“A man’s wealth must be determined by the relation of his desires and expenditures to his income. If he feels rich on ten dollars, and has everything else he desires, he really is rich.”

I believe that thrift is essential to well-ordered living.

I believe in the supreme worth of the individual and in his right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I have no use for men who fail. The cause of their failure is no business of mine, but I want successful men as my associates.

Believing that fundamental conditions of the country are sound, my son and I have for some days been purchasing sound common stocks

Get rich by taking something common and making it uncommon.

The best philanthropy is constantly in search of the finalities-a search for a cause, an attempt to cure evils at their source.

I believe in the dignity of labor, whether with head or hand; that the world owes no man a living but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living.

I had no ambition to make a fortune. Mere money-making has never been my goal, I had an ambition to build.

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

Giving is the secret to a healthy life. Not necessarily money, but whatever a person has to give of encouragement, sympathy, and understanding.

I shall use such influence as I have in emphasizing the basic truths common to all denominations, in lowering denominational barriers and in promoting effective cooperation among Christians of whatever creed.

I was born into it and there was nothing I could do about it. It was there, like air or food, or any other element. The only question with wealth is what you do with it.

I was trained from the beginning to work, to save. I have always regarded it a as a religious duty to get all I could honorably and to give all I could.

The impression was gaining ground with me that it was a good thing to let the money be my slave and not make myself a slave to money.

I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.

I’m glad I wrote the book to show what I found out about the [ Standard Oil Company]. I’m glad many people read my book and found out the truth.

There is no more desire to live past one’s time than to die before it.

That propaganda is good which leads to success, and that is bad which fails to achieve the desired result. It is not propaganda’s task to be intelligent, its task is to lead to success.

Though we may not desire to detect fraud, we must not, on that account, endeavor to be insensible of it, for, as cunning is a crime, so is duplicity a fault, and if men dread knaves, they also despise fools.

Love cannot in its very nature be peaceful or content. It is a restlessness, an unsatisfaction. I can grant a lasting love just as I can grant a lasting unsatisfaction; but the lasting love cannot be coupled with possession, for love is pain and desire and possession is easement and fulfilment.

To act out of desire is bondage. To act out of love is freedom.

If you desire praise or esteem, endeavor to merit it.

If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man he would have made me so in the first place. He put in your heart certain wishes and plans, and in my heart he put other and different desires. It is not necessary for eagles to be crows.

They are forever free who renounce all selfish desires and break away from the ego cage of I, me, and mine