Daily Inspiration #82
Richard Branson
Do It

Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is an English business magnate, investor and philanthropist. He founded the Virgin Group, which controls more than 400 companies.

Branson expressed his desire to become an entrepreneur at a young age. At the age of sixteen his first business venture was a magazine called Student. In 1970, he set up a mail-order record business. In 1972, he opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as Virgin Megastores. Branson's Virgin brand grew rapidly during the 1980s, as he set up Virgin Atlantic airline and expanded the Virgin Records music label.
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Ok, time for another great quote.

"The best way of learning about anything is by doing."

I have to tell you, I have lived this one.

We retain a lot of knowledge from reading and a lot from listening to other people.

We learn and retain far more when we actually do it though.

I've always been the guy that learns a little about something then just jumps in and tries it.

I've always found I learn so much quicker from just doing it.

Friends have often thought me crazy lol, but I've often unearthed things that they never would have by only thinking about it.

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I was once told a story as an example of this.

There were 2 guys that went to the same high school, both wanted to start a business.

Both had an Idea for the same type business.

After high school one went to college for that business and the other started right away building his business.

The one in college was of course looked at with promise from his family and peers.

The other tried and tried, he kept failing and making mistakes.

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His peers and friends kept telling him that he would not make it, that he should just give up and get a regular job.

He thought of it many times in fact but persisted, determined to have the business he dreamed of.

Many years passed and the first guy finally graduated college and was just now ready to start his business (with, of course, loans now coming due).

Meanwhile the other guy, having been very persistent, was now the proud owner of a thriving business of his dreams.

The one who went to college learned a lot and began his business journey.

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There were many pitfalls and shortcomings (many were the same his friend faced many years ago), many of which he turned to his friend for help on because when it comes to actually oiling the gears, college could not teach him what can only be learned from experience.

Did one do better than the other?

That's actually not the point of the story.

The point is this:

1. Experience can and will teach us things that schools will never be able to. Even if you go to school you have to learn many of these same things through simple trial and error.
2. Persistence will often out perform intelligence.
3. Never fear failure, learn from it and push on.
4. If you have an idea and you think you need a bunch of ducks to line up they may never. Ducks quack a lot and waddle, they only really line up for themselves. When we try they often just run.
5. Never let something like lack of schooling, or money for it, hold you back from doing what you want to do.
6. Just freakin do it! Learn whatever you need to to get started and dive in! You will literally have no choice but to learn the rest.

Am I saying not to go to college?

No.

I am saying do what you want to do and don't let anything stop you!

I'm also saying that no matter how much preparing you do, you will still have a lot to learn once you start doing it.

Remember,

"The best way of learning about anything is by doing."

Thanks for reading,
Michael David
@michaeldavid

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