If we go to work at 8 a.m. and go home at 5 p.m., this is not a high-tech company and Alibaba will never be successful. If we have that kind of 8-5 spirit, then we should just go and do something else.
Interpretation
Success requires dedication and a break from conventional work hours.
Jack Ma emphasizes that a true high-tech company necessitates more commitment than the traditional 8 to 5 work schedule. This quote reflects the idea that innovation and success demand a relentless pursuit of goals, often requiring flexibility and a willingness to go beyond standard working hours.
In practice
During a motivational speech in a corporate setting.
Hong Kong people say Hong Kong needs to preserve its uniqueness. I say Hong Kong's uniqueness is in its diversity, its tolerance of difference cultures... China does not want to see Hong Kong in decline. I have full confidence in its future.
If we are a good team and know what we want to do, one of us can defeat tons of them.
It's not that other countries steal jobs from you guys. It's your strategy. Distribute the money and things in a proper way.
Helping doing business easier, we choose the name Alibaba because it is a global company. It is founded in China, but it was created for the world.
In the beginning I just wanted to survive. For the first three years, we made zero revenue. I remember many times when I was trying to pay up, the restaurant owner would say, 'Your bill was paid.' And there would be a note saying, 'Mr. Ma, I'm your customer on the Alibaba platform. I made a lot of money, and I know you don't, so I paid the bill.'
Even if your competitor is still small in size or weak, you should take him seriously and treat him as a giant. Likewise, even if your competitor is massive in size, you shouldn't regard yourself as a weakling.
Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.
When fate hands you a lemon, make lemonade.
You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.
My dad always taught me to never be satisfied: to want more and know that what is done is done. That was his way of seeing the game. You've done it, now move on. People might say, 'Well, when can you enjoy it?' But it worked for me because, in the game, you need to be on your toes.
It's only when you risk failure that you discover things. When you play it safe, you're not expressing the utmost of your human experience.
There's always the motivation of wanting to win. Everybody has that. But a champion needs, in his attitude, a motivation above and beyond winning.
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