Coming from a place where the economy often forces dreamers to abandon their dreams and focus solely on earning a living, I’ve witnessed firsthand how crucial financial stability is. When people stop dreaming, innovation stalls, and we miss out on incredible possibilities. Earning a living isn’t inherently bad, but imagine the joy of earning a living doing something you love and are passionate about. That’s what I’m striving for as I navigate the financial industry in pursuit of my dreams and happiness. Inspired by Ray Dalio concept of meaningful work and relationships in his book “Principles,” I’m excited to share why I’m so passionate about finance. Keep reading to learn more!
The Importance of Finance to an Economy
I like to think of finance as the lifeblood of our economy. Just as blood is vital for our bodies, finance is essential for the economy to function. In the documentary “Inside Job,” there’s a quote by Andrew Sheng that says, “Architectural engineers build bridges; financial engineers build dreams.” This highlights how finance fuels innovation. Imagine if visionaries like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Jeff Bezos didn’t have the necessary funding at the idea stage. We wouldn’t have companies like Tesla, SpaceX, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon, which have created millions of jobs and boosted the economy over the years.
My Journey with Finance and Creativity
Academically, I haven’t always been the best at passing exams, which made me dislike the traditional school system. However, I excelled in subjects like Accounting, Economics, Finance, Computer Science, and Math. Numbers have always been my strength, so I realized that focusing on finance would increase my chances of graduating quickly and happily. That’s how my love story with finance began.
My “Addiction” to Financial Content
Books, podcasts, movies, documentaries—you name it, I’ve consumed it if it’s about finance. In 2022, I conducted a little experiment during my holidays: I decided to go a month without consuming any financial content. No finance apps, news, TV channels, or other content. By the third week, I couldn’t resist and ended up watching CNBC Africa and Bloomberg News, even though I was in a village with poor network coverage. 😅
Helping Others Improve Their Financial Well-being
I believe that all humans naturally want to help others in some way. For me, the most lasting way to help people is by improving their financial and investment knowledge. This way, they can make better decisions about their financial lives, because education lasts a lifetime.
It Pays Well
I couldn’t finish this list without mentioning that the finance industry pays well. If you’re in finance and not earning well, or if you think you need an additional job to make a living, consider these possibilities: your industry knowledge might be lacking and needs upgrading (Robert Shiller at Yale University Financial Markets Course is a good one to start with), you might be working in the wrong environment (country or company), or you might be working for a startup (which can be beneficial depending on your goals).
There’s a reason bankers rarely go on strike—if they did, a nation’s economy would come to a halt. I can’t recall any instance of bankers striking (if you know of any, please share in the comments🤔).
The Broader Picture
There are many other industries like Tech, Healthcare, and Logistics that are loved by great men and women worldwide. These industries push the boundaries of innovation to improve human life. For me, that industry is finance. My dream isn’t to become like Ray Dalio, Jamie Dimon, Cathie Wood, Kenneth Griffin, or Warren Buffett, but rather to create a system that helps identify and nurture great men and women who will transform the financial landscape in Africa like Tidjane Thiam & Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R. I believe many of these talents are hidden within this continent. The journey might be fun, cool, dark, or hard, but it’s worth it, and I’m confident I’ll achieve it or at least “die trying.”
Thank you for reading! Let’s continue to dream, innovate, and make the world a better place through our crazy ideas.😉