30 Life Lessons From Chinese Billionaire Jack Ma

3K SHARES

Have you ever felt discouraged when you consider your professional progress or nancial state? Chinese billionaire Jack Ma has
a few tokens of advice for you.

Ma is a Chinese internet entrepreneur who launched his rst big endeavor, and many since, in the face of adversity or criticism.
He was named Financial Times 2013 Person of the Year, and is widely held as a symbol of the Chinese entrepreneurial spirit.
While some of his insight may constitute a new approach more focused on the bottom line than others, there is no denying that
his perspective is one that has proven staggeringly successful.

Ready to incorporate Mas approach into your management of professional and nancial life? Copy those that resonate most
with you on a notecard and post them on your computer, in your wallet, or at another location where you will see them
regularly. Youre about to go on a wildly successful ride with Jack Ma.

1. Look far and wide for opportunity.

Ma categorizes those who fail as often being myopic to opportunity. Look across the professional and nancial landscape with a
broad lens rst, considering all possibilities. Then, bend down to dig under every rock and in every nook and cranny for
potential opportunities.

2. Treat every opportunity as an open door.

No chance is too small, too menial, or beneath you. When something lies before you, seize it. Grasp it with all of your strength,
work this opportunity with all of your heart. Bring everything that you are to bear on this task. Do not treat anything as small if
you want large results.

3. Seek understanding.
Work to understand both your current position and the position to which you aspire. What, exactly, are you working for? Why?
What will it take to get you to where you want to go?

4. Act quickly.
Sometimes, the race does go to the swift. What most folks miss, however, is that being swift means bouncing back from
failure, not necessarily running most quickly at all times. Acting swiftly can also mean being the rst one out of the blocks
when the gun goes off. When an opportunity presents itself, act.

5. See beyond your circumstances.

No matter what your current condition, how or where you grew up, or what education or training you feel you lack, you can be
successful in your chosen endeavor. It is spirit, fortitude, and hardiness that matter more than where you start.

6. Channel your ambition.

(/) LOGIN(/user/login)
It is your job as a visionary to become single-minded in your ambition. Focus on your goal, work toward it, and never let it go.
7. Be courageous.
When Ma launched Alibaba Group, a highly successful group of internet businesses, he did so in the face of cautionary feedback
from potential backers. There is a time for boldness, and in pursuit of your chosen ambition is that time.

8. Take chances in your youth.

If you are not rich by the time you are 35, says Ma, then you have wasted the opportunities of youth. Capitalize upon these
young years, with their energy and imagination, by giving in to your ambition and the pursuit of it.

9. Unify your team toward a common goal.

You will never succeed in unifying every member of your team behind a single person. Ma estimates that 30% of people will
always disagree with you. Unite them behind an idea, cause, or mission, however, and you can harness the power of the team.

10. Make yourself replaceable.

Part of unifying behind an idea or mission is reducing dependency upon any particular individual, including the founder or lead
boss. Cultivate the ideas, skills, and approach that you value in individuals you trust. When you move on, their leadership will
ensure the continued success of that mission or idea.

11. Hire those with better technical skills than you possess.
If the boss has better technical skills than the employees, then they hired the wrong people. Workers should always be technical
experts. Hire them, empower them, and let them do their jobs. Theyre better at it than you are.

12. Lead with vision, tenacity, and grit.

There are skills that are vital to successful leadership of any company or endeavor vision, tenacity, and grit. A leader must be
a visionary, able to see opportunity where others do not and acknowledge challenges before they come. A leader must be
tenacious, be able to hang in there when a less determined individual would have long since given up. A leader must have
grit, that ability to buckle down and do what is required in order to get the job before them, done.

13. Persevere.
Hard times will come. Challenges may be everywhere even at launch. Keep that founding vision in mind, and cling to it in rough
waters as a lighthouse and guide. Your actions will inspire others to do the same.

14. Attitude is more important than capability.

It is your attitude that determines your altitude. Whether in smooth times or rough, successful leaders remain calm, con dent
in their mission, and focused on their desired outcome.

15. Savvy decision-making is more important than capability.

The most successful leaders are not always the smartest or the most quali ed on paper. They do, however, surround themselves
with extremely capable experts, turn to them for input, and make clear decisions. It is the decisions you make that will advance
(/) LOGIN(/user/login)
you and your endeavor forward one step at a time, not how quali ed you are to move from square to square.
you and your endeavor forward one step at a time, not how quali ed you are to move from square to square.

16. Money and political power cannot exist together.

Money and political power are mutually exclusive. One is the powder keg, the other, the match. Where both exist, an explosion
will occur. If you are interested in both, pursue them consecutively, not concurrently.

