Forget trends, humans are the future.
When I asked Ruben about future trends he is most excited about, his answer had nothing to do with technologies or products. “People are the future, and human development is the most important part of changing the world. We have moved from an industrial empire into an intellectual empire. In the intellectual empire, humans are the main capital for the future. There are a small percentage of the people who are changing the world, so I invest in them,” he told me.
When identifying good people to invest in, Ruben has found several characteristics they share. The person needs to be curious and ready to learn with open eyes. They have a long-term view, and a willingness to get out of their comfort zone. They have a global mission. They are global citizens with local identification. Finally, they are adaptable in a fast changing world, while holding their values steady.
Don’t over-complicate innovation.
Ruben credits his ability to get things done to discipline, persistence, and the past. Ruben told me that if you want to know what will happen in the future, study the past. When the Soviet Union collapsed, he knew there would be opportunities in finance and investing. So he focused on what he needed to do to be the best investment banker. He worked in an investment bank, and then another. He learned from other countries who had implemented similar best practices that worked. Then he followed these case studies. He stayed consistent, and looked for what worked in the past. Then he implemented it in the future with success.
Forget about on-demand mentorship.
Ruben takes his time with deals, relationships, projects. He sits with people, hears their stories, wants to know them. He accredits much of his success to his mentors. He also mentors a lot of people. But mentorship is often misunderstood, he told me. Mentorship is not like a coach or teacher that sits you down in a class and says, “Now it is time to learn, or now it’s time to exercise.” Mentorship is not so transactional. It takes time and trust. Often times, you don’t even realize your mentor is your mentor until years or decades later, and mentorship is not a one-way street. If you are not teaching your mentor as much as they are teaching you, it’s not a sustainable relationship.
Trust can be measured by this simple test.
If you want to see how much people trust you, see how much money can you borrow from friends and family without a contract. If you can borrow a lot, you have successful trust relationships.I asked Ruben what he’d be working on next. He told me that 25 years from now, he will make strides in global education. He will bring back respect to teachers and fix the business model of education. He will focus on territory development and implement more projects similar to the monastery conservation which will bring economic growth and job creation, just to name a few of his many projects.
I asked Ruben if he works nonstop, or any other tips he has to achieving so many things?
First, I never say “I want to do something. I say I will.”
Next, he told me to be honest with yourself. It is better than being rich, powerful, or famous.
Finally, Ruben told me he does not feel like he is working. “I am not working, I am just living. When you do what you like to do, your crazy life is not crazy. You are in control of your life, you are at peace.”
As we concluded our interview, Ruben’s wife and daughter came to our table. He hugged them.
They looked at him. I could feel love. I could feel admiration. I could feel a legacy. I could feel many beautiful things, and perhaps most importantly,
I could feel.
