Top three men who inspire me

 In Inspiration

There are a lot of inspirational people, men and women, who inspire me daily in all aspects of my life, here is just a selection.

I would like to preface this post with a note that I am every day inspired by my hardworking father, grandfathers, uncles and cousins (blood and not) and especially my big brothers. The below list is merely a selection of those outside of these circles that inspire me.

Sir Richard Branson

sir-richard-branson

Sir Richard Branson

I think most people that are looking at improving their career have looked to Sir Richard as someone they would love to emulate. He is the epitome of life success, he has a successful company, a great work-life balance and a great lust and love of life with huge amounts of energy which he injects into all his companies. On top of having a successful company he also creates and then sells successful companies whilst they retain the overarching brand, he has built. That is probably the biggest inspiration is the Virgin brand, no matter where they put it the essence is still there of fun and being a little different than what is already out there and this stays with the companies that he sells off as well.

This is obviously something Sir Richard has instilled into his companies and comes from a part of his own personality that he wanted to infuse into his businesses. If you know anything about Sir Richard you know that he does some seriously crazy things (some may call them stunts) like crossing the English channel in a car boat, trying to do some long-term air ballooning. He also has this crazy idea at the moment to make space travel affordable for everyday people.

His choice to do these things and put himself out there get his hands dirty so to speak or get in on the fun is really inspiring. He has so much success but still runs around and acts like a kid on Christmas morning opening their presents. From what I know, I have started to read but not finished Screw it, Let’s do it, he never takes no for an answer he always finds a way to get what he wants to be done. And this is how he has built all his businesses, people would tell him his ideas are crazy and he would just ignore it and go and prove them wrong. This drive and his never-ending enthusiasm for life and for not just his business but all businesses is the most inspiring thing.

QUESTION: Best country you have visited?

ANSWER: Tough call, but probably Australia, I just love the Aussies’ zest for life – a wonderful vibrant country.”

From Like a Virgin: Secrets they don’t teach you in business school.

As someone who is wanting to get into the entrepreneurial world, Sir Richard is a complete inspiration for what I would like to be as a business owner and eventual boss. His enthusiasm is infectious even though I have never met him, although that would be amazing!

Follow Sir Richard on social media

Sir Richard Branson Facebook  Sir Richard Branson Instagram  Sir Richard Branson Twitter  SIr Richard Branson Linkedin


Wally

I know Wally isn’t a human but he does inspire me every day, you can read more about how here: 10 life lessons my dog has taught me (and can teach you!).

You can follow all his fun on social media:

Anderson Cooper Instagram JK Rowlig Facebook

You can also check out his blog: Where’s Wally H?


Anderson Cooper

anderson-cooper

Anderson Cooper

Now not a lot of Australians might know who Anderson Cooper is, but in the US he is quite well known as a CNN anchor of his own show, Anderson Cooper 360, as well as working on CNN’s coverage of elections and electoral debates. He is also well known for going into disaster areas and war zones when other people run the other way, he started this before he even had his first journalism job. He actually went to Rwanda during the genocide when he was in his teens (check this) with his own camera.

But the most amazing part of this, as if just being an amazing and brave journalist, is that Anderson is the son of American writer Wyatt Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt. He had a mixed upbringing with his father’s southern roots impacting him but spending most of his time inside the NYC world of his mother.

Again Australians might not recognise the name although her perfume and jeans are sold in Australia so she may be familiar. But really it’s all about the family history Gloria, and therefore Anderson as her son is part of one of the oldest money families in NYC. Her parent’s divorce and subsequent messy custody battle, for her, was headline news. I remember reading in Anderson’s memoir Dispatches from the edge he talks about how for years he thought everyone’s grandfather had a statue of themselves as his grandfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt has a statue in Grand Central Station in NYC as he helped build it along with most of the train infrastructure of the east coast of USA. This is old money America.

Growing up in the 70s NYC with Gloria as his mother and Wyatt as his father there was a lot of glamour in his house him and his older brother Carter would be dining with people such as Andy Warhol, Truman Capote and the like. A lot of people would assume that growing up as part of one of the old money families of the East Coast USA Anderson would just use his money and family to get ahead. He bucked this trend, and I believe his parents wanted him to know hard work and work for his life not live off their money and name and started working as a model from a very young age to earn money of his own. With this money, he bought camera equipment and eventually got tickets to places like Rwanda to cover these stories when he was still in college.

If you name a war-torn region or disaster zone from the last 20 years Anderson was probably there first and asking the hard questions. He is never afraid to keep asking the important questions of an interviewee when they refuse to answer. I love that he has the courage and bravery to just keep going.

Now I did paint a bit of a glamorous upbringing and charmed life for Anderson but he lost his father to cancer (check and check age) when he was young. He then had his brother commit suicide when he was in his twenties. So it hasn’t been all rainbows and fairy tales for Anderson but he is an absolute inspiration to anyone who has ever wanted to try and make the world a better place and tell other people’s stories to open the world’s eyes to their plight he is the person to look up to, well him and Oprah who he happens to be friends with.

Follow Anderson on social media

Anderson Cooper Facebook  Anderson Cooper Instagram  Anderson Cooper Twitter

Also, check out his TV show on CNN Anderson Cooper 360.


If you enjoyed this post jump over to read my post about women who inspire me.

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Images: @richardbranson Instagram, @andersoncooper Instagram.
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