One great cause of failure of young men in business is lack of concentration.

The average person puts only 25% of his energy and ability into his work. The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50% of their capacity, and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100%.

People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.

Steel is prince or pauper.

It is not the rich man's son that the young struggler for advancement has to fear in the race for life, nor his nephew, nor his cousin. Let him look out for the dark horse in the boy who begins by sweeping out the office.

That 95 per cent. fail of those who start in business upon their own account seems incredible, and yet such are said to be the statistics upon the subject.

In [my] life ... I did not understand steam machinery, but I tried to understand that much more complicated piece of mechanism - man.