It's no accident that Taylor Swift has an estimated net worth of $200 million (which is growing by the day). Through the many twists and turns in her career, she's cashed in at every stop, even forcing Apple to back down and pay her for streaming music during user trial periods.
From her award-winning songs to her many trademarked phrases, T-Swizzle is a force to be reckoned with.
But you don't have to be in the entertainment industry to learn from Swift's business acumen. These seven quotes from Taylor Swift will push you to work harder than ever before.
1. "I want to make the most of this cultural relevance or success or whatever you want to call it, because it's not going to last."
Swift understands that nothing lasts forever, and so should you. Strike while the iron is hot and take full advantage of every opportunity you're given.
The most successful entrepreneurs take the bull by the horns, knowing that they have only a small window during which they can "cash in."
2. "We don't need to share the same opinions as others, but we need to be respectful."
There will be times in business when you clash with others, including clients, co-workers, and prospects.
If you want to achieve success, you must learn how to handle all types of people. Sure, some incredibly successful people were notoriously prickly, but you're no Steve Jobs. Take a page from Swift's book and treat others as you wish to be treated.
3. "I'm intimidated by the fear of being average."
If you strive for average, that's all you'll ever be. Super successful people don't take small risks, or focus all of their time and energy on small ideas.
Think of great entrepreneurs like Elizabeth Holmes, who set out to revolutionize the entire blood-testing industry and came out a multibillionaire in the process. Good enough and average just aren't in the vocabularies of business superstars.
4. "Being fearless isn't being 100 percent not fearful; it's being terrified but you jump anyway."
Of course you're afraid--one could argue that if you're going into business decisions with 100 percent confidence, you're not aware of all of the risks. Just take a leap of faith and do your best to make things work out. Fear of what could go wrong is super effective at ensuring nothing will ever really go right.
5. "So don't you worry your pretty little mind, because people throw rocks at things that shine."
This quote from one of Swift's hit songs ("Ours") resonates with a lot of people, and it's not just teenagers, either.
Especially in this age of social media, the more success you achieve, the more haters you'll attract. It's the crappy underbelly of success and getting your name out there. You don't have to just quietly accept the criticism, but don't let it get you down, either. In fact, when you're getting blowback, it should inspire you to work you ass off even more--it means you're getting somewhere!
6. "Fearless is getting back up and fighting for what you want over and over again … even though every time you've tried before you've lost."
Getting knocked down sucks, but it happens to the best of us. Don't give up hope, and definitely avoid falling into the trap of thinking it'll never happen for you.
Would you believe that people once told Elon Musk, Richard Branson, and even Walt Disney that they'd never make it? When Disney worked in newspapers, he was told he lacked imagination and had no good ideas. Can you imagine how different the world would be if he'd listened to that nonsense?
Get back up. Keep going. This is not the end for you.
7. "Life isn't how to survive the storm, it's about how to dance in the rain."
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It's easy to work hard and love what you do when everything seems to be going your way.
But how do you react when sales are down, customers are angry, staff are insubordinate, or funding just isn't coming your way? It's during those challenging times that you really find out what you're made of.
Dance in the rain, roll with the punches--whatever you call it, the point is to stay agile and learn how to turn challenges into opportunities. This starts with the simple process of reframing situations in your mind, so they don't seem as daunting. Focus on the good that will come of overcoming each challenge rather than the challenge itself.
You don't have to be a pop music fan to see the value in Taylor Swift's words of wisdom. The young music mogul has experience beyond her years--we'd do well to listen and follow her incredibly successful lead.