Dear Stranger, Letters on the subject of happiness by Richard Branson

Dear Stranger,

You don’t know me but I hear you are going through a tough time, and I would like to help you. I want to be open and honest with you, and let you know that happiness isn’t something just afforded to a special few. It can be yours, if you take the time to let it grow.

It’s OK to be stressed, scared and sad, I certainly have been throughout my 65 years. I’ve confronted my biggest fears time and time again. I’ve cheated death on many adventures, seen loved ones pass away, failed in business, minced my words in front of tough audiences, and had my heart broken.

I know I’m fortunate to live an extraordinary life, and that most people would assume my business success, and the wealth that comes with it, have brought me happiness. But they haven’t; in fact it’s the reverse. I am successful, wealthy and connected because I am happy.

Image from Virgin.com
So many people get caught up in doing what they think will make them happy but, in my opinion, this is where they fail. Happiness is not about doing, it’s about being. In order to be happy, you need to think consciously about it. Don’t forget the to-do list, but remember to write a to-be list too.

Kids are often asked: ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ The world expects grandiose aspirations: ‘I want to be a writer, a doctor, the prime minister.’ They’re told: go to school, go to college, get a job, get married, and then you’ll be happy. But that’s all about doing, not being – and while doing will bring you moments of joy, it won’t necessarily reward you with lasting happiness.

Stop and breathe. Be healthy. Be around your friends and family. Be there for someone, and let someone be there for you. Be bold. Just be for a minute.

Image by Rebecca Wedding Photography
If you allow yourself to be in the moment, and appreciate the moment, happiness will follow. I speak from experience. We’ve built a business empire, joined conversations about the future of our planet, attended many memorable parties and met many unforgettable people. And while these things have brought me great joy, it’s the moments that I stopped just to be, rather than do, that have given me true happiness. Why? Because allowing yourself just to be, puts things into perspective. Try it. Be still. Be present.

For me, it’s watching the flamingos fly across Necker Island at dusk. It’s holding my new grandchildren’s tiny hands. It’s looking up at the stars and dreaming of seeing them up close one day. It’s listening to my family’s dinner-time debates. It’s the smile on a stranger’s face, the smell of rain, the ripple of a wave, the wind across the sand. It’s the first snow fall of winter, and the last storm of summer.

There’s a reason we’re called human beings and not human doings. As human beings we have the ability to think, move and communicate in a heightened way. We can cooperate, understand, reconcile and love, that’s what sets us apart from most other species.

Image by Rebecca Wedding Photography
Don’t waste your human talents by stressing about nominal things, or that which you cannot change. If you take the time simply to be and appreciate the fruits of life, your stresses will begin to dissolve, and you will be happier.

But don’t just seek happiness when you’re down. Happiness shouldn’t be a goal, it should be a habit. Take the focus off doing, and start being every day. Be loving, be grateful, be helpful, and be a spectator to your own thoughts.

Allow yourself to be in the moment, and appreciate the moment. Take the focus off everything you think you need to do, and start being I promise you, happiness will follow.

Happy regards,

Richard Branson

8 Qualities That Make Great Bosses Unforgettable

8 Qualities That Make Great Bosses Unforgettable; by Jeff Haden,  Inc.

I remember all of my bosses. Some were bad. Most were good.

But only one was, in the best possible way, truly memorable.

Unforgettable bosses possess qualities that may not show up on paper but always show up where it matters most -- in the minds and even hearts of the people they lead.

Here are some of the qualities of truly unforgettable bosses:

1. They believe the unbelievable.

Most people try to achieve the achievable; that’s why most goals and targets are incremental rather than inconceivable.

Memorable bosses expect more -- from themselves and from others. Then they show you how to get there. And they bring you along for what turns out to be an unbelievable ride.

2. They see opportunity in instability and uncertainty.

Unexpected problems, unforeseen roadblocks, major crises... most bosses take down the sails, batten the hatches, and hope to wait out the storm.

