Wisdom from Dubai’s Ruler: 30 Quotes by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to Live By

No one can tell the story of how Dubai became a modern city and a prime destination for tourists and investors without mentioning His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. 

From his time as the country’s first Minister of Defence in 1971 to his accession as  Ruler of the Dubai and appointment as Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates in 2006, he has been a significant contributor to the success story of the country.

Some of the most iconic infrastructure and projects in the UAE have come through the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Burj Al Arab Hotel was managed by Jumeirah Group, the Palm Islands were developed by Nakheel Properties, and Sheikh Mohammed supported the development of Burj Khalifa as an iconic symbol of the transformation of Dubai into a global city. 

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also oversaw the development of Dubai Metro in 2009, and spearheaded Dubai’s voyage into space with the creation of Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center in 2015. 

We can go on and on. 

When such a successful leader, investment manager, and visionary tells us how to succeed and be happy in life as individuals and societies, it bodes well to listen. 

His Highness has done exactly this in his speeches and books (Poems from the Desert, Flashes of Thought, Reflections on Happiness and Positivity, My Vision, Flashes of Wisdom, and My Story). 

In this article, we consider 30 quotes by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum that will inspire you in various aspects of your life. 

Let’s begin! 

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30 Quotes by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on success in life

1. “Most people talk; we do things. They plan; we achieve. They hesitate; we move ahead. We are living proof that when human beings have the courage and commitment to transform a dream into reality, there is nothing that can stop them.”

While thorough planning is essential, it cannot be a replacement for taking action. Too much planning can be a cover for a lack of courage and commitment. Those who succeed in life are those who go beyond planning and take the requisite actions to actualize their goals. 

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum exemplifies this approach in his leadership of Dubai. He didn’t just create UAE Vision 2021, Dubai Plan 2021, or UAE Centennial 2071; he has been taking courageous steps to create the Dubai and UAE envisioned in those vision documents. 

2. “The race for excellence has no finish line.”

Excellence cannot be a one-off 100-meter race; it is a marathon that has no finish line. In other words, excellence must not be an event but an attitude and approach to life. 

Successful people don’t rest on their laurels; instead, they are committed to continuous improvement, becoming a better version of themselves. Also, they don’t sit idly by because they have achieved a goal; they move on to the next goal and seek to achieve that as well.   

3. “An easy life does not make men, nor does it build nations. Challenges make men, and it is these men who build nations.”

“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.” This popular quote attributed to G. Michael Hopf, a US best-selling author, makes a similar point to Sheikh Mohammed. 

It is through challenges and difficulties that strong men (and women) emerge. Many people crave a “soft life,” when in reality, it makes us docile, unambitious, and weak. It is by confronting challenges and making the world a better place that we become strong and find self-actualization. 

4. “We thank God for the experiences we have gone through, the challenges we have learned from, and the circumstances that have made us.”

This makes a similar point to the previous one. Challenges and difficulties are not ultimately our enemies; they are there to shape and mould us into a better version of ourselves. Furthermore, the lessons we pick from them stay with us forever and contribute to our growth and progress. 

5. “Failure is not falling to the ground; it is remaining there once you have fallen, and the greatest failure is when you decide not to stand up again.”

Failure is only fatal if we decide not to try again. “I didn’t fail 1000 times,” said Thomas Edison. “The light bulb was an invention with 1000 steps.” Instead of seeing failure as a sign to stop, Edison embraced it as a call to try again. 

Sheikh Mohammed was the leader of Dubai during the Great Recession of 2008 and the debt crisis of 2009-2010. But he didn’t allow either event to ultimately impede his plan to turn Dubai into a global business hub. He would take a bailout from Abu Dhabi and restructure the city’s debts, bringing about stability in a situation that could have gotten worse. The Palm Jumeirah project also faced many challenges and setbacks, but he persevered until it became a reality. 

6. “To take risks and fail is not a failure. Real failure is to fear taking any risk.”

The person who does not take risks cannot “fail,” but he also cannot learn. He will be safe, but he will also be stagnant, comfortable, but without any achievements.  

If Thomas Edison had never tried to develop the light bulb, no one would remember his name about 100 years later. All the popular names in history (ancient and modern) are those who dared to take risks to pursue important goals and make a difference in the world. 

7. “Whoever convinces himself that he is not worthy of first position has doomed himself to failure from the very beginning.”

