Industry “expert” opinions, endless “How To” articles, unsolicited advice… there is no shortage of opinions and suggestions for entrepreneurs. Filtering through the noise to find the few nuggets of wisdom can often be difficult. And especially for business owners, unwelcome and unhelpful advice can often threaten focus, creativity, and audacious goal setting.

We hope you have a strong intuition and trust your own inner knowledge! But if you happen to be looking for a few solid tips from people who know what they’re talking about, why not go big? Take a look at these 12 Timeless Tips for Success from the Greatest Entrepreneurs of All Time.

1. The Mind Achieves what the Mind Believes

“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”

Henry Ford
Founder of Ford Motor Company

2. Believe in Lofty Dreams

“You don’t have to be a genius or a visionary or even a college graduate to be successful. You just need a framework and a dream.”

Michael Dell
Founder and CEO of Dell, Inc.

3. Act! (because potential is not enough)

“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.”

Benjamin Franklin
Scientist, Author, Postmaster, Inventor, Diplomat…Entrepreneur

4. Experience Trumps Education

“If I had learned education I would not have had time to learn anything else.”

Cornelius Vanderbilt
American Railroad & Shipping Entrepreneur

5. Build a Strong Team

“Start with good people, lay out the rules, communicate with your employees, motivate them and reward them. If you do all those things effectively, you can’t miss.”

Lee Iococca
Father of the Ford Mustang
Former Chrysler Chairman

6. Don’t Hesitate to Delegate

“I would rather earn 1% off a 100 people’s efforts than 100% of my own efforts.”

John D. Rockefeller
American businessman and philanthropist
Co-founder of the Standard Oil Company

7. Tackle the Small Tasks First

“I think a simple rule of business is, if you do the things that are easier first, then you can actually make a lot of progress.”

Mark Zuckerberg
Internet Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Facebook

8. Be Adaptable

“My new motto is: When you’re through changing, you’re through.”

Martha Stewart
America’s Homemaking Queen and business mogul, author, & television personality

9. Master the Follow-Up

“When you stop talking, you’ve lost your customer. When you turn your back, you’ve lost her.”

Estée Lauder
Co-Founder of Estée Lauder Companies

10. Appreciate Your Adversaries

“I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn’t know how to get along without it.”

Walt Disney
Co-Founder of The Walt Disney Company

11. Don’t Sacrifice Quality… Ever

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

Steve Jobs
Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO of Apple Inc

12. Stay Hungry

“Entrepreneurs are never satisfied. They want to do things better. They strive for perfection and use all the ingenuity at their command to achieve it.”

John Willard Marriott
Founder, Chairman & CEO of Marriott International

What can you learn from the reflections of these genius innovators and trailblazers? Let us know which of these tips resonate with you in the comments below.