Billionaire Richard Branson's six mantras to follow in 2017

Billionaire Richard Branson’s definition of success has nothing to do with money.

“In my opinion, true success should be measured by how happy you are,” the entrepreneur writes on LinkedIn.

Happiness isn’t just a metric to measure his level of success — it’s also the key to it, according to Branson: “Most people would assume my business success, and the wealth that comes with it, have brought me happiness. But I know I am successful, wealthy and connected because I am happy.”

The Virgin Group founder asked a handful of his employees to share their “happiness mantras,” which he then highlighted on his blog. Here are the five that Branson plans on adopting in 2017, plus his own personal mantra for happiness.

1. “Throw kindness around like confetti.”

2. “Happiness has a true sense of simplicity. Its root is not from what you own, but from what drives your soul and inspires your sense of belonging.”

3. “One can always find a way to adapt to whatever life throws at you: Just enjoy the moment.”

4. “We will make it work.”

5. “The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.”

And the billionaire chose this one: “The way I see it, there’s a reason we’re called human beings and not human doings.”

“As human beings we have the ability to think, move and communicate in a heightened way. We can cooperate, understand, reconcile and love. … So in 2017, don’t forget the to-do list, but remember to write a to-be list too.”