Cornelius Vanderbilt II

"To change the world, one must first change oneself."

"The greatest legacy is the legacy of character passed to generations."

"A man who listens learns; a man who speaks remains ignorant."

"I believe that every difficulty conceals a hidden opportunity."

"The path of honor is often the path of resistance."

"The true power is the power to elevate others."

"To find happiness, one must first find purpose."

"The man who lives for others finds meaning in his own life."

"I have learned that persistence is the child of faith."

"The greatest teacher is the one who inspires students to surpass him."

"The man who has a million dollars is as well off as the man who has a billion--in the end, we all leave with nothing."

"I have always found that the man who is willing to work the hardest often succeeds where others fail."

"Business is not a game of sentiment; it is a game of intellect."

"The accumulation of wealth is not the ultimate purpose of life, though it may provide the means for a life well-lived."

"I believe in the power of organized effort to reshape society."

"A man's reputation is built not in a day, but through years of consistent action."

"The railroad has changed America more than any political movement could."

"Idleness is the enemy of progress; constant activity is the friend of success."

"I would rather have a small portion of a great enterprise than the whole of a small one."

"The beauty of commerce lies in its ability to connect people across vast distances."

"Every dollar earned should be earned with integrity, or it is worthless."

"In the face of competition, only the strongest and most adaptable survive."

"I have spent my life building monuments to industry, not merely to wealth."

"The mind that rests is the mind that atrophies."

"Great fortunes are built by those who can see opportunity where others see only obstacles."

"I am not interested in money for its own sake, but for what it can accomplish."

"The measure of a man's success is not his wealth, but his influence on his time."

"Time is the one commodity that no amount of money can buy back once it is spent."

"A gentleman knows when to yield and when to press forward."

"The future belongs to those who prepare for it today."