Billionaire Bob Parsons ON: How To Live A MEANINGFUL LIFE Before You Die | Jay Shetty

The video is an interview with billionaire Bob Parsons about his experiences in the Marine Corps and how he learned to think one day at a time and quantify the worst thing, which helped him build successful businesses and live a meaningful life.

The video features an interview with billionaire Bob Parsons, who shares his insights on how to live a meaningful life before you die. Parsons talks about his experience as a marine during the Vietnam War, where he learned to think one day at a time and quantify the worst thing that could happen. He also discusses his struggles with depression and PTSD after returning home, and how he coped with it. Parsons emphasizes the importance of facing one day at a time and finding happiness in the present moment.

• Bob Parsons enlisted in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.
• Thinking one day at a time and quantifying the worst thing are powerful tools.
• Experienced depression and trauma after coming back from the Marine Corps.
• Started Parsons Technology with no prior business or technology experience.
• Developed the ability to disassociate and not worry about anything.
• Believes in trying different things and taking risks.
• Importance of loving what you do and having a higher purpose.
• Learned from historical figures such as General McClellan, John D. Rockefeller, and Julius Caesar.
• The guy who knows the most about his business quite often is the guy that wins.

Billionaire Bob Parsons ON: How To Live A MEANINGFUL LIFE Before You Die | Jay Shetty - YouTube

Enlisting in the Marine Corps

• Enlisted in the Marine Corps because two friends asked him to join them
• Joined during the height of the Vietnam War in 1968
• Got injured after one month in the Marine Corps
• Learned to think one day at a time
• Learned to quantify the worst thing that could happen

Thinking One Day at a Time

• Thinking one day at a time is manageable and solvable
• Worry belongs to tomorrow, regret belongs to yesterday, happiness is here and now
• Quantifying the worst thing often makes it not so bad
• Thinking really matters, especially during a startup
• Good days are euphoric, bad days look like Armageddon

Experiencing Depression and Trauma

• Experienced depression and trauma after coming back from the Marine Corps
• Parents were compulsive gamblers and didn't pay much attention to him
• Symptoms got worse over 49 years
• Didn't want to go places or be with groups
• Had a quick temper

Billionaire Bob Parsons ON: How To Live A MEANINGFUL LIFE Before You Die | Jay Shetty - YouTube

Lessons Learned

• Thinking one day at a time is a powerful tool
• Quantifying the worst thing often makes it not so bad
• Worry belongs to tomorrow, regret belongs to yesterday, happiness is here and now
• Parents' behavior doesn't define who you are
• Experiencing trauma doesn't mean you're alone

Bob Parsons' Background

• Described as one of the most intense people
• Served in the Marine Corps
• Worked as a laborer in a steel mill
• Studied accounting in college
• Passed the CPA exam and traveled for work

Starting Parsons Technology

• Taught himself programming languages
• Started Parsons Technology with $40,000
• Worked 60-hour shifts and hallucinated after 60 hours
• Sold Parsons Technology for $64 million
• Had no prior business or technology experience

Disassociating and Not Worrying

• Developed the ability to disassociate
• Does not worry about anything
• Helped him get through war and in business
• Brings joy to his life
• Considered an incredible gift

Figuring Out What to Build

• Started building Parsons Technology without prior experience
• Teaches himself programming languages
• Believes there is too much choice today, causing people to feel paralyzed
• Suggests trying different things and seeing what works
• Encourages taking risks and not being afraid to fail

Lessons from Experience

• Started a bookkeeping business and worked with small businesses such as taverns, flower shops, and pest control companies.
• Learned to keep track of records and could tell if a business would succeed or not.
• Learned from historical figures such as General McClellan, John D. Rockefeller, and Julius Caesar.
• Believes that we can learn from history and garner wisdom and insight even if we never met the people we study.
• Encourages people to believe in themselves and give themselves a chance.

Starting a Business

• First thing is to do something that you love and are interested in.
• Second thing is to not be doing it just for the money.
• Third thing is to energize two groups of people: employees and customers.
• Employees need to believe in what you're doing and have a higher purpose.
• Customers need to be taken care of and have a special experience.

Importance of Loving What You Do

• When you love something, it tells you all its secrets.
• Loving what you do translates to working harder and ultimately leads to success.
• Businesses started to make a difference and not just for the money are more successful.
• Special things are done for customers and employees when there is a higher purpose.
• Starting a business just to turn a buck is not a recipe for success.

Learning from Historical Figures

• General McClellan trained and organized the Union Army but could not move them into battle.
• Lincoln fired him and put Grant there, who didn't care how they were organized and just went after the enemy.
• The right way is a mixture of the two.
• John D. Rockefeller kept exceptional records and knew everything about his business at a time when very few people did.
• The guy who knows the most about his business quite often is the guy that wins.
• Julius Caesar was able to lead his armies and build brilliant battlements when attacked by a vastly larger force.

Creating Enthusiasm

• Aspiring to a higher purpose creates enthusiasm.
• Enthusiasm is contagious and fires up employees and customers.
• Having a greater goal beyond making money is important.
• Passion for the business is necessary to create enthusiasm.
• Employees should be encouraged to try new things and move on if they don't work.

Starting GoDaddy

• Bob Parsons started GoDaddy after selling his first business and signing a non-compete agreement.
• He named the business Jomax Technologies and hired people to try things on the internet.
• They eventually started doing websites for people and realized the business couldn't scale.
• They wrote software that allowed people to build their own websites.
• In 1999, they became a domain name registrar and renamed the company GoDaddy.

Watch the video on YouTube:
Billionaire Bob Parsons ON: How To Live A MEANINGFUL LIFE Before You Die | Jay Shetty - YouTube