Posted on 09/23/2014 7:33:32 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
You are poor because you have no ambition.
Jack Ma: Before I founded Alibaba, I invited 24 friends to my house to discuss the business opportunity. After discussing for a full two hours, they were still confused — I have to say that I may not have put myself across in a clear manner manner then. The verdict: 23 out of the 24 people in the room told me to drop the idea, for a multitude of reasons, such as: ‘you do not know anything about the internet, and more prominently, you do not have the start-up capital for this’ etc etc.
There was only one friend (who was working in a bank then) who told me, “If you want to do it, just try it. If things don’t work out the way you expected it to, you can always revert back to what you were doing before.” I pondered upon this for one night, and by the next morning, I decided I would do it anyway, even if all of the 24 people opposed the idea.
When I first started Alibaba, I was immediately met with strong opposition from family and friends. Looking back, I realised that the biggest driving force for me then was not my confidence in the Internet and the potential it held, but more of this: “No matter what one does, regardless of failure or success, the experience is a form of success in itself.” You have got to keep trying, and if it doesn’t work, you always can revert back to what you were doing before.
As with this quote by T.E. Lawrence – “All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream in the dark recesses of the night awake in the day to find all was vanity. But the dreamers of day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, and make it possible.”
Jack Ma: People lose out in life because of these 4 reasons:
You are poor, because you have no ambition.
Ambition is living a life of great ideals; a magnificent goal in life that must be realised.
In this world, there are things that are deemed unfathomable, but there is nothing in this world that cannot be done. The depth of one’s ambition determines the potential of one’ future.
The Story of Juliet Wu Shihong – one of China’s first-generation professional managers, who gained success by working her way up the ranks from a cleaner, a nurse, a marketing executive, through self-education and learning on the job.
She had been the general manager for the world’s most famous multinational IT groups’ Chinese branches (Microsoft 1985-1998; IBM 1998-1999). She is also China’s first successful international corporate executive to join the executive team of a domestic private firm. Wu was seen as a symbol of the new generation of business executives that China has produced in its economic reform and opening-up.
When Wu started off in a big company working from the lowest ranks, her daily job was to pour tea and sweep floors. Once, because she forgot her staff pass, the company’s guard stopped her at the door and denied her entry. She explained to the guard that she was indeed one of the company’s employees, and that she had merely left the building for a short while to purchase office supplies.
Despite her pleas, the guard still did not allow to enter. As she stood at the gate, she watched as those of similar age to her, but smartly dressed in business attire walking through without having to show their passes.
She asked the guard, “Why are these people allowed through without producing a pass?” The guard dismissed her coldly nonetheless.
That was the turning point for Wu – she felt great shame, her self-esteem trampled on.
She looked at herself, dressed in shabby clothes and pushing a dirty push cart. Looking back at those dressed in smart attire, her heart felt a deep ache from the sudden realization of the sorrow and grief from being discriminated. From that moment, she vowed never to allow herself to be shamed like this again, and to become world-famous.
Since then, she used every opportunity to enrich herself. Every day, she was the first to arrive at work, and the last one to leave. She made every second count, spending her time learning the ropes. Her efforts soon paid off; she was made a sales representative, and quickly progressed to being the regional general manager of this multinational company in China. Wu did not possess strong academic qualifications, and was revered as the ‘Queen of Part-timers’. Subsequently, she assumed the position of GM of IBM China. This is the Wu Shihong, the heroine in China’s business circle.
If not for the incident, Wu Shihong would not have had the ambition to become rich, and her life would have taken a very different path then.
No matter how poor your family is, do not doubt your own abilities and lose sight of your ambition.
Go big, or go home. Otherwise, you’re wasting your youth.
The article is originally published in Chinese, and is translated into English. If you think this was helpful, feel free to share it with your friends.
What the hell is an Alibaba?
Creating some website does not mean that you have a product, something of value, or even something other than a flash in the pan.
Even pets.com, Friendster, Myspace and AOL are not what they were in decades past.
“Come to my seminah...”
His edict is correct...you are what you are make of your life..no question..nothing new there
two caveats
one is China is something folks here seem to forget..crony Socialist pseudo capitalism far more rigged than here.you can die you make the wrong decisions and piss off or not pay the right folks..zero Justice
financial success at the expense of family is no success for me...i paid that price with my first set of family.it wasn’t worth it... not even close
I wish all young go for the brass ring freepers the best of luck...i sure took advantage of my 20s and 30s
reach your dreams but if you’re alone at the top whats the point
just an old mans looking back perspective...and I’ve done ok but I’d live in a trailer in the sticks eating potted meat and cheap crackers if it meant keeping my wife and five children close versus being truly rich..i know super rich..usually family is compromised...some private jet sorts I have known just live from continent to continent with tutors and take family along
like liveaboard yacht life
I beg to differ.....I guarantee his underwriters had to give blocks at subscription prices to Chinese govt party members
i is not freedom
these folks are worse than Putin in my view and growing stonger
Exactly. Customer #1, Employee #2, Shareholder #3.
It would be interesting to introduce Jack Ma to Arthur T. Demoulas.
35 was about the age I was completely broke. The shop I worked at closed down, I was hit with a medical emergency, lost my house, and had nothing in my pockets or bank account.
Now, half a decade later I have 6 CNC machines running with 3 excellent tool and die employees and expanding my business in to Easter Europe. Ma is absolutely right. Being broke is a situation you can change. You don’t have to sit around and feel sorry for yourself. It is a sad state of affairs so many people are on welfare in this nation. So many CHOSE to be on welfare. AND they vote for their slave masters that continue to give them free stuff. AND we’re importing the world’s poor to put on welfare.
Mark 8:36 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
Well I wan’t 35 when life handed me blows beyond what I myself could handle....when you’re solo and life hits like that you go down pretty fast.....But I fought hard...even sold my furniture from the front yard..then my home until all left was what could fit in my car...and me.
Funny thing, when all the “stuff” you’ve accumulated is gone it ends up quite freeing....I moved..got a job in less then two weeks...(told them I’d work straight commission)...and within a month had a small apartment...from then on it was back on my feet.
Today I have a small apartment...very nicely done...’more’ than ample income, good savings, and will be fully debt free by the end of this year!....and I did not get any welfare assistance throughout, though I understood I could have done so for a time.
I think faith in God makes it ‘all’ possible....as long as you co-operate with him.
Funny how some of the left wing leaning financial analysts at CNBC just fawn over this guy. Considering his hero is Forrest Gump, you think he would chalk some financial success up to fate and chance.
Yup.
Which is why my portfolio is void of tech stocks, the 2014 boom just like the one in the late '90's is destined for bust.
Even Apple (AAPL) is two bad products away from a 90% correction.
No one is against his being successful, they’re against his being an a-hole about it.
Probably seriously messed up and impossible to live with. A financial megalomaniac.
I was thinking the same thing. Money isn't everything, but if you desire financial security and don't have it, it IS your fault. Jack Ma is exactly right.
I didn’t read anything that indicated he was being an a-hole about it. Some people are just afraid of the truth.
It is worse than that.
China is structured to grow. America grew for quite a while, but is now shrinking.
We need to structure our country, to grow again. We need to, as Americans.
We have frittered away a huge lead. Everyone is building up China right now.
Everyone.
Yeah, like Ebay. And Amazon. Just websites after all.
Or Walmart for that matter. They don’t have a product, they just sell stuff other people make.
You sound jealous.
If only someone like you would tell us how.
Thank you.
And some of the happiest, most successful people in this world - are poor and broke.
I truly feel sorry for a billionaire who would give up up marriages and families just to add another zero to their net worth.
“What good does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul?”
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