Bezos, a newly minted billionaire after Amazon’s 1997 IPO, was speaking at the conference Summit Achievement Academy in San Antonio. He described stress as a warning sign rather than an inevitable byproduct of hard work. “So, if I find that a certain thing is causing me stress, that’s a red flag for me,” Bezos said. “What it means is that something I haven’t fully recognized, perhaps in my conscious mind, is bothering me and I haven’t taken action yet.”

Bezos said that just taking a small first step, such as making a phone call or sending an email, can significantly reduce stress levels, even before the underlying problem is solved. “I find that once we recognize it and make that first phone call, or send the first email, or whatever we’re going to do to start addressing that situation — even if it’s not resolved — the mere fact that we’re addressing it greatly reduces any stress that might come from it.”

Bezos said there’s a common misconception that stress often comes from hard work, and he doesn’t completely agree with that view. “Stress doesn’t come from working hard,” he said. “You can work incredibly hard and love it. Likewise, you can be unemployed and feel incredibly stressed about it.”

The Amazon founder extended this reasoning to include job searching, comparing positive and negative approaches to unemployment. “If you’re unemployed, but you’re going through a disciplined approach — a series of job interviews, etc. — and working through the situation, you’ll be much less stressed than if you’re just worrying about it and doing nothing.”

What the research says about stress management

Bezos’ observations are consistent with established psychological research on coping strategies. Studies show that problem-focused coping — taking direct action to address stressors — is good More effective in reducing stress An emotion-focused approach that simply manages emotions. I found the research People who use active problem solving report lower stress levels and better mental health outcomes. Conversely, procrastination—the avoidance that Bezos warns against—It has been linked to increased stressAnxiety and even physical health problems.

Many mental health professionals Recommends problem-focused coping techniques To manage stress in the workplace. This includes identifying specific stressors, breaking down large problems into manageable steps, and taking concrete action rather than ruminating on difficulties. This approach does not mean ignoring emotions, but rather directing them into productive action, as Bezos suggests.

You can watch the full 2001 interview with Jeff Bezos below.

For this story, luck Use generative AI to help with the rough draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publication.