One thing I’ve noticed after decades in business – far too many people just live for the weekend. They tolerate their jobs as a means to an end and only really enjoy their life when they’re not at work.
When I was writing my new autobiography, Finding My Virginity, I had to edit it quite ruthlessly, make lots of changes and sometimes change its direction. It made me think, you also have this creative control over your life as you’re going along – it’s your story after all. You can’t change yesterday but now and tomorrow is still up for grabs.
If you don’t like where you are in life or what you are doing every day, then change it. It really is that simple. Everyone has responsibilities and commitments but don’t be afraid to pursue your passions. If you don’t enjoy your job, think about getting a new one, retraining or starting your own venture. You may not be able to walk into your perfect job right at this moment, but you can start putting the building blocks in place to get you closer to your dream. Even by making the first step, you are one step closer than you were. If you’re not sure what you dream is, then get out there and try new things and see what you enjoy.
I didn’t enjoy school and I wasn’t very good at it as I struggled with my dyslexia and many teachers just thought I was lazy. This spurred me to leave as soon as I could and set up my own Student magazine, and later Virgin Records. Even back then I had big dreams of going into many different industries to help students – banking, travel, and anywhere where young people didn’t have a voice. It is truly incredible looking back at how this dream morphed into what Virgin has become today. I’ve disrupted stagnant industries where I thought things could (and should) be done better. It’s this desire not to accept the status quo that has built the Virgin brand.
I’ve always set myself short-term and long-term goals and I make sure I write them down. I tick them off as I go, which keeps me motivated. If there’s something you want, you have to work hard to get it. Making a list keeps me focused on the bigger picture. I also remind myself of the things I’m grateful for and this helps keep my priorities in check.
Don’t live for the weekend, live for every single day.
