In a heartfelt message from ruler to reader, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, unveils inspiring lessons and narratives brimming with wisdom and human values in the first part of his new book, “Lessons from Life.”
This work is a significant contribution to Arabic literature, as it conveys the extensive experiences from Sheikh Mohammed’s remarkable journey, aimed at guiding future generations, serving as a reference for decision-makers, and encouraging individuals to aspire towards challenging the seemingly unattainable.
The book is rich with life lessons that illustrate the story of an extraordinary leader, poet, and knight, whose insights shape wisdom, and whose determination paves paths to glory. He believes that progress ultimately relies on the human element.
Within its pages, the book encapsulates the essence of Sheikh Mohammed’s nearly 60-year-long dedication, filled with noble meanings and grand principles. Upon its release, he stated, “I wanted this book to be simple in its words, clear in its expressions, and genuine in its meanings to reach from heart to heart.”
Covering a myriad of topics such as creativity, tolerance, loyalty, love, happiness, as well as lessons on overcoming challenges and managing time, the book serves as a source of inspiration for anyone looking to shape the future and contribute to building thriving and sustainable communities.
The book consists of 35 chapters that narrate the outcomes of a comprehensive intellectual and leadership school, documenting milestones from Sheikh Mohammed’s governance, thought, and policies regarding people, governance, and life.
Each chapter is illuminated by life lessons crafted by Sheikh Mohammed, serving as a guiding light for future generations across various fields.
When asked about the achievements accomplished, I always reply: they are not solely my accomplishments, but rather those of a whole team that has supported me, believes in my vision, and continues my journey alongside me.
Success is not achieved by one hand alone, but through the collaborative efforts of many who work seamlessly together, their minds and hearts aligned towards the same goal.
Life has taught me that leadership is not merely a position or a title, but a daily responsibility manifested in how one selects, empowers, and unleashes the potential of their team.
A true leader is measured not by what they accomplish alone, but rather by what they achieve together with their team.
Building a team is the greatest investment one can make for their nation and institution, as a strong team not only maintains success but also fosters a continuous cycle of growth, ensuring that the vision thrives beyond the leader’s tenure, growing and flourishing with the generations that follow.
Life has shown me that the most crucial daily question for a leader is not what is the best task accomplished today, but who was chosen to achieve the best outcome.
A genuine leader is passionate about developing their leadership team, for before we build institutions, we build the individuals upon whom those institutions, communities, and nations rest.
When selecting my team, I concentrate on both ethics and skills, with ethics being paramount; there is nothing worse than a talented individual lacking integrity.
More importantly, the values we cultivate within the workplace matter. The exceptional team may initially be attracted by job benefits, but what keeps their passion and energy alive are the values instilled in that environment.
Life has taught me to choose my team not only to address current challenges but also to design and construct future achievements, providing them with the direction while they possess the intelligence and acumen to inform me how we can reach our destination.
Many of our current achievements are the outcomes of our past decisions regarding team formation. A mistake in choosing the right team can cost us years of delay and thousands of lost opportunities.
Economic Freedom
Life has taught me that the best action governments can take to foster economic prosperity is to refrain from trying to control it.
The economy thrives on the movements, ideas, and activities of people, tapping into their vast potential.
The government’s role is to organize this activity, not to be the activity itself.
Countries that have attempted to dominate their economies have shown clear failures.
Recently, I announced through media that the UAE accounts for 41% of total exports in the region for the year 2024.
An Arab friend of mine questioned: “How is it that you represent only around 2% of the populations in the region yet achieve so much?”
I replied: It is not only about trade; we also represent a quarter of the region’s tourism and have the most dynamic property market in the Middle East, attracting about 40% of foreign investment in the area and accounting for a third of the air traffic.
While these figures please me, they deeply concern me on a cultural level.
Our region is home to over 500 million people; where are their productions, innovations, and movements? Where is their historical legacy of achievement and global leadership?
Six decades of governance experience taught me that people are inherently creative and ambitious, created by God with an innate desire for development, progress, and to enrich their lands.
Life has taught me that if you wish to unleash their potential, grant them their freedom.
Freedom to work, to innovate and create, to move, and to invest.
Freedom to litigate and establish enterprises.
Grant them economic freedom.
Economic freedom is the key to development, facilitating the movement of money, goods, and people.
Over 300 studies have shown that economic freedom correlates with increased prosperity and improved well-being metrics.
I have witnessed this reality firsthand.
Young individuals from the surrounding region come to the UAE to flourish, establish businesses, and build wealth, while in their home countries, they cannot.
How can the youth compete when the economy is owned by the government?
When corruption runs deep within their nations, how can they trust their ideas and aspirations?
When their government shackles them with numerous regulations and bureaucratic hurdles, how can they unleash their creativity?
And when their funds and investments are constrained, how can they take flight?
I do not advocate for freedoms that lead to political chaos or ignite societal unrest and state decay, rather I speak of economic freedom that liberates potential, encourages innovation, and dismantles the crippling barriers hindering societies from constructing their wealth and prosperity.
