Only sincerely believing in yourself will find you a way.

只有真诚地相信自己，才会找到出路。

It is impossible to find the best way to do anything.

任何事都不可能找到绝对最好的办法。

The best way to find the best idea is to have lots of ideas.

找到最佳点子的最好办法，是拥有大量点子。

December 4, 1903 Dear John:

1903年12月4日亲爱的约翰：

I do not agree with your point of view, of letting Roger take on the heavy responsibility and face the music alone. In fact, with regards to this, I have worked hard, but the result was quite disappointing. My principle of employing people is that those who are entrusted with important tasks are those who can find ways to do things better. But Rogers is obviously not qualified, because he is a lazy person.

我不同意你让罗杰独自承担重任、独自面对风波的观点。事实上，为了这件事我费尽心力，但结果很令人失望。我的用人原则是：能担大事的人必须懂得找到更好的办法做事。但罗杰显然不合格，因为他是个懒人。

you mean to release all the murderers, robbers, and rapists? Do you know the consequences of doing this? If that’s the case, we will not have peace. In anyway, there must be a prison. "

在和罗杰共事之前，我用一个问题考了他。我说：“罗杰先生，你认为政府在三十年内能做些什么来废除所有监狱？”他听完很困惑，怀疑自己听错了。沉默片刻后，他开始反驳我：“尊敬的洛克菲勒先生，您是说要释放所有杀人犯、抢劫犯和强奸犯吗？您知道这样做的后果吗？那样我们将不得安宁。无论如何，必须有监狱。”

I wanted to smash Rogers’ monolithic head, and I reminded him: “Roger, you only said the reasons why the prison cannot be abolished. Now, try to believe that the prison can be abolished. Assuming it can be abolished, how should we

proceed?”

我真想敲开罗杰那块顽石般的脑袋，于是提醒他：“罗杰，你只说了监狱不能被废除的理由。现在试着相信它可以被废除。假设可以废除，我们该怎么做？”

“This is too hard for me, Mr. Rockefeller, I can’t believe it, and it’s hard for me to find a way to abolish it. " This is Rogers’s method — no way.

“这对我太难了，洛克菲勒先生，我无法相信它，也很难找出废除的方法。”这就是罗杰的方法——没有办法。

I cannot imagine how he will use all his talents to actively react when he is given a heavy responsibility, or when an opportunity or a crisis hit. I do not trust Roger; he will only turn hope into hopelessness.

我无法想象当重任压顶或机会与危机来临时，他会如何用尽才智积极应对。我不信任罗杰；他只会把希望变成绝望。

Finding out a way to do things better is the guarantee of being able to complete anything. This does not require superhuman wisdom, the important thing is to believe that things can be done, and to have this belief. 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 brain will help us find various ways.

找到更好的做事方法，是完成任何事情的保证。这不需要超人的智慧，关键是相信事情可以做到，并拥有这种信念。当我们相信某事不可能，头脑就会替我们找出各种不去做的理由；而当我们相信——真正相信某事可行，头脑就会帮我们找到各种方法。

Believing that something can be done will provide us with creative solutions and bring out our various creative abilities. On the contrary, not believing that things can be done successfully is tantamount to shutting down our wisdom in creative problem-solving, which will not only hinder our creative ability, but will also destroy our ideals. The so-called aspirational element turns out to be the foundation of creation and achievement, but that is it.

相信事情可行，会为我们提供创造性解决方案，并激发各类创造能力。相反，不相信事情能成功，就等于关闭我们解决问题的创造智慧，不仅阻碍创造力，还会摧毁理想。所谓志向元素，正是创造与成就的基础。

I hate my subordinates saying “impossible” . “Impossible” is a term for failure. Once a person is dominated by the idea of “it is impossible” , he can produce a

series of ideas to prove that he is right. Roger made this mistake. He is a traditional thinker, and his mind is numb. His reason is: this has been practiced

for a hundred years, so it must be a good way. It must be kept as it is, so why risk it. Change?

我讨厌下属说“不可能”。“不可能”是失败的词。一旦一个人被“这不可能”的想法支配，就会找出一连串理由证明自己没错。罗杰就犯了这个错误。他是传统思维者，头脑麻木。他的理由是：这种做法已沿用百年，必定是好办法，应该原封不动，为何要冒险改变？

In fact, it can often be achieved only through thinking about the reasons

diligently. “Ordinary people” always hate progress.

事实上，很多事往往要通过勤思苦想原因才能实现。“普通人”总是讨厌进步。

People believe that it is impossible to find the best way to do anything. The best

way is to have as many creative ideas. Nothing grows on ice and snow. If we let traditional ideas freeze our hearts, new ideas will grow out of nowhere.

人们认为任何事都不可能找到绝对最好的办法。最好的办法是拥有尽可能多的创意。冰雪之上长不出东西；如果让传统观念冻结我们的心，新点子就无从生长。

“useless” , “that’s stupid” , etc.; he should also have an experimental spirit to be brave enough to try new things, which will expand his abilities and prepare him for greater responsibilities. At the same time, he must take the Initiative to move

forward, instead of thinking — “this is usually the way I do this, so here I also want to use this method” , but instead think of — Is there any way to do better than our usual method?

传统观念是创造性规划的头号敌人。它会冻结人心，阻碍我们发展真正需要的创造能力。罗杰就犯了这样的错。他应愿意接受各种想法，剔除“不可行”“做不到”“没用”“这很愚蠢”等思维渣滓；还应具备实验精神，敢于尝试新事物，从而扩展能力、为更大的责任做准备。同时，他必须主动前进，不要想着“我一向这么做，所以这里也这么做”，而要去想：有没有比常规方法更好的办法？

It is impossible for various plans to achieve absolute perfection, which means that all things can be improved endlessly. I know this well, so I often look for better methods. I do not ask myself: Can I do better? I know I can do it, so I ask:

How can I do better?

各种计划不可能达到绝对完美，这意味着一切都可以无止境地改进。我很清楚这一点，因此我常寻找更好的方法。我不问自己“我能不能做得更好？”我知道可以，所以我问：“我该如何做得更好？”

The best way to find the perfect idea is to have many ideas. I will continue to set higher standards for myself and others, and constantly seek various ways to improve efficiency, get more rewards at a lower cost, and do more things with less energy. Because I know that the greatest success is those who have the attitude that I can do things better.

找到完美点子的最好办法就是拥有很多点子。我会继续为自己和他人设定更高标准，不断寻找各种提升效率的方法，以更低成本获得更多回报，用更少精力做更多事。因为我知道，最大的成功属于那些拥有“我能做得更好”态度的人。

To develop an attitude that I can do better, we need to cultivate, and to reflect

every day: How can I do better today? How can I motivate employees today? What special services can I provide for the company? How can I make my work more efficient? This exercise is simple, but very useful. Y ou can try it; I believe you will find countless creative ways to win greater success.

要培养“我能做得更好”的态度，我们需要日复一日地反思：我今天如何做得更好？如何激励员工？我能为公司提供哪些特别服务？如何提高工作效率？这个练习很简单，却很有用。你可以试试，我相信你会找到无数创意方法，赢得更大的成功。

Our mentality determines our ability. If we think we can do this much, we can really do that much. If we truly believe that we can do more, we can think

creatively about various methods.

心态决定能力。如果我们认为能做到这么多，就能真的做到这么多；如果真相信自己还能做得更多，就会创造性地想出各种方法。

accomplish trivial matters. In other words, most of the methods that enable us to do more will appear at this time.

拒绝新挑战是非常愚蠢的。我们必须关注如何做到更多，这样许多创造性答案会意外出现，比如改进现有工作计划、处理日常工作的捷径、完成琐碎事务。换言之，大多数能让我们做得更多的方法都会在这时出现。

John, you can talk to Roger. I hope he can change. It is then he will have a better life.

约翰，你可以和罗杰谈谈，希望他能改变。那样他就会拥有更好的生活。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲 Traditional ideas are the number one enemy of creative planning. Traditional

ideas will freeze our hearts and hinder us from developing the creative abilities we really need. Roger made such a mistake. Pie should be willing to accept all kinds of ideas, and discard the dregs of thoughts such as “unfeasible”

“unable” , “useless” ,

“that’s stupid” , etc.; he should also have an experimental spirit to be brave enough to try new things, which will expand his abilities and prepare him for greater responsibilities. At the same time, he must take the Initiative to move

forward, instead of thinking — “this is usually the way I do this, so here I also want to use this method” , but instead think of — Is there any way to do better than our usual method?

传统观念是创造性规划的头号敌人。它会冻结人心，阻碍我们发展真正需要的创造能力。罗杰就犯了这样的错。他应愿意接受各种想法，剔除“不可行”“做不到”“没用”“这很愚蠢”等思维渣滓；还应具备实验精神，敢于尝试新事物，从而扩展能力、为更大的责任做准备。同时，他必须主动前进，不要想着“我一向这么做，所以这里也这么做”，而要去想：有没有比常规方法更好的办法？

It is impossible for various plans to achieve absolute perfection, which means that all things can be improved endlessly. I know this well, so I often look for

better methods. I do not ask myself: Can I do better? I know I can do it, so I ask: How can I do better?

各种计划不可能达到绝对完美，这意味着一切都可以无止境地改进。我很清楚这一点，因此我常寻找更好的方法。我不问自己“我能不能做得更好？”我知道可以，所以我问：“我该如何做得更好？”

找到完美点子的最好办法就是拥有很多点子。我会继续为自己和他人设定更高标准，不断寻找各种提升效率的方法，以更低成本获得更多回报，用更少精力做更多事。因为我知道，最大的成功属于那些拥有“我能做得更好”态度的人。

To develop an attitude that I can do better, we need to cultivate, and to reflect every day: How can I do better today? How can I motivate employees today?

What special services can I provide for the company? How can I make my work more efficient? This exercise is simple, but very useful. Y ou can try it; I believe you will find countless creative ways to win greater success.

爱你的父亲

要培养“我能做得更好”的态度，我们需要日复一日地反思：我今天如何做得更好？如何激励员工？我能为公司提供哪些特别服务？如何提高工作效率？这个练习很简单，却很有用。你可以试试，我相信你会找到无数创意方法，赢得更大的成功。

Our mentality determines our ability. If we think we can do this much, we can really do that much. If we truly believe that we can do more, we can think creatively about various methods.

心态决定能力。如果我们认为能做到这么多，就能真的做到这么多；如果真相信自己还能做得更多，就会创造性地想出各种方法。

It is very stupid to refuse new challenges. We have to focus on how we can do more. In this way, many creative answers will come unexpectedly. For example, to improve the current work plan, to deal with routine work shortcuts, or to accomplish trivial matters. In other words, most of the methods that enable us to do more will appear at this time.

拒绝新挑战是非常愚蠢的。我们必须关注如何做到更多，这样许多创造性答案会意外出现，比如改进现有工作计划、处理日常工作的捷径、完成琐碎事务。换言之，大多数能让我们做得更多的方法都会在这时出现。

John, you can talk to Roger. I hope he can change. It is then he will have a better life.

约翰，你可以和罗杰谈谈，希望他能改变。那样他就会拥有更好的生活。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲 Traditional ideas are the number one enemy of creative planning. Traditional ideas will freeze our hearts and hinder us from developing the creative abilities we really need. Roger made such a mistake. Pie should be willing to accept all kinds of ideas, and discard the dregs of thoughts such as “unfeasible” “unable” , “useless” , “that’s stupid” , etc.; he should also have an experimental spirit to be brave enough to try new things, which will expand his abilities and prepare him for greater responsibilities. At the same time, he must take the Initiative to move forward, instead of thinking — “this is usually the way I do this, so here I also want to use this method” , but instead think of — Is there any way to do better than our usual method?

传统观念是创造性规划的头号敌人。它会冻结人心，阻碍我们发展真正需要的创造能力。罗杰就犯了这样的错。他应愿意接受各种想法，剔除“不可行”“做不到”“没用”“这很愚蠢”等思维渣滓；还应具备实验精神，敢于尝试新事物，从而扩展能力、为更大的责任做准备。同时，他必须主动前进，不要想着“我一向这么做，所以这里也这么做”，而要去想：有没有比常规方法更好的办法？

各种计划不可能达到绝对完美，这意味着一切都可以无止境地改进。我很清楚这一点，因此我常寻找更好的方法。我不问自己“我能不能做得更好？”我知道可以，所以我问：“我该如何做得更好？”

找到完美点子的最好办法就是拥有很多点子。我会继续为自己和他人设定更高标准，不断寻找各种提升效率的方法，以更低成本获得更多回报，用更少精力做更多事。因为我知道，最大的成功属于那些拥有“我能做得更好”态度的人。

To develop an attitude that I can do better, we need to cultivate, and to reflect every day: How can I do better today? How can I motivate employees today? What special services can I provide for the company? How can I make my work more efficient? This exercise is simple, but very useful. Y ou can try it; I believe you will find countless creative ways to win greater success.

要培养“我能做得更好”的态度，我们需要日复一日地反思：我今天如何做得更好？如何激励员工？我能为公司提供哪些特别服务？如何提高工作效率？这个练习很简单，却很有用。你可以试试，我相信你会找到无数创意方法，赢得更大的成功。

Our mentality determines our ability. If we think we can do this much, we can really do that much. If we truly believe that we can do more, we can think creatively about various methods.

心态决定能力。如果我们认为能做到这么多，就能真的做到这么多；如果真相信自己还能做得更多，就会创造性地想出各种方法。

拒绝新挑战是非常愚蠢的。我们必须关注如何做到更多，这样许多创造性答案会意外出现，比如改进现有工作计划、处理日常工作的捷径、完成琐碎事务。换言之，大多数能让我们做得更多的方法都会在这时出现。

John, you can talk to Roger. I hope he can change. It is then he will have a better life.

约翰，你可以和罗杰谈谈，希望他能改变。那样他就会拥有更好的生活。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲 Traditional ideas are the number one enemy of creative planning. Traditional ideas will freeze our hearts and hinder us from developing the creative abilities we really need. Roger made such a mistake. Pie should be willing to accept all kinds of ideas, and discard the dregs of thoughts such as “unfeasible” “unable” , “useless” , “that’s stupid” , etc.; he should also have an experimental spirit to be brave enough to try new things, which will expand his abilities and prepare him for greater responsibilities. At the same time, he must take the Initiative to move forward, instead of thinking — “this is usually the way I do this, so here I also want to use this method” , but instead think of — Is there any way to do better than our usual method?

传统观念是创造性规划的头号敌人。它会冻结人心，阻碍我们发展真正需要的创造能力。罗杰就犯了这样的错。他应愿意接受各种想法，剔除“不可行”“做不到”“没用”“这很愚蠢”等思维渣滓；还应具备实验精神，敢于尝试新事物，从而扩展能力、为更大的责任做准备。同时，他必须主动前进，不要想着“我一向这么做，所以这里也这么做”，而要去想：有没有比常规方法更好的办法？

各种计划不可能达到绝对完美，这意味着一切都可以无止境地改进。我很清楚这一点，因此我常寻找更好的方法。我不问自己“我能不能做得更好？”我知道可以，所以我问：“我该如何做得更好？”

找到完美点子的最好办法就是拥有很多点子。我会继续为自己和他人设定更高标准，不断寻找各种提升效率的方法，以更低成本获得更多回报，用更少精力做更多事。因为我知道，最大的成功属于那些拥有“我能做得更好”态度的人。

要培养“我能做得更好”的态度，我们需要日复一日地反思：我今天如何做得更好？如何激励员工？我能为公司提供哪些特别服务？如何提高工作效率？这个练习很简单，却很有用。你可以试试，我相信你会找到无数创意方法，赢得更大的成功。

Our mentality determines our ability. If we think we can do this much, we can really do that much. If we truly believe that we can do more, we can think creatively about various methods.

心态决定能力。如果我们认为能做到这么多，就能真的做到这么多；如果真相信自己还能做得更多，就会创造性地想出各种方法。

拒绝新挑战是非常愚蠢的。我们必须关注如何做到更多，这样许多创造性答案会意外出现，比如改进现有工作计划、处理日常工作的捷径、完成琐碎事务。换言之，大多数能让我们做得更多的方法都会在这时出现。

John, you can talk to Roger. I hope he can change. It is then he will have a better life.

约翰，你可以和罗杰谈谈，希望他能改变。那样他就会拥有更好的生活。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲 Traditional ideas are the number one enemy of creative planning. Traditional ideas will freeze our hearts and hinder us from developing the creative abilities we really need. Roger made such a mistake. Pie should be willing to accept all kinds of ideas, and discard the dregs of thoughts such as “unfeasible” “unable” , “useless” , “that’s stupid” , etc.; he should also have an experimental spirit to be brave enough to try new things, which will expand his abilities and prepare him for greater responsibilities. At the same time, he must take the Initiative to move forward, instead of thinking — “this is usually the way I do this, so here I also want to use this method” , but instead think of — Is there any way to do better than our usual method?

传统观念是创造性规划的头号敌人。它会冻结人心，阻碍我们发展真正需要的创造能力。罗杰就犯了这样的错。他应愿意接受各种想法，剔除“不可行”“做不到”“没用”“这很愚蠢”等思维渣滓；还应具备实验精神，敢于尝试新事物，从而扩展能力、为更大的责任做准备。同时，他必须主动前进，不要想着“我一向这么做，所以这里也这么做”，而要去想：有没有比常规方法更好的办法？

各种计划不可能达到绝对完美，这意味着一切都可以无止境地改进。我很清楚这一点，因此我常寻找更好的方法。我不问自己“我能不能做得更好？”我知道可以，所以我问：“我该如何做得更好？”

找到完美点子的最好办法就是拥有很多点子。我会继续为自己和他人设定更高标准，不断寻找各种提升效率的方法，以更低成本获得更多回报，用更少精力做更多事。因为我知道，最大的成功属于那些拥有“我能做得更好”态度的人。

要培养“我能做得更好”的态度，我们需要日复一日地反思：我今天如何做得更好？如何激励员工？我能为公司提供哪些特别服务？如何提高工作效率？这个练习很简单，却很有用。你可以试试，我相信你会找到无数创意方法，赢得更大的成功。

Our mentality determines our ability. If we think we can do this much, we can really do that much. If we truly believe that we can do more, we can think creatively about various methods.

心态决定能力。如果我们认为能做到这么多，就能真的做到这么多；如果真相信自己还能做得更多，就会创造性地想出各种方法。

拒绝新挑战是非常愚蠢的。我们必须关注如何做到更多，这样许多创造性答案会意外出现，比如改进现有工作计划、处理日常工作的捷径、完成琐碎事务。换言之，大多数能让我们做得更多的方法都会在这时出现。

John, you can talk to Roger. I hope he can change. It is then he will have a better life.

约翰，你可以和罗杰谈谈，希望他能改变。那样他就会拥有更好的生活。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

约翰，机会总是不平等的，但结果却未必如此。历史上，无论政治还是商业（尤其是商业），有许多白手起家的人成功的例子。他们因贫穷而机会寥寥，却最终因过去的奋斗而成名。相反，历史也充满了富家子弟享有特权却一事无成的例子。据马萨诸塞州对17位富豪的研究显示，他们的子女无一是带着财富离世的。

A long time ago, there was a story in society that satirized the incompetence of rich children. It mentioned that in a small bar in Philadelphia, a guest was talking about a millionaire when he said, “He is a self-made millionaire. " “Yeah, " a smarter man next to him replied, “He inherited 20 million dollars, but now he is only left with a million. "

很久以前，社会上有个讽刺富家子弟无能的故事。费城一家小酒吧里，有人谈到一位百万富翁时说：“他是白手起家的百万富翁。”旁边一位更机敏的人回答：“他继承了两千万，如今只剩一百万。”

This is a distressing story but in our society today, the rich children are caught between advancing and retreating. Many of them are destined to be sympathetic and pitiful, and even, go to hell.

这是个令人不安的故事，但在今天的社会里，富家子弟往往进退失据。许多人注定令人同情可怜，甚至堕入深渊。

The glory and success of the family cannot guarantee the future of its children and grandchildren. I admit that the early advantage is really helpful, but it does not guarantee them a victory in the end. I have thought about this distressing problem for rich children more than once. I feel that once rich children begin taking advantage of their family success, they will have little opportunity to learn and develop the skills needed for survival. People of poorer backgrounds will actively develop their creativity, abilities, while also cherishing and seizing various opportunities because they urgently need to rescue themselves. I have also observed that the kind of ambition of the rich children have, often lacks the motivation and attributes the poor, hence they resort to praying for their own success.

家庭的荣耀与成功不能保证子孙的未来。我承认先发优势确有帮助，但并不能保证最终胜利。我多次思考富家子弟这一令人困扰的问题：一旦他们开始倚仗家族成功，就很少有机会学习并发展生存所需的技能。出身贫寒者则会积极培养创造力与能力，也更珍惜并把握机会，因为他们迫切需要自救。我还观察到，富家子弟的雄心往往缺乏贫者的动力与韧性，于是他们转而祈求成功。

Therefore, when you and your sisters were very young, I deliberately concealed the fact that I was well off. I instilled many values such as frugality and personal struggle in you because I know that the quickest way to harm someone is to give them money. It can make people corrupt, depraved, arrogant, and cause them to lose their source of happiness. I cannot bury my beloved children with wealth, and foolishly make you all into one that is incompetent and only depends on the success of their parents.

因此，在你和你妹妹们年幼时，我刻意隐瞒了家境富裕的事实。我在你们心中灌输节俭与自我奋斗等价值观，因为我知道伤害一个人最快的方式就是给他钱。钱会使人腐化、堕落、傲慢，并夺走幸福的源泉。我不能用财富埋葬我的孩子，把你们变成无能、只依赖父母成功的人。

A truly happy person is one who is able to enjoy his creation. Those of whom that are like sponges that only takes without giving will only lose happiness.

真正快乐的人，是能享受自己创造的人；像海绵只取不予的人，最终只会失去快乐。

I believe that there is not one person in the world that does not long for a happy and luxurious life, yet not many people truly understand where it comes from. In my opinion, it does not come from wealthy blood, nor from a luxurious lifestyle, but from a luxurious character - the spirit of self-reliance. Only by looking at noble people who have won the respect of the world and exhibit charisma wherever they go, will we then know the worth of independence.

我相信世上没有人不向往幸福而优渥的生活，但真正理解其来源的人并不多。在我看来，它并不来自富贵血统或奢华生活，而是来自高贵品格——自立的精神。只有观察那些赢得世人尊敬、处处散发魅力的高尚之人，我们才会理解独立的价值。

John, every move of yours will be of concern to me. However, as compared to being concerned, I am more confident in you, and I believe in your excellent character — a character that is more valuable than any wealth in the world, that will help you pave a good future, and lead a successful and fulfilling life

约翰，你的一举一动都会牵动我。但相比担忧，我更相信你，也相信你出色的品格——这比世上任何财富都更珍贵，会为你铺就美好未来，带来成功而充实的人生。

But you need to have the strengthen to belief that even though the starting point will affect the outcome, it does not determine it. Factors such as ability, attitude, character, ambition, method, experience, and luck play an extremely important role in life and the business world. Y our life has just begun, but a battle of life is in front of you. I can deeply feel that you want to be the winner of this war, but you must know that everyone has the will to pursue victory, and only those who are determined and ready will win.

但你要有足够的力量去相信：起点会影响结果，却不决定结果。能力、态度、品格、雄心、方法、经验与运气，在人生与商业世界中都至关重要。你的人生才刚开始，但一场人生之战已在眼前。我深知你渴望成为胜者，但你也要明白，人人都有追求胜利的意志，只有意志坚定并准备充分的人才能获胜。

My son, the privileged but powerless people are a waste, while the educated but unaffected people are a pile of worthless garbage. Find your own way and God will help you!

我的儿子，享有特权却无能的人是浪费，而受过教育却无所触动的人是一堆废物。找到自己的路，上帝会帮助你！

Love, Y our Father

爱你的父亲

Letter 2

Luck isn’t just something that happens by chance, it’s something we can actually plan for and design ourselves!

好运并非只是偶然发生的东西，它也是我们可以规划与设计的！

That’s right, we are all the architects of our own destiny, and with the power of planning, we can make our luck work for us! It’s not just about sitting around and waiting for good fortune to come our way; it’s about taking action and guiding our luck towards our goals!

没错，我们都是自己命运的建筑师，凭借规划的力量，我们能让好运为我们所用！不是坐等好运降临，而是行动起来，引导好运走向目标！

And let’s not forget the importance of individuality and creativity. We weren’t meant to just march in line and follow the crowd. We have been given unique brains for a reason, so let’s use them to design our own luck and create a life that we truly love!

也别忘了个性与创造力的重要性。我们不是生来只为随波逐流。我们拥有独特的大脑自有其意义，让我们用它来设计自己的好运，创造真正热爱的生活！

January 20, 1900 Dear John:

1900年1月20日亲爱的约翰：

Some people are destined to be dazzling Kings or great men, because of their extraordinary talents, for example, Mr. McCormick, who has a head of luck and knows how to turn a harvester into a sickle for harvesting banknotes.

有些人因天赋异禀而注定成为耀眼的王者或伟人，比如麦考密克先生，他运气极好，懂得把收割机变成收割钞票的镰刀。

In my eyes, Old McCormick has always been an ambitious and commercially capable industrial giant. He used harvesting machines to liberate American farmers, and he also rose to the ranks to become one of the richest person in the United States. The French seem to like him more and praised him to be “the world’s greatest contributor” . Oh, this really is an unexpected reward.

在我眼里，老麦考密克一直是野心勃勃、精于商业的工业巨人。他用收割机解放了美国农民，也由此跻身美国最富之列。法国人似乎更喜欢他，称他为“世界最大贡献者”。哦，这真是意料之外的奖赏。

This business genius who was once just an ordinary farm tool merchant once had an esoteric saying which went: “Luck is the remnant of design. "

这位曾是普通农具商的商业天才有句玄妙的话：“运气是设计的残余。”

This phrase does sound quite brainy. Does it mean that luck is the result of planning and strategy? Or does it mean that luck is what remains after planning? My experience tells me that these two meanings exist. In other words, we create our own luck, and no action can eliminate it. Luck is the gospel that is difficult to get rid of in the planning process.

这句话听起来确实很有智慧。它是说运气是规划与策略的结果？还是说运气是规划之后剩下的东西？我的经验告诉我，两种含义都存在。换言之，我们在创造自己的好运，任何行动都无法抹去它。运气是规划过程中难以摆脱的福音。

McCormick saw the true meaning of luck and opened his door to it. So, I am not surprised that McCormick harvesters’ product can be sold all over the world. However, in this world of ours, it is difficult to find people who are good at planning luck like Mr. McCormick, and it is difficult to find people who do not believe in yet understands luck.

麦考密克看到了运气的真义，并向它敞开大门。所以他的收割机产品销往全球，我并不惊讶。然而在这个世界里，像麦考密克那样善于规划好运的人很少，而既不信运气却又懂得运气的人更难找。

In the eyes of ordinary people, luck is always innate. As long as they find out someone has attained success or have been promoted, they will say casually, with contempt: “This man’s luck is so good, it is luck that helped him!” Such a person can never have a peek into the truth that makes one successful: everyone is a designer and architect of his own destiny.

在普通人眼里，运气总是天生的。一旦看到有人成功或升迁，便轻蔑地说：“这个人运气真好，都是运气帮他！”这样的人永远看不见成功的真相：每个人都是自己命运的设计者与建筑师。

I admit, just like a person cannot have no money, a person cannot have no luck. However, if you want to make a difference, you cannot wait for luck to patronize. My credo is: I do not live by God-given luck, but I do-so by planning luck. I believe that a good plan will affect luck, and in any case, it can successfully affect luck. My plan to turn competition into cooperation in the oil industry justified this.

我承认，就像人不能没有钱一样，人也不能没有运气。然而，若想有所成就，就不能等运气来垂青。我的信条是：我不靠天赐的运气生活，而靠规划运气。我相信好计划会影响运气，而且必定能成功影响运气。我将石油业竞争转化为合作的计划，就是证明。

Before the plan began, the oil refiners fought for their own interests, which led to a devastating competition between them. This kind of competition is certainly a boon for consumers, but falling oil prices are a disaster for oil refiners. At that time, the vast majority of refiners were a loss, and were successively sliding into bankruptcy.

在计划开始前，炼油商各自为利，导致毁灭性的竞争。这种竞争对消费者确实是好事，但油价下跌对炼油商却是灾难。当时绝大多数炼油商亏损，并相继走向破产。

I am well aware that if we were to be profitable again and make money forever, we must tame this industry and have everyone act rationally. I regard it as a responsibility, but it is very difficult to do, it requires a plan — a plan that places all the oil refining businesses under my control.

我清楚，要想重新盈利并长期赚钱，必须驯服这个行业，让所有人理性行事。我把这视为责任，但要做到很难，需要一个计划——让所有炼油业务处于我控制之下的计划。

John, to be a good hunter in a profitable hunting ground, you need to think hard, be careful, be able to see all possible dangers and opportunities in things, as well as study all kinds of strategies that could endanger your dominance like a chess player. I thoroughly researched the situation and evaluated my strength. I decided to use the base camp of Cleveland as my first battlefield to launch a war in order to rule the oil industry. After conquering more than 20 competitors there, I moved quickly to open up a second battlefield until I conquered all of their opponents and established an oil industry and a new order.

约翰，要在肥沃的猎场当一名好猎手，你必须深思、谨慎，能洞见一切可能的危险与机会，并像棋手那样研究所有可能威胁你优势的策略。我彻底研究形势并评估实力，决定以克利夫兰为第一战场，发动战争以统治石油行业。在那里征服二十多个对手后，我迅速开辟第二战场，直到征服所有对手，建立起石油行业的新秩序。

Just like a commander on the battle field, you must first know what kind of firearm to choose in order to be the most effective, before choosing your target, in order for me to successfully realize my plan to place the oil industry under my command, a thorough solution is needed. That’s money. I needed a lot of money to buy those refineries that overproduce. But the amount of money on my hands was not enough to realize my plan, so I decided to form a joint stock company to attract investors from outside the industry. Soon we registered a standard oil company in Ohio with millions of assets, and the capital expanded significantly within three and a half years but deciding when to do it is a matter of knowledge.

就像战场上的指挥官，你必须先决定最有效的武器，再选择目标。为实现将石油行业置于我指挥之下的计划，需要一个彻底的解决方案——那就是资金。我需要大量资金收购那些产能过剩的炼油厂，但手头资金不足，于是我决定成立股份公司，吸引行业外投资者。不久我们在俄亥俄注册了标准石油公司，资产数百万，资本在三年半内大幅扩张，而何时行动则关乎眼光。

Visionary businessmen are always good at finding opportunities in every disaster, and that’s how I did it. Before we started our journey of conquest, the oil industry was in chaos and there was no hope at all. Ninety percent of the refiners in Cleveland had been crushed by the increasingly fierce competition. If they did not sell the factory, they can only watch themselves go extinct. This was the best time to acquire an opponent.

有远见的商人总能在每一次灾难中发现机会，我也是如此。在我们开始征服之旅前，石油业一片混乱、毫无希望。克利夫兰90%的炼油商被日益激烈的竞争击垮，不卖厂就只能看着自己消亡。这正是收购对手的最佳时机。

It seems unethical to take an acquisition at times like these, but it really has nothing to do with conscience. An enterprise is like a battlefield, and the purpose of strategic goals is to create the most beneficial state for oneself. For strategic considerations, the first target I chose to conquer was not a small company that was vulnerable, but the strongest opponent, Clark Payne. This company was well-known in Cleveland and were ambitious, as they wanted to acquire my star oil refinery.

在这种时候收购似乎不道德，但其实与良心无关。企业如战场，战略目标的目的在于为自身创造最有利的局面。基于战略，我选择征服的第一个目标不是弱小公司，而是最强对手——克拉克·佩恩公司。这家公司在克利夫兰名声很大且野心勃勃，意图收购我的明星炼油厂。

But before the opponent decides, I will have to strike first to gain the upper hand. I took the initiative to meet the largest shareholder of Clark Payne, my old friend in middle school, Mr. Oliver Payne, and I told him that the chaotic and sluggish era of the oil industry should end in order to protect the industry that countless families depend on for survival. I wanted to build a huge, high- performance oil company, and welcomed him to join. My plan impressed Payne, and finally they agreed to sell the company for 400,000 dollars.

但在对手决定之前，我必须先下手为强。我主动拜访克拉克·佩恩的最大股东——我中学老友奥利弗·佩恩，告诉他石油业混乱低迷的时代应当结束，以保护无数家庭赖以生存的行业。我想建立一家庞大、高效的石油公司，欢迎他加入。我的计划打动了他，最终他们同意以40万美元出售公司。

I know that Clark Payne is not worth that amount at all, but I did not reject them. Acquiring Clark Payne meant that I would gain the title of the world’s largest oil refinery and will also serve as a strong pioneer in the industry to efficiently bring together the refiners in Cleveland.

我知道克拉克·佩恩远不值这个价，但我没有拒绝。收购它意味着我将拥有“世界最大炼油厂”的头衔，并以强有力的先锋之姿高效整合克利夫兰的炼油商。

This trick really worked. In less than two months, there were 22 competitors under the leadership of Standard Oil, which eventually made me the big winner of that acquisition battle. This gave me unstoppable momentum. In the following three years, I conquered oil refiners in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore successively, and became the only master of the oil refining industry in the United States.

这招果然奏效。不到两个月，标准石油旗下就汇聚了22家竞争者，最终让我在收购战中成为大赢家。这带来势不可挡的动能。接下来的三年里，我相继征服了费城、匹兹堡、巴尔的摩的炼油商，成为美国炼油业唯一的主宰。

Come to think about it, am lucky if I were to only lament-on-my bad luck at that time and follow the crowd, I might have been conquered. But I planned my luck. Anything can happen in this world, but nothing can happen without doing anything (reap without sowing). Those who blindly follow the crowd and rules, I view them with disdain. Their brains are entangled with wrong thoughts, as they think that it is worth being complacent just by being able to withdraw themselves.

想想看，如果我当时只抱怨运气不好、随波逐流，我可能已被人征服。但我规划了自己的好运。世上什么都可能发生，但不作为就不会有结果（不播种就没有收获）。我蔑视盲从人群和规则的人，他们的大脑被错误观念缠住，以为能退身而出就值得自满。

John, for our good luck to continue, we must carefully plan our luck, and planning luck requires a good plan. A good plan must be a good design, and a good design must be able to play a role. Y ou need to know that when designing a good design, you must first consider two basic prerequisites. The first condition is to know your goals, such as what you want to do, or even what kind of person you want to become; the second condition is knowing what resources you have, such as status, money, interpersonal relationships, and even abilities.

约翰，为了让好运持续，我们必须精心规划好运，而规划好运需要好计划。好计划必须是好设计，而好设计必须能发挥作用。你要知道，设计前先考虑两个基本前提：一是明确目标，比如想做什么、想成为什么样的人；二是清楚资源，比如地位、金钱、人际关系，甚至能力。

The order of these two basic prerequisites is interchangeable. Y ou may have an idea and/or a goal before you start looking for goals that can be achieved from these resources, or you can also mix them together to form the third and fourth methods, such as having a certain goal and a certain resource. To achieve your goal, you need to selectively choose and create some resources, and also own some resources and a goal, to which afterwards you can adjust your goals accordingly

这两个基本前提的顺序可以互换。你可以先有想法或目标，再寻找可实现目标的资源；也可以把它们混合成第三、第四种方式，比如有某个目标并具备某种资源。要实现目标，你需要有选择地获取与创造资源，并在拥有资源与目标后据此调整目标。

After adjusting the goal according to the resource or the goal, you have a foundation - you can conceive the design structure, and the rest is up to you to fill it with your means and time, while waiting for luck to come.

当目标与资源相互调整后，你便有了基础——可以构思设计框架，其余就交给你的方法与时间去填充，同时等待好运降临。

Y ou need to remember that my son, designing luck is designing life. So, while you wait for luck, you need to know how to guide your luck. Give it a try.

记住，儿子，设计好运就是设计人生。所以，在等待好运时，要懂得引导好运。试一试。

Love, Y our Father

爱你的父亲

Letter 3

Heaven and Hell

天堂与地狱

It’s important to remember that the true reward for our hard work is not the tangible benefits we receive, but rather the personal growth we experience along the way.

要记住，我们辛勤工作的真正回报，不是得到的实物利益，而是我们一路上的成长。

How we perceive our work can have a profound impact on our lives. If we view it as a source of pleasure, life can feel like heaven. However , if we view it as a burden, life can feel like a never-ending hell.

我们如何看待工作，会深刻影响人生。若视为乐趣，人生宛如天堂；若视为负担，人生便像无尽的地狱。

By having faith and persevering through difficult times, we can transform our struggles into a source of hope and inspiration. With determination, we can overcome any obstacle and achieve our dreams!

怀着信念并在困难中坚持，我们能把挣扎转化为希望与启发。有决心，就能克服任何障碍，实现梦想！

November 9, 1897 Dear John:

1897年11月9日亲爱的约翰：

There is an allegory that is very meaningful and provided me with a lot of insights.

有一个寓言非常有意义，也给了我许多启发。

The fable said:

寓言说：

In ancient Europe, a man found himself in a wonderful place where he could enjoy everything in his afterlife. As soon as he stepped into the piece of music, someone who looked like a waiter came over and asked him: “Sir, do you have any needs? Here you can have everything you want: delicious food, all possible forms of entertainment and all kinds of pastimes, amongst diem are many beautiful young women where you can enjoy as you please. "

在古代欧洲，有个人来到一处美妙之境，来世的一切享受都可在此获得。他刚踏入其间，一个像侍者的人走来问道：“先生，您有什么需要吗？在这里，您想要的一切都有：美食、各种娱乐、各类消遣，其中还有许多美丽的女子，任您尽情享受。”

After listening to the waiter, the man was a little surprised, but very happy, as he happily thought to himself: “this is not my dream in the world” Throughout the day he had been tasting all of the delicious food while enjoying the taste of beauty. However, one day, he was bored, so he said to the waiter: “I am bored from all of this and I need to do something. Can you find me a job to do?”

听完侍者的话，他有些惊讶，却非常开心，心里暗想：“这不正是我在人间的梦想吗？”整天他品尝美食、享受美色。然而有一天，他觉得无聊，于是对侍者说：“我厌倦这些了，我需要做点事。能给我找份工作吗？”

He did not expect that the answer he received was the waiter shaking his head: “Sorry, my sir, this is the only thing we can’t do for you here. There is no work here for you. "

他没想到侍者摇头回答：“对不起，先生，这里只有这一样我们做不到：这里没有工作。”

The man was very frustrated and waved his hand angrily as he said, really bad! Then I will just stay in hell!” “This is “Where do you think you’re at” , said the waiter gently.

他非常沮丧，愤怒地挥手说：“太糟了！那我就待在地狱吧！”侍者轻声说：“这就是啊——你以为你在哪？”

John, this very humorous fable tells me that: Losing work means losing happiness. It is regrettable that some people only realize this after being unemployed, which is very unfortunate!

约翰，这个幽默的寓言告诉我：失去工作就意味着失去快乐。可惜很多人直到失业后才明白，这非常不幸。

I am proud to say that I have never tasted unemployment. This is not my luck, because I never treat work as hard labor without fun, instead I found infinite happiness from work.

我自豪地说，我从未尝过失业。这不是运气，而是因为我从不把工作当作无趣的苦役，相反，我从工作中找到了无限的快乐。

I think that work is a privilege, as it brings more than just sustaining life. Work is the foundation of all businesses, the source of prosperity, and the shaper of genius. Work makes young people work harder and do more than their parents no matter how rich they are. Work is expressed in the humblest forms and lays the foundation for happiness. A job helps to add flavors to life. But people must love work before it can return the biggest favors and achieve the greatest results.

我认为工作是一种特权，因为它带来的不只是维生。工作是所有事业的基础、繁荣的源泉、天才的塑造者。无论多富有，工作都会让年轻人比父辈更努力、更有作为。工作以最朴素的形式出现，却为幸福奠基。工作为生活增添滋味，但只有热爱工作，工作才会回报以最大的恩惠并取得最好的成果。

When I first entered the business world, I often heard that a person who wants to climb to the peak needs to make a lot of sacrifices. However, as the years passed, I began to understand that many people who were climbing to the peak were not “paying the price. " They work hard because they really like work. People who climb up in any industry are fully committed to what they are doing and are dedicated. Sincerely love the work you do; you will naturally succeed.

我初入商界时，常听人说想登上巅峰必须做出很多牺牲。但随着岁月流逝，我逐渐明白，许多攀登高峰的人并不是在“付出代价”。他们努力工作，是因为真心喜欢工作。任何行业的登顶者都全心投入、专注奉献。真诚地热爱你所做的工作，你自然会成功。

Loving work is a belief. With this faith, we can heave the desperate mountain into a rock of hope. A great painter said it well, “Pain will eventually pass, but beauty will last forever. "

热爱工作是一种信仰。有了这信仰，我们能把绝望的大山撬成希望的岩石。一位伟大画家说得好：“痛苦终将过去，但美将永存。”

But some people are obviously not smart enough. They have ambitions but are too picky about their work. They are always looking for a “perfect” employer or job. The fact is that employers need punctual, honest, and hard-working employees. They only leave the salary increase and promotion opportunities to those employees who work hard, are very loyal, extra zealous, and spend more time doing things, because they are running a business, not a charity; they need those who are more valuable.

但有些人显然不够聪明。他们有抱负，却对工作过分挑剔，总想找“完美”的雇主或职位。事实是，雇主需要守时、诚实、勤奋的员工。他们只把加薪与晋升机会留给那些努力工作、忠诚、热忱、愿意多付出的人，因为他们在经营企业，而非慈善；他们需要更有价值的人。

No matter how great a person’s ambitions are, he must at least begin before he can reach the peak. Once started, it is not difficult to progress. The more difficult or unpleasant the work is, the more urgent it is to accomplish it. The longer he waits, the more difficult and scarier it becomes. This is a bit like shooting a gun. The longer you aim, the lower the chance of you pulling the trigger.

无论一个人的志向多宏大，他至少要先开始才能抵达巅峰。开始之后，进步并不难。工作越困难或越不讨喜，就越要尽快完成；拖得越久，就越艰难、越可怕。这有点像射击：瞄得越久，扣扳机的几率越低。

I will never forget my first job - the experience of being a bookkeeper. At that time, although I had to go to work every day when the morning just begun, but that never let me lose interest in the job. Instead, it fascinated and delighted me. Even all the red tape in the office did not make me lose my passion for the job. As a result, the employer kept raising my salary.

我永远不会忘记我的第一份工作——做簿记员的经历。那时我清晨就得上班，却从未因此失去兴趣，反而感到着迷与愉悦。办公室里繁琐的手续也没有磨灭我的热情。结果雇主不断给我加薪。

Income is just a by-product of your work. Doing what you should do, accomplishing what you should do well, the ideal salary will come. And more importantly, the highest reward for our hard work is not what we get, but what we will become. Those who are mentally active do not just work hard to earn money; the real reason behind the passion for their work is far more noble- they are engaged in a fascinating career.

收入只是工作的副产品。把该做的事做好，理想的薪酬自然会到来。更重要的是，辛劳的最高回报不是我们得到什么，而是我们成为什么样的人。思维活跃的人并非只为赚钱而努力，他们热爱工作的真正原因更高尚——他们从事的是令人着迷的事业。

Honestly, I am an ambitionist. Since I was a child, I have wanted to be a wealthy man. For me, the Hewitt Tutde company I worked at is was a good place to exercise my ability and give myself a try in the business. It is a provider of a variety of commodities, owns an iron ore, and operates two technologies which the company heavily relies on to generate profits, namely, railways and telegraphs that revolutionized the American economy. It has brought me into a fun, vast and splendid business world, and taught me to respect numbers and facts. It has also allowed me to see the power of the transportation industry and has cultivated the abilities and qualities that I should have as a businessman. All of these have played a great role in my future business. I can say that without the experience at Hewitt Tuttle, I may have taken many detours in my career.

说实话，我是个有雄心的人。从小我就想成为富人。对我而言，休伊特-塔特尔公司是锻炼能力、试水商界的好地方。它供应多种商品，拥有铁矿，并运营两项高度依赖的盈利技术——铁路与电报，它们改变了美国经济。它把我带入一个有趣、广阔而辉煌的商业世界，教我尊重数字与事实，也让我看到运输业的力量，培养了作为商人应具备的能力与品质。这些都为我后来的事业起了巨大作用。我可以说，没有休伊特-塔特尔的经历，我可能在事业上走许多弯路。

Now, whenever I think of Mr. Hewitt & Tuttle, I cannot help but feel grateful in my heart. That period of time marked the beginning of my career and laid the foundation for my struggles. I am forever grateful for that three and a half years of experience.

如今每当想到休伊特和塔特尔先生，我都由衷感激。那段时期标志着我事业的开始，为我的奋斗奠定了基础。我永远感激那三年半的经历。

So, I have never complained about my employer unlike some who might say, “We are nothing but just slaves, we are being suppressed by our employers, but they are standing tall while enjoying themselves in their beautiful villas; their safes are full with gold, and every dollar they have is obtained by exploiting honest workers like us. " I don’t know if these complainers want to be irregular (minority), but: Who gave you the opportunity to work? Who gave you the chance to build a family? Who gave you the possibility to develop yourself? If you realized they are exploiting you, why don’t you end it by leaving for good?

因此，我从未像有些人那样抱怨雇主：“我们不过是奴隶，被雇主压迫；他们住着豪华别墅、享受生活，金库里满是黄金，他们的每一块钱都是剥削我们这些诚实工人得来的。”我不知道这些抱怨者是否想当少数派，但我要问：是谁给了你工作的机会？是谁给了你成家的机会？是谁给了你发展的可能？如果你觉得被剥削，为什么不干脆离开？

The work bench is a type of attitude; it determines whether we are happy or not.

工作岗位是一种态度；它决定我们是否快乐。

In a group of stone masons who are doing the same job sculpting stone statues, if you were to ask them, “what are you doing here?” One of them might say, “Y ou see, I am chiseling stone, and I can go home after chiseling this piece. " This kind of person always treats work as a punishment, and the word he often spits out from his mouth is “tired” .

在一群做同样工作、雕刻石像的石匠中，如果你问：“你在做什么？”其中一人可能会说：“你看，我在凿石头，凿完这块就能回家。”这种人总把工作当惩罚，嘴里常说的是“累”。

Another person might say: “Y ou see, I am making a statue. This is a very hard job, but the compensation is very high. After all, I have a wife and four children, and they need food and clothing. " Regarding work as a burden, a sentence he often spits out from his mouth is “feeding his family” .

另一人可能会说：“你看，我在做一尊雕像。这工作很辛苦，但报酬很高。毕竟我有妻子和四个孩子，他们需要吃穿。”把工作当负担的人，常挂在嘴边的是“养家糊口”。

The third person may put down the hammer and proudly point to the stone carving and say, “Y ou see, I am making a work of art. " This kind of person always takes pride in and enjoys his work and often cites: “this job is very meaningful. "

第三个人会放下锤子，骄傲地指着石雕说：“你看，我在创作一件艺术品。”这种人总是以工作为荣、享受工作，常说“这份工作很有意义”。

Heaven and hell are created by ourselves. If you give meaning to your work, you will feel happy regardless of its size and you will feel fulfilled no matter what self-set results you have attained. If you don’t like to do anything, even the simplest things will become difficult and boring. When you lament that this work is very tiring, despite not working hard, you will feel exhausted, in other words there is a huge difference. This is how things are.

天堂与地狱由我们自己创造。若你赋予工作意义，无论工作多小，你都会感到快乐；无论达成怎样的自定成果，你都会感到充实。若你不喜欢做事，最简单的事也会变得困难乏味。你一边抱怨工作很累，一边又不努力，最终只会感到筋疲力尽。差别就在这里。

John, if you view work as a pleasure, life is heaven; if you view work as a duty, life is hell. Reflect on your work attitude, it will make everyone happy. Love, Y our Father

约翰，若你把工作当作享受，人生便是天堂；若你把工作当作义务，人生便是地狱。反思你的工作态度，这会让每个人更快乐。

爱你的父亲

Letter 4

Do it now

立即行动

Opportunity comes from taking action. You can’t wait for opportunities to come to you, you have to go out and create them yourself. Don’t be afraid to take risks and seize opportunities when they present themselves.

机会源于行动。你不能等机会来找你，你要主动出击，亲手创造。不要害怕冒险，机会出现时就要果断抓住。

Remember , bad habits can be our downfall and determine our success or failure. It’s easy to fall into bad habits, but it’s much harder to break them. So, strive to develop good habits and maintain them.

记住，坏习惯可能成为我们的毁灭并决定成败。坏习惯容易养成，却很难改掉。所以要努力培养并保持好习惯。

It’s one thing to come up with a great idea, but it’s another thing entirely to put that idea into practice and make it a success. Don’t just sit at home thinking about all the good ideas you have, take action and make them a reality.

想出好点子是一回事，把它落实并获得成功又是另一回事。别只在家里想好点子，行动起来，把它变成现实。

In order to achieve greatness, you need to work hard and keep pushing yourself. Success doesn’t come easy, but if you keep working hard and never give up, you’ll eventually achieve your goals.

要成就伟大，你必须努力并不断推动自己。成功不会轻易到来，但只要持续努力、永不放弃，终将达成目标。

December 24, 1897 Dear John:

1897年12月24日亲爱的约翰：

I always clearly remember the words of intelligent people. A wise man said it well, “Education covers many aspects, but it does not teach you anything. " This wise man showed us a truth: if you do not take action, even the world most practical, beautiful, and viable philosophy will not work.

我总是清楚记得智者的话。一位智者说得好：“教育涵盖很多方面，但并没有真正教会你做事。”这位智者揭示了一个真理：若不行动，哪怕世上最实用、最美好、最可行的哲学也无济于事。

I have always believed that an opportunity comes from another opportunity as even the best ideas have flaws. Even if it is a very ordinary plan, if it is actually implemented and developed, it will be much better than a good plan that is abandoned halfway, because the former will be carried out consistently, but the latter has already been given up. So, I said that there is no secret to success. To achieve positive results in life, it is of course good to have extraordinary wisdom and special talents. There is nothing wrong with it. As long as you are willing to take active actions, you will be closer to success.

我一直相信，机会源于另一个机会，因为再好的点子也有缺陷。即便只是普通的计划，只要真正执行并推进，也会比半途而废的好计划强得多，因为前者能持续落实，而后者已被放弃。因此我说，成功没有秘密。要在生活中取得好结果，拥有非凡智慧与特殊才能当然很好，这没错。但只要你愿意主动行动，就会更接近成功。

Unfortunately, many people have not remembered this biggest lesson, and as a result they have resulted to mediocrity. If you look at the ordinary people, you will find that they are all living passively, they always say much more than they do, or even do nothing. But almost all of them are good at finding excuses, they will find various excuse to procrastinate until they finally prove that this matter should not be, unable to or it is too late to be done.

可惜许多人没有牢记这一课，于是沦为平庸。看看普通人，你会发现他们多半消极地活着，说得多、做得少，甚至不做。但他们几乎都擅长找借口，拖延到最后证明“这事不该做、做不了或来不及做”。

Compared to this kind of person, I seem to be much smarter and cunning. Mr. Gates touted me as an active and spontaneous individual. I am happy to hear this because I have lived up to it. Positive action is another positive attribute of mine. I never like to talk in vain. Because I know that there is no result without action, and there is nothing in the world that is obtained just from thinking. As long as people are alive, they must consider taking action.

与这类人相比，我似乎更聪明、更机敏。盖茨先生称赞我是一个积极而自发的人，我很高兴，因为我确实如此。主动行动是我的另一优点。我从不空谈，因为我知道没有行动就没有结果，世上没有只靠想就能得到的东西。只要活着，就要考虑行动。

Many people admit that knowledge without experience is useless, but what is even more frustrating is that even if there is knowledge and wisdom but no action, everything is still empty talk. Action and adequate preparation can actually be seen as two sides of an object. We need to live modesty. Too much preparation but no action at all will only waste time eventually. In other words, everything must be done with limits. We cannot fall into the trap of continuous deliberation and planning but we must recognize the reality: no matter how detailed the plan is, we still cannot accurately predict the final outcome.

