The Adventures of Richard Branson

Richard Branson personifies the image of Playful Defiance better than most. Playful Defiance is the ability to go against the norm and have fun in the process -- a vital skill for all of us on the Journey. Branson is the visionary behind the Virgin Empire consisting of the Virgin Megastores, Virgin Atlantic Airways and more than 150 other companies. His estimated net worth hovers around four billion dollars and the Virgin brand is ranked the third most recognized brand in England.

This wildly successful businessman is not your typical CEO. Often called the P.T. Barnum of British business, he’s famous for his outrageous publicity stunts, like putting on a wedding gown to help launch Virgin Brides or driving a World War II tank through Times Square and firing on Coca Cola to launch the challenge against Virgin Cola. When he’s not developing another Virgin business, he’s attempting to be the first person to fly around the world in a hot-air balloon.

An interviewer once asked Branson, “How do you keep reinventing yourself? Don’t you get tired?” He responded, “Sometimes, yes. I like to throw myself wholeheartedly into life. Now I find myself in this fantastic position -- I could do almost anything I could possibly want to do, and I just don’t want to waste that position by disappearing off to a desert island and putting my feet up. There is so much more to learn and to achieve, and so much more fun to have, and so I choose to continue to set myself new challenges, to set our staff new challenges, new goals to overcome. And as we get comfortable, I want to make sure that we shake ourselves up and don’t let ourselves get too comfortable -- that we keep questioning what we’re doing, keep questioning what other people are doing, keep questioning what big companies are doing, seeing whether we can turn them on their heads, and pay the bills at the same time.”

Branson takes on companies like British Airways and Coca Cola, and he often wins. This man thrives on fashioning the inconceivable. Does he fail? You’d better believe it. But he laughs at himself and moves on to his next challenge. His wild energy and showmanship have made him a celebrity who projects a larger-than-life image. People love him because he defies life’s impossibilities, adds value consistently and has fun along the way. He’s a fantastic example that proves you can manifest whatever you want in life.

When Branson was asked to define himself, he brilliantly replied, “Well, I’ve always loved the play “Peter Pan,” and I’ve never wanted to grow up. I’m a bit of a maverick. I love people, I love challenge, I love taking on the establishment, I love turning things upside down and having fun while doing it. I love motivating people, I love to achieve the impossible. I don’t want to waste a minute of my life.”

Where in your life can you turn things upside down and have fun doing it? Demand outrageous levels of joy in your life and pursue the unimaginable.

Happy holidays to you and as always ... Happy Journeys!

Scott Jeffrey