Fortune asked 40 CEOs for their best advice to anyone looking to succeed.
The whole thing is worth reading, but one of favorites comes from venture capitalist Marc Andreessen.
His advice comes via Steve Martin, and it's perfect: "Be so good they can’t ignore you."
This is somewhat obvious, though a bit frustrating perhaps, but it's the simple truth. If you want to turn heads, do something that's head turning.
Our CEO Henry Blodget says the best advice he ever got was "make it happen."
In general, most advice comes down to this. There is no handbook for how to succeed. You just have to work hard, and exploit your natural talents.