Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, one of Asia’s most influential business leaders, has long been admired for his wisdom in both business and life. In an interview with Fortune magazine, he shared 10 key principles with his sons — lessons not just about making money, but about building integrity, resilience, and foresight.
10 guiding rules for anyone succeeding in business while staying grounded in character
1. Live simply and avoid luxury
Li Ka-shing emphasized that the way parents raise their children shapes their future. He allowed his sons to experience hardship, believing it would strengthen their will and develop their character. His core message: work hard, spend wisely, and be generous with others.
“To be frugal with yourself and generous to others,” he told them, “is the foundation of a meaningful life.” Instead of leaving behind riches, he hoped to leave them the ability to create wealth through their own wisdom and effort.
2. Build success on integrity, not luck
Li Ka-shing believed that while good fortune may open doors, long-term success is built on trust. “A person of integrity will naturally attract more opportunities,” he said. He often rejected deals that could hurt others — even if they were profitable — because his values would not allow it.
He warned his sons that laziness, reckless spending, and lack of ambition were recipes for failure. In both business and life, reputation is everything.
3. Be patient and build with care
“Attention to detail and patience are essential for building a brand,” Li Ka-shing often said. Success rarely comes overnight. Like planting a tree, it takes time and care to create something that will last.
The Li family motto — “precision in business, patience as the foundation” — remains a key to their enduring legacy.
4. Learn to stand on your own
Li Ka-shing believed that independence should be taught early. Children raised with too much indulgence often grow up unprepared for real life.
Even after his sons graduated with honors from Stanford, he didn’t hand them positions in his company. “Go out and build something of your own first,” he told them. It was only after proving themselves in the real world that they were welcomed into the family business.
5. Find opportunity where others see failure
Every industry goes through ups and downs. During downturns, Li Ka-shing advised his sons to stay calm and analyze the situation carefully. Is the market truly beyond saving, or is there room for a turnaround?
Sometimes, the greatest profits can be found in places others have already abandoned — if you’re bold and insightful enough to see the potential.
6. Adapt instead of clinging to one path
In today’s fast-changing world, adaptability is more valuable than loyalty to any one business. “There are no eternal industries,” Li Ka-shing said. All businesses mature and decline — those who fail to pivot risk going down with them.
Success, he taught, comes from focusing on potential, not sentiment.
7. Courage must be matched with strategy
“Face challenges head-on, but know when to let go,” Li Ka-shing advised. He used the metaphor of “sacrificing the pawn to protect the king” to teach his sons that courage without planning is dangerous.
Especially during stable periods, strategic thinking matters more than sheer boldness.
8. Lead by empowering others
As a business grows, leadership becomes more important than operations. “You must know how to use the right people and build the right systems,” Li Ka-shing said.
He cautioned that structural issues can cripple an entire company if ignored, while operational glitches are often minor by comparison.
9. Put your partners first
True cooperation, Li Ka-shing believed, comes from a spirit of generosity. While a 50/50 profit split might seem fair, he believed that offering 60 percent to others often results in deeper trust and stronger collaboration.
“No one builds a great company alone,” he said. “Success requires the strength and wisdom of others.”
10. Always look ahead with clarity and insight
To Li Ka-shing, the eyes are not just for seeing, but for perceiving trends, understanding people, and recognizing opportunity. He often quoted the saying: “To understand worldly affairs is knowledge; to grasp human nature is wisdom.”
He taught that real success isn’t about how many you’ve outcompeted, but how many you’ve helped. The more people you support and share with, the farther you can go.
Translated by Joseph Wu
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