The richest man in Asia, Li Ka-shing, said that in these three areas concerning money, the more you spend, the more you earn. Let’s take a look at the three principles behind this statement.
Investing money in educating yourself
No matter what your financial circumstances are, educating yourself is always a wise decision. Li believes that current challenges are from lessons not learned in a previous lifetime, so even if you have to borrow the money to do so, investing in yourself this way will provide you with the means to repay the loan in the future.
Money for your parents
Regardless of your parents’ financial situation, you still should give them money on a regular basis. This is a way to show love, respect, and appreciation to your parents. Li says that your parents did not give you up because they were poor or had to borrow money to raise you, so you should repay them no matter what their current circumstances are. The top 500 global entrepreneurs all love and respect their parents. Compare this with the lives of children who don’t respect their parents and have issues with work, money, relationships, etc — is this a coincidence?
Money for the community
Contributing to society and the people around you is a must. Li says that no matter how bad your own circumstances are, there is always someone in a worse situation. So when you see someone who is really struggling, you should give what you can to help them along. Your generosity of US$10 or US$20 is as valuable as a billionaire’s gift of US$1 million. If you are a successful businessman, don’t forget to reward your employees generously when your company is doing well.
If you don’t have the means to make any financial contributions, then give what you can. Do your job to the best of your ability, get along well with your boss and co-workers, and be grateful for what you have — your job.
Translated research by Yi Ming and Kathy
