What do you think?
Rate this book
The 38 Letters of Rockefeller to His Son
The author ""oil magnate"" John D. Rockefeller told it all depends on your attitude. If you think that work is a pleasure, your life will become a paradise; If you think that work is a duty., your life will be the same painful as in the hell. Work is not only the provider of clothing, food, living and doing, and its significance to you is you is not only to get the money and materials, but also what you will become! Smart people work hard not just for the sake of money, and their persistence lies the realm higher than fundraising - create a career of their own. When you reach this level, you wont feel pain any more, because you know work provides chance to make you better. So you will have full enthusiasm for the work, and became more positive. When you work positively, your efforts will be will be rewarded naturally, and success will follow.
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
184 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2013
33 people are currently reading
570 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 20, 2022
Incredibly insightful–a testimony of the American dream. J.D. Rockefeller's genuine care for his son shines through each and one of his 38 letters. From business tactics, to personal growth, to lifelong pillars-the wisdom he imparts on John Junior is invaluable. It is easy to understand why the Rockefeller family thrived across six generations without exploiting their riches after reaching Rockefeller's words. His emphasis on courage, confidence, and proactivity is illuminating.
p.s.: I did not know that he donated to build UChicago, what a meaningful philanthropic contribution!
p.s.: I did not know that he donated to build UChicago, what a meaningful philanthropic contribution!
November 6, 2023
Great advice from one of the greatest to ever do it.
September 19, 2025
这是一本全球首富亲切的称呼你为“儿子”，给你猛灌38碗来自19世纪的鸡汤，而且还很有可能是翻译自己替洛克菲勒写的书
April 12, 2025
Lincoln's life wrote a great truth: unless you give up, you will not be defeated.
If you view work as a pleasure, life is heaven; if you view work as a duty, life is hell.
If you stay still, you will regress, but to move forward you must be willing to make decisions and take risks.
Son, remember the formula of success that I believe in: Dream + Failure + Challenge = Success
"Mr. Edison, your current invention has failed 10,000 times. What do you think of this?" Edison was very immune to the word failure. He said to the reporter in a wise manner: "Young man, your journey of life has just begun, so I tell you that will help you a lot in the future. I have not failed 10,000 times, I just invented 10,000 unworkable methods". The power of spirit is always so great.
Too many people overestimate what they lack, but underestimate what the have, and lose the chance to become a winner. This is a tragedy.
Mr. Gates once introduced me to a university professor who unfortunately lost an arm during a trip, but like every optimist I know, he still smiles a lot and helps others. When talking about his disability that day, he told me: "It's just one arm. Of course, two is better than one. But only my arm is removed, and my mind is still 100% intact and normal. I am really thankful for that."
I believe that an average-talented person who has an optimistic, positive, and cooperative attitude towards the world will earn more money and win more respect as compared to a talented but pessimistic, passive and uncooperative person. Regardless of whether a person is dealing with trivial things, difficult tasks or important plans, as long as he is dedicated and enthusiastic to complete, the results will be far better than smart but lazy people. Because concentration and perseverance account for 95% of a person's ability.
The way of thinking that guides us to use our intelligence is far more important than the level of our intelligence. Even the highest degree of education cannot change this basic rule of success. The educational level of innate talent is not the reason behind good performance, but the management of one's thoughts. The best businessmen never have unfounded worry, but they are passionate. It is not easy to improve the quality of talent, but it is easy to improve the method of using talent.
I am my biggest capital. My only belief is to believe in myself! Everyone who desires to succeed should realize that the seeds of success are sown by your side.
"The higher the risk, the greater the return." For everyone, sailing in the business sea is the greatest adventure that life can provide him.
Success is not measured by a person's height, weight, education, or family background, but by the size of his thoughts.
The most important of all is that we must value ourselves, overcome the greates weakness of mankind - self-deprecation, and never sell ourselves cheaply. You are greater than you think, so you should expand your thinking to the extent to your fullest potential, and never underestimate yourself.
No one can escape the principle of reasoning: how you think will determine how you act, and how you act will determine how others think of you. Just like your own success plan, it is actually very simple to gain the respect of others. In order to be respected by others, you must first feel that you are indeed worthy of respect, and the more you respect yourself, the more others will respect you.
Only when you endure what people cannot, can you then do what people cannot. If you really want to succeed, you must grasp and protect your own opportunities, and even try to seize others' opportunities. (Conformity is the enemy of thought and the jailer of freedom.)
"John, my heart is captured by you. Since you think we should do this, let's do it together! If you can take the risk, so can I!" The cooperative spirit of facing victories and losses together is also a spiritual pillar of our growth.
