The Big Idea: Be resourceful, think long-term, and have a sense of adventure.
- I learned self-reliance and resourcefulness on my grandfather’s Texas ranch.
- Building Amazon is a constant flow of problems solved by self-reliance and resourcefulness.
- About letting his kids use power tools, “I’d much rather have a kid with nine fingers than a kid who lacks resourcefulness.”
- About his choice of wife, “I wanted a woman who could get me out of third-world prison if necessary.”
- About abandoning a good life to start Amazon, “When I’m 80 years old, I want to minimize the number of regrets I have.”
- My space exploration company Blue Origins requires long-term thinking.
- Big problems can be solved if you think long-term.
- While our competitors have a 2-3 year time horizon, Amazon has a 10+ year time horizon. That is a tremendous competitive advantage.
- I don’t like to multi-task. I am focused on whatever the task I’m on. If I’m reading email, I’m reading email. If I’m relaxing, I’m relaxing.
- A sense of adventure is one of my core values. Choose a life of adventure and you’ll be more proud of this when you’re 80.
- Exposing yourself to new things and creating is all about having a sense of adventure.
- To me, fellowship means traveling down the road together. It encompasses more than friendship.
- On work-life balance, “If I’m energized at work, I’m a better husband-friend-father. And vice-versa.” Is your work energizing or draining? Both sides of my life give me energy, so it’s never been a problem.
