Jeff Bezos Says He Keeps this Inspiring Quote On His Fridge at All Times

Fridges usually act as the perfect canvas for our post-it notes, family photos, scribbled drawings, and assorted magnets from past travels. If you’re an entrepreneur, you most likely have a few motivational quotes stuck to your fridge door too. Turns out you have that in common with none other than Amazon CEO and founder, Jeff Bezos.

Photo Credit: Drew Angerer / Getty Images

The billionaire businessman recently revealed his daily source of inspiration by tweeting a photo captioned, “Love this quote. It’s been on my fridge for years, and I see it every time I open the door. #Emerson”

His tweet was met with both praise and criticism. The latter is largely due to Amazon’s conflict with Seattle’s new tax to help the city’s homeless. Another user clarified that the quote is actually not from Ralph Waldo Emerson, but from American author Bessie A. Stanley in her essay titled, “What constitutes success?”

Regardless of whether or not you agree with how Bezos runs his professional and personal affairs, the quote still stands as a true representation of what it means to be successful.

How Bezos lives up to his favorite quote

Photo Credit: Drew Angerer / Getty Images

There are many lines of this inspirational quote that Jeff Bezos is working hard to fulfill. For one, Amazon is the world’s biggest retailer and has undoubtedly improved many aspects of our lives. (Even if you just use it to order dog toys in bulk.)

Most recently, Amazon purchased PillPack to allow consumers faster and cheaper access to important medication. And how can we forget the innovation of the Amazon Echo, which has been used in everything from assisting EMTs in ambulances, to teaching children valuable life lessons, and even acting as a health assistant for senior citizens.

Bezos is also spending a billion dollars a year of his own money on Blue Origin, his very own space company. While many will argue there is enough to fix on Earth before funding outrageous space adventures, Bezos insists Blue Origin is his “most important work.”

In an interview with Business Insider, Bezos explained that space exploration was critical for human survival, and that heavy (contaminating) industries could be moved to other planets, leaving Earth to be a clean and residential planet.

Not everyone agrees with this approach, but one thing that can be said for sure is that Jeff Bezos is undoubtedly looking to “redeem the social condition” in more ways than we can imagine.

How this quote applies to you

As you read that quote on Bezos’ fridge, what comes up in your mind? Are you working to achieve any of those elements for success? If you’re drawing a blank, how can you start today?

Jeff Bezos has given plenty of powerful words of advice about achieving success that you can take a look at for motivation.

Whatever you choose to do next, do your best to make sure it brings you closer to making the world just a bit better than it was yesterday. That’s true success.