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Richard Branson shares 1972 to-do list that helped him achieve his dreams

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Who doesn't love a good list?

Whether listing your favourite films or music or making a note of what food to buy from the shops, lists break down information brilliantly.

They are also an ideal way to set goals for yourself - and few people know more about achieving personal goals than Richard Branson.

The business magnate, philanthropist and founder of the internationally renowned Virgin Group has recently been sharing his experiences and knowledge on the Virgin Website.

Recently he published an article that featured a photo of a to-do-list from 1972 when he was just starting out in the record industry.

Here is the list in full:

1. Learn to fly

2. Look after me, you, boat

3. Entertain everybody with me

4. Invite nice people back

5. Start getting the small house together at The Manor

6. Start buying odds and sods for The Manor

7. Work with me on projects/sort me out

8. More shops to be found

Now that's a varied list of aspirations if we've ever seen one.

Branson, who was just 22 at the time he wrote the list, already had a number of Virgin Record Stores in the UK and was determined to have more.

At its height in the 1990s there were over 100 Virgin Megastores in the UK and they also had branches throughout Europe, North America and the Middle East.

His recording studio The Manor, was just in its infancy in 1972 but within 12 months they had released one of the biggest records of the decade, Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield.

Now Virgin Records is owned by the Universal Music Group and his home to artists such as Taylor Swift, Arcade Fire, Metallica, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Elton John.

Branson is now a billionaire and the Virgin Group has expanded to incorporate trains, air travel, holidays, banking, mobile networks, health care and even space tourism.

You could say that it's all been possible because of one list....and a bit of hard work.

More: 12 things successful people do before breakfast

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