Thoughts affect action and karma. The only way to undertake a karmic cleansing is with purity of intention, and a real readiness to let go – and to move on. So think before you act. If there is any sign of  malintent behind your action, then just don’t do it. Find positive influences for your actions. Underhanded moves in life do not go unseen (we all know what a mega brat Karma can be). You’ll be conscious of your choices, even if it’s long before others are made aware of them. So live with a free conscious and with good intentions.

Watch your attitude. It’s easy to get trapped in a mood or in negative mindset. One little thing goes wrong and it somehow effects your whole day, week, month, even year. Try not to let outside influences soil who you are and how you feel inside. Let the good outweigh the bad always, and let your attitude reflect that. Be positive, happy, and optimistic because remember…. thoughts become things!

Forgive. Stuff happens. You can either stay trapped in a negative space, or you can move forward. It doesn’t mean you forget. It doesn’t mean you are weak. It means you learned. It means you are that much stronger and more aware person. It means you took control of your life and chose to be happy and free of hurt cast upon you. Leave the past behind, even if it means people or circumstances are included. Make sure your anger is left behind too because you don’t need that extra baggage, girl!

Have another Karma Cleanse action that we missed? Leave it in the comments below!

I don’t even know how to get started…

I have no funding…

I don’t know if I can give up my salary…

It’s too risky, what if I fail…

If I had a nice retirement nest egg I’d start it now…

Sound familiar? Starting a new venture, quitting your job, taking a risk, they can all be pretty scary endeavors. And if you’re sitting at the threshold of Network Marketing and not sure where, how, or if you can jump in, the excuses you’ve created can make it all feel impossible.  But the answer to starting a successful company is much easier than you think… you’ve just got to get in the game and START. So simple, right? It may seem obvious, but it’s not – in order to win, you’ve got to start. There are too many dreamers and not enough executers, are you one of them? Often times, the biggest obstacle holding you back from your dream is YOU!

And because hearing it from us may not be enough we thought we’d look to one REALLY successful dude who knows a thing or two about business and failure and dreams…. So here are Richard Branson’s top 5 tips for starting a successful business (and PS. we know without a shadow of doubt that you can do it!):

1. Listen more than you talk

We have two ears and one mouth, using them in proportion is not a bad idea! To be a good leader you have to be a great listener. Brilliant ideas can spring from the most unlikely places, so you should always keep your ears open for some shrewd advice. This can mean following online comments as closely as board meeting notes, or asking the frontline staff for their opinions as often as the CEOs. Get out there, listen to people, draw people out and learn from them.

2. Keep it simple

You have to do something radically different to stand out in business. But nobody ever said different has to be complex. There are thousands of simple business solutions to problems out there, just waiting to be solved by the next big thing in business. Maintain a focus upon innovation, but don’t try to reinvent the wheel. A simple change for the better is far more effective than five complicated changes for the worse.

3. Take pride in your work

Last week I enjoyed my favorite night of the year, the Virgin Stars of the Year Awards, where we celebrated some of those people who have gone the extra mile for us around the Virgin world. With so many different companies, nationalities and personalities represented under one roof, it was interesting to see what qualities they all have in common. One was pride in their work, and in the company they represent. Remember your staff are your biggest brand advocates, and focusing on helping them take pride will shine through in how they treat your customers.

4. Have fun, success will follow

If you aren’t having fun, you are doing it wrong. If you feel like getting up in the morning to work on your business is a chore, then it’s time to try something else. If you are having a good time, there is a far greater chance a positive, innovative atmosphere will be nurtured and your business will flourish. A smile and a joke can go a long way, so be quick to see the lighter side of life.

5. Rip it up and start again

If you are an entrepreneur and your first venture isn’t a success, welcome to the club! Every successful businessperson has experienced a few failures along the way – the important thing is how you learn from them. Don’t allow yourself to get disheartened by a setback or two, instead dust yourself off and work out what went wrong. Then you can find the positives, analyze where you can improve, rip it up and start again.

Wanna hear more from Richard? Click here for this info and more!