许多人承认没有实践的知识是无用的，但更令人沮丧的是，即便有知识与智慧却没有行动，一切仍是空谈。行动与充分准备其实是一体两面。我们要适度而行，准备过多却不行动终会浪费时间。换言之，凡事要有分寸。我们不能陷入无休止的思考和规划，而要认识现实：计划再细，也无法准确预测最终结果。

Of course, I do not deny that planning is very important. It is the first step to achieving favorable results, but planning is not, and cannot replace action. Just like playing golf, if you have not completed the first hole, you cannot progress to the second hole. Action solves everything. Without action, nothing will happen. We cannot buy fool proof insurance, but what we can do is make up our minds to fulfil our plan.

当然，我不否认计划很重要，它是取得良好结果的第一步，但计划不能、也无法代替行动。就像打高尔夫，没有打完第一洞就不能进入第二洞。行动解决一切，没有行动就不会发生任何事。我们买不到万无一失的保险，但我们能做的是下定决心去执行计划。

People who lack action have a bad habit: they like to maintain the status quo and refuse to change, I think this is a bad habit that is deceptive and self-destructive because everything is changing, just as people will live and die, there is nothing constant. But because of one’s inner fear - the fear of the unknown, many people resist change. Even if the status quo does not satisfy him, he dares not take a step forward. If you look at the people who should have succeeded in their careers but did not, you know that it’s not hard to sympathize with them.

缺乏行动的人有个坏习惯：喜欢维持现状、拒绝改变。我认为这是一种具有欺骗性、会自我毁灭的坏习惯，因为万物都在变化，正如人生有生有死，没有恒常。但出于内心对未知的恐惧，很多人抗拒改变。即使现状不令人满意，他也不敢迈步前行。看看那些本该事业成功却未成功的人，你不难同情他们。

Y es, everyone will be worried and scared when deciding on a huge event and will be faced with a dilemma. But the “action group” will use the determination to ignite the sparks in their soul, come up with various ways to fulfil their wishes, and gain the courage to overcome all kinds of difficulties.

是的，面对重大决定，人人都会担忧害怕、进退两难。但“行动派”会用决心点燃心中的火花，想出各种方法实现愿望，并鼓起勇气克服各种困难。

Many people who lack action are naive and like to sit and wait for things to happen naturally. They naively think that others will care about their affairs. In actual fact, other than yourself, others will not be very interested in them. People are only interested in their own things. For example, in a business, the higher our profits, the more we must take the initiative to act, because the success or failure has little to do with others; they will not care. At this time, we’d better push it. If we are lazy, retreating, and waiting for others to take the initiative to kickstart things, the result will be disappointing.

许多缺乏行动的人天真地坐等事情自然发生，以为别人会关心自己的事。事实上，除了你自己，别人并不太在意。人们只对自己的事感兴趣。比如在生意上，利润越高，我们越要主动出击，因为成败与他人关系不大，他们不会在乎。此时最好推动它；若懒惰、退缩、等待别人主动启动，结果只会令人失望。

Only by relying on oneself can a person then not let himself down and increase his chance to control his destiny. Smart people will only make things happen. The most frustrating thing in life is that there are too many things to do, but there is not enough time. As a result, just by thinking about the plans that are unable to be carried out will only intimidate ourselves, and we end up not accomplishing anything. We must admit that with limited time, no one can complete everything.

只有依靠自己，人才不会辜负自己，并提高掌控命运的机会。聪明人只会让事情发生。人生最令人沮丧的是事多而时间少，于是仅仅想着无法执行的计划只会吓住自己，最终一事无成。我们必须承认，在有限时间里，没有人能完成所有事情。

Smart people know that not all actions will produce good results, and only wise actions can bring meaningful results, so smart people will only learn from the work that has a positive effect in the future, and only concentrate on the work related that gives the greatest results. Hence, smart people always make the most valuable contribution and reap a lot of benefits.

聪明人明白，并非所有行动都会带来好结果，只有明智的行动才能产生有意义的成果。所以聪明人只从对未来有积极作用的工作中学习，并专注于回报最大的工作。因此，聪明人总能做出最有价值的贡献并获得丰厚回报。

To eat an elephant, you need to eat one bite at a time. Same goes to when you are doing something. If you want to accomplish everything at one go, you will only let the opportunity slip away. My motto is: only takes unfair treatment for emergencies.

要吃掉一头大象，只能一口一口来。做事也一样，若想一口气完成所有事情，只会让机会溜走。我的座右铭是：只为紧急情况忍受不公平。

Many people make themselves into a passive person. They want to wait until all conditions are perfect, that is, when the time is right, before taking action. Life is an opportunity at any time, but there is almost nothing perfect. Those passive people have a mediocre life, precisely because they must wait for everything to be 100% profitable and perfectly safe before doing something. This is a fool’s approach. We must compromise in life and believe that what is in hand is the opportunity we need now, so that we can keep ourselves out of the quagmire of waiting forever before falling into action.

许多人把自己变成被动的人，想等到一切条件都完美、时机成熟再行动。生活时时有机会，但几乎没有完美之事。被动者之所以平庸，正是因为他们必须等到百分之百有利、绝对安全才肯做事。这是愚蠢的。我们必须在生活中学会妥协，相信手头的就是此刻所需的机会，从而避免陷入“永远等待”而不行动的泥潭。

We pursue perfection, but there is no absolute perfection in life, only near perfection. If you wait until all conditions are perfect, you can only wait forever, and the opportunity will be given to others. Those who must wait until everything has been prepared will never leave home. To become the kind of person who “will do it now” , you must stop daydreaming, and to always think? of the present and start doing it now. Sentences such as “tomorrow” “next , week” , and “future” have the same meaning as “can never be done” .

我们追求完美，但人生没有绝对完美，只有接近完美。若等到条件完美，你只能永远等待，机会也会被别人拿走。凡事要等准备齐全的人，永远不会走出家门。要成为“立刻行动”的人，必须停止空想，常念当下，现在就开始做。“明天”“下周”“未来”这些话，与“永远做不到”是同义。

Everyone has a time when they lose confidence and doubts their abilities, especially in adversity. But people who really understand the art of action can overcome it with strong perseverance. They will tell themselves that everyone has failures, and when they fail miserably, they will tell themselves no matter how much preparation they have made and how long they think before they do it, will inevitably make mistakes. However, passive people do not regard failure as an opportunity for learning and growth, as they are always admonishing themselves: perhaps I really can’t do it, so that is why I have lost my eagerness to participate in future activities.

每个人都有失去信心、怀疑能力的时候，尤其在逆境中。但真正懂得行动艺术的人，会以强大的毅力克服它。他们告诉自己：人人都会失败；当惨败时，他们也告诉自己，无论准备多么充分、思考多久，仍难免犯错。然而被动的人不把失败当作学习与成长的机会，总是告诫自己：“也许我真的不行”，于是失去了参与未来的热情。

Many people want their wishes to come true, but I regard it as a lie. It’s a good idea to buy a dozen for a dime. The initial idea is just the beginning of a series of moves, and then comes the second stage of preparation, planning and the third stage of action. There is never a shortage of people with ideas in our world, but there are very few people who know how to successfully implement a good idea, which is more valuable than thinking about a thousand of good ideas at home.

很多人想让愿望成真，但我认为那只是空话。十美分买一打想法并不难。起初的想法只是动作序列的开端，接着是准备与计划的第二阶段，最后才是行动的第三阶段。世上从不缺有想法的人，缺的是能把好想法成功执行的人，而这比在家里想一千个好点子更有价值。

The real basis people use to judge your ability is not how much you have in your head, but your actions. People trust down-to-earth people, and they will think: This person dares to say and do, he must know what the best course of action is. I haven’t heard anyone being praised for not disturbing others, not acting, or having to wait for someone else to order things. Those leaders in the business sector, government, and military are very capable and willing people, who are 100% active. Those who stand on the side-lines and do nothing will never be leaders.

评判能力的真正依据不是你脑子里有多少，而是你的行动。人们信任脚踏实地的人，会认为：这个人敢说敢做，一定知道最好的行动方案。我没听过有人因为不打扰别人、不行动、等别人下令而被称赞。商界、政界、军界的领导者都是能力强、意愿强、百分之百积极的人；站在一旁不作为的人永远不可能成为领导者。

Whether it is an automatic spontaneous or a passive person, it is a habit. Habits are like ropes. We spin a rope every day, and finally it is too thick to break. The ropes of habit either lead us to the peak or lead us to the trough, which depends on whether our habits are good or bad. Bad habits can dictate us and determine success or failure. It is easy to develop, but it is difficult to serve. Good habits are difficult to develop, but they are easy to maintain.

不论是主动的人还是被动的人，都是习惯使然。习惯像绳子，我们每天都在搓绳，最终粗到难以折断。习惯之绳或把我们带上顶峰，或把我们拖入低谷，取决于习惯好坏。坏习惯会支配我们并决定成败，容易养成，却难以克制；好习惯难养成，却易于保持。

To have the habit of doing now, the most important thing is to have a proactive spirit, get rid of the habit of being distracted, be determined to be a person of initiatives, be courageous in doing things, don’t wait until everything is ready, there will never be absolute perfection. Cultivating the habit of action does not require special wisdom or special skills. Y ou only need to work hard to let good habits bloom in life.

要养成立即行动的习惯，最重要的是拥有主动精神，摆脱分心的习惯，立志做一个主动的人，做事要有勇气，不要等万事俱备，因为绝对完美永远不存在。培养行动习惯不需要特别的智慧或技能，你只需努力让好习惯在生活中开花。

Son, life is a great battle. To win, you need to act, act again, and act forever! In this way, your safety can be guaranteed.

儿子，人生是一场大战。要赢，就要行动、再行动、永远行动！如此才能保证你的安全。

Merry Christmas! I think there is no better Christmas present than this letter to you at this time. Love, Y our Father

圣诞快乐！在这个时刻，我想没有比这封信更好的圣诞礼物了。爱你的父亲

Letter 5 Be determined to compete

立志竞争

I do not go into war , but I destroy competitors.

我不亲赴战场，但我会摧毁竞争者。

Life is full of ups and downs, and we may not always come out on top. However , even in defeat, it’s important to maintain our dignity and lose gloriously. We should never rely on crutches to support us, but rather stand strong on our own two feet.

人生起起落落，我们未必总在巅峰。然而即使失败，也要保持尊严、体面地输。我们不应依赖拐杖，而应稳稳站在自己的双脚上。

Remember , there is no shame in admitting defeat, but there is in surrendering without a fight. We must be willing to stand up for what we believe in and fight for our dreams, no matter how difficult the battle may seem.

记住，承认失败并不可耻，可耻的是不战而降。无论战斗多艰难，我们都必须为信念挺身而出，为梦想而战。

February 19,1901 Dear John:

1901年2月19日亲爱的约翰：

I have bad news to tell you that Mr. Benson passed away last night. I am very sad. Mr. Benson is an old rival and one of my few admired opponents. I am deeply impressed by his outstanding talent, tenacious will and grace.

有个坏消息：本森先生昨夜去世，我很悲伤。本森是老对手，也是少数让我敬佩的对手之一。他卓越的才干、顽强的意志和风度令我印象深刻。

To this day, I still remember the joke he made with me after our alliance, he said: “Mr. Rockefeller, you are a brilliant predator who is not soft-hearted. Losing to those bad guys would have made me very sad, because it was like a robbery, but playing with people like you, whether I win or lose, will make me happy. "

直到今天，我仍记得我们结盟后他对我开的玩笑。他说：“洛克菲勒先生，你是一名冷酷无情的杰出猎手。输给那些坏人我会很难过，因为那像被抢劫；但和你这种人较量，无论输赢我都会开心。”

At that time, I could not tell whether Mr. Benson was complimenting me or praising me. I told him: “Mr. Benson, if you can replace the predator with the conqueror, I think I will gladly accept it. " He smiled.

当时我分不清本森是在称赞还是奉承。我对他说：“本森先生，若你把‘猎手’换成‘征服者’，我会欣然接受。”他笑了。

I admire the warriors who are still fighting bravely against their enemy, Mr. Benson is such a person. Before Benson became my enemy, I had just defeated the nation’s largest railroad company, the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and successfully subdued the nation’s fourth and last large railroad company, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company. Just like that, together with my most loyal allies, the Erie Railroad Company and the New Y ork Central Railroad Company, the four major railway companies in the United States have all become tools for me to tame.

我敬佩仍在勇敢对敌的斗士，本森就是这样的人。在他成为我的敌人之前，我刚击败全国最大的宾夕法尼亚铁路公司，并成功制服全国第四、也是最后一家大型铁路公司——巴尔的摩与俄亥俄铁路公司。就这样，加上我最忠诚的盟友伊利铁路公司和纽约中央铁路公司，美国四大铁路公司都成了我驯服的工具。

At the same time, Standard Petroleum’s oil pipelines extended bit by bit into the oil field, giving me absolute control over all major oil pipelines connecting oil wells and railroad trunk lines. Frankly speaking, at that time my influence had been extended to all corners of the oil industry such as oil extraction, refining, transportation, and markets. If I say that I have the power of life and death of oil producers and refiners, it is not a lie. I can make them wealthy or even make them worthless. But some people did ignore my authority, such as Mr. Benson.

同时，标准石油的输油管线一点点延伸到油田，使我对连接油井与铁路干线的主要管线拥有绝对控制。坦白说，当时我的影响力已延伸到石油业的每个角落：开采、炼制、运输与市场。如果我说我握有生产者与炼油商的生死大权，并非虚言；我可以让他们富有，也能让他们一文不值。但仍有人无视我的权威，比如本森先生。

Mr. Benson was an ambitious businessman who wanted to lay an oil pipeline from Bradford to Williamsport to save the independent oil producers who were afraid of being crushed by me and was also eager to get rid of me. Of course, the idea of making a fortune dominated him to bravely break into my territory.

本森是个野心勃勃的商人，他想铺设从布拉德福德到威廉斯波特的输油管线，以拯救那些害怕被我压垮的独立油商，同时也想摆脱我。当然，发财的念头驱使他勇敢闯入我的领地。 This oil pipeline connecting north-eastern Pennsylvania to the west was laid forward at an alarming rate from the beginning. This brought me to attention. John, any competition is not an easy game, but a game full of vitality, requires close attention and constant decision-making, otherwise, you will lose if you are not careful.

这条连接宾夕法尼亚东北部与西部的输油管线从一开始就以惊人的速度推进，这引起了我的注意。约翰，任何竞争都不是轻松的游戏，而是充满活力的较量，需要密切关注与持续决策，否则稍有不慎就会失败。

Mr. Benson is creating trouble; I have to stop him. At first I used a set of unskillful methods to start a contest with Benson: I bought a long and narrow land along the Pennsylvania State border from north to south at a high price in an attempt to prevent Benson from moving forward, but Benson took a detour approach and avoided my heavy punches. As a result, I became an inactive landlord, and instead helped the farmers there become rich overnight. Then I used the power of my allies and asked the railway company to never let any oil pipelines cross their railways. Benson did the same and successfully broke through again. Finally, I wanted to use the power of the government to stop Benson, but without success, as I watched Benson become a hero.

本森在惹事，我必须阻止他。起初我用了一套笨拙的方法与他较量：高价买下沿宾州边界南北狭长的土地，试图阻止他前进，但他绕道而行，躲过了我的重拳。结果我成了闲置地主，反而让那里的农民一夜致富。随后我动用盟友力量，请铁路公司禁止任何输油管线穿越其铁路，本森也照做并再次成功突破。最后我想借助政府力量阻止他，却未成功，只能眼看他成了英雄。

I know that I have encountered a tough enemy to conquer, but he cannot shake my determination to compete, because the 110-mile pipeline is my biggest threat. If I let the crude oil flow there unimpeded, they will also acquire the supply line to New Y ork. Then, Benson will replace me as the new owner of the New Y ork oil refining industry, concurrently I will also lose ownership over the Bradford oil field. This is something I cannot allow.

我知道自己遇到了一个难以征服的强敌，但他无法动摇我竞争的决心，因为那条110英里的管线是我最大的威胁。若任由原油在那里畅通无阻，他们就会掌握通往纽约的供给线。那样本森会取代我成为纽约炼油业的新主人，同时我也将失去布拉德福德油田的控制权，这是我绝不允许的。

Of course, I do not want to push them to the brink of desperation and trap them. My real goal is to get what I want without paying too high of a price - I can’t let Benson come here and destroy the market that I built with all my efforts. This is my life’s effort. So, when the Benson’s company was about to start surging, I proposed to buy their stock. Unfortunately, they refused.

当然，我不想把他们逼入绝境或设陷阱。我的真正目标是用尽量小的代价得到我想要的东西——我不能让本森来破坏我倾尽毕生心血建立的市场。所以当本森公司即将崛起时，我提出收购他们的股票，但他们拒绝了。 This angered many people. Mr. Oday, who was overseeing the company’s pipeline transportation business, wanted to destroy it to punish those who did not know better. I despised such an evil idea, as only incompetent people will use such undesirable methods. I told Oday: “Kill your stupid idea! I never thought I would lose, but even if I lose, the only thing I should do is to lose gloriously. "

这激怒了很多人。负责管线运输业务的奥戴先生想摧毁对方以惩罚那些不识相的人。我鄙视这种恶念，因为只有无能之人才会用如此卑劣的手段。我对奥戴说：“扼杀你愚蠢的念头！我从没想过会输，但即便输了，我也只会体面地输。” If anyone can play tricks behind his back without being caught, he will almost certainly gain a competitive advantage. However, evil and unethical behavior is very dangerous, it will make him lose his dignity, and he may even go to jail. Any deceptive and unethical behavior cannot be sustained and cannot be a reliable corporate strategy. This only destroys the present situation, which will make the future increasingly difficult, and even impossible to gain another opportunity. We must pay attention to rules, because rules can create relationships, relationships will bring long-term businesses, good transactions will create more transactions, otherwise, we will end our good luck in advance.

如果有人能在背后耍花招而不被发现，他几乎肯定会获得竞争优势。但邪恶不道德的行为非常危险，会让他失去尊严，甚至坐牢。任何欺骗和不道德的行为都难以持续，也不能成为可靠的企业战略。它只会毁掉当下的局面，使未来越来越艰难，甚至失去再次机会。我们必须遵守规则，因为规则能建立关系，关系带来长久生意，良好的交易会创造更多交易，否则我们会提前终结好运。

As far as my nature is concerned, I do not meet competition, I destroy competitors. But I do not need a bright victory, I want to win it good, thorough, and decent. Just as Benson was proud and enjoying his success, I launched a series of offensives that made him difficult to parry. I sent someone to place a large amount of orders to the storage tank producers, asking them to ensure production and deliver on time, so that they have no capacity to take care of other customers, including Benson.

以我的性格而言，我不是去迎战竞争，而是要摧毁竞争者。但我并不需要耀眼的胜利，我要赢得干净、彻底而体面。就在本森得意享受成功之时，我发动一系列攻势让他难以招架。我派人向储罐制造商下大量订单，要求按时生产交付，使他们无暇服务其他客户，包括本森。

Without storage tanks, oil producers can only dump the crude oil that they produce into the wilderness. Instead of accepting the oil couldn’t be shipped, Mr. Benson made a loud complaint. At the same time, I drastically reduced the price of pipeline transportation, attracted a large amount of oil refiners who rely on Benson to transport crude oil, and converted them to our customers. Before that, I had already quickly acquired several refineries in New Y ork to prevent them from becoming a customer of Benson’s.

没有储罐，油商只能把原油倒在荒野。本森不肯接受无法出货的现实，便大声抗议。同时我大幅降低管线运输价格，吸引大量依赖本森运输原油的炼油商，转而成为我们的客户。在此之前，我已迅速收购纽约的几家炼油厂，以防它们成为本森的客户。

An excellent commander will not attack a bunker that has nothing to do with him but will try his best to destroy the bunker that is strong enough to destroy the city. Every round of my attack hit places where Mr. Benson had no fuel, and I became the winner. In less than a year after the completion of the longest pipeline, Mr. Benson surrendered. He offered to make peace with me. I know this is not their original intention, but they are well aware that if they continue to fight against me, those who support them will only lose even more.

优秀的指挥官不会攻击与己无关的碉堡，而会竭尽全力摧毁足以毁城的碉堡。我的每一轮攻势都击中本森的要害，我成了胜者。最长管线建成不到一年，本森便投降，提出与我和解。我知道这并非他们本意，但他们也清楚，若继续与我对抗，支持他们的人只会损失更大。

John, every crucial competition is a battle that determines fate. “Retreat means surrender! Retreat will turn you into a slave!” The war is inevitable, let it come! In this world, competition will not stop for a moment, and we will have no time to rest. All we can do is bring a steel-like determination to face all lands of challenges and competitions, and we must be in high spirits and happy, otherwise, it will not produce good results.

约翰，每一次关键竞争都是决定命运的战斗。“退却就是投降！退却会把你变成奴隶！”战争不可避免，就让它来吧！在这个世界上，竞争片刻不停，我们没有时间休息。我们能做的只有带着钢铁般的决心迎接一切挑战与竞争，并保持高昂与愉悦，否则不会有好结果。

To win the competition, it is more important that you stay alert. When you constantly see your opponent wanting to weaken you, that is the beginning of the competition. At this point in time you need to know what you have, that kindness and tenderness may hurt you, but then you need to use all the resources to win the battle.

要赢得竞争，更重要的是保持警觉。当你不断看到对手试图削弱你时，竞争就已开始。此时你要清楚自己拥有什么；善良与温柔可能伤害你，但你必须动用一切资源去赢得这场战斗。

Of course, to win the competition, courage is only one aspect of winning, and you also need to have strength. Crutches cannot: replace strong and powerful feet. We must stand on our own feet and rely on ourselves. If your feet are not strong enough to support you, you should not give up and admit defeat, but should work hard to hone, strengthen and develop your feet and let them exert their power.

当然，赢得竞争，勇气只是其中一面，你还需要力量。拐杖无法替代强健有力的双脚。我们必须站在自己的双脚上，依靠自己。若你的双脚不够强壮支撑你，就不该放弃认输，而应努力磨炼、强化、发展你的双脚，让它们发挥力量。

I think Mr. Benson who is in heaven will agree with me. Love, Y our Father

我想在天堂的本森先生也会同意我。爱你的父亲

Letter 6

The concept of borrowing money is viewed as a means to create opportunities for a prosperous future. Rather than focusing on potential losses, successful individuals approach competition with a mindset of identifying strategies to emerge victorious. Even when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, these individuals recognize the hidden potential for greater opportunities. April 18,1899 Dear John: I can understand why using my money to go to the stock market makes you feel a little uneasy. Because you want to win, but you are afraid to lose in that adventurous world, and the lost money is not yours; it is borrowed, and you still have to pay interest. This kind of unbearable feeling seemed to have been ruling me since the beginning of my entrepreneurship, and even after becoming more accomplished, so ever}’ time before borrowing, I will ponder between prudence and adventure, as I struggle, even failing to fall asleep whilst lying on my bed and thinking of ways to repay the debts. It is often said that people who take risks often fail. But why doesn’t this apply to idiots? After my fear of failure, I still managed to always get up and decide to borrow money again. In fact, in order to improve I have no other ways to go, but to borrow from the bank. Son, what is presented to us is often a great opportunity to solve tricky problems ingeniously. Borrowing money is not a bad thing, it won’t make you bankrupt, as long as you don’t treat it like a life buoy when you only use it in times of crisis, but instead treat it as a powerful tool, you can use it to create opportunities. Otherwise, you will fall into the quagmire of fear and failure, where fear will restrain you from attaining great achievements, and no success will be achieved in the end. Among the wealthy people I know or acquainted, there are very few people who rely on accumulating small bits of wealth day by day to eventually become who they are now. More people make money by borrowing money. The reason is not esoteric. Buying and selling a dollar profit each is far less profitable than buying and selling a hundred dollars. Whether it is to win wealth or to win in life, what good people think about in competition is not what they will lose, but what they should do to become a winner. Borrowing money is to create good luck. If I can borrow enough cash to mortgage a piece of land and allow myself to monopolize a larger area, then I will seize this opportunity without hesitation. When I was in Cleveland, I won the top position in the Cleveland oil refining industry for expansion. I owed many huge debts, and even mortgaged my business. In the end, I succeeded and created shocking achievements. Son, life is a constant mortgage, we mortgage our youth for the future, and mortgage our lives for happiness. Because if you dare not approach the bottom line, you lose. Wouldn’t it be worthwhile to take the risk to attain success? When it comes to mortgages, I want to tell you that when I received a huge sum of money from a banker, not only was my business mortgaged, but also my honesty. I regard contracts and contracts as sacred things. I strictly abide by the contracts and never default on debts. I never forget to treat investors, bankers, customers, including competitors with sincerity. When discussing issues with them, I always insist on telling the truth, never making things up or speaking ambiguously, as I firmly believe that lies will always eventually surface. The rewards of being honest are enormous. Before I walked out of Cleveland, the bankers who knew my character had rescued me from numerous crises that were hard to escape from. I clearly remember that one day, one of my oil refineries suddenly caught fire and I suffered heavy losses. Since the insurance company was unable to pay the insurance premium, and I needed a sum of money to rebuild the enterprise. I had to make additional loans to the bank. Now the thought of the bank loan that day made me excited. Originally, in the eyes of the bankers who lacked vision, the oil refining industry was already a high-risk industry. Providing funds to this industry was no less than gambling, plus my oil refinery was just destroyed, so some bank directors were hesitant on the additional loan and did not approve them. At this moment, one land soul, Mr. Stillman, asked a staff member to bring his own safe and waved at several other directors: “Listen to me, gentlemen, Mr. Rockefeller and his partners are very well accomplished people. If they want to lend more money, I urge you to lend them without hesitation. If you want to be more assured, take however much you need. " I subdued the bankers with my honesty. Son, honesty is a method and a strategy. Because I paid with my own honesty, I have won the trust of bankers and more people, and because of it I survived numerous difficult times, and embarked on an expressway to success. Today, I no longer need to turn to any bank. I am my own bank, but I will always be grateful to the bankers who have helped me so much. Y our future may be managing a business. Y ou need to know that the purpose of running a business is to make money. Expanding an enterprise can make money but mortgaging a company is also an important matter with regards to managing and using money. If you only focus on one function and ignore the other, you will face failure; in the worst case, it may cause a financial collapse, and in a better case, you may miss many opportunities. Managing and using money is different from the determination to make money and it requires different beliefs. To manage and use money, you must be willing to manage the numbers yourself, and not just simply talk about management and strategy. God is shown in the details. If you neglect these details, or detach from the details, and authorize this “miscellaneous task” to others to do, it is equivalent to neglecting at least half of your important business responsibility. The details should never hinder enthusiasm. To be successful you need to remember two things: one is tactics and the other is strategy. Son, you are moving towards winning a great life. This has been your goal all the time. Y ou need to be brave and do so continually. Love, Y our Father

The concept of borrowing money is viewed as a means to create opportunities for a prosperous future.

借钱的观念，被视为创造繁荣未来机会的一种手段。

Rather than focusing on potential losses, successful individuals approach competition with a mindset of identifying strategies to emerge victorious. Even when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, these individuals recognize the hidden potential for greater opportunities.

成功者不把注意力放在潜在损失上，而是以寻找制胜策略的心态面对竞争。即使面对看似不可逾越的挑战，他们也能看见更大机会的潜力。

April 18,1899 Dear John:

1899年4月18日亲爱的约翰：

I can understand why using my money to go to the stock market makes you feel a little uneasy. Because you want to win, but you are afraid to lose in that adventurous world, and the lost money is not yours; it is borrowed, and you still have to pay interest.

我理解你用我的钱去炒股为何会感到不安。你想赢，却害怕在那充满冒险的世界里失败，而亏的钱并不是你的，是借来的，还要付利息。

This kind of unbearable feeling seemed to have been ruling me since the beginning of my entrepreneurship, and even after becoming more accomplished, so ever}’ time before borrowing, I will ponder between prudence and adventure, as I struggle, even failing to fall asleep whilst lying on my bed and thinking of ways to repay the debts.

这种难以承受的感觉，从我创业之初就一直支配着我，即使后来成就更大也未消失。所以每次借钱前，我都在谨慎与冒险之间反复权衡，挣扎到躺在床上也难以入睡，只想着如何偿还债务。

It is often said that people who take risks often fail. But why doesn’t this apply to idiots? After my fear of failure, I still managed to always get up and decide to borrow money again. In fact, in order to improve I have no other ways to go, but to borrow from the bank.

人们常说，冒险的人常常失败。但为何蠢人却不算在内？即使害怕失败，我仍一次次站起来决定再借钱。事实上，为了进步我别无他途，只能向银行借款。

Son, what is presented to us is often a great opportunity to solve tricky problems ingeniously. Borrowing money is not a bad thing, it won’t make you bankrupt, as long as you don’t treat it like a life buoy when you only use it in times of crisis, but instead treat it as a powerful tool, you can use it to create opportunities. Otherwise, you will fall into the quagmire of fear and failure, where fear will restrain you from attaining great achievements, and no success will be achieved in the end.

儿子，摆在我们面前的往往是巧妙解决难题的大好机会。借钱并不是坏事，它不会让你破产，只要你不把它当作危机时才用的救生圈，而把它当作有力的工具，用来创造机会。否则你会陷入恐惧与失败的泥潭，恐惧会束缚你取得大成就，最终一事无成。

Among the wealthy people I know or acquainted, there are very few people who rely on accumulating small bits of wealth day by day to eventually become who they are now. More people make money by borrowing money. The reason is not esoteric. Buying and selling a dollar profit each is far less profitable than buying and selling a hundred dollars.

在我认识或结识的富人中，很少有人靠每天积累一点点财富走到今天。更多人是靠借钱赚钱。原因并不玄妙：买卖一美元赚一美元，远不如买卖一百美元赚一百美元来得划算。

Whether it is to win wealth or to win in life, what good people think about in competition is not what they will lose, but what they should do to become a winner.

无论是赢得财富还是赢得人生，优秀的人在竞争中想的不是会失去什么，而是该做什么才能成为赢家。

Borrowing money is to create good luck. If I can borrow enough cash to mortgage a piece of land and allow myself to monopolize a larger area, then I will seize this opportunity without hesitation. When I was in Cleveland, I won the top position in the Cleveland oil refining industry for expansion. I owed many huge debts, and even mortgaged my business. In the end, I succeeded and created shocking achievements.

借钱是为了创造好运。如果我能借到足够现金去抵押土地、从而垄断更大区域，我会毫不犹豫抓住机会。在克利夫兰时，我为了扩张争得了炼油业的首位。我欠下巨额债务，甚至抵押了企业。但最终我成功了，创造了惊人的成就。

Son, life is a constant mortgage, we mortgage our youth for the future, and mortgage our lives for happiness. Because if you dare not approach the bottom line, you lose. Wouldn’t it be worthwhile to take the risk to attain success?

儿子，人生是一场持续的抵押：我们用青春抵押未来，用生命抵押幸福。若你不敢逼近底线，你就会输。为成功冒险，不值得吗？

When it comes to mortgages, I want to tell you that when I received a huge sum of money from a banker, not only was my business mortgaged, but also my honesty. I regard contracts and contracts as sacred things. I strictly abide by the contracts and never default on debts. I never forget to treat investors, bankers, customers, including competitors with sincerity. When discussing issues with them, I always insist on telling the truth, never making things up or speaking ambiguously, as I firmly believe that lies will always eventually surface.

说到抵押，我想告诉你，当我从银行家那里拿到巨额资金时，被抵押的不仅是企业，还有我的诚信。我视契约为神圣之物，严格遵守契约，从不违约。对投资者、银行家、客户乃至竞争对手，我都以诚相待。讨论问题时，我坚持说实话，从不捏造或含糊其词，因为我坚信谎言终会暴露。

The rewards of being honest are enormous. Before I walked out of Cleveland, the bankers who knew my character had rescued me from numerous crises that were hard to escape from.

诚实的回报极其丰厚。在我离开克利夫兰之前，了解我品格的银行家多次把我从难以逃脱的危机中救了出来。

I clearly remember that one day, one of my oil refineries suddenly caught fire and I suffered heavy losses. Since the insurance company was unable to pay the insurance premium, and I needed a sum of money to rebuild the enterprise. I had to make additional loans to the bank. Now the thought of the bank loan that day made me excited. Originally, in the eyes of the bankers who lacked vision, the oil refining industry was already a high-risk industry. Providing funds to this industry was no less than gambling, plus my oil refinery was just destroyed, so some bank directors were hesitant on the additional loan and did not approve them.

我清楚记得有一天，我的一座炼油厂突然失火，损失惨重。保险公司无法支付保险金，而我需要资金重建企业，只得向银行追加贷款。如今想起那天的贷款，我仍很激动。原本在缺乏远见的银行家眼中，炼油业已是高风险行业，向该行业提供资金无异于赌博，更何况我的炼油厂刚被烧毁，因此一些董事对追加贷款犹豫不决。

At this moment, one land soul, Mr. Stillman, asked a staff member to bring his own safe and waved at several other directors: “Listen to me, gentlemen, Mr. Rockefeller and his partners are very well accomplished people. If they want to lend more money, I urge you to lend them without hesitation. If you want to be more assured, take however much you need. " I subdued the bankers with my honesty.

这时，一位善良的灵魂斯蒂尔曼先生让工作人员搬来他的保险箱，朝几位董事挥手说：“先生们，洛克菲勒先生及其合伙人都是很有成就的人。如果他们要再借钱，我建议你们毫不犹豫地借给他们。若要更安心，尽管拿你们需要的担保。”我用诚信打动了银行家。

Son, honesty is a method and a strategy. Because I paid with my own honesty, I have won the trust of bankers and more people, and because of it I survived numerous difficult times, and embarked on an expressway to success.

儿子，诚信是一种方法，也是一种策略。因为我以诚信为代价，赢得了银行家和更多人的信任，并因此度过无数艰难时刻，踏上了通往成功的快车道。

Today, I no longer need to turn to any bank. I am my own bank, but I will always be grateful to the bankers who have helped me so much.

如今我不再需要求助任何银行，我就是自己的银行，但我永远感激那些曾帮助我许多的银行家。

Y our future may be managing a business. Y ou need to know that the purpose of running a business is to make money. Expanding an enterprise can make money but mortgaging a company is also an important matter with regards to managing and using money. If you only focus on one function and ignore the other, you will face failure; in the worst case, it may cause a financial collapse, and in a better case, you may miss many opportunities.

你的未来也许是经营企业。你要知道，经营企业的目的就是赚钱。扩张企业能赚钱，但抵押公司也是管理与使用资金的重要事项。如果只重一端而忽视另一端，你将走向失败；最坏会造成财务崩溃，较好也会错失许多机会。

Managing and using money is different from the determination to make money and it requires different beliefs. To manage and use money, you must be willing to manage the numbers yourself, and not just simply talk about management and strategy. God is shown in the details. If you neglect these details, or detach from the details, and authorize this “miscellaneous task” to others to do, it is equivalent to neglecting at least half of your important business responsibility.

管理与使用资金不同于赚钱的决心，它需要不同的信念。要管好钱，你必须愿意亲自管理数字，而不是只谈管理与战略。上帝就在细节里。若忽视细节、脱离细节，把这些“杂务”交给他人去做，就等于忽视了至少一半的重要商业责任。

The details should never hinder enthusiasm. To be successful you need to remember two things: one is tactics and the other is strategy.

细节不应妨碍热情。要成功，你必须记住两件事：一是战术，二是战略。

Son, you are moving towards winning a great life. This has been your goal all the time. Y ou need to be brave and do so continually.

儿子，你正迈向赢得伟大人生，这一直是你的目标。你需要勇敢，并持续坚持下去。

Love, Y our Father

爱你的父亲

Letter 7 J.D. Rockefeller warns against taking advantage of opportunities at the expense of others, as this can lead to a lack of integrity and empathy. One should maintain an optimistic perspective and seek opportunities in every situation, even during difficult times. November 19,1899 Dear John: Y our mood has been very down lately, which makes me sad. I can really feel that you are still ashamed and humiliated from the investment that cost you a million dollars. This caused you to feel depressed and worried all day long. However, this is not necessary, a failure does not show anything, and will not put the label of incompetency on your forehead. Be happy, my son. Y ou need to know that no one in this world leads a smooth life; on the contrary, they live side by side with failure. Perhaps it is because there are so many helpless failures in this world that the pursuit of excellence becomes fascinating, it still makes people chase after it, even at the expense of their life. Even so, failure still comes. Our fate is the same. It is just that unlike some people, I take failure as a glass of spirits. It is bitter when you drink it, yet it gives you plenty of vitality. When I first stepped into the business world and prayed to the God to bless our new company, a catastrophic storm hit us. At that time, we signed a contract to buy a large amount of beans and were prepared to make a lot of money, but we did not expect that a sudden “visit” from frost would come and crush our sweet dreams. Half of the beans we got were destroyed, and some unscrupulous suppliers also added sand, small beans, and straw. This business was destined to fail. But I know that I cannot be depressed, let alone be immersed in failure, otherwise, I will drift further away from my goals and dreams. There is no free lunch in the world, and it is even more impossible to maintain the status quo. If you stay still, you will regress, but to move forward you must be willing to make decisions and take risks. After that business failed, I borrowed money from my father again, although I was not very reluctant to do so. Moreover, to make myself superior in managing my business, I told my partner Mr. Clark that we must promote ourselves and let our potential customers know through newspaper advertisements that we can provide large prepayments and can supply large amounts of agricultural products in advance. As a result, courage and diligence saved us. In that year, instead of being affected by the “bean incident” , we made a considerable net profit. Everyone hates failure. However, once avoiding failure becomes your motivation for doing things, you embark on a path of laziness and powerlessness. This is terrible, especially for such a disaster. Because this heralds the possibility that people might lose the opportunities they might have. Son, opportunity is a scarce thing. People are prosperous and rich because of opportunity. Look at those poor people and you will know that they are not incompetent or stupid neither are they not hard-working. They are deprived from opportunities. Y ou need to know that we live in a jungle where the weak are prey to the strong, where you either eat people or risk being eaten by someone else. Evading risk is almost a guarantee of bankruptcy; but when you take advantage of the opportunity, you are depriving others of the opportunity just to guarantee yourself. If you are afraid of failure, you will not dare to take risks and then lose the opportunities that are placed right in front of you. Therefore, my son, in order to avoid losing opportunities and retain your qualifications for competition, it is worthwhile to pay for our failures and setbacks! Failure is the beginning of the journey to a higher position. I can say that what I have achieved today was from climbing the spiral ladder of failure and then rose from there. I am a clever “loser” . I know to learn from failures, draw success factors from my experience thru failure, and use innovative methods that I have never thought of before to start a new career. So, I want to say that failure is a good thing as long as it does not become a habit. My motto is: People always have to maintain their energy, remain strong and persistent, no matter what failures and setbacks they encounter, this is the only thing I can do. I myself can understand what I should do to make myself feel happy, and what is worth my efforts. Fundamental expectations, like a broom in the hands of a cleaner, will sweep away all the trash that you face when on your way to success. Son, what are your fundamental expectations? As long as you don’t throw it away, success will surely come. Optimistic people will see opportunity in suffering, and pessimistic people will see suffering in opportunity. Son, remember the formula of success that I believe in: Dream + Failure + Challenge = Success Of course, failure has its lethal power, it can make people depressed, decadent, lose their fighting spirit and willpower. What matters is what you see failure as. The genius inventor Mr. Thomas Edison, before illuminating Mr. Morgan’s office with electric lights, conducted a total of more than 10,000 experiments. To him, failure is a test field for success. Ten years ago, a young reporter from The New Y ork Sun interviewed him, and asked: “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: “Y oung 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 I0,000 times, I just invented I0,000 unworkable methods. " The power of spirit is always so great. Son, if you declare spiritual/mental bankruptcy, you will lose everything. Y ou need to know that the career path is like a wave. If you step on the wave, the merits will follow; and if you make a mistake, you will be trapped in the shallows and sorrow for the rest of your life. Failure is a learning experience. Y ou can either turn it into a tombstone or a steppingstone. There is no success without challenges. Do not stop because of a failure and overcome yourself. Y ou are the biggest winner! I have great faith in you. Love, Y our Father J.D. Rockefeller warns against taking advantage of opportunities at the expense of others, as this can lead to a lack of integrity and empathy.

洛克菲勒提醒：不要以牺牲他人机会为代价获利，否则会失去诚信与同理心。

One should maintain an optimistic perspective and seek opportunities in every situation, even during difficult times.

应保持乐观视角，在任何处境中寻找机会，即使在艰难时刻。

November 19,1899 Dear John:

1899年11月19日亲爱的约翰：

Y our mood has been very down lately, which makes me sad. I can really feel that you are still ashamed and humiliated from the investment that cost you a million dollars. This caused you to feel depressed and worried all day long. However, this is not necessary, a failure does not show anything, and will not put the label of incompetency on your forehead.

你最近情绪很低落，这让我很难过。我能感受到你仍因那笔亏掉一百万美元的投资而羞愧受辱，这让你整天沮丧和担忧。然而没必要如此，失败并不能说明什么，也不会在你额头上贴上“无能”的标签。

Be happy, my son. Y ou need to know that no one in this world leads a smooth life; on the contrary, they live side by side with failure. Perhaps it is because there are so many helpless failures in this world that the pursuit of excellence becomes fascinating, it still makes people chase after it, even at the expense of their life. Even so, failure still comes.

开心些，儿子。你要知道世上没有人一路顺遂，相反，他们与失败并肩而行。也许正因为无助的失败太多，追求卓越才显得迷人，让人不惜付出生命去追逐；即便如此，失败仍会到来。

Our fate is the same. It is just that unlike some people, I take failure as a glass of spirits. It is bitter when you drink it, yet it gives you plenty of vitality.

我们的命运也是如此。不同于一些人，我把失败当作一杯烈酒：入口苦涩，却能给予充沛的活力。

When I first stepped into the business world and prayed to the God to bless our new company, a catastrophic storm hit us. At that time, we signed a contract to buy a large amount of beans and were prepared to make a lot of money, but we did not expect that a sudden “visit” from frost would come and crush our sweet dreams. Half of the beans we got were destroyed, and some unscrupulous suppliers also added sand, small beans, and straw. This business was destined to fail. But I know that I cannot be depressed, let alone be immersed in failure, otherwise, I will drift further away from my goals and dreams.

我初入商界、祈求上帝保佑新公司时，一场灾难风暴袭来。那时我们签了合同购入大量豆子，准备大赚一笔，却没想到突如其来的霜冻粉碎了美梦。到手的一半豆子被毁，一些不良供应商还掺了沙子、小豆和稻草。这笔生意注定失败。但我知道我不能沮丧，更不能沉溺于失败，否则会离目标和梦想越来越远。

There is no free lunch in the world, and it is even more impossible to maintain the status quo. If you stay still, you will regress, but to move forward you must be willing to make decisions and take risks. After that business failed, I borrowed money from my father again, although I was not very reluctant to do so. Moreover, to make myself superior in managing my business, I told my partner Mr. Clark that we must promote ourselves and let our potential customers know through newspaper advertisements that we can provide large prepayments and can supply large amounts of agricultural products in advance. As a result, courage and diligence saved us. In that year, instead of being affected by the “bean incident” , we made a considerable net profit.

世上没有免费的午餐，更不可能维持现状。你若停滞不前就会倒退，要前进就必须愿意做决定并承担风险。那次生意失败后，我又向父亲借了钱，虽然并不情愿。此外，为了更好地经营，我告诉合伙人克拉克先生必须主动宣传，通过报纸广告让潜在客户知道我们能提供大额预付款并提前供应大量农产品。结果勇气与勤奋救了我们。那一年，我们不仅没被“豆子事件”拖垮，反而获得了可观的净利润。

Everyone hates failure. However, once avoiding failure becomes your motivation for doing things, you embark on a path of laziness and powerlessness. This is terrible, especially for such a disaster. Because this heralds the possibility that people might lose the opportunities they might have.

人人都厌恶失败。但一旦“避免失败”成为你做事的动机，你就踏上了懒惰与无力之路。这很糟糕，尤其在遭遇灾难时，因为它预示着人们可能失去本该拥有的机会。

Son, opportunity is a scarce thing. People are prosperous and rich because of opportunity. Look at those poor people and you will know that they are not incompetent or stupid neither are they not hard-working. They are deprived from opportunities. Y ou need to know that we live in a jungle where the weak are prey to the strong, where you either eat people or risk being eaten by someone else.

儿子，机会是稀缺的。人们之所以富足，是因为机会。看看那些贫穷的人你会知道，他们并非无能或愚笨，也并非不勤劳，而是被剥夺了机会。你要知道我们生活在丛林里，弱者为强者所食，你要么吃人，要么被人吃。

Evading risk is almost a guarantee of bankruptcy; but when you take advantage of the opportunity, you are depriving others of the opportunity just to guarantee yourself.

规避风险几乎等同于破产；而当你利用机会时，你是在剥夺他人的机会来保证自己。

If you are afraid of failure, you will not dare to take risks and then lose the opportunities that are placed right in front of you. Therefore, my son, in order to avoid losing opportunities and retain your qualifications for competition, it is worthwhile to pay for our failures and setbacks!

若你害怕失败，就不敢冒险，从而失去眼前的机会。因此，我的儿子，为了不失去机会并保有竞争资格，为失败与挫折付出代价是值得的！

Failure is the beginning of the journey to a higher position. I can say that what I have achieved today was from climbing the spiral ladder of failure and then rose from there. I am a clever “loser” . I know to learn from failures, draw success factors from my experience thru failure, and use innovative methods that I have never thought of before to start a new career. So, I want to say that failure is a good thing as long as it does not become a habit.

失败是通往更高位置旅程的起点。我可以说，我今天的成就正是沿着失败的螺旋阶梯攀上来的。我是一个聪明的“失败者”。我懂得从失败中学习，从失败经验中提炼成功要素，并用以前从未想过的创新方法开辟新事业。因此我要说，失败是好事，只要它不成为习惯。

My motto is: People always have to maintain their energy, remain strong and persistent, no matter what failures and setbacks they encounter, this is the only thing I can do. I myself can understand what I should do to make myself feel happy, and what is worth my efforts. Fundamental expectations, like a broom in the hands of a cleaner, will sweep away all the trash that you face when on your way to success. Son, what are your fundamental expectations? As long as you don’t throw it away, success will surely come.

我的座右铭是：无论遇到何种失败与挫折，人都要保持精力、坚强与坚持，这是我唯一能做的。我明白该做什么才能让自己快乐，什么值得我努力。根本的期待就像清洁工手中的扫帚，会扫去你通往成功路上的所有垃圾。儿子，你的根本期待是什么？只要不丢掉它，成功一定会来。

Optimistic people will see opportunity in suffering, and pessimistic people will see suffering in opportunity. Son, remember the formula of success that I believe in: Dream + Failure + Challenge = Success

乐观者在苦难中看见机会，悲观者在机会中看见苦难。儿子，记住我相信的成功公式：梦想 + 失败 + 挑战 = 成功

Of course, failure has its lethal power, it can make people depressed, decadent, lose their fighting spirit and willpower. What matters is what you see failure as. The genius inventor Mr. Thomas Edison, before illuminating Mr. Morgan’s office with electric lights, conducted a total of more than 10,000 experiments. To him, failure is a test field for success.

当然，失败有致命的力量，会让人沮丧、堕落、失去斗志和意志。关键在于你如何看待失败。天才发明家托马斯·爱迪生在用电灯照亮摩根先生办公室之前，总共做了上万次实验。对他而言，失败是成功的试验场。

Ten years ago, a young reporter from The New Y ork Sun interviewed him, and asked: “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: “Y oung 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 I0,000 times, I just invented I0,000 unworkable methods. " The power of spirit is always so great.

十年前，《纽约太阳报》的一位年轻记者采访他，问：“爱迪生先生，你当前的发明已失败一万次，你怎么看？”爱迪生对“失败”一词毫不在意，他睿智地说：“年轻人，你的人生才刚开始，我告诉你这会对你很有帮助。我并没有失败一万次，我只是发明了一万种行不通的方法。”精神的力量总是如此强大。

Son, if you declare spiritual/mental bankruptcy, you will lose everything. Y ou need to know that the career path is like a wave. If you step on the wave, the merits will follow; and if you make a mistake, you will be trapped in the shallows and sorrow for the rest of your life. Failure is a learning experience. Y ou can either turn it into a tombstone or a steppingstone.

儿子，若你宣布精神破产，就会失去一切。你要知道事业之路如同浪潮，踩准浪头便能乘势而上；一旦失足，就会陷入浅滩、终生悲叹。失败是一次学习经历，你可以把它变成墓碑，也可以变成踏脚石。

There is no success without challenges. Do not stop because of a failure and overcome yourself. Y ou are the biggest winner!

没有挑战就没有成功。不要因一次失败而停步，要战胜自己。你就是最大的赢家！

I have great faith in you. Love, Y our Father

我对你充满信心。爱你的父亲 Letter 8 Winners never quit and quitters never win There is nothing in the world that can replace perseverance. The best way to guarantee a loss is to quit. Too many people overestimate what they lack, but underestimate what they have. Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are. February 12,1909 Dear John: Today is a great day! Today, the United States cherish a peculiar feeling of gratitude to commemorate the great and rare soul.

the former president, Mr. Abraham Lincoln, who is worthy of God and mankind. I believe Lincoln deserves it. In my real memory, no one is greater than Lincoln. He has woven a successful and moving history of the United States. With his indomitable spirit, courage, and generosity, he liberated four million of the humblest black slaves and crushed 27 million locks that have been placed on the soul of people of color. This put an end to the sinful history of depraved, twisted, and narrow souls due to racial hatred. He avoided the disaster of the country’s destruction and combined all different languages, religions, skin colors, and races into a brand- new country. The United States became free because of him, and fortunately embarked on the broad road of integrity and justice. Lincoln was the greatest hero of the last century. Today, on this occasion of his centennial birthday, the whole country remembers what he has done for the United States, which is the best proof. However, when we reappear and appreciate his glorious cause, we should absorb and expand the special lessons of his life-persistent determination and courage. I think the best way for us to commemorate him is to imitate him and let his spirit of perseverance illuminate America. In my heart, Lincoln will always be the indomitable embodiment who is not frightened by difficulties. He was born impoverished and was driven out of his home. Lie failed on his first time in business, and the second time he failed even worse, so it took him more than ten years to pay off his debts. His road to politics was similarly bumpy. He lost his first campaign for state and lost his job. Fortunately, his second campaign was successful. But what followed was the loss of a loved one, and failure to be elected as the state senator spokesperson. However, he was not discouraged. In the subsequent elections, he failed six times, but even after each defeat, he was still striving for the top, until he was elected as the President of the United States. Everyone has gone through the vicissitudes of life and suffered mercilessly, but only a few people can be as resilient as Lincoln. After every failed campaign Lincoln would motivate himself: “This is just a slip up, not as if I’m dead and unable to get up. " These words held the power to overcome difficulties, and they were also the weapon that led Lincoln to fame. Lincoln’s life wrote a great truth: unless you give up, you will not be defeated. Success is a series of struggles. Almost all those great figures have suffered a series of merciless blows. Each of them almost surrendered, but they finally achieved brilliant results because of their persistence. For example, the great Greek orator Demosthenes, he was shy because he stuttered. After his father died, he left him a piece of land in hopes that he could live a prosperous life. However, the Greek law at the time stipulated that he must win the ownership of the land by debating in public before declaring his right to own the land. Unfortunately, because of his stuttering and shyness, he suffered a fiasco, and as a result he lost that piece of land. But he was not knocked down, instead he worked hard to better himself. As a result, he created an unprecedented speech climax. History has overlooked the man who acquired his property, but for centuries, the whole of Europe has remembered a great name— Demosthenes. Too many people overestimate what they lack, but underestimate what they have, and lose the chance to become a winner. This is a tragedy. Lincoln’s life is a great testimony of turning setbacks into victory. There is no lucky person who does not fail. It is important not to become a coward because of failure. If we do our best and still fail to achieve the goal, all we should do is to learn our lesson and strive to perform better next time. Frankly speaking, I have no intention to compare with President Lincoln, but I have some of his spirit. I hate it when my business fails and lose money, but what really concerns me is that I am afraid that in future business, I will be too cautious and become a coward. If that is the case, then my loss will be even greater. For ordinary people, failure is difficult to keep them on, while success is easy to continue. But this is an exception for Lincoln, for he will use all kinds of frustration and failure to drive him to the next level. Because he has steel-like perseverance. He has a saying which was said well: “Y ou can’t sharpen your razor on a velvet. " There is nothing in the world that can replace perseverance. Talent is not acceptable. Unprecedented talents abound, and geniuses who accomplish nothing is common; education is also not acceptable. The world is full of people who are useless in learning. Only perseverance and determination will never be disadvantageous. As we continue to reach the peak, we must remember: each step of the ladder allows us enough time to step on, and then set foot to a higher level, it is not for us to rest. We are tired and discouraged on the way, but like a boxer said, you must fight another round to win. When encountering difficulties, we must fight another round. Everyone has unlimited potential inside, and unless we know where it is and insist on using it, it is worthless. Great opportunities do not seek external validation; however, we must work hard to grasp them. As the saying goes: “Strike while the iron’s hot. " It’s really good. Perseverance and hard work are both important. Every “no” brings us closer and closer to a “yes” . “Before dawn is always the darkest” , this sentence is not a catchphrase. When we work hard and make use of our skills, a successful day will eventually come. Today, as we are grateful and praise President Lincoln, we must not forget to use his life’s deeds to inspire ourselves. Even if we do so, our indomitable day has yet to come, and we are still a big winner. Because we already have knowledge and know how to face life, that is greater success. Love, Y our Father Letter 8 Winners never quit and quitters never win There is nothing in the world that can replace perseverance. The best way to guarantee a loss is to quit. Too many people overestimate what they lack, but underestimate what they have. Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.

