The video centers around the importance of self-belief and how it forms the foundation of personal achievement. The speaker recounts their own experiences of repeated job rejections, which taught them resilience and ultimately led to the creation of Alibaba, a global business platform. This personal narrative emphasizes the strength derived from believing in oneself, regardless of current failures or setbacks.

The speaker further elaborates on the significance of embracing failure as a critical component of success. They draw parallels between learning disciplines, such as walking, and overcoming obstacles in business endeavors. The idea is that every mistake offers new insights that bridge the gap to achieving one's dreams, and true growth only occurs once fear of failure is eradicated.

Main takeaways from the video:

Please remember to turn on the CC button to view the subtitles.

Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. resilience [rɪˈzɪliəns] - (noun) - The ability to recover quickly from difficulties or setbacks. - Synonyms: (durability, toughness, adaptability)

It taught me resilience.

2. transformed [trænsˈfɔːmd] - (verb) - To make a thorough or dramatic change in form, appearance, or character. - Synonyms: (changed, altered, converted)

With that belief, we transformed a simple idea into a company that changed the way people shop and do business across the globe.

3. opposite [ˈɑːpəzɪt] - (noun) - Something that is completely different from another thing. - Synonyms: (contrast, antithesis, inverse)

Failure is not the opposite of success.

4. passionate [ˈpæʃənɪt] - (adjective) - Having strong feelings or a strong belief. - Synonyms: (enthusiastic, fervent, zealous)

When you're passionate about something, you don't mind working hard for it.

5. empower [ɪmˈpaʊər] - (verb) - To give someone the authority or power to do something. - Synonyms: (authorize, enable, equip)

I was passionate about creating a platform that could empower people.

6. dedication [ˌdɛdəˈkeɪʃən] - (noun) - The quality of being committed to a task or purpose. - Synonyms: (commitment, devotion, loyalty)

It takes time, dedication, and a lot of hard work.

7. navigate [ˈnævɪˌgeɪt] - (verb) - To direct or manage a path or course. - Synonyms: (steer, guide, pilot)

Your passion is your compass. It's what will guide you through the toughest times.

8. strategic [strəˈtiːdʒɪk] - (adjective) - Relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them. - Synonyms: (tactical, calculated, deliberate)

We just had one belief. And guess what? With that belief, we transformed a simple idea into a company that changed the way people shop and do business across the globe.

9. legacy [ˈlɛgəsi] - (noun) - Something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor from the past. - Synonyms: (heritage, inheritance, bequest)

It's about leaving a legacy.

10. nurture [ˈnɜrtʃər] - (verb) - To support and encourage something (such as growth or development). - Synonyms: (foster, cultivate, encourage)

Surround yourself with people who inspire you, challenge you and push you to be the best version of yourself.

MAKE YOURSELF PROUD - Inspired by Jack Ma

I am incredibly honored to be here today, standing in front of such brilliant young minds. To be honest, when I was your age, I would have never imagined speaking at an event like this. In fact, when I was younger, I was terrible at public speaking. I couldn't get into a decent school. I failed a lot. But you know what? Those failures shaped me, and ultimately, they pushed me to create something meaningful in life.

Today, I want to talk to you about making yourself proud. Not your parents, not your teachers, not your friends. But you. Let me start with a simple do you believe in yourself? Really? Do you? Because here's the thing. If you don't, no one else will. Belief is the foundation of everything. If you want to achieve something in life, you must first believe you can. If you don't have belief, it's like trying to build a skyscraper on sand. It's going to fall apart before you even finish.

Let me tell you a story about myself. When I was young, I applied for over 30 different jobs. Guess what? I was rejected for every single one of them. Even KFC rejected me. Yes, 24 people applied for the job, and 23 got in. I was the only one left out. Imagine that. You know what that taught me? It taught me resilience. Each rejection was painful, but I believed that there was something bigger out there for me. Even though I didn't know what it was, I believed that belief is what led me to start Alibaba, which back then wasn't the Internet giant it is today. In fact, we had no money, no technology, and no plan. We just had one belief. And guess what? With that belief, we transformed a simple idea into a company that changed the way people shop and do business across the globe.

So my message here is, it doesn't matter where you are right now or how many times you failed. What matters is how much you believe in yourself, because you can't make yourself proud if you don't believe in your potential. Now, let's talk about failure. It's a word that terrifies a lot of people, especially young people. But let me tell you something. Failure is not the opposite of success. In fact, failure is the best teacher you'll ever have. And if you learn from it, it becomes your greatest ally.

When I started Alibaba, I had no idea how tough it would be. There were days when things were so difficult I wanted to give up. But every failure taught me something new. For example, I learned how to take risks, how to be creative with minimal resources, and how to build a strong team. Without those failures, there would be no Alibaba. Today, young people, if you haven't failed yet, you're not trying hard enough. The road to success is paved with failures.

