They were highly passionate, had big dreams, and made the impossible possible. Learn key lessons from inspiring business leaders round the globe, and start living an exemplary life.
Elon Musk
South-African born Elon Musk, who once dreamed of becoming an American citizen, made his billions as one of the founders of PayPal. He is also the driving force behind Tesla Motors and space flight company Space X, both of which are major players in their respective industries. He made headlines by proposing Hyperloop, a fast and cheap transportation system that shuttles people from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 35 minutes. Lesson on risk:
“Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.”
Steve Jobs
Who doesn’t know Steve Jobs, the iconic founder and CEO of Apple? He has done some pretty amazing things, improving the lives of millions through innovations in technology.
Lesson on achieving your dream:
“The key is to listen to your heart and let it carry you in the direction of your dreams. I’ve learned that it’s possible to set your sights high and achieve your dreams and do it with integrity, character, and love. And each day that you’re moving toward your dreams without compromising who you are, you’re winning.”
Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos is the genius behind online bookstore Amazon. He has a net worth of $32-billion, and was named one of the Top Ten Richest Tech Billionaire by Forbes Magazine. He acquired The Washington Post for a whopping $250-million, and sees drones delivering packages in the future.
Lesson on motivation:
“I strongly believe that missionaries make better products. They care more. For a missionary, it’s not just about the business. There has to be a business, and the business has to make sense, but that’s not why you do it. You do it because you have something meaningful that motivates you.”
Bill Gates
Bill Gates once told his university teachers that he would be a millionaire by the age of 30; he was a billionaire by the time he turned 31. The Microsoft co-founder has made a remarkable contribution to society both as an entrepreneur and a philanthropist. He has given some $28 billion to charity.
Lesson on success:
“It’s fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.”
Richard Branson
Richard Branson is the high school dropout who became the billionaire entrepreneur behind Virgin Group. He has developed over 100 brands. In his Linkedln profile, he shares success nuggets to entrepreneurs: Listen more than you talk, keep it simple, take pride in your work, have fun (success will follow), and rip it up and start again.
Lesson on dreaming big:
“I sometimes think in life, you’ve got to dream big by setting yourself seemingly impossible challenges. You then have to catch up with them. You can make what people believe is impossible possible if you set big enough targets.”