Lessons From Sir Richard Branson On Creativity And Thriving Under Pressure

By Jatinder Singh, Associate Partner & Mentorship Coach, Lighthouse International

Successful people seem to have two particular skills that many people wish to have more of! Namely being able to handle and thrive under pressure and secondly being able to generate great ideas through creativity and innovation. In this article, billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson discusses some of his methods for being good at both skills...

He Thrives Under Pressure Now He Knows How To Welcome It

"Over 50 years in business, I've learned that if you want to focus and narrow in on a problem, it's a good thing to be under a bit of pressure. Pressure can help your mind work effectively out of necessity. It can help you cut out the noise, hone in on the important issue at hand, and make decisions quickly.

I've experienced this time and time again [pressure] - whether deciding what to do next when my hot air balloon was about to crash into the ocean, or when our business was facing almost certain bankruptcy. I've had to get comfortable with the uncomfortable, and learn to thrive when the pressure is on."

To Be Creative - He First Relaxes

"If I have time to look at the bigger picture and think about where to take things next, I like to get really comfortable. I'm talking shoes off, board shorts on, lying in a hammock comfortable. My daughter Holly recently caught me working in my lemur onesie. It's amazing the inspiration that flows when you're so comfortable that you can really take in your surroundings and let your mind wander.

"I have never worked in an office. I prefer to find a comfy lounge, than be hunched at a desk. I do some of my best thinking in unconventional working environments; be it on a sandy patch of beach, a hotel bed, a bath tub with a view, or a reclining airplane seat."

Sir Richard Branson has shared this on the back of all the years of experience he has under his belt. It's not coming from the theory of a book but from someone who has lived it. Ultimately getting into a onesie may not work for you, but it's the point underneath it.

You will never be able to handle pressure or be creative, if you don't understand yourself and what works for you. Sir Richard Branson has developed his ability to handle pressure and be creative, from recognising what works for him, by understanding what makes him tick and then establishing these practices. He's learnt to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Legends know they have to be highly self-aware, in order to optimise the areas of their life that will lead to their success.

Check out his blog here - you may also want to learn more about how he overcame his fear of public speaking here!