Cornelius Vanderbilt II

"Energy and determination can overcome almost any limitation or obstacle in life."

"The greatest satisfaction comes not from the accumulation of wealth, but from its wise deployment."

"I believe in the power of vision – to see what others cannot see is to hold the future in your hands."

"The foundation of all my endeavors has been a simple principle: add value."

"A man should never be content with where he is – he should always strive for greater heights."

"The laws of business are immutable – ignore them at your peril."

"I have found that the men who question authority are often the men who change the world."

"To build something permanent, you must be willing to work beyond your own lifetime."

"The accumulation of knowledge is the first step toward the accumulation of wealth."

"I respect those who work hard with their hands as much as those who work with their minds."

"The secret to contentment is to understand the difference between want and need."

"A business without clear goals is like a ship without a compass – destined to drift."

"I believe that fortune favors the bold, but only if the bold are also disciplined."

"The man who cannot learn from criticism will never improve himself or his business."

"In every transaction, I have sought to leave the other party better off than they were before."

"The mark of true strength is the ability to remain calm when others panic."

"I have learned that the most valuable commodity in business is reliable information."

"To succeed in business, one must understand human nature in all its complexity and contradiction."

"The future always belongs to those who are willing to work harder than everyone else."

"I believe in the fundamental right of every man to improve his station in life through his own effort."

"The accumulation of power is meaningless unless it is used to benefit others."

"A man's word is his bond – this is the foundation upon which all trust is built."

"I have never sought comfort – I have always sought significance."

"The test of a leader is whether his followers continue to lead after he is gone."

"I believe that every man has the capacity within him to achieve greatness – if he but has the will."

"The secret of longevity in any enterprise is the willingness to adapt without surrendering principle."

"I have found that the most intelligent men are those who are willing to listen more than they speak."

"To build a lasting institution, you must hire men who are smarter and more ambitious than yourself."

"I measure the success of my life not by what I accumulated, but by what I overcame."

"The future is built by those who refuse to accept the limitations of the present."