80+ John D. Rockefeller Quotes From The American Business Magnate And Philanthropist
Gallery
John D. Rockefeller was an American business magnate and a philanthropist.
He is known to be the wealthiest American of all time. He is also widely considered the richest person in modern history.
Rockefeller began his business empire after investing in oil having gained several trusted business partners. He incorporated the Standard Oil Company after building his first oil refinery in 1870.
As the usage of kerosene and gasoline grew, he became the richest person in all of the United States. He had a monopoly on oil as he had possession of more than 90% of the oil in America.
Later in his life, he devoted himself to philanthropy and was a stern believer in the act of charity. You could also take a look at John D Rockefeller on freedom quotes and longtime friend quotes.
For more related content take a look at American Dream quotes and Howard Schultz quotes.
John D. Rockefeller Famous Quotes
Some of the most famous quotes from the business tycoon.
1. “There is nothing in this world that can compare with the Christian fellowship; nothing that can satisfy but Christ.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
2. “Never was I power-thirsty, or trying to control everyone. I believed in educating everyone, so they could all get to the position I was at.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
3. “The best philanthropy is constantly in search of the finalities-a search for a cause, an attempt to cure evils at their source.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
4. “The best business in the world is a well-run oil company. The second best business in the world is a badly run oil company.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
5. “I don’t want a nation of thinkers, I want a nation of workers."
— John D. Rockefeller.”
6. “I cheat my boys every chance I get. I trade with the boys and skin ‘em and I just beat ‘em every time I can. I want to make ‘em sharp.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
7. “Oh, how blessed young men are who have to struggle for a foundation and beginning in life.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
8. “The man who is holding on by the eyelids and is ignorant of his costs, and anyway he’s got to keep running or bust!”
— John D. Rockefeller.
9. “Get rich by taking something common and making it uncommon.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
10. “It has always been my rule in business to make everything count.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
11. “The day of combination is here to stay. Individualism has gone, never to return.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
12. “A man has no right to occupy another man’s time unnecessarily.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
13. “It is very important to remember what other people tell you, not so much what you yourself already know.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
14. “The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee. And I will pay more for that ability.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
15. “I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
16. “I believe that thrift is essential to well-ordered living.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
17. “Good management consists in showing average people how to do the work of superior people.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
18. “I would rather earn 1% off a 100 people’s efforts than 100% of my own efforts.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
19. “Capital and labor are both wild forces which require intelligent legislation to hold them in restriction.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
20. “I would rather hire a man with enthusiasm, than a man who knows everything.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
21. “Don’t blame the marketing department. The buck stops with the chief executive.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
22. “Own nothing, control everything.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
23. “I can think of nothing less pleasurable than a life devoted to pleasure.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
24. “Do you know the only thing that gives me pleasure? It’s to see my dividends coming in.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
25. “Nobody does anything if he can get anybody else to do it.”
― John D. Rockefeller.
Success Quotes
Great quotes on how to achieve and deal with success.
26. “When work goes out of style we may expect to see civilization totter and fall.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
27. “I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
28. “The man who starts out simply with the idea of getting rich won’t succeed, you must have a larger ambition.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
29. “The art of concentrating the mind on the thing to be done at the proper time and to the exclusion of everything else?”
— John D. Rockefeller.
30. “There is no feeling in this world to be compared with self-reliance – do not sacrifice that to anything else.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
31. “The most important thing for a young man is to establish a credit, a reputation, character.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
32. “If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
33. “The secret to success is to do the common things uncommonly well.”
― John D. Rockefeller
34. “Success comes from keeping the ears open and the mouth closed.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
35. “Success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
36. “It is only efforts the man himself puts forth that can really help him.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
37. “The success of each is dependent upon the success of the other.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
38. “The common denominator for success is work.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
39. “I have no use for men who fail. The cause of their failure is no business of mine, but I want successful men as my associates.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
40. “I never placed my head upon the pillow at night without reminding myself that my success might only be temporary.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
41. “You know that great prejudice exists against all successful business enterprise - the more successful, the greater the prejudice.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
42. “The man will be most successful who confers the greatest service on the world.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
Quotes About Wealth
In John D. Rockefeller quotes, wealth is an important theme. Read some of the best quotations about wealth by him.
