10 Powerful Messages from Great CEOs and Leaders

Dr. Seuss described life’s struggles so eloquently in “Oh the Places You’ll Go” when he wrote:

“I’m sorry to say so, but, sadly, it’s true that Bangs-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you. You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.”

The very best way to dig your way out of that “Lurch” is by finding your inspiration and motivation. Both can be elusive and fleeting, but reaching outside of yourself and finding what drives you will help you and your ecommerce business move forward. Get out and take a walk, talk to a trusted friend, do some reading, engage in a creative activity, and learn from those who have been there before you. Here are 10 powerful messages from great CEOs and leaders who can help you get back on track.

Kevin Plank, CEO of Under Armour
“There’s an entrepreneur right now, scared to death, making excuses, saying, ‘It’s not the right time just yet.’ There’s no such thing as a good time. I started an apparel-manufacturing business in the tech-boom years. I mean, come on. Get out of your garage and go take a chance, and start your business.”

Steve Jobs, Apple Inc. co-founder, chairman and CEO
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

Ellen Kullman, CEO of Dupont
“It’s not about having a specific set time; both personal and professional lives are 24/7. It’s simply, more about making the right allocation to each one and recognizing that it’s going to be different every single day.”

Andrew Mason, CEO of Groupon
“I’ve been very lucky, from the beginning. I’ve found that as long as you’re fundamentally good – as long as you’re not being bad to people – people give you a lot of room to be yourself, because being yourself is being honest. And that’s what people want to see.”

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook
“The question I ask myself like almost every day is, ‘Am I doing the most important thing I could be doing?’… Unless I feel like I’m working on the most important problem that I can help with, then I’m not going to feel good about how I’m spending my time. And that’s what this company is.”

Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo
“I always did something that I was a little not ready to do. I think that, that is how you grow. When there’s a moment of ‘Wow, I’m not so sure that I can do this, and you push through those moments, it’s then that you have a breakthrough. Sometimes that’s a sign that something really great is about to happen. You’re about to grow and learn a lot more about yourself.”

Sara Blakely, SPANX founder
“Embrace what you don’t know, especially in the beginning, because what you don’t know can become your greatest asset. It ensures that you will absolutely be doing things different from everybody else.”

Arianna Huffington, The Huffington Post Media Group president
“Fearlessness is like a muscle. I know from my own life that the more I exercise it, the more natural it becomes to not let my fears run me.”

Mary Kay Ash, Mary Kay Cosmetics founder
“Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.”

Ben Silbermann, Pinterest founder
“Don’t take too much advice. Most people who have a lot of advice to give — with a few exceptions — generalize whatever they did. Don’t over-analyze everything. I myself have been guilty of over-thinking problems. Just build things and find out if they work.”

Remember, even CEOs had to start somewhere too.

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Endicia is a leading provider of internet-based postage services that make it easier and more affordable to ship parcels through the U.S. Postal Service®. We know that shipping can be complex and our goal is to simplify your shipping operations so you can focus on doing what you do best. Visit us at www.endicia.com to learn more.