40 things John D. Rockefeller wrote to his son, John D. Rockefeller Jr., over 38 letters:
1. I never thought I would lose.
2. I do not meet competition. I destroy competitors.
3. Our destiny is determined by our actions and not by our origins.
4. Visionary businessmen are always good at finding opportunities in every disaster. That is how I did it.
5. You cannot sharpen your razor on velvet.
6. Get rid of the habit of being distracted.
7. Look at those who fail and you will find that most people fail not because they make mistakes, but because they are not fully committed. The same goes for companies.
8. Retreat means surrender. Retreat will turn you into a slave. The war is inevitable. Let it come.
9. Match people by their enthusiasm.
10. Luck is the remnant of design.
11. Anything can happen in this world.
12. The important thing is that you firmly believe that you are your greatest capital.
13. Bring a steel like determination to all challenges.
14. Action solves everything.
15. When I was a poor boy I was confident that I would become the richest person in the world. Strong self confidence inspired me.
16. Everyone is a designer and architect of his own destiny.
17. We’d better push it.
18. Smart people make things happen.
19. If I say that I have the power of life and death over oil refiners that is not a lie. I can make them wealthy or I can make them worthless.
20. Do it now. Opportunity comes from opportunity.
21. I never believed that failure is the mother of success. I believe that faith is the father of success.
22. Victory is a habit.
23. The glory and success of the family cannot guarantee the future of children and grandchildren.
24. People of poor backgrounds will actively develop their abilities because they urgently need to rescue themselves.
25. No one in the world leads a smooth life.
26. People who climb up in any industry are fully committed to what they are doing. They sincerely love the work that they do.
27. If you sincerely love the work that you do you will naturally succeed.
28. Life is an opportunity at a time.
29. Too many people overestimate what they lack and underestimate what they have.
30. Believing that there will be great results is the driving force behind all great careers.
31. My nature never wears off. What I like is the feeling of victory.
32. Enthusiasm is a force multiplier to everything.
33. Faith in yourself is the force that drives you forward.
34. I think carefully prepared plans and actions are called luck. I never succumb to luck, I believe in cause and effect.
35. In the process of pursuing career success the most important step is to prevent yourself from making excuses.
36. The outcome of things is often proportional to our enthusiasm.
37. I told myself, I warned myself. You must hold on to this [his business] tightly. It can bring you to the realm of your dreams.
38. Of course I paid a high price, but what I won was freedom and a glorious future. I became my own master.
39. The person who can create value the most is the person who devotes himself completely to his favorite activities.
40. The people who can get ahead in the world are those who know how to find their ideal environment. If they cannot find it, they will create it themselves.