17. Resilience is only understood after you have gone through hardship.
An intellectual understanding of resilience means nothing. The capacity to be resilient means nothing. It is only after having
gone through hardships and having been tested, that an individual can be deemed resilient.

18. Your job is to be more diligent, hardworking, and ambitious than others.
There is a simple formula for success, every time. Be diligent. Work hard. Never lose sight of your ambition. Whatever form your
endeavor takes, these principles hold true.

19. Compete with grace.

If you treat your competitors as enemies, you will be seen as an enemy yourself. You will soon be surrounded. Instead, enter
professional competition with grace, honoring your competitor and remembering that next time, the tide may turn another
way.

20. Take all competitors seriously.

No competitor is a giant unless you make them one in your perspective. Treat all competitors with respect; treat your own
business with respect. All have an equal chance of success when the competition begins. The one you overlook may be the one
that beats you.

21. Behold yourself a giant.

Every large business started somewhere. Your business started somewhere. All deserve a seat at the table. Behold yourself equal
to those you are competing with, and conduct yourself accordingly.

22. Winners do not whine.

While occasional poor spirits are to be expected, with the accompanying utterances of annoyance or dejection, regular whining
is a sure sign of failure. All endeavors will bring hardships and challenges. How you deal with them will indicate the success of
your business. Winners do not whine.

23. Customers are rst; employees, second; shareholders, third.

As a leader, you only have a certain amount of time and energy. Give yours to those who enable your business, rst your
customers. Those who make your business run come second your employees. The shareholders are given attention and
resources only after the rst two have been satis ed. Many business owners spend all day, every day, catering to the
shareholders. This resource allocation is not sustainable.

24. Forget about the money.

(/) LOGIN(/user/login)
You did not launch your business or project solely for the money. You went down this path to build a particular lifestyle, or to
meet a need of your soul and mind. If you focus on the money, you will make different decisions than if you focus on the
journey. Walk the path you started down diligently, with ambition; the money will come.

25. Find the right people, not necessarily the best or most skilled people.
The most skilled people on paper are not necessarily the ones who t best into your culture, or work best with you. The most
ef cient people on paper may not be those you trust most. Sparkling resumes do not mean that an individual can grow and
evolve with your company. Find the right people, now. They are the best people. Their skills can be developed, as will yours.

26. Free is a very expensive word.

When you give something away for free, you give away pro ts, as well as resources of manpower spent during development,
implementation, and follow-up, and possibly intellectual property in the form of a great idea. Think carefully before you run
such a promotion. Nothing is truly free.

27. A smart man uses his brain to speak

The words that come from anothers mouth are not meaningful. Engage your mind. Utilize your intellect. Make decisions from
an informed, grounded perspective.

28. a wise man uses his heart.

Likewise, trust your intuition and your knowing. Making decisions from a place of faith can serve you exceptionally well,
particularly with regard to personnel and when identifying strategic objectives.

29. We are born to enjoy life, not to spend it working.

The point of life is not to simply work, work, work, grinding away our bodies and our minds until we die. The focus should be on
enjoyment, not only of your work but by creating time to play, relax, and enjoy those around you. If you work your life away, you
will regret it this is guaranteed.

30. Giving up is the greatest failure.

You will never know what you can achieve and accomplish, unless you try it. You will never know if your idea will work or if
the business will produce, unless you stick with it. Adapt your ideas, change your strategies if you must, but never give up.

Craving more guidance? Check out these 5ThingsTheRichestManinAsiaWantsYoungEntrepreneurstoKnow

(/articles/work/5thingstherichestmanasiashingswantsyoungentrepreneursknow.html).

Featured photo credit: epSos.deviaflickr.com(https://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/5394616925/in/photolist9dGPED2WaPo75xeXcH4NZofx5Axiq4A63rRijT15t

aDcViU7o4WF15ABxpw9yB1n4p5aG56cMR9pYkrv3sEn2UQKw6JQKFZ52aRJXoAYhTZ4UVBtDcnchKE5sRzkY9nAn8D9gPKdc8SyxN54HaG4J8t4PnC

8kpchp4V5xG99GPjA8cQ5iWW9nDpbN2ZTVrp5A3usy7Z4XVy5zY9GzcRjHBscRjHvU5pyBKV7RCinG81aY7S8hZZWC2Suvsw5zY9Gvd4Cokud3XFSf

kNnFue923vym923vJd91ZoEn5zY9Gc)

ENDORSED BY (/) LOGIN(/user/login)

