I was born in China at the beginning of the so called Cultural Revolution. The Chinese call my hometown “River City” since it is on the Long River, the longest river in China. My parents had never been to college and had never been out of China. Like many other Chinese of my age, when I went to college in China, I lived on approximately USD$10 a month, with which I bought food, clothes and books.

Today I live in the Silicon Valley. I am a partner at the world’s largest investment firm in my industry, managing over USD$5 billion. I have a Ph.D. from an Ivy League university and an MBA from a top business school. I work with some of the most successful and intelligent professionals in my industry.

Looking at my past, some Western friends may think that I had a “bitter’ childhood. That is not true. The hardship in my childhood was not nearly as painful as it sounds since virtually everyone around me was just as poor. I was happy. I had enough food and warm clothes. I had good books to read and even dated. I often saw two movies a week, which cost approximately two cents and were played at an outdoor theater at my college. The housing was free. I jogged almost everyday and my parents and brother loved me. If anything, the experience of not having money has only made my life today happier due to the contrast.

I have found what makes me happy today is largely the same: I jog, read, try to eat healthy and do interesting work. My business partner, who is worth over USD$100M, has told me that light and warm clothes makes her happy. Happiness is a matter of mind, which does not have much to do with wealth, status or looks. It does not have to be complex but you have to be honest, at least to yourself.