Incredible wealth
The bloombery Billionairs Index as of October 7, 2013 states that Mr Li is the richest person in Asia, with a net worth of $28.8billion. The Chairman of the Board of Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL) and Cheung Kong Holdings, he is the world's biggest operator of container terminals, as well as the largest health and beauty retailer. He was named Asia's Most Powerful Man, Li Ka-Ching by Asiaweek in 2001.
On his wealth
According to Bloomberg and Reuters, Mr Li has claimed that "in at least the past 10 years, foreign magazines had underestimated my wealth by half". Yet, he states "it is not important if you are a tycoon or not. The 86-year old magnate said in an interview with mainland Chinese news website Caixin's founder Hu Shuli: "I was poor before, I understand what it is like to worry about having to make ends meet everyday."
Turning the lemons of life into lemonade
Mr Li went through a difficult time in his youth, calling life in Hong Kong "truly harsh and often cruel". His father, whom he loved very much, had passed away when Mr Li was still a teenager, leaving him to provide for his widowed mother and young sliblings without education, and hardly any support. He shares, "You are capable of turning the lemons life throws at you into lemonade. When you develop a map for your soul, you will discover the part of you that loves life, the part of you that is analytical, capable and responsible, and the part of you that is principled, ideadistic, and able to serve society with selflessness"
Depending on himself
When Mr Li was 14 years old, a fortune teller told him that his future did not look promising. Despite that, he knew it was up to him to change his destiny."I knew the only future I could count on is that I shall build for myself. Yes, the odds were stacked against me... but I know it is no use to weep for things that life takes away. I already recongised that my better future is dependent upon a better me."
On knowledge
Mr Li has been quoted as saying "We are approaching a new age of synthesis. Knowledge cannot be merely a degree or a skill... it demands a boarder vision, capabilities in critical thinking and logical deduction without which we cannot have constructive progress. Vision is perhaps our greatest strength... it has kept us alive to the power and continuity of though through the centuries, it takes us peers into tge future and lends shape to the unknown."
The future
Mr Li once said: "The future may be made up pf many factors but where it truly lies is in the hearts and minds of men. Your dedication should not be confined for your own gain, but unleashes your passion for our beloved country as well as the integrity and humanity of mankind"
Mr Li's 6 secret to success
1. Go with the times. Be agile and flexible to act according to circumstances only then will you accomplish something big.
2. Honesty is the best policy. An honest businessman wins the hearts of many and integrity is the basis of success.
3. Make friends, not enemies. Yur friends and partners will help you grow your wealth.
4. There is no shortcut to hard work. Young people should take to hardship like they do to tonics.
5. Work harder than the next guy. When others put in 8 hours of work, i do 16.
6. Don't pray for success. Success is 10% luck abd 90% diligence.
