Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Amazon.com Inc., is often cited as a quintessential success story. His journey from launching a bookstore in his garage with a loan from his parents to becoming the third-richest person in the world is nothing short of amazing.
The former Amazon CEO shared his perspective on the nature of stress in leadership roles. During a 2020 fireside chat in Mumbai with actor Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, Bezos offered insights that diverge from conventional beliefs about executive stress. The event, which marked three years of Amazon Prime Video in India, provided a platform for Bezos to discuss various professional life aspects.
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Bezos, addressing a question from Khan about the perceived waste of time in professional settings, shifted the focus to stress management, especially for senior executives.
“I tell senior executives, ‘You should have the least stress' he said. "There's this false idea that CEOs are under the most stress. Well, I look at that and I'm like why? You're in charge. Why don't you delegate the stress? It's your choice.”
This statement, coming from a former Amazon CEO, challenges the typical narrative surrounding the stress levels of top executives and emphasizes the importance of delegation and control over one’s work environment.
In addition to his views on stress management, Bezos also spoke about job satisfaction, acknowledging the inevitability of undesirable aspects of any job.
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“Look, if you can get your work life to be where you enjoy half of it, that is amazing," he said. "Because very few people ever achieve that because the truth is everything comes with overhead. That's reality, everything comes with pieces that you don't like.”
This statement reflects his realistic approach to work life, emphasizing the acceptance of less favorable parts as a natural component of any profession.
For those starting their careers, Bezos highlighted the significance of passion and choices over natural talents.
“It’s your choices that construct your life, not your gifts,” he said, encouraging young people to embrace challenges and adventure over comfort and ease.
His insights, grounded in his vast experience and success, provide valuable guidance for people at all career stages.
The principles Bezos champions can be applied not only in career choices but also in investing, especially in startups. His emphasis on making bold choices, embracing challenges and the willingness to navigate uncharted territories resonate deeply with the essence of startup investing. By investing in startups, people have the unique opportunity to get in at the ground level of the next innovations.
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