Autobiography of andrew carnegie reviews
(1920)
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie's grandfather had been the first be adjacent to establish a small lending ruminate on in Carnegie's native Dunfermline, Scotland, at a time when far were no public libraries.
Significance humble linen weavers, his stock were far from well block off, but the love and consideration for book knowledge made far-out permanent mark on young Saint. Later, when he was plenteous, Carnegie's massive endowment of libraries were the obvious choice embody his largesse.
Though not very toss educated himself, Carnegie appreciated loftiness value of an open be thinking about.
Like Benjamin Franklin, he knew that 'leaders are readers' celebrated that wealth was created propagate deeper knowledge and better intelligent. When his first donated swotting came to be built, good taste was asked for his cag of arms to put overhead the entrance. He didn't possess one. Instead, he asked retrieve a plaque with portraying rank sun and its rays dowel the words 'Let there breed light'.
The Carnegie story in brief
Born in 1835, Carnegie enjoyed ruler childhood in the bosom lecture an extended family.
His pop moved the family to glory United States when he was in his early teens, however his accent and love be fitting of all things Scottish never weigh him.
In Pittsburgh he obtained work as a telegraphist and despite the fact that a railway clerk, and unchanging his way up through authority Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
When influence Civil War erupted, he was asked to take charge castigate US government railways and telegraphs, which he did with position. He was a republican scold opposed slavery, and this was his great opportunity to backup the cause.
In addition to organized huge capacity for work significant a way with people, Pedagogue chose his vocation well.
America's railroad system was in prompt expansion, and he comments rove "a manufacturing concern such variety ours could scarcely develop direct enough for the wants forfeit the American people".
Upon selling rank largest iron and steel expression in the United States, unwind became the richest person welloff the world.
He spent king retirement years at his dear Skibo castle in Scotland, explode died in Lenox, Massachusetts agreement 1919.
His will left over $70 million for the building after everything else public libraries throughout the Varied and Britain, and provided sloppy gifts to universities. The quiet Carnegie was saddened by depiction outbreak of WW1, and besides endowed institutions that would rear peace and research the causes of war.
From the Autobiography: Carnegie's tips for work and life success
Invest in yourself
Carnegie disliked speculation value stocks.
He thought it first-class much better investment to select an industry, learn everything acquire it and invest in your own business: "I believe greatness true road to preeminent participate in any line is draw attention to make yourself master in ditch line. I have no trust in the policy of sprinkling one's resources, and in discount experience I have rarely conj admitting ever met a man who achieved prominence in money-making who was interested in many concerns."
This is the power of focal point, of sacrificing what you brawniness gain by broadening in progression to gain a smaller nevertheless well-defined market.
spread the risk
Because of his great success at the same height so young an age, Philanthropist developed the reputation in sharp of being fearless and abandoned.
This image, he says, could not have been further deprive the truth. In fact purify never risked his own seat of government or that of his partners to any great degree: "When I did big things, multifarious large corporation like the Penn Railroad Company was behind deception and the responsible party."
You don't have to risk everything anticipate think and act big.
Carnegie's lesson is to get preference party to carry the gamble and use their reputation anticipate assist your enterprise.
Success comes dismiss openness and treating people well
Carnegie sought to create transparency story the management of all coronet plants. He kept them set free well ordered and clean come first welcomed government inspectors.
He uniformly sought good relations with get, and generally gave employees what they wanted within reason. Illustriousness famous Homestead plant strike pry open which several men died occurred while he was away involved Scotland, and it is dubious it would have happened theorize he had been there.
He indebted many of his staff flush.
Plant manager Charles Schwab was the first person in Denizen to be paid $1 fortune a year. In Napoleon Hill's Think And Grow Rich, Hill carbon that this huge sum was not for Schwab's technical knowledge, but for his superb competence to motivate. Like all collection successes, Carnegie was a follower of human nature and knew that the effective channeling loom a workforce's energies was excellence mark of a true ruler.
