The Life Lessons We Can Learn From Jay-Z

If all of Generation-Y gathered around and held a vote on the person whom we all look up to, the winner would be none other than Shawn Carter... but you probably know him as Jay-Z.

What makes Jay-Z so special is that he works hard at everything he puts his mind to and doesn't settle for anything less than perfection in anything he does.

His music gives us all something to love and listen to whether we're sitting in a cubicle or a private jet. His business moves give us inspiration and education.

Jay-Z is simply the G.O.A.T.

Here are the top 10 life lessons that we can all learn from the man, the myth, the legend... Jay-Z:

10. Always Trust Your Instincts

Jay-Z is known for making bold decisions. These decisions don't come easily for him, but he always trusts his instincts and you can see how far that has led him thus far. His instincts have brought him from the Marcy Housing Projects in Brooklyn to a yacht in St. Tropez.

 9. Business Comes First

As Hov famously said: "I'm not a businessman. I'm a business... man." These are words we can all live by. Always strive for more and work hard and it will bring you the rewards and pleasures you are seeking. Jay-Z has a net worth of over $500 million dollars. He went from being a rapper to a business mogul who raps on the side.

8. Master Your Craft

Jay-Z is often referred to as the greatest of all time when it comes to the rap game. He has sold over 50 million albums worldwide and has won 17 Grammy's. He chose something to focus on and put all of his energy into it and it paid off for him.

7. Surround Yourself With Greatness

You don't see Jay-Z hanging out with low lives and drug addicts... you see him with people that are either going far in life or have already reached that point. It is a known fact that surrounding yourself with successful, smart people will help you become more successful and smart. Don't hesitate when it comes to being social because making friends and connections is essential to becoming wealthy and powerful.

6. Love The Right Woman

Jay-Z found an amazing woman in Beyoncé and he knew that it would be in his best interest to make the relationship work. Not only is she beautiful and successful, but he can relate to her in plenty of ways, which makes the relationship a lot stronger. Never think a woman will always bring you down because that is not the case. Jay-Z and Beyoncé are the most famous power couple in the world and together they have a net worth of over a billion dollars.

 5. Help Others Grow

Helping other people flourish is something that we should all do and something that Jay-Z does well. Jay-Z has discovered many famous people including Rihanna and Kanye West who have gone on to become worldwide superstars. What's different about him is that he was willing to give them a chance and he saw potential in them. If you see potential in someone, give them a chance... it can help you in the future.

4. Have A Mentor

Jay-Z knew that he couldn't get to the top by himself. Any intelligent man knows that in order to eventually become the teacher, you have to first be the student. Jay-Z made sure that he was learning from the best. The late Notorious B.I.G. was Jay-Z's biggest inspiration and his mentor in the rap game and it has been reflected in his music throughout his career.

 3. Put The Beef Aside

Jay-Z famously feuded with other rapping great Nas back in the day and it went on for a while with absolutely nothing good coming from it. Jay-Z matured during this time and finally realized that having beef with someone is simply not worth it. Fighting only brings bad energy and negative press to you. Jay-Z chose, wisely, to settle the beef with Nas and now they have been great friends for years. He has never made the rookie mistake of getting into another major fight.

2. Dress Well

"Never dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want." This is a quote that Jay-Z lives by and you all should too. Dressing well not only improves your self-esteem, but it also makes people take you more seriously. Next time your thinking of wearing your Abercrombie & Fitch sweatpants outside of the house, please reconsider.

1. Be Innovative

Jay-Z is always thinking of things to do that nobody has done before. That is what it means to be an innovator. He recently opened up Roc Nation Sports and is already getting big name athletes from many different sports to leave their agents to come to his agency.

Hov also recently teamed up with Samsung for a $20 million dollar deal and together they released a commercial during the NBA Finals on Sunday night (6/16) to announce to the world his new upcoming album Magna Carta Holy Grail that drops on July 4th.