赢家从不退出，退出者永不为胜。世上没有任何东西能替代坚持。最能确保失败的方法，就是放弃。太多人高估自己缺少的，低估自己拥有的。太多人高估自己不是的，低估自己所是的。

February 12,1909 Dear John: Today is a great day!

1909年2月12日亲爱的约翰：今天是个伟大的日子！

Today, the United States cherish a peculiar feeling of gratitude to commemorate the great and rare soul.

今天，美国怀着一种特殊的感恩之情，纪念那位伟大而罕见的灵魂。
- the former president, Mr. Abraham Lincoln, who is worthy of God and mankind. I believe Lincoln deserves it. In my real memory, no one is greater than Lincoln. He has woven a successful and moving history of the United States. With his indomitable spirit, courage, and generosity, he liberated four million of the humblest black slaves and crushed 27 million locks that have been placed on the soul of people of color. This put an end to the sinful history of depraved, twisted, and narrow souls due to racial hatred. He avoided the disaster of the country’s destruction and combined all different languages, religions, skin colors, and races into a brand- new country. The United States became free because of him, and fortunately embarked on the broad road of integrity and justice. Lincoln was the greatest hero of the last century. Today, on this occasion of his centennial birthday, the whole country remembers what he has done for the United States, which is the best proof. However, when we reappear and appreciate his glorious cause, we should absorb and expand the special lessons of his life-persistent determination and courage. I think the best way for us to commemorate him is to imitate him and let his spirit of perseverance illuminate America. In my heart, Lincoln will always be the indomitable embodiment who is not frightened by difficulties. He was born impoverished and was driven out of his home. Lie failed on his first time in business, and the second time he failed even worse, so it took him more than ten years to pay off his debts. His road to politics was similarly bumpy. He lost his first campaign for state and lost his job. Fortunately, his second campaign was successful. But what followed was the loss of a loved one, and failure to be elected as the state senator spokesperson. However, he was not discouraged. In the subsequent elections, he failed six times, but even after each defeat, he was still striving for the top, until he was elected as the President of the United States. Everyone has gone through the vicissitudes of life and suffered mercilessly, but only a few people can be as resilient as Lincoln. After every failed campaign Lincoln would motivate himself: “This is just a slip up, not as if I’m dead and unable to get up. " These words held the power to overcome difficulties, and they were also the weapon that led Lincoln to fame. Lincoln’s life wrote a great truth: unless you give up, you will not be defeated. Success is a series of struggles. Almost all those great figures have suffered a series of merciless blows. Each of them almost surrendered, but they finally achieved brilliant results because of their persistence. For example, the great Greek orator Demosthenes, he was shy because he stuttered. After his father died, he left him a piece of land in hopes that he could live a prosperous life. However, the Greek law at the time stipulated that he must win the ownership of the land by debating in public before declaring his right to own the land. Unfortunately, because of his stuttering and shyness, he suffered a fiasco, and as a result he lost that piece of land. But he was not knocked down, instead he worked hard to better himself. As a result, he created an unprecedented speech climax. History has overlooked the man who acquired his property, but for centuries, the whole of Europe has remembered a great name— Demosthenes. Too many people overestimate what they lack, but underestimate what they have, and lose the chance to become a winner. This is a tragedy. Lincoln’s life is a great testimony of turning setbacks into victory. There is no lucky person who does not fail. It is important not to become a coward because of failure. If we do our best and still fail to achieve the goal, all we should do is to learn our lesson and strive to perform better next time. Frankly speaking, I have no intention to compare with President Lincoln, but I have some of his spirit. I hate it when my business fails and lose money, but what really concerns me is that I am afraid that in future business, I will be too cautious and become a coward. If that is the case, then my loss will be even greater. For ordinary people, failure is difficult to keep them on, while success is easy to continue. But this is an exception for Lincoln, for he will use all kinds of frustration and failure to drive him to the next level. Because he has steel-like perseverance. He has a saying which was said well: “Y ou can’t sharpen your razor on a velvet. " There is nothing in the world that can replace perseverance. Talent is not acceptable. Unprecedented talents abound, and geniuses who accomplish nothing is common; education is also not acceptable. The world is full of people who are useless in learning. Only perseverance and determination will never be disadvantageous. As we continue to reach the peak, we must remember: each step of the ladder allows us enough time to step on, and then set foot to a higher level, it is not for us to rest. We are tired and discouraged on the way, but like a boxer said, you must fight another round to win. When encountering difficulties, we must fight another round. Everyone has unlimited potential inside, and unless we know where it is and insist on using it, it is worthless. Great opportunities do not seek external validation; however, we must work hard to grasp them. As the saying goes: “Strike while the iron’s hot. " It’s really good. Perseverance and hard work are both important. Every “no” brings us closer and closer to a “yes” . “Before dawn is always the darkest” , this sentence is not a catchphrase. When we work hard and make use of our skills, a successful day will eventually come. Today, as we are grateful and praise President Lincoln, we must not forget to use his life’s deeds to inspire ourselves. Even if we do so, our indomitable day has yet to come, and we are still a big winner. Because we already have knowledge and know how to face life, that is greater success. Love, Y our Father
- 前总统亚伯拉罕·林肯，这位值得上帝与世人敬仰的人。我相信他当之无愧。在我的记忆中，没有人比林肯更伟大。他编织了美国成功而动人的历史。凭借不屈的精神、勇气与慷慨，他解放了四百万最卑微的黑奴，粉碎了束缚有色人种灵魂的两千七百万把枷锁，终结了因种族仇恨而堕落、扭曲、狭隘的罪恶历史。他避免了国家分裂的灾难，把不同语言、宗教、肤色与种族凝聚成一个崭新的国家。美国因他而获得自由，并幸运地踏上正直与正义的宽广大道。林肯是上个世纪最伟大的英雄。今天值其百年诞辰，全国缅怀他为美国所做的一切，这就是最好的证明。但当我们回望并欣赏他辉煌的事业时，更应汲取并发扬他一生坚持与勇气的宝贵教训。我认为纪念他的最好方式，是效仿他，让他的坚持精神照亮美国。在我心中，林肯始终是无惧困难的不屈化身。他出生贫寒，被逐出家门；第一次经商失败，第二次更惨，用了十多年才还清债务。他的从政之路同样坎坷：首次竞选州职失败并丢了工作；第二次竞选成功，却随之失去挚爱，并在竞选州参议员发言人时落选。然而他并未气馁，此后六次选举失利，仍然继续向巅峰努力，直至当选美国总统。人人都经历人生的沧桑并遭受无情打击，但像林肯这样坚韧的人寥寥无几。每次竞选失败后，他都会激励自己：“这只是绊了一下，并不是死了起不来。”这句话蕴含克服困难的力量，也成为林肯成名的武器。林肯的一生写下了一个真理：除非你放弃，否则不会被击败。成功是一连串的奋斗。几乎所有伟大人物都遭受过一连串无情打击，他们一度几乎投降，但最终因坚持而取得辉煌成就。比如希腊伟大的演说家德摩斯梯尼，因口吃与害羞而失败；父亲去世后留给他一块土地，希望他安稳度日，但当时希腊法律规定必须在公开辩论中赢得土地所有权。他因口吃而遭遇惨败，土地被夺。然而他没有倒下，反而努力提升自己，最终创造了前所未有的演讲高峰。历史忽略了夺走他土地的人，却数百年来铭记一个伟大的名字——德摩斯梯尼。太多人高估自己缺少的、低估自己拥有的，从而失去成为赢家的机会，这是悲剧。林肯的一生是把挫折化为胜利的伟大见证。没有不失败的幸运儿。重要的是不要因失败而变成懦夫。即使我们尽力仍未达成目标，也该吸取教训，争取下次做得更好。坦白说，我无意与林肯总统相比，但我拥有他的一些精神。我讨厌生意失败与损失金钱，更担心的是未来做生意时变得过于谨慎、成为懦夫，那样我的损失会更大。对普通人而言，失败让人难以继续，成功则容易持续。但林肯是例外，他会用各种挫折与失败推动自己迈向更高层次，因为他拥有钢铁般的毅力。他有句名言：“你不能用天鹅绒来磨利剃刀。” 世上没有任何东西能替代坚持。天赋不够，空前天才比比皆是，毫无成就的天才也很常见；教育也不够，世界充满学而无用之人。唯有坚持与决心永不会吃亏。当我们继续攀登高峰时，要记住：阶梯的每一级只是让我们站稳并再上一级，不是用来休息的。我们在路上会疲惫与沮丧，但正如拳击手所说，要赢就得再打一回合；遇到困难也要再打一回合。每个人内心都有无限潜力，若不发现并坚持使用，它便毫无价值。伟大的机会不寻求外在认证，但我们必须努力把握。俗话说：“趁热打铁。”确实如此。坚持与勤奋同等重要，每一个“否”都让我们更接近一个“是”。“黎明前最黑暗”不是口号，当我们努力并善用技能，成功的一天终会到来。今天我们感恩并赞颂林肯总统，也不要忘记用他的一生事迹激励自己。即便如此，我们不屈的日子仍在未来，我们仍是大赢家。因为我们已拥有知识，并懂得如何面对人生，那就是更大的成功。爱你的父亲 Letter 9 Believe that you can do it! Believing in oneself and having confidence are essential for achieving success. June 7, 1903 Dear John: Y ou are right, the wisdom of a talented person can create miracles. However, the reality is that there are always very few people who create miracles, but there are many ordinary people who emerge. intriguingly, everyone wants to do a lot. Everyone wants to get some of the best things. Everyone does not like to fawn on others and lead a mediocre life, and no one likes to think that he/she is a second-tier person or feel that he is forced into this situation. Is this because we don’t have the general wisdom of talents? No! The most practical wisdom for success has long been written in the “Bible” , that is, “Unshakable faith is enough to move mountains. " But why are there so many losers? I think that is because there are not many people who truly believe that they can move out. As a result, not many people really can. Most people regard that holy word as an absurd idea, thinking that it is simply impossible. I think these people who cannot be saved have made a common- sense mistake. They mistook faith for hope. It is true that we cannot use hope to move a mountain, cannot rely on hope to win victory or make progress, nor can we rely on hope to have wealth and status. However, the power of faith can help us move a mountain. In other words, as long as we believe we can succeed. Y ou may think that I am miraculous or mystifying the power of faith, no! Confidence produces the attitude of believing in “I can do it” , and the attitude of believing in “I can do it” can produce the abilities, skills, and energy. Whenever you believe that “I can do it” , you will naturally come up with a “how to solve” method, and success is born once you successfully solve the problem. This is the process of confidence displaying its might. Everyone hopes that one day they can reach the highest level and enjoy the fruits of success that follows. However, most of them do not have the required confidence and determination, hence they cannot reach the top. It is also because they believe that they cannot reach it, so they find a route to take where they cannot reach the top, and their actions always stay at the level of ordinary people. However, a few of my friends really believe that they will succeed one day. They carry out various tasks with the mentality of “I’m going to the top” and achieve their goals with strong confidence. I thought I was one of them. When I was a poor boy, I was confident that I would become the richest person in the world. Strong self- confidence inspired me to come up with various feasible plans, methods, means and techniques, and one step at a time to climb to the top of the oil kingdom. I never believed that failure is the mother of success, I believe that faith is the father of success. Victory is a habit, and failure is also a habit. If you want to succeed, you must achieve sustained victory. I do not like to achieve a certain amount of victory. What I want is sustained victory. Only in this way can I become a strong one. Confidence motivates me to succeed. Believing that there will be great results is the driving force behind all great careers, books, scripts, and new scientific knowledge. Believing in success is a basic and absolutely necessary element possessed by successful people. But the loser has graciously discarded these. I have talked to many people who have failed in their business and have heard countless reasons and excuses for failure. When these losers were speaking, they would often unwittingly say: “To be honest, I didn’t think it would work. " “I felt uneasy before I started. " “In fact, it’s not too surprising that this has failed. " Adopting an attitude of “I will give it a try, but I don’t think there will be any results” will lead to failure in the end. “Disbelief is a negative force. When you disagree or have doubts in your mind, you will come up with various reasons to support your “disbelief' . Suspicion, disbelief, the tendency to fail subconsciously, and the lack of desire to succeed are the main causes of failure. If you doubt it, you will fail. If you believe in victory, you will definitely succeed. The level of confidence determines the level of achievement. Mediocre people who live their life day by day believing that they can’t do anything, will only get a small amount of numeration. They believe that they cannot do great things, so they really could not. They think that they are very unimportant, and everything they do is insignificant. Over time, even their words and actions will show a lack of self-confidence. If they cannot raise their self-confidence, they will shrink in their self-judgements and become increasingly insignificant. And what they think of themselves will also make others think of them in the same manner, so these kinds of people will become insignificant in the eyes of everyone. Those who move forward, and affirm that they have greater value, will get high rewards. He believes that he can handle difficult tasks and can really do it. Everything he does, his dealings with others, his personality, thoughts and opinions all shows that he is an expert and also an indispensable and important person. It is faith that illuminates my path, constancy gives me courage, and makes me face life positively. At any time, I never forget to increase my confidence. I replace the thought of failure with the belief of success. When I face a difficult situation, I think of “I will win” instead of “I might lose” . When I compete with people, I think of “I am as good as them” , not “I can’t compare with them. " When opportunities arise, I think of “I can do it” instead of “I can’t do it. " Everyone’s first step towards success, and also the basic step that cannot be missed, is to believe in yourself and believe that you will be able to succeed. Let the key idea “I will succeed” dominate our various thinking processes. The belief in success will inspire my faith in creating plans for success. The idea of failure is just the opposite, as it makes us think about some ideas that will lead to failure. I remind myself regularly: Y ou are better than you think. Successful people are not supermen. Success does not require superhuman intelligence, it is not about luck, and there is no mystery. Successful people are just ordinary people who believe in themselves and affirm what they do. Never, never sell yourself cheaply. Everyone is a product of his thoughts, thinking about small goals, will lead to small results. Thinking of great goals will win great success. And great ideas and big plans usually come easier than small ones, at least it will not be more difficult. Those who can reach the pinnacle in business, mission, writing, acting, and other pursuits of achievement are all because they can steadily and persistency pursue a plan of self-development and growth. This training program will bring them a series of rewards: getting more respected by their family members; getting praises from friends and colleagues; rewards that feel useful to them; rewards for becoming important people; increasing income and remuneration which improves their living standards. Success — achievement - is the ultimate goal in life. She needs to cherish my credible and active thinking. Of course, I do not think I can let my beliefs go wrong at any time. Love, Y our Father Letter 9 Believe that you can do it! Believing in oneself and having confidence are essential for achieving success.
相信你能做到！相信自己并拥有信心，是获得成功的必要条件。

June 7, 1903 Dear John:

1903年6月7日亲爱的约翰：

Y ou are right, the wisdom of a talented person can create miracles. However, the reality is that there are always very few people who create miracles, but there are many ordinary people who emerge.

你说得对，才智之人的智慧能创造奇迹。然而现实是，真正创造奇迹的人总是很少，脱颖而出的多是普通人。

intriguingly, everyone wants to do a lot. Everyone wants to get some of the best things. Everyone does not like to fawn on others and lead a mediocre life, and no one likes to think that he/she is a second-tier person or feel that he is forced into this situation.

有趣的是，每个人都想做得很多，想得到最好的东西。没有人喜欢去讨好别人、过平庸的生活，也没人愿意被当作二等人或觉得自己被迫如此。

Is this because we don’t have the general wisdom of talents? No! The most practical wisdom for success has long been written in the “Bible” , that is, “Unshakable faith is enough to move mountains. " But why are there so many losers? I think that is because there are not many people who truly believe that they can move out. As a result, not many people really can.

这是否因为我们没有天才般的智慧？不是！成功最实用的智慧早已写在《圣经》中：“坚定不移的信念足以移山。”但为什么失败者仍那么多？我认为是因为真正相信自己能移山的人不多，因此真正做到的人也不多。

Most people regard that holy word as an absurd idea, thinking that it is simply impossible. I think these people who cannot be saved have made a common- sense mistake. They mistook faith for hope. It is true that we cannot use hope to move a mountain, cannot rely on hope to win victory or make progress, nor can we rely on hope to have wealth and status.

大多数人把这句圣言当作荒诞，认为根本不可能。我认为这些无法被拯救的人犯了常识性错误：把信念误当成希望。确实，不能靠希望移山，不能靠希望赢得胜利或进步，也不能靠希望获得财富与地位。

However, the power of faith can help us move a mountain. In other words, as long as we believe we can succeed. Y ou may think that I am miraculous or mystifying the power of faith, no! Confidence produces the attitude of believing in “I can do it” , and the attitude of believing in “I can do it” can produce the abilities, skills, and energy. Whenever you believe that “I can do it” , you will naturally come up with a “how to solve” method, and success is born once you successfully solve the problem. This is the process of confidence displaying its might.

然而，信念的力量可以帮助我们移山。也就是说，只要相信自己能成功。你或许觉得我在神化信念的力量，但不是。信心会产生“我能做到”的态度，而这种态度会产生能力、技能与能量。每当你相信“我能做到”，你自然会想出解决办法，问题一旦解决，成功便诞生。这就是信心显威的过程。

Everyone hopes that one day they can reach the highest level and enjoy the fruits of success that follows. However, most of them do not have the required confidence and determination, hence they cannot reach the top. It is also because they believe that they cannot reach it, so they find a route to take where they cannot reach the top, and their actions always stay at the level of ordinary people.

人人都希望有朝一日登上巅峰，享受成功果实。然而多数人缺乏必要的信心与决心，因此无法达到顶峰。也因为他们相信自己到不了，于是选择一条到不了顶峰的路，行动也停留在普通人的层面。

However, a few of my friends really believe that they will succeed one day. They carry out various tasks with the mentality of “I’m going to the top” and achieve their goals with strong confidence. I thought I was one of them. When I was a poor boy, I was confident that I would become the richest person in the world. Strong self- confidence inspired me to come up with various feasible plans, methods, means and techniques, and one step at a time to climb to the top of the oil kingdom.

不过，我有少数朋友真心相信自己终会成功。他们以“我要登顶”的心态做事，用强烈自信达成目标。我曾以为自己就是其中之一。贫穷少年时，我确信自己会成为世界首富。强烈自信激励我提出各种可行计划、方法、手段与技巧，一步一步攀上石油王国之巅。

I never believed that failure is the mother of success, I believe that faith is the father of success. Victory is a habit, and failure is also a habit. If you want to succeed, you must achieve sustained victory. I do not like to achieve a certain amount of victory. What I want is sustained victory. Only in this way can I become a strong one. Confidence motivates me to succeed.

我从不相信失败是成功之母，我相信信念是成功之父。胜利是一种习惯，失败也是。若想成功，必须持续获胜。我不喜欢有限度的胜利，我要的是持续胜利。唯有如此我才能成为强者。信心驱使我成功。

Believing that there will be great results is the driving force behind all great careers, books, scripts, and new scientific knowledge. Believing in success is a basic and absolutely necessary element possessed by successful people. But the loser has graciously discarded these.

相信会有伟大成果，是所有伟大事业、书籍、剧本与新科学知识的驱动力。相信成功是成功者具备的基本且必要要素，而失败者却轻易丢弃了它。

I have talked to many people who have failed in their business and have heard countless reasons and excuses for failure. When these losers were speaking, they would often unwittingly say: “To be honest, I didn’t think it would work. " “I felt uneasy before I started. " “In fact, it’s not too surprising that this has failed. " Adopting an attitude of “I will give it a try, but I don’t think there will be any results” will lead to failure in the end.

我与许多生意失败的人交谈，听过无数失败的理由与借口。他们常不经意地说：“坦白讲我并不觉得会成功。”“开始前我就不踏实。”“其实失败也不意外。”抱着“试试看，但我觉得不会有结果”的态度，最终必然失败。

“Disbelief is a negative force. When you disagree or have doubts in your mind, you will come up with various reasons to support your “disbelief' . Suspicion, disbelief, the tendency to fail subconsciously, and the lack of desire to succeed are the main causes of failure. If you doubt it, you will fail. If you believe in victory, you will definitely succeed.

“不信是一股消极力量。当你心存怀疑时，就会找各种理由来支撑你的‘不信’。怀疑、不信、潜意识的失败倾向，以及缺乏成功欲望，是失败的主要原因。你怀疑就会失败；你相信胜利，就一定会成功。”

The level of confidence determines the level of achievement. Mediocre people who live their life day by day believing that they can’t do anything, will only get a small amount of numeration. They believe that they cannot do great things, so they really could not. They think that they are very unimportant, and everything they do is insignificant. Over time, even their words and actions will show a lack of self-confidence. If they cannot raise their self-confidence, they will shrink in their self-judgements and become increasingly insignificant. And what they think of themselves will also make others think of them in the same manner, so these kinds of people will become insignificant in the eyes of everyone.

信心的高度决定成就的高度。那些日复一日相信自己什么都做不了的平庸之人，只会得到微薄回报。他们相信自己做不成大事，于是确实做不成。他们觉得自己无足轻重，做的每件事都微不足道。久而久之，言行也显出缺乏自信。若无法提升自信，就会在自我评价中不断萎缩，越来越渺小。别人也会以同样方式看待他们，于是他们在所有人眼中都变得微不足道。

Those who move forward, and affirm that they have greater value, will get high rewards. He believes that he can handle difficult tasks and can really do it. Everything he does, his dealings with others, his personality, thoughts and opinions all shows that he is an expert and also an indispensable and important person.

那些向前迈进并肯定自身价值更高的人，会获得高回报。他相信自己能处理难题并真正做到。他的所作所为、与人交往、性格、思想与观点都显示他是专家，也是不可或缺的重要人物。

It is faith that illuminates my path, constancy gives me courage, and makes me face life positively. At any time, I never forget to increase my confidence. I replace the thought of failure with the belief of success. When I face a difficult situation, I think of “I will win” instead of “I might lose” . When I compete with people, I think of “I am as good as them” , not “I can’t compare with them. " When opportunities arise, I think of “I can do it” instead of “I can’t do it. "

信念照亮我的道路，恒心给予我勇气，让我积极面对人生。我任何时候都不忘增强自信，用成功的信念取代失败的念头。面对困难，我想“我会赢”而不是“我可能会输”；与人竞争，我想“我不比他们差”而不是“我比不上他们”；机会来临，我想“我能做到”而不是“我做不到”。

Everyone’s first step towards success, and also the basic step that cannot be missed, is to believe in yourself and believe that you will be able to succeed. Let the key idea “I will succeed” dominate our various thinking processes. The belief in success will inspire my faith in creating plans for success. The idea of failure is just the opposite, as it makes us think about some ideas that will lead to failure.

走向成功的第一步，也是不可缺少的基本一步，就是相信自己并相信自己能成功。让“我会成功”的核心观念主导我们的思考过程。成功的信念会激发我制定成功计划的信心，而失败的观念正相反，会让我们想到通向失败的点子。

I remind myself regularly: Y ou are better than you think. Successful people are not supermen. Success does not require superhuman intelligence, it is not about luck, and there is no mystery. Successful people are just ordinary people who believe in themselves and affirm what they do. Never, never sell yourself cheaply.

我常提醒自己：你比你想象的更好。成功者不是超人。成功不需要超凡智慧，不全靠运气，也没有神秘。成功者只是相信自己、肯定自己所做之事的普通人。永远不要贱卖自己。

Everyone is a product of his thoughts, thinking about small goals, will lead to small results. Thinking of great goals will win great success. And great ideas and big plans usually come easier than small ones, at least it will not be more difficult.

每个人都是思想的产物，想小目标只会得小结果，想大目标会赢得大成功。而大想法与大计划通常比小想法更容易，至少不会更难。

Those who can reach the pinnacle in business, mission, writing, acting, and other pursuits of achievement are all because they can steadily and persistency pursue a plan of self-development and growth. This training program will bring them a series of rewards: getting more respected by their family members; getting praises from friends and colleagues; rewards that feel useful to them; rewards for becoming important people; increasing income and remuneration which improves their living standards.

能在商业、使命、写作、表演等成就领域登顶的人，都是因为能稳步、持续地执行自我发展与成长的计划。这样的训练带来一系列回报：更受家人尊敬；得到朋友与同事的称赞；获得对自己有用的回报；成为重要人物的回报；收入与报酬增加，生活水平提升。

Success — achievement - is the ultimate goal in life. She needs to cherish my credible and active thinking. Of course, I do not think I can let my beliefs go wrong at any time.

成功——成就——是人生的终极目标。她需要珍视我可信而积极的思维。当然，我不认为自己可以在任何时候让信念出错。

Love, Y our Father

爱你的父亲

Letter 10

Being loyal to oneself is of utmost importance. While one may deceive an enemy, deceiving oneself is never an option. November 29, 1899 Dear John:

忠于自己至关重要。你可以欺骗敌人，但绝不能欺骗自己。

1899年11月29日亲爱的约翰：

Are you in a better mood? If not, I think, you need to know something.

你的心情好些了吗？如果没有，我想你需要知道一些事。

Y ou need to know that in this world, the vast majority of people are not immune to a special force that can easily peel off the cloak that wraps our humanity, and expose us completely to the sun and just delineates us on the pure and dirty plates, so that all our defenses become pale and weak. No matter how clever we are, it is the test of our humanity: interest versus benefits.

你要知道，在这个世界上，绝大多数人都无法抵御一种特殊力量，它能轻易剥去包裹人性的外衣，将我们暴露在阳光下，划分到“洁净”与“肮脏”的盘子里，使所有防线变得苍白无力。不管多聪明，这都是对人性的考验：利益对抗利益。

In other words, interest is the shadow that illuminates human nature. In front of it, all the essences related to morality and ethics will be revealed and unobstructed. Maybe you think my words are a little absolute, but this is what my experience tells me.

换言之，利益是照出人性的影子。在它面前，一切与道德、伦理有关的本质都会无遮无掩地显露出来。也许你觉得我的话有些绝对，但这是我的经验告诉我的。

I am not a human historian. I don’t know what explanation they will give to explain the nobility and ugliness of people, but my life course makes me firmly believe that interests seem to be invincible, and It can bring people, races, and countries who could have lived peacefully with one another together, and make people deceive each other. In those scams, traps of defamation, slander, and vilification, as well as cruel and merciless bloody battles and robber-style plunder, you will find the shadows that are chasing interests. In this sense, it is more accurate to say that we are slaves of interest rather than masters of our own souls.

我不是人性史学家，不知道他们会如何解释人的高贵与丑陋，但我的人生经历让我坚信：利益似乎无所不能，它能让本可和平共处的人、种族与国家聚在一起，也能让人彼此欺骗。在那些骗局、诽谤、污蔑的陷阱，以及残酷无情的血战与掠夺中，你都能看见追逐利益的阴影。从这个意义上说，我们更像是利益的奴隶，而不是自己灵魂的主人。

I can assert that in this world, apart from God, there is no one who does not pursue profit. From the moment you step into interpersonal relationships, a protracted life game for profit begins. In this game, everyone is your enemy, including yourself. Y ou need to fight against your weaknesses and against all the evils that build happiness on your pain. Therefore, when I saw through all this, I always adhered to a principle: I can deceive the enemy, but I never deceive myself. Fighting back at the enemy who is shooting me will never disturb my conscience.

我可以断言，这个世界上除上帝外，没有人不追逐利益。从你踏入人际关系的那一刻起，一场以利益为目的的漫长人生游戏便开始。在这场游戏里，每个人都是你的敌人，包括你自己。你要与自己的弱点作战，也要对抗那些以你的痛苦为幸福之基的恶行。因此，当我看透这一切时，始终坚持一个原则：我可以欺骗敌人，但绝不欺骗自己。回击向我开枪的敌人，不会扰乱我的良心。

Son, please don’t get me wrong, I don’t intend, to paint our world with an oppressive and suffocating grey; in fact, I long for friendship, sincerity, kindness and all the beautiful emotions that can nourish my soul, and I believe in them. It must exist. However, it is a pity that in the market of chasing fame and fortune, it is difficult for me to get this land of satisfaction, and I often encounter betrayal and deception. To this day, I can still clearly remember the experiences of being deceived several times, which is unforgettable.

儿子，请别误会，我并不想把世界涂成压抑窒息的灰色；事实上，我渴望友谊、真诚、善意以及一切能滋养灵魂的美好情感，并且相信它们一定存在。然而遗憾的是，在追名逐利的市场里，我很难得到这片满足之地，常常遭遇背叛与欺骗。直到今天，我仍清晰记得那几次被骗的经历，难以忘怀。

The most painful deceit I experienced occurred in Cleveland. At that time, the oil refining industry was almost unprofitable due to overproduction, and many oil refiners had fallen into bankruptcy. Also, Cleveland is far away from the oil field, which means that compared with those refineries in the oil field, we had to pay a premium for the long-distance transportation which put ourselves in an unfair position. I am determined to change it. I want to acquire a large-scale refinery that is struggling on the death line, forming a joint force and a unified action, so that everyone’s wallet will bulge.

我经历过的最痛苦的欺骗发生在克利夫兰。当时炼油业因过度生产几乎无利可图，许多炼油商破产。此外，克利夫兰远离油田，相比油田的炼厂，我们必须支付远距离运输溢价，处于不公平位置。我决心改变这种局面，想收购一家在死亡线上挣扎的大型炼厂，形成合力、统一行动，让大家的钱包鼓起来。

I told those refinery owners who were on the verge of bankruptcy that “we are at a disadvantage in Cleveland and what we must do to protect ourselves together. I think my plan is very good, please think about it. If you are interested, we will be happy to discuss with you. " Because of my kind wishes and strategic considerations, I bought many worthless factories. They are just like old rubbish, only worth throwing into the scrap iron pile.

我对那些濒临破产的炼厂老板说：“我们在克利夫兰处于劣势，必须联合自保。我认为我的计划很好，请考虑一下；若有兴趣，我们愿意与你们详谈。”出于善意和战略考虑，我买了许多毫无价值的工厂，它们就像旧垃圾，只配丢进废铁堆。

But some people are so evil, selfish, and ungrateful. After they got my money, they became enemies, unscrupulously tore up their agreement with me, made a comeback, bought equipment with money earned with my help, returned to their old business, and publicly blackmailed me, asking me to buy their factory. These people have asked me to be honest and buy their paralyzed factory. I did it. However, the results were distressing. At that moment, my mood was terrible, and I even blamed myself for being honest and kind, otherwise I would not be embarrassed and helpless.

但有些人如此邪恶、自私且忘恩负义。他们拿到我的钱后就成了敌人，肆意撕毁协议，卷土重来，用在我帮助下赚到的钱买设备，回到旧业，并公开敲诈我，要求我买回他们的工厂。这些人要求我诚信收购他们瘫痪的工厂，我做了。然而结果令人痛心。那一刻我心情糟透，甚至责怪自己太诚实、太善良，否则不会如此尴尬无助。

What is the most unacceptable is that in profit-making games, today’s friends will become tomorrow’s enemies. This situation often happens, and my two church members have deceived me many times without restraining. For the sake of God, I do not want to count their sins. But I can tell you, I was shocked when I knew that I had been deceived by them. I do not understand why people who pray with me and swear religiously will want to abandon their pride, indulgence and greed, how can they be so despicable!

最不可接受的是，在逐利的游戏里，今日的朋友会变成明日的敌人。这种情况常常发生，我的两位教会成员多次无所顾忌地欺骗我。为了上帝，我不愿细数他们的罪，但可以告诉你，当我知道自己被他们欺骗时，我十分震惊。我不理解为何与我一同祈祷、立誓的人会抛弃自尊、放纵贪欲，怎能如此卑劣！

After all kinds of deceptions and lies, I told myself helplessly: Y ou can only believe in yourself, and only in this way, you will not be deceived. I know this kind of slightly hostile mentality is not good, but there are too many deceptions in this world, and guarding ourselves is an indispensable survival skill.

经历各种欺骗与谎言后，我无奈地对自己说：只能相信自己，只有这样才不会被欺骗。我知道这种略带敌意的心态并不好，但这个世界欺骗太多，保护自己是不可或缺的生存技能。

Dealing with bastards will make you smart. Those evil “teachers” taught me a lot. If anyone wants to deceive me now, I guess it will be more difficult than crossing the Grand Canyon, because those demons helped me establish a set of rules for dealing with people, I think this set of rules will help you:

和坏人打交道会让你聪明。那些邪恶的“老师”教会我很多。如今若有人想骗我，恐怕比横越大峡谷还难，因为那些恶魔让我建立了一套处世规则，我想这套规则也能帮到你：

I only show my feelings when the situation is only beneficial to myself; I can let my opponent teach me, but I will never teach my opponent, no matter how much I know about it; think twice about everything, no matter how others may urge, do not act without making a full consideration; I have my own truth, only responsible for myself; be careful of those who ask me to treat them sincerely, they want to reap benefits from me.

只有在对自己有利时才表露感情；可以让对手教我，但无论我知道多少，都不会教对手；凡事三思，别人再催也不要在未充分考虑时行动；我有自己的真理，只对自己负责；警惕那些要求我真诚对待的人，他们想从我身上获利。

I know that deception is only a strategy in a profit-making game and cannot solve the problem. But I also know that games for profit are played day and night, so I must be vigilant from morning to night and understand: in this game, everyone is the enemy, because everyone takes care of their own interests first, whether or not it is good for others. The important thing is knowing how to protect yourself and prepare for war anytime, anywhere.

我知道欺骗只是逐利游戏中的一种策略，并不能解决问题。但我也知道逐利游戏日夜进行，所以我必须从早到晚保持警惕，并明白：在这场游戏里，人人都是敌人，因为每个人都先照顾自己的利益，不管是否有利于他人。关键在于懂得保护自己，并随时随地做好应战准备。

Son, what destiny gives us is not the wine of disappointment, but the cup of opportunity, cheer up! What happened on Wall Street is nothing special, it is just that you believe in others too much. However, you need to know that a good horse will not fall twice in the same place.

儿子，命运给我们的不是失望之酒，而是机遇之杯，振作起来！华尔街发生的事并不特别，只是你太相信别人了。不过你要知道，好马不会在同一处跌倒两次。

Love, Y our Father

爱你的父亲

Letter 11

Greed is necessary, it’s important to prioritizing oneself and taking control of one’s own destiny. Prioritizing oneself is key, and creating one’s own destiny is a must. May 6, 1918 Dear John: Ignore those who say I am greedy. For many years, I have been enjoying this “praise” that seems not so wonderful to others - Greed. This special tribute to me first appeared when my career was in full swing, when Rockefeller’s name was no longer just a symbol of a person, but a symbol of wealth, and a huge business empire. I remember that many people and many newspapers joined the ranks of “praising” me. But this kind of praise did not make my heart beat faster, even though I know that it is nothing more than to discredit me, and it is nothing more than to add a filthy lucre to the business empire I have created. But I know that there is a kind of power hidden in human nature, one that grows in places lacking ability and will, that is jealousy. When you surpass them, they will hate you, accuse you using derogatory words, fabricate lies to slander you, and at the same time they will be very arrogant in front of you — in my opinion, that is not arrogance, it is just weakness. What’s interesting is that when you are far inferior to diem, and your life is unbearable, they will laugh at you again, for being incompetent, stupid, and even belittle you to the point that you have no human dignity. My son, this is human nature! God did not give me a mission to change human nature, and I did not take the time to stop those people from wanting to “praise” me for being greedy. All I can do is to keep those who are jealous of me jealous! Although, I know that if I let them take away all the wealth that I have created, they will also take away their praise for me, but I can’t! I believe that unless there is some magic, no one can! A gentleman will never argue with the ignorant, and I certainly will not argue with those who “praised” my greed, but I cannot refrain from despising their ignorance. Looking back calmly at history and examining the footprints of mankind, we can conclude that no society is not built on greed. Those who want to slander me, seemingly as if they are moral watchmen, which one of them would not want to monopolize what they have? Who does not want to control all the good things? Who does not want to control everything that everyone needs? There are always many hypocritical people. There is no one who is not greedy. If you have an olive, you will want to have an entire olive tree. I have been living in the world for nearly 80 years. I have seen people who cannot eat steak, but I have never seen anyone who is not: greedy, especially in the business world. There is only one word printed on the back of utilitarianism and money worship, that is greed. I believe that people who are not greedy in the future will still be rare on earth. Greed is necessary, it’s important to prioritizing oneself and taking control of one’s own destiny. Prioritizing oneself is key, and creating one’s own destiny is a must.

贪婪是必要的，重要的是把自己放在首位，并掌握自己的命运。以自己为先是关键，创造自己的命运是必需。

May 6, 1918 Dear John:

1918年5月6日亲爱的约翰：

Ignore those who say I am greedy.

别理会那些说我贪婪的人。

For many years, I have been enjoying this “praise” that seems not so wonderful to others - Greed. This special tribute to me first appeared when my career was in full swing, when Rockefeller’s name was no longer just a symbol of a person, but a symbol of wealth, and a huge business empire.

多年来，我一直享受这份在他人看来并不美好的“赞美”——贪婪。这份特别的“褒奖”出现在我事业如日中天之时，当“洛克菲勒”不再只是一个人的名字，而成了财富与庞大商业帝国的象征。

I remember that many people and many newspapers joined the ranks of “praising” me. But this kind of praise did not make my heart beat faster, even though I know that it is nothing more than to discredit me, and it is nothing more than to add a filthy lucre to the business empire I have created.

我记得许多人、许多报纸都加入了“赞美”我的行列。但这种赞美并未让我心跳加速，因为我知道它不过是在抹黑我，只是给我建立的商业帝国添上“肮脏的铜臭”。

But I know that there is a kind of power hidden in human nature, one that grows in places lacking ability and will, that is jealousy. When you surpass them, they will hate you, accuse you using derogatory words, fabricate lies to slander you, and at the same time they will be very arrogant in front of you — in my opinion, that is not arrogance, it is just weakness. What’s interesting is that when you are far inferior to diem, and your life is unbearable, they will laugh at you again, for being incompetent, stupid, and even belittle you to the point that you have no human dignity. My son, this is human nature!

但我知道人性里隐藏着一种力量，它生长在缺乏能力与意志之处，那就是嫉妒。当你超越他们时，他们会恨你，用贬损的话指责你，编造谎言诽谤你，同时还在你面前摆出傲慢姿态——在我看来，那不是傲慢，而是软弱。有趣的是，当你远不如他们、生活难以为继时，他们又会嘲笑你无能、愚蠢，甚至贬低你到没有尊严。儿子，这就是人性！

God did not give me a mission to change human nature, and I did not take the time to stop those people from wanting to “praise” me for being greedy. All I can do is to keep those who are jealous of me jealous! Although, I know that if I let them take away all the wealth that I have created, they will also take away their praise for me, but I can’t! I believe that unless there is some magic, no one can!

上帝没有给我改变人性的使命，我也没花时间阻止那些想“赞美”我贪婪的人。我能做的只是让嫉妒我的人继续嫉妒！虽然我知道如果让他们夺走我创造的财富，他们也会夺走对我的“赞美”，但我不能！我相信除非有魔法，否则没人能做到！

A gentleman will never argue with the ignorant, and I certainly will not argue with those who “praised” my greed, but I cannot refrain from despising their ignorance. Looking back calmly at history and examining the footprints of mankind, we can conclude that no society is not built on greed. Those who want to slander me, seemingly as if they are moral watchmen, which one of them would not want to monopolize what they have? Who does not want to control all the good things? Who does not want to control everything that everyone needs? There are always many hypocritical people.

君子不与无知者争，我当然不会与那些“赞美”我贪婪的人争辩，但我也忍不住鄙视他们的无知。冷静回望历史、审视人类足迹，我们可以得出结论：没有任何社会不是建立在贪欲之上。那些想诋毁我的人，仿佛道德看守者，又有谁不想垄断自己拥有的东西？谁不想掌控一切美好之物？谁不想控制所有人需要的一切？伪善的人总是很多。

There is no one who is not greedy. If you have an olive, you will want to have an entire olive tree. I have been living in the world for nearly 80 years. I have seen people who cannot eat steak, but I have never seen anyone who is not: greedy, especially in the business world. There is only one word printed on the back of utilitarianism and money worship, that is greed. I believe that people who are not greedy in the future will still be rare on earth.

没有谁不贪婪。你有一颗橄榄，就会想要一整棵橄榄树。我在世将近八十年，见过吃不起牛排的人，却没见过不贪婪的人，尤其在商界。功利主义和拜金主义背后只印着一个词：贪婪。我相信未来不贪婪的人依然稀少。

Who will stop the pursuit and possession of beautiful things? Mr. Archibald said that I am a racehorse that could smell the finish line, but as soon as that happened, I would start sprinting. I know this is a bit flattering, but in my heart, I really reserved a place for greed. When I was in business school, one of my teachers said a phrase that I will never forget. It can be said to have changed my destiny. He said: “There is nothing wrong with being greedy. I think being greedy is a good thing. Everyone can be greedy. From the beginning of greed, there will be hope!” When my teacher shouted this extremely provocative and irritating remark from the forum, the students in the audience were in an uproar. As long as you think about the meaning of “greedy” , you will know that this word completely violates the moral concept that most people have learned since childhood. This moral concept is integrated into religion, society, ethics, politics, and law. The role of a ruler will undoubtedly put a dirty mark on this word. But when I stepped into the society and embarked on the journey of creating wealth, I deeply realized that the classes I took was really worth it. My teacher’s proposition was quite insightful. As those evolutionists told us, nature is not a benevolent and selfless place, but a place where the strong are kings and the fittest live, so is our so- called civilized society. If you are not greedy, you may just be “eaten” by others. After all, there are not many delicious desserts. If you want to create wealth and achievements, and an extraordinary life, then I feel that you can forget about “greed is a good thing” , greed is necessary! The subtext of greed is that, I want more, and monopolize it! Who has never made me cry in my heart? Politicians will say, I want to be in power, and I want to be the governor before being the president. Businesspeople will say, I want to make money, I want to make more money. Parents will say that I hope my son can achieve something and live a prosperous and happy life forever. And so on. Only when limited by morality, dignity, and face value, can people tightly cover up greed and make greed a taboo. In fact, as long as the world that wants to chase fame and fortune is not destroyed, as long as happiness does not become as easy to get as air, human beings cannot stop being greedy. Those who love muckraking always regard greed as a demon. But in my opinion, opening the lock of our greed is not the same as opening the Pandora’s Box, and releasing the beating greed all the time is equivalent to releasing the potential of our lives. From a bookkeeper with a weekly salary of only five dollars to the richest person in the United States today, it was greed which made me achieve this miracle. Greed is the force that drives me to create wealth, just as it is the force that drives social evolution. When I use the word greed, you might want me to replace it with aspiration. No, we are all in a greedy world. I think using greed is simpler than using ambition. Simplicity is a quality of integrity and selflessness in the soul. It is different and more noble than sincerity. At the beginning of co-founding the oil company with Mr. Sam Andrews, my greed was swelling. Every night before going to bed, I advised myself: I want to become the largest oil refiner in Cleveland, let the flowing oil creek turn into bundles of banknotes, I want to align every thought to profit motives and help myself become the king of oil. In the early days, I would do everything by myself and work all day long. I direct oil refining, organize railway transportation, and contemplate how to save costs and expand the petroleum byproduct market. I will never forget the days that left me starving and rushing around day and night. My son, destiny must be created by oneself, and what one really wants must be obtained by every means. The distance between success and failure is not just a single thought as what people may think, that is to see who has the stronger greed, who has this power, who can radiate and display all their power, do their best, and surpass themselves. Every step I move forward can make me feel the power of greed! Greed not only allows a person’s abilities to be maximized, but also forces him to dedicate everything, remove all obstacles, and move forward at full speed. Many people have asked me the same question: “Mr. Rockefeller, what supported you on your way to the top of wealth?” I cannot express my true feelings because greed is despised by people. However, the fact is that greed is the support that supported me to become a generation of millionaire, that is, I aroused my greed and deepened my greed. There is a lively, sensitive, and powerful greed in everyone’s heart. But you must love her, tell yourself that you want to be greedy, and you want more, then she will come out to play and help you succeed. No force can stop me from lifting the ban on greed because I pursue success. Success achieved under greed is not a sin. Success is a noble pursuit. If you can achieve success with noble behavior, you will contribute far more to mankind than what can be done in poverty. I did it! Let us look at the philanthropies we have done today. Investing huge wealth in education, medicine, churches, and those in need is definitely not a place for me to do charity on a whim. It is a great charity, and the world is becoming more beautiful because of my success. It seems that greed is very good, and not a crime. In this regard, if those who say I am greedy are not for the purpose of discrediting me, I will gladly accept the judgment they make of me. John, I am the focus of my life, I decide what suits me, so I do not care what those people say, my heart is still peaceful. To some people, I always seem to be a businessman with despicable motives. Even if I invest in charities that benefit the people, It will be regarded as a trick by them. They suspect that the motivation of my charities is to pursue self-interest, or a form of atoning my sins, but they do not see it as a selfless spirit of public welfare. This is really funny. I want to tell you very sincerely that your father will never make you feel ashamed. Every penny in my pocket is clean. The reason why I became rich is my superior mind and strong career. The heart is rewarded. I firmly believe that God has clear rewards and punishments, and that my money is given by God. And I can always make money. If God helps, dais is because God knows that I will return the money to society for the benefit of my fellow citizens. It is time for me to read the Bible. The night is so beautiful tonight, every bright star seems to say: “Good job! John. " Love, Y our Father Who will stop the pursuit and possession of beautiful things?

谁会停止对美好之物的追求与占有？

Mr. Archibald said that I am a racehorse that could smell the finish line, but as soon as that happened, I would start sprinting. I know this is a bit flattering, but in my heart, I really reserved a place for greed.

阿奇博尔德先生说我是能嗅到终点的赛马，一旦嗅到就会冲刺。我知道这有些恭维，但在我心里，确实给贪婪留了位置。

When I was in business school, one of my teachers said a phrase that I will never forget. It can be said to have changed my destiny. He said: “There is nothing wrong with being greedy. I think being greedy is a good thing. Everyone can be greedy. From the beginning of greed, there will be hope!”

在商学院时，我有位老师说了一句话让我终身难忘，可以说改变了我的命运。他说：“贪婪没有错。我认为贪婪是件好事。人人都可以贪婪。从贪婪开始，就会有希望！”

When my teacher shouted this extremely provocative and irritating remark from the forum, the students in the audience were in an uproar. As long as you think about the meaning of “greedy” , you will know that this word completely violates the moral concept that most people have learned since childhood. This moral concept is integrated into religion, society, ethics, politics, and law. The role of a ruler will undoubtedly put a dirty mark on this word.

当老师在讲坛上喊出这句极具挑衅、惹怒人心的话时，台下哗然。只要你想想“贪婪”一词的意义，就会知道它完全违背了大多数人自小所学的道德观。这种道德观融入宗教、社会、伦理、政治与法律，统治者的角色无疑给这个词打上污点。

But when I stepped into the society and embarked on the journey of creating wealth, I deeply realized that the classes I took was really worth it. My teacher’s proposition was quite insightful. As those evolutionists told us, nature is not a benevolent and selfless place, but a place where the strong are kings and the fittest live, so is our so- called civilized society. If you are not greedy, you may just be “eaten” by others. After all, there are not many delicious desserts.

但当我步入社会、踏上创造财富之路，我深刻意识到当年的课程确实值得。老师的主张很有洞见。正如进化论者所言，自然并非仁慈无私之地，而是强者为王、适者生存之所，我们所谓的文明社会亦然。若你不贪婪，就可能被他人“吃掉”。毕竟美味甜点并不多。

If you want to create wealth and achievements, and an extraordinary life, then I feel that you can forget about “greed is a good thing” , greed is necessary!

如果你想创造财富与成就，过一种非凡人生，我认为可以忘掉“贪婪是好事”这句话——贪婪是必要的！

The subtext of greed is that, I want more, and monopolize it! Who has never made me cry in my heart? Politicians will say, I want to be in power, and I want to be the governor before being the president. Businesspeople will say, I want to make money, I want to make more money. Parents will say that I hope my son can achieve something and live a prosperous and happy life forever. And so on. Only when limited by morality, dignity, and face value, can people tightly cover up greed and make greed a taboo.

贪婪的潜台词是：我要更多，并独占它！谁未曾在心里这样哭喊？政客会说，我要掌权，要先当州长再当总统；商人会说，我要赚钱，还要赚更多；父母会说，希望儿子有出息、永远富足幸福，等等。唯有受道德、尊严和面子限制，人们才会紧紧掩盖贪婪，把它当作禁忌。

In fact, as long as the world that wants to chase fame and fortune is not destroyed, as long as happiness does not become as easy to get as air, human beings cannot stop being greedy.

事实上，只要追名逐利的世界未被摧毁，只要幸福还不像空气那样易得，人类就无法停止贪婪。

Those who love muckraking always regard greed as a demon. But in my opinion, opening the lock of our greed is not the same as opening the Pandora’s Box, and releasing the beating greed all the time is equivalent to releasing the potential of our lives. From a bookkeeper with a weekly salary of only five dollars to the richest person in the United States today, it was greed which made me achieve this miracle. Greed is the force that drives me to create wealth, just as it is the force that drives social evolution.

爱好揭短的人总把贪婪当作恶魔。但在我看来，打开贪婪之锁并不等同于打开潘多拉盒子，持续释放跃动的贪婪，等于释放我们生命的潜能。从每周只赚五美元的簿记员，到今天的美国首富，正是贪婪让我创造了奇迹。贪婪是驱动我创造财富的力量，也是推动社会演进的力量。

When I use the word greed, you might want me to replace it with aspiration. No, we are all in a greedy world. I think using greed is simpler than using ambition. Simplicity is a quality of integrity and selflessness in the soul. It is different and more noble than sincerity.

当我使用“贪婪”这个词时，你或许希望我改成“抱负”。不，我们都身处一个贪婪的世界。我认为用“贪婪”比用“抱负”更直白。简洁是灵魂中正直与无私的品质，它不同于、也比真诚更高尚。

At the beginning of co-founding the oil company with Mr. Sam Andrews, my greed was swelling. Every night before going to bed, I advised myself: I want to become the largest oil refiner in Cleveland, let the flowing oil creek turn into bundles of banknotes, I want to align every thought to profit motives and help myself become the king of oil. In the early days, I would do everything by myself and work all day long. I direct oil refining, organize railway transportation, and contemplate how to save costs and expand the petroleum byproduct market. I will never forget the days that left me starving and rushing around day and night.

与山姆·安德鲁斯先生共同创办石油公司之初，我的贪婪在膨胀。每晚睡前我都告诫自己：我要成为克利夫兰最大的炼油商，让流动的油溪变成一捆捆钞票；我要把每个念头都对准利润，助自己成为石油之王。早期我事事亲为，整天工作：指挥炼油、组织铁路运输、思考如何节省成本并拓展石油副产品市场。我永远不会忘记那段饥饿、日夜奔波的日子。

My son, destiny must be created by oneself, and what one really wants must be obtained by every means. The distance between success and failure is not just a single thought as what people may think, that is to see who has the stronger greed, who has this power, who can radiate and display all their power, do their best, and surpass themselves. Every step I move forward can make me feel the power of greed! Greed not only allows a person’s abilities to be maximized, but also forces him to dedicate everything, remove all obstacles, and move forward at full speed.

