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C. Custer · · 2 min read

Jack Ma on how to find happiness at work

Jack Ma set to cash-out up to $867 million in Alibaba’s IPO tomorrow

You probably know the name Jack Ma. The man is, after all, the chairman and founder of Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba, and his word carries some serious weight in Asian tech circles.

What you may not know is that Jack Ma occasionally blogs. I’ve translated his latest piece below, as I think it’s something that everyone should consider, especially those of you working long hours trying to get startups off the ground.

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While resting at an airport in Alaska in a small, simple room, I watched the night shift employee Jennifer. In just ten minutes, she and my colleague discussed the influence of genetics on disease and her own unique take on the influence the earth’s rotation has on atmospheric warming.

Off to the side, I was shocked by her level of knowledge, so I curiously asked about her background. She was a geneticist from the American south, she knew how to fly a helicopter, was over 50 years old, and had three kids. She came to work in this small, polar town after her husband’s work transferred him here. She said she had already worked at that customer service desk for nine months, and she laughed: “I like this job because I don’t have to think too much, it’s simple and pleasant.”

Happiness at work comes from your own attitude. There are always people who can find happiness even in their tedious, repetitive jobs, and yet others are always dissatisfied regardless of how important and interesting their jobs are.

A good job isn’t something you go out and find, it’s something you discover while you’re working.

See more: What is Jack Ma’s net worth?

(Source: Sina Tech)

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Community Writer

C. Custer

Former editor and motion graphics artist for Tech in Asia. Currently content marketer at Dataquest.io