“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
I hope to accomplish great things. Family is the core means by which I can influence human existence in this world, therefore I'll start by being a great husband and father. I want my wife to feel that she could not have found a better man if she had a 100 more years to search, and I want my children to be as successful as they can be in whatever endeavor they wish to pursue, be it ballet, impressionistic painting, or national politics. Next, I want to be an entrepreneur. I have to create services, products and jobs, not just get a paycheck every two weeks! Entrepreneurs like Johannes Gutenberg and C. J. Walker took the risks necessary to enhance our daily lives. Therefore, two to three years from now, I would like to be doing what I am passionate about: investing. I want to start a fund or buy small companies in underserved markets. I also have a long term goal of starting a nonprofit, whose objective would be to help poor people in developing countries (like my home Nigeria) learn how to maximize the value of the money they earn. I will work with the governments of these countries to develop policies and programs to help people earn more and learn to put it to the most wealth-creating use. My third great accomplishment will be simply the way I live. Besides aiming to live above my intellectual means, but within my financial means I would like to live my life in an exciting and exemplary way. I intend to run a marathon, hike the other thirteen trails in the grand canyon I am yet to hike and play scratch golf. I also want to inspire someone to do something great, be it my daughter or the bagger at the grocery store.
— Ade' Lawal