儿子，命运必须由自己创造，真正想要的必须不择手段去获得。成功与失败的距离不只是一个念头，而在于谁更贪婪、谁更有力量、谁能释放并展现全部力量、竭尽全力、超越自己。我每向前一步，都能感到贪婪的力量！贪婪不仅让人的能力得到最大化，也逼迫人奉献一切、清除障碍、全速前进。

Many people have asked me the same question: “Mr. Rockefeller, what supported you on your way to the top of wealth?” I cannot express my true feelings because greed is despised by people. However, the fact is that greed is the support that supported me to become a generation of millionaire, that is, I aroused my greed and deepened my greed.

许多人问过我同一个问题：“洛克菲勒先生，是什么支撑你走到财富巅峰？”我无法说出真心话，因为贪婪为世人所憎。但事实是，正是贪婪支撑我成为一代巨富——我唤醒并加深了自己的贪婪。

There is a lively, sensitive, and powerful greed in everyone’s heart. But you must love her, tell yourself that you want to be greedy, and you want more, then she will come out to play and help you succeed.

每个人心中都有活跃、敏感而强大的贪婪。但你必须爱它，告诉自己你要贪婪、你要更多，它就会出来帮你成功。

No force can stop me from lifting the ban on greed because I pursue success. Success achieved under greed is not a sin. Success is a noble pursuit. If you can achieve success with noble behavior, you will contribute far more to mankind than what can be done in poverty. I did it!

没有任何力量能阻止我解除贪婪的禁令，因为我追求成功。贪婪之下获得的成功并非罪过，成功是一种高尚追求。若你以高尚行为取得成功，你对人类的贡献将远胜于贫困之中。我做到了！

Let us look at the philanthropies we have done today. Investing huge wealth in education, medicine, churches, and those in need is definitely not a place for me to do charity on a whim. It is a great charity, and the world is becoming more beautiful because of my success. It seems that greed is very good, and not a crime.

看看我们今天所做的慈善：在教育、医疗、教会以及需要帮助的人身上投入巨额财富，绝非我一时兴起的施舍，而是伟大的慈善。世界因我的成功而更美好。看来贪婪并非坏事，也不是罪过。

In this regard, if those who say I am greedy are not for the purpose of discrediting me, I will gladly accept the judgment they make of me.

在这一点上，如果说我贪婪的人不是为了抹黑我，我会乐意接受他们的评价。

John, I am the focus of my life, I decide what suits me, so I do not care what those people say, my heart is still peaceful. To some people, I always seem to be a businessman with despicable motives. Even if I invest in charities that benefit the people, It will be regarded as a trick by them. They suspect that the motivation of my charities is to pursue self-interest, or a form of atoning my sins, but they do not see it as a selfless spirit of public welfare. This is really funny.

约翰，我的人生以我为中心，我决定什么适合我，因此不在乎别人怎么说，我心依然平静。在一些人眼里，我总像个动机卑劣的商人。即使我投资慈善惠及大众，他们也会视之为手段，怀疑我的慈善是为了私利或赎罪，却看不到其中无私的公益精神，这实在可笑。

I want to tell you very sincerely that your father will never make you feel ashamed. Every penny in my pocket is clean. The reason why I became rich is my superior mind and strong career. The heart is rewarded. I firmly believe that God has clear rewards and punishments, and that my money is given by God. And I can always make money. If God helps, dais is because God knows that I will return the money to society for the benefit of my fellow citizens.

我真诚地告诉你，你的父亲永远不会让你感到羞耻。我口袋里的每一分钱都是干净的。我之所以富有，是因为我出众的头脑与强大的事业。真心会得到回报。我坚信上帝有清楚的赏罚，我的财富来自上帝。而我总能赚钱；如果上帝帮助我，那是因为上帝知道我会把钱回馈社会、造福同胞。

It is time for me to read the Bible. The night is so beautiful tonight, every bright star seems to say: “Good job! John. " Love, Y our Father

该去读圣经了。今夜如此美丽，每一颗星都仿佛在说：“干得好！约翰。” 爱你的父亲

Letter 12

Good people may end up in hell, and arrogance can lead to downfall. Making money and being goal-oriented are important, and success comes to those who seek out or create opportunities.

好人也可能下地狱，傲慢会招致败落。赚钱与目标感很重要，成功属于那些主动寻找或创造机会的人。

August 11,1918

1918年8月11日

Dear John:

亲爱的约翰：

Today, on my way to play golf, I encountered a challenge that I have not met in a long time: a young man arrogant overtook my car in his fashionable Chevrolet. He provoked this old man’s competitive nature, and in the end, he could only look at the back of my car. This made me very happy, just like when I defeated my opponent in the business.

今天我去打高尔夫的路上，遇到一个我久未遇到的挑战：一个年轻人开着时髦的雪佛兰傲慢地超了我的车。他激起了这个老人的好胜心，结果他只能望着我车的后灯。这让我非常开心，就像我在生意上击败对手时一样。

John, eagerness is my nature that never wears off, so I say that those who condemn my endless greed are wrong. In fact, I do not like money. What I like is making money. What I like is the good feeling of victory.

约翰，进取心是我不会磨灭的天性，所以我说那些指责我贪得无厌的人错了。事实上，我不喜欢钱，我喜欢的是赚钱，喜欢的是胜利带来的美妙感觉。

Of course, the feeling when others lose sometimes touches my compassion, but doing business is a harsh competition. There is nothing more ruthless than the determination to force others out, but you can only avoid the tragic fate of defeat by finding ways to defeat your opponent. This is the case when there is competition.

当然，别人失败时那种感觉有时也会触动我的同情心，但做生意是残酷的竞争。没有什么比逼迫别人出局的决心更无情，但你唯有击败对手，才能避免失败的悲惨命运。竞争就是如此。

It is undeniable that if you want to succeed, you often must sacrifice others. However, if you pursue victory and hope to win, you must resist the idea of sympathizing with others. You cannot just want to be a good person, you can’t retain your strength, you can’t evade or delay letting your opponent out. You know, hell is full of good people, and the pain of failure is part of the business war. We are all strangling our opponents. Without the determination to compete and fight to the end, we only have the qualifications to be losers.

不可否认，若想成功，往往必须牺牲他人。然而如果你追求胜利、渴望获胜，就必须抵制同情他人的念头。你不能只想做个好人，你不能保留实力，你不能回避或拖延让对手出局。你要知道，地狱里满是好人，失败的痛苦是商战的一部分。我们都在扼杀对手。没有竞争到底的决心，你就只配做失败者。

Frankly speaking, I do not like competition, but I try to compete. Whenever I encounter a strong opponent, the competitiveness in my heart will burn, and when it extinguishes, what I gain is victory and happiness. Mr. Potts once brought me this kind of pleasure, and he was great.

坦率地说，我不喜欢竞争，但我会努力竞争。每当我遇到强劲对手，内心的好胜就会燃烧，熄灭之时，我得到的是胜利与快乐。波茨先生曾给过我这种愉悦，他很了不起。

The war with Mr. Potts was due to a mistake of mine, a mistake made out of kindness. In the 1870s, oil was concentrated in a small area in north-western Pennsylvania. If an oil pipeline network was built there to connect all the oil wells, I only needed one valve to control the entire oil region, thus completely dominating the industry. But I am worried that using pipelines for long-distance transportation will cause anxiety and fear to the railway companies that I work with. Therefore, in order to protect their interests, I did not launch any plans to lay oil pipelines, especially because they have helped me before.

我与波茨先生的战争源于我的一个错误，一个出于善意的错误。19世纪70年代，石油集中在宾夕法尼亚州西北部的一小块区域，如果在那里建立管道网络把所有油井连起来，我只需一个阀门就能控制整个油区，从而完全主宰行业。但我担心用管道进行远距离运输会让与我合作的铁路公司产生焦虑和恐惧。因此，为了保护他们的利益，我没有启动铺设管道的计划，尤其是他们曾经帮助过我。

However, the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, which had tricked yet still made compromises with me, was ambitious. They tried to replace me and put the oil refining industry under their control. They merged the two largest oil pipelines in the oil area into their own railway network to get our necks stuck. And the person responsible for accomplishing this mission is Mr. Potts, president of Empire Transportation Company, a subsidiary of Pennsylvania Railroad Company.

然而，曾经欺骗过我却仍与我妥协的宾夕法尼亚铁路公司野心勃勃，他们想取代我，把炼油业置于他们控制之下。他们把油区最大的两条管道并入他们自己的铁路网络，卡住我们的命脉。负责完成这项任务的正是帝国运输公司总裁波茨先生，该公司是宾夕法尼亚铁路公司的子公司。

Sitting and watching the opponent, even if the strength of the potential opponent increases, it will weaken one’s own strength and even subvert one’s position. I am not that stupid. My belief is to reach the goal before others. I quickly set up the U.S. Transportation Company with the shrewd and capable Mr. Odai and launched a self-defense counterattack with the Empire Transportation Company.

坐视对手，即便潜在对手力量增长，也会削弱自身实力甚至颠覆自己的地位。我没有那么愚蠢。我的信念是先人一步达到目标。我迅速与精明能干的欧戴先生建立了美国运输公司，并对帝国运输公司发起自卫反击。

Thank God, our efforts paid off. Within a year, we controlled 40% of the oil transportation business in the oil region and suppressed Mr. Potts’ attack. But this is just the beginning of my contest with Mr. Potts.

感谢上帝，我们的努力有了回报。不到一年，我们控制了油区40%的运输业务，压制了波茨先生的进攻。但这只是我与波茨先生较量的开始。

The people who can get ahead in this world are those who know how to find their ideal environment. If they cannot do it, they will create it themselves.

能在这个世界出头的人，都是懂得寻找理想环境的人；若找不到，他们就自己创造。

Two years later, a new oil field was discovered in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Mr. Odai quickly led his people to the place that aroused the dream of millions of people to make a fortune and paved the oil pipeline to the new oil well day and night. But all the guys in the oil field were crazy and unrestrained. They could not wait to collect all the oil overnight, and then left with joy on their faces. Therefore, no matter how hard Mr. Odai and others worked, they cannot meet the needs of transportation and storage of oil.

两年后，宾夕法尼亚州布拉德福德发现了新油田。欧戴先生迅速带人奔赴那个激起数百万人发财梦的地方，并昼夜铺设通往新油井的管道。但油田里的人都疯狂而失控，他们恨不得一夜之间把油全部采走，然后满面喜色离去。因此，无论欧戴先生等人多么努力，都无法满足运输与储存的需要。

I do not want to see the hard-working oil producers dig their own graves and destroy themselves. I asked Mr. Odai to warn oil producers that their extraction capacity had far exceeded our transportation capacity. They must reduce production, otherwise the black gold that comes out will become worthless black soil. But no one accepted our kindness and advice, and no one appreciated our efforts, and instead denounced us, saying that we did not want to procure their oil.

我不愿看到辛苦的采油者自掘坟墓、自我毁灭。我让欧戴先生警告采油者，他们的采油能力已远超我们的运输能力。他们必须减产，否则流出的黑金会变成不值钱的黑土。但没有人接受我们的好意和忠告，也没人感激我们的努力，反而指责我们，说我们不想收购他们的石油。

Just as when the oil producers in Bradford were at the peak of their emotions, Mr. Potts started taking action. He first led a series of demonstration at our oil refineries in New York, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh to acquire our competitor’s refineries; then, he began to seize the site in Bradford and laid oil pipelines to transport Bradford’s crude oil to his own refinery.

正当布拉德福德的采油者情绪高涨之时，波茨先生开始行动。他首先在我们纽约、费城和匹兹堡的炼油厂前发动一系列示威，以便收购我们竞争对手的炼油厂；随后他开始在布拉德福德抢占地盘，铺设管道把当地原油运往他的炼油厂。

I admired Mr. Potts’ courage and I was more than willing to accept the challenge he sought to shake my dominance in the oil refining industry, but I must drive him out of the oil refining industry.

我欣赏波茨先生的勇气，也非常愿意接受他试图动摇我炼油业主导地位的挑战，但我必须把他赶出炼油业。

I first met up with the owner of Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Mr. Scott. I told him bluntly that Mr. Potts was a poacher and he was breaking into our territory. We must stop him. But Mr. Scott was very stubborn and determined to allow Potts’ thieving to continue. I had no choice but to challenge this powerful enemy.

我首先见了宾夕法尼亚铁路公司的老板斯科特先生。我直言波茨先生是盗猎者，闯入了我们的领地，我们必须阻止他。但斯科特先生非常固执，决意让波茨的偷抢继续。我别无选择，只能挑战这个强大的敌人。

First, we terminated all business dealings with Pennsylvania Railroad Company. I instructed our subordinates to transfer the transportation business to the two major railway companies that have always firmly supported us, asked them to reduce freight rates, compete with Pennsylvania Railroad Company, weaken its power; and at the same time ordered all refineries in Pittsburgh that depend on the Empire Company for transportation to close; subsequently they instructed all its own refineries that were in competition with the Empire Company to sell refined oil at prices far lower than them. Pennsylvania Railroad Company is the largest transportation company in the United States. Mr. Scott held large power when it comes to transportation. They were proud that they have never been conquered. But under my three-dimensional oppressive style of play, they could only surrender.

首先，我们终止了与宾夕法尼亚铁路公司的全部业务往来。我指示下属把运输业务转给一直坚定支持我们的两大铁路公司，要求他们降低运价，与宾州铁路竞争，削弱其力量；同时命令匹兹堡所有依赖帝国公司运输的炼油厂关闭；随后又指示我们自有的炼油厂对与帝国公司竞争的炼油厂以远低于他们的价格出售成品油。宾夕法尼亚铁路公司是美国最大的运输公司，斯科特先生在运输方面权势很大，他们自傲从未被征服。但在我立体式的压迫打法下，他们只能投降。

To fight against me, they reluctantly gave our competitors huge discounts. In other words, they paid others even when serving them. Then they resorted to an unpopular move — cutting employee and cutting wages. Scott and Potts did not expect that this would soon lead to punishment. In order to vent their dissatisfaction, the angry workers burned hundreds of tankers and locomotives in a fire, forcing them to ask the Wall Street Bank for an emergency loan. As a result, not only did the shareholders of Pennsylvania Railroad Company not get any dividends, but the stock price plummeted. As a result of their duel with me, their pockets were getting cleaner.

为了对抗我，他们勉强给我们的竞争对手巨额折扣，换句话说，他们在服务别人时还得倒贴。接着他们又用了一个不受欢迎的办法——裁员减薪。斯科特和波茨没想到，这很快招来惩罚。为了宣泄不满，愤怒的工人纵火烧毁了数百辆油罐车和机车，逼得他们向华尔街银行紧急借款。结果，宾州铁路公司的股东不仅拿不到分红，股价还暴跌。与我决斗的结果是，他们的钱包越来越瘪。

Mr. Potts is indeed a soldier. In the smoke of life and death, he has spelt out the rank of colonel. He has an admirable and unyielding willpower. Therefore, even after the victor emerged, he still wanted to continue fighting with me. But Mr. Scott, who also has a military career and was the most authoritative ruling and powerful figure, knows more about the current affairs. He decisively lowered his arrogance and sent someone to tell me that he hoped to make peace and stop the oil refining business.

波茨先生确实是个战士。在生死烟火中，他已拼到上校的军衔。他有令人钦佩而不屈的意志力，因此即便胜负已分，他仍想继续与我战斗。但斯科特先生也有军旅经历——而且是最具权威的统治者和最有权力的人物，更懂时势。他果断放下傲慢，派人告诉我，希望和解并停止炼油业务。

I know that Colonel Potts wanted to prove himself to the great Moses, but he failed, he failed completely. A few years later, Potts gave up his desire to confront me and became an active and diligent director of one of my companies. This shrewd and slipper oil dealer!

我知道波茨上校想向伟大的摩西证明自己，但他失败了，彻底失败。几年后，波茨放弃与我对抗的欲望，成了我某家公司积极勤勉的董事。这个精明而狡猾的油贩子！

Arrogance usually leads to downfall. Scott and Potts and his ilk thought they were of noble origin and were always arrogant. Therefore, my heart was fluttering when I successfully tamed these arrogant donkeys.

傲慢常常招致败落。斯科特、波茨及其同类自以为出身高贵，向来傲慢，因此当我成功驯服这些傲慢的驴子时，内心也会怦然激动。

John, I like victory, but I do not like unscrupulous pursuit of victory. A victory at any cost is not a victory. The ugly means of competition is disgusting. It is tantamount to painting the ground as a prison. You may never be able to surpass it. Even if you win a victory, you may lose the chance to win again.

约翰，我喜欢胜利，但不喜欢不择手段的胜利。不惜一切代价的胜利不是胜利。丑陋的竞争手段令人厌恶，它等同于把地面涂成监狱，你可能永远无法超越它。即便赢得一次胜利，也可能失去再赢的机会。

And compliance does not mean that we must lower our determination to pursue victory, but it means using an ethical way to win a clear victory, and it also means that under such restrictions, we must strive to pursue victory fairly and ruthlessly. I hope you can do this.

而守法并不意味着要降低追求胜利的决心，而是要用合乎道德的方式赢得清清楚楚的胜利，也意味着在这种限制下，我们必须公平而无情地追求胜利。我希望你能做到。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 13

There are no free rewards in life and work is necessary to achieve success. Maintaining dignity, both in life and in death, is critical to a fulfilling existence.

生活没有免费的回报，工作是获得成功的必要条件。无论生死，保持尊严对充实的人生至关重要。

March 17,1911

1911年3月17日

Dear John:

亲爱的约翰：

I have noticed the news that accused me of being stingy, saying that I do not donate enough. It is nothing. I have been scolded enough by reporters who do not know me, and I am used to their ignorance and harshness. There is only one way I respond to them: to remain silent and unjustified, no matter how they verbally criticize me. Because I know what I think, I firmly believe that I am on the right side.

我注意到一些新闻指责我吝啬，说我捐得不够。这没什么。那些不了解我的记者已经骂够了我，我也习惯了他们的无知与刻薄。对他们只有一种回应方式：就是沉默，不作辩解，无论他们如何口头攻击我。因为我知道自己所想，我坚信自己站在正确的一边。

Everyone needs to go their own way, and it is important to have a clear conscience. There is a story that may explain why I rarely pay attention to the beggars who beg me to give them money to solve their personal problems, and it can also explain why this makes me more nervous than earning money.

每个人都要走自己的路，保持清白的良心很重要。有个故事可以解释我为何很少理会那些求我给钱解决个人问题的乞求者，也能说明这件事为何比赚钱更让我紧张。

The story goes like this:

故事是这样的：

There was a farmer who kept a few pigs in captivity. One day, the owner forgot to close the door and gave the pigs a chance to escape. After a few generations, these pigs became more and more fierce and began to threaten pedestrians passing by.

有个农夫圈养了几头猪。一天，主人忘了关门，给了猪逃跑的机会。几代之后，这些猪越来越凶悍，开始威胁过路行人。

Several experienced hunters heard about this and wanted to capture them for the people. However, these pigs were very cunning and could never be fooled. John, when the pigs start to become independent, they will become tough and smart.

几个经验丰富的猎手听说此事，想为人们捕捉它们。然而这些猪十分狡猾，怎么也骗不了。约翰，当猪开始独立时，就会变得强硬而机灵。

One day, an old man was chasing a donkey that was dragging a two-wheeled cart with a lot of wood and grain when he walked into a village where the “wild boars” roamed. The locals were very curious, so they walked forward and asked the old man: “Where are you from, what are you going to do?” The old man told them, “I’ll help you catch the wild boars!” The villagers laughed at him as soon as they heard it: “Don’t be funny now, how can you do something that even a good hunter could not do.” However, two months later, the old man came back and told the villagers in that village that the wild boars had been locked in a fence on the top of the mountain.

一天，一位老人追赶一头驮着两轮车的驴，车上装着许多木头和粮食，他走进了一个“野猪”出没的村子。当地人很好奇，就上前问他：“你从哪来，要做什么？”老人回答他们：“我来帮你们抓野猪！”村民一听就笑了，“别开玩笑了，连好猎手都做不到的事，你怎么可能做到。”然而两个月后，老人回来了，并告诉那村里的村民，野猪已经被关在山顶的围栏里。

The villagers were surprised again, and asked the old man: “Really? Unbelievable, how did you catch them?” The old man explained, “First of all, go to a place where wild boars often come out to eat. Then, I put some food in the middle of the open space as a bait for the trap. The pigs were startled at first, but eventually ran over curiously to smell the food. Soon an old wild boar ate the first bite, and other wild boars followed. I knew then, I must be able to catch them.”

村民再次惊讶，问老人：“真的？难以置信，你是怎么抓到的？”老人解释道：“首先，去野猪经常出来吃食的地方，然后我在空地中央放些食物作诱饵。猪起初受惊，但最终还是好奇地跑来闻食物。不久一头老野猪先咬了一口，其他野猪跟着吃。我知道那时一定能抓到它们。”

“The next day, I added a little more food and planted a plank a few feet away. The board temporarily frightened them off like a ghost, but the free lunch was tempting, so they soon ran back to continue eating. At the time, the wild boar did not know that they were going to be mine. After that, all I have to do is to plant a few more boards around the grain every day until my trap is complete.”

“第二天，我多放了些食物，并在几英尺外竖起一块木板。木板像幽灵一样暂时吓跑了它们，但免费的午餐很诱人，它们很快又跑回继续吃。当时野猪并不知道自己将要成为我的囊中之物。此后我每天只需在粮食周围再加几块木板，直到陷阱完成。”

“Then I dug a hole and erected the first corner pile. Every time I add something, they will stay away for some time, but in the end, they will come again for free lunch. The fence is built, and the trap door is ready. Well, the habit of getting something for nothing made them walk into the fence without any hesitation. At this time, I unexpectedly put away the trap, and the pigs that ate free lunch were easily caught by me.”

“然后我挖坑，立起第一根角桩。每次我增添点东西，它们都会躲开一阵，但最后又会回来吃免费的午餐。围栏建好了，陷阱门也准备好了。于是，习惯了不劳而获的它们毫不犹豫地走进了围栏。这时我突然合上陷阱门，那些吃免费午餐的猪就轻易被我抓住了。”

The moral of this story is simple, when an animal depends on humans for food, its will will be taken away, and then it will be in trouble. The same situation applies to human beings. If you want to make a person disabled, just give him a pair of crutches, and wait for a few months to achieve your goal. In other words, if you give someone a free lunch for a certain period, he or she will develop the habit of getting something for nothing. Do not forget, everyone has a need to be “taken care of” in the womb.

这个故事的寓意很简单：当动物依赖人类提供食物时，它的意志会被夺走，随之而来就是麻烦。人类也是同样的情况。如果你想让一个人失去能力，只需给他一副拐杖，再等几个月就能达到目的。换句话说，如果你在一段时间里给某人免费的午餐，他就会养成不劳而获的习惯。别忘了，每个人在母体里都曾有被“照料”的需求。

Yes, I always encourage you to help others, but as I always tell you, if you give a person a fish, you can only support him for one day, but if you teach him the skill of fishing, it is equivalent to supporting him for life. This old saying about fishing is very meaningful.

是的，我总鼓励你帮助他人，但我也常对你说，如果你给人一条鱼，只能养他一天；如果你教他捕鱼的技能，就等于养他一辈子。这句关于捕鱼的老话非常有意义。

In my opinion, donating money is a wrong kind of help. It will make a person lose the motivation to be thrifty and diligent, and become lazy, unpredictable, and unaccountable. More importantly, when you give alms to a person, you deny his dignity, and if you deny his dignity, you take away his destiny, which is extremely immoral in my opinion. As a rich man, I have the responsibility to be a messenger for the benefit of mankind, but I cannot be the initiator of making lazy people.

在我看来，捐钱是一种错误的帮助方式。它会让人失去勤俭与勤奋的动力，变得懒惰、难以约束、不负责任。更重要的是，当你施舍给一个人时，你是在否定他的尊严；否定尊严，就等于夺走他的命运，这在我看来极其不道德。作为富人，我有责任成为造福人类的使者，但我不能成为让人变懒的始作俑者。

Once any person develops a habit, whether it is good or bad, the habit will always possess him. The habit of eating lunch for nothing will not help a person progress, but only make him lose the chance to win. But hard work is the only reliable way out. Work is the price we pay for enjoying success.

一个人一旦形成习惯，无论好坏，习惯都会占据他。不劳而获的习惯不会帮助一个人进步，只会让他失去获胜的机会。但努力工作是唯一可靠的出路。工作是我们享受成功所付出的代价。

Wealth and happiness can only be obtained by work.

财富和幸福只能通过工作获得。

A long, long time ago, a wise old king wanted to compile a wisdom record for future generations. One day, the old king summoned his clever courtiers and said: “A mind without wisdom is like a lantern without a candle. I want you to compile a book of wisdom from all ages to illuminate the future of your children and grandchildren.” After the wise men took orders and left, they worked for a long time, finally completed a masterpiece of twelve volumes, and proudly declared: “Your Majesty, this is a record of wisdom from all ages.” The old king looked at it and said, “Sirs, I am sure that this is the crystallization of the wisdom of all ages. However, it is too thick, and people will not be able to read it. Condense it!” These smart people spent a lot of time, and after several deletions, a book was completed. However, the old king still thought it was too long and ordered them to condense again. These smart people condensed a book into a chapter, then reduced it to a page, then turned it into a paragraph, and finally turned it into a sentence. The wise old king was very proud when he saw these words. “Gentlemen,” he said: “This is really the crystallization of the wisdom of all ages, and once people everywhere know this truth, most of our problems can be solved.” This saying is what we have known as: “There is no free lunch in the world.”

很久很久以前，一位睿智的老国王想为后代编纂一部智慧记录。一天，老国王召集聪明的朝臣，说：“没有智慧的心灵就像没有蜡烛的灯笼。我要你们汇编历代智慧之书，照亮你们子孙的未来。”智者领命后离开，辛勤工作了很久，终于完成了十二卷的巨著，并自豪地宣布：“陛下，这是历代智慧的记录。”老国王看后说道：“诸位，我确信这是历代智慧的结晶。然而它太厚了，人们读不完。缩减它吧！”这些聪明人花了很久，经过多次删减，完成了一本书。然而老国王仍觉得太长，便命他们再度压缩。这些聪明人把书压缩成一章，再缩成一页，再变成一段，最后缩成一句话。睿智的老国王看到这句话时非常自豪。“诸位，”他说：“这真是历代智慧的结晶，一旦天下人都懂得这个真理，我们的大多数问题就能解决。”这句话就是我们所熟知的：“世上没有免费的午餐。”

The first and last chapter of the Book of Wisdom states that there is “no free lunch in the world”. If people know that getting ahead is at the cost of hard work, most people will achieve something and at the same time will make the world a better place. And those who eat lunch for nothing will sooner or later pay the price.

《智慧之书》的第一章与最后一章都写着“没有免费的午餐”。如果人们知道进步要以辛勤工作为代价，大多数人就会有所成就，同时也会让世界变得更好。而那些不劳而获的人迟早会付出代价。

To live, a person must create something within himself and the outside world that is enough to make his life and death a little dignified.

要生存，一个人必须在自身与外部世界创造一些东西，使他的生与死都稍显尊严。

Love, Y our Father

爱你的父亲

Letter 14

Don’t be the smartest person in the room. The importance of positive leadership is to give compliments to people. Give a pig a good compliment, and it can climb up a tree.

别做房间里最聪明的人。积极领导力的重要性在于给予赞美给别人。好好夸一只猪，它也能爬上树。

October 9,1890

1890年10月9日

Dear John:

亲爱的约翰：

Tomorrow, I will go back to my hometown, Cleveland, to deal with some of our family’s own affairs. I hope you can take care of some affairs for me during this period. But I remind you that if you encounter something tricky or you cannot make up your mind, you should ask Mr. Gates more for help and advice. Mr. Gates is my most capable assistant. He is loyal and sincere, outspoken, conscientious, and shrewd. He can always help me make wise choices. I trust him very much. I believe he will be of great help to you. The premise is that you have to respect him.

明天我将回到家乡克利夫兰处理一些家事。我希望这段时间你能替我照看一些事务。但我提醒你，如果遇到棘手的事或拿不定主意，就多向盖茨先生请教与征询建议。盖茨先生是我最能干的助手。他忠诚诚恳、直率坦诚、尽责而精明。他总能帮我做出明智选择。我非常信任他，相信他会对你大有帮助。前提是你要尊重他。

Son, I know you are an outstanding graduate of Brown University, and your knowledge of economics and sociology is excellent. However, you should be clear that knowledge is originally empty, and unless knowledge is put into action, nothing will happen. Moreover, the knowledge in the textbooks is almost all compiled by writers with theoretical knowledge, hence, it is difficult to use it to help you solve practical problems.

儿子，我知道你是布朗大学的优秀毕业生，你的经济学与社会学知识都很出色。但你要清楚，知识本身是空的，除非把知识付诸行动，否则不会发生任何事情。此外，教科书里的知识几乎都由只具备理论知识的作者编写，因此很难用来解决实际问题。

I hope you can get rid of your dependence on knowledge and learning. This is the key to your smooth journey in life. You need to know that learning itself is not very good. Learning must be used to make it work. To become a person who can use what you have learned, you must first become a person with practical ability.

我希望你能摆脱对知识与学习的依赖。这是你人生道路顺利的关键。你要知道，学习本身并不太好，学习必须用来发挥作用。要成为学以致用的人，首先要成为有实践能力的人。

So where does the ability to practice come from? In my opinion, it is hidden in hardship. My experience tells me that walking a difficult road - a road full of hardships, misfortunes, failures and difficulties will not only build our strong character, but also the ability to implement great things that we rely on will come into being. Those who climb out of the midst of suffering know what it means to find ways and means to save themselves. To endure hardship deliberately is one of my beliefs of success.

那么实践能力从哪里来？在我看来，它藏在苦难里。我的经验告诉我，走一条艰难之路——一条充满艰辛、不幸、失败和困难的道路——不仅会锻造我们坚强的性格，也会孕育出我们赖以成就大事的执行能力。那些从苦难中爬出来的人知道如何想方设法拯救自己。刻意忍受艰难是我成功信念之一。

Maybe you might ridicule me, thinking that there is nothing more stupid than trying to experience hardship deliberately. No! People who have no experience with misfortune are unfortunate. A lot of things come and go quickly. Those who have realized their dreams of becoming famous overnight and getting rich overnight, which one of them did not disappear without a trace all of a sudden? What you get from hardship is having the ability to build your career on a solid ground, not in quicksand. People must have foresight, and only after a long period of hardship can they have a long-term harvest.

也许你会嘲笑我，认为没有比刻意去吃苦更愚蠢的事了。不！没有经历过不幸的人才是不幸的。许多事情来得快去得也快。那些一夜成名、一夜暴富的人，哪个不是转瞬之间就消失无踪？苦难带来的，是让你的事业建立在坚实的土地上，而不是在流沙上。人必须有远见，只有经过长期的艰难，才会有长期的收获。

I believe you have discovered that since you came to work with me, I have not given you a heavy burden to choose. But this does not show that I doubt your ability, I just hope you are good at doing small things. Doing small things is the cornerstone of making big things. If you are at the top from the beginning, you will not consider the mood of your subordinates, and you will not be able to use others. To survive and create achievements in this world, you must rely on manpower, that is, the power of others, but you must start from doing small things to understand the mood of being a subordinate. When you take on a higher position one day, you will know how to let them contribute all of their work enthusiasm.

我相信你已经发现，自从你来跟我做事，我并没有给你沉重的选择负担。这并不表示我怀疑你的能力，我只是希望你擅长做小事。做小事是成就大事的基石。若你一开始就站在高位，你不会顾及下属的心情，也无法善用他人。要在这个世界生存并创造成就，你必须依靠人力，也就是他人的力量，但你必须从做小事开始，理解做下属的心情。等你有一天走上更高的职位，你就会懂得如何让他们贡献全部工作热情。

Son, there are only two kinds of smart people in the world: one is smart people who use themselves, such as artists, scholars, and actors; the other is smart people who use others, such as managers and leaders. The latter needs a special ability - the ability to grasp the heart. But many leaders are clever fools. They think that in order to seize the hearts of the people, they must follow a top-down command. In my opinion, this will not only fail to gain leadership, but will reduce it by a lot. You know, everyone is very sensitive to being underestimated, and being underestimated will lose energy. Such leaders will only incapacitate subordinates.

儿子，世上只有两种聪明人：一种是用自己的人，比如艺术家、学者和演员；另一种是用别人的人，比如经理和领导者。后者需要一种特殊能力——掌握人心的能力。但很多领导是聪明的傻子，他们以为要夺人心就得自上而下发号施令。在我看来，这不仅得不到领导力，还会大幅削弱它。你知道，每个人都很敏感被低估，被低估会失去能量。这样的领导只会让下属无能。

If a pig is well praised, it can climb the tree. Managers, leaders or people who are good at driving others have always been magnanimous and they know the art of admiring others and praising others. This means they have to give emotionally. Leaders who give their deep feelings will eventually win and gain more respect from subordinates.

一头猪被夸得好也能上树。善于驱动他人的经理、领导或能驾驭他人的人，总是胸怀宽广，懂得欣赏与赞美他人的艺术。这意味着他们必须在情感上给予。能付出真情的领导最终会获胜，并赢得下属更多尊重。

People without knowledge are ultimately useless, but those with knowledge are likely to become slaves of knowledge. Everyone needs to know that all knowledge will be transformed into preconceived notions, and the result will be one-sided conservative psychology, thinking that “I understand”, “I understand”, and “society is like this”. With the prejudice of “understanding”, there will be a lack of interest in knowing, and if there is no interest, it will lose the motivation to move forward, and only boredom is left waiting. Therefore, not understanding will lead to success.

没有知识的人终究无用，但有知识的人也可能成为知识的奴隶。每个人都需要知道，所有知识都会变成成见，结果是片面保守的心理，总觉得“我懂了”“我懂了”，以及“社会就是这样”。带着“懂了”的偏见，就会缺乏求知兴趣；没有兴趣，就会失去前进动力，最后只剩无聊等待。因此，不懂反而会通向成功。

However, under the control of self-esteem and sense of honor, many knowledgeable people always find it difficult to “don’t understand”, as if asking others for advice, saying that they don’t understand is a shameful thing, and even regard ignorance as a sin.

然而在自尊与荣誉感支配下，许多有知识的人总是很难说“我不懂”，仿佛向别人请教、说自己不懂是可耻的事，甚至把无知当成罪过。

This is trying to be smart, and they will never understand this great motto - every opportunity that we don’t understand will become a turning point in our lives. A person who is smart is a fool, and a person who knows how to play a fool is really smart. If smartness is regarded as a criterion for reaping benefits, then I am obviously not a fool.

这是在逞聪明，而他们永远不会明白这句伟大的格言——每一次我们不懂的机会，都会成为人生的转折点。聪明的人是傻子，懂得装傻的人才是真聪明。如果把聪明当作获利的标准，那么显然我不是傻子。

To this day, I can clearly remember a scene of pretending to be stupid. At that time, I was thinking about how to raise 15,000 dollars, and I was thinking about it when I walked on the street. Interestingly speaking, just as my mind was flashing with the idea of borrowing or borrowing money, a banker blocked my way. He whispered from the carriage: “Do you want to spend fifty thousand dollars, Mr. Rockefeller?” Am I lucky? I did not believe my ears even a slightest bit. But at that moment, I did not show even the slightest eagerness. I looked at the other person’s face and told him slowly: “That’s it… Can you give me twenty-four hours to think about it?” As a result, signed a loan contract with him on terms that were the most favorable to me.

直到今天，我仍清楚记得一次装傻的场景。当时我在思考如何筹到1.5万美元，边走在街上边想。有趣的是，就在我脑中闪过借钱的想法时，一位银行家拦住了我。他在马车里低声说：“洛克菲勒先生，您想用五万美元吗？”我幸运吗？我简直不敢相信自己的耳朵。但在那一刻，我没有露出丝毫急切。我看着对方的脸，慢慢地说：“就这样吧……能给我二十四小时考虑吗？”结果，我与他签下了贷款合同，条款对我最为有利。

Playing stupid brings you many benefits. The meaning of pretending to be stupid is to stay a low profile and become humble, in other words, to hide your cleverness. The smarter the person, the more necessary it is for them to play stupid, because as the saying goes — the more mature the rice, the more they sag.

装傻会带来许多好处。装傻的意义在于保持低调、变得谦逊，换句话说，就是隐藏你的聪明。人越聪明，就越有必要装傻，因为俗话说——稻谷越熟越低头，越会低头。

Son, only after having hobbies can you then do it with ease. Now, start to love acting like a fool! I expect that in the days when I am not around, it would be no easy task for you to face everything alone, but this is nothing.

儿子，只有有了兴趣爱好才能从容去做。现在，开始喜欢装傻吧！我预计在我不在的日子里，你要独自面对一切并不容易，但这没什么。

“Let me wait before talking” is the motto I always follow in business. I always have a habit of thinking before making a decision, I always think and judge calmly, but once I make a decision, I will implement it without hesitation. I believe you can do it too.

“让我等一等再说”是我在生意上一直遵循的座右铭。我一向有先思考再做决定的习惯，我总是冷静思考与判断，但一旦做出决定，就会毫不犹豫地执行。我相信你也能做到。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 15

Wealth is the by-product of Diligence. Our wealth is a reward for our work.

财富是勤奋的副产品。我们的财富是劳动的回报。

January 25, 1907

1907年1月25日

Dear John:

亲爱的约翰：

I am glad to receive your letter. In your letter there were two sentences that I appreciate. One is “If you are not a winner, you are defying yourself”, and the other is “Diligence brings Nobility”. These two sentences are my true-life motto.

很高兴收到你的来信。信中有两句话我很欣赏：一句是“如果你不是赢家，你就在违背自己”，另一句是“勤奋带来高贵”。这两句话是我一生的座右铭。

If I am not self-effacing, I would like to say that they are the epitome of my life.

若不是自谦，我愿意说它们就是我人生的缩影。

When talking about the huge wealth that I have created, those bad-meaning newspapers often likened me to be a very talented money-making machine. In fact, they know almost nothing about me and lack insight regarding history.

谈到我创造的巨大财富，那些别有用心的报纸常把我比作天才的赚钱机器。其实他们几乎不了解我，也缺乏对历史的洞察。

As immigrants, it is our nature to be hopeful and hardworking. When I was a child, my mother implanted the virtues of frugality, independence, diligence, trustworthiness and unremitting entrepreneurial spirit into my bones. I sincerely believe in these virtues and regard them as great success creeds. To this day, these great beliefs still flow in my blood. And all of this formed a ladder for me to climb up and sent me to the top of the mountain of wealth.

作为移民，乐观与勤奋是我们的天性。小时候，母亲把节俭、独立、勤勉、诚信与不屈的创业精神植入我的骨髓。我真诚相信这些美德，并把它们视为成功信条。直到今天，这些信念仍在我的血液里流淌。正是它们为我搭起阶梯，把我送上财富之巅。

Of course, the Civil War that changed the fates and life of the American people has benefited me a lot. To be honest, it has made me a business giant that is amazing and daunting in the business world. Yes, the Civil War gave the people unprecedented business opportunities. It turned me into a rich man ahead of time. It provided me with capital support to win in the arena for grabbing opportunities that were set off after the war, and even after I was able to make money.

当然，改变美国人命运与生活的内战也使我受益匪浅。说实话，它让我的商业地位变得惊人而令人敬畏。是的，内战给了人们前所未有的商业机会。它让我提前成为富人，为我在战后争夺机会的竞技场上提供资本支持，也为我此后赚钱提供了基础。

However, opportunities are equal as time. Why was I able I seize the opportunity to become a huge rich, while many people missed this opportunity and have to live in poverty? Is it really as my detractor said, is it because I am insatiable? No! It is hard work! Opportunities are only reserved for hardworking people!

但是，机会和时间一样公平。为何我能抓住机会成为巨富，而许多人错过了机会、只能贫困度日？真如批评者所说，是因为我贪得无厌吗？不是！是勤奋！机会只留给勤奋的人！

When I was young, I believed in a law of success: wealth is an accident, a by-product of hard work. The achievement of each goal comes from diligent thinking and diligent action, and the same is true for realizing the dream of wealth.

年轻时我相信一条成功法则：财富是偶然，是勤奋的副产品。每个目标的实现都来自勤勉的思考与行动，实现财富之梦也是如此。

I highly admire the phrase “Diligence brings Nobility”, it is a motto that I forever will respect. Whether in the past or present, whether in North America where we are based or in the far east, those nobles who enjoy status, dignity, glory, and wealth have a never-ending heart and a pair of strong arms. Their bodies are full of perseverance and tenacious will. And it is this kind of quality or wealth that made them accomplish their careers, win respect, and become indomitable figures.

我十分敬佩“勤奋带来高贵”这句话，这是我永远尊重的格言。无论过去还是现在，无论在我们所在的北美还是远东，那些享有地位、尊严、荣耀与财富的贵族，都有一颗不息的心，和一双强壮的臂膀。他们的身体里充满坚毅与顽强的意志。正是这种品质或财富，使他们成就事业、赢得尊敬、成为不屈的人物。

John, in this infinitely changing world, there are no permanent nobles, and no permanent poor. As you know, when I was young, I wore ragged clothes and my family was so poor that I had to rely on good-hearted people. But today I have a huge wealth empire, and I have poured huge wealth into charity. Just like ten thousand kinds of ups and downs that rises and falls like the transformations of the world, the ups and downs are like vicissitudes of life, they multiply endlessly. People from humble and poor family backgrounds, through their hard work, persistent pursuit and wisdom, can also achieve fame and success, and become a new nobleman.

约翰，在这个瞬息万变的世界里，没有永恒的贵族，也没有永恒的贫穷。你知道，我年轻时衣衫褴褛，家里穷得要靠善心人接济。但今天我拥有庞大的财富帝国，并投入巨额财富做慈善。就像世事的千变万化，起伏如人生沧桑般此消彼长，世事起落如人生变迁，无穷无尽。出身卑微贫困的人，通过勤奋、坚持追求与智慧，同样能成名成功，成为新的贵族。

All dignity and honor must be obtained by one’s own creation, so that such honor can last. But in our society today, the children of the rich are in a situation where they do not advance or retreat. Unfortunately, many of them lack the enterprising spirit, but are prone to leisure and profligacy, so even though they grew up in a wealthy environment, they die in poverty.

一切尊严与荣誉必须靠自己创造，才能持久。但在今天的社会里，富家子弟处于进退两难的境地。不幸的是，他们中很多人缺乏进取精神，却沉溺于安逸和放纵，结果即使在富裕环境中长大，也会在贫穷中死去。

Therefore, you have to teach your children that if they want to perfect themselves, gain achievements, enjoy the joy of success, win the respect of society, and praise life, they can only create with their own hands; let them know that the crown of honor will only be worn on the heads of those who dare to explore; let them know that diligence is for themselves, not for others, and they are the biggest beneficiaries of diligence.

因此，你要教你的孩子：如果他们想完善自我、取得成就、享受成功的喜悦、赢得社会的尊重、赞美生命，只能靠自己的双手去创造；让他们知道荣誉的桂冠只属于敢于探索的人；让他们知道勤奋是为了自己，不是为了别人，他们才是勤奋的最大受益者。

Since I was a child, I firmly believed that without hard work, there will be no fruitful and positive gains. As a child of the poor, there is no other way than to gain success, wealth and dignity through hard work. When I was in school, I was not a good student, but I was unwilling to fall behind, so I could only prepare my homework diligently and persevere. When I was ten years old, I knew I had to do as much work as I could, cutting wood, milking, fetching water, and farming. I did everything and never wasted my effort. It was the hard and toiling years in the countryside that honed my will and enabled me to withstand the hardships of starting a business in the future; it also made me more perseverant and shaped my strong self-confidence.

从小我就坚信，没有勤奋就没有丰硕而积极的收获。作为穷人之子，别无他途，只能靠勤奋获得成功、财富与尊严。在学校时，我不是好学生，但我不愿落后，只能勤做功课、坚持不懈。十岁时我知道必须尽可能多做事：砍柴、挤奶、挑水、耕作。我事事都做，从不浪费努力。农村艰苦的岁月磨炼了我的意志，让我能承受日后创业的艰辛；它也让我更坚韧，并塑造了强烈的自信。

I know that the reason why I can always deal with adversity in the future, including my success, is largely due to the self-confidence I built since I was young.

我知道我日后之所以能应对逆境，包括成功，很大程度上源于我从小建立的自信，这份自信来自少年时期。

Diligence can cultivate people’s quality and abilities. When I was employed by Hewitt-Tutde Company, I gained the reputation of being an outstanding young bookkeeper with extraordinary ability. During those days, I can be said to be wearing the stars and the moon all day long, night and day. At that time, my employer said to me that I would succeed given my extraordinary perseverance.

勤奋能培养人的品质和能力。我在休伊特-塔特尔公司任职时，以能力卓越的年轻记账员而闻名。那些日子里，我可谓披星戴月、昼夜不息。当时我的雇主对我说，凭借我的非凡毅力，我必定成功。

Although I do not understand what the future will look like, there is one thing I believe, as long as I do something with my heart, I will never fail.

虽然我不了解未来会怎样，但有一点我确信：只要用心去做事，我就不会失败。

Today, even though I am nearly seventy years old, I still fight in the business world, because I know that the quickest way to end my life is to do nothing. Everyone has the right to choose retirement as the beginning or the end. That kind of idle attitude to life can poison people. I always think of retirement as starting again, and I have never stopped fighting for a day, because I know the true meaning of life.

今天，尽管我已将近七十岁，仍在商场里奋斗，因为我知道结束生命最快的方式就是无所事事。每个人都有权把退休视为开始或结束。那种懒散的人生态度会毒害人。我总把退休当作重新开始，从未停止奋斗，因为我懂得生命的真义。

John, my prominence today, the huge wealth is only the result of me putting way more strength and creativity than others. I was originally an ordinary person, and I did not have a crown on my head, but with strong perseverance, tenacity attitude, and diligence, I finally became successful. My reputation is not a false name, it is a crown cast in blood and sweat. A little bit of jealousy and shallow ignorance are all unfair to me.

约翰，我今天的显赫与巨额财富，只是我付出远超他人的力量与创造力的结果。我原本只是普通人，没有头上的桂冠，但凭借坚韧、顽强与勤奋，最终获得成功。我的名声不是虚名，而是用血汗铸成的桂冠。一点点嫉妒与浅薄的无知，都是对我的不公。

Our wealth is a reward for our hard work. Let us strengthen our convictions, identify our goals, and continue our efforts with faith in God’s will, my son.

我们的财富是勤奋的回报。让我们坚定信念，认清目标，并以对上帝旨意的信心继续努力，我的儿子。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 16

Do not make excuses. Excuses are the source of failure. The more successful a person is, the less he will make excuses. Ninety-nine percent of failures are because people are used to making excuses.

不要找借口。借口是失败的根源。一个人越成功，就越少找借口。九十九%的失败都源于人们习惯找借口。

April 15,1906

1906年4月15日

Dear John:

亲爱的约翰：

Captain Schofield lost again. He lost and got a little furious and threw his beautiful golf club into the sky in a rage. As a result, he had to buy a new one. Frankly speaking, I prefer the character of the captain. The goal of life is to win, and the same goes for playing basketball. So, I am going to buy a new club for him, I hope this will not be regarded as a reward for his tantrums, otherwise he will be out of control and I will be miserable.

斯科菲尔德上尉又输了。他一输就有些恼火，把漂亮的高尔夫球杆愤怒地扔向空中，结果只好再买一根。坦率地说，我更欣赏上尉的性格。人生的目标是赢，打篮球也是如此。所以我打算给他买一根新球杆，但希望这不会被视作对他发脾气的奖励，否则他会失控，而我就会很惨。

Captain Schofield also has a commendable advantage. Although losing will make him unhappy, he believes that winning does not mean everything, and the practice of trying to win is the most important. So, after losing, he never made excuses. In fact, he can explain his loss by being too old and poor in physical strength to make himself face, but he never does that.

斯科菲尔德上尉还有一个值得称赞的优点。虽然失败会让他不高兴，但他认为赢并不代表一切，而努力去赢才是最重要的。因此他输后从不找借口。其实他完全可以用自己年纪大、体力差来解释失败，但他从不这么做。

In my opinion, “excuses” is a mental illness, and people with this serious illness are all losers without exception. Of course, most people also have some mild symptoms. However, the more successful a person is, the less excuses he will find. The biggest difference between those who are prospering everywhere and those who do nothing is excuses.

在我看来，“借口”是一种心理疾病，患上这种重症的人无一例外都是失败者。当然，大多数人也有些轻症。但一个人越成功，就越少找借口。到处兴旺的人与一事无成的人之间最大的差别，就是借口。

Just pay a little attention and you will find that those who have not done anything or plan to do something, often have a basket of straw hats to explain: why he could not achieve it, why he did not do it, why he could not do it, why is he not the right person. The first action that the loser takes to settle the later events is to find various reasons for his failure.

只要稍加留意你就会发现，那些没有做成事或计划做事的人，往往准备了一篮子借口来解释：为什么他做不到、为什么他没做、为什么他不能做、为什么他不是合适的人。失败者为将来的结局做的第一件事，就是为失败找各种理由。

I despise those who are good at making excuses, because it is the behavior of the weak, but I also sympathize with them, because excuses are the cause of failure. Once a loser finds a “good” excuse, he will hold on to it, and then always use this excuse to explain to himself and others: why he can no longer do it, why he cannot succeed. At first, he still knows how much his excuse are lies, but after repeated usage, he will become more and more convinced that it is completely true, and believe that this excuse was the real reason for his failure, and as a result his brain begins to be lazy and rigid, and the motivation to work hard to win in any way will be reduced to zero. But they never want to admit that they are a person who loves making excuses.

我鄙视那些善于找借口的人，因为这是弱者的行为；但我也同情他们，因为借口正是失败的原因。一旦失败者找到了一个“好”借口，他就会抓住不放，并不断用这个借口向自己和他人解释：为什么他不能再做、为什么他不能成功。起初他还知道自己的借口有多虚假，但反复使用之后，他会越来越相信它完全真实，并相信这就是他失败的真正原因。结果他的头脑开始懒惰僵化，任何拼命争胜的动力都降为零。然而他们从不愿承认自己是爱找借口的人。

Occasionally, I have seen someone stand up and say: “I succeeded by my own efforts.” So far, I have not seen any man or woman dare to stand up and say: “I am the one who made myself fail.” The losers have a set of excuses for themselves. They attribute their failure to family, character, age, environment, time, skin color, religious beliefs, a certain person, and even astrology. The worst excuses are health, intelligence, and luck.

偶尔我见过有人站出来说：“我靠自己的努力成功了。”但至今我没见过任何人敢站出来说：“是我让自己失败。”失败者给自己准备了一套借口：把失败归咎于家庭、性格、年龄、环境、时间、肤色、宗教信仰、某个人，甚至星相。最糟糕的借口是健康、智力和运气。

The most common excuse is health related. The sentence “my health is not good”, or “I have this kind of illness” becomes a reason not to do it or to fail. In fact, no one is completely healthy, and everyone will have some physical problems.

最常见的借口与健康有关。“我身体不好”或“我有这种病”成了不去做或做不成的理由。事实上，没有人完全健康，每个人都会有些身体问题。

Many people will succumb to this excuse in whole or in part, but not those who are determined to succeed. 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 really am thankful for that.”

许多人会在某种程度上屈服于这种借口，但那些决心成功的人不会。盖茨先生曾介绍我认识一位大学教授，他在旅途中不幸失去一只手臂，但像我认识的所有乐观者一样，他仍常常微笑并帮助他人。那天谈到残疾时，他对我说：“只是少了一只胳膊。当然两只更好。但只是胳膊没了，我的头脑仍然百分之百完整正常。我真的很感恩。”

There is an old saying that says it well: “I have been annoyed by my broken shoes until I met a man who has no feet.” It is better to be grateful for your health than to complain about your discomfort. Be thankful for your health, which is able to effectively prevent various illnesses and diseases. I often remind myself: It is better to be exhausted than to let it go. Life is for us to enjoy. If we waste time worrying about our health and really fall sick, then that is the real misfortune.

