During his 2018 speech at Fudan University when he received an honorary doctorate, Lee shared four pieces of advice on building wealth, according to Sohu.
One of these was not to marry before establishing a stable career. Lee himself entered the real estate industry at the age of 30 and quickly built a strong reputation, achieving success in his career. He married his wife, beauty queen Lau Wai Kuen, a year later when he felt that both his career and love life were in a good place. Their wedding was held at the luxury Majestic Hotel in Hong Kong’s Central District.
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Lee Shau-kee, chairman of Henderson Land Development, attends a meeting in Hong Kong, China, Sept. 10, 2013. Photo by Imaginechina via AFP |
In his speech, the tycoon said finding the right career can make success easier to achieve, referencing a popular Chinese saying: “A man’s greatest fear is establishing a career in the wrong industry while a woman’s greatest fear is choosing the wrong husband.”
One of Lee’s most valued pieces of advice is that hard work and diligence lead to success. In his autobiography published in 2010, the Hong Kong tycoon, then 82 years old, said he had no intention of retiring. For him, not being able to work was a great pain. He remained dedicated to his work until the age of 91 when he stepped back to enjoy his later years.
The fourth tip from the billionaire is to use money to make money. In his autobiography, Lee wrote: “Starting small with savings is the right choice because the first asset is the most important. It serves as a stepping stone that makes success easier.
“This capital must come from diligence and frugality. What people call ‘great wealth from the heavens’ is not about leaving things to fate, but about adapting to the right time and place without forcing things.”
He also said: “Someone once asked me, ‘If you could trade half of your wealth for 30 years of youth, would you do it?’ When I heard this question, I couldn’t help but laugh and replied, ‘If I could trade 99% of my wealth for 30 years of youth, I would do it without hesitation.’
“I believe that in the next 30 years, I could achieve even greater success, perhaps surpassing the 99% of wealth I have now.'”
Lee passed away on March 17 at the age of 97. Born in Guangdong, China, he built his career and flourished in Hong Kong.
Often referred to as “Asia’s god of stocks” or “Hong Kong’s Warren Buffett,” he was the founder of Henderson Land Development, one of the largest real estate conglomerates in the city.
