--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Entrepreneurs must be willing to be…" description: "\"Entrepreneurs must be willing to be misunderstood for long periods of time.\" — Jeff Bezos" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/jeff-bezos-1193_business_entrepreneurs-must-be-willing-to-be-misu_2185912.jpg" --- # Entrepreneurs must be willing to be misunderstood for long… ![“Entrepreneurs must be willing to be misunderstood for long periods of time.” quote by Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/jeff-bezos-1193_business_entrepreneurs-must-be-willing-to-be-misu_2185912.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/jeff-bezos-1193_business_entrepreneurs-must-be-willing-to-be-misu_2185912.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/jeff-bezos-1193_business_entrepreneurs-must-be-willing-to-be-misu_2185912.jpg) > “Entrepreneurs must be willing to be misunderstood for long periods of time.” [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Successful entrepreneurs must accept that others may not understand their vision for extended periods. **In simple terms:** Be prepared to be misunderstood. Key Takeaway Stay committed to your vision. Themes entrepreneurship innovation perseverance Mood inspirational cautious Type business philosophical When to use this quote - startup fundraising - product development - market entry - brand building Key Concepts disruption long‑term thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you test ideas without external validation? - When is it wise to seek broader acceptance? A Different Perspective Misunderstanding can lead to isolation and missed feedback. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) [Entrepreneurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurs/) [Misunderstood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misunderstood/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If you are going to do large-scale invention, you have to be willing to do three things: You must be willing to fail; you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-are-going-to-do-large-scale-invention-you-have-to-be-willing/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [It's okay to be misunderstood - as long as you're not misunderstood by your consumers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-pincus/it-s-okay-to-be-misunderstood-as-long-as-you-re-not-misunderstood-by/) [Mark Pincus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-pincus/) > [I believe you have to be willing to be misunderstood if you're going to innovate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-believe-you-have-to-be-willing-to-be-misunderstood-if-you-re-going/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Entrepreneurs are willing to work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40 hours a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-greiner/entrepreneurs-are-willing-to-work-80-hours-a-week-to-avoid-working-40/) [Lori Greiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-greiner/) > [“He will be misunderstood and for long thought an ally of powers he abhors”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/he-will-be-misunderstood-and-for-long-thought-an-ally-of-powers-he/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I'm willing to be misunderstood. I've never had a problem being misunderstood by a portion of people on any particular issue if it makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rjd2/i-m-willing-to-be-misunderstood-i-ve-never-had-a-problem-being/) [RJD2](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rjd2/) > [When you receive criticism from well-meaning people, it pays to ask, ‘Are they right?’ And if they are, you need to adapt what they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/when-you-receive-criticism-from-well-meaning-people-it-pays-to-ask/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Invention requires a long-term willingness to be misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/invention-requires-a-long-term-willingness-to-be-misunderstood/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Before success comes patience... when we add to our accomplishments the element of hard work over a long period of time, we'll place a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/before-success-comes-patience-when-we-add-to-our-accomplishments-the/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [For a long period of time, the media covered rap music and hip hop the same way they cover a lot of black people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/for-a-long-period-of-time-the-media-covered-rap-music-and-hip-hop-the/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [You have a lot of suspicion from the neighbors of Afghanistan about U.S. intentions. 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At the end of the explanation, nobody knows… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/barack-obama-will-spend-long-periods-of-time-explaining-to-people-why/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by Jeff Bezos > [I think technology advanced faster than anticipated. In that whirlwind, a lot of companies didn't survive. 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We start with the customer and we work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-re-not-competitor-obsessed-we-re-customer-obsessed-we-start-with/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you're truly obsessed over customers, it'll cover a lot of errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-re-truly-obsessed-over-customers-it-ll-cover-a-lot-of-errors/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [One of the things that I'm very excited about with New Shepard, which is our suborbital tourism vehicle, is using that to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/one-of-the-things-that-i-m-very-excited-about-with-new-shepard-which/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [I wouldn't be surprised if history records Tim Berners-Lee as the second Gutenberg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-wouldn-t-be-surprised-if-history-records-tim-berners-lee-as-the/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Maintain a firm grasp of the obvious at all times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/maintain-a-firm-grasp-of-the-obvious-at-all-times/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) [Explore all 275 Jeff Bezos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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