有句老话说得好：“我曾为破鞋烦恼，直到遇见一个没有脚的人。”与其抱怨不适，不如为健康而感恩。要感谢健康，它能有效防范各种疾病。我常提醒自己：宁可累一点，也不要放任懒散。人生是用来享受的，如果我们把时间浪费在担忧健康上，最终真的病倒，那才是真正的不幸。

The excuse of “I am not smart enough” is also very common. Almost 95% of people have this problem, just to a different degree. This kind of excuse is different, and it is usually silent. People do not publicly admit that they lack intelligence, and most of them think so deep in their hearts.

“我不够聪明”的借口也很常见。几乎95%的人都有这个问题，只是程度不同。这类借口更隐蔽，通常是沉默的。人们不会公开承认自己缺乏智力，但心里常这么想。

I found that most people have two basic wrong attitudes towards “intelligence”: too underestimating their own brain power, and too overestimating the brain power of others. Because of these mistakes, many people despise themselves. They do not want to face challenges, because that requires considerable talent. People who think that they are stupid are really stupid. They should know that if a person does not consider the question of talent at all, and has the courage to try, he will be able to do well.

我发现大多数人对“智力”有两种基本的错误态度：过度低估自己的脑力，过度高估他人的脑力。因为这些错误，许多人轻视自己，不愿面对挑战，因为那需要相当的天赋。觉得自己愚蠢的人往往真的愚蠢。他们应当知道，只要不把天赋问题当回事，并有勇气去尝试，就能做得很好。

I think what is really important is not how much intelligence you have, but how to use the ingenuity you already have. To be a good businessman, you don’t need to be lightning fast, you don’t need to have very amazing memories, nor be amongst the best in school, the only key is to have a strong interest and enthusiasm for doing business. Interest and enthusiasm are important factors that determine success or failure.

我认为真正重要的不是你有多少智力，而是如何使用你已有的才智。要成为优秀的商人，不需要反应如闪电，不需要惊人的记忆力，也不必是学校里最优秀的学生，关键只在于对做生意有强烈的兴趣与热情。兴趣与热情是决定成败的重要因素。

The outcome of things is often proportional to our enthusiasm. Enthusiasm can make things a hundred times or a thousand times better. Many people do not know what enthusiasm is. The so-called enthusiasm refers to “this is amazing!” this level of enthusiasm and drive.

事情的结果往往与我们的热情成正比。热情能让事情提高百倍、千倍。很多人不知道什么是热情。所谓热情，就是“这太棒了！”这样的热度与驱动力。

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. Some people are always moaning and sighing: Why do so many talented individuals fail? Here is the reason. If an extremely smart person is always using their amazing intellect to prove why things cannot succeed, instead of guiding their minds to find various ways to succeed, the fate of failure will find them. Negative thoughts have implicated their intelligence, making them unable to use their skills to accomplish anything. If they can change their mindset, I believe they will do many great things. The brain that thinks about big things but does not know how to think is just a bucket of cheap paste. 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. Many people believe the so-called “knowledge is power”. In my opinion, this sentence is only half right. People who use “lack of intelligence” as an excuse also misunderstood the meaning of this sentence. Knowledge is only a kind of potential power. Only when knowledge is applied constructively, then will it show its power. There will never be a living dictionary-like character in Standard Oil because I do not need an “expert” who can only remember and cannot think. I want people who can really solve problems and come up with various ideas, who have dreams and have the courage to realize their dreams. Creative people can make money for me, but people who can only memorize information cannot. A person who does not use talent as an excuse, never underestimates his own talents, nor does he overestimate the talents of others; he who focuses on using his assets and discovering his outstanding talents; knows what really matters is not how much talent he has, but how he uses his existing talents and how to make good use of his talent; he will often remind himself: My mentality is more important than my intelligence; he has a strong desire to establish a “I will win” attitude; he knows to use his intellect to actively create and find ways to succeed, not to prove that he will fail; he also knows that thinking is more valuable than memorizing. He needs to use his mind to create and develop new ideas, find better new ways of doing things, and remind himself at any time: Am I using my mind to create history? Or is it just recording the history created by others? Everything happens for a reason, and human encounters cannot happen by accident. Therefore, many people always blame bad luck for their failures. When they see others succeed, they think it is because they are too lucky. I never believe in good or bad luck, unless I think that carefully prepared plans and actions are called luck. If luck decides who should do what, every business will fall apart. Assuming that Standard Oil Company wants to completely reorganize based on luck, it will put the names of all the company’s employees in a big bucket, the first name drawn is the president, the second is the vice president, and so on. Isn’t it ridiculous? But this is the function of luck. I never succumb to luck; I believe in the law of cause and effect. Look at the people who seem to be lucky, and you will find that it is not luck, but preparation, planning and positive thinking that bring them beauty. If you look at those people with “bad luck”, you will find that there are clear reasons behind them. Successful people can face setbacks, learn from failures, and create new opportunities. The mediocre people are often discouraged. One cannot succeed by luck, but they can by paying the price of hard work. I do not want to rely on luck to win or any other good things in life, so I concentrate on developing myself and cultivating the various qualities that make myself a “winner”. Excuses keep most people out of the door to success. Ninety-nine percent of failures are because people are used to making excuses. So, in the process of pursuing career success, the most important step is to prevent yourself from making excuses.

我相信，一个资质普通但对世界保持乐观、积极、合作态度的人，比起有才华却悲观、消极、不合作的人，更能赚钱，也更能赢得尊重。无论面对琐事、艰难任务或重要计划，只要专注投入、热情完成，结果都会远胜聪明却懒散的人，因为专注与毅力占了能力的95%。有人常叹息：为何那么多有才华的人会失败？原因就在这里。如果一个极聪明的人总用他的聪明来证明事情为何不可能，而不是引导思维去寻找成功之路，失败就会找到他。消极思想连累了他的智力，使其无法发挥技能；一旦改变心态，他就能做出许多伟大的事。思考大事却不懂思考的大脑，只是一桶廉价的浆糊。指导我们运用智力的思维方式，远比智力水平更重要，即便最高学历也改变不了这条成功规律。天赋教育程度不是好表现的原因，关键在于思想管理。最优秀的商人从不无端忧虑，他们充满热情。提高天赋并不容易，但改善运用天赋的方法却很容易。许多人相信“知识就是力量”，我认为这句话只对了一半。以“智力不足”为借口的人也误解了这句话。知识只是潜在力量，只有建设性地运用知识，才会显现力量。标准石油不会需要只会记忆不会思考的“活字典”，我要的是能真正解决问题、能提出各种想法、敢于实现梦想的人。创意的人能为我赚钱，只会背书的人不能。一个不以天赋为借口的人，不低估自己的才能，也不高估他人的才能；他专注于运用自己的资产、发现自己的突出才能；他知道真正重要的不是有多少天赋，而是如何使用已有的天赋并善用它；他常提醒自己：我的心态比智力更重要；他强烈渴望建立“我会赢”的态度；他知道用智慧去主动创造与寻找成功之路，而不是证明自己会失败；他也知道思考比记忆更有价值。他需要用头脑创造与发展新思路，寻找更好的新做法，并随时提醒自己：我是在用头脑创造历史，还是只在记录别人创造的历史？万事皆有因，人际遭遇不会是偶然。因此许多人总把失败归咎于坏运气，看见别人成功就说是运气好。我不相信好坏运气，除非我认为周密准备与行动才叫运气。如果运气决定职位，任何企业都会崩溃。假设标准石油要靠运气重组，把员工名字都放进大桶里，第一张是总裁、第二张是副总裁，依此类推，这不是荒唐吗？这就是所谓的运气。我从不屈服于运气，我相信因果法则。看那些看似幸运的人，你会发现带来美好的是准备、计划与积极思维；看那些“倒霉”的人，你也能找到明确原因。成功者能面对挫折、从失败中学习并创造新机会，平庸者则常被打击。一味靠运气无法成功，但可以靠付出勤奋的代价。我不愿靠运气赢得人生中的任何好东西，所以我专注自我发展，培养让自己成为“赢家”的各种品质。借口把大多数人挡在成功之门外。九十九%的失败都源于习惯找借口。因此在追求事业成功的过程中，最重要的一步就是防止自己找借口。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 17

The seeds of success are in your hands. 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.

成功的种子在你手中。我唯一的信念是相信自己！凡渴望成功的人都应明白，成功的种子就播在你身边。

May 29, 1926

1926年5月29日

Dear John:

亲爱的约翰：

Yesterday, just yesterday, I received a letter from a young man who aspired to become a rich man. In his letter, he urged me to answer a question: he is lacking capital, so how can he start a business and become rich?

昨天，真的就是昨天，我收到一位想成为富翁的年轻人的来信。他在信里催我回答一个问题：他缺少资本，该如何创业致富？

My goodness, he wants me to show him the direction of his life. But teaching others does not seem to be my specialty, and I cannot refuse his sincerity, which is really painful. Still, I wrote back to him. Indeed, he needed capital, but what he needed more was common sense. Common sense is more important than money.

天哪，他要我为他指引人生方向。教人似乎不是我的专长，但我又无法拒绝他的真诚，这很痛苦。尽管如此，我还是回信了。确实，他需要资本，但更需要的是常识。常识比钱更重要。

For a poor child who wants to start a business, they often suffer from lack of capital. If they fear failure, they will hesitate and move slowly like a snail, or even stop on the road to success, and never rise above others, so I specifically reminded him in my reply: “From poverty, the road to prosperity is always unobstructed. The important thing is that you firmly believe that you are your greatest capital. You have to exercise your faith and keep exploring the reasons for your hesitation until faith replaces doubt. You have to know that you can’t achieve what you don’t believe in; faith is the force that drives you forward.”

对一个想创业的穷孩子来说，缺资本是常有的事。若他害怕失败，就会犹豫不前、像蜗牛般缓慢，甚至停在成功之路上再也超不过别人。因此我在回信中特别提醒他：“从贫穷通往繁荣的道路从不堵塞。重要的是要坚信你自己就是你最大的资本。你要锻炼信念，继续探寻你犹豫的原因，直到信念取代怀疑。你必须知道，凡你不相信的，你就无法实现；信念是驱使你前进的力量。”

Everyone who desires success should realize that the seeds of success are sown by his side. As long as he recognizes this, he can get whatever he wants. In the letter, I narrated an Arab story to the young man and I believe this story will benefit others, and everyone.

凡渴望成功的人都应意识到，成功的种子就播在他身边。只要认清这一点，他就能得到他想要的。在信里，我给那位年轻人讲了一个阿拉伯故事，我相信这个故事会让他受益，也会让所有人受益。

The person who told me this story told me this:

给我讲这个故事的人是这样讲的：

There used to be a Persian, named Al Hafid, who lived not far from the Indus River. He owned a large orchard, hundreds of acres of fertile fields and prosperous gardens. He is a contented person and very rich - because he is rich, he is very contented with his life. One day, an old monk came to visit him and sat by his fireplace and said to him: “You are rich and you live a comfortable life, however, if you have a handful of diamonds, you can buy the entire land in this country. And if you own a diamond mine, you can use the influence of this huge wealth to send your child straight to the throne.”

从前有个波斯人，名叫阿尔·哈菲德，住在离印度河不远的地方。他拥有一大片果园、数百英亩肥沃的田地和兴旺的花园。他是个满足而富有的人——因为富有，他对生活很满足。有一天，一位老僧来访，坐在他壁炉旁对他说：“你很富，也过得舒适，但若你有一把钻石，你可以买下这个国家的土地；若你拥有一座钻石矿，你就能凭借巨额财富的影响力把你的孩子直接送上王位。”

After hearing the tempting words of the old monk, Hafid went to bed that night. He became a poor man — not because he lost everything, but because he became dissatisfied, so he felt poor; and because he thought he was poor, he was not satisfied.

听了老僧诱人的话，哈菲德当晚就上床睡觉。他成了穷人——不是因为失去了一切，而是因为不满足，所以觉得贫穷；因为觉得贫穷，他就不满足。

He thought: “I want a diamond mine.” So, he could not sleep all night. Early the next morning he ran out to look for the monk.

他想：“我要一座钻石矿。”于是整夜难眠。第二天清晨，他就跑去找老僧。

The old monk was woken up early in the morning and was very unhappy. But Hafid did not care about it at all. He nonchalantly shook the old monk from his sleep and said to him: “Can you tell me where to find the diamonds?” “Diamonds? What do you want diamonds for?” “I want to have greater wealth,” Hafid said, “but I do not know where to find diamonds.” “Oh,” the old monk understood. He said, “At the mountains with a streaming river filled with white sand, there you will find the diamonds.”

老僧一大早被吵醒很不高兴，但哈菲德毫不在意，摇醒老僧说：“你能告诉我哪里能找到钻石吗？”“钻石？你要钻石做什么？”“我想拥有更大的财富，”哈菲德说，“但我不知道哪里能找到钻石。” “哦，”老僧明白了，说：“在有白沙的山中溪流里，就能找到钻石。”

“Do you really think it is in such a river?” “There are so many, more than you think there is! You just have to go out and look for it, and you will definitely find it.”

“你真觉得在那样的河里吗？”“有很多，比你想象的还多！你只要出去找，就一定能找到。”

“I will,” Hafid said. So, he sold the farm, recouped the funds he loaned, gave the house to his neighbors, and set out to look for diamonds.

“我会的。”哈菲德说。于是他卖掉农场，收回放出的款项，把房子送给邻居，踏上寻找钻石之路。

Hafid first went to the Moonlight Mountains to look for the diamonds, then to Palestine, then to Europe, and finally he spent all his money and became worthless. Standing on the coast of Barcelona, Spain, like a beggar, he saw a huge wave surging over the pillars of Hercules. This poor, painful creature could not resist the temptation to jump and fell from the peak and ended his life.

哈菲德先去月光山找钻石，又到巴勒斯坦，再到欧洲，最后把钱花光，变得一无所有。站在西班牙巴塞罗那的海岸，他像乞丐一样，看见巨浪冲过赫拉克勒斯之柱。这可怜而痛苦的人抵挡不住诱惑，纵身跳下，葬身大海。

Soon after Hafid’s death, the heir to his property took the camel to the garden to drink water. When the camel stuck his nose into the clear and bottomless stream in the garden, the heir found the white sand which was gleaming in the shallow bottom of the stream. And emitting a strange light, he stretched out his hand and touched a black stone. There was a shiny spot on the stone that gave out rainbow-like colors. He took this weird stone into the house, put it on the shelf of the fireplace, and continued to work, completely forgetting about it.

哈菲德死后不久，继承人牵着骆驼去园中饮水。骆驼把鼻子伸进清澈见底的溪流时，继承人发现浅水底部闪光的白沙，发出奇异的光。他伸手摸到一块黑石，石头上有一道闪亮的光点，散发出彩虹般的色彩。他把这块怪石带回屋里，放在壁炉的架子上，继续干活，完全忘了它。

A few days later, the old monk who told Hafid where to find the diamond came to visit Hafid’s heir. He saw the light from the stone on the shelf, rushed over immediately, and exclaimed in surprise: “This is the diamond! This is the diamond! Did Hafid come back?” “No, he hasn’t come back yet, and it’s not a diamond either, it is just a stone, which I found in my back garden.”

几天后，当年告诉哈菲德去找钻石的老僧来访，看见架子上的光，立刻冲过去惊呼：“这是钻石！这是钻石！哈菲德回来了么？”“没有，他还没回来，而且这也不是钻石，只是我在后院找到的一块石头。”

“Young man, you are rich! I know diamonds, these are really diamonds!” So, they ran to the garden together and held them up with their hands. On the white sand at the bottom of the stream, many diamonds that were more beautiful and more valuable than the first one was found.

“年轻人，你富了！我认识钻石，这些真是钻石！”于是他们一起跑到花园，双手捧起那些白沙。在溪流底部，他们发现了许多比第一颗更美、更珍贵的钻石。

This is how people discovered the Golconda diamond mine in India. It is the largest diamond mine in human history, and its value far exceeds South Africa’s Kimberly. The large Cullinan diamond inlaid on the crown of the King of England and the world’s largest diamond inlaid on the crown of the Russian emperor were all mined from that diamond mine.

这就是印度戈尔康达钻石矿被发现的经过。它是人类历史上最大的钻石矿，其价值远超南非的金伯利。镶在英国国王王冠上的大型库里南钻石，以及镶在俄罗斯皇帝王冠上的世界最大钻石，都出自这座矿。

John, whenever I remember this story, I cannot help but sigh on behalf of Al Hafid. If Hafid stayed in his hometown and dug his own fields and gardens instead of looking in a foreign land, he would not have become a beggar, suffer from poverty and starvation, then jump into the sea and die. He already had the diamonds.

约翰，每当我想起这个故事，就忍不住为阿尔·哈菲德叹息。如果他留在家乡，耕耘自己的田地和园子，而不是去异乡寻找，他就不会沦为乞丐、受贫困饥饿之苦、跳海而死。他本来就拥有钻石。

Not every story is meaningful, but this Arab story has brought me precious life lessons: your diamond is not between the distant mountains and the sea, if you are determined to dig, the diamond is in your backyard. The important thing is to sincerely believe in yourself.

并非每个故事都有意义，但这个阿拉伯故事给了我珍贵的人生启示：你的钻石不在远山与大海之间，只要你决心挖掘，钻石就在你的后院。关键是要真诚地相信自己。

Everyone has a certain ideal, which determines the direction of his efforts and judgment. In this sense, I think that a person who does not believe in himself is like a thief, because anyone who does not believe in himself and does not fully exert his abilities can be said to be a person who steals from himself; and in the process, because he is running low on creativity, he is tantamount to stealing from society. Since no one will deliberately steal from themselves, those who steal from themselves obviously did so unintentionally. However, this crime is still very serious, because the damage it causes is as great as deliberate theft.

每个人都有某种理想，它决定了努力与判断的方向。从这个意义上说，不相信自己的人就像小偷，因为任何不相信自己、不能充分发挥能力的人，都可说是在偷自己；而且在过程中，由于创造力不足，他也等于在偷社会。既然没人会故意偷自己，那些偷自己的人显然是无意的。然而这种罪行仍很严重，因为它造成的伤害与故意偷窃一样大。

Only by quitting this kind of stealing from ourselves can we climb to the top. I hope that the young man who is eager to make a fortune can think about the teachings contained therein.

只有戒掉这种偷自己的行为，我们才能登上顶峰。我希望那位渴望发财的年轻人能好好思考其中的教诲。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 18

It’s your right to be rich.

变得富有是你的权利。

Let money be my slave, but do not let me be a slave of money.

让金钱做我的奴隶，别让我做金钱的奴隶。

Every penny in his hand adds a penny to the power to determine his future destiny.

手中的每一分钱，都会增加他决定未来命运的力量。

July 26, 1906 Dear John:

1906年7月26日亲爱的约翰：

There are many tragedies caused by paranoia and pride, and the same goes for people who make do with poverty.

偏执与傲慢会酿成许多悲剧，安于贫穷的人也是如此。

Many years ago, at the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, I ran into a young man named Hansen, a lite gardener who lived a miserable life. Maybe Mr. Hansen thinks that it is a virtue to persist in poverty. He put on a noble appearance and said to me: “Mr. Rockefeller, I think I have a responsibility to discuss with you a question — money is the root of all evil. This is said in the Bible. "

多年前，在第五大道浸信会教堂，我遇到一个名叫汉森的年轻园丁，生活很惨。也许汉森先生认为坚守贫穷是一种美德。他摆出一副高尚的样子对我说：“洛克菲勒先生，我觉得有责任和你讨论一个问题——金钱是万恶之源，这是圣经里说的。”

At that moment, I knew why Mr. Hansen had no relationship with wealth. He was getting life lessons from a misunderstood Bible. But he did not realize it.

那一刻我就知道汉森先生与财富无缘。他从一部被误解的圣经里汲取人生教训，却并不自知。

I did not want this poor young man to sink deeper and deeper into his narrow- minded swamp. I told him: “Y oung man, I have been nurtured by various Christian maxims since I was a child and used this as my code of conduct. It is the same with you. But my memory seems to be better than you. Y ou forgot, there is a word in front of that sentence - Love, ’loving money is the root of all evil' " .

我不愿这个可怜的年轻人越陷越深，陷入狭隘的沼泽。我告诉他：“年轻人，我从小就受各种基督教格言熏陶，并以此为行为准则，你也一样。但我的记性似乎比你更好。你忘了那句话前面还有一个词——Love，‘loving money is the root of all evil’（爱钱才是万恶之源）。”

“What did you say?” Hansen’s mouth was wide open, as if to swallow a whale. I really hope he has such a big appetite for money.

“你说什么？”汉森张大了嘴，仿佛要吞下一条鲸。我真希望他对钱也有这么大的胃口。

“Y es, young man, " I patted him on the shoulder, and said, “The Bible is rooted in the dignity and love of mankind. It is a respect from the highest soul in the universe. Y ou can quote the words without fear and entrust your life to it. Therefore, when you directly quote the wisdom of the Bible, what you quote is the truth. Loving money is the root of all evil. Loving money is only a means of worship, not the motive. If you do not have the means, you cannot achieve your goal. In other words, he who only knows to be a miser, then money is the root of all evil. "

“是的，年轻人，”我拍着他的肩说，“圣经以人的尊严与爱为根，来自宇宙最高灵魂的敬意。你可以无惧地引用它，把生命托付给它。因此，当你直接引用圣经的智慧时，你引用的就是事实：爱钱才是万恶之源。爱钱只是手段，不是动机；没有手段，就无法达成目标。换言之，只懂得吝啬的人，金钱就会成为万恶之源。”

“Think about it, young man, " I reminded Hansen, “If you have money, you can benefit your family and friends, give them a happy and comfortable life, and even benefitting the society, save the helpless poor people, then money will become the source of happiness. "

“想想看，年轻人，”我提醒汉森，“如果你有钱，就能让家人与朋友受益，让他们过上幸福舒适的生活，甚至还能造福社会、拯救无助的穷人，那么金钱就会成为幸福的源泉。”

“Y oung man, every penny in your hand adds a penny to the power to determine your future destiny. " I persuaded him, “you should not let those paranoid ideas lock your powerful hands. Y ou should spend time to make yourself rich because having money gets you power. And New Y ork is full of opportunities to get rich. Y ou should get rich, and you can get rich. Remember, young man, although you are a hurried passer-by in the world, you still have to show the light of life. "

“年轻人，你手中的每一分钱，都会增加你决定未来命运的力量。”我劝他，“别让那些偏执的想法锁住你有力的双手。你该花时间让自己富起来，因为有钱就有力量。而纽约到处都是致富机会。你应该富起来，也一定能富起来。记住，年轻人，虽然你只是世间匆匆过客，也仍要发出生命的光。”

I do not know whether Hansen had accepted my advice, if not, it will be a pity, because he looks very strong and does not look like a fool.

我不知道汉森是否接受了我的建议，如果没有，那太可惜了，因为他看起来很强壮，并不像个傻瓜。

I always thought that everyone should take time to get rich. Of course, some things are indeed more valuable than money. When we see a grave full of autumn leaves, we cannot help feeling a kind of unspeakable sadness, because I know that some things are indeed more noble than money. Especially those who have suffered deeply understand that some things are sweeter, more noble, and more sacred than gold. However, anyone with common sense knows that none of those things are not improved by money. Money is not necessarily everything, but in our world, many things are inseparable from money!

我一直认为每个人都该花时间致富。当然，有些东西确实比金钱更珍贵。看到满地秋叶覆盖的坟茔，我们不禁生出难以言说的悲伤，因为我知道有些事的确比金钱更高贵。尤其是经历过深重苦难的人更懂得，有些东西比黄金更甜美、更高贵、更神圣。然而，任何有常识的人都知道，这些东西没有哪一样不会因金钱而得到改善。金钱未必是一切，但在我们的世界里，许多事情离不开金钱！

Love is the greatest thing God has given us, but a lover who has a lot of money can make love happier, and money has such an ability!

爱是上帝赐给我们的最伟大礼物，但一个有很多钱的爱人能让爱情更幸福，金钱就有这样的能力！

If a person says, “I don’t want money” , it is equivalent to saying: “I don’t want to serve my family, friends, and compatriots. " This statement is absurd, but it is also absurd to sever the relationship between the two!

如果有人说“我不想要钱”，等于说“我不想服务我的家人、朋友和同胞”。这话很荒唐，而把两者割裂开来同样荒唐！

I believe in the power of money, and I believe that everyone should of course make money. However, religion has a strong prejudice against this idea because some people believe that being a poor people of God is the supreme glory. I once heard a man praying at a prayers’ meeting and said that he was very grateful that he was a poor child of God. I could not help but think to myself: If this man’s wife hears her husband speak such nonsense, I wonder what will happen. What do you think? She would definitely think that she married the wrong person.

我相信金钱的力量，也相信每个人当然应该赚钱。然而宗教对这一观念抱有强烈偏见，因为有些人认为做“上帝的穷人”是至高荣耀。我曾在祷告会上听到一个人祈祷，说自己很感恩是上帝的穷孩子。我不由得想：如果他的妻子听到丈夫这样胡言乱语，会怎么样？你觉得呢？她一定会认为自己嫁错了人。

I do not want to see such poor people of God again, and I do not think God wants to! I can say that if someone who should have been wealthy is weak and incompetent because of poverty, then he must have committed an extremely serious mistake; he is not only unfaithful and disloyal to himself, but also mistreating his family!

我不想再看到这样的“上帝的穷人”，我想上帝也不想！我可以说，一个本该富有的人若因贫穷而软弱无能，那他一定犯了极其严重的错误；他不仅对自己不忠不义，也在亏待自己的家庭！

I cannot say that the amount of money earned can be used as a criterion for success in life, but almost without exception, you can use the amount of money to measure a person’s contribution to society. The more your income, the more your contribution. The thought that I have enabled countless people to prosper forever, I feel that I have a great life.

我不能说赚了多少钱就是人生成功的标准，但几乎无一例外，你可以用钱的多少来衡量一个人对社会的贡献。收入越高，贡献越大。一想到我使无数人得以长久繁荣，我觉得自己的人生很伟大。

I believe that God made diamonds for his people — not for Satan and alike. The only warning God has given us is that we cannot make money or earn other things in violation of God. Doing that will only add to our guilt. To get a lot of money is understandable, as long as we get it in a proper way, instead of letting money drag our noses away.

我相信上帝造钻石是给人类的——不是给撒旦之流。上帝唯一的警示是：不能以违背上帝之道的方式赚钱或获取其他东西，那只会加重我们的罪责。赚很多钱是可以理解的，只要方式正当，而不是让钱牵着鼻子走。

Some people have no money because they do not understand money. They think that money is cold and hard. In fact, money is neither cold nor hard — it is soft and warm, it makes us feel good, and its color and lustre match the clothes we wear.

有些人没有钱，是因为不懂钱。他们以为钱又冷又硬，其实钱既不冷也不硬——它柔软而温暖，让人感觉良好，它的色泽与光泽也与我们穿的衣服相配。

The reason why I am who I am, is a creation of my past beliefs. Frankly speaking, when I felt that the world was suffering due to poverty, I had a belief: I should be a rich man and I have no rights to be poor. Over time, this belief has become as hard as steel.

我之所以成为今天的我，是过去信念的创造。坦白说，当我感到世界因贫穷而受苦时，我就有一种信念：我应该成为富人，我没有资格贫穷。久而久之，这信念坚如钢铁。

When I was young, it was the time when the idea of worshiping gold was sanctified. At that time, tens of thousands of gold prospectors rushed into California with dreams of getting rich, even though it was later discovered that the gold rush was just a trap. It had aroused the desire of millions of people to make a fortune, including me, a child who is only slightly older than ten years old.

我年轻时正值拜金思想被神圣化的年代。当时成千上万的淘金者涌入加利福尼亚，怀着致富梦想，尽管后来发现淘金热只是个陷阱。它唤起了数百万人的发财欲望，也包括我这个刚过十岁的孩子。

At that time, my family was in a dilemma, and I often had to accept help from kind people. My mother is a very self-respecting person. She hopes that I can shoulder the responsibility of being the eldest son and build this family well. My mother’s desire and teachings have cultivated a sense of responsibility that will remain unchanged throughout my life. I made my pledge: I will not become poor, I will make money, and I will use wealth to change the destiny of my family!

那时我家处境艰难，我常常不得不接受好心人的帮助。母亲是个很自尊的人，她希望我能承担长子的责任，把这个家经营好。母亲的愿望与教诲培养了我一生不变的责任感。我立下誓言：我不会变穷，我要赚钱，我要用财富改变家族的命运！

In the dream of getting rich in my youth, money is not just a tool for my family to lead a prosperous and worry-free life, but a society where money can be exchanged for moral dignity and social status by giving — spend wisely. These things are far more exciting to me than luxurious and magnificent residences and beautiful outfits!

在我少年致富的梦想里，金钱不仅是让家人过上富足无忧生活的工具，更是一种能以“给予—明智地花费”去交换道德尊严与社会地位的机制。这些比豪华宏伟的宅邸与华美的服饰更让我兴奋！

My understanding of money strengthened my belief in making money and becoming a rich man, and this belief gave me incomparable fighting spirit to chase wealth.

我对金钱的理解强化了我赚钱、成为富人的信念，这信念赋予我无与伦比的斗志去追逐财富。

My son, there is nothing more pitiful and contemptible than someone who makes money for the sake of making money. I know- how to make money: let money be my slave, but do not let me be a slave of money.

儿子，没有什么比为赚钱而赚钱更可怜、更可鄙。我知道如何赚钱：让金钱做我的奴隶，别让我做金钱的奴隶。

This is how I did it.

我就是这样做的。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 19

Insist to be the First.

坚持做第一。

Wealth is directly proportional to goal.

财富与目标成正比。

One is either planning to succeed or planning to fail.

不是在计划成功，就是在计划失败。

March 15,1931 Dear John:

1931年3月15日亲爱的约翰：

“A person without ambition will not accomplish great things. " This is what my friend, the automobile king, Mr. Henry Ford, confided to me as the secret of success when he came to see me yesterday.

“没有雄心的人成就不了大事。”这是我的朋友、汽车大王亨利·福特先生昨天来看我时向我吐露的成功秘诀。

I admire this rich man from Michigan very much, he is a persistent and determined guy. He has almost the same experience as mine. He has worked in farming, worked as an apprentice, and started a factory in partnership with others. Through his struggle, he eventually became one of the richest people in the United States of this era.

我非常敬佩这位来自密歇根的富人，他执着而坚定，经历与我几乎相同。他做过农活，当过学徒，也与人合伙办厂。通过奋斗，他最终成了这个时代美国最富有的人之一。

In my opinion, Mr. Ford is the creator of a new era. No American can completely change the American way of life like him. Just look at the cars that go back and forth on the street and you know that I am definitely not complimenting him blindly, he has turned a car from a luxury into a necessity that almost everyone can afford. And the miracle he created turned him into a billionaire. Of course, he also made my wealth grew a lot.

在我看来，福特先生是新时代的创造者。没有哪个美国人能像他一样彻底改变美国人的生活方式。看看街上来来往往的汽车，你就知道我绝非盲目赞美他；他把汽车从奢侈品变成几乎人人买得起的必需品。他创造的奇迹让他成为亿万富翁，当然也让我的财富增加不少。

A person must have goals or ambitions to live, otherwise, he is like a ship without a rudder, drifting forever, and will only reach the beach of disappointment, failure, and frustration. Mr. Ford’s ambition exceeds his height, and he wants to create a world where everyone can enjoy cars. This may seem unimaginable, but he succeeded. He became the owner of the global car market and made amazing profits for Ford. In the words of this guy, “It’s not making cars, it’s printing money. " It is not difficult for me to imagine why Mr. Ford is in a good mood with his wealthy pockets and the reputation of “automobile king” .

人活着必须有目标或雄心，否则就像一艘没有舵的船，永远漂流，只会抵达失望、失败与挫折的海滩。福特先生的雄心超过了他的身高，他想创造一个人人都能享用汽车的世界。这看似不可想象，但他成功了。他成为全球汽车市场的主人，为福特公司带来惊人的利润。用他的话说：“这不是造车，这是印钞。”我不难想象为什么他会因腰缠万贯和“汽车大王”的名声而心情大好。

The achievements that Ford created proved one of my life credos: wealth is proportional to goals. If you have big ambitions and big goals, your mountain of wealth will rise to the sky. If you just want to pass by, then you will end up in the rat race, or even nothing, even if the wealth is close to you, you will only get a little bit of it. Before Mr. Ford succeeded, there were many automakers that were much stronger than him, but many of them went bankrupt.

福特创造的成就印证了我人生信条之一：财富与目标成正比。你有多大雄心与多大目标，你的财富之山就会拔地而起。若只想混日子，最终只会困在鼠辈竞逐中，甚至一无所有；即便财富近在眼前，也只能得到一点点。在福特成功之前，有许多比他更强的汽车制造商，但很多都破产了。

People are created for a purpose. A person is either planning to succeed or planning to fail. This is the experience of my life.

人生而有其目的。一个人不是在计划成功，就是在计划失败。这是我的人生经验。

I never seem to lack ambition. Since I was very young, to become the richest person has always been my impulsive ambition and dream. This seems a bit too big for a poor boy. But I think the goal must be great, because if you want to be successful, there must be stimulation. A great goal can enable you to exert all your strength, and there will be stimulation. Losing the excitement means that there is no strong force to push you forward. I often remind myself to not make any small plans, because it cannot inspire the soul.

我似乎从不缺乏雄心。很小的时候，成为最富有的人一直是我冲动的野心与梦想。这对一个贫穷的男孩来说似乎太大了。但我认为目标必须伟大，因为要成功就必须有刺激。伟大的目标能促使你倾尽全力，并产生刺激；一旦失去激情，就没有强大的力量推你前行。我常提醒自己不要制定小计划，因为小计划不能激励灵魂。

Of course, the opportunity to become great is not like the rapid decline of the Niagara Falls, but slowly one drop at a time. The difference between greatness and close to greatness is the realization that if you expect greatness, you must work toward your goals every day.

当然，通往伟大的机会并不像尼亚加拉瀑布那样迅猛倾泻，而是一滴一滴慢慢累积。伟大与接近伟大的差别在于：若你期待伟大，就必须每天朝目标努力。

But for a poor boy, how can this great dream become a tangible reality? Should it be achieved by working hard for others? This is a stupid idea.

但对一个穷孩子而言，这样的伟大梦想如何变成现实？要靠为别人卖命来实现吗？这简直是愚蠢的想法。

I believe that working hard for myself will make me rich, but I do not believe that working hard for others will make me successful. Before I lived in Billionaires’ Row (57th Street in Manhattan) I discovered that by my side, many poor people are the hardest working people. The reality is so cruel. Regardless of whether employees work hard or not, few people work for their bosses to become rich. The salary earned by working for the boss can only keep the employee alive under reasonable expectations. Although the employee may make a lot of money, it is difficult to become rich.

我相信为自己努力会让我富有，但不相信为别人努力会让我成功。在我住进“亿万富翁街”（曼哈顿第57街）之前，我发现身边许多穷人其实是最勤劳的人。现实如此残酷：无论员工是否努力，很少有人靠给老板打工而致富。为老板工作所得的工资，只能在合理预期下维持生计。即便员工赚了不少钱，也很难变成富人。

I have always regarded “working hard to get rich” as a lie, and never regarded working for others as a good way to accumulate considerable wealth. On the contrary, I am very convinced that working for myself can make me rich. All the actions I take are aligned to my great dream and the various goals that I continue to achieve in order to reach my goal.

我一直把“靠拼命工作致富”视为谎言，也从未把为别人工作当作积累巨额财富的好办法。相反，我坚信为自己工作才能让我富有。我所有的行动都与我的伟大梦想一致，并不断实现各种目标，以抵达终极目标。

When I left school and looked for a job, I set myself a goal: to go to a first-class company, to become a first-class employee. Because a first-class company will give me first-class experience, shape my first- class ability, let me grow a first- class insight, and make me a handsome income - that is the capital to create my future business, and all of this is undoubtedly the most solid cornerstone of my road to success.

我离开学校找工作时给自己定下目标：进一流公司，做一流员工。因为一流公司会给我一流的经验，塑造一流的能力，增长一流的见识，并带来可观的收入——这就是我未来创业的资本，而这一切无疑是我成功之路最坚实的基石。

Of course, working in a big company allows me to think about problems in a big company’s way. This is very important. Therefore, I admire big companies, and I want to go to high-profile companies.

当然，在大公司工作让我能够用大公司的方式思考问题，这非常重要。因此我欣赏大公司，也想去知名度高的公司。

However, this is destined to make me suffer. I first went to a bank. I was very unlucky and was rejected; I went to a railway company again, but I still returned home in grief. The weather at that time seemed to be against me, and the heat was unbearable. But desperately, I kept searching. During that period, looking for a job became my only occupation. At 8 o’clock every morning, I tried my best to dress myself up, and then I left my residence to start a new round of appointment interviews. For several weeks, I ran the companies on the list, but I still found nothing.

然而，这注定让我吃苦。我先去一家银行，非常不走运，被拒了；又去铁路公司，却仍是灰心而归。那时天气似乎也与我作对，酷热难耐。但我仍拼命寻找。那段时间，找工作成了我唯一的职业。每天早上八点，我尽力把自己收拾体面，然后离开住处，开始新一轮的预约面试。连续几个星期，我奔走于名单上的公司，却仍然一无所获。

This looks terrible, doesn’t it? But no one can stop you from moving forward. The person who hinders you the most is yourself. Y ou are the only one who can go on forever. I warned myself: if you do not want others to steal your dreams, then you stand up immediately after being knocked down by setbacks. I was not frustrated or discouraged, but continuous setbacks strengthened my determination. I started from scratch again, running one by one, and a few companies even let me run two or three times.

这看起来很糟，对吧？但没有人能阻止你前行。最阻碍你的那个人就是你自己。只有你能一直走下去。我警告自己：如果不想让别人偷走你的梦想，就在被挫折击倒后立刻站起来。我没有沮丧或气馁，持续的挫折反而强化了我的决心。我又从头开始，一家一家地跑，有些公司甚至让我跑了两三次。

God never abandoned me. This indomitable job-hunting journey finally ended in one afternoon six weeks later. On September 26, 1855, I was hired by the Hewitt-Tuttle Company.

上帝从未抛弃我。这场不屈的求职之旅终于在六周后的一个下午结束。1855年9月26日，我被休伊特-塔特尔公司录用。

This day seemed to determine everything in my future. To this day, whenever I ask myself what would happen if I did not get the job, I often tremble all over. Because I know what I got from that job, and what will happen to me without it. Therefore, I have celebrated September 26th as a “rebirth birthday” all my life, and I have more emotions for this day than my birthday.

这一天似乎决定了我未来的一切。直到今天，每当我问自己如果没得到这份工作会怎么样，我仍会浑身发抖。因为我知道我从那份工作中得到了什么，也知道没有它我会变成什么。因此，我一生都把9月26日当作“再生生日”来庆祝，对这一天的感情比对我的生日还深。

At this point, I am moved by myself.

说到这里，我也被自己感动了。

Humans function like a bicycle, unless you move up and forward towards the target, you will stagger and fall. Three years later, I left the Flewitt-Tutde company with abilities and self-confidence beyond ordinary people, and co- founded Clark - Rockefeller with Mr. Clark, and started the history of working for myself.

人就像一辆自行车，除非你向上、向前朝目标前进，否则就会摇晃倒下。三年后，我带着超出常人的能力与自信离开弗卢伊特-塔特尔公司，与克拉克先生共同创立克拉克-洛克菲勒公司，开启了为自己工作的历史。

Stupidly hard work may still get nothing after all the hard work, but if you think of working hard for your boss as a ladder to serve yourself one day, it is undoubtedly the beginning of wealth creation. The feeling of being your own boss is so great, it is beyond words.

盲目苦干也许终究一无所获，但如果把为老板努力当作将来服务自己的阶梯，那无疑就是创造财富的开始。做自己的老板那种感觉如此美妙，难以言表。

Of course, I cannot always be immersed in the pride of being amongst the trade agents at the age of 18. I warned myself: “Y our future depends on the days that pass by. Y our end goal in life is to be the richest man in the United States. Where are you? It is still far, far away. Y ou must continue to work hard for yourself. "

当然，我不能总沉浸在18岁时跻身商界经纪人的自豪里。我提醒自己：“你的未来取决于流逝的日子。你的人生终极目标是成为美国最富的人。你在哪里？还很远，很远。你必须继续为自己努力。”

Being the richest person is the basis for my efforts and the strength to spur myself. In the past few decades, I have always been a believer in the pursuit of excellence. The one sentence I most often motivates myself with is: For me, second place is no different from last place. If you understand it, you will think that it is not surprising that I ruled the oil industry as the indisputable king.

成为最富的人是我努力的基石，也是鞭策我的力量。在过去几十年里，我一直是追求卓越的信徒。我最常用来激励自己的话是：对我而言，第二名和最后一名没有区别。你若理解这一点，就会觉得我无可争议地统治石油业并不奇怪。

Each of us lives in hope, but I live more in the achievement of my goals. My goal in life is to be the number one. This is also the life plan that I try to make and abide by. All my efforts and actions are loyal to my life goals and life rules.

我们每个人都活在希望里，但我更活在目标的实现中。我的人生目标是做第一。这也是我努力制定并遵守的人生规划。我的一切努力与行动都忠于我的人生目标与人生规则。

God gave us smart minds and strong muscles, not to make us losers, but to make us great winners. Twenty years ago today, the Federal Court disbanded our happy family, but whenever I think of the achievements I have created, I get excited.

上帝赐给我们聪明的头脑和强健的肌肉，不是让我们做失败者，而是让我们成为伟大的胜者。二十年前的今天，联邦法院解散了我们的“幸福家庭”，但每当我想到自己创造的成就，我就会兴奋。

A great life is the process of conquering excellence. We must move forward to this goal, not be afraid of pain, be resolute, and be prepared to fall on the long road.

伟大的人生，就是征服卓越的过程。我们必须向这个目标前进，不怕痛苦，坚定不移，并准备在漫长道路上跌倒再起。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 20

Take risks to make use of opportunities.

冒险才能利用机会。

The higher the risk, the greater the return.

风险越高，回报越大。

November 2,1936 Dear John:

1936年11月2日亲爱的约翰：

Tomorrow, or perhaps before tomorrow, there will be a person who will live a rich life. It was reported in the newspaper that his name is David Morris, who has the same last name as Mr. Robert Morris. David Morris was the financial director during the American Revolution and the Prince of Commerce in Philadelphia, and recently had a streak of good luck at the casino and won a lot of money. He also said that he was a master at the casino. At the same time, he posted a life motto of a gambler: Only by curiosity can you discover opportunities, and by taking risks can you make use of them.

也许在明天，甚至明天之前，就会有一个人过上富足的生活。报纸上报道，他名叫大卫·莫里斯，与罗伯特·莫里斯先生同姓。大卫·莫里斯曾是美国独立战争时期的财政总监、费城的“商业王子”，最近在赌场好运连连，赢了许多钱。他还说自己是赌场高手。同时，他贴出了赌徒的人生格言：只有好奇才能发现机会，只有冒险才能利用机会。

Y ou know, I always disagree with people who are addicted to gambling, but I cannot help but admire this gentleman. I even believe that with his philosophical wisdom and mind, he might become a very successful businessmen — an excellent gambler, if he joins the business world.

你知道，我一向不赞成沉迷赌博的人，但我却忍不住钦佩这位先生。我甚至认为，他若进入商界，凭借他的哲学智慧与头脑，或许会成为非常成功的商人——就像一个出色的赌徒。

I make such an appreciative assumption, not to say that good gamblers will become good businessmen. In fact, I hate those who treat the industry as casinos, but I do not disagree with the adventurous spirit because I know a rule: “The higher the risk, the greater the return. " For everyone, sailing in the business sea is the greatest adventure that Life can provide him.

我这样赞赏并不是说优秀的赌徒就会成为优秀的商人。事实上，我厌恶那些把行业当赌场的人，但我并不反对冒险精神，因为我知道一条规律：“风险越高，回报越大。”对每个人而言，在商业之海航行是人生能提供的最大冒险。

The trajectory of my life is a rich adventure. If I were to find out which adventure was most decisive and the most relevant to my future, it would be entering the oil industry.

我的人生轨迹就是一场丰富的冒险。若要找出哪一次冒险最关键、与我的未来最相关，那就是进入石油业。

Before investing in the oil industry, our own bank, agricultural product agency sales, was doing a good job, and I was fully expected to become a big middleman if we were to continue. But all this were changed by Mr. Andrews, an expert in lighting. He told me: “John, when kerosene burns, the light is brighter than any lighting oil. It will definitely replace other lighting oils. Think about it. Well, John, how big of a market will that be. If we can step foot into it, what will it be like!”

在投资石油业之前，我们自家的银行与农产品代理生意做得很好，若继续下去，我完全有望成为大中间商。但这一切被照明专家安德鲁斯先生改变了。他对我说：“约翰，煤油燃烧时的光比任何照明油都亮，它一定会取代其他照明油。想想看，约翰，那会是多大的市场？如果我们踏进去，会是什么样！”

The more things I have, the greater the power. The opportunity is here, letting it go is not just about money, but it also weakens your power in the arena of getting rich. I told Andrews: “I do!” We invested 4,000 dollars, which was a lot of money for us, and started an oil refining business. When the money is invested, I did not think about failure, although at that time, while oil made many millionaires, it also turned more people into paupers.

拥有的东西越多，力量就越大。机会就在眼前，放手不仅是损失金钱，也是在削弱你在致富战场上的力量。我对安德鲁斯说：“干！”我们投入了四千美元，这对我们来说是一大笔钱，开始经营炼油业务。钱一投入，我就没想过失败，尽管那时石油既造就了许多百万富翁，也让更多人变成穷人。

I plunged into the oil refining industry and worked hard. In less than a year, oil refining earned us more profits than agricultural products and became the company’s largest business. At that moment, I realized that it was courage and adventurous spirit, that opened up a new way of making money.

我投身炼油业并努力奋斗。不到一年，炼油的利润就超过农产品业务，成为公司的最大业务。那一刻我意识到，是勇气与冒险精神为我打开了新的赚钱之路。

At that time, no industry was able to get rich overnight like the oil industry. Such a prospect stimulated my desire to make big money, and it also allowed me to see the long-awaited opportunity to make big plans. I warned myself: “Y ou must hold on to it, it can bring you your dreams. "

当时没有任何行业像石油业那样能一夜暴富。这样的前景激发了我赚大钱的欲望，也让我看到期待已久的做大计划的机会。我警告自己：“你必须抓住它，它会带来你的梦想。”

But then I aggressively expanded the business strategy of the oil industry and irritated my partner Mr. Clark. Clark is an ignorant, conceited, weak, and lacking courageous person. He is afraid of failure and advocates a prudent business strategy, which is completely contrary to my business ideology. In my eyes, money is like dung. If you scatter it around, you can do a lot of things, but if you hide it, it will be just an unbearable foul-smelling asset. Clark is not a good businessman; he does not know the true value of money.

但随后我激进地扩张石油业的经营策略，惹恼了合伙人克拉克先生。克拉克无知、傲慢、软弱且缺乏勇气。他害怕失败，主张谨慎的经营策略，这与我的商业理念完全相反。在我眼里，钱就像粪肥：撒开了能做很多事，藏着只是一堆难以忍受的臭资产。克拉克不是好商人，他不懂金钱的真正价值。

When we are indifferent to important things, our lives will come to an end. Clark has become a stumbling block on my road to success, and I must kick him away- and break up within him. This is an important moment.

当我们对重要的事冷漠时，我们的生命就会走向终结。克拉克已成为我成功道路上的绊脚石，我必须把他踢开——与他拆伙。这是关键时刻。

To win, you must understand the value of risk, and you must have your own vision of creating luck. For me, breaking up with Mr. Clark is undoubtedly a risky adventure. Before I decide to throw everything into the oil industry, I must be sure that oil will not disappear. At that time, many people believed that oil was a blooming epiphany, which was difficult to last. I certainly hope that the oil source will not be exhausted, as once there is no oil source, those investments will be worthless, and my fate may be worse than that of gamblers in the casino. But the information I received made me optimistic that the oil source will not disappear. Hence, it is time to break up.

要赢，就必须理解风险的价值，并拥有自己创造好运的眼光。对我而言，与克拉克拆伙无疑是一次冒险。在决定把一切投向石油业之前，我必须确认石油不会消失。当时很多人认为石油只是昙花一现，难以长久。我当然希望油源不会枯竭，因为一旦没有油源，那些投资就会一文不值，我的命运可能比赌场赌徒还惨。但我得到的信息让我乐观地相信油源不会消失。因此，是时候拆伙了。

Before the announcement to Mr. Clark, I first pulled Mr. Andrews over in private. I said to him: “We are going to be lucky. There is a sum of money waiting for us, and that is a large sum of money. I want to terminate my relationship with the Clark Brothers. If I buy their shares, will you be in it with me?” Andrews did not let me down. A few days later, I got even more support from the banks.

在向克拉克宣布之前，我先私下拉住安德鲁斯先生，对他说：“我们要走运了。有一大笔钱在等着我们。我想终止与克拉克兄弟的关系。如果我买下他们的股份，你愿不愿意和我一起？”安德鲁斯没有让我失望。几天后，我又从银行得到了更多支持。

In February that year, after a series of preparations, I proposed to break off with Mr. Clark. Although he was reluctant, I have decided.

那年二月，在一系列准备之后，我提出与克拉克拆伙。尽管他不情愿，但我已经决定。

Finally, we all agreed to auction the company to the buyer with the highest price. To this day, when I think of the auction scene, I feel very excited. It feels like gambling in a casino, which is thrilling and made me completely focused on it. It was a good bet. What I bet with is money, but what I gamble with is my life.

最终，我们同意把公司拍卖给出价最高者。直到今天，想到那场拍卖我仍然兴奋。它就像赌场里的赌博，刺激而让我全神贯注。那是一次好赌局。我下注的是金钱，但赌上的是人生。

The company started the auction from 500 dollars, but it quickly climbed to several thousand dollars, and then slowly climbed to 50,000 dollars. This price has exceeded my estimate of the value of the refinery. But the bidding price continued to rise, as it started to exceed 60,000 dollars, and then soared to 70,000 dollars. At this time, I began to fear. I was worried about whether the company created by me, could still be bought back and whether it was valued that high. But I calmed down quickly, and I warned myself at a lightning speed: “Don’t be afraid, since you have made up your mind, you have to go forward!”

拍卖从500美元起拍，很快涨到数千美元，随后慢慢爬升到5万美元。这个价格已超出我对炼油厂价值的估计，但竞价仍继续上升，超过6万美元后又飙到7万美元。我开始害怕，担心自己创建的公司是否还能买回，以及它是否真的值那么高。但我很快冷静下来，以极快的速度警告自己：“别怕，既然下定决心，就得往前走！”

The competitor offered 72,000 dollars, and I did not hesitate to offer 72,500 dollars. At this time, Mr. Clark stood up and shouted: “I won’t add it anymore, John, it belongs to you!”

对手出价7.2万美元，我毫不犹豫报出7.25万美元。这时克拉克站起来喊道：“我不再加了，约翰，它归你！”

Dear John, that was the moment that decided my life, and I felt its extraordinary significance.

亲爱的约翰，那一刻决定了我的人生，我感到它意义非凡。

Of course, I paid a high price for buying out Mr. Clark. I gave Clark half of the agency’s shares and seventy-two thousand five hundred dollars. But what I won was freedom and a glorious future. I became my own master, my own employer, and I no longer had to worry about those short-sighted mediocre people blocking my way.

当然，为买下克拉克的股份我付出了高昂代价。我给了克拉克一半的代理股份和七万二千五百美元。但我赢得的是自由与光明的未来。我成了自己的主人、自己的雇主，再也不必担心那些目光短浅的平庸之辈挡我的路。

When I was 21 years old, I owned the largest refinery in Cleveland, and became one of the largest refiners in the world. Today, thinking about it, this guy who consumes 500 barrels of crude oil a day was undoubtedly the weapon that brought me to the path of hegemony and allowed me to conquer the oil kingdom. Thanks to that auction, it was the beginning of my success in life.

