
Jeff Bezos' Guide to Life - blacksoil
https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/05/jeff-bezos-guide-to-life/
======
kogepathic
Can we add (2017) to the title? This has been posted before:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15681256](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15681256)

------
donquichotte
When reading interviews like this I often fall into the mental trap of
thinking: "if I do everything like this guy, I'll be just as successful!" Of
course, this is not true. To become hugely successful, one must in the right
place at the right time and do the right thing. A large part of it is luck (or
so I like telling myself), so "advice" from very successful people is just
like a lottery winner's advice on how to choose the numbers.

~~~
frostwhale
I disagree completely. While hitting it as big as Jeff Bezos did relies on
luck, there's generally themes and qualities that lend themselves to being
"lucky" as you call it. And even if you dont hit it as big as Bezos, those
qualities can improve your life and other's opinion of you. For example, Jeff
Bezos always gets the job done. Nearly every tech success story has some
variation of that skill, the ability to complete the task, sometimes in a
roundabout way, even if it seemed impossible.

This is not to say acquiring that trait gives you a billion dollar company.
But it certainly doesn't hurt to have.

~~~
donquichotte
Actually, pretty much all of the advice Bezos gives here resonates a lot with
me.

However, measurable factors like intergenerational income elasticity and
social mobility appear to show that who you are (luck) is just as important in
terms of financial success than what you do.

------
comboy
> "Jeff and his wife let their kids use sharp knives since they were four
> (...) I’d much rather have a kid with nine fingers than a resourceless kid.”

Interesting. My thinking would be more along the lines of "you can still learn
to be resourceful when you're 30, but the finger is gone for good". Of course
I'm aware it's not easy to rewire your brain. Plus, you know, not everything
is as disposable as a finger.

~~~
majjam
Reminds me of a Terry Pratchett quote from The Hogfather:

“You can't give her that!' she screamed. 'It's not safe!' IT'S A SWORD, said
the Hogfather. THEY'RE NOT MEANT TO BE SAFE. 'She's a child!' shouted Crumley.
IT'S EDUCATIONAL. 'What if she cuts herself?' THAT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT
LESSON.”

~~~
andyjohnson0
I know that Pratchett had important things to say, but also this was written
for comedic effect. In reality there is is clearly a continuum between
"swaddle them in cotton wool" and "give them power tools and let them learn",
and nether extreme is very desirable.

------
HyperMassive
I wonder what the motivations are behind public engagement like this?

I have no idea whether Mr Bezos is a nice bloke or not; but unfortunately for
him being the most richest man in the world means most people have a somewhat
negative disposition towards him.

for example this quote from the article "And finally, his most ridiculous
quote of the talk" paints him as some sort of a disconnected member of high
society (and perhap he is) but going from the previous quotes he seems quite
well adjusted.

I swear this is becoming more and more common. ... and well, I am more than
capable of forming opinions on my own.

~~~
drukenemo
"for him being the most richest man in the world means most people have a
somewhat negative disposition towards him." or maybe Amazon's terrible and
terrifying company culture and his behaviour adds to that a little bit too?

~~~
HyperMassive
aye ok, perhaps it IS justified. But the interview didnt actually touch on
anything of the sort, yet the author is attempting to ridicule him.

-remarkable man does unremarkable interview yet the outcome is "what is this elistist douchebro gonna do next?"

------
andyjohnson0
> “We have to go to space to save earth” Jeff says, noting “we kind of have to
> hurry.” Still, he believes Plan A and Plan B both need to be protecting the
> environment of Earth to keep it livable. “We’ve sent robotic probes to every
> planet in our solar system. This one is the best. It’s not even close.”

Anyone know more about his reasoning here. Is this asteroid/comet impact
protection or something else?

------
RickJWagner
Nice article.

