EN’TERPRISE, n. [Fr. from entreprendre, to undertake; entre, in or between, and prendre, to take, prise, a taking.]  That which is undertaken, or attempted to be performed; an attempt; a project attempted; particularly, a bold, arduous or hazardous undertaking….

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“The person who starts out simply with the idea of getting rich won’t succeed; you must have a larger ambition. There is no mystery in business success. If you do each day’s task successfully, and stay faithfully within these natural operations of commercial laws which I talk so much about, and keep your head clear, you will come out all right.”  – John D. Rockefeller

“I believe in the dignity of labor, whether with head or hand; that the world owes no man a living but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living.”  – John D. Rockefeller

“I know of nothing more despicable and pathetic than a man who devotes all the hours of the waking day to the making of money for money’s sake.”  – John D. Rockefeller, as quoted in Complete Speaker’s and Toastmaster’s Library (1992), edited by Jacob Morton Braude and Glenn Van Ekeren

“I believe the power to make money is a gift of God … to be developed and used to the best of our ability for the good of mankind. Having been endowed with the gift I possess, I believe it is my duty to make money and still more money and to use the money I make for the good of my fellow man according to the dictates of my conscience.”  – John D. Rockefeller in an interview with William Hoster, quoted in God’s Gold (1932) by John T. Flynn

“I was early taught to work as well as play.

My life has been one long, happy holiday;

full of work and full of play –

I dropped the worry on the way –

and God was good to me every day.”

–John D. Rockefeller, Penned to sum up his life at age 86.