我21岁时就拥有克利夫兰最大的炼油厂，成为世界上最大的炼油商之一。如今想来，这家每日消耗500桶原油的炼油厂无疑是把我带上称霸之路、让我征服石油王国的武器。正是那场拍卖，开启了我人生的成功。

It is almost certain that safety first cannot make us rich. If we want to get paid, we must always accept the necessary risks that follow. Isn’t life like this?

几乎可以肯定，安全第一不会让我们富有。若想得到回报，就必须承担随之而来的必要风险。人生不也是如此吗？

There is no such thing as maintaining the status quo. If you do not advance, you will retreat. It is that simple. In my aspect, being cautious is not the perfect way to succeed. No matter what we do, or even our lives, we must choose between talking risks and being cautious. And sometimes, the chance of winning by taking risks is much greater than by being cautious.

世上没有所谓“维持现状”。你不前进，就会后退，就这么简单。在我看来，谨慎并不是成功的完美道路。无论做什么，甚至生活本身，我们都必须在冒险与谨慎之间作出选择。而有时，冒险的胜算远大于谨慎。

Merchants are chasers of profits and wealth. They rely on creating resources and obtaining resources from others, and even forcing others to give up resources to make themselves rich. Therefore, taking risks is an indispensable means for merchants to conquer the market.

商人是利润与财富的追逐者。他们依靠创造资源、从他人那里获取资源，甚至迫使他人放弃资源以使自己富有。因此，冒险是商人征服市场不可或缺的手段。

If you want to know the tricks that are risky but does not incur failure, you only need to remember one sentence: plan boldly and implement carefully.

若想知道冒险而不致失败的诀窍，只需记住一句话：大胆计划，小心执行。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 21

Insult is a kind of motivator.

侮辱是一种激励。

Never let your own personal prejudices hinder your success.

别让个人偏见阻碍你的成功。

You believing and being in harmony with yourself, will make yourself the most faithful companion.

相信自己并与自己和谐相处，会让你成为自己最忠实的伙伴。

February 27,1901 Dear John:

1901年2月27日亲爱的约翰：

Y our performance when negotiating with Mr. Morgan surprised me and your mother. We did not expect you to have the courage to confront the Wall Street’s domineer. Moreover, you dealt with him with calamity, eloquence, well- mannered, and still have complete control over your opponent. Thank God for allowing us to have such an outstanding child like you.

你与摩根先生谈判时的表现让你母亲和我都很惊讶。我们没想到你有勇气面对华尔街的霸主。而且你沉着、善辩、有礼，并始终掌控对手。感谢上帝让我们拥有你这样出色的孩子。

Y ou told me in a letter that Mr. Morgan treated you rudely, and intentionally wanted to insult you. I think you are tight. In fact, you wanted to retaliate on the behalf of me and be humiliated instead.

你在信中说摩根先生对你很粗鲁，并有意羞辱你。我认为你说得对。事实上，他是想借羞辱你来报复我。

Y ou know, Morgan proposed to form an alliance with me this time because he was worried that I would pose a threat to him. I believe he is reluctant to cooperate with me, because he knows that we are carriages running on a two- way street, and neither of them likes each other. I feel sick whenever I see his arrogance. I think there are also areas where he will feel uncomfortable when he sees me too.

你知道，这次摩根提出与我结盟，是因为担心我会对他构成威胁。我相信他并不情愿与我合作，因为他知道我们像在双向街道上相向而行的马车，彼此都不喜欢对方。我每次看到他的傲慢就感到恶心。我想他看到我也会不舒服。

But Morgan is a business wizard. He knows that I pay no attention to Wall Street, and he is not afraid of his threat to me. Therefore, if he wants to realize his ambition to rule the US steel industry, he must cooperate with me. Otherwise, waiting for him would be a competition involving life and death.

但摩根是商业奇才。他知道我不把华尔街放在眼里，也不怕他对我的威胁。因此，如果他想实现统治美国钢铁业的野心，就必须与我合作。否则等待他的将是一场生死较量。

People who are good at thinking and good at action know that arrogance and prejudice must be eliminated, and they all know that they can never let their own personal prejudices hinder their success. Mr. Morgan is such a person. So even though Mr. Morgan did not want to deal with me, he still asked me if he could meet him in the office of the President of Standard Oil Company.

善于思考和行动的人知道必须消除傲慢与偏见，也知道绝不能让个人偏见阻碍成功。摩根就是这样的人。所以即便他不想与我打交道，还是请求在标准石油公司总裁办公室见我。

Those who can hold on to the last minute in the negotiation will definitely reap the benefits, so I told Morgan: “I have retired. If you want, I will be happy to wait for you in my home. " He really came, and it was him in person. This is obviously a bit condescending to him. But he never dreamed that when he asked specific questions, I would say: “I am very sorry, Mr. Morgan, I am retired. I think my son, John, will be happy to talk to you about that deal. "

谈判中能坚持到最后一刻的人必定获益，所以我对摩根说：“我已退休。如果你愿意，我很乐意在家里等你。”他真的来了，而且是亲自登门。这显然有点委屈他。但他做梦也没想到，当他提出具体问题时，我会说：“很抱歉，摩根先生，我已退休。我想我的儿子约翰会很愿意和你谈那笔交易。”

Only a fool cannot tell I was scorning Morgan, but he was very respectful and told me that he hoped you could talk to him in his Wall Street office. I agreed.

只有傻子才看不出我是在揶揄摩根，但他仍然很尊敬地告诉我，希望你能在他华尔街的办公室与他谈。我同意了。

Revenge on others is an attack on yourself. Mr. Morgan did not seem to understand this truth, but in order to relieve his anger, he instead let you control it instead. But in any case, even though Mr. Morgan blatantly insulted me, he always kept his eyes on the goal to be achieved, which I do admire.

报复别人就是攻击自己。摩根似乎不懂这个道理，但为了缓解怒气，他反倒让你来掌控局面。但无论如何，尽管摩根公然侮辱我，他始终盯着要达成的目标，这一点我确实钦佩。

My son, we grew up in a society that pursued dignity, and I know what it means to be insulted to a person who loves dignity. But in many cases, no matter who you are, even the President of the United States of America is unable to prevent insults coming from others.

儿子，我们成长在一个追求尊严的社会，我知道一个爱尊严的人被侮辱意味着什么。但在很多时候，无论你是谁，甚至美国总统也无法阻止别人对你的侮辱。

So, what should we do? Do we fight back in rage and defend your dignity? Or is it to be tolerant and generous? Or do you respond in other ways?

那么我们该怎么做？是愤怒反击来捍卫尊严？还是宽容大度？还是以别的方式回应？

As you may remember, I have always cherished a group photo of my middle school classmates. I am not in the photo, only children from wealthy families. Decades have passed, but I still treasure it, and especially the scene in the photo. It was one afternoon, and the weather was good. The teacher told us that a photographer came to take pictures of the students in class. I have taken pictures, but very few. For a child from a poor family, taking pictures is a luxury. As soon as the photographer appeared, I imagined how I wanted to be photographed, to smile more, be more natural, act handsomely, and even started to imagine as if I was going home to report a piece of good news to my mother: “Mom, I took a picture! Y es! The photographer took my photo, great!”

你可能记得，我一直珍藏着一张中学同学的合影。照片里没有我，只有富家子弟。几十年过去了，我仍然珍视它，尤其珍视照片里的那一幕。那是一个下午，天气很好。老师告诉我们有摄影师来给班上的学生拍照。我拍过照，但很少。对一个穷孩子来说，拍照是奢侈品。摄影师一出现，我就想象自己要怎么被拍：笑得更多、更自然、更英俊，甚至想象着回家向母亲报喜：“妈，我拍了照！是的！摄影师给我拍了照，太好了！”

I stared at the photographer who was bent with excitement in my eyes, hoping that he would pull me into the view of the camera soon. But I was disappointed. The photographer seemed to be an aestheticist. He straightened up, pointed at me, and said to my teacher: “Can you ask that student to leave his seat? His clothes are really too shabby. " I was a weak student and had to obey the teacher’s orders. I can’t fight, I can only stand up silently and let the well-dresses students create a beautiful scenery.

我兴奋地盯着摄影师，盼望他很快把我拉进镜头里。但我失望了。摄影师似乎很讲究审美，他直起身指着我对老师说：“能让那位学生离开座位吗？他的衣服太破旧了。”我当时很弱小，只能听老师的安排。我不能反抗，只能默默站起身，让穿着体面的同学们构成美景。

At that moment I felt my face hot. But I was not angry, and neither did I pity myself, nor did I lament at my parents for not dressing me more properly. In fact, they did their best for me to get a good education. Looking at the adjusting the camera scene, I clenched my fists in my heart and swore to myself: One day, you will become the richest person in the world! What is the point of having a photographer take a picture of you! When the world’s most famous painter paints you a portrait would then be considered a pride of its own!

那一刻我脸上发烫。但我并不愤怒，也不自怜，更没有抱怨父母没把我打扮得更体面。事实上，他们已经尽力让我接受良好教育。看着摄影师调整相机的场景，我在心里攥紧拳头，暗自发誓：总有一天你会成为世界上最富的人！让摄影师给你拍照算什么！若是世界最著名的画家为你作画，那才算荣耀！

My son, my vow at that time has become a reality! In my eyes, the meaning of the word insult has changed. It is no longer a sharp blade that strips me off dignity, but a powerful driving force, like overwhelming mountains, urging me to move ahead and pursue all good things. If the photographer inspired a poor boy to become the richest man in the world, it does not seem like he went overboard.

儿子，我当年的誓言已经成为现实！在我眼里，“侮辱”这个词的含义已改变。它不再是剥去尊严的利刃，而是强大的驱动力，如同排山倒海，催促我前进并追求一切美好。如果摄影师激励了一个穷孩子成为世界首富，那他也不算太过分。

Everyone enjoys applause and praises. It is either affirming our achievements, or affirming our quality, ethics and morality; when we are attacked, insulted or suffered from another’s malice, I think the reason we are being insulted is because of our poor ability. This ability may be related to our character or the way we are doing things. In short, it does not constitute respect for others. So, I want to say that humiliation is not a bad thing. If you are a person who knows how to reflect calmly, you might think that humiliation is a measure of ability. That is what I did.

每个人都喜欢掌声与赞美，它要么肯定我们的成就，要么肯定我们的品质、伦理与道德；当我们被攻击、被侮辱或遭遇他人恶意时，我认为被侮辱的原因是能力不足。这种能力可能与品格或做事方式有关。总之，这并不是对他人的尊重。因此我要说，羞辱并非坏事。如果你能冷静反思，可能会把羞辱当作能力的衡量。这也是我所做的。

I know that any slight insult can hurt dignity. However, dignity is not given by God, nor is it given by others. It is your own creation. Dignity is a spiritual product that you enjoy yourself. Everyone’s dignity belongs to him. If you think you have dignity, you have dignity. So, if someone hurts your feelings and your dignity, you have to stay calm. If you do not cling to your dignity, no one can hurt you.

我知道任何轻微的侮辱都可能伤害尊严。然而尊严不是上帝给的，也不是别人给的，是你自己创造的。尊严是一种你自我享受的精神产物。每个人的尊严都属于自己。你认为自己有尊严，你就有尊严。所以若有人伤害你的感情与尊严，你要保持冷静。你不执着于尊严，谁也伤不到你。

My son, your relationship with yourself is the beginning of fill relationships. When you believe in yourself and are in harmony with yourself, you are your most faithful partner. Only in this way, will you stay indifferent.

儿子，你与自己的关系，是一切关系的起点。当你相信自己并与自己和谐相处时，你就是自己最忠实的伙伴。唯有如此，你才能保持超然。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 22

Using your strength to scare your opponents.

用你的力量震慑对手。

The more you think you can do it, the smarter you will get.

你越相信自己能做到，就会越聪明。

When it comes to money, never mention the amount first.

谈到钱时，绝不要先报出金额。

February 27,1901 Dear John:

1901年2月27日亲爱的约翰：

I met with the mediator Henry Frick tonight, and I told him: “Just as my son told Mr. Morgan, I am not in a hurry to sell the United Mining Company. But as you guessed, I will never prevent the establishment of any business that has value. However, I firmly oppose the actions of condescension buyers and set prices in attempts to prevent them from excluding us. I would rather fight to the end than to do such a business. " I asked Mr. Frick to tell Mr. Morgan, he is wrong.

今晚我见了调停人亨利·弗里克，我对他说：“正如我儿子对摩根先生说的，我并不急着卖掉联合矿业公司。但正如你所猜，我绝不会阻止任何有价值的企业成立。然而我坚决反对那些居高临下的买家用定价来排挤我们。我宁愿战斗到底，也不会做那样的生意。”我让弗里克先生转告摩根：他错了。

John, it seems that you have to continue dealing with Mr. Morgan, even though you hate him. So, I want to give you some suggestions to let the invincible guy know what the evil result of doing things his own.

约翰，看起来即便你讨厌摩根，也还得继续和他打交道。所以我想给你一些建议，让这个自以为无敌的人知道一意孤行会带来怎样的恶果。

Son, many people make the same mistake. They do not know what they are doing. In fact, no matter which industry you are engaged in, such as oil refinery, real estate, steel business, or being a president or employee, you are all engaged in one industry, that is, dealing with people. Negotiation is even more so, it is not the business that is at war with you, but the people!

儿子，很多人都会犯同样的错误：他们不知道自己在做什么。事实上，无论你从事哪个行业，诸如炼油、地产、钢铁，或做总裁、当员工，你都只在做一件事——与人打交道。谈判更是如此，与你作战的不是生意，而是人！

Therefore, a true understanding of yourself and your opponents are the prerequisites for ensuring that you win a big victory in a match. Y ou need to know that preparation is part of the psychology of the game, and you must know yourself and the enemy. If you want to have a substantial advantage, you must know: First, the overall environment: what is the market situation and what is the business situation. Second, your resources: what are your strengths and weaknesses, and what capital do you have. Third, the opponent’s resources: what are the opponent’s assets, and where are his strengths and weaknesses. In any competition, one of the important factors in planning a grand strategy is to understand the strengths of the opponent. Fourth, your goal and attitude: The motto of the god of sun, Apollo, is only a short sentence: “Y ou know yourself. " Y ou need to know what you are doing, what goals you have, and how determined you are to achieve them. Like a winner, I still doubt my own strengths and weaknesses in spirit and attitude. John, you have to remember my saying: The more you think you can do it, the brighter you will become, and a positive attitude will create success. Fifth, the opponent’s goals and attitudes: try to judge the opponent’s goals, and it is also important to try to penetrate the opponent’s heart and understand his thoughts and feelings.

因此，真正了解自己与对手，是确保你在较量中大获全胜的前提。你要知道，准备是博弈心理的一部分，必须知己知彼。若想拥有实质性优势，你必须了解：第一，整体环境：市场与行业形势如何。第二，你的资源：你的优势与弱点是什么，有哪些资本。第三，对手的资源：对手的资产如何，优势与弱点在哪里。在任何竞争中，制定大战略的重要因素之一就是了解对手的优势。第四，你的目标与态度：太阳神阿波罗的箴言只有一句——“认识你自己。”你要清楚自己在做什么，有哪些目标，以及为实现目标有多坚定。就像赢家一样，我在精神与态度上仍会审视自己的长短。约翰，记住我说过的话：你越相信自己能做到，就会越聪明，积极的态度会创造成功。第五，对手的目标与态度：尽量判断对手的目标，也要努力洞察他的内心，理解他的想法与感受。

There is no doubt that the last one — predicting and understanding your opponent — is the most difficult to put to use, but you have to strive to achieve it. Most of those great military generals have a habit. They always try their best to understand the opponent’s character and habits in order to judge the opponent’s possible moves and direction of action. In all competitive activities, it is always useful to be able to understand the opponent and the competitor, because then you can predict the opponent’s movements. Proactively and anticipatory measures are almost always more effective and more powerful than passive reactions. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.

毫无疑问，最后一项——预测并理解对手——最难运用，但你必须努力做到。许多伟大的将领都有一个习惯：竭力了解对手的性格与习惯，以判断对手可能的行动与方向。在所有竞争活动中，能够了解对手与竞争者总是有用的，因为这样你就能预测对方的动作。主动与预判的措施几乎总是比被动反应更有效、更有力。俗话说，预防胜于治疗。

In some cases, your competitors may be people you know well, then you have to take advantage of this. If you understand that he is a very cautious person, perhaps you better be careful yourself; if you feel that he is always impulsive, perhaps this is suggesting you to be bold, otherwise you may be driven to a corner by them.

有时你的竞争者可能是你很熟悉的人，那就要利用这一点。如果你知道他很谨慎，你也许就要更谨慎；如果你觉得他总是冲动，也许这正暗示你要大胆，否则就可能被他逼到墙角。

However, you do not have to be familiar with your opponents to understand them. As long as you can see the details, you can find many valuable things at the negotiating table. People who are good at negotiating should be able to observe everything. Y ou do not even have to wait until for your first step to get to know your opponent.

当然，要理解对手并不一定要与他们很熟。只要能看见细节，你就能在谈判桌上发现许多有价值的东西。擅长谈判的人应当能观察一切，你甚至不必等到第一步就能了解对手。

What we say may reveal or conceal our own thoughts, but our choices almost always reveal our inner secrets-thoughts, the first choice everyone makes is also the first revelation. In a negotiation, you must understand what you are saying. If you can really control everything, you should be able to control what you are saying and bring yourself benefits.

我们的话语可能暴露或隐藏自己的想法，但我们的选择几乎总会暴露内心的秘密——每个人做出的第一个选择也是第一次泄露。在谈判中，你必须清楚自己在说什么。若你真能掌控一切，就应能控制自己所说的话，并为自己带来利益。

Similarly, you must remain vigilant at all times in order to receive messages from your opponents. If so, you can continue to control a clear advantage. If you fail to do this, you may lose another opportunity. Y ou need to know that losing in a competitive negotiation means that your chances of winning the negotiation next time will be reduced.

同样，你要时刻保持警惕，才能接收对手传来的信息。这样你才能继续掌握明显优势。若做不到这一点，你可能会失去下一次机会。你要知道，在竞争性谈判中失利意味着你下次获胜的机会会减少。

The secret of trading is that you need to know what can and cannot be traded. Mr. Morgan sees us as debris in the corner to be swept out, but we must stay on the floor. This cannot be debated. At the same time, he must also give a good price. But you also need to know that when doing business, you must not think of making a clean profit, but to leave some for others to earn.

交易的秘诀在于知道什么能谈、什么不能谈。摩根把我们当成角落里的垃圾想扫走，但我们必须留在地板上，这是不容争辩的。同时，他也必须给出好价钱。但你也要知道，做生意不能只想着独占利润，必须给别人留一点赚头。

John, you know, we are willing to make this transaction because we think it is good for us. This is obvious. However, you should not be subjected to such a clear and narrow perspective.

约翰，你知道，我们愿意做这笔交易，是因为我们认为它对我们有利，这很明显。但你不该被这种明确而狭窄的视角所束缚。

Too many “smart people” think that the purpose of the brand is not to trade, but to pick up a bargain, hoping to buy things at the lowest price. This time, the price offered by Morgan is more than a million lower than the actual valuation. If he only wants to make this kind of transaction, it means that he will lose his chance to ascend the ladders of the US steel industry. The essence of the transaction is exchanging value, exchange what others want for what you want.

太多“聪明人”认为生意的目的不是交易，而是捡便宜，希望以最低价买到东西。这一次摩根给出的价格比真实估值低了一百多万。如果他只想做这样的交易，就意味着他将失去登上美国钢铁业阶梯的机会。交易的本质是价值交换——用别人想要的换取你想要的。

The best way to achieve a good deal is to emphasize its value. And many people make the mistake of emphasizing price instead of value. What they often say: “This is really cheap, and you can never find such a low price. " Y es, no one wants to pay a high price, but beyond the lowest price, people want the highest value.

达成好交易的最佳方式，是强调价值。许多人犯的错误是强调价格而非价值。他们常说：“这太便宜了，你再也找不到这么低的价。”是的，没有人愿意付高价，但在最低价格之外，人们想要的是最高价值。

John, in your negotiations with Mr. Morgan, when it comes to money, you must never mention the amount first, but provide him with-precious value and emphasize what he can buy from you.

约翰，在你与摩根的谈判中，谈到钱时绝不要先报出金额，而要先给他有价值的东西，强调他能从你这里买到什么。

I believe that people can change the world through hard work and reach a new and better state. I wish you all the best!

我相信人能通过努力改变世界，抵达一个更新更好的境界。祝你一切顺利！

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 23

There must be a spirit of cooperation.

必须有合作精神。

Treat others the way you wish to be treated.

以你希望他人待你的方式对待他人。

May 16,1901 Dear John:

1901年5月16日亲爱的约翰：

Y ou and Mr. Morgan finally shook hands. This is the greatest handshake in American economic history. I believe the future generations will remember this great moment generously, because, as the Wall Street Journal said, it holds the meaning of “a super battleship built by Wall Street tycoons and oil tycoons has set sail. It will be unstoppable and will never sink. "

你和摩根先生终于握手了。这是美国经济史上最伟大的握手。我相信后世会慷慨地记住这个伟大时刻，因为正如《华尔街日报》所说，它意味着“由华尔街巨头和石油巨头打造的超级战舰已经启航，势不可挡，永不沉没。”

John, do you know what this is called? This is the power of cooperation.

约翰，你知道这叫什么吗？这就是合作的力量。

Cooperation, in the eyes of those with arrogance, it may be a weak or shameful thing, but in my opinion, cooperation is always a smart choice provided that it is beneficial to me. Now, I would like you to know of a fact:

在傲慢的人眼里，合作也许是软弱或可耻的事，但在我看来，只要对我有利，合作永远是聪明的选择。现在我想让你知道一个事实：

If it is not God who gave me what I have accomplished today, I would like to attribute it to the support from three powers: The first power comes from following the rules, which allows the enterprise to operate continuously; the second force comes from cruel and ruthless competition, it makes every competition more perfect; the third force comes from cooperation, which allows me to obtain benefits and profit from cooperation.

如果说我今天的成就不是上帝赐予的，我愿意把它归因于三种力量的支持：第一种来自遵守规则，使企业能持续运作；第二种来自残酷而无情的竞争，使每一次竞争更完善；第三种来自合作，使我从合作中获得利益与利润。

And the reason why I can run ahead of the competition is that I am good at taking shortcuts—cooperating with others. At every stop of my journey to create wealth, you can see the signs of cooperation. Because from the day I set foot in society, I knew that at anytime, anywhere, as long as there is competition, no one can fight alone, unless he wants to kill himself, a smart person will form a cooperative relationship with others, including competitors, under the guise of others to survive or become stronger.

我之所以能跑在竞争前面，是因为我善于走捷径——与别人合作。在我创造财富的每一站，你都能看到合作的痕迹。因为从踏入社会的那一天起，我就知道，无论何时何地，只要有竞争，没人能单打独斗，除非他想自取灭亡。聪明的人会在借助他人的名义下，与他人（包括竞争者）建立合作关系，以求生存或变得更强。

Of course, I can make a hypothesis that is likely to come true. If we do not collaborate with Mr. Morgan, both parties are likely to fight to the end with both sides losing, while our opponent, Mr. Carnegie, will profit from and continue the trend of dominating the steel industry. But now, Mr. Carnegie must be beating himself up. Think about it, who can be calm when his opponent cannibalizes his territory? Unless he is a dead man lying in the grave.

当然，我可以提出一个很可能成真的假设：如果我们不与摩根合作，双方很可能战斗到底、两败俱伤，而我们的对手卡内基先生则会坐收渔利并继续主宰钢铁业的趋势。但现在卡内基先生一定在懊恼。想想看，当对手蚕食你的领地时，谁还能保持冷静？除非他已是躺在坟墓里的死人。

Cooperation can suppress or eliminate the opponent and achieve the goal of making oneself stride towards their goal. In other words, cooperation is not necessarily the pursuit of victory. Unfortunately, only a few people understand the marvel within it.

合作可以压制或消灭对手，并实现让自己迈向目标的目的。换言之，合作不一定是为了胜利。不幸的是，只有少数人理解其中的奥妙。

However, cooperation is not the same as friendship, love, and marriage. The purpose of cooperation is not to gain emotions, but to gain benefits and an advantage. We should know that success depends on the support and cooperation of others. There is a gap between our ideals and ourselves, and we must bridge this gap. In order to fill this gap, we must rely on the support and cooperation of others.

然而，合作不同于友谊、爱情和婚姻。合作的目的不是获得情感，而是获得利益与优势。我们应当知道，成功依赖他人的支持与合作。理想与现实之间存在差距，我们必须搭桥跨越。要填平这条鸿沟，我们必须依靠他人的支持与合作。

Of course, I will never refuse to establish friendship with business partners. I believe that friendship built on business is far better than business built on friendship. For example, my collaboration with Mr. Henry Flagler. Henry is my eternal confidant and best assistant; By forming an alliance with him, he not only provided me with investment, but also wisdom and spiritual support. Like me, Henry was never complacent and ambitious. It was his dream to become the master of the oil industry. Until now, I still remember the scene when we first started cooperating. At that time, except for eating and sleeping, we were almost inseparable. We would pretty much do everything together, thinking together, going and leaving work together, making plans together, motivating each other, and sharing the same determination. During that time, just like spending a honeymoon, it will always be a happy memory for me.

当然，我从不拒绝与商业伙伴建立友谊。我相信建立在生意上的友谊，远胜于建立在友谊上的生意。比如我与亨利·弗拉格勒先生的合作。亨利是我永远的知己和最佳助手；与他结盟，不仅为我带来投资，也带来智慧与精神支持。和我一样，亨利从不自满，胸怀抱负。他的梦想是成为石油业的主人。直到现在，我仍记得我们初次合作的情景。当时除了吃饭睡觉，我们几乎形影不离。几乎什么都一起做：一起思考、一起上下班、一起制定计划、彼此鼓励、共享同样的决心。那段时间就像度蜜月，永远是我快乐的回忆。

Now, decades later, we are still as close as brothers, and I will not sell this emotion for much money. Therefore, I insist that you call him Uncle Henry instead of Mr. Henry.

如今几十年过去了，我们仍亲如兄弟，我不会用金钱出卖这份情谊。因此，我坚持你叫他亨利叔叔，而不是亨利先生。

I never try to buy and sell friendship because friendship cannot be bought with money. Behind every friendship requires genuine support. The reason why Henry and I have cooperation and eternal friendship is not only because we are conspirators in pursuit of interests, but more important, we are all self- disciplined people, and we all know the value of “treating others the way you want to be treated, starts from now” .

我从不试图买卖友谊，因为友谊无法用金钱购买。每一份友谊背后都需要真诚支持。亨利与我之所以有合作与永恒的友谊，不仅因为我们是追求利益的伙伴，更重要的是我们都是自律的人，并都懂得“从现在起，以你希望被对待的方式对待别人”的价值。

“Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. " is not only my code of conduct, but also my wise attitude towards cooperation. Therefore, I never bully weak opponents with money. I prefer to talk to them, and I am unwilling to take a domineering posture to suppress them. Otherwise, I may ruin our cooperation and stop the goal in the middle.

“己所不欲，勿施于人。”不仅是我的行为准则，也是我对合作的明智态度。因此，我从不以金钱欺压弱者。我更愿意与他们沟通，也不愿摆出霸道姿态去压制他们。否则，我可能破坏合作，使目标半途而废。

Of course, when I meet an arrogant and rude person, I cannot forget to humiliate him. For example, I once taught Mr. V anderbilt, the owner of the New Y ork Central Railroad a lesson.

当然，当我遇到傲慢无礼的人时，我也不会忘记给他一点羞辱。比如，我曾教训过纽约中央铁路的老板范德比尔特先生。

V anderbilt was born a nobleman, made military exploits in the Civil War, and enjoyed the title of General. However, he regarded the honors he received on the battlefield as an indispensable capital in his life, and he thought that he held the power of transportation, so he could treat us as part-timers.

范德比尔特出身贵族，在内战中立下军功，享有将军头衔。然而他把战场上的荣誉视为人生不可或缺的资本，自认为掌握运输大权，便可以把我们当作跑腿。

Once, Henry went up him to talk about transportation, but who knew that this arrogant guy said: “Y oung man, you want to talk to me? Y our rank seems lower!” Henry has never been insulted like this, but at that moment, his good upbringing helped him. Fie did not lose his mind, but when he returned to the office, his beautiful pen holder suffered, and fell to pieces.

有一次亨利去找他谈运输，没想到那傲慢的家伙说：“年轻人，你想跟我谈？你的级别似乎不够！”亨利从未受过这种侮辱，但他良好的教养让他当时没有失态；可回到办公室，他漂亮的笔筒却遭了殃，摔得粉碎。

I quickly comforted him: “Henry, forget what the dog piss said, I will definitely return you your dignity. " Later, V anderbilt was anxious to do business with us and asked us to negotiate with him. I sent someone to tell him: Y es, but you have to come to our office to talk. " As a result, this general who was accustomed to others’ flattering and pleasing him could only condescend to meet a young man who was more than forty years younger than him, and at the same time succumb to the conditions put forward by the two young men. I think, at that moment, General V anderbilt must have understood this truth: Be nice to others when you climb up, because you will meet them when you go downhill.

我很快安慰他：“亨利，忘了那狗屁话，我一定还你尊严。”后来范德比尔特急着和我们做生意，要求与我们谈判。我派人告诉他：“可以，但你得来我们办公室谈。”结果，这位习惯别人奉承讨好的将军，只能屈尊去见一个比他小四十多岁的年轻人，并同时接受两个年轻人提出的条件。我想，那一刻范德比尔特将军一定明白了这个道理：上坡时要善待别人，因为下坡时你还会遇见他们。

I hate treating people with a rude attitude, and I know that being patient and gentle to subordinates and colleagues are helpful in achieving goals. I know that you can buy talents with money, but it will not buy people’s hearts, but when you show respect when you pay, they will serve you faithfully. This is where I can build an efficient management team.

我讨厌以粗暴态度对待人，也知道对下属与同事保持耐心与温和有助于实现目标。我知道你可以用钱买到人才，但买不到人心；当你在付钱时表现出尊重，他们才会忠诚地为你服务。这正是我能建立高效管理团队的原因。

But I do not want to make wrong judgments because of this, thinking that cooperation will make me a good person. No.

但我不想因此作出错误判断，以为合作就能让我成为好人。不。

Cooperation is not a question of being a good person, but a question of benefits and interests. No alliance is permanent, and cooperation is just a profitable tactic. When the environment changes, the tactics will change accordingly, otherwise, you will lose. The reality is harsh, you have to be tougher, but obviously you also have to be a good person.

合作不是做人好坏的问题，而是利益与好处的问题。没有永恒的联盟，合作只是有利可图的策略。环境变化，策略也要随之改变，否则你就会失败。现实很残酷，你必须更强硬，但显然你也要做个好人。

John, the essence of life is struggle and competition. They are exciting. However, when they develop into conflicts, they are often devastating and destructive, and timely cooperation can resolve them.

约翰，生活的本质是奋斗与竞争，它们令人兴奋。但当它们演变为冲突时，往往具有毁灭性与破坏性，而及时的合作可以化解它们。

Love, Y our Father

爱你的父亲

Letter 24

The size of our thoughts determines the size of our achievements.

思想的大小决定成就的大小。

Attitude is our best friend and also our worst enemy.

态度既是我们最好的朋友，也是我们最坏的敌人。

July 19,1897 Dear John:

1897年7月19日亲爱的约翰：

It is wonderful to be immersed in warm and sincere love. Today, students from the University of Chicago allowed me to experience this wonderful feeling. For the time being, I consider it as a reward for my creation of this institution, but it did make me overjoyed.

沉浸在温暖而真挚的爱中，是一种美妙的感觉。今天，芝加哥大学的学生让我体验了这种感觉。暂且把它视为我创办这所大学的回报，但它确实让我欣喜若狂。

Sincerely speaking, before I decided to invest in the establishment of this university, I never expected to be treated like a saint. My original intention was just to do something to pass on our best culture to the younger generation, to create a better future for our youth, and our younger generation. It now appears that my goal has been achieved. This is the wisest investment I have made in my life.

坦率地说，在决定投资创办这所大学之前，我从未期望被当作圣人。我的初衷只是做点事，把我们最好的文化传给下一代，为我们的青年、以及年轻的一代创造更好的未来。如今看来目标已实现。这是我一生中最明智的投资。

The young people at the University of Chicago are very cute. They have a beautiful vision for the future, and they all have the motivation to achieve something. A few of them with childish faces came up to me and said that I am their role model, and sincerely hoped that I can give them some advice. I accepted their request, and advised the future Rockefellers:

芝加哥大学的年轻人非常可爱。他们对未来有美好的愿景，也都有成就一番事业的动力。有几个面带稚气的学生走过来，说我是他们的榜样，真诚希望我能给一些建议。我答应了他们，并向未来的“洛克菲勒们”提出建议：

Success is not measured by a person’s height, weight, education, or family background, but by the size of his thoughts. The size of our thoughts determines the size of our achievements. The most important of all is that we must value ourselves, overcome the greatest weakness of mankind - self-deprecation, and never sell ourselves cheaply. Y ou are greater than you think, so you should expand your thinking to the extent to your fullest potential, and never underestimate yourself.

成功不是由身高、体重、教育或家庭背景来衡量，而是由思想的大小来衡量。思想的大小决定成就的大小。最重要的是，我们必须重视自己，克服人类最大的弱点——自我贬低，绝不要廉价出售自己。你比你想象的更伟大，因此应将思维扩展到最大潜能，绝不低估自己。

At this time, applauses suddenly sounded. I was obviously completely captured by it. I was so overwhelmed that I could not control my tongue. I continued:

这时，掌声突然响起。我显然被它完全俘获，激动得无法控制舌头，继续说道：

For thousands of years, many philosophers have advised us: Know yourself. However, most people interpret it as just knowing the negative side of themselves. Most self-assessments include too many shortcomings, mistakes, and incompetence. It is good to recognize your own shortcomings and you can use this to seek improvement. However, if we only recognize the negative side of ourselves, we will fall into chaos and make ourselves worthless.

几千年来，许多哲学家都告诫我们：认识你自己。然而，大多数人把它理解为只认识自己的负面。多数自我评估充斥着过多的缺点、错误与无能。承认自己的不足并据此改进当然是好的，但如果只看到负面，我们就会陷入混乱，把自己变得一无是处。

For those who long for others to respect them, the reality is cruel, because others will think of him the same way he thinks of himself. We will all be treated like “what we think we are” . Those who think that they are a bit worse than others, no matter what their actual ability is, will definitely be a bit worse than others, because the mind itself can regulate and control various actions.

对渴望他人尊重的人来说，现实是残酷的，因为别人会以你看待自己的方式来看待你。我们都会被当作“我们认为自己是什么”。那些认为自己比别人差一点的人，无论实际能力如何，都会变得差一点，因为心智能调控并支配各种行动。

If a person feels that he is inferior to others, he will show “true” actions that are inferior to others; and this feeling cannot be hidden or concealed. Those who think they are “not very important” will eventually become “not very important” people.

如果一个人觉得自己不如别人，他就会表现出“真正”不如别人的行为；这种感觉无法隐藏或伪装。那些认为自己“并不重要”的人，最终会变成“并不重要”的人。

On the other hand, those who believe that they have the “capability of taking heavy responsibilities” will really become a “very important” person. Therefore, if you want to be an important person, you must first make yourself believe that “I am really important” , and you have to truly feel that way before others will follow.

反之，那些相信自己有“承担重任的能力”的人，最终会成为“非常重要”的人。因此，若你想成为重要的人，必须先让自己相信“我真的很重要”，并且要真正这样感觉，别人才能跟随。

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 about 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.

没有人能逃脱这个推理原则：你怎么想决定你怎么做，你怎么做决定别人怎么想你。正如你的成功计划一样，获得他人尊重其实很简单。要被他人尊重，你必须先觉得自己确实值得尊重，你越尊重自己，别人越尊重你。

Please think about it: Do you respect those who wander in the dilapidated streets? Of course not. Why? Because those rascals do not value themselves at all, they will only let their inferiority corrode their souls and eventually give up on themselves.

想一想：你会尊重那些在破败街道上游荡的人吗？当然不会。为什么？因为那些人根本不珍惜自己，只会让自卑侵蚀灵魂，最终放弃自己。

A person’s self-esteem is the core of his personality. What land of person you think you are, will make you become that person.

一个人的自尊是其人格的核心。你认为自己是哪种人，就会成为什么样的人。

Everyone, no matter where he lives, whether he is unknown or prominent, civilized or barbaric, young or old, has a strong desire to become an important person. Please think carefully about everyone around you — your neighbors, yourself, your teachers, your classmates, your friends, who does not have a strong desire to hold a lot of power? All of them do, and the desire is the strongest and most urgent goal that is being pursued by mankind.

每个人，无论住在哪里，无论默默无闻或显赫，文明或野蛮，年少或年长，都有强烈的愿望成为重要的人。请仔细想想你身边的每一个人——你的邻居、你自己、你的老师、同学、朋友，谁不渴望拥有强大的力量？人人都有，这种愿望是人类追求的最强烈、最迫切的目标。

However, why do people often turn this achievable goal into an unachievable dream? In my opinion, it is due to attitude. Attitude is the materialization of each of our thoughts and spiritual factors, and it determines our choices and actions. In this sense, attitude is our best friend and also our worst enemy.

然而，为什么人们常把可实现的目标变成无法实现的梦想？在我看来，这是态度使然。态度是我们思想与精神因素的物化，决定我们的选择与行动。从这个意义上说，态度既是我们最好的朋友，也是我们最坏的敌人。

I admit that we cannot control the direction of the wind, but we can adjust the sail — in other words, choosing our attitude. Once you choose to value your own attitude, those cowardly thoughts that degrade yourself, demoralize your will, corrodes your confidence and encourages you to give up on yourself such as “I am a useless person, I am a nobody, I have no say, I am worthless” , and so on, will disappear and be replaced by the resurrection of the mind, proactive changes in thoughts and actions, increase of confidence, and usage of the “I can! And I will!” mentality to face everything.

我承认我们无法控制风向，但可以调整风帆——也就是选择我们的态度。一旦你选择重视自己的态度，那些贬低自己、打击意志、侵蚀信心并怂恿你放弃的怯懦念头，比如“我没用、我一无是处、我没有话语权、我毫无价值”等，就会消失，取而代之的是心灵的复苏、思想与行动的积极变化、信心的增强，以及“我能做到！我一定能做到！”的心态去面对一切。

Boys! If any of you ever lied to yourself, please stop here, because those who do not think that they are important are ordinary people who give up on themselves. Do not demean yourself at any time, you must first choose your own assets — or advantages. Ask yourself: “What are my strengths?” When analyzing your strengths, you cannot be too land.

孩子们！如果你们曾对自己说谎，请立刻停下，因为那些觉得自己不重要的人，不过是放弃自我的普通人。任何时候都不要贬低自己，你必须先选择自己的资产——也就是优势。问问自己：“我的长处是什么？”在分析自己的长处时，不要过于低估自己。

Y ou have to focus on your strengths and tell yourself that you are better than you think. Y ou must have a foresight and see the future potential for development, instead of just looking at the current situation, and having lofty expectations of yourself. Always remember this question: “Will important people do this?” This will gradually make you more successful.

你要专注于自己的长处，并告诉自己你比想象中更好。你必须有前瞻性，看见未来的发展潜力，而不是只盯着眼前的现状，并对自己抱有更高期望。永远记住这个问题：“重要的人会这么做吗？”这会让你逐渐更成功。

Children, the road to success is paved with gold, but this road is just a one-way street. At this moment, we need an optimistic attitude. Optimism is often called hope by philosophers. Let me first tell you that this is a misunderstanding of optimism! The so-called optimism is a land of belief, that is, believing that life is ultimately more joyful and less miserable, and that even if things that are not as good as we wish, good things will eventually prevail.

孩子们，通往成功的道路铺满黄金，但这条路是单行道。此刻我们需要一种乐观的态度。哲学家常把乐观称为希望，但这是一种误解！所谓乐观是一种信念，即相信人生终究快乐多于痛苦，即使事情不如我们所愿，美好的事物最终会占上风。

John, do you know? In my impromptu speech in just ten minutes, I actually received eight rounds of applauses. It is a pity that too much applause interfered with my chain of thoughts. I have an important point that was driven away by the applause, that is, improving your thinking ability will help you improve the standards of various actions and makes them more effective. But I am still very happy, that my tongue actually carries such a big charm.

约翰，你知道吗？我这段即兴演讲仅十分钟，却收到了八次掌声。可惜掌声太多干扰了我的思路，我有一个重要观点被掌声冲走了，那就是：提升思维能力会帮助你提高各种行动的标准，使之更有效。不过我仍很高兴，我的舌头竟有如此大的魅力。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 25

Have every penny brings you benefits.

让每一分钱都带来收益。

Make every penny’s worth.

让每一分钱物有所值。

Do not take the first step without thinking about the last step.

不想好最后一步，绝不迈出第一步。

June 21,1914 Dear John:

1914年6月21日亲爱的约翰：

Mr. Charles left us forever, which makes me sad. As a faithful citizen of God, Mr. Charles has always been a very kind and rich man. He is willing to do good, and constantly uses the money he earns to help those compatriots suffering in poverty. I believe that God will welcome him with a smile in heaven because of his benevolence and selflessness.

查尔斯先生永远离开我们了，这让我悲伤。作为上帝的忠诚信徒，查尔斯先生一直是一位非常善良而富有的人。他乐于行善，持续用自己赚来的钱帮助那些在贫困中受苦的同胞。我相信上帝会在天堂以微笑迎接他，因为他的仁慈与无私。

Being with a sincere soul is a blessing from heaven. It is a lifetime honor to have a partner like Mr. Charles. Of course, Mr. Charles’s cautious character often leads to constant friction between us but it does not take away my respect for him at the very least. To lose respect for noble people is to deprive yourself of dignity.

与真诚的灵魂同行是上天的恩赐。有查尔斯先生这样的伙伴，是一生的荣幸。当然，他谨慎的性格常使我们产生摩擦，但这丝毫不会减少我对他的尊重。失去对高尚之人的尊重，就是剥夺自己的尊严。

Back then, the top management of the company had the habit of having lunch together. Every time I had a meal, even though I was the first person in the company, I would leave him a seat that symbolized the core of the company to show my respect for his integrity. Y es, this is not enough, noble morality should be praised. On the whole, although dais is only a very small detail, it may affect the entire company and affect the company’s performance.

那时，公司高层有一起午餐的习惯。每次用餐时，尽管我是公司的第一把手，我仍会为他留出象征公司核心的位置，以表达对他正直品格的尊重。是的，这还不够，高尚的品德应当被赞扬。总体而言，尽管座位只是一个很小的细节，却可能影响整个公司，左右公司的表现。

In fact, Standard Oil’s partners are all honest people. We all know how valuable and important cooperation is to respect, trust, and unite. We strive to make it a reality. Therefore, even if there is a disagreement, we will only speak up and talk about the matter, not scheme against one another, or make false claims. I believe that in such a pure atmosphere, even if someone has improper thoughts, he will leave them at home.

事实上，标准石油的合伙人都是诚实的人。我们都知道合作、尊重、信任与团结的价值与重要性，我们努力将其付诸现实。因此，即便有分歧，我们也只会就事论事地表达，不会相互算计或造谣。我相信在这样纯粹的氛围里，即使有人有不当想法，也会把它留在家里。

But this is just one of the reasons why Standard Oil is so powerful that it awes its opponents, while sincere corporation is regarded as the most important factor in our lives. In this regard, Mr. Charles exemplified his practice.

但这只是标准石油强大到令对手敬畏的原因之一，而真诚的合作被视为我们生活中最重要的因素。在这一点上，查尔斯先生堪称实践典范。

As the leader of the company, I sincerely advocated this during a board meeting: “We are a family, we share the honor and disgrace, and our strong palms hold up our common cause. Therefore, I suggest to everyone, please do not say what I should do, but say what we should do. Don’t forget, we are partners, and whatever we do is for the benefit of all of us. "

作为公司负责人，我在一次董事会上真诚倡议：“我们是一个家庭，荣辱与共，我们强有力的手掌共同托起事业。因此，我建议大家，不要说我该做什么，而要说我们该做什么。别忘了，我们是伙伴，我们做的一切都为了大家的共同利益。”

My speech infected Mr. Charles, and he was the first to respond to me: “Gentleman, I understand, what John meant was that “we” are more important than “me” , we are a family! That is right! It should be “we”!

我的讲话感染了查尔斯先生，他第一个回应我：“诸位先生，我明白，约翰的意思是‘我们’比‘我’更重要，我们是一个家庭！没错！应该是‘我们’！”

At that moment, I saw our great future because we began to be loyal to “us” . Do not forget that everyone is selfish, everyone is loyal to themselves by nature, and “I” is the religion in everyone’s heart. When “we” replaces “me” , the power it gives off will be incalculable. The reason why I can achieve great success is because I manage everyone first, every single one of them.

那一刻，我看见了我们伟大的未来，因为我们开始忠于“我们”。别忘了，每个人都有自私的一面，天性都忠于自己，“我”是每个人心中的宗教。当“我们”取代“我”时，释放出的力量将不可估量。我之所以能取得巨大成功，是因为我首先管理好每一个人，毫无例外。

Mr. Charles and I share a common belief, and we are both devout Christians. I like Mr. Charles’s favorite motto: “Treasure time and money. " I always thought it was a motto that embodies great wisdom. I believe that most people will like it, but it is difficult to turn it into their own thoughts, beliefs, and values, and integrate it into their own blood.

查尔斯先生与我有共同信仰，我们都是虔诚的基督徒。我喜欢他最爱的座右铭：“珍惜时间与金钱。”我一直认为这是体现伟大智慧的格言。我相信多数人都会喜欢它，但要把它变成自己的思想、信念与价值，并融入血液，却并不容易。

Y es, no matter how much a person accumulates wise words and proverbs, and no matter how high his insights are, if he cannot use every right opportunity to act, his character will not be well influenced in the end. If you lose your good intentions, you will get nothing.

是的，无论一个人积累了多少警句和格言，无论见识多高，如果不能抓住每一个合适的机会去行动，他的品格终究不会被良好塑造。若你丢失了善意，就将一无所获。

Almost everyone knows that whether you can build a happy life and achieve success is related to how you use your time. However, for many people, time is their enemy. They kill it and obliterate it; but if anyone steals their time, they will be furious, because time is money after all, and the most important time is life. Unfortunately, they just do not know how to use their time.

几乎所有人都知道，能否建立幸福生活并取得成功，与如何使用时间有关。然而，对许多人来说，时间是敌人。他们挥霍并消磨它；可若有人偷走他们的时间，他们却会暴怒，因为时间毕竟就是金钱，而最重要的时间就是生命。可惜他们并不知道如何使用时间。

In fact, this is not as difficult as Mr. Columbus discovering America. The important thing is that we plan every day, even every moment, know what to think about and how to act. Planning is the basis for us to live in accordance with the daily situation, and it can show us what is feasible. To make a perfect plan, you must first confirm what you want; in addition, every plan must have measures and you have to monitor the results. A plan that can discuss actions and produce results is a valuable plan. Of course, creativity, spontaneity and belief can turn the impossible into possible and break through the limits of a plan, so do not be strictly confined within the plan.

事实上，这并不像哥伦布发现美洲那么困难。重要的是我们要规划每一天，甚至每一刻，知道该想什么、该如何行动。计划是我们根据日常状况生活的基础，它能告诉我们什么是可行的。要做出完美计划，首先要确认你想要什么；此外，每个计划都必须有措施，并且要监测结果。能讨论行动并产生结果的计划才有价值。当然，创造力、自发性与信念能把不可能变成可能，并突破计划的限制，因此不要被计划严格束缚。

Every moment is the key, and every decision affects the course of life, so we must have a determined strategy. Resolution should not be made too hastily when encountering important problems, if you do not think about the last step, never take the first step. Believe that there is always time to think about the problem and act, and you need to have patience to allow maturity of the plan. But once a decision is made, it must be implemented faithfully like a fighter.

每一刻都是关键，每一个决定都会影响人生轨迹，因此我们必须有坚定的策略。遇到重要问题时，决断不应过于仓促；若不先想到最后一步，就绝不要迈出第一步。相信总有时间去思考并行动，你需要耐心，让计划成熟。但一旦决定作出，就必须像战士一样忠实执行。

Making money will not make you bankrupt; it is Mr. Charles’s bible for getting rich. At a luncheon, Mr. Charles publicized his philosophy of making money. That day, he inspired each of us with passion like a motivational speaker would. He told us all.: There are two kinds of people in the world that will never be rich: First, people who like to live a glamorous life, like flies staring at a stinky meat. They are very interested in luxury goods. They spend so much that they do their best to have exquisite costumes, expensive cars, luxurious houses, and highly sought-after art. This kind of life is indeed fascinating, but it lacks rationality, and they lack such vigilance: They are looking for ways to increase debt, and they will become poor slaves to cars and houses, and once they go bankrupt, they are finished!

“赚钱不会让你破产”，这是查尔斯先生致富的圣经。在一次午餐会上，他阐述了自己的赚钱哲学。那天他像励志演讲者一样点燃了我们每个人的热情。他告诉我们：世上有两类人永远不会富有。第一类人喜欢过光鲜亮丽的生活，像苍蝇盯着臭肉。他们对奢侈品极感兴趣，花钱无度，只为拥有精致服饰、昂贵汽车、豪华住宅和炙手可热的艺术品。这种生活确实迷人，但缺乏理性，也缺乏警惕：他们在寻找增加债务的方法，最终会成为车子和房子的穷奴隶，一旦破产就彻底完了。

The second type of people, are those who like to save money, and store it in the bank, but it is no different from freezing money. Y ou must know that you cannot make money on interest.

第二类人喜欢存钱，把钱放在银行里，和把钱冻结起来没什么两样。你必须知道，单靠利息赚不了大钱。

However, there is a kind of people who will become rich. For example, everyone here. We do not look for ways to spend money but look for ways to cultivate and manage various investments, because we know that wealth can be used to produce more money. We will use the money to invest and create more wealth. But we also need to know that every penny can bring benefits! This is just like John’s usual business principle - make every penny’s worth!

然而，有一种人会成为富人。比如在座的每一个人。我们不寻找花钱的方法，而是寻找培育并管理各种投资的方法，因为我们知道财富可以用来生产更多的钱。我们会用钱去投资、创造更多财富。但我们也要知道，每一分钱都能带来收益！这正如约翰一贯的商业原则——让每一分钱物有所值！

Mr. Charles’ speech drew enthusiastic applause. I was ignited by him, and I was applauding so hard, that I still felt two palms aching after the meal.

查尔斯先生的讲话赢得了热烈掌声。我被他点燃，鼓掌得太用力，以至于饭后双掌仍隐隐作痛。

Now, I can no longer hear that kind of applause, and there is no chance for that kind of applause. But “treasure time and money” has always accompanied me. I have no reason to waste my life. Wasting my life is tantamount to ruining myself. There is no greater tragedy in the world than ruining myself. I do not regard ease and pleasure as the purpose of life, because I call them the ideal of a pigsty.

如今，我再也听不到那样的掌声，也不再有那样的机会。但“珍惜时间与金钱”一直伴随我。我没有理由浪费生命。浪费生命等同于毁掉自己。世上没有比毁掉自己更大的悲剧。我不把安逸与享乐当作人生目的，因为我把它们称为猪圈的理想。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 26

Patience is the strategy.

耐心是一种策略。

Impulse is always our worst enemy.

冲动永远是我们最坏的敌人。

Only when you can endure what people cannot, can you then do what people cannot do.

只有能忍人所不能忍，才能做人所不能做。

September 2,1902 Dear John:

1902年9月2日亲爱的约翰：

I appreciate your trust in me by informing me about your withdrawal from the board of directors of Citibank. Of course, I understand why you did this. Y ou can no longer tolerate certain practices of your colleagues, let alone succumb to them.

你把退出花旗银行董事会的事告诉我，这是对我的信任，我很感激。当然，我理解你这样做的原因。你已无法容忍同事的某些做法，更不可能屈从于他们。

However, whether your decision is wise or not has yet to be confirmed. The reason is simple. If you did not take the initiative to give up the position as the director of Citibank, but chose to stay there instead, you might have achieved more.