43. “I had no ambition to make a fortune. Mere money-making has never been my goal; I had an ambition to build.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
44. “A man’s wealth must be determined by the relation of his desires and expenditures to his income.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
45. “Money is a way of keeping count on how well you’re doing in business.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
46. “A man’s word should be as good as his bond; that character — not wealth or power or position — is of supreme worth.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
47. “How much money does it take to make a man happy? Just one more dollar.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
48. “The poorest man I know is the man who has nothing but money.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
49. “It is wrong to assume that men of immense wealth are always happy.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
50. “The world owes no man a living but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
51. “If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
52. “I have ways of making money that you know nothing of.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
53. “I saw a marvelous future for our country, and I wanted to participate in the work of making our country great.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
54. “The impression was gaining ground with me that it was a good thing to let the money be my slave and not make myself a slave to money.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
55. “I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
56. “I have made many millions but they have brought me no happiness.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
57. “Save when you can and not when you have to.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
Quotes About Life
Great quotes to learn from! You may just find the perfect quote about money and life from this list.
58. “I believe in the supreme worth of the individual and in his right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
59. “He who works all day has no time to make money.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
60. “Never lose interest in life and the world. Never allow yourself to become annoyed.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
61. “I believe that love is the greatest thing in the world; that it alone can and will triumph over might.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
62. “Perseverance can overcome all obstacles. Even the laws of nature cannot stop it.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
63. “I know of nothing more despicable and pathetic than a man who devotes all the hours of the waking day to the making of money for money's sake.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
64. “I believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
65. “Showing average people how to do work of superior people is good leadership.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
66. “A friendship founded on business is better than a business founded on friendship.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
67. “Next to doing the right thing, the most important thing is to let people know you are doing the right thing.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
68. “After it is all over, the religion of man is his most important possession.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
69. “I believe in the dignity of labor, whether with head or hand.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
70. “Our cup will truly run over only after we have sealed the character cracks.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
Quotes On Charity
Some of his best quotes and sayings about charity and its importance.
71. “Think of giving not only as a duty but as a privilege.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
72. “Giving should be entered into in just the same way as investing. Giving is investing.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
73. “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
74. “Giving is the secret to a healthy life. Not necessarily money, but whatever a person has to give of encouragement, sympathy, and understanding.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
75. “Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
76. “I believe it is a religious duty to get all the money you can, fairly and honestly; to keep all you can, and to give away all you can.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
77. “I believe the power to make money is a gift from God...to be developed and used to the best of our ability for the good of mankind.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
78. “I believe in the supreme worth of the individual and in his right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
79. “Long ago I lost the joy in living. The only joy I have is in my giving.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
80. “I think it is a man’s duty to make all the money he can, keep all that he can, and give away all that he can.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
81. “The only thing which is of lasting benefit to a man is that which he does for himself.”
— John D. Rockefeller.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for John D. Rockefeller quotes then why not take a look at Linus Torvalds quotes, or Women In Business quotes.
Main image credit: Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com
We Want Your Photos!
More for You
See All
Bachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art
Georgia StoneBachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art
Georgia is an experienced Content Manager with a degree in French and Film Studies from King's College London and Bachelors degree from Université Paris-Sorbonne. Her passion for exploring the world and experiencing different cultures was sparked during her childhood in Switzerland and her year abroad in Paris. In her spare time, Georgia enjoys using London's excellent travel connections to explore further afield.
Disclaimer
1) Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the Buy Now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published but we cannot guarantee that on the time of reading. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
2) At Kidadl, we strive to recommend the very best activities and events. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
3) Because we are an educational resource, we have quotes and facts about a range of historical and modern figures. We do not endorse the actions of or rhetoric of all the people included in these collections, but we think they are important for growing minds to learn about under the guidance of parents or guardians.
