Science and technology investor Yuri Milner published his Eureka Manifesto in 2021. The short but profound book contains the billionaire’s perspective on humanity’s place in the Universe and our central role in its future.
Personal manifestos can provide a unique glimpse into the minds of influential leaders, offering insights into their visions, values and strategies for shaping the future. These documents often serve as models for progress and innovation, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.
These are four visionary manifestos from influential leaders:
- By Richard Branson Hell, Let’s Do It: Life Lessons.
- This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein: Capitalism vs. Climate.
- Paul Polman’s Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More than They Take.
- Yuri Milner’s Eureka Manifesto: The Mission for Our Civilization.
1. Hell, Let’s Do It by Richard Branson
Richard Branson is the founder of the Virgin Group. The global brand’s initiatives span travel, telecommunications, healthcare, banking, music and leisure. Virgin started as a mail order record retailer in 1970 and grew to become Virgin Records, signing iconic artists such as the Sex Pistols and the Rolling Stones.
Many know Branson for his record-breaking adventures, including the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. He describes Virgin Galactic, soon to become the world’s first commercial space company, as “the greatest adventure of all.”
With more than 40 million followers on social media, Branson regularly blogs on topics ranging from entrepreneurship to environmental issues. He is also a philanthropist, having founded Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group, in 2004. Virgin says the foundation “brings people and business ideas together to create opportunities for a better world”.
Branson has written several books, including his first autobiography Losing My Virginity (2009) and the entrepreneurial guide Business Stripped Bare (2008). However, his first ever book, Screw It, Let’s Do It (2006) is a heartfelt and inspiring manifesto on achieving your goals.
“Fuck it, let’s do it,” is one of Branson’s favorite sayings. The book reveals the advice, inspirational adages and lessons that have helped him in his business and personal life. These lessons include:
- Love what you do.
- Have confidence in yourself.
- Live life to the fullest.
- Never give up.
- Believing that anything can be done.
In Screw It, Let’s Do It, Branson highlights environmental responsibility and outlines Virgin’s future initiatives. The business mogul firmly believes that we all have a responsibility not to harm each other and the planet.
Branson notes that people will always try to discourage ideas and insist that they can’t be done. His manifesto inspires readers to stay true to their visions, pursuing their goals with passion and determination.
2. This one from Naomi Klein changes everything
Naomi Klein is a journalist; social activist; and award-winning New York Times bestselling author who has written nine critically acclaimed books. She is also a columnist for The Guardian and a professor of climate justice at the University of British Columbia.
Known for her work on climate change and economic inequality, Klein has received numerous honorary degrees and awards. In 2016, she received the Sydney Peace Prize for revealing the root causes of the climate crisis and inspiring global action for a just and equitable planet. In 2019, the Frederick Douglass 200 honored her for embodying Douglass’ pioneering spirit.
This Changes Everything (2014) is Klein’s fourth book. An instant international and New York Times bestseller, the book won the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for nonfiction. Acclaimed writer Margaret Atwood also chose the book for the Guardian’s list of the best books of 2014.
This changes everything and explains why the climate crisis should force us to reject our modern “free market” ideology. The crisis is an alarm calling for us to restructure the global economy and reform our political systems.
Klein argues that dramatically reducing our greenhouse gas emissions is our best chance at building a better world. Along the way, it sheds light on the desperate beliefs of climate change deniers and the sad defeatism of many mainstream green initiatives.
Klein also debunks the myths surrounding the climate debate: we believe the market will save us, but our dependence on growth and profit makes the issue worse. Even if we know how to abandon fossil fuels, doing so would mean breaking the rules of the “free market.” This revolution would mean curbing the power of multinationals, rebuilding the local economy and reclaiming democracy.
Ultimately, This Changes Everything highlights that the fight for the next economy and against reckless extraction is already succeeding in surprising and inspiring ways.
3. Net positive by Paul Polman
Paul Polman is a business leader and climate and equal opportunity activist. Widely recognized for his support of sustainable business practices, his successful career has included roles at Nestlé, Procter & Gamble and Unilever.
During his tenure as CEO of Unilever, Polman demonstrated that responsible business models can improve financial performance. He and his team have helped the company achieve a 290% increase in shareholder returns, top sustainability rankings, and recognition as one of the Best Places to Work. The Financial Times called Polman “an extraordinary CEO of the past decade.”
Polman co-wrote Net Positive (2021) with megatrend expert Andrew Winston. Richard Branson called the book “a wonderful call to business leaders everywhere to step forward to seize the greatest opportunity and responsibility of our time.”
Net Positive argues that businesses can lead humanity towards a brighter future by creating more value for society and the environment than they consume. Companies can increase shareholder returns and drive transformative change on a global scale:
- Prioritize social and environmental impact.
- Promote innovation.
- Collaborate across all sectors.
Net Positive highlights the urgent need for sustainable and inclusive growth in the face of existential threats such as climate change and inequality. The book provides a roadmap to enable businesses to thrive through purposeful practices.
Through Net Positive, Polman offers hope and practical strategies for a world where business becomes a force for meaningful, positive change. It also reveals key lessons from Unilever and other pioneering companies on how to profit by solving problems instead of creating them.
4. Eureka Manifesto by Yuri Milner
Entrepreneur and venture capitalist Yuri Milner he is known for his investments in technology companies. He founded DST Global, one of the world’s leading technology investors. The company’s portfolio includes Internet giants such as Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat.
In 2012, Milner joined the Giving Pledge, making a lifelong commitment to science-focused philanthropy. His Breakthrough Foundation supports various non-profit projects, including:
The Revolutionary Prize
Each $3 million award recognizes outstanding achievement in fundamental physics, life sciences and mathematics. Winners of the 2024 Breakthrough Prize include Ellen Sidransky, Thomas Gasser and Andrew Singleton, who discovered the most common genetic causes of Parkinson’s disease.
Revolutionary initiatives
These research programs improve our knowledge of life beyond Earth and develop technologies for interstellar travel. The University of Oxford is the international headquarters of one of the initiatives, Breakthrough Listen, the largest astronomical program searching for evidence of alien technology.
The revolutionary junior challenge
This global competition encourages students aged 13-18 to create engaging science videos that explain difficult ideas. Each winner receives a post-secondary scholarship worth $250,000. A teacher who inspired them receives $50,000, and their school receives a state-of-the-art science laboratory.
Yuri Milner’s vision for the future of humanity
offers a profound look into his vision of humanity’s future. The manifesto places our civilization in the context of the evolution of the cosmos and identifies the mission that this Universal History suggests: “to explore and understand our Universe”.
Milner argues that a shared mission can unite humanity, leading to a better future for all. Our subsequent scientific advances would also help us address many of the biggest threats we face today, from climate change to hitherto incurable diseases.
To advance the mission, Milner proposes a five-phase plan that envisions ushering in a new era of enlightenment. In this way, we can all contribute to a future in which our civilization matures and expands beyond Earth.