Jeff Bezos, the Amazon.com, Inc. founder, once revealed that quality rest and fewer, smarter decisions—not hustle culture—are the keys to long-term leadership success.

In a 2018 interview with billionaire investor David Rubenstein, Bezos explained why he structures his day around rest, family time, and high-quality decision-making.

"I like to putter in the morning," Bezos said, adding he reads the newspaper, drinks coffee and has breakfast with his kids.  This is because he values mental clarity; he schedules all his mentally demanding meetings for 10 a.m. and avoids major decisions after 5 p.m.

Bezos also stressed the importance of sleep, saying he gets eight hours a night whenever possible. "I think better, I have more energy, and my mood is better," he said. "As a senior executive, you get paid to make a small number of high-quality decisions," adding that he doesn't think a person in his position should risk lower quality by being tired.

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Bezos cited Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett's minimalist decision-making style as a model: "Warren Buffett says he's good if he makes three good decisions a year," adding, "I make like three good decisions a day."

He also said that Amazon's senior leaders operate with a long-term mindset and are already working on strategies that will materialize in future quarters.

"That quarter was baked three years ago," Bezos remarked when complimented on strong results. "I'm working on a quarter that'll show in 2021," he said during the interview in 2018.

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Bezos' philosophy stands in sharp contrast with Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk, who has said he works over 120 hours a week and gets just six hours of sleep a night. Musk's sleep-deprived grind has become legendary—but it's not without risks.

Medical research, including a 2017 study in the journal Annals of Neurology, shows that sleep deprivation can impair decision-making and increase risk-taking.

Bezos joins a group of successful figures, including Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill, who championed sleep as essential. While hustle culture persists, his message is clear: Great leadership isn't about burning out—it's about being present, sharp, and forward-thinking.

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Photo: Lev Radin / Shutterstock.com

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.