--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I left Sudan when I was 25 or 26 years…" description: "\"I left Sudan when I was 25 or 26 years old. If I had stayed, I would never have ended up being an entrepreneur. You can have the qualities, but if you ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/mo-ibrahim-3354_away_i-left-sudan-when-i-was-25-or-26-years-o_2483092.jpg" --- # I left Sudan when I was 25 or 26 years old. If I had… ![“I left Sudan when I was 25 or 26 years old. If I had stayed, I would never have ended up being an entrepreneur. You can have the qualities, but if you don't have the environment, you just wither away. It's like a fish: take it out of water, it will not survive.” quote by Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/mo-ibrahim-3354_away_i-left-sudan-when-i-was-25-or-26-years-o_2483092.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/mo-ibrahim-3354_away_i-left-sudan-when-i-was-25-or-26-years-o_2483092.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/mo-ibrahim-3354_away_i-left-sudan-when-i-was-25-or-26-years-o_2483092.jpg) > “I left Sudan when I was 25 or 26 years old. If I had stayed, I would never have ended up being an entrepreneur. You can have the qualities, but if you don't have the environment, you just wither away. It's like a fish: take it out of water, it will not survive.” [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He attributes his entrepreneurial success to a supportive environment, not just personal traits. **In simple terms:** Environment matters more than talent alone. Key Takeaway Seek or create supportive ecosystems for growth. Themes entrepreneurship environment personal development migration Mood reflective inspirational Type advice motivational When to use this quote - startup incubators - career counseling - immigration policy - education programs Key Concepts human capital social capital adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How can societies foster environments that nurture talent? - What role does migration play in personal success? A Different Perspective Talent alone may not overcome systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [26 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/26-years-278589/) [Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Ended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ended/) [Ended Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ended-entrepreneur-884693/) [Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) [Entrepreneur Qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur-qualities-884694/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qualities/) [Stayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stayed/) [Sudan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sudan/) [Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survive/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [Wither](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wither/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [Sudan has been an experiment that resonated across Africa: if we, the largest country on the continent, reaching from the Sahara to the Congo,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/sudan-has-been-an-experiment-that-resonated-across-africa-if-we-the/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [If Sudan starts to crumble, the shock waves will spread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/if-sudan-starts-to-crumble-the-shock-waves-will-spread/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Sudan cannot afford to be on the wrong side of history. The north and south will have to work together, but will they?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/sudan-cannot-afford-to-be-on-the-wrong-side-of-history-the-north-and/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [“Do I wither up and disappear, or do I make the best of my time left?.. He would not wither. He would not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/do-i-wither-up-and-disappear-or-do-i-make-the-best-of-my-time-left-he/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [I hate singing. I hate dancing. I enjoyed doing 'Cabaret' and 'Assassins,' but I would wither up and die in 'The Music Man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-o-hare/i-hate-singing-i-hate-dancing-i-enjoyed-doing-cabaret-and-assassins/) [Denis O'Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-o-hare/) > [“Let us doom and gloom not creep into our day and lust for life not wither away. With the future as brother-in-arms, steps in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/let-us-doom-and-gloom-not-creep-into-our-day-and-lust-for-life-not/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Flowers are born, and they wither...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaka/flowers-are-born-and-they-wither/) [Shaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaka/) > [“Things wither and die before us so that we may better savor that we live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-benson/things-wither-and-die-before-us-so-that-we-may-better-savor-that-we/) [Ann Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-benson/) > [“And like a flower, she might wither but never loses her fragrance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-adel/and-like-a-flower-she-might-wither-but-never-loses-her-fragrance/) [Sarah Adel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-adel/) > [We're so conditioned to believe that milk does a body good and that we need enormous amounts of protein or we'll wither away. Look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-carr/we-re-so-conditioned-to-believe-that-milk-does-a-body-good-and-that/) [Kris Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-carr/) > [“I rip my handout of hers, and I want to back away. I want to get as far from her as I can, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/i-rip-my-handout-of-hers-and-i-want-to-back-away-i-want-to-get-as-far/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [Whence? wither? why? how? - these questions cover all philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/whence-wither-why-how-these-questions-cover-all-philosophy/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [Worthless as wither'd weeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/worthless-as-wither-d-weeds/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [I've got all my old laptops going back to my first, which was so fancy at the time, in '93 or '94, but