A few see a crisis as an opportunity. They know it’s extremely difficult to make major changes, even necessary ones, when things are going relatively smoothly.

They know reorganizing an entire sales team is accepted more easily when a major customer goes under. They know creating new sales channels is a lot easier when a major competitor enters the market. They know reorganizing manufacturing operations is a lot easier when the flow of supplies and components gets disrupted.

Memorable bosses see instability and uncertainty not as a barrier but as an enabler. They reorganize, reshape, and re-engineer to reassure, motivate, and inspire -- and in the process make the organization much stronger.

3. They wear their emotions on their sleeves.

Good bosses are professional.

Memorable bosses are highly professional and yet also openly human. They show sincere excitement when things go well. They show sincere appreciation for hard work and extra effort. They show sincere disappointment -- not in others, but in themselves. They celebrate, they empathize, they worry. Sometimes they even get frustrated or angry.

In short, they’re human. And, unlike many bosses, they act as if they know it.

Professionalism is admirable. Professionalism -- with a healthy blend of humanity -- is inspiring.

4. They protect others from the bus.

Terrible bosses throw their employees under the bus.

Good bosses never throw their employees under the bus.

Memorable bosses see the bus coming and pull their employees out of the way often without the employee knowing until much, much later... if ever, because memorable bosses never try to take credit.

And if they can't, they take the hit. (And later speak privately to the employee in question.)

5. They’ve been there, done that... and still do that.

Dues aren't paid, past tense. Dues get paid each and every day. The true measure of value is the tangible contribution we make on a daily basis.

That’s why no matter what they may have accomplished in the past, memorable bosses are never too good to roll up their sleeves, get dirty, and do the “grunt” work. No job is ever too menial, no task ever too unskilled or boring.

Memorable bosses never feel entitled, which means no one feels entitled to anything but the fruits of their labor.

6. They lead by permission, not authority.

Every boss has a title. That title gives them the right to direct others, to make decisions, to organize and instruct and discipline.

Memorable bosses lead because their employees want them to lead. Their employees are motivated and inspired by the person, not the title.

Through their words and actions they cause employees feel they work with, not for, a boss. Many bosses don’t even recognize there’s a difference... but memorable bosses do.

7. They embrace a larger purpose.

A good boss works to achieve company goals.

A memorable boss also works to achieve company goals -- and achieves more than other bosses -- but also works to serve a larger purpose: to advance the careers of employees, to rescue struggling employees, to instill a sense of pride and self-worth in others. They aren’t just remembered for nuts and bolts achievements but for helping others on a personal and individual level.

Memorable bosses embrace a larger purpose, because they know business is always personal.

8. They take real, not fake risks.

Many bosses, like many people, try to stand out in some superficial way. Maybe through their clothes, their interests, or a public display of support for a popular initiative. They do stand out but they stand out for reasons of sizzle, not steak.

Memorable bosses stand out because they are willing to take an unpopular stand, take an unpopular step, accept the discomfort of ignoring the status quo, and risk sailing uncharted waters.

They take real risks not for the sake of risk but for the sake of the reward they believe possible. And by their example they inspire others to take risks in order to achieve what they believe is possible.

In short, memorable bosses inspire others to achieve their dreams: by words, by actions, and most importantly, by example.

