To celebrate his 65th birthday, the founder of Virgin Group announced he’d be taking on 65 #ChallengeRichard tasks suggested by his followers. As of publication, 10 have been completed, ranging from doing nothing for 65 minutes while staring out the window to giving away more money to charity than he thinks he should.

His eleventh task was to write a message to the 10-, 25-, 50- and 65-year-old versions of himself. Separating them into four letters, this was his first—a congratulatory note wrought with advice to never give up, work hard and remain optimistic. “In the future how ‘lucky’ you are in business will be determined by how willing you are to take calculated risks,” writes Branson.

“Screw business as usual and do things your own way,” he says, a sentiment that is synonymous with the Virgin brand. With a man like Branson, it's easy to forget he once started from the bottom and created his future one step at a time. His message, however, is clear: dream big while putting in the work, don't wait for success to fall into your lap one day. “Reach for the moon—it’s yours for the taking,” finishes Branson. Read the full letter here.