Lifestyle

5 Quotes From Mark Zuckerberg That Prove Success Begins With Impossible Dreams

by John Haltiwanger

Mark Zuckerberg is one of the most successful Millennials on the planet. By 23, he was already a millionaire and in the 10 years since Facebook was first established, he has become one of the richest individuals in the world.

At just 30 years old, Zuckerberg has a net worth of $35 billion. He can count more billions in his bank account than he can candles on his birthday cake.

Life is not all about the Benjamins; it's about building something that changes the world for the better. When all is said and done, you can't take money with you.

So find your gift and share it with the world. And as the creator of Facebook, Zuckerberg has certainly done that.

Zuckerberg created Facebook while he was still a student at Harvard, and eventually dropped out to concentrate on building the website. He wanted to provide people with a revolutionary means of communicating. Since that time, Facebook has become the most dominant social networking platform, with over one billion users. It connects people around the world in an unprecedented way and has forever changed the way we communicate with one another.

Age is ultimately irrelevant if a person is persistent enough in the pursuit of their dreams. Each Zuckerberg quote below is a testament to the fact that you are never too young to begin conquering the world:

1. "Move fast and break things. Unless you are breaking stuff, you are not moving fast enough."

Move forward in the world unapologetically.

This doesn't mean you should deliberately hurt people on the path to success, but if you're at the front of the pack, you can't wait for others to catch up with you. Sprint to the finish line and keep running.

Break boundaries and don't set limits on yourself. There will be people who don't want to see you succeed because it means the demise of their accomplishments. Ignore them.

Always look forward. Sometimes you have to tear down the oldest and greatest buildings in a city to construct something even better.

People don't change history by copying what others have done. You make history by breaking people's perceptions of what's possible -- and then accomplishing the improbable.

2. "My goal was never to just create a company. A lot of people misinterpret that, as if I don't care about revenue or profit or any of those things. But what not being 'just' a company means to me is building something that actually makes a really big change in the world."

If you only care about money, you might as well settle for a boring job with a steady paycheck. The most successful people risked everything they had to get where they are. Money is an illusion; it comes and goes. Your legacy is forever.

There are plenty of wealthy people out there who only think about themselves. They are selfish and foolish. In the end, no one will remember them. They have no real power and no influence over the future.

In the words of Frank Underwood:

Money is the McMansion in Sarasota that starts falling apart after 10 years. Power is the old stone building that stands for centuries. I cannot respect someone who does not see the difference.

Do something that changes the world for the better. Improve the lives of those around you, and build something that will impact many generations to come. Give more than you take and bring people together. Solidarity is the world's greatest hope.

3. "This is a perverse thing, personally, but I would rather be in the cycle where people are underestimating us. It gives us latitude to go out and make big bets that excite and amaze people."

People with big dreams will always have doubters. Accept them. In fact, welcome them with open arms.

Use them as a source of motivation. Prove them wrong. Don't ever let anyone fill you with negativity. In the end, we cannot control how people treat us, but we can control how we react to them. Optimism is a choice.

When times get tough, remember the people who told you that you couldn't do it. When you reach your goals, go back and thank them. They were the fuel that kept your fire burning.

4. "I know it sounds corny, but I’d love to improve people’s lives, especially socially… Making the world more open is not an overnight thing. It’s a 10- to 15-year thing."

You can't change the world overnight. Patience is key. It's admirable and worthy to desire to improve the world, but it's not easy.

Nelson Mandela went to prison for 27 years before he came the first black president of South Africa. Sometimes we have to suffer before we can mold the world around us.

Changing the world is an uphill battle, but don't be deterred. Nothing good comes easily. The most successful people in the world have learned how to tolerate struggle and failure because we grow from these experiences.

5. "The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks."

We live in an unprecedented time in human history. The Internet and social media have connected us in ways that were unimaginable 50 years ago.

Things will continue to change and develop at a rapid rate, and if you aren't willing to take some chances in life, you might get left behind.

You don't always have to know what you are doing or how things will turn out in the end. Live in the moment; take risks. Not knowing what the outcome will be is what makes life exciting.

Don't get too comfortable. Think about the path to success like a sunny day. Why would you sit on the couch all day when there is so much fun to be had outside? Sure, it's cozy and safe inside, but nothing's happening there.

The greatest accomplishments in history began with bold choices. Likewise, the greatest experiences in life are a product of the risks we take. Step out into the unknown. Forge your own path through the wilderness; don't follow the trail-markers.

You can't discover anything new by going where others have already been.

Photo Credit: WENN