There is no slowing down in UAE; you better run when you wake up: Sheikh Mohammed

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is well on his way to breaking the Internet, yet again.

His debut post on TikTok — which he officially joined on Saturday, December 19 — serves as a fitting reminder that the UAE will relentlessly strive for the best.

The video, which features a motivational story in his own voice, has already garnered over 91,000 likes, 18,000 comments, and 2,787 re-shares.

In it, Sheikh Mohammed narrates the story of a lion and a gazelle, both of whom have to wake up and run just to survive — whether it is to run from predators or hunt for food.

Sheikh Mohammed can be heard saying: “People slow down. For example, if my team does something very good, they say okay, Sheikh Mohammed is now happy, I’m going to slow down and take rest.”

In response to this attitude, Sheikh Mohammed said: “Every morning, when a gazelle wakes up in Africa, he makes sure he outruns the fastest lion or he will be killed. And every morning when a lion wakes up, he makes sure he outruns the slowest gazelle, or he will starve.

“In the UAE or in Dubai, I don’t care if you are a lion or a gazelle. When you wake up, you better start running,” Sheikh Mohammed said, aptly explaining why he is constantly pushing his team to strive for the best.

Shortly after the first post, a second video was shared on the visionary leader’s account. This video praised the efforts of frontline workers and highlighted the importance of teamwork to overcome challenges.