In 1928, Henry Clay Folger, a man who created the largest private Shakespeare library in the world, retired after 47 years at Standard Oil. During that time, he rose to the highest levels of the executive suite and so it was no surprise that John D. Rockefeller himself would send him a note upon his retirement. What was surprising was the key point Rockefeller highlighted. As described in the wonderful book, The Millionaire And The Bard, Rockefeller wrote:
“These long and delightful business relations mean inexpressibly more than the gold and silver that came from their great prosperity.”
Rockefeller, whose fortune at the time was essentially the equivalent to $400 billion today, understood that the greatest treasure we receive are the people with whom we get to work.
As we kick off the new year and get fired up for all of the goals we have ahead of us in 2022, this is a great lesson to remember. The goal should be to enjoy the moment we’re in. The chance to come into work every day and collaborate alongside people you respect, with the opportunity to build something special… that is the goal. And we are living it.
So enjoy. Appreciate. And, no doubt, there will be great prosperity.
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