Success is never the product of half-hearted measures. If you will do it at all, then you must go all in. 

But going all in requires self-belief. You must be confident in your capacity to achieve your goals and be the best at what you do. 

As Sheikh Mohammed said in another place, “Dubai will never settle for anything less than first place.” That kind of mindset is crucial to success in entrepreneurship, career building, and nation building. 

8. “Competition always makes you stronger and better. Competition is feared only by the weak.”

While self-motivation is important, sometimes we all need competition to become the best version of ourselves. 

A company with a monopoly may be relaxed and docile, doing things the same way with no improvements. Wait until competitors enter the industry. The same docile company becomes innovative, seeking new ways to improve operations internally and provide better goods or services to customers. 

The same thing applies to the individual. If you know that a job has been reserved for you, your preparation for the interview will differ from when you are competing with 50 other people. 

However, while a part of us may want the comfort of “monopoly,” it is the discomfort of competition that makes us better individuals, companies, and countries. 

9. “The impossible cannot be where there is perseverance and faith. There is no impossible in life.”

This goes back to the issue of half-hearted measures and dealing with failure. 

Elon Musk’s first three rocket launches failed, and the company (SpaceX) almost went bankrupt. He might have thought that the whole idea of a rocket launch was impossible and given up on the entire project. 

But because he persevered one more time, SpaceX is now a household name in the world of space exploration. 

When your efforts fail, and what you are trying to achieve looks impossible, all you need may be a little push and a little faith. 

10. “I might go easy on people who make mistakes, but never on people who make no effort.”

Mistakes are a part of life. They provide opportunities to learn and become better. 

It is better to try and make mistakes than not to try and live with the pain of regret. 

11. “The future does not wait for hesitant people. The more we achieve, the more we realise how much more we can achieve.”

This quote speaks to the power of agency. High agency people do not hesitate when decisive action is necessary.  

Also, the more success they achieve, the greater the confidence they have to tackle greater challenges and explore new grounds. 

Sheikh Mohammed himself is an example of this. The more groundbreaking projects he started, the greater the confidence with which he attempted more audacious ones. The success of Burj Khalifa led to plans for Dubai Creek Tower, and that of Dubai Metro paved the way for Dubai’s Smart City Initiative. 

12. “We are at the start of the road to our vision, for every peak we reach overlooks the next. Only those who thrive to achieve are on top.”

In other words, there is always something more to achieve. 

Anyone can look at Dubai today and see how it has been transformed from 20 years ago. But it can even be better; there is no end point to how modern and transformative the city can be. And this is the motivation for Sheikh Mohammed. 

You should embrace the same principle in your life. When you think you have reached the peak, you only need to look closer to see that there is a higher peak. The race to the top is continuous. 

Quotes by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on happiness and positivity

13. “My theory on life is that life is beautiful. Life doesn’t change. You have a day, and a night, and a month, and a year. We people change – we can be miserable or we can be happy. It’s what you make of your life.”

Life is an open canvas; how we experience it depends on how we see it. You can choose to have a positive view of life and see its beauty, or be a pessimist who only sees its tragedies. 

Also, you can choose to use your time well to create the happy life you desire, or become passive and allow time pass you by while you remain miserable and sad.

In essence, the choice is yours. 

14. “The fastest way to happiness is by instilling happiness in the hearts of others.”

The visionary leader Sheikh Mohammed is popular, but the philanthropist Sheikh Mohammed must not be overlooked. His Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), launched in 2015, has supported humanitarian projects across the globe. 

This reflects his philosophy that the fastest way to be happy is to be the source of others’ happiness. A self-centered life is sub-human; the truly human life is generous. 

15. “We cannot be content at heart till we start giving.”

The way we instill happiness in the hearts of others is by giving. 

While giving out money is important, we also need to give our time and talents to others. 

16. “It is such a beautiful life, but many people spend it worrying, burdened and frowning. You can easily see the beauty of life in the laughter of a child, the tenderness of a mother, the smile of a friend or the love of a compassionate wife.”

Talking about the self-centered life, sometimes the source of happiness is external rather than internal. A life always inward-looking is more likely to be burdened with worry and frowns. 

However, when we are outward looking and allow ourselves to gaze at the beauty that is external to us – family, friends, strangers – our internal world can be beautified. 

In this way, the happiness of others also becomes ours. 