 ChloeChong (/author/chloechong)
EditoratLifehack,SocialMediaExpert,HealthNut

(http://www.lifehack.org/articles/work/8-
(http://www.lifehack.org/356396/these-
(http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-
keys-success-from-jack-self-made-
20-books-are-game-changers-read-
habits-successful-people-give-increase-their-
billionaire-and-ceo-alibaba.html?
them-before-you-turn-30?ref=swipe-
productivity.html?ref=swipe-section-in-content-
ref=swipe-section-in-content-bottom)
section-in-content-bottom)
bottom)
8 These
10
Keys
20Habits
to Books
Successful
Success
ArePeople
from
Game
Give
Jack
Changers,
Up
Ma,
Read
to
Self-
ThemIncrease
Made
Before
Their
Billionaire
YouProductivity
and
Turn
(http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-
CEO
30habits-
of (http://www.lifehack.org/356396/these-
successful-
Alibaba
20-people-
(http://www.lifehack.org/articles/work/8-
books-
give-
keys-
are-
increase-
success-
game-
their-
from-
changers-
productivity.html?
jack-
read-
ref=swipe-
self-
them-
section-
made-
before-
in-
billionaire-
you-
content-
and-
turn-
bottom)
ceo-
30?
alibaba.html?
ref=swipe-
ref=swipe-
section-
section-
in-
in-content-
content-
bottom)
bottom)

8 Keys to Success
(/) from Jack Ma, Self-Made Billionaire and CEO of Alibaba
LOGIN(/user/login)
 2K SHARES

It takes a rare person toaccumulate a total net worth over $20 billion through a devoted work ethic while maintaining a sense
of perspective. Jack Ma is one of those people. The founder and CEO of Alibaba, one of the worlds leading e-commerce web
portals, is one of the worlds richest men, but he has not let success cloud his vision for the future or his acknowledgement of
where he came from. Jack Mas keys to success are true and inspiring for everyone from aspiring billionaires to owners of the
smallest businesses.

1. He Values Attitude
When Jack Ma talks about the biggestmistake(http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/09/17/alibabajackma
profile/15406641/) he ever made he describes how when he founded Alibaba he told his team that the highest level they could
achieve would be that of managers, and that executives should be hired from the outside. Ma has learned his lesson and now
stresses the importance of attitude and passion over theoretical skills.

2. He Unites People under a Single Goal

Ma understands that no matter how hard you try you willnever be able to convince every single employee, business partner,
and potential investorto trust you or believe what you say. Accepting that and changing your approach is another key to his
massive success. Rather than uniting his company under the vision of one person, he unites them under a common goal. The
vision is more important than the leader.

3. He has Foresight
Jack Ma believes that a good leader should have foresight. He should try to stay one step ahead of the competition and
anticipate how decisions will play out ahead of other people. Taking time to develop creative thinking skills and following
informed intuition is a hallmark of any great business leader.

4. He Hires People with Superior Skills

When asked what separates a leader from an employee Ma has gone onrecord(http://vulcanpost.com/5407/billionairejackma
teachesyouhowtobesuccessfulinlifeandbusiness/) saying Your employee should have superior technical skills than you.
If he doesnt, it means you have hired the wrong person. Focusing on the skills of employees and hiring people with the know
how to carry out your vision is an important pillar of any great company.

5. He is Tenacious
In addition to foresight Ma says leaders should be tenacious and have a clear vision. Knowing what you want to achieve and
having the drive to chase it down will not only put you on the path to success, it will inspire those around you to work hard for
that common goal. Taking pride in your work and not taking no for an answer are keys to Mas business philosophy.

6. He Denes Failure as Giving Up

According to Ma, giving up is the greatest failure. If you go out, try your best and fail to achieve your goal but see it through to
the end you are a success. Like all great leaders, Ma recognizes that a person is able to learn the most from obstacles and
hardships. They key to success is persevering and learning from your mistakes.
(/) LOGIN(/user/login)

7. He Loves Life
7. He Loves Life
I always tell myself that we are born here not to work, but to enjoylife(http://vulcanpost.com/5407/billionairejackmateaches
youhowtobesuccessfulinlifeandbusiness/). We are here to make things better for one another, and not to work. If you are
spending your whole life working, you will certainly regret it. This sentiment lies at the heart of Jack Mas lifestyle. Life is for
experiencing the world and helping out other people. If money is your goal, you have to change your mindset.

8. He Doesnt Make Enemies

One the most unique aspects of Jack Mas business philosophy is the idea of friendly competition. Ma does not see his
competitors as his enemies, rather they are friends whom he can learn from and who challenge him to achieve his full potential.

It is clear that Jack Mas philosophy is built for success in a rapidly developing world. We can all learn a thing or two from this
self-made billionaire.

Featured photo credit: Bloombergviaejinsight.com(http://www.ejinsight.com/20140924alibabajackmatopschinarichlist)