“Experience,” says the proverb, “is a dear school, and none but fools
learn therein.” The inference is that to be wise one must suffer
himself to be taught by the experience of others. This volume contains
the life stories, told by themselves, of many successful men and women,
with emphasis on those experiences which to them appear to have been
the turning points in their lives.
It is not likely that there is anywhere in existence a similar
collection of heart-to-heart talks with distinguished people of equal
value to this. The idea of requesting the leaders in invention,
manufacture, transportation, commerce, finance, in political and public
life, and in the professions of the ministry, the law, literature and
art, to bequeath in their own words the stories of their lives, their
ideals, and the lessons of their experience, to the American public,
originated with Orison Swett Marden, and contributed in no small degree
to the immediate and remarkable popularity of SUCCESS, in which many
of these interviews first appeared. The early files of the magazine
are long since exhausted, but the interest in, and demand for, these
articles is sufficient assurance that they are of enduring merit, and
deserve to be collected in permanent form.
We regard them as a trust. We do not feel that we have a right
to withhold them from the public. We have accordingly fulfilled
our obligation by presenting them in attractive form, and we are
well assured that young and old alike who are striving to attain
their ideals in life will recognize the fact that the highest form
of self-interest will lead them to read and absorb the practical
helpfulness contained in these pages. Many and varied careers have been
selected, so that each one may find his ideal of success fulfilled
in real life, and be aroused to a lofty aspiration and resolute
determination to achieve like eminence. With Emerson we say, “Hitch
your wagon to a star,” and, with Lowell, “Not failure, but low aim, is
crime.”
While for the most part the experiences portrayed in this book occurred
upon American soil, in several instances persons born or now living
abroad, but prominently identified with American life, have been
included.
We acknowledge our indebtedness to the publishers of the “Literary
Digest,” of “Collier’s Weekly,” of the “American Review of Reviews,”
and others who kindly loaned valuable photographs for reproduction, and
also to members of the SUCCESS editorial staff for valuable assistance
in the preparation of this volume.