I believe our philosophy of conscious capitalism will eventually be widely adopted primarily because it is a better way to do business, and it creates more total value in the world for all of its stakeholders.
John MackeyRead
You can't live if you don't eat, but you don't live to eat. And neither does business exist primarily to make a profit. It exists to fulfill its purpose, whatever that might be.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life and business should prioritize purpose over basic survival and profit.
This quote by John Mackey emphasizes that just as individuals require food for survival, businesses also have foundational needs. However, the essence of existence, whether for a person or a business, goes beyond mere subsistence or profit-making; it is fundamentally about fulfilling a greater purpose that adds value to the world.
Themes
PurposeBusinessProfitExistenceValue
In practice
Example use cases
In a business conference to inspire entrepreneurs about focusing on purpose.
More from John Mackey
All quotes →I think for leadership positions, emotional intelligence is more important than cognitive intelligence. People with emotional intelligence usually have a lot of cognitive intelligence, but that's not always true the other way around.
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Examine our every action through the lens of how we would feel if it were to become front page news.
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We believe that business is good because it creates value. It is ethical because it is based on voluntary exchange; it is noble because it can elevate our existence, and it is heroic because it lifts people out of poverty and creates prosperity.
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The idea that in the system, if you manage it in an optimum way, all of the constituent parts of the system also win, flourish, and benefit, is intrinsic to business and even to capitalism itself, properly understood. But people don't understand it because we're not taught to think that way.
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