John D. Rockefeller on Making Money

Do not be discouraged … I had many refusals, I did not give up

I admire persistence. It is commendable, especially in young men, and it will win in the end.

I believe that thrift is essential to well-ordered living

I would rather hire a man with enthusiasm than a man who knows everything.

If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success.

Try to turn every disaster into an opportunity.

The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee, and I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun.

The most important thing for a young man is to establish a credit—a reputation, character.

Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it

The road to happiness lies in two simple principles: find what interests you and that you can do well, and put your whole soul into it—every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have.