然而，你的决定是否明智尚未确定。原因很简单：如果你没有主动放弃花旗银行董事职位，而是选择留下，你可能会取得更多成就。

I know that being submissive is the enemy of thought and the jailer of freedom. However, for an ambitious person, maintaining the necessary obedience and patience is precisely a successful strategy that has been tried and tested. Looking back in the past, I have endured a lot, and I have gained a lot because of patience.

我知道顺从是思想的敌人、自由的看守。然而对有雄心的人来说，保持必要的服从与耐心，恰恰是一条久经检验的成功策略。回望过去，我忍受了很多，也因耐心收获了很多。

At the beginning of my business, due to the lack of funds, my partner, Mr. Clark, invited his former colleague, Mr. Gardner, to join in. I agreed to this, because with the addition of this rich man, it means that we can do what we want to do, as long as we have enough funds to do it.

创业之初，由于资金不足，我的合伙人克拉克先生邀请他的前同事加德纳先生加入。我同意了，因为多了这位富人，就意味着只要有足够资金，我们就能做我们想做的事。

However, to my surprise, with Clark’s invitation of an investor, it brought me humiliation at the same time. They wanted to change the name of Clark- Rockefeller Company to Clark-Gardner Company. The reason for the change of company name was: Gardner was from a well-known family; his surname can attract more customers.

然而出乎意料的是，克拉克邀请投资者的同时也给我带来羞辱。他们想把“克拉克-洛克菲勒公司”改名为“克拉克-加德纳公司”。理由是：加德纳出身名门，他的姓氏能吸引更多客户。

This was a reason that stabbed my dignity greatly! I was angry! I was also a partner, and Gardner only brought out his share of funds. Did this meant that being a nobleman gave him the rights to deprive me of my deserved status?! However, I tolerated it, and I told myself: Y ou have to control yourself, you have to keep your mind calm, this is just the beginning, there is still a long way to go!

这理由深深刺痛了我的尊严！我很愤怒！我也是合伙人，加德纳只出资了他该出的那一份。难道贵族身份就能剥夺我应得的地位吗？！但我忍了，并告诫自己：你必须控制自己，保持冷静，这只是开始，路还很长。

I pretended to be calm and told Clark, “It’s nothing. " In fact, this is a lie. Think about it, how can a person who suffer from injustice and a hurt self-esteem be so tolerant! However, I used rationality to extinguish the burning anger in my heart, because I knew it would bring me benefits.

我装作平静对克拉克说：“没什么。”其实这是谎话。想想看，一个遭受不公、尊严受损的人怎么可能如此宽容！但我用理性扑灭了心中的怒火，因为我知道这样会给我带来好处。

Patience is not blind tolerance. Y ou need to calmly consider the situation and know whether your decision will deviate from or harm your goals. It is not only disgraceful if I were to be angry with Clark, but more importantly, it will create rifts in our cooperation, and make me start all over again. Instead, unity can form a joint force, allowing our career to grow bigger, and at the same time, it will also allow my personal strength and interests to grow.

耐心并非盲目忍让。你需要冷静考虑局势，判断你的决定是否会偏离或伤害目标。如果我对克拉克发怒，不仅是失态，更重要的是会造成合作裂痕，让我重新开始。相反，团结能形成合力，使事业做大，同时也让我的个人实力与利益增长。

I know where I am going. After this, I continued to work tirelessly and enthusiastically as always. In the third year, I finally managed to exclude the extravagant Mr. Gardner out of the company, and the Clark-Rockefeller brand was re-established! At that time people began to respect me as Mr. Rockefeller, and I became a rich man.

我知道自己要去哪里。此后我一如既往地勤奋努力。第三年，我终于把奢华的加德纳先生排除在公司之外，“克拉克-洛克菲勒”的招牌重新确立！从那时起，人们开始尊敬我为“洛克菲勒先生”，我也成为了富人。

In my eyes, patience does not mean swallowing anger, neither is it humbling. Patience is a strategy, and it also trains your character. What it nurtures is a competitive heart. This is what I learned during my cooperation with Mr. Clark.

在我看来，耐心并不意味着吞下怒火，也不意味着卑微。耐心是一种策略，同时也锻炼品格，所滋养的是一颗竞争之心。这是我在与克拉克合作中学到的。

I admire equality and hate commanding orders from high ground. However, Mr. Clark always puts on a pretentious posture in front of me, which makes me very disgusted. He never seemed to pay attention to me but only regarded me as a short-sighted little clerk, and even belittled me for my inability to do nothing but bookkeeping and money management. Without him, I would be worthless. This is a blatant provocation, but I pretended to turn a deaf ear. I know that respecting myself is more important than anything else. However, I have been at war with him in my heart. I have told myself over and over again: surpass him, your strength will be the biggest humiliation to him, just like giving him the loudest slap across his face.

我崇尚平等，讨厌居高临下的命令。然而克拉克总在我面前摆出做作姿态，令我非常厌恶。他似乎从不正视我，只把我当成目光短浅的小会计，甚至嘲讽我除了记账与管钱一无所能；没有他我就一无是处。这是公然挑衅，但我假装充耳不闻。我知道尊重自己比什么都重要。然而我在心里与他作战，我一遍遍告诉自己：超越他，你的实力就是对他最大的羞辱，如同给他最响亮的一记耳光。

As you know, the Clark-Rockefeller Company has forever become a history. The Rockefeller-Andrews Company replaced it, and I got on the express train to become a billionaire. Only by being able to endure what people cannot bear, can you do what people cannot do.

如你所知，克拉克-洛克菲勒公司已成为历史，取而代之的是洛克菲勒-安德鲁斯公司，我也踏上了成为亿万富翁的快车。只有能忍人所不能忍，才能做人所不能做。

Impulse is our worst enemy at any time. If patience can resolve conflicts that shouldn’t occur, such patience will always be worthwhile; but if you stubbornly go your own way, not only will it fail to resolve the crisis, it will also bring even greater disasters. Mr. Andrews did not seem to understand this truth.

冲动在任何时候都是我们最坏的敌人。若耐心能化解不该出现的冲突，这样的耐心永远值得；但若你固执己见，不仅无法解决危机，还会带来更大的灾难。安德鲁斯先生似乎并不懂这个道理。

Mr. Andrews is a self-righteous man without a business acumen. He lacks the ambition to become a great businessman but has evil prejudices. It is no surprise that this land of person will clash with me.

安德鲁斯先生自以为是，缺乏商业头脑。他没有成为伟大商人的雄心，却有恶意偏见。这样的人与我发生冲突并不意外。

The conflict that led us to part ways was due to the company’s dividends to shareholders. We did a good job that year and made a lot of money, but I did not want to let the shareholders take home all the money made by the company. I hoped to reinvest half of the proceeds in the company’s operations. But Andrews firmly opposed the idea. This selfish guy wanted to divide the money we made, and even threatened me angrily that he did not want to continue working in the company. I cannot withstand any idea that prevented the company from becoming stronger. I can only lay the cards on the table and asked him to offer a price for his share of stocks. He said one million, and I said okay. I bought it over for one million the next day.

导致我们分道扬镳的冲突源于公司向股东分红。当年我们做得很好，赚了很多钱，但我不想让股东把公司赚到的钱全部带走，我希望将一半收益再投入公司的运营。但安德鲁斯坚决反对。这位自私的人想把钱分光，甚至愤怒地威胁我不再继续在公司干下去。我无法容忍任何阻碍公司变强的想法，只能摊牌让他报出股权价格。他说一百万，我说好，第二天就以一百万买下了他的股份。

Andrews was so excited when he got the money. He thought he hit the jackpot and that the stock he held was not worth a million dollars. But he did not expect that I made 300,000 dollars soon after I changed hands. When the news got to him, he actually called me despicable. I did not want to earn a sordid reputation just because of the 300,000 dollars, so I sent someone to tell him that he could get it back at the original price. But Andrews, who was annoyed, rejected my kindness. In fact, what he refused was an opportunity to become a wealthy man in the United States. If he could keep his stocks that was worth one million up to this day, he would become a multimillionaire of course. But due to a moment of impulse, he lost the opportunity of a lifetime that he could never seize again.

安德鲁斯拿到钱后兴奋不已，以为中了大奖，觉得他持有的股份根本不值一百万。但他没想到我很快就赚了三十万美元。当消息传到他那里，他竟骂我卑鄙。我不想为了三十万美元背上肮脏名声，于是派人告诉他可以按原价买回。但恼怒的安德鲁斯拒绝了我的好意。事实上，他拒绝的是成为美国富豪的机会。如果他能把价值一百万的股份保留到今天，当然会成为千万富翁。但一时冲动，让他失去了此生再也抓不住的机会。

John, there are too many people and things that require us to be patient in this world, and they entice us to be emotional. Therefore, you have to cultivate your ability to manage your emotions and control your emotions, and you should be careful not to be influenced by your emotions when making decisions, but he instead make decisions based on your needs and always know what you want.

约翰，这世上需要我们耐心对待的人和事太多，它们也常诱使我们情绪化。因此，你必须培养管理与控制情绪的能力，做决定时要谨慎，别被情绪左右，而要根据自身需求作出决策，并始终知道自己想要什么。

Y ou also need to know that in the world of opportunity, there are not too many opportunities to fight for. If you really want to succeed, you must grasp and protect your own opportunities, and try to seize others’ opportunities.

你还要知道，在机会的世界里，并没有太多机会可争取。若真想成功，你必须把握并保护自己的机会，同时尽力抓住他人的机会。

Remember, you must have patience in your daily life, it will bring you happiness, opportunities, and success.

记住，你在日常生活中必须有耐心，它会给你带来幸福、机会与成功。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 27

God of Luck favors the Brave

幸运之神眷顾勇者。

October 7, 1898 Dear John:

1898年10月7日亲爱的约翰：

A few days ago, your sister happily told me that she plunged into luck and said that the stocks in her hand are like slaves of her, who listen to her orders, and help her rake in a lot of money.

几天前，你妹妹高兴地告诉我她撞上了好运，说她手里的股票像她的奴隶，听她号令，帮她赚了不少钱。

I think your sister may be happy and crazy now, but I don’t want her to be overwhelmed by the money. I told her to be careful as luck might throw her into the field of failure.

我想你妹妹现在可能高兴得发狂，但我不希望她被金钱冲昏头。我提醒她要小心，因为运气也可能把她抛进失败的领域。

Almost every successful person is warning the world: Y ou cannot live by luck, especially when building a career. Interestingly, most people believe in luck, and I think they are mistaking chances to be luck. No opportunity, means no luck.

几乎每个成功者都在告诫世人：不能靠运气生活，尤其是在创业或做事业时。可有趣的是，多数人相信运气，我认为他们把机会当成了运气。没有机会，就没有运气。

John, think about the lucky guys you know. Y ou can almost be sure that they are not gentle, courteous, and frugal people, and can almost be certain that they always exude the brilliance of self- confidence and the attitude of everything, and even appear very bold. There is a problem of Chicken and Egg. Is it because of luck that the lucky ones show confidence and boldness, or is their “luck” the result of self-confidence and boldness? My answer is the latter.

约翰，想想你认识的那些“幸运的人”。你几乎可以确定他们并不温和、礼貌、节俭，而是总散发着自信的光芒与“事事能行”的态度，甚至显得非常大胆。这里有个“先有鸡还是先有蛋”的问题：是运气让幸运者表现得自信大胆，还是他们的“运气”源自自信与大胆？我的答案是后者。

“The god of luck favors the brave” , is a motto that I have respected throughout my life. Victory does not necessarily belong to the strong, people who are highly vigilant, energetic, brave, and fearless will also win. Of course, some people believe that cautiousness is better than bravery. But bravery and boldness are more compelling, more popular, and more attractive than cautiousness, and cowardice cannot be compared to this.

“幸运之神眷顾勇者”是我一生尊奉的格言。胜利未必属于强者，警觉、充满活力、勇敢无畏的人也会获胜。当然，有人认为谨慎胜于勇敢，但勇气与大胆更有说服力、更受欢迎、更具吸引力，怯懦根本无法相比。

I have never seen people who do not appreciate confident and decisive people. Everyone is a supporter of confident and decisive people. We expect such people to be leaders. The reason why we are attracted to them is that they are very attractive. Therefore, brave people are often more successful and it is easier for them to take on roles as leaders, presidents and commanders. Those who are promoted quickly belong to this land of person.

我从未见过有人不欣赏自信而果断的人。人人都支持这样的人，并期待他们成为领袖。我们之所以被他们吸引，是因为他们很有魅力。因此，勇敢的人往往更成功，也更容易担任领导者、总统或指挥官。那些升迁很快的人，多半属于这种类型。

Experience tells me that people who are bold and decisive can complete the best deal, attract the support of others, and form the most powerful alliance. Those who are timid and hesitant can hardly reap such benefits. Not only that, bold methods are also beneficial to them. People with confidence will turn their expectations into success. They will design all plans to pursue success in accordance with their expectations.

经验告诉我，大胆果断的人能完成最好的交易，吸引他人的支持，结成最强大的联盟。胆小犹豫的人几乎难以获得这些好处。不仅如此，大胆的方法对他们也有利。有自信的人会把期待变成成功，并会按照自己的期待设计一切计划来追求成功。

Of course, this does not guarantee absolute success, but it can naturally launch a vision for success. In other words, if you feel that you are a winner, you will behave like a winner; if you behave like a winner, you are likely to do more of what winners would do, thereby changing your “luck” .

当然，这并不保证绝对成功，但它能自然唤起成功的愿景。换言之，如果你觉得自己是赢家，你就会像赢家那样行事；如果你像赢家那样行事，你就会做更多赢家会做的事，从而改变你的“运气”。

A true brave man is not an arrogant man, let alone a foolish man. The brave knows to use prediction and judgment, plan every step, and make every decision. This approach is just like what military strategists say, it will increase your strength, that is, possess a weapon that can immediately form a clear advantage to help you defeat your opponent. This reminds me of the bold decision to buy the Lima Oil field more than ten years ago.

真正的勇者不是傲慢的人，更不是愚人。勇者懂得预测与判断，规划每一步，做出每个决策。这正如兵家所说，它会增强你的力量——让你拥有能立即形成明显优势、帮助你击败对手的武器。这让我想起十多年前大胆收购利马油田的决定。

Prior to this, the oil industry had not stopped fearing that crude oil would be exhausted. Even my assistants began to fear that they would not be able to profit from oil in the long run, hence quietly selling the company’s stock; while some people even suggested that the company should exit the oil industry early and switch to other more stable industries, otherwise we will never be able to make a return. As a leader, in the face of pessimism, I should be hoping instead of lamenting. I told those in fear: God will give us everything.

在此之前，石油业一直担心原油会枯竭。甚至我的助手也开始担心无法长期从石油中获利，于是悄悄卖出公司股票；还有人建议公司应尽早退出石油业，转向更稳定的行业，否则永远无法回本。作为领导者，面对悲观，我应当怀抱希望而不是哀叹。我对那些恐惧的人说：上帝会赐给我们一切。

I felt God’s warm touch again when people discovered oil in Lima, Ohio. It’s just that Lima’s oil exudes a smell that cannot be removed by conventional methods, which deeply shook the confidence of many people who wanted to make a lot of money there. But I was strongly confident in Lima Oil field. I could foresee that once we monopolize Lima, we will have a powerful force over the oil market.

当人们在俄亥俄的利马发现石油时，我再次感到上帝温暖的触摸。只是利马原油散发出常规方法难以去除的气味，这深深动摇了许多想在那儿赚大钱的人的信心。但我对利马油田充满信心。我预见，一旦我们垄断利马，就能在石油市场上拥有强大的力量。

The opportunity is here. If you let it slip away quietly, Rockefeller’s name will, be associated with pigs. I solemnly told the directors of the company: This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it’s time for us to invest our money in Lima! It was a pity that my opinion was opposed by the timid.

机会就在眼前。如果让它悄然溜走，洛克菲勒这个名字就会与猪相提并论。我郑重地对公司董事们说：这是千载难逢的机会，现在正是我们把钱投向利马的时候！可惜我的意见遭到了胆小者的反对。

Imposing on others is not in line with my personality. I was hoping that through peaceful discussions, everyone could finally agree with my opinions.

强迫别人并不符合我的性格。我希望通过平和的讨论，最终能让大家接受我的意见。

It was a long and fruitless wait. I was worried. We have built a giant oil refinery on a global scale. It was like a hungry baby who was greedy for its mother’s milk. It needed to “eat” a steady stream of crude oil. But the oil fields in Pennsylvania were dying, and so were the other small oil fields. Production has begun to cut, and in the long run we will have to rely on Russian crude oil. It was almost certain that the Russians will use their control over oil fields to weaken our power, even defeat us completely, and drive us out of the European market. However, once we have Lima’s oil resources, we will continue to be winners. Cannot wait any longer, it is time for me to act!

那是一段漫长而无果的等待。我很担心。我们已建起一座全球规模的巨型炼油厂，它像一位贪婪母乳的饥饿婴儿，需要源源不断“吃”进原油。但宾夕法尼亚的油田正在衰竭，其他小油田也是如此，产量开始下降，长远看来我们不得不依赖俄罗斯原油。几乎可以肯定，俄罗斯会利用对油田的控制削弱我们的力量，甚至彻底击败我们，将我们赶出欧洲市场。然而一旦拥有利马的油源，我们就会继续成为赢家。不能再等了，我必须行动！

As I expected, conservatives still said “no” on the board. But I surrendered in the name of the opposition in a way that surprised them. I said: Gentlemen, if we do not want our huge ship to sink, we must guarantee our crude oil supply. Now, the oil hidden in Lima is beckoning to us, and it will bring us dazzling wealth. For the sake of God, please do not say that there is no market for the smelly liquid. I believe that everything God has given us has its value. I believe that science will clear our doubts. So, I decided to use my own money to make this investment and take the risk for two years. If it succeeds in two years, the company can return the money to me; if it fails, I will bear all the losses myself.

正如我所料，董事会里的保守派仍然说“不”。但我以一种让他们惊讶的方式代表反对方作出了让步。我说：诸位，如果我们不想让这艘巨船沉没，就必须保证原油供应。现在，利马地下的石油在向我们招手，它会带来耀眼的财富。为了上帝，请不要再说这种臭液体没有市场。我相信上帝赐给我们的一切都有价值，我相信科学会消除我们的疑虑。所以，我决定用自己的钱投资，承担两年的风险；两年内成功，公司把钱还给我；若失败，所有损失由我承担。

My determination and sincerity touched my biggest opponent, Mr. Pratt, as tears welled up in his eyes and excitedly said to me: “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 for our growth.

我的决心与真诚打动了我最大的对手普拉特先生，他眼里泛起泪光，激动地对我说：“约翰，你抓住了我的心。既然你认为应该这样做，那就一起做吧！你敢冒险，我也敢！”与人同担胜败的合作精神，也是我们成长的精神支柱。

We succeeded. We made every effort to invest huge sums of money in Lima, and the rewards were even greater. We controlled the largest crude oil production base in the United States in our own hands. The success in Lima intensified our vitality and allowed us to dominate other unprecedented acquisition in the oil industry. As a result, like we expected, we became the most feared super fleet in the oil field and achieved unshakable dominance.

我们成功了。我们倾尽全力在利马投入巨资，回报更为可观。我们把美国最大的原油生产基地掌握在自己手中。利马的成功增强了我们的活力，也使我们得以主导石油业其他空前的收购。结果如我们所料，我们成了石油领域最令人畏惧的超级舰队，取得了不可动摇的统治地位。

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.

约翰，态度能创造运气，运气就在你的选择之中。只要你有51%的时候做对，你就会成为英雄。

This is my deepest experience with luck.

这就是我关于运气最深切的体会。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 28

Only sincerely believing in yourself will find you a way.

只有真诚地相信自己，才会找到出路。

It is impossible to find the best way to do anything.

任何事都不可能找到绝对最好的办法。

The best way to find the best idea is to have lots of ideas.

找到最佳点子的最好办法，是拥有大量点子。

December 4, 1903 Dear John:

1903年12月4日亲爱的约翰：

我不同意你让罗杰独自承担重任、独自面对风波的观点。事实上，为了这件事我费尽心力，但结果很令人失望。我的用人原则是：能担大事的人必须懂得找到更好的办法做事。但罗杰显然不合格，因为他是个懒人。

Before I started working with Roger, I tested him with a question. I said, “Mr. Roger, what do you think the government can do to abolish all prisons in thirty years?” He was confused when he heard it, and suspected that he had heard it wrong. After a while of silence, he began to refute me: “Dear Rockefeller Sir, do you mean to release all the murderers, robbers, and rapists? Do you know the consequences of doing this? If that’s the case, we will not have peace. In anyway, there must be a prison. "

在和罗杰共事之前，我用一个问题考了他。我说：“罗杰先生，你认为政府在三十年内能做些什么来废除所有监狱？”他听完很困惑，怀疑自己听错了。沉默片刻后，他开始反驳我：“尊敬的洛克菲勒先生，您是说要释放所有杀人犯、抢劫犯和强奸犯吗？您知道这样做的后果吗？那样我们将不得安宁。无论如何，必须有监狱。”

我真想敲开罗杰那块顽石般的脑袋，于是提醒他：“罗杰，你只说了监狱不能被废除的理由。现在试着相信它可以被废除。假设可以废除，我们该怎么做？”

“This is too hard for me, Mr. Rockefeller, I can’t believe it, and it’s hard for me to find a way to abolish it. " This is Rogers’s method — no way.

“这对我太难了，洛克菲勒先生，我无法相信它，也很难找出废除的方法。”这就是罗杰的方法——没有办法。

我无法想象当重任压顶或机会与危机来临时，他会如何用尽才智积极应对。我不信任罗杰；他只会把希望变成绝望。

找到更好的做事方法，是完成任何事情的保证。这不需要超人的智慧，关键是相信事情可以做到，并拥有这种信念。当我们相信某事不可能，头脑就会替我们找出各种不去做的理由；而当我们相信——真正相信某事可行，头脑就会帮我们找到各种方法。

相信事情可行，会为我们提供创造性解决方案，并激发各类创造能力。相反，不相信事情能成功，就等于关闭我们解决问题的创造智慧，不仅阻碍创造力，还会摧毁理想。所谓志向元素，正是创造与成就的基础。

I hate my subordinates saying “impossible” . “Impossible” is a term for failure. Once a person is dominated by the idea of “it is impossible” , he can produce a series of ideas to prove that he is right. Roger made this mistake. He is a traditional thinker, and his mind is numb. His reason is: this has been practiced for a hundred years, so it must be a good way. It must be kept as it is, so why risk it. Change?

我讨厌下属说“不可能”。“不可能”是失败的词。一旦一个人被“这不可能”的想法支配，就会找出一连串理由证明自己没错。罗杰就犯了这个错误。他是传统思维者，头脑麻木。他的理由是：这种做法已沿用百年，必定是好办法，应该原封不动，为何要冒险改变？

In fact, it can often be achieved only through thinking about the reasons diligently. “Ordinary people” always hate progress.

事实上，很多事往往要通过勤思苦想原因才能实现。“普通人”总是讨厌进步。

People believe that it is impossible to find the best way to do anything. The best way is to have as many creative ideas. Nothing grows on ice and snow. If we let traditional ideas freeze our hearts, new ideas will grow out of nowhere.

人们认为任何事都不可能找到绝对最好的办法。最好的办法是拥有尽可能多的创意。冰雪之上长不出东西；如果让传统观念冻结我们的心，新点子就无从生长。

Traditional ideas are the number one enemy of creative planning. Traditional ideas will freeze our hearts and hinder us from developing the creative abilities we really need. Roger made such a mistake. Pie should be willing to accept all kinds of ideas, and discard the dregs of thoughts such as “unfeasible” “unable” , “useless” , “that’s stupid” , etc.; he should also have an experimental spirit to be brave enough to try new things, which will expand his abilities and prepare him for greater responsibilities. At the same time, he must take the Initiative to move forward, instead of thinking — “this is usually the way I do this, so here I also want to use this method” , but instead think of — Is there any way to do better than our usual method?

传统观念是创造性规划的头号敌人。它会冻结人心，阻碍我们发展真正需要的创造能力。罗杰就犯了这样的错。他应愿意接受各种想法，剔除“不可行”“做不到”“没用”“这很愚蠢”等思维渣滓；还应具备实验精神，敢于尝试新事物，从而扩展能力、为更大的责任做准备。同时，他必须主动前进，不要想着“我一向这么做，所以这里也这么做”，而要去想：有没有比常规方法更好的办法？

各种计划不可能达到绝对完美，这意味着一切都可以无止境地改进。我很清楚这一点，因此我常寻找更好的方法。我不问自己“我能不能做得更好？”我知道可以，所以我问：“我该如何做得更好？”

找到完美点子的最好办法就是拥有很多点子。我会继续为自己和他人设定更高标准，不断寻找各种提升效率的方法，以更低成本获得更多回报，用更少精力做更多事。因为我知道，最大的成功属于那些拥有“我能做得更好”态度的人。

要培养“我能做得更好”的态度，我们需要日复一日地反思：我今天如何做得更好？如何激励员工？我能为公司提供哪些特别服务？如何提高工作效率？这个练习很简单，却很有用。你可以试试，我相信你会找到无数创意方法，赢得更大的成功。

Our mentality determines our ability. If we think we can do this much, we can really do that much. If we truly believe that we can do more, we can think creatively about various methods.

心态决定能力。如果我们认为能做到这么多，就能真的做到这么多；如果真相信自己还能做得更多，就会创造性地想出各种方法。

拒绝新挑战是非常愚蠢的。我们必须关注如何做到更多，这样许多创造性答案会意外出现，比如改进现有工作计划、处理日常工作的捷径、完成琐碎事务。换言之，大多数能让我们做得更多的方法都会在这时出现。

John, you can talk to Roger. I hope he can change. It is then he will have a better life.

约翰，你可以和罗杰谈谈，希望他能改变。那样他就会拥有更好的生活。

Love,

爱你的

Y our Father

父亲

Letter 29

The ending is the beginning. Most people fail, not because they make mistakes, but because they are not fully committed.

结束就是开始。大多数人失败，并不是因为犯错，而是因为没有全力以赴。

August 31, 1908 Dear John:

1908年8月31日亲爱的约翰：

Mr. Andrew Carnegie accepted an interview with reporters again. I have never figured out why he always likes to appear the newspapers, I guess he must be suffering from Armenophobia, lest people ignore his existence.

安德鲁·卡内基先生再次接受记者采访。我一直搞不懂他为何总喜欢上报纸，我猜他一定患有“被忽视恐惧症”，生怕人们忘了他的存在。

But I still appreciate this guy who often competes with me, because he is diligent and ambitious, like a tireless iron man, always regarding moving forward as his first, second, and third most important thing; maybe because of this, when asked about the secret of his success, he would tell reporters that the end is just the beginning.

不过我仍欣赏这个常与我竞争的人，因为他勤奋且雄心勃勃，像不知疲倦的钢铁人，总把前进视为第一、第二、第三要务；也许因此，当被问及成功秘诀时，他会告诉记者：结束只是开始。

It is unbelievable, how can this blacksmith say such brilliant words. I believe that this short sentence which consists of only three words will soon be broadcasted far away, and Mr. Carnegie will hold the title of a business philosopher. In fact, he deserves to be praised by people like this. Doesn’t the fact that he is able to condense his successful life into a short sentence show the great wisdom of this business mogul?

难以置信，这位铁匠竟能说出如此精彩的话。我相信这句只有三个词的短句很快会传遍四方，卡内基先生将被冠以商业哲学家的名号。事实上，他确实值得这样的赞誉。他能把成功一生浓缩成一句话，不正显示了这位商业巨擘的智慧吗？

However, Mr. Carnegie only gave a successful formula for success, but did not give the calculation process. It seems that this guy just cannot change his selfish nature, and he is always afraid that others will see the secret behind his success. I want to try to solve the formula of the blacksmith, but do not tell it to others; otherwise, for leaking out his secret, he will not only send me whiskey during Christmas, but he will also definitely send cigars. He knows that I do not drink alcohol, and he knows that I am an anti-smoker, this funny “The end is just the beginning. " In my opinion, this blacksmith is trying to show that success is a process of continuous reproduction, just like a prolific cow. When it gives birth to a calf, it immediately becomes pregnant with another. Back and forth, endlessly. The end is the last stop of a journey and the beginning of a new dream. Every great successful person builds himself up with small successes. They celebrate the realization of their dreams with the ending and at the same time, mark the beginning of their new dreams. This is the quality of every person who has accomplished great achievements.

然而，卡内基先生只给了成功的公式，却没有给出计算过程。看来这家伙难改自私本性，总怕别人看出他成功背后的秘密。我想试着解出这位铁匠的公式，但不要告诉别人；否则，泄露他的秘密，他不仅圣诞节不再送我威士忌，还一定会送雪茄。他知道我不喝酒，也知道我是反吸烟者，这句有趣的——“结束只是开始”。在我看来，这位铁匠想说明：成功是一个不断复制的过程，就像一头多产的母牛，生下一头小牛，立刻又怀上另一头，如此往复，无穷无尽。结束是一段旅程的最后一站，也是一个新梦想的开始。每一位伟大成功者都在小成功中筑起自己。他们在结束时庆祝梦想的实现，同时也标记新梦想的起点。这正是每个成就大业之人的品质。

But how do we start a new dream? Mr. Carnegie “had forgotten” to talk about it, and this is precisely the key in determining whether we can expect a smooth journey to the last stop, and it is also the key to starting the next new dream. In fact, the answer is very simple, that is, from the beginning you have to do everything possible in order to get an advantage. My experience tells me that there are three strategies that give me an advantage.

但我们如何开启新梦想？卡内基先生“忘了”谈这一点，而这恰恰是决定我们能否顺利抵达终点的关键，也是启动下一个新梦的关键。事实上，答案很简单：从一开始就要尽一切可能取得优势。我的经验告诉我，有三种策略能让我占得先机。

The first strategy: Make up your mind from the beginning and pay attention to the competition and the resources of competitors.

第一条策略：从一开始就下定决心，关注竞争和竞争对手的资源。

This means that I have to pay attention to what my competitors and I have, and it also means that I have to understand the fundamentals of reducing opportunities. When starting a new business, you should not take preliminary actions until you understand the overall situation. The first step to success is to understand where and how many resources are needed to achieve your goal.

这意味着我必须关注对手和我拥有什么，也意味着我必须理解削减机会的基本原理。创业时，未弄清全局之前不要贸然行动。成功的第一步是弄清实现目标需要在哪里、需要多少资源。

From the very beginning, I tried to predict what opportunities would appear, and when it appeared, I would pounce on it like a lion. And I also know that it is better to be a good enemy, many people always like to pursue the best things that comes up and give up the good things. This is not a smart strategy, because good always beats bad. The reality is that ideal opportunities rarely come to the door, but there are often many unsatisfactory ones. However, although good opportunities have shortcomings, they are definitely far better than no opportunities at all.

从一开始，我就试着预测机会会在哪里出现，一出现便像狮子般扑上去。我也知道，做一个“好敌人”更好：许多人总追逐最好的东西而放弃好东西。这不是聪明策略，因为好总胜过坏。现实是，理想机会很少自己上门，更多是些不尽如人意的机会。但即便有缺点，好机会也远胜于没有机会。

The second strategy: research and review the opponent’s situation, and then make good use of this knowledge to form your advantages. Understanding the strengths, weaknesses, style of doing things, and personality traits of my opponents always gives me an advantage in the competition. Of course, I also need to know who I am. I used this strategy to make Mr. Carnegie, the inventor of “the end is just the beginning” , concede defeat.

第二条策略：研究并审视对手的情况，然后善用这些知识形成优势。了解对手的长处、短处、做事风格与性格特征，总能让我在竞争中占优。当然，我也需要了解自己。我用这条策略让“结束只是开始”的发明者卡内基先生认输。

Mr. Carnegie is a well-deserved steel magnate and challenging him is like challenging death. But his weakness can help his opponent a lot. He is stubborn. Maybe his wallet is too big. He always likes to look down and underestimate others. He did not pay any attention to me, stupidly thinking that the oil industry was where I belonged, and he stubbornly believed that only stupid people would go to the mining line, because he thought ore was inexhaustible and its price was too low.

卡内基先生是名副其实的钢铁巨头，挑战他就像挑战死亡。但他的弱点却能给对手很大帮助。他固执，也许是钱包太大。他总爱俯视、低估别人。他没把我放在眼里，愚蠢地认为石油业才是我的归宿，并固执地相信只有傻子才会去矿业，因为他认为矿石取之不尽、价格太低。

Therefore, when I invested in the mining industry, he always ridiculed me, saying that I knew nothing about the steel industry and was the most failed investor in the United States. In fact, Carnegie is a man who only sees the mountainside but not the top of the mountain. He does not know that price is not sacred. The important thing is value. If he can’t control the mining industry, his proud steel mills can only be moved to become a pile of scrap iron.

因此，当我投资矿业时，他总嘲笑我，说我不懂钢铁业，是美国最失败的投资者。实际上，卡内基只看到山腰看不到山顶。他不知道价格并不神圣，重要的是价值。如果他无法掌控矿业，他引以为傲的钢厂只能被迫变成一堆废铁。

When others do not regard you as an opponent, it is when you earn the most capital for future competition. Therefore, from the beginning, I was confident that I will invest boldly and fully. Impulse is better than prudence. Soon the proud blacksmith discovered that the “man who is known as the worst investor in the world” now has control over the iron mining industry and became the largest iron ore producer in the United States, gaining a dominant position and wanting to fight with him. He could not be at ease and begged to make peace.

当别人不把你当对手时，正是你为未来竞争积累资本的最佳时刻。因此从一开始，我就有信心大胆投入、全力以赴。冲动胜过谨慎。很快，这位骄傲的铁匠发现，那个“被称为世界上最差投资者的人”如今掌控了铁矿业，成了美国最大的铁矿石生产商，握有主导地位，并想与他一较高下。他再也无法安稳，只得求和。

In a competition, the person who first discovers the opponent’s weakness and strikes hard is often the winner.

在竞争中，最先发现对手弱点并狠狠出击的人，往往是赢家。

The third strategy: Y ou must have the right mindset. From the beginning, you must make up your mind to pursue victory, which means that you must act positively and ruthlessly under moral constraints, because this attitude comes directly from cruel and ruthless goals.

第三条策略：你必须有正确的心态。从一开始就下定决心追求胜利，这意味着在道德约束下积极而果断地行动，因为这种态度直接源自残酷而坚定的目标。

Since you are determined to pursue victory, you must go all out. Only by going all out can there be glorious achievements. This is especially true when the competition begins. To put it nicely, this is an effort to gain an early advantage, hoping to establish an exclusive position, but to put it bluntly, putting in effort is equal to depriving others of a chance. At the same time, we have to be positive and brave, and have the courage to “swallow whales” . I believe that talented competitors are always borne by the warriors. This is a time- honored law.

既然决心追求胜利，就必须全力以赴。只有全力以赴，才会有辉煌成就。尤其在竞争开始时更是如此。说得好听，这是为了抢占先机、建立独占地位的努力；说得直白，付出努力就等于剥夺他人的机会。同时我们要积极勇敢，具备“吞鲸”的勇气。我相信，优秀的竞争者总是由勇士孕育，这是不变的法则。

At the beginning of every new dream, the most important thing is the determination to pursue victory. Not having the right attitude of wanting to pursue victory, makes factors such as paying attention to the situation of the competition and understanding the opponent redundant. Gaining knowledge, maintaining control, and evaluating competition are what builds your confidence and will assist you in achieving the highest goal of victory.

每个新梦想的开始，最重要的是追求胜利的决心。没有这种决心，关注竞争形势与了解对手都成了多余。获取知识、保持控制、评估竞争，才会建立你的信心，并帮助你达成最高的胜利目标。

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, and the same goes for companies.

看看那些失败者，你会发现多数人失败不是因为犯错，而是因为没有全力以赴，公司亦然。

John, do not forget Mr. Carnegie’s famous saying, beginning” , and of course, my three strategies. “The end is just the Oh, I am not rescuing a planner who does not need to be rescued.

约翰，别忘了卡内基先生的名言——“结束只是开始”，当然也别忘了我的三条策略。哦，我不是在拯救一个不需要被拯救的策划者。

Love, Y our Father

爱你的父亲

Letter 30

Those who say you cannot do it are those who cannot succeed.

说你做不到的人，正是那些不能成功的人。

May 11, 1902 Dear John:

1902年5月11日亲爱的约翰：

I think you have noticed that some of your thoughts and concepts are changing because of your friend. I certainly do not object to your expansion of your social circle, as it can increase your interest in life, expand your area of life, or even help you find a confidant or help you achieve your ideals in life. But some people are obviously not worth-associating with, for example, those who are petty and trivial.

我想你已经注意到，由于你的朋友影响，你的一些想法和观念正在改变。我当然不反对你扩大社交圈，这能增加生活情趣、拓宽生活领域，甚至帮助你找到知己或实现人生理想。但有些人显然不值得交往，例如那些卑琐而琐碎的人。

Since I was young, I have refused to associate with two kinds of people.

从年轻时起，我就拒绝与两类人交往。

The first type of people is those who completely surrender and are contented with the status quo. They are convinced that they are inadequate and believe that creative achievements are only the patent that belongs to the lucky ones. They do not have this blessing.

第一类人是完全放弃、满足于现状的人。他们确信自己能力不足，认为创造性的成就只是幸运者的专利，而自己没有这种福分。

This kind of person is willing to guard a very secure but ordinary position, year after year in a muddle-headed manner. They also know that they need a more challenging job in order to continue to develop and grow, but because of countess resistances, they are convinced that they are not suitable for doing big things.

这种人愿意守着一个非常稳妥却平凡的职位，年复一年浑浑噩噩。他们也知道需要更具挑战的工作才能继续发展成长，但因为无数阻力，便认定自己不适合做大事。

A wise man will never sit down and mourn over fate. But this kind of people will only lament over their bad destiny, but they will never appreciate themselves and regard themselves as important and valuable people. They have already lost the feeling of putting in their utmost effort and the ability to self-encourage, and instead let negativity occupy their heart.

智者从不会坐下来哀叹命运。但这类人只会感叹自己的坏命运，却从不欣赏自己、把自己当作重要而有价值的人。他们已经失去全力以赴的感觉和自我激励的能力，反而让消极占据心灵。

The second type of people are those who cannot complete challenges. They used to yearn for accomplishments and they also made great preparations and plans for their work. But after a few years or even decades, as work resistance gradually increase, when hard work is required to attain higher levels, they will feel that it is not worth continuing so they give up on their efforts and themselves.

第二类人是无法完成挑战的人。他们曾渴望成就，也为工作做了充分准备和计划。但几年甚至几十年后，随着工作阻力逐渐增加，当需要付出更大努力以达到更高层次时，他们觉得不值得继续，于是放弃努力，也放弃了自己。

They will ridicule themselves: “We earn more than ordinary people, and our lives are better than ordinary people. Why are we still dissatisfied and want to take risks?” In fact, such people already have a sense of fear. They are afraid of failure, afraid that everyone will disagree with them, afraid of an accident, and afraid of losing what they already have. They are not satisfied, but they have surrendered. Some people of this kind are very talented, but because they dare not take risks again, they are willing to spend their life in peace.

他们会自嘲：“我们的收入比普通人高，生活也比普通人好。为什么还不满足、还要冒险？”事实上，这样的人已带着恐惧。他们害怕失败，害怕别人反对，害怕意外，害怕失去已有的一切。他们并不满足，却已投降。这类人中有些非常有才华，但因为不敢再冒险，宁愿一生安稳。

These two kinds of people share a common, yet toxic thought and it is highly infectious. This thought is also known as negativity.

这两类人有一种共同而有毒的思想，而且极具传染性。这种思想也叫消极。

I have always thought that a person’s personality and ambitions, current status and positions are related to who they associate themselves with. If he often associates with negative people, he himself will become negative. If he associates closely with insignificant people, he will have many petty habits. On the other hand, if he is constantly influenced by important people, it will improve his ideological level; frequent contact with successful people with ambitions will also enable him to develop the ambitions and actions needed to succeed.

我一直认为，一个人的性格与抱负、现状与位置，都与他结交的人有关。若常与消极的人交往，他自己也会变得消极；若常与无足轻重的人亲近，他也会养成许多琐碎习气。相反，若不断受重要人物影响，会提升思想层次；经常接触有抱负的成功者，也会培养他取得成功所需的抱负与行动力。

I like to be friends with those who never give in. A wise man said it well: I want to challenge the repulsive adversity, because a wise man told me that that is the wisest direction to success. It is just that there are very few such people.

我喜欢和从不屈服的人做朋友。有位智者说得好：我愿挑战令人厌恶的逆境，因为另一位智者告诉我，那是通往成功最明智的方向。只可惜这样的人很少。

This kind of person will never allow pessimism to influence anything, and will never succumb to all kinds of resistance, let alone believe that they can only spend their lives in a muddle-headed manner. The purpose of their lives is to achieve success. Such people are very optimistic, because they must fulfil their wishes. Such people can easily become the best in any fields. They can truly enjoy life and truly understand the value of life. They all look forward to every new day and new interactions with others because they regard these as enriching life experiences, so they enthusiastically accept it.

这种人不会让悲观影响任何事，也不会屈服于各种阻力，更不会相信自己只能浑浑噩噩度过一生。他们的人生目标是获得成功。他们非常乐观，因为必须实现愿望。这类人很容易成为任何领域的佼佼者。他们能真正享受生活并理解生命的价值。他们期待每一个新的一天和新的交往，因为把这些视为丰富人生的体验，所以欣然接受。

I believe everyone wants to be included in this category, because only these people can succeed, and only these people can really do things and get the results they expect.

我相信每个人都想归入这一类，因为只有这样的人才能成功，只有这样的人才能真正做成事并得到期望的结果。

Unfortunately, negative people can be seen everywhere, and many, many people cannot escape the siege of negativity.

不幸的是，消极的人随处可见，而且许许多多人无法逃脱消极的围困。

The people around us are not the same, some are passive and conservative, some are aggressive. Some of the people I have worked with, some people just want to make a living, some are ambitious and want to perform better. They also understand that before becoming a big man, you must be a good follower.

我们身边的人并不相同，有的被动保守，有的积极进取。我共事过的人中，有些只想糊口，有些雄心勃勃想做得更好。他们也明白，在成为大人物之前，必须先做一个好追随者。

To be successful, one must avoid falling into various traps or snares. In any place, there are people who know they cannot succeed but they insist on blocking your way up and preventing you from attaining higher levels. Many people are ridiculed or even intimidated because of their ambitions. Others are very jealous. Seeing you work hard and strive to outperform them will make them try their best to fool you and make you embarrassed.

要成功，就必须避免落入各种陷阱或圈套。在任何地方，总有人知道自己无法成功，却坚持阻碍你向上、阻止你达到更高层次。许多人因雄心而被嘲讽甚至恐吓。还有些人极其嫉妒，看到你努力奋斗、力求超过他们，便想尽办法愚弄你、让你难堪。

We cannot prevent others from becoming boring negative people, but we cannot be influenced by diem and lower our level of thinking. Y ou will want them to slip past naturally, just like the water behind a mallard. People who always follow their thoughts and move forward actively will grow and progress with them.

我们无法阻止别人变成乏味的消极之人，但我们不能被他们影响而降低自己的思想层次。你要让他们自然地滑过去，就像水从野鸭背后滑过。始终遵循自己的想法并积极前行的人，会随之成长与进步。

Y ou can indeed do this, as long as your mind is sane, you can do it, and you’d better do it.

你确实可以做到，只要头脑清醒，你就能做到，而且最好做到。

Some negative people have a very good heart, and there are other negative people who do not want to work hard, but: also want to drag others into the water. They have nothing so they want to make others achieve nothing.

有些消极的人心地很好，也有些消极的人不愿努力，却又想把别人拖下水。他们一无所有，所以也想让别人一无所有。

Remember, John, people who say you cannot do it are people who cannot succeed, that is, his personal achievements are at best ordinary. Therefore, the opinion of such a person is harmful to you.

记住，约翰，说你做不到的人，本身就无法成功，他们的个人成就充其量只是普通。因此，这样的人的意见对你是有害的。

Y ou have to take precautions against those who say you can’t do it. Y ou can only treat their warnings as a challenge to prove that you can do it. Y ou have to take special precautions against negative people from sabotaging your plan to succeed. Such people can be seen everywhere. They seem to be dedicated to sabotaging the progress and efforts of others. Be careful, pay more attention to those negative people, and do not let diem ruin your plans to succeed. Do not let those with negative thinking and narrow judgement hinder your progress. Those who are jealous and like to gloat just want to watch you fall, do not give them a chance.

你要提防那些说你做不到的人。你只能把他们的警告当成挑战，用来证明你能做到。你要特别提防消极的人破坏你成功的计划。这类人到处可见，他们似乎专门破坏他人的进步与努力。要谨慎，多注意这些消极的人，不要让他们毁掉你成功的计划。不要让思维消极、判断狭隘的人阻碍你的进步。那些嫉妒并幸灾乐祸的人只想看你跌倒，不要给他们机会。

When you have any difficulties, it is wise to find people of top quality to help you. Asking a loser for advice is as ridiculous as asking a quack to treat a terminal illness. Y our future is very important. Do not ask for advice from a yenta, because this kind of person has no prospects in their lives.

当你遇到困难时，明智的做法是找最优秀的人帮你。向失败者求教，就像让庸医治疗绝症一样可笑。你的未来非常重要，不要向长舌妇求建议，因为这样的人一生没有前途。

Y ou have to pay attention to your environment. Just as food supplies the body, mental activity will also nourish your mental health. Make your environment serve your work, not drag you down. Do not let those resistance, that is, people who pull you on your hind legs, make you sluggish. The way to let the environment help you succeed is to get closer to the positive and successful people and to interact less with the negative people.

你必须注意你的环境。正如食物滋养身体，精神活动也会滋养心理健康。让环境为你的工作服务，而不是拖你后腿。不要让那些阻力，也就是拖你后腿的人，使你变得迟钝。让环境帮助你成功的办法，是更接近积极成功的人，少与消极的人交往。

Everything must be done perfectly. Y ou cannot afford all the extra burdens accumulated from greed and loss.

凡事都必须做到尽善尽美。你承受不起因贪婪与失误累积的额外负担。

Love, Y our Father

爱你的父亲

Letter 31

Purpose is the basis of my leadership, and purpose is everything. May 11, 1902 Dear John : It is your glory and my glory that you are at the core of Standard Oil. However, you need to know that when you are enjoying this glory, you undoubtedly have to shoulder the responsibilities that accompany it. Otherwise, you will be ashamed of this glory, and will disappoint everyone’s hope and trust in you. Do not forget that you are the backbone of Standard Oil Company. The ultimate success or failure of our business is closely related to you. Y ou should have higher demands for yourself when it comes to strength and sacrifice. Frankly speaking, if you want to do a good job in that position, and let everyone recognize you and admire you, you still need to learn a lot. Now, you need to think about a question: whether you can successfully master this role yourself. Every leader is an ambassador of hope and a teacher for his subordinates on the unavoidable thorny road ahead. But not being let down is difficult. As a leader, no matter who you are, you will face many problems, such as mountains of work, mountains of information, sudden changes, endless requests from top management, investors and customers, and employees who are difficult to train. Challenges that are always changing can make you exhausted, feel frustrated,. fearful, anxious, and overwhelmed, which might shatter your dreams of achieving business and personal success. However, sometimes it is easier to become an excellent leader full of confidence and vitality than to become a leader who has lost vitality and is struggling and helpless, provided that he needs to know how to make his subordinates willing to give up their lives. As the leader of Standard Oil Company, I enjoy both authority and pleasure, because I know that finding someone who can guarantee the completion of the task is equivalent to creating time for myself. In other words, it will not only make me energetic, but also more importantly it will give me more time to think about how to make more money for the company. There is an attitude issue here. Actions are driven by attitudes. The attitude we choose determines what behavior we want to take. As for the results, it will soon be apparent to us. People can change their lives by changing their attitudes. If you believe that you can change your attitude you can change it. Smart people always choose the attitude that is best for them. People who know the art of leadership will always ask themselves: What kind of attitude can help them achieve the results they really want? Is it an inspiring attitude? Or is it sympathetic? They will never choose a cold or hostile attitude. If you think of yourself as a supreme, desperate monarch, you are likely to become the next King Louis XVI. As far as I am concerned, I never dominate, create conflicts, or put too much pressure on myself. Instead, I have the habit of giving subordinates trust, boosting their morals, and in turn, achieving the business achievements I expect. This habit will help me achieve the purpose I want by using subordinates. The way of doing this is very simple, and that is to know how to use the power of setting goals. I am a teleologist. I never exaggerate the function of having a goal like some people do, but I attach great importance to its function. In my opinion, purpose is the driving force behind our potential, and it is the power that governs everything. It can affect our behavior and inspire us to create the means to achieve our goals. A clear and decisive purpose will allow us to focus on the chosen direction and allow us to try our best to achieve the goal. My experience tells me that the tasks a person accomplishes, and his ultimate performance are closely related to the nature and power of his purpose and have almost nothing to do with what he does for his goal. Think about it, there is no game of golf that can be completed in one stroke. Y ou need to complete the holes one by one. The goal of each stroke is to get as close to the hole as possible. Having a purpose is the basis of my leadership, and it is everything. I am accustomed to establishing goals before doing anything, and every day I have to set goals, countless goals, such as the purpose of talking with partners, the purpose of convening meetings, the purpose of malting plans, and so on. Before doing something, I will also review the purpose that I have set. Usually when I arrive at the company, I have already prepared everything. Therefore, I have never “swallowed” voices such as “I can’t help it” , “I don’t care anymore” , “There is no hope anymore” in my heart. The purpose that I establish every day has offset these failures. If you are unable to actively establish your own goals, you will passively or unconsciously choose other goals. As a result, you may lose control of the overall situation. At the same time, you will be subjected to people or events that might distract you or disturb you. It is like loosening a yacht from the dock and forgetting to start the motor. Y ou will follow the currents, and sea breeze, currents or other ships that might collide into you and cause you to sink to the bottom of the sea at any time. Maybe something good is waiting for you on the other side, but unless a miracle occurs, you will not be able to reach the other side smoothly. Establishing a purpose is like turning on the engine of a yacht, which can propel you towards the path you choose. Purpose can add direction and strength to human efforts. However, establishing a purpose only brings you to the midst of the route to becoming a teleologist, and you have to complete the other half of the journey. Y ou need to unreservedly state your purpose to your subordinates — your personal intentions, motives and inner strategic plans. For everyone who needs to understand what I want to achieve, I will explain my purpose to them. In every meeting, report or at the beginning of the matter, I will first express my motivation, thoughts, and expectations. The benefits of this will surprise you. It not only enables your subordinates to know your purpose and brings them the right direction to move forward, but most importantly, when you have the courage to be honest about your purpose, you will gain emotional loyalty. Know that loyalty is the beginning of willingness to serve. Outstanding leaders are good at using two invisible forces: trust and respect. When you honestly stated your purpose, you also deliver this message: “Because I have enough trust in you, I am willing to confess to you. " It will open the door for people to trust you, and what you embrace is not only the ability of your subordinates, but also the priceless loyalty from them - the loyalty that must be gathered to help you. Trusting others and making others trust myself are the important reasons for my achievements in life. Exposing your purpose can better avoid unhelpful inferences. If you do not tell your subordinates about your purpose, they will spend time guessing what it is based on the clues they can collect, and this information is easily distorted. Only when they do not need to interpret your motives, will the morale and ability of subordinates have a chance to be improved. Therefore, it seems more advantageous to treat subordinates as “fools. " The power expressed by purpose is irreplaceable. What it conveys is not only a statement, but also the leader’s courageous and resolute oath for personal behavior. The purpose of resolute will and absolute tenacity can often inspire and encourage subordinates, so that they can deliver more outstanding performance in the future work. The mission of a leader is to discover problems and solving problems depends on subordinates. How to mobilize subordinates and fulfil their dudes is the first priority for leaders. I think that by showing your purpose and treating everyone with enthusiasm, you can achieve what you want. Purpose is like a diamond: if it is to be valuable, it must be real. An insincere purpose confession will only be bad. If one abuses the power of purpose, he will only destroy mutual trust and lose the trust of others. This is the risk of expressing purpose. John, the road to hell is paved with kindness. Unless you are fully prepared, this sentence is likely to come true. Love, Y our Father

Purpose is the basis of my leadership, and purpose is everything.