17. “I believe that positive energy and optimism help us to take up any challenge in life and to succeed in even the most difficult tasks. I also believe that positive energy is contagious: we can transmit it to others.”

Sheikh Mohammed talked about the importance of our perspective on life above. This quote reiterates that point. 

An optimistic approach to life can help us get through challenges and difficult tasks. In those times when every part of us is telling us to give up, a strong sense of faith, hope, and optimism can brew perseverance and birth success. 

Positive energy plays the same role as optimism. Both of them reinforce each other. When we struggle to find faith, hope, and optimism from within, an environment filled with positive energy can unlock them. Being around happy and positive people can awaken the same attitude in you. 

Also, our positivity and optimism can rub off on others and help them get through life’s troubles and difficulties. In essence, we should stay away from bad energy while ensuring we are not bad energy to others. 

18. “We may not live for hundreds of years, but the products of our creativity can leave a legacy long after we are gone.”

It takes a certain view of life to embrace the sacrifices needed to accomplish certain feats. The transformative and iconic projects that Sheikh Mohammed undertook required sacrifice, planning, and diligence. 

But where did the passion to give it all it took come from? It comes from a long-term vision or an intergenerational perspective on life. Only those who are not short-termist in thinking can build cities and leave legacies that will outgrow them. 

Similarly, it is not the length of our lives that ultimately matters, but the impacts we create. Princess Diana lived for 36 years, Martin Luther King Jr for 39 years, Mozart for 35 years, Van Gogh for 37 years, Alexander the Great for 32, and Fatima bint Muhammed for 27 years, among others.  

Instead of living for the here and now, make the sacrifices necessary to create long-lasting legacies. What do you want to be remembered for?

19. “Life was created simple, and it is important to live it as such. Simplicity is inherent; it leads to peace of mind and tranquility.”

If you want a life of peace and tranquility, you should embrace the simplicity of life. 

Of course, this simplicity does not mean being non-ambitious; Sheikh Mohammed is himself an epitome of ambition.  

Instead, this quote preaches against excess and unnecessary complexities. Sometimes happiness does not come from the number of things you possess, but from an inner contentment and harmony with the people that matter most to you.

Below is a description he gave of his simple life: 

“I live a simple life; my life away from leadership is very simple. I wake up early, clean up, and pray. I have breakfast with my family. Sometimes I visit my friends, have a cup of coffee, or visit shopping malls and have lunch at a restaurant one of them recommends, and see people. This simple life makes me happy.”

20. “Our value in life is defined by what we do. Achievement is similar to love, they both grow by sacrifice and both are essential for life.”

This quote reinforces that a simple life is not a non-ambitious one. 

We cannot neglect the fact that our value in life, to individuals and society at large, is defined by our achievements. Of course, these achievements don’t have to be about how much money we made. Mother Theresa left a legacy that remains till today but she wasn’t rich. 

The point is that you must move out of your comfort zone and make the sacrifices necessary to do things that will last and make you more valuable. 

Though love from family and friends can make you happy, there is also a certain type of happiness and fulfillment that comes from your achievements. And the more of these achievements you have, the more valuable you become. 

21. “The bigger your vision, the bigger your achievement will be. Will you stumble on the way? Perhaps, but we cannot let fear keep us small. We have to be brave to be big.”

So, how can you achieve more? It begins by having bigger dreams. The people we value most today are those who pursued big dreams and were not content to be small-minded. 

The internet, smartphones, space exploration, the printing press, artificial intelligence, and the steam engine, among others, came from people with big dreams. 

Big dreams require sacrifices, and they come with failures and disappointments. But is it not better to painfully do big things than to allow fear to keep us small? 

Quotes by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on leadership

22. “There is a world of difference between a leadership that is based on love and respect, and one that is based on fear.”

Good leaders need motivated followers who can be at their creative and innovative best most of the time.

What will produce this type of follower? Fear of the leader or love and respect? 

When people fear their leaders, they will be conformists who do what is required but no more and no less. There will be eye service and even sycophancy. 

However, when there is both love and respect (the two must go together), workers can be themselves and happily be at their creative best. They are not just grudgingly doing their duty; they are joyfully doing their best to make the leader happy. 

The former leadership culture produces sterile and stagnant organizations; the latter produced modern Dubai. 

