8 Keys to Success from Jack Ma, Self-Made Billionaire, and CEO of Alibaba

It takes a lot of hard work, sacrifices, and efforts to gather a total net worth of more than $20 billion. With a steadfast work ethic while maintaining a sense of perspective, guarantee that you will achieve success in no time. Jack Ma is one of those people. The founder and CEO of Alibaba, one of the world’s leading e-commerce web portals, is one of the world’s richest men. One thing that differs him from the rest is that he has not let success cloud his vision for the future or his acknowledgment of where he came from. He is humble, and his previous experiences were his inspiration to do better each day. Jack Ma’s keys to success are genuine and inspiring for everyone from aspiring billionaires to owners of the smallest businesses.

8 Keys to Success from Jack Ma, Self-Made Billionaire, and CEO of Alibaba

1. He Values Attitude

When Jack Ma talked about the biggest mistake he ever made in his life, he mentioned the time 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. However, when Alibaba started to grow, he has learned his lesson and now stresses the importance of attitude and passion for intellectual skills. He also added that being positive and optimistic in times of struggles will help you and your team a lot.

2. He Unites People under a Single Goal

He understands your struggles because he also experienced tons in time past. He understands that no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to convince every single employee, business partner, and potential investor to trust you or believe what you say. So he did what he has to do. He proved to everyone that nobody could be somebody if you work hard to reach it. He also stated that 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 anticipation and proper planning not just for the company but also to his people. He should try to stay one step ahead of the competition and imagine how decisions will play out ahead of other people. Decision-planning is very important for him, if you don’t have the perfect plan as to how you can flourish your business, then you are not getting anywhere in life. Taking time to develop ingenious thinking skills and following informed intuition is an indication of any great CEO and leader.

5. He is Tenacious

In addition to foresight, Ma added that leaders must be powerful, firm 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. keep that as your inspiration to work harder. Taking gratification in your work and not taking no for an answer are keys to Ma’s business philosophy.

4. He Hires People with Superior Skills

According to him, a leader knows to himself that he is always the smartest man in the room and no matter what you do, there will always be someone better, smarter and more clever than you– that’s what you should hire in your company. When asked what separates a leader from an employee Ma has gone on record saying “Your employee should have superior technical skills than you. If he doesn’t, it means you have hired the wrong person.” He is focusing more on the strength, skills, and capabilities of his employees and hiring people that know how to carry out the company vision because it’s your people that’s going to help you in the end.

6. He Defines Failure as Giving Up

According to Ma, “giving up is the greatest failure.” If you decide to start any business, whether it’s small or a big corporation, always try your best and achieve your goal no matter what happens. Always remember that success is your reward for making it until the end and for not giving up in the middle of the fight. Like all great leaders, He stated that everyone could learn the most from obstacles and hardships; they need dedication and motivation. They key to success is persevering and learning from your mistakes.

7. He Loves Life

"I always tell myself that we are born here not to work, but to enjoy life. 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 point of view lies at the heart of Jack Ma's lifestyle and experiences all through his life. Life is for experiencing the world and helping out other people. If money is your goal, you have to change your mindset. Helping people through your services will lead you to success in no time!

Jack Ma'

8. He Doesn't Make Enemies

One of the most distinctive traits of Jack Ma’s business philosophy is the idea of friendly competition. He doesn’t think that everyone can drag him down toward success. 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.

He firmly believes that no man can be successful if the only reason why he is in the business industry is money. Jack Ma’s philosophy is built for success in a rapidly developing world. We can all learn a thing or two from this self-made billionaire.