John, attitude helps create luck, and luck is in your choice. If you do it right 51% of the time, then you will become a hero.
When we believe that something is impossible to do, our brain will find various reasons for us not to do it. However, when we believe-really believe that something can be done, our brains will help us find various ways.
Because they are too obsessed with their own methods, even though they are very clear about their goals, their methods limit the possibility of success - except where the fishing line can reach, their fishing range is equal to zero. However, if they cna fish with a net like a fisherman, it will expand the fishing range, and the abundance of fish will give them many choices and eventually catch the fish they want.
There is only one way to overcome despair, and that is to continue to create possibilities to overcome obstacles. Simply put, hope comes from believing that there are alternatives.
If you view work as a pleasure, life is heaven; if you view work as a duty, life is hell.
If you stay still, you will regress, but to move forward you must be willing to make decisions and take risks.
Son, remember the formula of success that I believe in: Dream + Failure + Challenge = Success
"Mr. Edison, your current invention has failed 10,000 times. What do you think of this?" Edison was very immune to the word failure. He said to the reporter in a wise manner: "Young man, your journey of life has just begun, so I tell you that will help you a lot in the future. I have not failed 10,000 times, I just invented 10,000 unworkable methods". The power of spirit is always so great.
Too many people overestimate what they lack, but underestimate what the have, and lose the chance to become a winner. This is a tragedy.
Mr. Gates once introduced me to a university professor who unfortunately lost an arm during a trip, but like every optimist I know, he still smiles a lot and helps others. When talking about his disability that day, he told me: "It's just one arm. Of course, two is better than one. But only my arm is removed, and my mind is still 100% intact and normal. I am really thankful for that."
I believe that an average-talented person who has an optimistic, positive, and cooperative attitude towards the world will earn more money and win more respect as compared to a talented but pessimistic, passive and uncooperative person. Regardless of whether a person is dealing with trivial things, difficult tasks or important plans, as long as he is dedicated and enthusiastic to complete, the results will be far better than smart but lazy people. Because concentration and perseverance account for 95% of a person's ability.
The way of thinking that guides us to use our intelligence is far more important than the level of our intelligence. Even the highest degree of education cannot change this basic rule of success. The educational level of innate talent is not the reason behind good performance, but the management of one's thoughts. The best businessmen never have unfounded worry, but they are passionate. It is not easy to improve the quality of talent, but it is easy to improve the method of using talent.
I am my biggest capital. My only belief is to believe in myself! Everyone who desires to succeed should realize that the seeds of success are sown by your side.
"The higher the risk, the greater the return." For everyone, sailing in the business sea is the greatest adventure that life can provide him.
Success is not measured by a person's height, weight, education, or family background, but by the size of his thoughts.
The most important of all is that we must value ourselves, overcome the greates weakness of mankind - self-deprecation, and never sell ourselves cheaply. You are greater than you think, so you should expand your thinking to the extent to your fullest potential, and never underestimate yourself.
No one can escape the principle of reasoning: how you think will determine how you act, and how you act will determine how others think of you. Just like your own success plan, it is actually very simple to gain the respect of others. In order to be respected by others, you must first feel that you are indeed worthy of respect, and the more you respect yourself, the more others will respect you.
Only when you endure what people cannot, can you then do what people cannot. If you really want to succeed, you must grasp and protect your own opportunities, and even try to seize others' opportunities. (Conformity is the enemy of thought and the jailer of freedom.)
"John, my heart is captured by you. Since you think we should do this, let's do it together! If you can take the risk, so can I!" The cooperative spirit of facing victories and losses together is also a spiritual pillar of our growth.
John, attitude helps create luck, and luck is in your choice. If you do it right 51% of the time, then you will become a hero.
When we believe that something is impossible to do, our brain will find various reasons for us not to do it. However, when we believe-really believe that something can be done, our brains will help us find various ways.
Because they are too obsessed with their own methods, even though they are very clear about their goals, their methods limit the possibility of success - except where the fishing line can reach, their fishing range is equal to zero. However, if they cna fish with a net like a fisherman, it will expand the fishing range, and the abundance of fish will give them many choices and eventually catch the fish they want.
There is only one way to overcome despair, and that is to continue to create possibilities to overcome obstacles. Simply put, hope comes from believing that there are alternatives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2022
似乎不是洛克菲勒本人的信……
读多了之后有点像微信公众号的鸡汤文
垄断企业家的气魄倒是在几乎每封信中都有体现
读多了之后有点像微信公众号的鸡汤文
垄断企业家的气魄倒是在几乎每封信中都有体现
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews