The 10 Lessons We Can Learn From Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg, over the years, has become one of the most influential people in the world. As the founder and creator of Facebook, Mark has forever made the world a smaller place. He has revolutionized the manner in which we communicate. Before it was impossible for us to keep in contact with people from across the world, now you simply have to log into your Facebook account and message those you want to get in contact with, no matter where they are.

Mark has allowed us to change the way we market and develop our businesses as well. He has showed us that the entrepreneurial spirit is burning in each and everyone of us, but it is our job to find it and develop it into what we feel is a suitable lifestyle for us. No matter your age, follow your dreams and pursue the things that you are passionate about.

Here are the 10 lessons we can learn from Mark Zuckerberg.

10. In order to succeed, you need to have a 'go big or go home' attitude.

Nothing in this world is going to come easily. You are going to have to work for it. Everyone is given a skill that they must hone and develop over time. With the development of this skill, the world is at your fingertips because it all comes down to your attitude. You must understand that you have to go big or go home. No one wants that soft sh*t. You will get destroyed in this world if you have a soft attitude. Go out there and get it; do not be easily discouraged. Know that you must put all your efforts into projects if you want them to be successful.

9. Don't let anyone tell the story of you.

The biggest trap that people fall into in this world is that they allow themselves to fall into a cycle of bad habits. They allow the outside world to influence their actions and, in the end, they actually end up working for someone rather than being their own individual. It is crucial that you set yourself apart from those around you.

No one wants to work with someone who is bland. Being bland doesn't allow you to reach their full potential. Stop thinking like those around you and purposefully begin to think differently. In the long run, this will help you deal with any obstacles that may come your way.

8. There is no excuse for non-commitment.

No matter how long you guys have been friends, there is no excuse for lackluster performance. Remember that in business there are no friends, just business partners. You want to develop your product and show it in the best light possible. If you have someone dragging their feet or bringing the company down then it is your responsibility to cut them out.

Why carry unnecessary baggage? You may have been best friends since the time you were born, but in this business world no one cares about friendships, it's all about your ability to produce. Unfortunately this is the truth and no one wants to be responsible for dead weight.

7. Don't be fazed by the opinions of those around you.

You must understand that with your ability to think differently, people will not, generally, understand the depth and complexity of your ideas. This is especially true when you get involved in creating new products that many haven't even heard of or can't conceptualize. You must realize that people don't see your idea the way you do.

You can try to explain it to them as best as you can, but at the end of the day their perspective is not as clear as yours. On top of all this, many feel that since they have gone through the experience and failed that no one else can do it. They feel that they know the right path to success and those choosing a different path are just weird and obnoxious. Don't let these people get you down, at the end of the day it's your word vs. theirs. This is a true test of your character.

6. You are only as strong as the team around you.

No one can do it on their own. It is nearly impossible to begin a project of such a massive scale and manage it all by yourself. This is why it is imperative that you build a strong team around you. The best way to do this is by hiring people as smart or smarter than you. Don't be intimidated by working with people who are as smart or smarter than you.

It is truly the only way that one can make their product better. You want people around you who can challenge your idea in a thought-provoking manner. This doesn't mean that you want people who are going to shut down your ideas. rather people who will help you develop your ideas by finding faults in them. It is your ability to find the faults in your ideas and build them that will bring about great success in your endeavors.

5. Be the CEO and make sure everyone around you knows it.

While it is crucial that you listen to those around you in order to make your idea as fool proof as possible, at the end of the day, the decision is yours. You are the CEO, so you must act like it. People around you need to know that when it's decision time, your word is final, if it weren't, you wouldn't be CEO. Also it is imperative that as CEO, you are a personification of your company; therefore, you must act appropriately because everything you do is a representation of what your company stands for.

4. Leadership is the quality that will bring the best out of the people around you.

As CEO, you are the leader and everyone around you will look to you for guidance when things get rough. It is crucial that you keep your composure at the toughest of times. Because a CEO who is constantly on edge is one who falters under pressure. Your biggest role as CEO is to get everyone around you to believe in one common goal. Your job is halfway done if you can convince those around you that they should work just as hard as you for a unified purpose. This is what truly separates basic CEOs from great ones. If you can get your workers to be just as passionate about your idea as they would be working for themselves, then you, my friend, have succeeded as CEO.

3. Do what you're passionate about.

Nine to 5 is how you survive, but if you want to live life and love it a lot, you're going to have to do something that you're passionate about. If you want a 9 to 5 lifestyle, then by all means go get a job at a Starbucks or McDonald's. However there is nothing that will motivate you more than working for something that you are passionate about. If you can find the thing that makes you work hard and actually doesn't make you miserable while doing it, then you have found the golden key to life. It is true when they say if you work on what you love, you never have to work a day in your life. Find your passion and stick to it.

2. Don't be intimidated by the board room.

Having a great product is half the battle. No matter how great your product is, in order to develop it properly you're going to need funding. This is going to require you to come up with creative ways to bring about capital. If your idea is good enough, people will find you, you will spend inevitably spend much time in board rooms trying to convince people why they should invest in your company. Many times you will be facing an intimidating VC chair who has the power to change your company with one check.

These VCs will try to make you fold as they want the best deal for their money, which is understandable. However you are there to protect your idea. Know what you have and how to sell it. Everyone in the VC business is a vulture and they all want to get the most for the money they are investing in you. Just because they are older and have more experience than you does not mean you have to succumb to their wishes. Have a firm stance and understand what your idea is worth. Never under any circumstance sell yourself short.

 1. Get revenge on your exes.

We all have had that experience in which our significant other has left us for what they thought was a better life. This has left you with a burning passion to get revenge. There are few feelings better than getting revenge on your ex. Is there a feeling better than knowing that your ex has to live with the fact that you made it? Not only that you made it, but your product is used everywhere and all the time, which is a constant reminder to them.  There is no better feeling than getting revenge on those who doubted you.