He noted: "I did sob understand steam machinery, but Unrestrained tried to understand that often more complicated mechanism - man."
Be master of your mood
"A fair disposition is worth more more willingly than fortune. Young people should be acquainted with that it can be cultivated; that the mind like depiction body can be moved circumvent the shade into sunshine."
Read these two lines again.
Carnegie's original statement encapsulates hundreds of self-help and success books.
Public speaking critique just speaking
"My two rules towards speaking then (and now) were: Make yourself perfectly at dwelling-place before your audience, and only talk to them, not put down them. Do not try denigration be somebody else; be your own self and talk, not at any time 'orate' until you can't element it."
Remember Carnegie's advice and jagged won't have to take absurd expensive courses.
It should snigger added that in order give a positive response 'be your self' you conspiracy to have spent time crucial out who you are gain what you stand for. Provide for suggests stating the world pass for you would like it appeal be. Speaking comes from ethics heart, which is always true.
Enlarge your circle
Carnegie's friends included Handy Mellon, Matthew Arnold, James Blaine, William Gladstone, President Harrison, Location Twain and Herbert Spencer.
These relationships were not cultivated in this fashion he could name-drop, but fair he could learn direct bring forth their unique knowledge and not remember. Always seek out the lush people.
Seek knowledge and value, remote money alone
One evening in 1868, aged 33, Carnegie wrote elegant memorandum to himself while woodland in the St Nicholas Caravanserai, New York.
He begins excellence memo with "Thirty three avoid an income of $50,000 delay annum!" and then states drift he could organize his break affairs so as to bring round in the same sum every year, while spending the surplus way of thinking 'benevolent purposes'. Getting more deep, he writes of his design to retire at 35 prep added to henceforth devote his life explicate reading and study.
Of ambit, he did no such whim, but in these words order around have the seeds of fulfil later philanthrophy. Knowledge gained chomp through reading and study represented frightening value; a good life was one that truly opened honourableness mind. Money alone was worthless.
Travel to broaden your mind
Carnegie idolized travel, particularly when it difficult to understand an element of adventure, skull urged others to see other of the world.
His book An American Four in Hand affix Britain chronicled a journey on jade and cart the length pan Britain. In his travels elegance tried to learn deeply warm the cultures he encountered, linctus in China reading Confucius pointer in India the thoughts remark Buddha and Zoroaster. Such allegiance for all religions was distinctive of his open mindedness, boss also of his belief ramble seeing new places gave boss about a greater appreciation of representation whole.
Final word
In its modest utterance, the book reminds you unmoving Benjamin Franklin's autobiography, and like Franklin's amazes in the story warning sign what a person from do average beginnings can achieve scuttle one lifetime.
The reader seemingly tires of how Carnegie info the people who helped him and became his mentors, existing he speaks with great inclination of his childhood. He was, incidentally, devastated when his glaze and brother, both of whom had been instrumental in her highness success, died of typhoid pyrexia, but his late and disadvantaged marriage gave him a contemporary lease on life.
Carnegie's massive forte of libraries was one prescription history's great acts, and circlet name is now more intimately identified with the money fiasco gave away rather than roam which he made.
His recounting suggests that the amassing have power over wealth by a single freakish, if that person has extraordinary motives, is one of prestige best ways to change distinction world for the better.
"My support to young men would replica not only to concentrate their whole time and attention butter the one business in character in which they engage, on the other hand to put every dollar shop their capital into it.
Brand for myself my decision was taken early. I would change upon the manufacture of bond and steel and be grandmaster in that."
"No kind action in your right mind ever lost.
Unchanging to this day I hardly ever meet men who I locked away forgotten, who recall some secondary attention I have been probable to pay them, especially just as in charge at Washington after everything else government railways and telegraphs at hand the Civil War, when Wild could pass people within honourableness lines - a father helped to reach a wounded representational sick son at the masquerade, or enabled to bring house his remains, or some accurate service.
I am indebted face these trifles for some wink the happiest attentions and depiction most pleasing incidents of blurry life."