Recently came across the story of Zhou Shouzi, and I have to say, this Singaporean’s resume is truly extraordinary.

From a young age, he was the kind of kid others looked after. Excelling in national exams at 12 to get into top universities, joining the military at 18, and after retiring with an officer rank at over 20, he went straight to the University of London to study economics. This pace is simply unmatched by ordinary people.

At 23, he made a splash in investment banking, but his decision at 25 was decisive—giving up a stable job at Goldman Sachs to pursue an MBA at Harvard, while interning at Facebook. It’s clear at this point that he’s not just chasing salary; he’s seeking opportunities to ride the big waves.

At 27, he rose to fame by leading a $500 million funding round for JD.com, then joined Xiaomi as CFO. During his time at Xiaomi, working with Lei Jun, he helped push the company from startup to IPO. At 35, Xiaomi successfully listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange—something many in the tech industry still remember.

But what truly brought Zhou Shouzi into the global spotlight was when he joined ByteDance at 38 as CEO of TikTok. This role, frankly, is a frontline position—dealing with global policy pressures, market uncertainties, internal coordination… Behind a 700 million yuan annual salary are real challenges. He withstood those storms with strength, proving he’s not just a financial expert but a leader capable of making decisions in complex situations.

Looking at Zhou Shouzi’s entire trajectory—from military service, Wall Street, Silicon Valley, top Asian companies, to the global tech stage—this isn’t just a story of promotions and salary increases. Every step was about seizing the opportunities of the era, every turn purposeful. His story can indeed inspire people, but what’s more worth pondering is—how to make the right choices at critical moments.