YOU'VE probably never heard of him. But Alexis Ohanian wants to change your life.

And whether you're dreaming big or you just want to get through all your work for the day, he can help you.

Starting right now.

Mr Ohanian has made a name for himself as the unofficial ruler of start-up land; after co-founding Reddit, the kingmaker of viral web content, in 2005, he's helped create a string of other start-up hits.

They including Breadpig (a not-for-profit merchandise marketplace), The Hipmunk (a travel planner), and Y Combinator (a funding network for start-up ideas).

Currently Mr Ohanian is on a whirlwind tour to promote a book about his success entitled Without Their Permission. But you don't need to be an entrepreneur or an inventor to learn from the precocious 30-year-old.

The man who Forbes has called "The mayor of the internet" is part leader, part investor, part activist. But we're most interested in his advice. And he's a real guru.

Here are the top five tips for succeeding - on a small or big scale, every single day - from Mr Ohanian.

1. There's no time like the present

Mr Ohanian is a thinker, to be sure. But he's successful because he's a do-er. He encourages everyone to adopt a "get it done attitude".

Here's an example of what we mean:

Why haven't you done that thing you've been putting off all day? Go do it right now! — Alexis Ohanian (@alexisohanian) October 14, 2013

So what are you waiting for? Go and do it. Right after you're finished reading this.

2. Think big, talk small

Mr Ohanian's strength is that he can talk to anyone about big issues that matter but with a refreshing, straight-talking and youthful countenance.

Take this comment on overhauling the education system from his interview with slate.com.

"We need an education solution as ubiquitous as the selfie, only with less duckface."

It's a comment as humorous as it is serious. Ambitious yet accessible.

The simple lesson here? Never lose the common touch.

3. Make something people love

This is actually Y Combinator's mission statement and it's become a personal mantra of sorts for Mr Ohanian.

"It's simple, but Make Something People Love is the motto of YC and something I reflect on whenever I create anything," he says.

Mr Ohanian keeps a few quotes on hand to remind him of his core, basic values. He calls it quote porn. A few of his favourites include:

• "You've got to go to what you know and what you love." - Alexis Maybank

• "Be so good they can't ignore you." - Steve Martin

• "People don't know what they want until you show it to them." - Steve Jobs

4. Plan your day in the morning, keep it simple, and stick to the plan

Mr Ohanian says he wasted a lot of time early on at Reddit with menial tasks that didn't get him anywhere, like designing business cards.

He says the best way to manage your time is to break up your day into three manageable bites, and work from there.

"Get your three biggest tasks of the day written down each morning. Do them. Feel good. Repeat the next day."

That sense of simple accomplishment can often give you enough drive to keep going. And once you've got momentum you'll be hard to stop.

5. Recruit people you trust, then actually trust them

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is trying to conquer the world on your own, Mr Ohanian says.

It's particularly important, whether you're a manager or you're starting out solo, to trust other people with important tasks.

"(One thing business owners do badly is) not delegating soon enough. Founders get way too attached to their baby," he said.

"And the whole reason you hire people is to find people smarter and better at something you're doing, then do everything you can to help them be awesome."

So what are you going to do today? Write down three things, work out who can help you do them, speak plainly, then go make something people love.

Right now.

What are your best titbits of advice on success? Share them on Twitter via @newscomauHQ | @christoforpaine