Jeff Bezos revealed 25-year-old habit to ease stress: 'Make the first phone call...'

More than two decades ago, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos shared a simple piece of advice about dealing with stress that continues to resonate today. Speaking at the Academy of Achievement Summit in 2001, Bezos argued that many people misunderstand what causes stress in the first place. According to him, stress is often linked to problems that people know they need to address but continue to put off. His solution was straightforward: take the first step. Whether it is making a phone call, sending an email or starting a conversation, Bezos believes that beginning to address a problem can significantly reduce the stress associated with it.

Jeff Bezos believes stress comes from inaction

During his speech, Bezos challenged the idea that stress is mainly caused by hard work or a demanding schedule.
"You can be working incredibly hard and loving it," he said. "And likewise, you can be out of work and incredibly stressed."

Instead, Bezos argued that stress often comes from avoiding issues that require attention. He suggested that when people ignore a problem for too long, it can become a source of anxiety.

"Stress comes from ignoring things that you shouldn't be ignoring," he said.

Bezos believes stress serves as a warning sign that there is an issue demanding action. The longer that issue remains unaddressed, the more it tends to weigh on a person's mind.

The simple habit that helped Jeff Bezos for 25 years

According to Bezos, reducing stress does not require solving a problem immediately. The important thing is to begin addressing it.

He explained that when he identifies the source of a stressful situation, he focuses on taking the first action. That action could be making a phone call, sending an email or starting a discussion with the people involved.

"As soon as I identify it and make the first phone call, or send off the first email, whatever it is that we're going to do to start to address that situation, even if it's not solved, the mere fact that we're addressing it dramatically reduces any stress that might come from it," Bezos said.

In his view, people experience relief because they are no longer avoiding the problem. They have started working towards a solution.

The example Bezos used to explain his point

To illustrate his argument, Bezos compared two people who are unemployed.

One person spends time applying for jobs, attending interviews and following a structured plan to find work. The other spends their time worrying about their situation without taking any action.

According to Bezos, the first person is likely to feel less stressed despite facing the same circumstances because they are actively working to improve their situation.

"If you're out of work, but you're going through a disciplined approach, a series of job interviews and working to remedy that situation, you're going to be a lot less stressed than if you're just worrying about it and doing nothing," he said.

The difference is not the challenge itself. The difference is whether a person is taking action to address it.

A lesson centred on action

The central message behind Bezos' advice has remained unchanged for 25 years. When a problem creates stress, taking action can often make the situation feel more manageable.

The action does not need to solve the issue immediately. It simply needs to move the process forward.

For Bezos, that first step may be as simple as making a phone call or sending an email. Once action begins, he believes the stress attached to the problem often starts to diminish.