23. “A true leader is one who creates a favourable environment to bring out the energy and ability of his team. A great leader creates more great leaders, and does not reduce the institution to a single person.”

True leaders are not self-centered. Rather, they strive to create an environment where their followers can thrive and be at their absolute best. Also, they are invested in the personal growth of their followers and will see to it that they also become the best version of themselves. 

For these leaders, their greatest sadness will be if their organization crumbles immediately after they leave. On the other hand, their greatest happiness is knowing that those they have mentored continue to make new waves after them. 

24. “The great positive leader is the leader who carries inside him or her goodness towards all people and who works to achieve this goodness in the most benevolent way.“

Quality leaders are genuinely interested in the welfare and success of their followers. They have good intentions towards them and will seek practical ways to see those good intentions manifest. 

This goes back to the issue of love and respect. When you genuinely care about your followers, love and respect will usually follow.  

25. “Change or you will be changed: leaders who neglect the good of their people will be forsaken. Leadership is a service, not a gateway to privilege.”

The goal of good leaders is not to enrich their pockets or use their positions to accumulate privileges; instead, their priority is the good of their people (stakeholders).

If you are a leader or aspire to be one, keep in mind that true leadership is self-sacrificial and other-focused.  

26. “Good leadership puts the interests of the community as a whole before those of any specific group. Credibility of leadership can only be established through action and not words.”

Good leaders also reject cronyism. They will not satisfy some vested interests at the expense of society at large. These vested interests can come in the form of pressure groups, lobbyists, and other self-interest groups. 

Leaders, especially political leaders, must recognize that their duty is to the entire community/nation and not some vested interests. 

27. “Those who lead from the top of the pyramid end up leading only those on top.”

Leaders who sit on their ivory towers and cannot empathize with the realities of the led cannot lead effectively. These are the types of leaders who easily succumb to vested interests, with their governments becoming a rule of the elite, by the elite, and for the elite. 

Effective leaders must be emotionally connected to the led, know their plights and dreams, and prioritize their well-being over those of vested interests. 

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum quotes on societal progress

28. “Technology is the rapid gateway to the future.”

Sheikh Mohammed has taken many steps that show that he truly believes that technology is the gateway to the future. 

Dubai hosts GITEX Global, one of the largest technology exhibitions in the world. 

The emirate also has a Fourth Industrial Revolution Strategy (focusing on AI, blockchain, and robotics), a National Technology Transformation Programme (focusing on industrial automation), a foundation (Dubai Future Foundation) supporting research in AI, biotechnology, and space, and a smart city initiative that aims to make it one of the smartest cities in the world. 

Individuals and nations must embrace the fourth industrial revolution that has now dawned on us and seek ways to prosper in it. 

29. “Tolerance increases strength and resilience, and helps establish a global, cohesive society.”

It’s a fact of human life that good, reasonable, and intelligent people will always disagree on various issues (from the most mundane to the most significant).

Thus, the only way to avoid unending conflict (which cripples action) is for us to learn to be tolerant of each other. 

30. “Human beings, their ideas, innovations, dreams, and connections, are the capital of the future. Because where great minds go today, great things will happen tomorrow.”

Economists have continued to emphasize the importance of human capital to economic growth and development. Innovation, knowledge, and education are the stuff that create prosperous nations. 

Yes, technology is important, but technology is the product of human capital. Every other factor we attribute to growth and development still ultimately requires humans. 

Therefore, countries that want to compete in the global scheme of things must continuously invest in human capital development. 

Sheikh Mohammed continues to lead the way in this regard with various schemes to skill-up Emiratis, residents, and people in developing countries: Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai Business Associates (a graduate talent development initiative), MBRGI, National Technology Transformation Programme,  Dubai Cares (education of children in developing countries), among others. 

As an individual, this means, as Warren Buffett said, that the greatest investment you can make is in yourself. 

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Takeaways

• Greatness comes from dreaming big and taking bold action. Sheikh Mohammed’s legacy shows how vision can transform a nation and inspire millions.
• In every failure lies a lesson, and in every challenge, an opportunity. With optimism, hope, and positive energy, we can persevere amidst failures and challenges.
• Happiness is not self-centered. We are happy when we make others happy, and the happiness of others can quell our sorrow.
• True leadership is rooted in vision (forward thinking), love, and selfless service to others. Sheikh Mohammed’s unwavering commitment to progress and his people is an example of this type of leadership.