15 Life Lessons From the Richest Empires
Now, why would we want to learn anything from Empires that ruled a long time ago? They've fallen now, and if their goal was to last forever, well, they failed. They're also controversial and highly criticized. So should we really look at the way they ruled and use those lessons in our lives? Well, yes.
Okay, we can learn a lot from the most powerful Empires. Just because they've fallen and just because they were controversial doesn’t mean that they weren’t incredibly successful in their own right. These Empires achieved impossible ruling for decades, hundreds, and sometimes even thousands of years. They spanned the globe when traveling across the world was a mere idea. They were smart, successful, and focused.
So here are 15 life lessons from the richest Empires, starting off with number one: Use your resources to create a demand. We're going all the way back to the 13th to 16th centuries for this one. When an Empire synonymous with wealth and economic prowess ruled, it was known as the Mali Empire. They were rich because they controlled the trans-Saharan trade routes, the main highways that connected different parts of the world. They had extensive gold mines and they had access to salt and ivory. But no one really wanted gold at that time until the leader, Mansa Musa, traveled to Mecca and distributed gold to the people he met along the way.
It caused an inflation in the cities he visited and attracted the attention of traders and investors who saw the Empire as wealthy, powerful, and generous. Just think about it this way: the trade routes and resources in our lives can be anything that helps us get ahead—our skills, knowledge, connections, and even our time. If we can figure out what we have that's valuable and strategically use it, we can set ourselves up for success. You have to find or even create niches where your skills and resources can stand out as valuable. They have to make an impact, attract attention, or bring something different to the table.
How can you make yourself stand out from the crowd even when it seems like everyone’s got the same skills and resources that you do? What sets you apart?
Number two: Learn and play the financial system game. The Dutch Empire, during its Golden Age, established the Amsterdam stock exchange in 1602, the first of its kind in the world, which is actually what helped the spread of stocks and bonds. They educated themselves on stock trading and financial management, and if you want to understand how wealth is accumulated and distributed and be a part of that distribution, then you have to learn too. No matter how boring and complex it might seem now, drawing on the Dutch model of raising capital, if you're an entrepreneur, think about as many funding sources as possible to launch or expand your business.
Dive into all the possible routes you could take. This can include traditional loans, venture capital, or more modern methods like crowdfunding. Each of these methods offers different advantages and risks, and the only way you can know about your options and securely plan your financial future is by learning and playing the game.
Number three: Lead with a clear vision. Some people like to fly through everything by the seat of their pants and look okay, that works to a degree. But if you want to level up in your life, you have to balance that flexibility with a vision, and you have to lead yourself through life like a manager would lead a team at work. The Roman Empire and the Mongol Empire were both led by visionary leaders who transformed their respective societies and territories. The Roman Empire, under leaders like Julius and Augustus Caesar, expanded its territories and established a long-lasting legacy of law, governance, and culture. Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, unified the Mongol tribes and created an Empire that stretched from Europe to Asia.
They looked far beyond what they already had, and while it was controversial, it was also unprecedented.
Number four: Value merit and skills over nepotism. Now there is a reason why the phrase "nepo baby" has become so divisive in the last few years. People are tired of watching mediocre children get jobs solely because of their parents' talent and hard work. The Mongol Empire valued merit and skills over birthright or status, promoting individuals based on their abilities and achievements. This approach was key to their military success and efficient administration.
The Tang Dynasty of China promoted a merit-based system through the civil service examination, making sure that government officials were selected based on their abilities rather than their social status. You might be a nepo baby, you might be friends with someone because their parents are wealthy and successful, or you might want to hire someone because their family could help with networking and connections. But it's important to remember that when people never had to work for the skills and qualities they need for that success, they're also not going to understand your drive or ambition.
Everything both of you will do will seem disingenuous and inauthentic. Look for the people who work as hard as you do, who have the skills you're working for, and who inspire you because of their vision, not because of their legacy.
Number five: Become resilient through being adaptable. We often hear about resilience and how important and valuable it is for us, but how exactly do we become resilient? How do we face challenges without having them break us? Well, we adapt. The Byzantine Empire is renowned for its resilience, surviving for over a thousand years despite numerous invasions, plagues, and internal conflict. They adapted through strategic marriages, diplomacy, and by evolving their military tactics.
The Mongol Empire also demonstrated remarkable adaptability, swiftly adopting new technologies and tactics from the cultures they conquered. The hardest time during a challenge isn't knowing; it's the uncertainty or instability that comes from thinking that something won't work out, but you can't understand why. Once you know whether it's a relationship ending or losing your job, you can take action and become adaptable. Once you know, you're able to change your ideas, adapt, develop a game plan, and get into action.
Number six: Appreciate different cultures. When we travel or meet people from different countries, we often fall into a default mechanism of finding as many similarities or differences as possible. We judge these differences far harsher than we would with our own cultures because we're so used to wanting to belong to our group. It doesn’t make you a bad person, but when you're talking about other cultures, be sure to mention the great things about them too. The Mughal Empire in India was known for its cultural integration, blending Persian, Indian, and Islamic influences in art, architecture, and administration.
Integrating diverse cultures and perspectives enriches society and fosters innovation and creativity. This is where you improve your social skills and increase your empathy and understanding of others. It can also lead to more innovative solutions to problems by combining different perspectives and ideas.
Number seven: Don’t let technology speed past you. You know we all make jokes about kids today being born with iPads in their hands. We used to laugh at our parents not being able to use a cell phone properly, signing off messages weirdly or holding the phone way too far away as they type. But if you let technology speed past you, well, that is going to be you pretty soon. The Tang Dynasty is often regarded as a golden age of Chinese culture, innovation, and technology, with advancements in printing, medicine, and engineering.
There’s also the Roman Empire’s engineering feats such as aqueducts, roads, and buildings that set new standards in architecture and urban planning. Their leaders, no matter how old they were, were at the forefront of technology always. It allowed them to change the way society lived and worked. Your age shouldn't be an excuse for you not keeping up with how quickly technology is advancing. If you own a business or work in any industry that uses modern tech, then you owe it to yourself and your success to keep up with it. Being open to new ideas and technologies will make you more efficient, effective, and creative.
Number eight: Create your ideal infrastructure. The Mali Empire knew that to thrive, they needed more than just wealth; they needed strong infrastructure. So they built cities, mosques, and learning centers that became hubs of activity and growth. This investment not only improved daily life for their people but also attracted scholars, traders, and travelers, further boosting their economy and cultural influence. Think of infrastructure as the foundation that supports everything else in our homes.
Investing in a comfortable and efficient living space can improve our quality of life. This might mean making repairs, organizing your space, or creating a dedicated area for work or hobbies. Your home should be the space you want to come back to after a long day. It should be the place where you're most inspired, creative, and excited, and you can only do this by creating an infrastructure that supports your most important goals.
Number nine: Your main form of communication should be calls. Oh, we're going to get some pushback on this one because nobody likes phone calls, right? Nobody likes being called; nobody likes making that call. Except it is so incredibly quick, efficient, and clear, right? We all have different communication systems, programs, and ways of messaging for each facet of our lives. If you don't organize them properly, you'll become overwhelmed. You email your tax accountant, talk to your team on Slack or Teams, your family on iMessage or WhatsApp, and probably a dozen different programs depending on the task or the person.
Quick, clear communication is an invaluable skill that we're kind of dropping the ball on. All of those back and forth messages could be solved with a simple call. The Mongol and British Empires, who had the most advanced messaging systems at their time, would have loved this luxury, but they didn’t have the technology. So the Mongol Empire relied on the yam system, a network of relay stations that improved communication across all of their territories, and the British Empire relied on the postal service and telegraph networks. They might not have had the tech at the time, but they knew the importance of getting everyone on the same page and working on common goals, and you can do that a lot faster with a phone call.
Number ten: Invest in knowledge. The Shanghai Empire in Timbuktu, along with the Tang Dynasty, are shining examples of how deeply education and the exchange of ideas can enrich a society. In Timbuktu, scholars from different backgrounds gathered, turning the city into a bustling hub of knowledge and learning. The Tang Dynasty in China placed a high value on education, creating an atmosphere where cultural exchange was not just encouraged but celebrated, leading to breakthroughs in numerous fields.
Commit to your own education, no matter what stage of life you're in. Find courses that interest you. If you haven't already, download the Alux app. It is quite literally like a high-level mentor right in your pocket. We deliver to you daily coaching lessons across five pillars of a great life: finance, emotional health, relationships, intellect, and physical health. Our goal with this app is to speed up the time it'll take you to reach all of your goals, especially financial freedom. So if you haven't already, go to alux.com/slapp and download the app to get started today. You won't regret it.
Empires thrived because they shared their discoveries and thoughts. They brought people together through their goals. You might think you can do it all on your own, but trust us, Aluxir, you'll get your best ideas from the great conversations you have with people who are always seeking answers and uncovering questions.
Number eleven: Strive for fairness. Always strive to be fair in your interactions and decisions, whether you're dividing responsibilities in a group project, giving feedback at work, or dealing with a family disagreement. Fairness should guide your actions. Always in your life, you'll have certain values and principles for yourself, spoken or unspoken. From the very basic "don't steal or lie" to the more nuanced "don't talk behind your friend's back; say it to their faces."
You have to hold your principles for yourself and everyone else the same way. You can't dish out different consequences to different people because others will start losing respect for you and think of you as fake or unsure what you want. If two friends betray you or two colleagues plot against you, you have to hold them both equally accountable. Ashoka the Great transformed his governance to focus on ethical and just principles after embracing Buddhism, leading to a more humane approach that prioritized welfare over warfare. Similarly, the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus the Great developed the Yasa code, a comprehensive set of laws that aimed to reduce corruption and treat subjects fairly, regardless of their heritage or belief.
This focus on fairness creates a foundation of trust and stability in society, in you, and in your life.
Number twelve: The value of strategic planning. A good plan doesn’t lay out every single element as if everything will be smooth; it considers potential problems, different solutions, timelines, people you can rely on, and those you can't, resources you can or can't use, and whether or not you're going to have a plan B or go full-on all out. Well, the Ottoman Empire and the Roman Empire were masters of strategic planning. The Ottomans skillfully used diplomacy alongside military prowess to manage and expand their borders.
The Romans also meticulously planned their governance, military strategies, and infrastructure projects, laying the foundations for an Empire that would influence countless generations. If their plans were good enough to rule across vast areas and hundreds of thousands of people, then it should be good enough for you to rule your team at work or your family at home. Don’t just define your goals; look at all of the steps you have to take to get there and make sure you know who's going to help you and hinder you. If your goal is to get fit and healthy, is your pizza-loving partner going to be a help or a hindrance? If it's the latter, you need to have a conversation with them.
It's the little speed bumps that we don’t think of that often hold us back the most. We can start working toward that goal, sure, but if we haven’t considered the stumbling blocks, then they're going to derail us before we've even reached the 100-meter mark.
Number thirteen: Learn about arts and culture. When you're not directly involved with arts and culture, it becomes easy to ignore their influence and pretend that there are more important things in the world. And sure, okay, there are conflicts and politics that have a more direct effect on you than celebrity gossip and award-winning movies, but arts and culture shape the thoughts and opinions of young people who do consume them. They start shifting the tides first; they show what people at the grassroots are thinking long before politicians and governments have even considered what's going on.
The Mughal Empire and the Tang Dynasty are known for their incredible contributions to arts and culture, which didn’t just make their own societies richer but also left a lasting mark on creativity and innovation. The Mughals gave us breathtaking architecture masterpieces like the Taj Mahal and promoted a blend of artistic styles that still influence South Asian art today. While the Tang Dynasty, on the other hand, was the golden age for Chinese culture, pushing poetry, painting, and calligraphy to new heights. We still use these works today; they've influenced societies over multiple generations for thousands of years.
If your creative juices aren't flowing and your perspectives and views seem boxed in, then the fastest way to fix that is to immerse yourself in the arts. Go to theater productions, visit museums, or take part in craft workshops. These experiences will help you to deepen your understanding of the world.
Number fourteen: Your friends and your enemies are important. In Empires, they call this building alliances and practicing diplomacy. The Byzantine and British Empires were especially good at this, which is why they were able to last so long. They negotiated with friends and foes to keep their influence as the world changed. The British used their diplomatic network to establish and maintain a global Empire that balanced competitive colonial powers. In your interactions, you have to understand others’ perspectives and find common ground.
The goal should never be to win the argument; it should be to find the solution. When you do this, you create a supportive environment where collaboration thrives. From your friendship groups and your family to your team at work, nobody you see regularly should be an enemy so bad and powerful that you run at the sight of them.
And lastly, number fifteen: Create a legacy. The Roman and British Empires both focused on creating legacies that would outlast their rule, emphasizing structures, laws, and cultures that persisted far beyond their immediate impact. The Romans left behind legal systems and architectural styles that continue to influence modern society, while the British legal and linguistic legacy still shapes today’s global landscape.
So think about the long-term impact of your actions; you're essentially planning for a future where you're both secured and fulfilled. It could mean investing in your education or health now, even if the benefits aren't immediate. It could involve saving money or learning new skills that will serve you well down the road. It's about setting up a life that you can look back on and feel proud of, knowing you've made choices that shaped a meaningful and rewarding life.
And there you have it, Aluxir, 15 lessons from Empires. We hope you can balance these lessons in inspiration with the knowledge that while these Empires were not perfect, far from it in fact, there are important lessons that we can learn from. Did we miss any lessons that you think are valuable in your life? Let us know in the comments, my friend. We always love hearing from you. We'll see you back here in the next video, Aluxir. Until then, take care.