A real businessman or entrepreneur has no enemies. Once he understand this, the sky's the limit.
Interpretation
True entrepreneurs see others as collaborators rather than competitors, which opens limitless opportunities.
Jack Ma emphasizes that a successful businessman or entrepreneur recognizes that having no enemies is key to achieving success. By understanding that collaboration and building relationships are more valuable than competition, one is free to explore endless possibilities, thereby reaching new heights in their endeavors.
In practice
During a business conference, one could quote this to inspire fellow entrepreneurs to collaborate rather than compete.
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.
I hit a home run in my first game, and they told me to go into the stands and pass my cap around. I made six dollars in nickels, dimes, and quarters.
Most work is not coming up with The Next Big Thing. Rather, it's improving the thing you already thought of six months - or six years - ago. It's the work of work.
Only the one who walks his own way can't be overtaken.
One of the most important principles of success is developing the habit of going the extra mile.
Throughout my chess career I sought out new challenges, looking for things no one had done before.
As long as we place millions of Indians at the canter of our thought process, as long as we think of their welfare, their future, their opportunities for self realization we are on the right track. For India can grow, prosper, flourish only if they grow, prosper, flourish. We cannot grow by any esoteric strategies. Our purchasing power, our economic strength, our marketplace all depends on the prosperity of our people.
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