目标是我领导力的基础，目标就是一切。

May 11, 1902 Dear John :

1902年5月11日亲爱的约翰：

It is your glory and my glory that you are at the core of Standard Oil. However, you need to know that when you are enjoying this glory, you undoubtedly have to shoulder the responsibilities that accompany it. Otherwise, you will be ashamed of this glory, and will disappoint everyone’s hope and trust in you. Do not forget that you are the backbone of Standard Oil Company. The ultimate success or failure of our business is closely related to you. Y ou should have higher demands for yourself when it comes to strength and sacrifice.

你能处在标准石油的核心，这是你的荣耀，也是我的荣耀。但你要知道，享受荣耀的同时，必然要肩负随之而来的责任。否则你会羞愧于这份荣耀，也会辜负众人对你的希望与信任。不要忘记，你是标准石油公司的中坚。我们的事业成败与你密切相关。在力量与牺牲方面，你应对自己提出更高要求。

Frankly speaking, if you want to do a good job in that position, and let everyone recognize you and admire you, you still need to learn a lot. Now, you need to think about a question: whether you can successfully master this role yourself.

坦率地说，如果你想在这个位置上做好，让所有人认可并敬佩你，你还需要学习很多。现在你需要思考一个问题：你是否能成功驾驭这个角色。

Every leader is an ambassador of hope and a teacher for his subordinates on the unavoidable thorny road ahead. But not being let down is difficult. As a leader, no matter who you are, you will face many problems, such as mountains of work, mountains of information, sudden changes, endless requests from top management, investors and customers, and employees who are difficult to train.

每一位领导者都是希望的使者，是下属在必经荆棘路上的老师。但不被辜负并不容易。作为领导者，无论你是谁，都会面对许多问题：成堆的工作、成堆的信息、突如其来的变化、来自高层、投资者与客户的无尽要求，以及难以训练的员工。

Challenges that are always changing can make you exhausted, feel frustrated,. fearful, anxious, and overwhelmed, which might shatter your dreams of achieving business and personal success.

持续变化的挑战会让你疲惫、沮丧、恐惧、焦虑、手足无措，甚至可能粉碎你在事业与个人成功上的梦想。

However, sometimes it is easier to become an excellent leader full of confidence and vitality than to become a leader who has lost vitality and is struggling and helpless, provided that he needs to know how to make his subordinates willing to give up their lives.

然而，有时要成为一个自信而充满活力的优秀领导者，比成为一个失去活力、挣扎无助的领导者更容易，前提是你懂得让下属愿意为你拼命。

As the leader of Standard Oil Company, I enjoy both authority and pleasure, because I know that finding someone who can guarantee the completion of the task is equivalent to creating time for myself. In other words, it will not only make me energetic, but also more importantly it will give me more time to think about how to make more money for the company.

作为标准石油的领导者，我同时享有权威与乐趣，因为我知道找到能保证完成任务的人，就等于为自己创造时间。换言之，这不仅让我精力更充沛，更重要的是让我有更多时间去思考如何为公司赚更多钱。

There is an attitude issue here. Actions are driven by attitudes. The attitude we choose determines what behavior we want to take. As for the results, it will soon be apparent to us. People can change their lives by changing their attitudes. If you believe that you can change your attitude you can change it.

这里涉及态度问题。行动由态度驱动。我们选择的态度决定我们想采取的行为，结果很快就会显现。人可以通过改变态度来改变人生。如果你相信自己能改变态度，你就能改变它。

Smart people always choose the attitude that is best for them. People who know the art of leadership will always ask themselves: What kind of attitude can help them achieve the results they really want? Is it an inspiring attitude? Or is it sympathetic? They will never choose a cold or hostile attitude.

聪明人总会选择对自己最有利的态度。懂得领导艺术的人会问自己：什么样的态度能帮助我获得真正想要的结果？是鼓舞人心的态度，还是富有同理心的态度？他们绝不会选择冷漠或敌对的态度。

If you think of yourself as a supreme, desperate monarch, you are likely to become the next King Louis XVI. As far as I am concerned, I never dominate, create conflicts, or put too much pressure on myself. Instead, I have the habit of giving subordinates trust, boosting their morals, and in turn, achieving the business achievements I expect. This habit will help me achieve the purpose I want by using subordinates. The way of doing this is very simple, and that is to know how to use the power of setting goals.

如果你把自己看作至高无上的绝望君主，你很可能成为下一个路易十六。就我而言，我从不专断、不制造冲突，也不对自己施加过大压力。相反，我习惯给予下属信任、提升他们的士气，从而实现我期待的业绩。这一习惯帮助我借助下属达成目标。方法很简单：懂得运用设定目标的力量。

I am a teleologist. I never exaggerate the function of having a goal like some people do, but I attach great importance to its function. In my opinion, purpose is the driving force behind our potential, and it is the power that governs everything. It can affect our behavior and inspire us to create the means to achieve our goals. A clear and decisive purpose will allow us to focus on the chosen direction and allow us to try our best to achieve the goal.

我是目的论者。我从不夸大目标的作用，但我非常重视它。在我看来，目标是潜能背后的驱动力，是支配一切的力量。它能影响我们的行为，激励我们创造实现目标的方法。清晰而坚定的目标，会让我们专注于所选方向，并尽全力达成目标。

My experience tells me that the tasks a person accomplishes, and his ultimate performance are closely related to the nature and power of his purpose and have almost nothing to do with what he does for his goal. Think about it, there is no game of golf that can be completed in one stroke. Y ou need to complete the holes one by one. The goal of each stroke is to get as close to the hole as possible.

我的经验告诉我，一个人完成的任务与最终表现，与目标的性质和力量密切相关，几乎与他为目标做了什么无关。想一想，高尔夫不可能一杆打完，你必须一洞一洞完成，每一杆的目标都是尽可能靠近球洞。

Having a purpose is the basis of my leadership, and it is everything. I am accustomed to establishing goals before doing anything, and every day I have to set goals, countless goals, such as the purpose of talking with partners, the purpose of convening meetings, the purpose of malting plans, and so on. Before doing something, I will also review the purpose that I have set. Usually when I arrive at the company, I have already prepared everything. Therefore, I have never “swallowed” voices such as “I can’t help it” , “I don’t care anymore” , “There is no hope anymore” in my heart. The purpose that I establish every day has offset these failures.

目标是我领导力的基础，也是我的全部。我习惯在做任何事前先建立目标，并且每天都要设定无数目标，例如与伙伴交谈的目的、召开会议的目的、制定计划的目的等等。做事之前，我也会回顾自己设下的目的。通常我到公司时已经准备就绪，因此我心里从不会“咽下”诸如“我也没办法”“我不管了”“已经没有希望了”之类的声音。我每天设定的目标抵消了这些失败感。

If you are unable to actively establish your own goals, you will passively or unconsciously choose other goals. As a result, you may lose control of the overall situation. At the same time, you will be subjected to people or events that might distract you or disturb you.

如果你无法主动建立自己的目标，你就会被动或无意识地选择别的目标，结果可能失去对全局的掌控。同时，你会受制于那些可能分散或扰乱你的人的影响与事件。

It is like loosening a yacht from the dock and forgetting to start the motor. Y ou will follow the currents, and sea breeze, currents or other ships that might collide into you and cause you to sink to the bottom of the sea at any time. Maybe something good is waiting for you on the other side, but unless a miracle occurs, you will not be able to reach the other side smoothly. Establishing a purpose is like turning on the engine of a yacht, which can propel you towards the path you choose. Purpose can add direction and strength to human efforts.

这就像把游艇从码头松开却忘了启动引擎。你会随洋流与海风漂流，甚至被海流或其他船只撞击，随时沉入海底。也许对岸有好东西在等你，但除非奇迹发生，否则你无法顺利抵达。建立目标就像启动游艇的引擎，能推动你走向自己选择的道路。目标能为人的努力增添方向与力量。

However, establishing a purpose only brings you to the midst of the route to becoming a teleologist, and you have to complete the other half of the journey. Y ou need to unreservedly state your purpose to your subordinates — your personal intentions, motives and inner strategic plans. For everyone who needs to understand what I want to achieve, I will explain my purpose to them. In every meeting, report or at the beginning of the matter, I will first express my motivation, thoughts, and expectations.

然而，建立目标只把你带到成为目的论者旅途的中段，你还要走完另一半。你需要毫无保留地向下属说明你的目标——你的个人意图、动机与内在战略计划。凡是需要理解我想达成什么的人，我都会向他们解释我的目标。在每次会议、汇报或事情开始时，我都会先表达自己的动机、想法与期望。

The benefits of this will surprise you. It not only enables your subordinates to know your purpose and brings them the right direction to move forward, but most importantly, when you have the courage to be honest about your purpose, you will gain emotional loyalty. Know that loyalty is the beginning of willingness to serve.

这样做的好处会让你惊讶。这不仅让下属知道你的目标，给他们正确的前进方向，更重要的是，当你有勇气坦诚你的目标时，你会获得情感上的忠诚。要知道，忠诚是愿意服务的开始。

Outstanding leaders are good at using two invisible forces: trust and respect. When you honestly stated your purpose, you also deliver this message: “Because I have enough trust in you, I am willing to confess to you. " It will open the door for people to trust you, and what you embrace is not only the ability of your subordinates, but also the priceless loyalty from them - the loyalty that must be gathered to help you. Trusting others and making others trust myself are the important reasons for my achievements in life.

卓越的领导者善于运用两种无形力量：信任与尊重。当你诚实表达目标时，你也在传递一个信息：“因为我足够信任你，所以愿意向你坦白。”这会打开人们信任你的大门，而你所拥抱的不仅是下属的能力，还有他们无价的忠诚——必须凝聚起来帮助你的忠诚。信任他人与让他人信任我，是我一生取得成就的重要原因。

Exposing your purpose can better avoid unhelpful inferences. If you do not tell your subordinates about your purpose, they will spend time guessing what it is based on the clues they can collect, and this information is easily distorted. Only when they do not need to interpret your motives, will the morale and ability of subordinates have a chance to be improved. Therefore, it seems more advantageous to treat subordinates as “fools. "

公开你的目的能更好地避免无益的揣测。如果你不告诉下属你的目的，他们会根据能收集到的线索去猜测，而这些信息很容易被扭曲。只有当他们不需要解读你的动机时，下属的士气与能力才有提升的机会。因此，把下属当作“傻瓜”来对待反而更有利。

The power expressed by purpose is irreplaceable. What it conveys is not only a statement, but also the leader’s courageous and resolute oath for personal behavior. The purpose of resolute will and absolute tenacity can often inspire and encourage subordinates, so that they can deliver more outstanding performance in the future work.

目标所表达的力量是不可替代的。它传达的不只是声明，更是领导者对个人行为的勇敢而坚定的誓言。坚定意志与绝对坚韧的目标，往往能激励并鼓舞下属，使他们在未来工作中交出更出色的表现。

The mission of a leader is to discover problems and solving problems depends on subordinates. How to mobilize subordinates and fulfil their dudes is the first priority for leaders. I think that by showing your purpose and treating everyone with enthusiasm, you can achieve what you want.

领导者的使命是发现问题，而解决问题要靠下属。如何动员下属并履行其职责，是领导者的首要任务。我认为，展示你的目标、以热情对待每一个人，就能达成你想要的结果。

Purpose is like a diamond: if it is to be valuable, it must be real. An insincere purpose confession will only be bad. If one abuses the power of purpose, he will only destroy mutual trust and lose the trust of others. This is the risk of expressing purpose.

目标如同钻石：要有价值，就必须真实。虚伪的目标表白只会带来坏结果。若滥用目标的力量，只会破坏彼此信任并失去他人的信赖，这就是表达目标的风险。

John, the road to hell is paved with kindness. Unless you are fully prepared, this sentence is likely to come true.

约翰，通往地狱的路是由善意铺成的。除非你做好万全准备，这句话很可能成真。

Love, Y our Father

爱你的父亲

Letter 32

Avoid Blaming and giving excuses. The stronger you are, the lesser the influence others will have. July 24,1910 Dear John: If I say Mr. Andrew Carnegie, who has always been unwilling to be outdone and always thought he is the richest man in the world, came to visit me and consulted me on a very serious question. Would you be surprised? In fact, that great blacksmith did just that. Two days ago, Mr. Carnegie came to our Estate: Kikwit. Perhaps it was my smile, the relaxed atmosphere while we were conversing, that melted Mr. Carnegie’s steely self-esteem, as he put his ego aside and asked: “John, I know, you lead a group of very capable people. But I do not think their talents are extraordinary, but what puzzles me is that they seem to be invincible and can always easily defeat your competitors. I want to know what magic you have done to make them have that kind of spirit. Is it the power of money?” I told him that the power of money is certainly not to be underestimated, but the power of responsibility is even greater. Sometimes actions do not come from ideas, but from taking responsibility. Everyone at Standard Oil Company has a sense of responsibility, and they all know “What is my responsibility? What can I do to make things better?” But I never talk about responsibilities or obligations. I just create a sense of responsibility in the company through my leadership. I thought this topic should be over at this point, but my answer obviously stimulated Mr. Carnegie’s curiosity. He asked me seriously: “John, can you tell me how you did it?” Seeing Mr. Carnegie’s humble expression, I could not refuse, I had to tell the truth. I told him that if we want to survive forever, our leadership style means we have to refuse blaming anyone or anything for any reason. The habit of blaming is like a swamp. Once you stumble and fall into it, you will lose your footing and direction, you will become unable to move and then fall into the predicament of hatred and frustration. There is only one result: losing the respect and support of your subordinates. Once you fall into this field, you are like a king who has handed over the crown to others, unable to dominate anything anymore. I know that blaming is the number one enemy that destroys leadership. I also know that in this world, there is no eternal victorious general. No matter who it is, they will encounter setbacks and failures. Therefore, when a problem arises, I will not feel resentful or dissatisfied. I will just think how can the situation get better? What actions can be taken to solve or repair the situation? Or how can we actively choose to move towards higher productivity and satisfaction. Of course, I will not let myself go. When something bad happens to us, I will stop and ask myself a question: “What are my responsibilities?” Going back to the original point, by fully and honesty assessing my role, I can avoid spying on what others have done, or asking other people to change something and doing other meaningless actions. In fact, only by focusing on myself can I reclaim the crown that I inadvertently gave up. However, analyzing “what are my responsibilities” does not mean self-blame. Self-blame is one of the most insidious and cunning traps. Self-blaming such as “That was a stupid mistake!” will only make me fall into the same trap of resentment and dissatisfaction as any other accusations will. In fact, “what are my responsibilities” is a step with strong analytical power and self-affirmation. When I know that the real problem is not what they should do, but what I should do, I will not complain about myself, which will only make yourself stronger. The stronger you are, the smaller the influence of others will be. It seems that this is not a bad thing. If I can treat every obstacle as an opportunity to understand myself, rather than care about what others have done to me, then I can find a way out of the face of adversities. Of course, I never see myself as a savior, nor do I have a mentality of a savior. I will ask myself: In what ways should I be responsible for myself? I also asked myself: In what aspects are my subordinates responsible for? The job of a leader is not omniscient, or to assume full responsibility. If I regard myself as a brave messenger of justice, ready to save the world, I will only plunge myself into a crisis of leadership. A large part of my responsibilities is to make others accountable for their own responsibilities. If an employee does not care about things that concern his own interests, I do not believe that such an employee will have a strong desire to do a good job, then he should leave and serve others. The kind of pressure that responsibility gives can make people unconsciously excited. Nothing can stimulate and strengthen the ability to do things like a sense of personal responsibility, and by entrusting the heavy responsibilities to my subordinates and letting them understand that I fully trust them is undoubtedly the greatest help to them. Therefore, I will not take the responsibilities that my subordinates must and can bear. I not only rely on demonstration to create a responsible atmosphere and atmosphere for the company, my subordinates all know my basic principle: There is no blame or excuses at Standard Oil! This is the philosophy I insist on, everyone knows that. I will not punish them for making mistakes, but I will never tolerate irresponsible behavior. Our belief is to be thoroughly implemented in the company’s culture. Our motto is that support, encouragement, and respect will be wholeheartedly accepted and double praised. Only making excuses without providing solutions is intolerable in Standard Oil. We seldom make any mistakes because my door is always open to my subordinates. They can offer opinions or simply complain, but in a responsible way. This result will make us trust each other, because we understand that everything needs to be discussed under the sun. Mr. Carnegie is an excellent old student. He did not let me waste time. When I ended this topic, he said: “Amidst complaints, even the excellent employees can become mobs!” He is so smart. John, almost all people have the defensive psychology of shirking real responsibility, so that the phenomenon of appointing committee responsibility can be seen everywhere. But it is harmful. The way to avoid defense is to start listening. The biggest challenge for leaders is how to create an environment in which people feel that being open is more comfortable than hiding the truth. Proactively invite others to state their thoughts and encourage them to speak out with words such as “Say a little more” or “I really want to hear your opinion. " Contrary to what most people believe, in a dialogue, the listener is the one who has the power, not the declarant. Is this unbelievable? Think about it, the tone, focus, and content of the speaker actually depends on the way you listen. Imagine the difference between a person who is hostile and aggressive, and a person who is engrossed in you. When you simply listen to other people, you lower your defenses. Y ou will get these benefits: Y ou will have a more thorough understanding of the underlying issues as compared to behind that of offensive or angry language. Y ou can get more information, and this information can change your assumptions about the ins and outs of the entire event. Y ou will have more time to organize your thoughts. The presenter will feel that you value their point of view. The most exciting thing is that when you listen attentively, the original presenter will be more willing to listen to your opinions. Listening truthfully is not defensive. Even if you do not like this information, you should listen to it instead of responding immediately. Listening attentively is less like a technique, it is more like an attitude. A skier spends 100% of his attention when encountering obstacles, and he will never be distracted to think about what he wants to say to his partner later. In the same way, as an active listener, you give 100% of your attention to another person, and you will not want to blurt out what you think. In this way, you get rid of preconceived notions and open your mind to create a more meaningful and effective dialogue. For a long time, we have shaped our lives and lives have also shaped ourselves. This process will continue, and we will ultimately be responsible for our choices. Just as “purpose” determines your direction, refusal to blame will build a road to achieve your goals. Love, Y our Father

Letter 33

Making good use of everyone’s wisdom. Do not use your own likes and dislikes as the criteria for selecting talents. November 17, 1912 Dear John: Receiving your letter is very exciting to me, because you understand my philosophy which always helps me to succeed in my career: do what you like to do, and leave other things to the people who like to do it. For me, doing what I love is an unquestionable conclusion. It always reminds me that in order to lead my subordinates to complete tasks well, we must not rely on certain management skills, but adopt a more macroscopic and effective leadership style. Specifically, it is not to let the subordinates stick to rigid and standardized work positions, but to find ways to use each person’s strengths and induce them to pour enthusiasm into their work to achieve excellent productivity. This is my way to victory. When I was studying, I remembered this sentence: “The most perfect person is the one who thoroughly devotes himself to the activity he is best at. " Later, after I reformed it, I changed it into a management philosophy: The person who is most able to create value is the one who is completely devoted to his favorite activities. I have said that everyone has the instinct to be loyal to themselves and have desires to be who they want to be, and the way they achieve loyalty is to do what they like to do. Unfortunately, many managers do not treat employees loyally, which results in lower productivity. In fact, this is easy to understand. If you don’t devote time to the things you love, you will never feel self-satisfied; if you don’t have self-satisfaction, you will lose the passion for life; if you lose the passion for life , you will lose the motivation of life. Counting on a person who has lost the motivation to do a job well is like counting on a clock that has stopped to tell the time accurately. It is ridiculous. Therefore, I never forget to give my subordinates the opportunity to be loyal to themselves — to ignite their enthusiasm and to maximize their special talents, and what I gain from it is precisely the wealth and achievement. Being loyal to yourself will win one of the greatest battles in your life. Who will miss this opportunity? If you want to successfully use the enthusiasm of your subordinates, you must know that the responsibility of the leader is not to tap the weaknesses of the subordinates, but to pay attention to the strengths and talents of the subordinates, and let these advantages be fully utilized. I do not have the habit of picking the most vulnerable characteristics of my subordinates, but I always look for the strongest part of them so that their talents can be fully utilized in the challenges and needs of the work. For example, I reused Mr. Archibald. Unlike some people, I do not use my likes and dislikes as the criteria for selecting talents first. I do not look at what signs are attached to them, what I like is their ability that they show when working. I like my preferences, but I prefer efficiency. Archibald is by no means a perfect person. He is addicted to alcohol, but I am a prohibitionist of alcohol. However, Archibald has an extraordinary leadership talent and potentials. He is quick-witted, optimistic, and humorous. His outstanding eloquence, bold and combative character are undoubtedly the guarantee of winning in fierce competition, so after becoming a partner from an opponent, I have always been interested in him, and I kept entrusting him with important tasks until he was promoted to take over my position. He has proven that he is a talented leader and his career is so special. If he is not affected by bad habits, his grades will be even more brilliant. My purpose is to find the value that I value in every subordinate, not the shortcomings that I do not like. I find out what each employee is worthy of attention and strengths, and I am committed to turning the strengths of the employees into outstanding talents without trying to correct their shortcomings. Therefore, I always have subordinates who are capable and willing to contribute. John, no one is omnipotent. Now, you are a manager, your achievements depend on the exertion of your leadership ability and your subordinates’ ability to do things. Y ou need to know that there are many places where you can pick on your subordinates, but you have to focus on discovering the potential strengths of each person, pay attention to their outstanding performance in every detail, and their insistence on perfectionism in order to do things well. This is where your leadership strength lies. One person cannot dominate a team. I do not deny the great role of leaders, but on the whole, victory depends on the team. Any honor I get depends on the strength of the team, and not myself alone. Only when everyone works hard can they believe and expect miracles. Good luck, my son! Love, Y our Father

Letter 34

Always think strategically. The best way to find the perfect idea, is to have many ideas. October 14, 1904 Dear John: Dr. Hamilton has gotten rounder. It seems that golf cannot restrain his waist from expanding, he can only use other exercises reduce fat. Unfortunately, the exercise that can prevent him from gaining weight has not yet been invented, and he is suffering. However, he can always bring us happiness, by using all kinds of weird stories in his mind. Today, Dr. Hamilton entertained us again with a story of a fisherman and an angler. Perhaps the doctor seemed very proud to see us all laughing. He smiled and shut me off: “Mr. Rockefeller, do you want to be a fisherman or an angler?” I told him that if I became an angler, maybe I would not be qualified to play golf with him, because I would be relying on effective behavioral strategies to create business benefits, and the angler’s behavior cannot guarantee my success. Of course, no angler is so stupid that he just throws down the bait without thinking, planning, and deciding in advance: what kind of fish to catch, what kind of bait to use, where to throw the fishing line, and then wait for the big fish to take the bait. As far as the fishing form is concerned, they have done nothing wrong, but no one knows whether the result is what they want. Maybe it takes a while for them to catch a fish, maybe they cannot catch a single fish, and the fish they dream of may never be caught. 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 can 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. I told Mr. Hamilton and my golf friends that I am not a stubborn, step-by-step angler who solves problems in a simple way. I am a fisherman who can create a variety of choices until the fish that can create the most commercial benefits. They all laughed and said that I had leaked the secret of making money. John, no matter what you do, the best way to find the perfect idea is to have a lot of ideas. Before making the best decision, I will devote myself to look for creative and effective options, consider a variety of possibilities, and actively try various options, and then focus on the best option. This is why I can always catch the big fish I want. Of course, in the process of implementing the plan, I will maintain an open strategy, adapt to the situation, and constantly adjust or revise my plan; therefore, even if the plan is not going well, I will not panic, and I can always respond calmly. Many people think that I have extraordinary abilities, and I am a leader full of efficiency and ability to act. If this is the case, I think you can also get such praise, but you need to refrain from the urge to find simple, one-way solutions. Be willing to try various possible ways to achieve your goals, and have the patience to act in the face of difficulties, courage and resourcefulness, as well as the perseverance of never letting go without reaching the goal. Planners who simply manipulate means only benefit the strategists. As the president, I only set clear directions or strategies for my subordinates, but I will not limit myself to an overly rigid action plan. On the contrary, I will continue to explore the various possibilities that can implement the strategy. Many people insist that the key to success lies in a solid strategic plan, and this plan must be backed by concrete, measurable, achievable, and practical action goals. I admit that this is very important, but it has fatal flaws. The plan emphasizes the standard of judgment and the pre-determined results, and what people adopt is also a fixed method that believes that the goal can be achieved. Since these programs are based on known methods that are expected to achieve the goal, we have in fact limited the scope before we start. Although the plan may seem seamless when we first drafted the plan, the situation may have changed before the plan was finalized. That is to say, not only the market situation has long changed, but the customers have changed, and even the factors that support the plan. Resources have also changed. It is no wonder that these costly, time-consuming, and labor-intensive strategies only have very few parts that can be implemented. How to deal with this situation? Whether we are drawing up a plan for a company or a single department, we must confirm that what we are drawing up is a strategy, not a means. The essence of strategy is flexibility, long-term, multi- faceted, and large-scale. They emphasize results such as how to grow or expand profits, rather than a measurable goal. At the same time, the strategy provides a general direction, not the only way to achieve success. To become an outstanding leader, we must make ourselves a strategic thinker, not just a designer of means. We also have to avoid confining ourselves to the established plans. Our motto will still to be focused, but also being flexible. We focus on the process of exploration. In every minute of every day, we can create possible directions that help achieve long-term goals. We will not adhere to just three or five ways to achieve remote goals. Instead, we must always be able to discover opportunities for profit—whether in conversations with opponents or brainstorming meetings with subordinates. In order to stay away from the storm of crisis, we must constantly formulate new strategies while adjusting the old plans. While responding to the daily changes in the business environment, we must also revise the long-term process based on changes in the situation. In this way, not only can we maintain a flexibility in the short term, and in the long run, we also have a clear concept of a flexible ideal goal that can meet the latest economic environment. We can put stale strategic plans on the shelf and move forward to a vibrant environment with energy and hope. Y ou have to be a hopeful person. No matter how bad the situation looks or how bad it actually is, please keep your eyes open to find the infinite hope in it — never give up searching, because hope will always exist. I believe that all leaders have the obligation to provide hope, not only for themselves, but also guide their employees onto a broad road. Think back to the time in your life when you felt the most hopeless. It might be because you felt that you had nowhere to go or believed that you had no other choice. Y ou were trapped, abandoned, and could not find a way out. 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. Outstanding leaders have the ability to cope with specific business situations, maneuver plans to create new markets, coping with crises, and blueprints for career development for themselves and their employees. When the situation seems to have fallen to the bottom and is irretrievable, they are like brave wrestlers, even if they are suppressed by their opponents and it is difficult to get out, they will never give up any opportunity to turn over. With their talents, flexibility, and adaptable wisdom, they cleverly find gaps and escape danger. They have no choice but to make a way out. If you can be creative at the beginning, you can avoid endless exhaustion, frustration, and pain. When things seem to have reached the point of despair, if we still hold on to endless hope, we will be able to surpass the boundaries set by ourselves and provide subordinates with new choices. Therefore, we must have the courage to find a way out of no choices. Love, Y our Father

Letter 35

Always put the employees who worked for me first. September 19, 1925 Dear John: Imagine a scene like this: a conductor of a symphony orchestra, ready to let the audience who bought tickets enjoy a spectacular performance, but he turned to face the audience, leaving the musicians behind to battle alone and perform. What would happen? Y es! This is destined to be the worst concert ever. Because the conductor did not attach any importance to the, and the latter will “thank” him with passive laziness and mess up everything. Every employer is like a conductor of an orchestra. He dreams of inspiring and mobilizing the strength of all employees to make as many contributions as possible, helping him play the gorgeous music that makes money, and letting him earn much more money. However, for many employers, this is destined to be an unattainable dream, because they are like that stupid commander, forgetting to treat employees well, so that they easily close the door to which employees are willing to put in effort. Like them, I expect all employees to be like loyal servants and make more contributions to me wholeheartedly. However, I am much smarter than diem. Instead of ignoring the existence of employees, I will take them seriously. To be precise, I always put the employees who worked for me first in my mind. From the bottom of my heart, I have no reason not to treat those employees who used their hands to accumulate my wealth well. I have no reason not to appreciate their efforts and sacrifices for me. Moreover, our world should have been filled full of warmth. I love my employees. I never scold or insult them loudly, nor do I become domineering and indomitable in front of them like some rich folks do. What I provide my employees is warmth, equality, and tolerance. All these combined into one word is called respect. Respect for others is a need to satisfy our sense of morality, but I find that it is also an effective tool to motivate employees to work hard. The fact that every employee of Standard Oil does their best to work for the company makes me believe that: Give people the respect they deserve, and they can fully realize their potential. The most basic aspect of human nature is the desire for generosity. I, myself, am thrifty and self-sufficient, but I never forget to help others generously. I remember that during the Great Depression, I borrowed several times to help those desperate friends, so that their factories and their families survived the crisis. And in my memory, I have never had a record of debt collection and forcing debts, because I know the value of tolerance. As for the employees, I am equally generous and compassionate. Not only do I pay them higher salaries than any oil company, but I also allow them to enjoy the pension system that guarantees them a comfortable retirement. I also give them annual appointments with their bosses for Opportunities to raise their own salary. I do not deny the utilitarian effect of generosity, but I also know that my generosity will improve the living standards of employees, and this is precisely one of my duties. I hope that everyone who works for me will be rich because of me. Employers are the guardians of employees, and my employees’ problems are also my problems. I have the rights to choose. I can choose to ignore their needs or choose to meet their needs, but I like to choose the latter. I always try to understand what employees need, and then try to meet their needs. I keep asking them two questions: “What do you need?” and “How can I help?” I am always there to care for them. For me, one of the greatest joys of this position is that I can lend employees a hand. Salaries and bonuses are quite attractive, but for some people, money does not trigger their motivation to serve, but paying attention can achieve this goal. In my opinion, everyone aspires to be considered valuable, valued, and respected by others. There is an invisible sign hanging on everyone’s forehead, which says: V alue me! I cannot imagine the pain of being ignored at work or in the family. My goal is to make everyone feel good at work. Therefore, I am like a detective who wants to find clues to solve the case, constantly searching for the talents that each employee is proud of. When I understand the talents they think they are most worthy of, I will give them a heavier responsibility. An employer who is good at motivating employees to make the greatest contribution should never forget to mention that to letting employees see that following or being loyal to you is hopeful and promising, and giving attention and entrusting important tasks to them is also the key to motivate employees to work hard at work. Being a kind, warm and considerate employer can make employees energetic and have high morals. But expressing gratitude to employees from time to time seems to be very useful. No employee will remember the bonus he received five years ago, but many people will always remember the kinds words of the employer and I will not hesitate to express my gratitude. Nothing has more influence than a timely and direct “thank you” . I like to leave a note paper on the desk of my subordinates with my words of thanks. The words of gratitude I wrote by hand for a minute or two may no longer be remembered. But my gratitude will have an inspiring impact. After so many years, they can still remember the warm encouragement left by their loving leader and regard it as a precious motto. This is a simple thank you statement and is also another proof of its great power. I will definitely take my subordinates and their work or personal issues seriously. I understand that what everyone can contribute is limited, so when I try my best to solve problems for my subordinates, relatively, they can make more contributions. John, now you are a leader. Y our achievements come from your abilities and the abilities of your employees. I believe you should know how to do it. Love, Y our Father

Letter 36

The greater the wealth, means the greater the responsibility. November 20, 1907 Dear John: I am very happy that a financial crisis that almost caused a national crisis has finally passed! Now, I think our President, Theodore Roosevelt, can go to Louisiana to continue hunting with peace of mind, despite his surprising incompetence in this crisis. Of course, Mr. President did not do nothing. He supported Wall Street with “worries” . God! Our taxpayer was so blind that he sent such a New Y orker into the White House. Frankly speaking, the mention of Theodore Roosevelt’s name and everything he did to Standard Oil makes me indignant. He is the narrowest and most vengeful villain I have ever seen. Y es, this villain succeeded. With the power in his hands, he became the winner of an unfair competition that was initiated by him. The federal court issued the huge fine that was unprecedented in American history and ordered its dissolution of our company. See what this despicable man has done to us! However, I believe that his so-called punishment will not succeed after all, but he will feel greatly disappointed, because I believe that all our companies are not rubbish. We have an outstanding management team and sufficient funds. We can resist any risks and attacks; our wealth will come from their healthy bodies. Wait and see! There will be times when we secretly cheer. However, we are indeed hurt and treated extremely unfairly. Theodore accused us of being a villain with huge wealth, and the judge insulted us as if we were notorious thieves, as if our wealth were conspired to plunder. Wrong! Those stupid guys do not know how big companies are built, and he does not want to know. Every cent of our money is permeated with our wisdom, and we have paid a load of sweat every step forward. The cornerstone of our business building is laid by our lives. But they do not want to listen, they want to be biased, only believing in their own inferior judgments, insulting our business ability, and even ignoring the fact that we use the cheapest and best quality kerosene to illuminate the United States. I know that the long sword in Theodore’s hand will definitely be swung until a big gain is achieved, because he rejected our proposal of reconciliation. But I am fearless, because I have a clear conscience, and the worst result is that he uses his power to break up our brilliant and happy family, but the happiness will not stop, and the glory will not fall. The future based on this reality will prove all this. There is no doubt that we are undergoing an unprecedented persecution, from the Roosevelt administration. However, we cannot allow our emotions to interfere and use anger to suppress our conscience. When a crisis comes, we can never stand on the sidelines, it will make us feel ashamed and going against our conscience. We should come forward. Because we are citizens of the United States, we have a duty to save our country and our fellow citizens from disasters. As a rich man, I know that great wealth is also a great responsibility, and I shoulder the mission of benefitting mankind. The financial crisis swept Wall Street. Depositors who were in panic lined up to withdraw their deposits from the bank. There was a run. When a crisis that would cause the US economy to enter the Great Depression again, I had a foreboding that the country had fallen into a Double crisis: the government lacks funds and the people lack confidence. At this moment, “Mr. Moneybag” must do something about this. I called Mr. Stone and asked the Associated Press to quote me and tell the American people: Our country never lacks credibility, and the scholars in the financial world pledge their credibility with their lives. If necessary, I would use half of the securities to help the country maintain its credibility. Please believe me, the financial earthquake will not happen. Thank God, the crisis has passed, and Wall Street has come out of the predicament. And for this moment, I did what I should do, as the Wall Street Journal commented, “Mr. Rockefeller helped Wall Street with his voice and huge sums of money. " It is just that I will never let them know that in overcoming this panic, I was the one who took out the most money from my pocket, which makes me very proud. Of course, Wall Street was able to successfully survive the credit crisis. Mr. Morgan can be described as outstanding. He is the outright commander of this war. He brought together a group of business celebrities to cope with the crisis and used his irreplaceable financial talents. The resolute personality saved Wall Street. So, I said that the American people should thank him, the people on Wall Street should thank him, and Theodore Roosevelt should thank him even more, because Morgan did what Roosevelt should have done but failed to do because of his incompetence. Nowadays, many people, and of course newspapers, praise the generous people, but to me it is worthless. The peace of conscience is the only reliable reward. The national crisis is the head, and we should do our part and have the courage to bear it. I think those people who sincerely extend a helping hand are just like me. We just want to shine our motherland with our own strength, faith, and loyalty. But I am not without shameful records. Forty-six years ago, when so many young Americans obeyed the call of the motherland and went to the frontlines, loyally to fight for the liberation of slaves and the maintenance of the unity of the United States, as a young man, I had just opened the company and my family had to rely on it to live, thus, I did not participate in the war. This may be a reassuring reason, but at that time the country needed me, and needed us to shed blood. This incident has always disturbed my conscience. It was not until the arrival of the economic crisis ten years ago that I had a chance at salvation. At that time, the federal government was unable to guarantee gold reserves, and Washington turned to Mr. Morgan for help, but Morgan was unable to do anything. It was, I, who put out a huge subsidy to the government to quell the financial panic. This makes me very happy, more than over how much money I make. But I did not see myself as a savior, let alone pretentious. Only fools are pretentious because of money. But because I am a citizen, that knows that I have huge wealth, and I also bear huge public responsibilities because of it. What is more noble than having huge wealth is to serve the motherland in accordance with the needs of the motherland. John, we indeed have money, but at any time, we should not spend money arbitrarily. Our money is only used to create value for mankind, and we must not give any selfish people a little bit of benefit. Of course, we will never donate money to republicans to support their election campaigns anymore. Theodore Roosevelt has already hurt us. Fame and virtue are the decoration of the soul. Without her, no matter how beautiful the body is, it should not be considered beautiful. Love, Y our Father

Letter 37

Enrich your mind August 1, 1914 Dear John: Just like our physical appetite, we also have spiritual appetite. But many people often use the lack of time as an excuse to keep their hearts hungry, and only enrich them by accidents or by chance, but they never forget to satisfy their consumption below their necks. Perhaps my view is a bit pessimistic. We are in an era where we continuously satisfy our needs below the neck but ignore the needs above the neck. In fact, you often hear people say: Missing a lunch is a big deal, but you never heard: When was the last time you satisfied your soul’s hunger and thirst? Are we all spiritually rich? Obviously not. In our world, people who are thirsty for spiritual energy can be seen everywhere. Those who live in depression, negativity, failure, and melancholy, they all desperately need spiritual nourishment and the call of inspiration, but almost all of them reject replenishing their hearts and instead let their hearts be dim. It would be great if an empty mind could be like an empty belly, needing to be filled up to satisfy the owner. Unfortunately, there is no such thing, but to accept the punishment of spiritual emptiness. The soul is the true home for each of us, and whether we are good or bad depends on her nurturing. Because everything that enters this true home has a function, it will be created to prepare for your future, or it will be destroyed, reducing your possible future life achievements. For example, positivity. Every top-notch person who reaches the peak or is almost reaching the peak is positive. They are positive because they regularly enrich their hearts with good, clean, powerful, and positive spiritual thoughts. Just as food is the nutrition of the body, they do not forget their daily spiritual food. They know that if they can fill the upper part of the neck, they will never worry about filling the lower part of the neck, or even worry about the financial problems of old age. One must find one’s own home, so as not to wander or become a beggar. First of all, even if you want to sell your soul, you have to sell it to yourself. We have to accept ourselves. We must be clear that man was created with God’s own mind and our status is second only to angels. God will not set any apparent restrictions on age, education, gender, fatness, skin color, height, or any other superficial limits. God also has no time to create useless people, let alone ignore everyone. Second, we must have a positive attitude. Two years ago, when Mr. Carl Jung and I met unexpectedly, the psychologist told me a story: a man was trapped by a flood, and he had to climb to the roof to take refuge. Someone among the neighbors floated over and said, “John, the water is really terrible this time, isn’t it?” John replied, “No, it’s not that bad. " The neighbor was a little surprised, so he retorted, “How can you say that? Y our chicken coop has been washed away. " John said, “Y es, I know, but I started raising ducks six months ago, and now they are all swimming nearby. Everything is fine. " “But, John, this time the water ruined your crops, " the neighbor insisted. John replied: “No. The crops I planted were damaged due to lack of water. Just last week, someone told me that my land needs more water, so it’s solved now. " The pessimistic neighbor once again said to the smiling John: “But look, John, the water is still rising. It’s about to rise to the level of your window. " The optimistic John smiled happily and said: “I hope so, these windows are really dirty and need to be cleaned. " This sounds like a joke. But obviously this is a realm—deciding to adopt a positive attitude to deal with this complex, ups and downs of this world. Once this state is reached, even in negative situations, we can make the mind automatically respond positively. In order to achieve this state, we can only enrich and cleanse our hearts. Everyone can change or be changed. Mr. Jung said that as long as a person changes his vocabulary, he can build his income, his enjoyment, and improve his life, and even change his life. For example, the word “hate” should be removed from your vocabulary. Do not think about it but replace it with the word “love” for writing, feeling and dreaming. Obviously, the words to be removed and replaced are almost endless, but the mind will become purer and more positive from the removal. Our minds act on the things that supply her. I believe that what I put in my heart is very important to my future. So, the question is obviously: how do we feed our souls — when do we find spiritual food. Have you ever heard that the lumberjack’s output will decline, just because he did not spare time to sharpen him and his axe? We spend money, and a lot of time, to modify the appearance of the mind, shave, and trim our hair. Can we spend the same time and money to make up the inner part of the mind? Of course, there is, and it can be done. In fact, spiritual food is available everywhere, such as books. There are no books written through great spiritual impacts that are not food that washes and enriches our hearts. They have already pointed out the direction for future generations once and for all, and we can choose whatever we want. A great book is a great tree of wisdom, a great tree of mind, in which we will be reshaped. Let us learn to be smart and humble, humble and smart. Of course, we should not read books written for businessman by businessmen. Their books are like a plague, spreading shameless evil thoughts, corrupt news, and arrogant stupidity. Their books are only worthy of those shallow and vulgar people. What we need is a book that can bring us the confidence and strength to act, can push our life to a new height, and guide us to do good. For example, “Pushing to the Front” by Orison Swett Marden. It is great work that stirs our souls and stimulates our passion for life. I believe that the American people will benefit from its appearance, and therefore use their own power in the most positive ways to reach the dream of life. I even believe that whoever misses the opportunity to read it is likely to miss the great life. I hope my children and grandchildren can read this book. It can open the door to happiness for all people. The driving force that led people to climb to the peak is a driving force that is maintained and emphasized regularly and is growing stronger. Those who have a successful life can undoubtedly realize that there is a lot of space in the peak, but there is not enough space for people to sit and stay. They understand that the mind, like the body, must be given regular nutrition. Physical, mental, and spiritual nutrition must be taken care of separately. John, no one can block our way home unless we do not want to come back. Let the light of the soul shine on our way forward. Love, Y our Father

Letter 38

Anyone can be a great man June 8,1906 Dear John: There is a holy saying in the Gospel of Matthew: “Y ou are the salt of the world. " This metaphor is ordinary and thought-provoking. Salt has a taste, but also cleans and preserves food. Jesus wanted to teach his disciples what mission they should shoulder and what influence they should exert. They came to the world to purify and beautify the world they are in. They want to protect the world from corruption and give the world fresher and a healthier life. The primary responsibility of salt is to have a salty taste. The salty taste of salt symbolizes a noble, powerful, and truly religious life. So, what should we use our wealth, principles, and beliefs for? Undoubtedly, we must be the salt of the world, actively serve the society, and benefit the world. This is each of us and the last social responsibility. Our responsibility now is to dedicate ourselves completely to the world and people around us, and to concentrate on our art of giving. I do not think there is anything greater than this. Speaking of greatness, I remembered a great speech, which is rare in my life. It tells me that people are nothing great, but there is nothing greater than people. It depends on what you have done for your compatriots and your country. Now, I will transcribe this great speech to you, and hope it will be of great benefit to you. Love, Y our Father Bonus

Letter 39

The person who thinks the most, feels the noblest, and acts the most righteous, lives the most fulfilling life. June 18,1906 Dear John I am honored to have met some important people here today. Although you will say that there are no big people in this city, big people are all born in London, San Francisco, Rome or other big cities, and not from the local area, they all come from outside this town. If so, you are very wrong. The fact is that there are as many big people here as with other cities. There are many big names in the audience, including men and women. Now, allow me to boldly say that the biggest mistake we often make when judging whether a person is a big person is that we always think that big people have spacious offices. However, I want to tell you that this world does not know what kind of person the greatest person in the world is. So, who is the greatest man in the world? Y oung people may be anxious to ask such questions. Let me tell you that a greatest man is not necessarily someone who has an office in a high-rise building. The reason why a person is known for being the greatest man, lies in his value and has nothing to do with the position he has obtained. Who can say that a king who lives on food is greater than a farmer who works hard? However, please do not blame young people who hold a certain public office and think they may become big shots. Now, I would like to ask everyone here, who of you plans to be a great person? That guy in a western cowboy hat, you said you will become a big man in this city someday, really? When are you going to realize this wish? Y ou said that when another war broke out, you would charge into battle in the rain of bullets and pull down the enemy’s flag from the flagpole. Y ou would wear a medal on your chest, return to the country triumphantly, and serve as a public office awarded to you by the government. Become a big shot! No, it will not! Y oung man, you are not really great in doing this, but we should not blame your ideas. Y ou were taught this way when you were in school. Those who hold official positions have participated in the war bravely. I remember that when the Spanish War in the United States just ended, there was a peace parade in our city. People told me that when the parade team walked on Blow Street, a carriage stopped at the gate of my house. Sitting in the carriage was Mr. Hobson. Everyone threw their hats into the sky, waved their handkerchiefs, and shouted: “Long live Hopson!” If I were there, I would shout like that, because he deserves this great honor. But, suppose I go to the university forum tomorrow and ask everyone: “Boys, who sank the USS Merrimac?” If they answer: “It’s Hobson. " Then their answer is a seven-eighth lie, because there was a total of eight people who sank the USS Merrimac, and the other seven people had been exposed to Spanish artillery fire because of their positions. As the commander, Mr. Hopson was probably out of the artillery fire. My friends, the audience here tonight are all intellects, but I dare say that none of you can tell who the seven people are fighting with Mr. Hopson. Why do we use this method to teach history? We must teach the students that no matter how low a person’s position is, as long as he performs his duties, the American people should give him as much honor as a king. Most people teach their children in this way. Her young son asked, is that tall building?” “Mom, what “That is the tomb of General Grant. " “Who is General Grant?” “He is the one who put down the rebellion. " How can history be taught like this? Think about it, everyone, if we only have one General Grant, will the war be won? Oh, no. So why build a grave on the Hudson River? That is not because General Grant himself was a great man. The tomb was built there because he was a representative figure, representing two hundred thousand heroic soldiers who lost their lives to the country, and many of them were as great as General Grant. This is the real reason that beautiful tomb stands on the banks of the Hudson River. I remember one thing that can be used to illustrate this situation, and this is the only example I can think of tonight. I am ashamed of this incident and cannot forget it. I close my eyes now and go back to 1863. I can see my home in the Berkshire Hills, the bull market is full of people, and the local church and city hall are also full. I heard the band playing, saw the national flag flying, and the handkerchief waving in the wind. I still have fresh memories of that day. The crowd is here to welcome a company of soldiers, and that company is also coming in line. After serving one period of military service in the Civil War, they have to extend another period. They are now being welcomed by their hometown elders. I was just a young guy, but I was the company commander. On that day, I was triumphant, like a fully inflated balloon—just a thin needle could pierce me. I am at the forefront of the team; I am prouder than anyone in the world. We lined up into the city hall. They arranged for my soldiers to sit in the middle of the hall, and I sat in the front row. Then the town officials lined up out of the crowd. They walked to the stage and sat in a semicircle. Next, the mayor could not sit in the center of the semi-circular seat. He is an old man with grey hair and has never held a public office before. He believes that since he holds a public office, he is a great man. When he stood up, he first adjusted his heavy glasses, and then looked around the people under the stage with an extremely majestic posture. Suddenly, his eyes fell on me, and then the kind old man walked to me and invited me to sit down with the officials in the town. Invited me to the stage! Before I joined the army, no city official noticed me. I sat in front of the stage and let my sabre hang on the floor. I put my arms around my chest, waiting to be welcomed, and feel like Napoleon V . Pride always comes before destruction and failure. At this time, the mayor delivered a speech on behalf of the people, welcoming our group of soldiers who had returned triumphantly. He took out the speech from his pocket, carefully spread it out on the lecture table, and adjusted his glasses. He took a few steps from behind the pulpit, and then moved forward. He must have studied the speech manuscript very carefully, because he adopted the posture of a speaker, placing the weight of his body on his left foot, moving his right foot slightly forward, retracting his shoulders, and then opening his mouth with his hand at an angle of forty-five degrees. “Dear citizens, " he said, “We are very happy to welcome these brave fighters… who are not afraid of bleeding… the soldiers have returned to their hometowns. We are especially happy to see those who are with us today. There is a young hero (referring to me)… This young hero, in our imagination, we have seen him lead troops in desperate fights against the enemy. We saw his shiny sabre… shining brightly in the sun, and he shouted at his troops, “Charge!” God! This kind old man knew nothing about war. If he knew a little more about war, he would know the fact that it is a grave mistake for an infantry officer to run ahead of his subordinates at a dangerous moment. I even held the command knife that was gleaming in the sun and shouted to my subordinates: Charge! I have never done this before. Think about it, will I run to the front and be attacked by the enemy in front and leave the troops behind? The officer should not go there. In actual combat, the officer’s position is behind the soldier. Because I was a staff officer, when the rebels rushed out of the woods and attacked us from all directions, I always rode a horse and shouted to our army all the way: “The officers, retreat! The officers, retreat!” Then, every officer will retreat to the back of the combat zone, and the higher the rank, the further away. This is not because he lacks courage, but because the rules of battle are like this. If the general ran to the front and was killed, the battle would definitely be lost, because the entire battle plan is in his mind and he must be in absolute safety. I was even holding “that sabre gleaming in the sun” . What?! Among the soldiers sitting in the city hall that day, there were people who had used their lives to protect me, a half-sized officer, and someone that carried me across the deep river. Some people were not there because they died for the country. The speaker also mentioned them, but they were not noticed. Y es, those who really died for the country were not noticed, but this little boy of me, was said to be the hero of the time. Why am I treated as a hero? It is simple, because the speaker fell into the same stupid trap. This little boy is an officer, the others are just soldiers. I learned a lesson that I will never forget. A person is great not because he has a certain official tide. The reason why he is great is that he used a few tools to create a greater cause and accomplish his life goal as an unknown civilian. This is the real greatness. As long as an individual can provide the public with spacious streets, comfortable houses, elegant schools, solemn churches, sincere admonitions, and genuine happiness, as long as he can get the gratitude of local residents, no matter where he goes, he is great. But if he is not thanked by the local residents, no matter where he goes to the earth, he will not be a great person. I hope everyone here knows that we should live in meaningful actions, not years; we live in feelings, not the numbers on the phone buttons; we live in thoughts, not air; The time should be calculated based on the beating of the heart under the correct goal. If you forget what I said tonight, please do not forget the following statement: The person who thinks the most, feels the noblest, and acts the most righteous, lives the most fulfilling life. Love, your father.

Letter 40

Real happiness comes from giving. June 28,1906 Dear John Remember that the only real happiness comes from giving. There is no other way to be happy, my son. Be generous, be magnanimous, be kind and considerate to others, and you will find that in the end, it is you who are enriched and rewarded. I cannot stress enough the importance of generosity, and kindness. These virtues have not only brought me immense joy and fulfillment but have also shaped the very core of who I am. In a world that often prioritizes personal gain and self-interest, it is easy to lose sight of the profound impact we can have on the lives of others. However, I ask you to resist such temptations and instead embrace the path of giving. True happiness lies not in the accumulation of wealth or possessions but in the ability to make a positive difference in the lives of those around us. My son, generosity is not limited to monetary wealth alone. It extends far beyond material possessions. I ask you to give of your time, your knowledge, and your compassion. Extend a helping hand to those in need, for it is through such acts of kindness that we truly become rich in spirit. But remember, my son, that generosity must be accompanied by discernment. It is important to be aware of those who may seek to take advantage of your goodwill. Choose your philanthropic endeavors wisely, ensuring that they align with your values and have a meaningful impact. Seek out organizations and causes that are dedicated to uplifting others and promoting long-term positive change. In the pursuit of generosity, you will inevitably face challenges and setbacks. Some may question your motives or criticize your actions. I ask you not to be discouraged, for it is often in the face of adversity that our character is truly tested. Stay true to your convictions, and let the goodness within you shine through in all that you do. My son, as you embark on your own journey through life, I ask you to remember that true happiness is not found in selfish pursuits but in selfless acts of giving. Embrace generosity as a way of being and allow it to shape your interactions with others. In doing so, you will forge deep and meaningful connections, and your own life will be enriched beyond measure. May you continue to walk the path of kindness, compassion, and generosity, my beloved son. Carry forward the legacy of our family, and let the world bear witness to the profound impact one individual can make when they choose to give selflessly. Love Y our Father (This excerpt is from a letter that John D. Rockefeller wrote to his son, John D. Rockefeller Jr., in 1918. The full text of the letter can be found in the book “The Rockefeller Family Home: Kykuit, " which is a collection of letters and other materials related to the Rockefeller family’s estate in Westchester County, New Y ork.)

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2026-04-01T09:55:47+08:00

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