Rockefeller – The difference between affluent people and the rest.

Lately, after I get home from my day job, I go out to the barn where I have a remodeling project going. I am doing part of it myself – carpentry, my trade. While I am out there by myself with the lights and my tool belt on, I have my ear pods in and am listening to something interesting.
Sometimes it’s an audiobook, sometimes a podcast, sometimes a TED talk, or something else. I have a little notebook and a pen on the sawhorse to capture ideas that strike me as valuable.
This night I was listening to the autobiography of John D. Rockefeller Jr. on YouTube. I learned a lot about him, his values and what he did, and about the era when oil was becoming an important fuel to power the world.
He used one simple word to describe the difference between people in the top 5% and the rest – “personality”. He meant the collection of character traits that form your personality.
Some people have destructive habits, and some don’t.
Some people use their extra time to learn, and some use it for relaxation and entertainment. (Some feel that learning IS relaxation and entertainment.)
Some want easy days, and some invest themselves into their days to have an easy life.
Some people think about what they can bring to the marketplace and take great responsibility and risk to do so, and others are happy to be small consumers in the same marketplace.
These distinctions about personality make no judgment as to what kind of life is good or bad, but just give a road map to those who strive to rise to the highest levels of success.
John D. Rockefeller created much value for countless people, retired early, gave much away, and passed his wisdom on to others as best he could.
“Honor is a gift I give myself”
Thinking about today’s message, it’s relatively easy to be honorable when you truly believe in the group that you are a part of. This network of contactors and business associates makes it all worth doing every day. I feel very lucky to be part of the Basement Systems family for almost 26 years now. I tend to lead and be led by my own “oath” of life. I believe every eye is always on me, the last thing I want is someone to witness me not being a good person.
Great stuff Larry (and Jeff)! Nice picture!!!
Go, Jeff!
My dad used to say to me, Son do you know what is better than honor ? In her !!!
That is my Dad joke !!!!