The wealthiest man in U.S. history wrote 38 hidden letters to his son.
They weren’t about riches.
They revealed the brutal psychological strategies J.D. Rockefeller used to build empires worth more than entire nations.
Here are 9 lessons he passed on: 🧵
First, remember who Rockefeller was:
• Raised in poverty, father was a swindler
• Built Standard Oil from scratch
• Controlled 90% of America’s refineries
• Net worth = $400B adjusted today
But his true masterpiece? These letters.
Principle 1: “Hardship is your best tutor”
Rockefeller grew up poor, rejected, and constantly tested.
His reflection? “I’m thankful for the struggle—it shaped the strength that shaped the fortune.”
Growth comes from intentional suffering.
Principle 2: “Failure + persistence = breakthrough”
Edison failed 10,000 times. Dyson made 5,126 prototypes.
Rockefeller’s formula: Failure + Persistence = Victory.
“Most people quit at failure #10. The rare ones know #11 could change history.”
Principle 3: “Work is either misery or meaning”
He told of 3 stonecutters:
One saw punishment
One saw wages
One saw beauty
“The last one built cathedrals. Who are you?”
Your view of work sets your wealth ceiling.
Principle 4: “Money is fire—control it or burn with it”
Rockefeller never idolized wealth. To him, money was fire:
“It can heat homes or torch them. It can feed the poor or corrupt the greedy.”
He gave away $500M. His legacy endures.
Principle 5: “Excuses are self-inflicted blindness”
The 3 killers of ambition:
“I’m too weak”
“I’m too dumb”
“I’m too unlucky”
Admiral Nelson had one eye, one arm—and still ruled the seas.
So what’s your excuse?
Principle 6: “Business is war—fight smart”
A rival pipeline threatened Standard Oil. Rockefeller didn’t counter directly.
He bought the railroads, cut shipping rates, and crushed them.
“Strike where they’re exposed, not where they’re armored.”
Principle 7: Negotiation = strategy + psychology
His 5-step playbook:
1.Scan the landscape
2.Assess your leverage
3.Identify their weakness
4.Define your objectives
5. Read emotions
“Data is your ammo. Emotions are your opening.”
Principle 8: “Reinvest or rot”
Rockefeller’s golden rule:
Guard the principal
Reinvest 90%
Live on 10%
“Men collapse when they burn tomorrow’s wealth on today’s pleasure.”
Compounding built empires.
Principle 9: “Reputation beats riches”
He funded universities, gave $500M, and treated workers fairly.
Why? “Wealth fades. Reputation echoes for centuries.”
Your true inheritance isn’t your fortune—it’s your name.
Read my other thread here 👇
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