Rockefeller letter to his son's thirty-eight the first letter: the starting point does not determine the end
Motto: Our fate decided by our actions, but not entirely determined by our birth.
(Men of privilege without power are waste-material.Men of enlightenment without influence ate the poorest kind of rubbish.)
july 20,1897
Dear John:
you want I can always sail with you, this sounds good, but I am not your master forever. God created feet for us is to Let us walk on their own feet.
Maybe you do not yet ready to walk the walk alone, but you need to know that I have exposure to challenging and magical world of business, is starting a new life you are, you began to participate in from there but you did not enjoy the feast of life about your future. As for how you use the display in front of the knife and fork in your life, and how the fate of angels taste of each dish served, it is entirely up to you.
course, I expect you will be able to right way in the near future, and win me one better. and I decided to stay with me you is simply want to get you to the career of a high starting point, so you do not have hard Tenda rapidly climbing opportunities can be enjoyed.
This is of course nothing is worth and show off your lucky, but do not you grateful. United States of America's founding belief that all men are created equal, that equality of rights and legal significance of equality, has nothing to do with the economic and cultural advantages. Think about it, our world is like a mountain, when your parents live in the top of the hill when you do not destined to live in the foothills; when your parents live in the foothills When you do not destined to live in the top of the mountain. In most cases, the parents decided the location of the child's start in life.
but that does not mean that each person's starting point is different from the results of their lives are also different. In this world never poor, the rich inheritance of that, never have become, defeated hereditary, says that there is only the truth of my struggle I succeeded. I firmly believe that our fate decided by our actions, and not entirely by our origin decision.
As you know, when I was younger, his family is very poor, I remember when I first used on the school books are well-intentioned neighbor bought for me, when my life began weekly earnings of only 5 dollars is just a bookkeeper, but I was by the unremitting struggle to establish an enviable oil kingdom. In the eyes of others it seems to be a legend, but I think this is for me consistently, and actively struggle return, is the fate of God to pay my Jianku reward.
John, opportunities remain are unequal, but the outcome that Pingdeng. in history, whether in politics or in business, especially in business, self-made Shi Lifu Found all, they had one poor little opportunity to fight and because they all fame. But history is also full of rich kids have all the advantages, but to failure of the case. Massachusetts, a statistic that the Seventeen of the rich kids there, that no one in this world or the rich man to leave.
in a long time ago, the community will be circulating a satirical story of incompetent rich kids, that's a small bar in Philadelphia in , one of the guests talk about a certain millionaire, said: \Then he put the money into a million. \Many of them doomed to the subject of compassion and mercy, even to go to hell.
family history of glory and success, can not guarantee their children's future will be better. I recognize the advantages of early indeed go a long way, But it can not guarantee that will eventually win. I think about this more than once in terms of rich kids with sad issues, I seem to feel rich kids began to take an advantage, there is little opportunity to learn and develop survival needed skills. and origin obscure the urgent need to save for their own people, their creativity and ability will be a positive, and the value and seize opportunities. I also observed that the rich kids who lack the kind of poor and lowly of his ambition to save also have to pray to God that he accomplished.
So, you and your little sisters, I have consciously not let you know that your father was a rich man, I taught you the most is like thrift, the values of personal struggle, because I know that brings harm to the most efficient way to give money, it can make people from the corruption of domineering, arrogant, lost the best happiness. I can not use wealth to bury my beloved children, foolish enough to let you become complacent, dependent on their parents only knew the fruits of incompetence.
a truly happy person is able to enjoy his creation of the people. those who like a sponge, not only those who take will only lose the joy.
I do not think do not want to live a happy, noble life, but really know how noble and happy life, not many people come from. In my view, noble and happy life, not from a noble lineage, not from the noble way of life, but from the character of the noble spirit of self-mm, to see who has won world respect, always turn on the charm of the noble man, we know that independence is valuable.
John, your every move will be my worry. but compared with this worry, I have confidence in you that your excellent character mm wealth than any other character is more valuable and will help you lay out a bright future and will help you have a successful and full life.
but you need to reinforce this belief: the starting point may affect the results, but does not determine the outcome. ability, attitude, personality, ambition, means, experience and factors like luck in life and business world plays an important role. your life has just begun, but a battle of life in front of you. I can deeply feel the war you want to be the winner, but you know, everyone has the will to pursue victory, only the determination of people would be ready to win.
my son, enjoy the privileges without power are waste, without an educated influence are a bunch of worthless junk. to find its own way, God will help you!
love your father
