#324 John D. Rockefeller (38 Letters Rockefeller Wrote to His Son)
Founders
Resilience and Leadership in Business
This chapter explores the themes of financial adversity and the importance of personal accountability in business, highlighting the contrast between arrogance and humility. Through letters to a son, the speaker shares essential lessons on leadership, emphasizing active listening, respect, and the power of positive reinforcement in motivating employees. It encapsulates the philosophy that true success stems from continuous ambition and resilience, while avoiding the pitfalls of excuse-making.
What I learned from reading The 38 Letters from J.D. Rockefeller to His Son by John D. Rockefeller.
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(5:00) My Influence had been extended to all corners of the oil industry. If I say that I have the power of life and death over oil producers and oil refiners, that is not a lie. I can make them wealthy or I can make them worthless.
(7:25) I never thought I would lose. As far as my nature is concerned, I do not meet competition. I destroy competitors.
(8:30) Retreat means surrender. Retreat will turn you into a slave. The war is inevitable. Let it come.
(9:00) Bring a steel like determination to face all kinds of challenges.
(13:45) I firmly believe that our destiny is determined by our actions and not by our origins.
(15:45) Alexander the Great: The Brief Life and Towering Exploits of History's Greatest Conqueror--As Told By His Original Biographers by Arrian, Plutarch, and Quintus Curtius Rufus. (Founders #232)
(21:00) The glory and success of the family cannot guarantee the future of a children and grandchildren.
(22:30) People of poor backgrounds will actively develop their abilities while also seizing various opportunities because they urgently need to rescue themselves.
(26:00) Luck is the remnant of design luck is the remnant of design. — Cyrus McCormick
(27:30) Rockefeller explains to his son, in writing, exactly what he was: A conqueror.
(28:00) Everyone is a designer and architect of his own destiny.
(29:00) If you do everything you will win: All great events hang by a single thread. The clever man takes advantage of everything, neglects nothing that may give him some added opportunity; the less clever man, by neglecting one thing, sometimes misses everything. — The Mind of Napoleon: A Selection of His Written and Spoken Words edited by J. Christopher Herold. (Founders #302)
(32:00) Visionary businessmen are always good at finding opportunities in every disaster. And that is how I did it.
(36:00) Anything can happen in this world.
(38:30) People who climb up in any industry are fully committed to what they are doing. They sincerely love the work that they do. If you sincerely love the work that you do you will naturally succeed.
(41:00) Do it now. Opportunity comes from opportunity.
(42:00) Action solves everything.
(42:00) Always more audacity. — Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill by Candice Millard. (Founders #319)
(43:00) So at this time we’d better push it. We’d better push it.
(43:00) Smart people make things happen.
(46:00) Life is an opportunity at a time.
(48:00) Get rid of the habit of being distracted.
(54:00) No one in the world leads a smooth life.
(58:00) Too many people overestimate what they lack and underestimate what they have.
(58:00) You cannot sharpen your razor on velvet. — Abraham Lincoln
(59:00) When I was a poor boy I was confident that I would become the richest person in the world. Strong self confidence inspired me.
(59:00) I never believed that failure is the mother of success. I believe that faith is the father of success. Victory is a habit.
(59:00) Believing that there will be great results is the driving force behind all great careers.
(1:06:00) A story about Rockefeller’s ruthless competitive drive.
(1:07:00) My nature never wears off. What I like is the good feeling of victory.
(1:09:00) 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.
(1:16:00) Enthusiasm is a force multiplier to everything.
(1:16:00) The outcome of things is often proportional to our enthusiasm.
(1:18:00) I think carefully prepared plans and actions are called luck. I never succumb to luck, I believe in cause and effect.
(1:18:00) Ask yourself: Am I using my mind to create history?
(1:18:00) I never succumb to luck, I believe in cause and effect.
(1:18:00) In the process for pursuing career success the most important step is to prevent yourself from making excuses.
(1:19:00) The important thing is that you firmly believe that you are your greatest capital.
(1:19:00) Faith [in yourself] is the force that must drive you forward.
(1:20:00) No American has completely changed the American way of life like Henry Ford did. He has turned the car from a luxury into a necessity that everyone can afford.
(1:23:00) I told myself, I warned myself. You must hold onto this tightly. It can bring you to the realm of your dreams.
(1:26:00) Of course I paid a high price, but what I won was freedom and a glorious future. I became my own master.
(1:32:00) The end is just the beginning. — Andrew Carnegie
(1:33:00) 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.
(1:35:00) The person who can create value the most is the person who devotes himself completely to his favorite activities.
(1:36:00) Match people by their enthusiasm.
(1:38:00) THE ROCKEFELLER EPISODES:
#307 The World's Great Family Dynasties
#254 John D. Rockefeller: The Founding Father of the Rockefellers
#248 John D Rockefeller (Titan)
#247 Henry Flagler (Rockefeller's partner)
#148 John D. Rockefeller's Autobiography
#16 John D. Rockefeller (Titan)
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“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested, so my poor wallet suffers.” — Gareth
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“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — Gareth
Be like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast
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