"Money won't create success, the freedom to make it will"

Nelson Mandela’s words, “Money won’t create success, the freedom to make it will,” strike at the heart of what it means to truly achieve and thrive. The value of money is often overstated. Many people believe that amassing wealth by itself is the gateway to a successful and fulfilling life. Yet, Mandela emphasizes a different source of success: the ability, the liberty, and the opportunity to pursue one’s goals and aspirations.

Freedom, in this context, is about much more than political liberty or civil rights, although those are crucial in their own right. It is also the personal autonomy to innovate, to create, to work, and to define one’s own path without undue restraint or fear. When individuals are granted the freedom to try new things, to fail and try again, to pursue education, to build businesses, or to engage in cultural, intellectual, or social endeavours, they can unlock their potential and contribute not only to their own prosperity but also to the broader wellbeing of society.

Wealth can buy resources, tools, and even time, but it cannot buy the opportunity to act meaningfully without the existence of genuine freedom. In societies or environments where people are restricted, by laws, tradition, discrimination, or lack of basic rights, no amount of money can compensate for the absence of liberty. True success, then, is measured not by the amount of money possessed, but by the environment that allows for creativity, innovation, diligence, and growth.

Mandela’s perspective is shaped by his own struggle against apartheid, where vast wealth existed alongside profound repression. Real progress came only when freedom was restored. Empowering individuals, giving them the freedom to strive, think, and work, creates the foundation for authentic success, both personal and collective. In essence, opportunities and liberation are the true bedrocks upon which lasting achievement is built.