Home
>
Success
>
Success -- A Secret and A Formula

Success -- A Secret and A Formula

Are you looking for the secret or magical formula for success? Do you think it's a well-guarded, password-protected valuable locked away in some private vault? Good news! In this article I open the vault wide.

Here's The Secret...

The secret to success is having a strong vision and the will to overcome whatever obstacles get in your way. Not what you wanted to hear? Read on.

When Amadeo Peter Giannini (better known as A.P.) was only 7, his father died in a fight over one dollar. Times got real hard. Eventually A.P.'s mother married a man in the produce business. At age 14 A.P. quit school to work with his stepfather. By 19 he was a partner in their thriving enterprise. It was here that A.P. built his reputation for integrity and honesty. At 31 years of age he had all the money he needed or wanted, and announced his retirement.

At 32, A.P's real career started when he was asked to join the board of the Columbus Savings & Loan society. It wasn't long before A.P found himself at odds with the other directors. He wanted the bank to loan money to hard-working immigrants, but at that time banks catered only to business men and the wealthy. His ideas of loaning money to the working class were scoffed at.

But A.P. had the vision and the will. He raised $150,000, and bought a converted saloon across the street from the Columbus S&L. A. P. kept the bartender on as an assistant teller, and opened the Bank of Italy.

It was considered improper and uncouth, but A.P. began ringing doorbells and talking to everyone he could about his bank. He advertised. He kept the bank open longer hours and on weekends to fit into working people's schedules. Business boomed.

But making money wasn't A.P.'s sole measurement of success. He believed in making other people's dreams come true, too. He helped the California Wine Industry get started. He bankrolled Hollywood when they were trying to make movies popular. When Walt Disney ran $2 million dollars over budget on Snow White, he stepped in with a loan.

A.P.'s story exemplifies the secret to success -- a strong vision and the will to overcome obstacles thrown your way.

OK, I Gave Away The Secret -- Now Here's The Formula

Integrity combined with "giving back" is the formula for success. This was A.P.'s success formula. What began in 1904 as the Bank of Italy is now the Bank of America ? the world's largest bank.

And what about A.P.? Did he die a billionaire?

When he passed away at age 79, A.P.'s estate was worth less than $500,000. This was purely by choice. A.P. looked down on great wealth. He believed it would make him lose touch with the people he wanted to serve. He worked without pay for years. One year he was given a surprise $1.5 million bonus and promptly gave it to the University of California.

It's a winning formula -- integrity plus "giving back."

There's One More Thing?

By every standard, Amadeo Peter Giannini was a success. But his true measure of success was making a difference every day of his life. I hope that will be your measuring stick as well. To achieve success, you've got to have a strong vision, and the will to overcome the obstacles that will come your way permeated with integrity. Add to that giving back to your community and you'll be successful indeed!

About The Author

The story used in this article is taken from Daily Secrets For Success. You can receive motivational stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things by going to: http://www.dailysecretsforsuccess.com. Ginny Dye is the author of 18 books and owner of two other online companies also designed to inspire and give back to the world: Shop For Charity Day.com and http://www.dailysecretsforsuccess.com

personalized cleaning services Des Plaines ..

In The News:

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.