The secret was passed on to a business associateof Mr. Edison. He used it so effectively that，although he was then making only 12，000 a year，he accumulated a great fortune， and retired fromactive business while still a young man. You willfind his story at the beginning of the first chapter. Itshould convince you that riches are not beyond yourreach， that you can still be what you wish to be， thatmoney， fame， recognition and happiness can be hadby all who are ready and determined to have theseblessings.
How do I know these things？ You should have theanswer before you finish this book. You may find itin the very first chapter， or on the last page.
While I was performing the twenty year task ofresearch， which I had undertaken at Mr. Carnegie’srequest， I analyzed hundreds of well known men，many of whom admitted that they had accumulatedtheir vast fortunes through the aid of the Carnegiesecret； among these men were： —HENRY FORD
WILLIAM WRIGLEY JR.
JOHN WANAMAKER
JAMES J. HILL
GEORGE S. PARKER
E. M. STATLER
HENRY L. DOHERTY
CYRUS H. K. CURTIS
GEORGE EASTMAN
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
JOHN W. DAVIS
ELBERT HUBBARD
WILBUR WRIGHT
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
DR. DMTID STARR JORDAN
J. ODGEN ARMOUR
CHARLES M. SCHWAB
HARRIS F. WILLIAMS
DR. FRANK GUNSAULUS
DANIEL WILLARD
KING GILLETTE
RALPH A. WEEKS
JUDGE DANIEL T. WRIGHT
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER
THOMAS A. EDISON
FRANK A. VANDERLIP
F. W. WOOLWORTH
COL. ROBERT A. DOLLAR
EDWARD A. FILENE
EDWIN C. BARNES
ARTHUR BRISBANE
WOODROW WILSON
WM. HOWARD TAFT
LUTHER BURBANK
EDWARD W. BOK
FRANK A. MUNSEY
ELBERT H. GARY
DR. ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
JOHN H. PATTERSON
JULIUS ROSENWALD
STUART AUSTIN WIER
DR. FRANK CRANE
GEORGE M. ALEXANDER
J. G. CHAPPLINE
HON. JENNINGS RANDOLPH
ARTHUR NASH
CLARENCE DARROW
These names represent but a small fraction ofthe hundreds of well known Americans whoseachievements， financially and otherwise， prove thatthose who understand and apply the Carnegie secret，reach high stations in life. I have never known anyonewho was inspired to use the secret， who did notachieve noteworthy success in his chosen calling. Ihave never known any person to distinguish himself，or to accumulate riches of any consequence， withoutpossession of the secret. From these two facts I drawthe conclusion that the secret is more important， as apart of the knowledge essential for self-determination，than any which one receives through what ispopularly known as “education.”
What is EDUCATION， anyway？ This has been answered in full detail.
As far as schooling is concerned， many of thesemen had very little. John Wanamaker once told methat what little schooling he had， he acquired in verymuch the same manner as a modern locomotive takeson water， by “scooping it up as it runs.” Henry Fordnever reached high school， let alone college. I am notattempting to minimize the value of schooling， but Iam trying to express my earnest belief that those whomaster and apply the secret will reach high stations，accumulate riches， and bargain with life on their ownterms， even if their schooling has been meager.
Somewhere， as you read， the secret to which Irefer will jump from the page and stand boldlybefore you， IF YOU ARE READY FOR IT！ When itappears， you will recognize it. Whether you receivethe sign in the first or the last chapter， stop for amoment when it presents itself， and turn down aglass， for that occasion will mark the most importantturning-point of your life.
We pass now， to Chapter One， and to the story of myvery dear friend， who has generously acknowledgedhaving seen the mystic sign， and whose businessachievements are evidence enough that he turneddown a glass. As you read his story， and the others，remember that they deal with the important problemsof life， such as all men experience.
The problems arising from one’s endeavor to earna living， to find hope， courage， contentment andpeace of mind； to accumulate riches and to enjoyfreedom of body and spirit.
Remember， too， as you go through the book， thatit deals with facts and not with fiction， its purposebeing to convey a great universal truth throughwhich all who are READY may learn， not only WHATTO DO， BUT ALSO HOW TO DO IT！ and receive， aswell， THE NEEDED STIMULUS TO MAKE A START.
As a final word of preparation， before you beginthe first chapter， may I offer one brief suggestionwhich may provide a clue by which the Carnegie secretmay be recognized？ It is this—ALL ACHIEVEMENT，ALL EARNED RICHES， HAVE THEIR BEGINNING INAN IDEA！ If you are ready for the secret， you alreadypossess one half of it， therefore， you will readilyrecognize the other half the moment it reaches yourmind.