Quote of the Day by Jeff Bezos: 'I believe you have to be willing to be misunderstood if...' Life lessons from Amazon founder and how did he use it?

Quote of the Day by Jeff Bezos: Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos revealed in an interview that part of the journey to becoming extraordinarily successful was standing firm in his convictions even when others doubted him. “One thing that I tell people is ... if you’re going to do anything new or innovative, you have to be willing to be misunderstood,” says Bezos in an interview in 2018. “If you cannot afford to be misunderstood, then for goodness’ sake, don’t do anything new or innovative.”

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Bezos' quote hidden meaning

The quote by tech CEO Jeff Bezos means that if you want to create something new and different, you should be ready for people not to understand you at first. People might always misunderstand you when you are trying to do something new.


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Jeff Bezos says when you try to create or think differently, at first your ideas may seem strange, risky, or even wrong to others. A new thought or an idea can make people uncomfortable or confusing and they might question you, or even criticise you.

Jeff Bezos is saying that this misunderstanding is normal and in fact, it is part of the journey of innovation. If you are doing something truly unique, people will not always agree with you in the beginning and that should not become a hurdle. Instead of seeking approval from everyone, you need to stay focused on your idea and believe in it, even when others don’t.

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Deeper meaning of the quote

According to Jeff Bezos, innovation means doing something in a new way or building something that has never been done before. When you try new ideas, most people may not see your vision immediately. They might question it, doubt it, or even think it is a bad idea. This happens because people are used to old and familiar ways of doing things.

This quote teaches us to stay strong and believe in our ideas even when others do not understand them. Many successful ideas in the world were first ignored or criticized. But the people behind those ideas kept working on them, trusted their thinking, and did not give up. It also teaches us courage and patience. You must accept that misunderstanding is a part of this journey and keep doing your work with full heart and soul.

For example, many new technologies, online businesses, and modern inventions were once seen as strange or risky. Later, they became very successful and changed the world.

How did Jeff Bezos use this thought in Amazon?

When Amazon first allowed customers to post reviews of books, for example, stakeholders pushed against the new idea. Many successful innovations—like online shopping in Amazon’s early days—were once doubted. But Amazon changed how we look at reading books today.

“When we first did customer reviews 20 years ago, some book publishers were not happy about it because some of [the reviews] were negative. So it was a very controversial practice at that time, but we thought it was right, and so we stuck to our guns and had a deep keel on that and didn’t change,” Bezos was quoted as saying by Business Insider.

“So when you are doing something in a new way, and if customers embrace the new way, what’s going to happen is incumbents who are practicing the older way are not going to like you,” the tech boss explained.

When you are trying something new, skeptics will come in two categories, Bezos said. “Well-meaning critics” are concerned the new innovation won’t work out but hope it does, and “self-interested critics” resist change to maintain their own dominance.

In simple terms, if you want to innovate, you must be brave enough to face confusion, criticism, and doubt from others. You should focus on your long-term goal instead of short-term opinions. Jeff Bezos says you not fear being misunderstood as it is often a sign that you're doing something original and meaningful.

About Jeff Bezos

Born on January 12, 1964, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jeff Bezos is an American entrepreneur who played a key role in the growth of e-commerce as the founder and chief executive officer of Amazon. Jeff Bezos founded e-commerce giant Amazon in 1994 out of his Seattle garage. Bezos stepped down as CEO to become executive chairman in 2021.

Under his guidance, Amazon became the largest retailer on the World Wide Web and the model for Internet sales. He also owns The Washington Post and Blue Origin, an aerospace company developing rockets.

Quotes by Jeff Bezos on business and risk-taking

“If you don’t understand the details of your business, you are going to fail.”

“Failure and invention are inseparable twins.”

“It’s not an experiment if you know it’s going to work.”

“Life is too short to hang out with people who aren’t resourceful.”

“Stress comes from ignoring the things that you shouldn’t be ignoring.”

“Complaining is not a strategy. You have to work with the world as you find it.”

“I knew that if I failed I wouldn’t regret that, but I knew I might regret not trying.”

“What’s dangerous is not to evolve.”

“In the end, we are our choices.”

“Work hard, have fun, make history.”