Self-trust is the first secret of success. He worked by day, and toiled by night. He gave up much play, and much delight. Dry books he read, new things to learn. And forged ahead success to earn, he plodded on, with faith and pluck. And when he won, they called it luck. Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it. Success is not perfection; success is slightly above average. Wealth and what it brings is at best fleeting. For example, in 1923, a small group of the World’s wealthiest men were at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. They were the elite, the most wealthy and powerful people in the World. At that time, they controlled more money than the total amount contained in the United States Treasury. Here is a list of who was there and what eventually happened to them: Charles Schwab: president of the largest independent steel company, and he died penniless. Arthur Cutten: greatest of the wheat speculator, died abroad, bankrupt. Richard Witney: president of the New York Stock Exchange, died just after release from Sing Sing prison. Albert Fall: member of a U.S. President’s cabinet, was pardoned from prison so that he could die at home. Jess Livermore: greatest bear on Wall Street, committed suicide. Leon Fraser: president of the Bank of International Settlements, committed suicide. Ivar Kreuger: head of the World’s greatest monopoly, committed suicide.

 Even Greek millionaire Aristotle Onassis, who retained his wealth and died at a seasoned old age, recognized that money is not the same as success. He said, “After you reach a certain point, money becomes unimportant. What matters is success.” Because all of the things people buy cost money to maintain and taxes have to be paid. You can make $20 million, one year, buy a $5 million mansion, and have to pay taxes and security, child support, and lawsuits and end up unable to afford your home or find work the next year. Then to top it off, when you reach a certain status, you have an image to keep, so a standard job might not be for you, and you may have to do strange things to make money. When a man is very fond of his money it is not easy for him, at all times, to be very fond of his children also. The two are like God and Mammon. Loss of money is not only the worst pain in itself, but it is the parent of all others. The highest reward for your work is not what you get for it, but what you become by it. Success is a continuing thing. It is growth and development. It is achieving one thing and using that as catalysis to achieve something else.

 Many people have a losing attitude. People generally get whatever they expect out of life. Expect the worst, and that is what you will get. They quit growing. People are what they are, and they are where they are because of what has gone into their minds. They have no game plan for success. There are two kinds of failures: Those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought. They are unwilling to change. Some people would rather cling to what they hate rather than embrace what might be better because they are afraid of getting something worse. They fail in relationships with others. People who cannot get along with others will never get ahead in life. They are not willing to pay the price for success. The road to success is uphill all the way. Anyone who wants to accomplish much must sacrifice much. The truth within me is unassailable, and the power of the word is irresistible. I can even now feel that my word has gone forth with power and reality, and that it will accomplish that purpose for which it was created. Limitless is its power and wonderful are its works. It can be nothing less the Almighty working in and through me. I will let this word of spirit go forth from my mouth, and heal and bless the World. It shall be as a strong tower unto all who call upon it. The truth is complete and perfect, and is within me now. My word is complete and perfect, now.

 The Winchester Mystery House 

The house is still said to be haunted by “The Curse of the Winchester Fortune” and the story of Annie’s haunting has left many heartbroken. https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/