Life isn't fair. It's true, and you still have to deal with it. Whining about it rarely levels the playing field, but learning to rise above it is the ultimate reward.

Are you worried about pressure? I look at it this way: Pressure is having to do something you are not totally prepared to do.

If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all truly successful individuals, I’d say it’s the ability to create and nurture a network of contacts.

Don't equate activity with efficiency. You are paying your key people to see the big picture. Don't let them get bogged down in a lot of meaningless meetings and paper shuffling. Announce a Friday afternoon off once in a while. Cancel a Monday morning meeting or two. Tell the cast of characters you'd like them to spend the amount of time normally spent preparing for attending the meeting at their desks, simply thinking about an original idea.

You don't have to know everything as long as you know people who know the things you don't

Your workforce is your most valuable asset. The knowledge and skills they have represent the fuel that drives the engine of business - and you can leverage that knowledge.

You can't be passionate when you feel like it. You have to be passionate about your job, product or cause all the time. There's no off switch on a tiger.