As the founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos has changed the way we shop, work, and even think about business. You don’t need to run a company to use his success mantras—they’re usable by anyone seeking progress. Here’s the list of Bezos’s clearest, most practical advice and how you can actually apply it to your life to get results. It draws from his public interviews, shareholder letters, speeches, and insights shared in books like “Invent and Wander” and “The Everything Store.”
Make High-Quality Decisions With Less Information
Do you ever feel stuck waiting for every last detail before you can make a call? Jeff Bezos has a different take. He says leaders should aim for 70% of the information they need and then act. It’s about trusting your instincts to fill in the blanks, keeping things moving.
Think Long-Term, Even When It’s Unpopular
Everyone wants a quick win. Bezos went the opposite direction. Back in 1997, his shareholder letter didn’t promise fast profits; it laid out a vision for lasting value. He ignored the noise from Wall Street. The lesson here was not to be afraid to take a long, unpopular road.
Embrace Failure As A Necessary Part Of Innovation
Every setback should be seen as an essential learning opportunity, a stepping stone to the next big breakthrough. Take the Fire Phone, a spectacular commercial flop. That very failure provided a huge bank of insights. True innovation is about using those failures to move forward.
Be Stubborn On Vision, Flexible On Details
Imagine you have a clear destination but are open to taking any road to get there. That’s Bezos’s approach. He advises being rock-solid on your long-term goals while remaining totally flexible on the small, day-to-day stuff. This allows you to adapt without losing sight of your ultimate objective.
Avoid Procrastination—Speed Matters In Decision-Making
Hesitation can kill a good idea, and that’s the very reason why Amazon has a “Bias for Action” philosophy. They believe taking a quick, smart guess is better than endless analysis, and waiting for the perfect moment is just procrastination. A good decision made quickly is worth more than a perfect one that arrives too late when the opportunity is already gone.
Focus On What Won’t Change Over Time
If you build around lasting values, your work stays useful and strong. Bezos asks a simple, profound question: “What will not change in the next 10 years?” Instead of chasing fleeting trends, he built Amazon around timeless customer desires: low prices, fast shipping, and a massive selection. These are things people will always want, regardless of market shifts.
Use Regret Minimization To Make Big Life Choices
While making a big life decision, try a simple thought experiment: imagine you’re 80 years old, looking back on your life. What choices would you regret not making? That’s the regret minimization framework, a powerful tool for finding clarity upon being faced with a pivotal choice.
Maintain A Day 1 Mentality—Stay Scrappy And Curious
Amazon might be a giant, but its culture is built on a “Day 1” mentality. This is a reminder to stay hungry and innovative, like a scrappy startup. It’s about being nimble, curious, and constantly experimenting and ensuring a massive corporation can avoid complacency and keep moving forward.
Guard Your Time Like It’s Your Most Valuable Asset
Do you know how top leaders get so much done? It’s often due to ruthless time management—they protect their time. Bezos, for example, schedules important meetings for the morning when he’s at his best and uses the famous “two-pizza rule” to limit meeting sizes. The idea is simple: if two pizzas can’t feed the group, the meeting’s too big.
Hire People You Admire, Not Just Those Who Fit The Role
Hiring can be more than just filling a job description. Bezos famously said he’d rather interview 50 people and hire no one than hire the wrong person. He looks for individuals he genuinely admires, people who inspire and challenge him. The lesson is to connect with people who inspire everyone around them.