The 50 New Rules of Work by Robin Sharma

The 50 New Rules of Work- Robin  Sharma
1.You are not just paid to work. You are paid to be uncomfortable – and to pursue projects that scare you.
2.Take care of your relationships and the money will take care of itself.
3.Lead you first. You can’t help others reach for their highest potential until you’re in the process of reaching for yours.
4.To double your income, triple your rate of learning.
5.While victims condemn change, leaders grow inspired by change.
6.Small daily improvements over time create stunning results.
7.Surround yourself with people courageous enough to speak truthfully about what’s best for your organization and the customers you serve.
8.Don’t fall in love with your press releases.
9.Every moment in front of a customer is a moment of truth (to either show you live by the values you profess – or you don’t). 10. Copying what your competition is doing just leads to being second best. 11.Become obsessed with the user experience such that every touchpoint of doing business with you leaves people speechless. No, breathless.
12.If you’re in business, you’re in show business. The moment you get to work, you’re on stage. Give us the performance of your life.
13.Be a Master of Your Craft. And practice + practice + practice.
14. Get fit like Madonna.
15.Read magazines you don’t usually read. Talk to people who you don’t usually speak to. Go to places you don’t commonly visit. Disrupt your thinking so it stays fresh + hungry + brilliant. 16.Remember that what makes a great business – in part – are the seemingly insignificant details. Obsess over them. 17.Good enough just isn’t good enough. 18.Brilliant things happen when you go the extra mile for every single customer. 19.An addiction to distraction is the death of creative production. Enough said.
20.If you’re not failing regularly, you’re definitely not making much progress.
21.Lift your teammates up versus tear your teammates down. Anyone can be a critic.
22.What takes guts is to see the best in people.Remember that a critic is a dreamer gone scared.
23.Leadership’s no longer about position. Now, it’s about passion. And having an impact through the genius-level work that you do.
24.The bigger the dream, the more important the team.
25.If you’re not thinking for yourself, you’re following – not leading.
26.Work hard. But build an exceptional family life. What’s the point of reaching the mountaintop but getting there alone. 27.The job of the leader is to develop more leaders.
28.The antidote to deep change is daily learning. Investing in your professional and personal development is the smartest investment you can make. Period.
29.Smile. It makes a difference.
30.Say “please” and “thank you”. It makes a difference.
31.Shift from doing mindless toil to doing valuable work.
32.Remember that a job is only just a job if all you see it as is a job.
33.Don’t do your best work for the applause it generates but for the personal pride it delivers.
34.The only standard worth reaching for is BIW (Best in World).
35.In the new world of business, everyone works in Human Resources.
36.In the new world of business, everyone’s part of the leadership team. 37.Words can inspire. And words can destroy. Choose yours well.
38.You become your excuses.
39.You’ll get your game-changing ideas away from the office versus in the middle of work. Make time for solitude. Creativity needs the space to present itself.
40.The people who gossip about others when they are not around are the people who will gossip about you when you’re not around.
41.It could take you 30 years to build a great reputation and 30 seconds of bad judgment to lose it.
42.The client is always watching.
43.The way you do one thing defines the way you’ll do everything. Every act matters.
44.To be radically optimistic isn’t soft. It’s hard. Crankiness is easy.
45.People want to be inspired to pursue a vision. It’s your job to give it to them.
46.Every visionary was initially called crazy.
47.The purpose of work is to help people. The other rewards are inevitable by-products of this singular focus. 48.Remember that the things that get scheduled are the things that get done. 49.Keep promises and be impeccable with your word. People buy more than just your products and services. They invest in your credibility.
50. Lead Without a Title

21 Habits Of Successful Entrepreneurs - Richard Branson

21 Habits Of Duccessful Entrepreneurs; Richard Branson

1. Fear Doesn’t Paralyze Them
2. They have a passion – making money is simply a byproduct
3. Entrepreneurs see failure as part of the path to success
4. Successful entrepreneurs surround themselves with a great team
5. They indulge themselves
6. They’re intentional
7. They start before they are ready
8. They are the chess players and not the pawns
9. They don’t waste time on email and social media
10. They think outside the box
11. Their cup is always half full
12. They take notes
13. They work hard and play hard
14. They give useful feedback
15. They like getting feedback
16. Entrepreneurs network constantly
17. They ask lots of questions
18. They surround themselves with the best
19. They are thankful
20. They don’t sound rehearsed
21. Their self-worth doesn’t fluctuate with their bank balance

Warren Buffet advice

Definition of Success - Zig Ziglar

Words of Ratan Tata