grasp the over-all, the long-range picture. They do not
understand and appreciate the universally applicable
fundamentals, the basic philosophies, the endless
implications and ramifications —and particularly the
numberless responsibilities—which are the absolute
essentials of business in this complex age.
Also—and this was far from the least of the
considerations which decided me—I felt that, in our
contemporary society, far too much emphasis was being
placed on
getting
rich, on amassing wealth. Little if any
attention was being paid to the very important question of
how to be rich,
how to discharge the responsibilities
created by wealth even while
constructively enjoying the
privileges and prerogatives conferred by it.
After all, “richness” is at least as much a matter of char-
acter, of philosophy, outlook and attitude, as it is of money.
The “millionaire mentality” is not—and in this day and age,
cannot be—merely an accumulative mentality. The able,
ambitious man who strives for success must understand
that the term “rich” has infinite shadings of meaning. In
order to justify himself and his wealth, he must know
how
to he rich
in virtually every positive sense of the term.
These factors—and some others—all contributed to my
final decision to accede to the editors’ request.
I might add that
PLAYBOY
‘
S
Editor-Publisher, Hugh M.
Hefner, and the magazine’s Editorial Director, A. C.
Spectorsky, promised that I would be granted carte blanche
to say what I wanted, regardless of how unconventional,
nonconformist or controversial my views happened to be.
They have kept this promise faithfully through the ensuing
years —but I am getting ahead of myself.
“I will prepare the first piece, and then we’ll see,” I said,
in effect.
The results, to say the least, were surprising to me. Al-
though what I have written is unconventional, even icono-
clastic, the response has been overwhelmingly favorable.
Evidently, many people shar
ed my views or had been
waiting for someone to express opinions confirming their
own deep-seated doubts and unease about widely accepted
doctrines and theories.
It has been a source of immeasurable satisfaction that
my writing for
PLAYBOY
has been well received, widely
quoted and has inspired thousands of favorable comments
and letters from press and public. This book is the result of
that reception.
In the years that have intervened since the first article
was published, I have often been asked three questions—
questions I would like to answer here as simply and
directly as possible.
1.
Why, considering the large number of magazines
being published in America today, did I choose
PLAYBOY
as
the medium through which to express my views?
The answer is, indeed, simple,
PLAYBOY
enjoys a very high
readership among young executives and college students.
These are the individuals who will be the businessmen and
business leaders of the future. These are precisely the in-
dividuals who would be likely to benefit from any
information I might impart as a result of my own
experience in the business world. These are the young men,
and women, whose thinking processes can—and should—be
prodded by ideas and opinions not necessarily contained in
textbooks or staid, over-conservative publications. Whether
they accept or reject the ideas is immaterial; they are able
to think, and they
do
think constructively as a result of
mental stimuli. They are, in short, the individuals to whom
I want to address any “message” I can offer.
2. Why did I want to express my views in the first
place?
I have already touched on this, but I feel that some
amplification might be in order. I’ve said that although
business is often attacked publicly, it does not very often
find many public defenders. The average businessman
generally speaks before board or stockholders’ meetings or
at trade-association, Chamber of Commerce or service-club
luncheons and dinners. When he writes, it is usually for
house organs or trade journals. Although he has a very
vital and important message for the public at large, he
seldom receives, or takes, the opportunity to deliver it.
Simply stated, I have tried to start the ball rolling —and I
hope that I may have encouraged other successful
businessmen to air their views before the general public.
3. What do I hope to achieve by my writing?
Beyond what I have already mentioned, I have several
hopes and aims. I would like to convince young
businessmen that there are no sure-fire, quick-and-easy
formulas for success in business, that there are no ways in
which a man can automatically become a millionaire in
business.
There are no tricks, no magical incantations or sorcerer’s
potions which can make a business or a businessman an
overnight success. Many qualities and much hard work are
needed, as are innumerable other elements, before a
businessman or woman can achieve success and reach the
millionaire level. The various qualities, elements and
factors which other successful businessmen and I have
found to be essential or helpful are subjects of this book.
I am firmly convinced that the future of American
business, of the American people—and, indeed, of the
entire free world —lies in the perpetuation of a progressive,
farsighted free-enterprise system guided by progressive,
farsighted businessmen who will reap their rewards from
improving the living standards of all. If, by writing this
book, I have passed this message on—even if only to a
receptive few—then I shall have achieved my purpose and
received a very rich reward in the form of personal
gratification from the thought that I have in some small
measure helped spread and strengthen the principles in
which I believe.