What is THE key to Amazon’s invention? Jeff Bezos – the world’s richest man – explains.

Video Transcript:

Q: Were you tested by failure and do you believe this notion that you learn more from failure than you do from success?

Bezos: Well, I think you very well may. You know? Certainly, Amazon has had unbelievable amounts for good luck.

So, you know, if you look at where we are today, it’s half luck, half good timing, and the rest has been brains. Because oftentimes, invention requires a long term willingness to be misunderstood.

You do something that you genuinely believe in. That you have conviction about. But for a long period of time, well meaning people may criticize that effort.

When you receive criticism from well meaning people, it pays to say, first of all, search yourself. Are they right? And if they are, you need to adapt what you’re doing.

If they’re not right, if you really have conviction that they’re not right then you need to have that long term willingness to be misunderstood.

It’s a key part of invention.