Jack Ma Motivational Video | Believe In Your Dreams | Inspirational Speech | Startup Stories

Summary

In this inspiring speech, the speaker emphasizes the importance of perseverance and vision in achieving dreams, despite numerous rejections and hardships. They recount their journey from multiple job rejections to founding Alibaba, highlighting the value of learning from mistakes and seizing opportunities. The speaker advises young people to learn from experiences, follow good mentors, and focus on their strengths. They stress the significance of adapting to different life stages, from being a student to working for younger generations, and the importance of innovation and teamwork.

Takeaways

• 💭 Believe in your dreams and take small steps towards them.
• 🎓 Persistence is key, even after multiple rejections.
• 👮‍♂️ Rejection from traditional paths can lead to finding new opportunities.
• 🌐 Look for opportunities in the world and be ready to catch them.
• 🤝 Success comes from working as a team, especially without initial resources.
• 💡 Don't be afraid to start something different; innovation is valuable.
• 🏡 Starting a business with limited resources is possible and can lead to success.
• 🌐 Learn from the criticism and use it as a stepping stone to prove your worth.
• 💼 Learn from experience and adapt your approach to entrepreneurship.
• 📈 Each mistake is a learning opportunity; view them as valuable lessons.
• 👨‍🏫 Follow a good mentor and learn from their experiences before venturing out.
• 🔍 Choose your work and mentors wisely; they significantly impact your growth.
• 🚀 Focus on your strengths and what you are passionate about in your career.
• 🌱 Support and invest in young people, as they are the future and can achieve great things.

Q & A

What is the key message about pursuing dreams according to the speaker?

The key message is to keep believing in your dreams and take small, steady steps towards them, no matter how big they are.

How many times was the speaker rejected when applying for jobs and university?

The speaker was rejected 30 times when applying for jobs and was rejected 10 times when applying to Harvard University.

What was the speaker's reaction to multiple rejections?

The speaker felt depressed and acknowledged that it's not a good feeling to be rejected by many, but later found that the world has many opportunities.

How did the speaker start Alibaba?

The speaker started Alibaba in 1999 by borrowing 2000 US dollars from relatives and friends, beginning in his apartment.

What was the initial public opinion about Alibaba's business model?

People initially thought Alibaba's business model was terrible, not profitable, and inferior to models like Amazon, eBay, and Google.

What was the speaker's response to the criticism of Alibaba's business model?

The speaker believed that Alibaba was better than what people thought and compared himself to those who fell while trying to ride horses, implying his resilience and survival despite the challenges.

How did the speaker view the idea of Alipay when it was first proposed?

The speaker faced criticism and was told that Alipay was the stupidest idea, but it later became successful with 800 million users.

What advice does the speaker give to young people regarding mistakes?

The speaker advises young people to see mistakes as a wonderful revenue, meaning valuable learning experiences.

What are the speaker's recommendations for different stages of life in terms of career?

Before 20, be a good student; before 30, follow someone and learn from them, preferably in a small company; from 30-40, decide if you want to be an entrepreneur; from 40-50, focus on what you're good at; and from 50-60, work for young people and support them.

Why should one focus on what they are good at after the age of 40 according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests focusing on strengths after 40 because the risk of failure is too high when trying new areas, and it's better to leverage one's expertise.

Why should people over 50 work for young people, according to the speaker?

The speaker believes that young people can do better and have more potential, so it's wise to rely on and invest in them, ensuring they are well-prepared and guided.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Pursuing Dreams and Overcoming Rejection

The speaker emphasizes the importance of holding onto dreams and taking small steps towards them despite numerous rejections. They recount their own experiences of rejection from jobs and universities, including 30 job applications and 10 attempts to get into Harvard. The speaker discusses the common issue of young people losing hope and vision, and how they themselves felt depressed but eventually found opportunities. They highlight the necessity of having a different approach from the norm, starting their business with a $2000 loan, and founding Alibaba in 1999 despite criticism and comparison to other companies. The speaker shares their belief in their own potential and the importance of perseverance, even when faced with the opinion of experts.

Keywords

💡Dreams

Dreams refer to the aspirations and goals one holds. In the context of the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of holding onto one's dreams despite the challenges faced. The speaker's personal journey of multiple rejections and eventual success in starting Alibaba exemplifies the persistence required to achieve one's dreams.

💡Opportunities

Opportunities are chances or situations that allow for progress or success. The script suggests that the world is full of opportunities, but how one perceives and seizes these opportunities is crucial. The speaker's success story with Alibaba is an example of recognizing and capitalizing on opportunities when they arise.

💡Rejection

Rejection is the act of refusing to accept or consider something. The video script mentions the speaker's experiences with rejection, such as being turned down for jobs and university applications, to illustrate the common challenges faced by many and to encourage resilience in the face of such setbacks.

💡Entrepreneur

An entrepreneur is a person who organizes and operates a business, taking on financial risks to do so. The speaker's story of starting Alibaba with borrowed money highlights the entrepreneurial spirit, which involves innovation, risk-taking, and the pursuit of new ideas.

