Tony Elumelu's quotes, sayings

Be Optimistic, Stay Hungry

Be optimistic about the future. You always think the times you're living in are the worst, but they're never the worst. Be optimistic and futuristic, but understand that optimism cannot bet itself. Work hard, stay focused on your vision, and above all, stay hungry - and you'll succeed.

Success Comes From God

We are all successful today because of God. Never forget: success comes from God.

God is the foundation of everything I do. Everything we have today is because God has prepared us for it.

Save First, Then Invest

You can't save your way to becoming wealthy, but saving is the starting point. Once you save, you invest.

Saving Is a Discipline

Save! Saving is extremely important. That's how I started. You earn a dollar and tell yourself, “It's just a dollar - I can't save anything.” But when you earn a billion dollars, you still won't save anything. Discipline is so important. Develop the discipline of saving: earn a dollar, save some cents.

Extraordinary People Look Crazy at First

When you do extraordinary things - things people aren't used to - they may think you're stupid. But if you're committed, disciplined, focused, and know what you're doing, you'll get there.

Grow an Ecosystem, Not Just an Empire

You can't be the only tree in the forest.

There's no reason to live in so much openness and affluence when your neighbors are begging for food.

It's not how much we have in our bank balances that's important. It's about impact, it's about legacy.

Prepare for Luck

I often preach luck, but you have to be prepared. If you're not prepared when luck comes your way, you won't even recognize the opportunity.

Progress Requires Discipline

Without hard work, I can't make progress. Without discipline, I won't make progress. If I don't make sacrifices today for a better tomorrow, I won't make progress. If I don't defer my consumption today, I won't make progress. Those were the things that helped me.

Attributes, that made me who I am today: 1) Hard work, 2) Discipline, 3) Deferred gratification and consumption.