Jay Gould

"Education is the luxury of those with time to afford it."

"I never asked for permission; I asked for forgiveness instead."

"The accumulation of wealth requires the abandonment of sentiment."

"Truth is merely an opinion that has not yet been challenged."

"Every man has his price; the only question is whether you can afford it."

"I built my fortune on the principle that most men are fools."

"The strong take what they can; the weak accept what they must."

"Labor is the price of civilization, and those unwilling to pay it deserve poverty."

"A man without ambition is merely a statue waiting to crumble."

"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."

"I have never believed in luck; only in calculation and execution."

"The heart of commerce is not in the goods, but in the control of their flow."

"Sentiment has no place in the ledger of a successful man."

"The market cares nothing for your intentions, only your results."

"Those who cannot see ten years ahead might as well be blind."

"Gold is the language all nations understand."

"The future belongs to those ruthless enough to seize it."

"A written contract is merely a beginning, not an ending."

"The public's opinion shifts like sand; build your fortune on stone instead."

"Every crisis is an opportunity for those with capital and courage."

"The law is a tool for those who understand how to use it."

"A man's word is worth only what his power makes it worth."

"Information is the most valuable commodity in any transaction."

"The weak are always complaining about the strength of the strong."

"Money has no conscience; those who wield it must decide its morality."

"Patience is the virtue of fools who lack the strength to act immediately."

"The accumulation of power requires the cultivation of useful allies."

"I have never lost sleep over a man I have ruined; they were in my way."

"A successful man is merely one who has outlasted his critics."

"The market respects only one thing: results."