John D. Rockefeller Famous Quotations

John D. Rockefeller (1839 - 1937) was an American industrialist and philanthropist. He revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of modern philanthropy. In 1870, he founded the Standard Oil Company and ran it until he retired in 1897. These famous quotes dealing with goals, achievement, and success have been attributed to him.

A friendship founded on business is better than a business founded on friendship.
Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it.
Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.
Every right implies a responsibility; Every opportunity, an obligation, Every possession, a duty.
Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people.
Good management consists in showing average people how to do the work of superior people.
I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.
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 believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty.
I believe that thrift is essential to well-ordered living.
I can think of nothing less pleasurable than a life devoted to pleasure.
I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.
I know of nothing more despicable and pathetic than a man who devotes all the hours of the waking day to the making of money for money's sake.
I would rather earn 1% off a 100 people's efforts than 100% of my own efforts.
If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success.
If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.
It is wrong to assume that men of immense wealth are always happy.
Next to doing the right thing, the most important thing is to let people know you are doing the right thing.
Singleness of purpose is one of the chief essentials for success in life, no matter what may be one's aim.
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.