How to Make a Few Billion Dollars Quotes

“The question, “What was the happiest part of your day?” has a more uplifting effect than “How was your day?”
― Brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars

“The bingo quadrant is the big, hairy deals. If you can find a big, hairy deal with solvable problems, that’s where the real money is.”
― Brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars

“fact that it’s a fire. Non-judgmental concentration trains your brain to realize that the people and things in your life don’t exist relative to you; they simply exist. If you can take yourself out of the equation, you’ll have a much clearer view.”
― Brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars

“If you stare at your hands for a few minutes, the strong brain-hand connection can trigger dissociative, trancelike experiences. My feeling-the-brain technique is similar, but instead of directing my awareness to my hands, I put it on my brain. I close my eyes and gently allow my mind to merge with its physical counterpart, the brain, to “feel” it like a tactile sensation. The effect is a spontaneous explosion of rich and unusual experiences. Often, the boundaries of my senses get mixed up and I slip into synesthesia. I might see sounds, or hear colors, or smell emotions. If I’m tired or just not in the zone, I can close my eyes and feel my brain and be instantly energized. Feeling the brain is a powerful technique that can help you rejuvenate and be more creative. I encourage you to try it and see for yourself.”
― Brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars

“Finally, I’ll share something that might spare you some time in rearranging your own brain. “Not beating myself up” has been a hard-learned lesson for me and those around me. I became much happier in my middle age when I stopped expecting unrealistic levels of perfection from myself and my family, my friends, and my co-workers, not to mention customers, vendors, and shareholders. The reality is that when you’re trying to make a few billion dollars, your team is likely running in multiple directions at a fast pace. Accept that some goof-ups are inevitable, and you’ll find that it’s much easier to maintain your mental equilibrium as you pursue big goals.”
― Brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars

“I don’t take it for granted that I’m going to be successful. Unexpected stuff can happen at any time. A healthy fear of failure has kept me sharp.”
― Brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars

“When I have negative automatic thoughts, I use a two-step process to achieve a calmer, more rational state of mind and make better business decisions. First, I acknowledge the negativity as my natural, self-critical psychology kicking in. Then I challenge the validity of that perspective because, millions of years ago, our human psyche was programmed to default to anxiety and fear as a survival mechanism. We’ve been slow to evolve. Automatic negative thoughts are a knee-jerk mental reaction to a situation that almost always can be reframed in a positive light.”
― Brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars

“It makes no financial sense to skimp on salary and incentives to save $100,000 a year, when hiring a second-best candidate may cost you millions of dollars in lost profit.”
― Brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars

“If you resist embracing an imperfect situation today, you might lose the opportunity to capitalize on it tomorrow.”
― brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars

“At some point in the integration process, I tell new team members, “I’m only going to make one promise to you, and I promise this 100 percent: Despite trying my best, I’m going to mess up some things. So, give me a break, please, and give me some time to get it right. Also, feel free to tell me when I’m messing stuff up, and I’ll listen to you. We’re all on the same team now. And if we work together constructively on the basis of mutual trust, we can create something magnificent.”
― Brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars

“Intentional daydreaming (or gedankenexperiment, mental synthesis, or whatever you want to call it) can change how we see our world, but thought experiments are not limited to genius scientists. Gifted artists, composers, and mathematicians use them for creative work or problem-solving, sometimes without realizing it. Hypnotherapists evoke vivid imaginings during trances. Yogis do it while practicing their inner exploration, and some religious orders access gedankenexperiments through contemplative prayer. Meditation has been my main hobby since I was a teenager. It’s helped me stay calm and think creatively in challenging circumstances.”
― Brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars

“I created XPO with a private investment in public equity (a “PIPE”) that gave me control of a logistics company with about $175 million in revenue. Its main focus was freight transportation: matching truckers with shippers, forwarding freight, and expediting urgent shipments. I felt confident we could create a business model with a major upside to earnings by applying scale and technological innovation, and we did that, building XPO into an integrated, global logistics leader.”
― brad Jacobs, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars