Notable Quotes from Jack Ma at DLSU

These quips resonated the most with viewers of FB Live coverage of the Alibaba
founder’s remarks
By Pauline Macaraeg | Oct 25, 2017

The De La Salle University (DLSU) conferred an honorary doctorate degree in

technopreneurship to Jack Ma (real name Ma Yun), founder and executive chairman of
Chinese online ecommerce giant Alibaba Group, on Wednesday, October 25.
 
The world’s 23rd richest man and second richest in China also engaged in a dialogue with
some of the students of the university, whom he fondly called “schoolmates” in his
acceptance speech. He also answered questions from some of the country’s startup
founders, such as Robbie Antonio and Nico Jose Nolledo, and entrepreneurship advocate
Jose Ma. “Joey” Concepcion III.
 
DLSU live streamed the ceremony in its official Facebook page. The two-hour long live
video gathered at least 276,000 views during the time it was broadcast.
 
The 53-year-old global business magnate has a net worth of $38.3 billion according
to Forbes magazine.
 
Here are 17 quotes from Jack Ma that resonated the most among the Facebook viewers.
 
On personal growth
 
1. “When you are 20 to 30 years old, find a good boss. When you’re 30 to 40 years old,
try do something you want to do for yourself. When you’re 40 to 50 years old, do
something you are good at. When you’re 50 to 60 years old, focus on helping other
people. When you’re over 60 years old, spend time with your grandchildren.”
 
2. “When you have a dream, you have to think of the bad side of the dream very clearly.
Think of what you will give up."
 
3. “If you think it’s about three years you need to be successful, prepare for about 10
years. If you think you have about five years to succeed, prepare for 15 years. And if you
think you need 10 years, you might succeed in eight years. You should have a long
preparation, determination."
 
4. "A young person who wants to do a lot of things is better than a young person who
doesn’t have anything he wants to do."
 
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5. “The priority of whether you want to study or work is the same: learning. When you do
the business, you learn from the business. When you’re in school, you have to put the
other knowledge into practice.”
 
6. “A lot of people leave school then go do business. They say Bill Gates succeeded.
There is only one Bill Gates. Don’t do that.”
 
7. “If you want to be successful, you have to have great EQ. No matter how smart you
are, if you never know how to work with people, you will never succeed.”

On technology and the future

8. "Its not the technology that changes the world, its the dream behind the technology that
can change the world."
 
9. “I think human beings have wisdom, machines have intelligence, animals have
instincts.”
 
10. “Philippines—I think you have the opportunity to make the world’s best fintech in the
world, because you have so many mobile phones, more than 7,000 islands. We should
make Philippines a cashless society. When you have a cashless society, [there is] no
corruption. Life is easier.”
 
11. "The way we do trade will be different. It’s gonna be online. No made in China, no
made in America, no made in Philippines. It’s [going to be] made in Internet."
 
On the education, business and Philippine
internet
12. “We should change the education system, improve the education system. Traditional
way of education, I was considered a failure, a loser.”
 
13. “If you have crazy dreams, don’t talk to your grandfather.”
 

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14.  "Don't invite your best friend to form a company with you. Don’t. I see so many
tragedies. There are cases where they succeed, but most possibly you will fail. It’s better
to make friends when they join the company."
 
15. “You should not find the best people. You should find the right people.”
 
16. “I tried to test the speed of Philippine Internet. It's no good.”
 
17. “I’m very grateful to be given the doctorate degree, but I was considered to be a bad
student.”
 
 *****
 
 Pauline Macaraeg is Entrepreneur PH's data journalist. Follow her on Twitter
@paulinemacaraeg

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