Life has taught me that economic freedom is not a luxury or privilege, but a necessity for building competitive societies; it surpasses the state’s natural resources, serving as the true fuel that ignites human potential.
It has demonstrated that nations that trust their people grant them economic freedom, achieving miraculous results.
A Strong Economy and a Sound Conscience
Life has taught me that mere wealth and economic abundance do not guarantee happiness and stability within societies, but rather a robust economy paired with a sound conscience is needed.
Values and principles are essential for achieving prosperity and stability.
What good is a society that neglects the weak and shows no compassion for the needy?
What happiness exists within a community that lacks fairness and equality?
How can a person find stability in a society that doesn’t offer respect for their dignity and humanity?
Life has taught me that a true leader for their nation provides not only food, water, housing, and medicine but also instills compassion, reinforces justice, and spreads the spirit of cooperation and tolerance.
A true leader develops legal frameworks while simultaneously nurturing a culture of values.
A genuine leader builds advanced infrastructure while building a foundation of morals, principles, and ethics.
It concerns me at times—especially in our Gulf societies—that discussions often center around economic figures, architectural achievements, and developmental indicators while we overlook the need to cultivate a compassionate, cooperative community, establish stable family structures, and develop individuals with high ethical and humanitarian standards.
It worries me that we prioritize wealth development metrics while neglecting the evolution of values, principles, and ethics.
Balanced, stable, and happy societies require both wings for soaring in the realm of civilization and progress.
In the eight principles of Dubai, I shared my vision for our society. We have economic and developmental visions, but we also possess a vision for community ethics. I envisioned a society characterized by diligence over debate, adherence to promises, schedules, and commitments. A society that is humble in success, steadfast during challenges, generous in spirit, and open to all; a community that thrives on respect, united by tolerance, and free from racism and discrimination.
Indeed, we aspire to build a respected society that honors the dignity, rights, and privacy of every individual.
A society that respects parents, workers, teachers, and all cultures, nationalities, and religions.
We seek a responsible community accountable socially towards families, professionally towards accomplishments and skilled work, and nationally in preserving security and order.
A cheerful community eager for life, modest especially in success and prosperity, a tolerant and harmonious society where no one feels alien, but rather embraced as part of the nation, family, and community.
A society that promotes goodness, generously gives without expecting favors in return, a place where the wealthy assist the poorer and the capable support the weak.
A nation that values its homeland and is committed to its security, safety, stability, and reputation.
These are just some of the values we strive to instill and uphold, and we pray for success in nurturing and solidifying them.
Because ethics and values are the true strength that protects societies from regression and collapse.
Ethics and values shape civilization; they are civilization itself.
I aimed to focus in this book on the human experience, on understanding myself, the people around me, and the life path that has defined my journey. I sought to concentrate on ideas, concepts, and principles rather than projects and achievements, for the former are enduring while concepts encompass greater scope, and principles hold the most significance.
Standing on the sidelines of life does not create a life; fear of mistakes and waiting for perfect circumstances stifles progress, increases hesitance, and fosters further uncertainty.
Life has taught me that the greatest error
is to not take action.
When the economy is government-owned, how can the youth compete?
How can they secure the safety of their aspirations and ideas when corruption plagues their homeland?
When governmental restrictions abound, how can they innovate?
Those without their projects will become part of others’ initiatives.
Those without dreams will merely occupy the dreams of others.
Those with no clear civilizational agenda will dwell within the agendas of others.
A Leader is Not a Trader
Life has taught me that a ruler must not be a trader.
As the saying goes, when commerce infiltrates governance, both governance and trade corrode; I sometimes recite a line of poetry that conveys this message:
We do not trade to gain
We are the people of glory and the suns of day
Traders amass wealth, while rulers build nations.
Traders increase their bank balances, while rulers enhance their public standing.
Trade thrives on rivalry and competition, while governance is rooted in justice and equality.
A ruler may be wealthy, possessing assets, which is advantageous as it prevents them from coveting others’ wealth and succumbing to material temptations that could deteriorate the state, yet they must not engage in trade.
I have observed numerous national experiences and noted how corruption spread and systems collapsed when rulers neglected governance, the establishment of institutions, and instead turned their attention to financial gain and competition with traders.
When governance merges with trade, trust erodes, justice diminishes, competition vanishes, monopolies arise, and the economy headed toward collapse.
If governance and trade could coexist, Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid would be the greatest merchants, yet it would corrupt them.
A ruler is God’s messenger on Earth, responsible for safeguarding the interests of their people, tending to the vulnerable, administering justice, driving economic prosperity, securing borders, building the futures of generations, and establishing their respect and standing among the nations of the world.
How can this be reconciled with someone whose primary focus is profit and the pursuit of wealth?
A ruler’s legacy is a glorious nation, a strong people, and a proud community, while a trader’s legacy is the accumulation of wealth.
Those who seek to gather glory should not step into the marketplace to collect wealth from others.
Read More
May God rest my father’s soul.
Why the Future is Brighter?
To view as PDF