You will fall, you will make mistakes, and you will want to quit. But that's okay. You should never be afraid of failing. Instead, you should be afraid of not trying, because that's the only way you can learn and grow. Think about a baby learning how to walk. Does the baby succeed on its first try? No. The baby falls again and again. But every time it falls, it learns something new, and eventually it takes its first step. Life is exactly like that. You will fall, but each time you get up, you're a little bit stronger and a little bit wiser. When you embrace failure, you're on your way to making yourself proud.

Now, I know that many of you are in school or just starting your careers, and there's a lot of pressure to choose the right path. Everyone tells you, be a doctor, be a lawyer, be an engineer. Right? But what if your passion lies elsewhere? What if you want to be a musician, an entrepreneur, or a filmmaker? Here's the thing. Your passion is your compass. It's what will guide you through the toughest times.

When you're passionate about something, you don't mind working hard for it. In fact, it doesn't even feel like work. You enjoy the journey, and every little achievement makes you proud. When I started Alibaba, people thought I was crazy. I mean, how could a Chinese guy who didn't even know how to code possibly compete with giants like Amazon and eBay? But you know what? I love the Internet. I saw the potential it had to change lives, especially in China, where small businesses were struggling. I wasn't in it for the money or fame. I was passionate about creating a platform that could empower people. And that passion kept me going even when things were tough.

So my advice to you is, find your passion and follow it with all your heart. Don't do something just because society expects you to do something that makes you come alive. When you're driven by passion, success will naturally follow. And that success, more than anything, will make you proud.

Here's another secret. There's no such thing as overnight success. I know we live in a world where everything seems instant. You post a picture, and within seconds, you get likes. You send a message, and it gets delivered instantly. But let me tell you, success is not instant. It takes time, dedication, and a lot of hard work.

People look at Alibaba now and see a massive company. But what they don't see is the years of struggle, the sleepless nights and the countless obstacles we had to overcome. When we first started, we didn't make any money for years. Yes, years. Can you imagine working on something day and night and seeing no financial returns for years? Many people would have given up, but we didn't because we believed in our vision and we were patient young people.

I know it's tempting to want everything now. You want success, money, fame, all of it. But remember, anything worth having takes time to build. Don't rush the process. Be patient. Work hard, and trust that your efforts will pay off in the long run. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will your success.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned in life is that the people you surround yourself with can make or break you. If you want to make yourself proud, you need to be very careful about who you allow into your inner circle. When I was building Alibaba, I didn't hire people based on their resumes or qualifications. In fact, I hired people who were smarter than me, who had skills I didn't have, and who shared my vision and values. The people you surround yourself with should inspire you, challenge you and push you to be the best version of yourself.

If you're surrounded by people who are always negative, who don't believe in your dreams, or who discourage you from taking risks, they will drag you down. On the other hand, if you surround yourself with people who believe in you, who encourage you to take risks, and who support you through thick and thin, you will go far.

So take a moment and think about the people in your life. Are they helping you grow or are they holding you back? If you want to make yourself proud, make sure you're surrounded by people who lift you up.

Now let's not forget one important thing. Have fun. Life is too short to take everything so seriously. Yes, work hard, chase your dreams, and be ambitious. But don't forget to enjoy the journey. When I was building Alibaba, we had a lot of fun. We would play games, have brainstorming sessions, and even throw parties. We worked hard, but we also laughed a lot.

Remember, success is not just about the destination, it's about the journey. And if you're not enjoying the journey, what's the point? Make time for the things that make you happy. Spend time with your friends and family. Pursue hobbies, travel, and most importantly, laugh. You'll find that when you're having fun, you'll be more creative, more productive and more motivated to achieve your goals.

Lastly, I want to talk about something bigger than personal success. It's about leaving a legacy. It's about making the world a better place for the next generation. At the end of the day, it's not about how much money you make or how many awards you win and what really matters is the impact you have on the lives of others.

When I started Alibaba, I wasn't thinking about becoming a billionaire. I was thinking about how I could help small businesses in China. And today, that mission is what drives everything we do at Alibaba. Young people, your success should not just be about you. It should be about the difference you make in the world.

Use your talents, your skills and your success to help others. Whether it's through charity, innovation, or simply being kind to those around you. Strive to leave the world a little better than you found it. That's how you truly make yourself proud.

So, my dear young people, as you move forward in life, remember these key points. One, believe in yourself, because no one else will if you don't. Two, embrace failure because it's your greatest teacher. Three, follow your passion, because it's your compass in life. Four, be patient, because success takes time. Five, surround yourself with the right people, because they will make or break you. Six, have fun because life is too short not to enjoy the journey. Seven, leave a legacy because true success is about making the world a better place. The future is in your hands. You have the power to shape it, to create it, and to make yourself proud. So go out there and chase your dreams. Don't let anyone or anything hold you back. Believe in yourself. Work hard, and most importantly, make yourself proud.

Motivation, Entrepreneurship, Belief, Resilience, Inspiration, Leadership, Lore Balos Motivations