now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-ve-got-all-my-old-laptops-going-back-to-my-first-which-was-so-fancy/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [When you remove the risk, you remove the challenge. When you remove the challenge, you wither on the vine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lowe/when-you-remove-the-risk-you-remove-the-challenge-when-you-remove-the/) [Alex Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lowe/) ## More by Mo Ibrahim > [Experience counts in government even more than in business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/experience-counts-in-government-even-more-than-in-business/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [It's time Africa started listening to our young people instead of always telling them what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/it-s-time-africa-started-listening-to-our-young-people-instead-of/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Remarkably, governments are beginning to embrace the idea that nothing enhances democracy more than giving voice and information to everybody in the country. Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/remarkably-governments-are-beginning-to-embrace-the-idea-that-nothing/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [If economic progress is not translated into better quality of life and respect for citizens' rights, we will witness more Tahrir Squares in Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/if-economic-progress-is-not-translated-into-better-quality-of-life/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Africa is progressing but maybe not in the way you think it is. Even if the overall picture looks good, we must all remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/africa-is-progressing-but-maybe-not-in-the-way-you-think-it-is-even/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [People never confess to failure. They should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/people-never-confess-to-failure-they-should/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Governance has been at the heart of the work of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations and is a clear focus in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/governance-has-been-at-the-heart-of-the-work-of-the-oxford-martin/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [There's no point in trying to hoard money after life, so better really to share with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/there-s-no-point-in-trying-to-hoard-money-after-life-so-better-really/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [I need to be free, to speak the unspeakable. You can't do that in office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/i-need-to-be-free-to-speak-the-unspeakable-you-can-t-do-that-in-office/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [If we cannot accurately measure poverty, we surely cannot accurately measure our efforts to tackle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/if-we-cannot-accurately-measure-poverty-we-surely-cannot-accurately/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Business is global. Countries need to react to that; taxes need to be paid where profit arises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/business-is-global-countries-need-to-react-to-that-taxes-need-to-be/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [I don't subscribe to the narrative that Africa is backward because of colonialism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/i-don-t-subscribe-to-the-narrative-that-africa-is-backward-because-of/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Africa offers the highest return on investment in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/africa-offers-the-highest-return-on-investment-in-the-world/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Governance is everything. Without governance we have nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/governance-is-everything-without-governance-we-have-nothing/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [When you ask people what they think of Africa, they think of AIDS, genocide, disasters, famine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/when-you-ask-people-what-they-think-of-africa-they-think-of-aids/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) [Explore all 133 Mo Ibrahim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) ## More Away quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [You just say the word, and I'll make the rest of the world go away. I'll take you someplace safe, where no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/you-just-say-the-word-and-i-ll-make-the-rest-of-the-world-go-away-i/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Beauty fades away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/beauty-fades-away/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't kind of take away, you either do or you don't. If you kind of take away something you're a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-guare/you-can-t-kind-of-take-away-you-either-do-or-you-don-t-if-you-kind-of/) [John Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-guare/) > [We never think that our mothers will die. It was like suddenly an abyss opened at my feet - I was standing on nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/we-never-think-that-our-mothers-will-die-it-was-like-suddenly-an/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [If you take away the predators in the prairies and the national parks, you suddenly have an explosion of elk, and then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/if-you-take-away-the-predators-in-the-prairies-and-the-national-parks/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“Please don't go away. You--you matter. To me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/please-don-t-go-away-you-you-matter-to-me/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [“Why is it," she asked, snuggling closer, "that I so often imagine myself running away and running free?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/why-is-it-she-asked-snuggling-closer-that-i-so-often-imagine-myself/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) [Browse all 4,933 Away quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I left Sudan when I was 25 or 26 years old. If I had stayed, I would never have ended up being an entrepreneur. You can have the qualities, but if you don't have the environment, you just wither away. 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