💡Alipay

Alipay is a third-party mobile and online payment platform. In the script, Alipay is mentioned as an example of an initially criticized idea that turned out to be a massive success, serving 800 million people. This highlights the importance of innovation and the potential for ideas to transform industries.

💡Mistakes

Mistakes are errors or incorrect actions. The speaker advises that mistakes should be viewed as valuable learning experiences. This perspective encourages a growth mindset where failure is not the end but a stepping stone towards success.

💡Teamwork

Teamwork involves collaborating with a group of people to achieve a common goal. The speaker mentions that success comes from working as a team, which is a central theme in the video, emphasizing the collective effort behind the success of Alibaba and the importance of collaboration.

💡Passion

Passion is a strong and barely controllable emotion. In the context of the video, passion is linked to the drive and commitment required to pursue one's dreams and overcome obstacles. The speaker suggests that working in a small company can help one learn passion and the dedication needed to succeed.

💡Age and Stages

The script outlines different stages of life and the recommended actions for each stage, such as being a good student before 20, following a good boss before 30, and focusing on one's strengths between 40 and 50. This concept emphasizes the idea that life is a journey with different phases, each with its own focus and learning opportunities.

💡Innovation

Innovation refers to the introduction of new ideas or methods. The speaker's discussion of Alibaba's unique business model, which was initially criticized for being unlike any in the USA, illustrates the importance of innovation in business. It shows that thinking differently and being willing to innovate can lead to success.

💡Resilience

Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. The video script highlights the speaker's multiple rejections and the resilience required to keep pursuing one's dreams. It serves as an inspiration to viewers, showing that resilience is key to overcoming life's challenges.

Highlights

The importance of keeping dreams and making small steps towards them.

The speaker's experience of multiple rejections before university graduation.

The speaker's unsuccessful attempts to join the police and get into Harvard.

The common problem of losing hope and vision among young people.

The realization that the world offers many opportunities despite rejections.

The question of how one perceives the world and seizes opportunities.

The lack of financial support and the need to work as a team.

The contrast between having fancy ideas and returning to the same job.

The decision to start a business with a $2000 loan from relatives and friends.

The founding of Alibaba in 1999 and the initial skepticism about its business model.

The comparison of Alibaba with other tech giants like Amazon, Ebay, and Google.

The speaker's belief in Alibaba's potential despite expert opinions.

The initial resistance to the idea of Alipay and its current widespread use.

Advice to young people that mistakes are valuable learning experiences.

Recommendations for personal development before the age of 30.

The significance of choosing the right boss and learning from them.

The importance of clarity and focus for those aged 30-40 in their career.

Advice for those 40-50 to focus on their strengths and not venture into new areas.

The suggestion for those 50-60 to work for and support younger generations.

Transcripts

We keep our dreams, we believe it,

no matter how big your dream is make small tiny steps ahead.

When I graduated from University

and before, you know, for 3 years I tried fully into the universities.

So applied jobs,

30 times, got rejected.

I went for police, they said no you are not good.

I applied for Harvard, for 10 times, rejected.

Today young people, lot of young people lose hope,

lose vision and start to complain.

We also have the same problem

It is not a good feeling to be rejected by so many people.

We also feel depressed.

But at least later we find the world has a lot opportunities.

How you see the world? How you catch the opportunity?

we don't have a rich father,

powerful uncle, we don't get 1 dollar from bank,

Where is the income coming in?

Just work as a team.

Because most of the people, they have fancy ideas in a day,

when they wake up in the morning, they go back to the same job.

We have to do something different.

So from there,

I started my business borrowing 2000 US dollars from my relatives and friends.

So 1999 I started Alibaba in my apartment.

People say ah! Alibaba models are terrible,

does not make money, have this and that all the big bad things,

because Amazon is better, Ebay is better, Google is better.

There is no such model like Alibaba in the USA,

so I told myself and people

We are better than people thought

And those people who are experts of riding horses, they all fell down

and I am still surviving.

So many people I talked to at that time for Alipay they say,

this is the stupidest idea you have ever got.

Now we have 800 million people using this Alipay.

My advice to the young people, any mistake is a wonderful revenue for you.

So I taught to myself and I taught to my young people.

Before 20 years old be a good student,

way to entrepreneur just learn some experience.

Before 30 years old follow somebody,

go to a small company.

Normally in a big company it is good to learn processing,

you are a part of a big machine.

But when you go to small company,

you will learn the passion, you will learn the dreams,

you will learn how to do a lot of things at one time.

So, before 30 years old it is not which company you go,

it is which boss you follow.

It is very important.

A good boss teaches you differently.

From 30-40 years old you have to think very clear,

If you are working for yourself,

if you really want to be an entrepreneur.

When you are 40-50 years old,

you have to do all the things that you are good at,

don't try to look or jump into the new area.

It is too late.

You maybe successful but the rate of dying is too big.

So 40-50 think about

how you can focus on things that you are good at.

But when you are 50-60 years old work for the young people

because young people can do better than you.

So rely on them, invest on them making sure they are good.