Richard Branson: The Key to Success Is Intention

You won't be successful without explicitly knowing what your intentions are every day. The Virgin founder shares five tips.

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By Rose Leadem

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Richard Branson

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The key to success, according to Richard Branson, is not only productivity and motivation -- but intention.

"A day without intention is a day wasted," the Virgin Group CEO writes in a recent blog post. "Without intention, there can be no productivity, and in turn no success."

Related: Watch Legendary Entrepreneur Richard Branson Share His Secrets to Startup Success

Whether you're simply going on a morning jog or starting a business, Branson writes that intention is the driving force. And take it from this billionaire entrepreneur -- he definitely knows a thing or two about success.

For all you budding entrepreneurs, it's important to spend your 24 hours wisely. Branson has some tips on how you can get started:

1. Start every day fresh.

If you "get caught up in the challenges of yesterday or focus too much on the past, it can be hard to move on and achieve future goals," he writes. For Branson, that means getting outdoors and being active -- but you should do your own thing. Meditation, reading, a quick crossword puzzle -- there are plenty of ways to get your mind ready for the day.

2. Write your intentions down.

By writing your ideas and thoughts down, it's "easier to turn your intentions into actionable and measurable goals," Branson writes.

3. Use your time wisely.

As busy entrepreneurs, time is valuable. Branson uses all of his extra minutes while traveling -- he even interviewed Virgin Group CEO Josh Bayliss in the back of a car during a traffic jam. So if you're on an airplane, waiting for an appointment or stuck in traffic -- use your time wisely.

Related: Career Advice for Young People From Tony Robbins, Richard Branson and 28 Other Successful People

4. Think ahead.

"Intention in its very essence is a futuristic act," Branson writes. "We cannot change the past, so there's no point of dwelling on it. The key to being productive is thinking ahead."

Get your wheels turning. Always think up ideas and find new contacts and other resources.

5. Have fun.

"As the saying goes, time flies when you're having fun," Branson writes. "Just don't get side-tracked by having too much fun. Wait. is too much fun even possible?"

Rose Leadem
Rose Leadem is a freelance writer for Entrepreneur.com. 

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