Ray Kroc, the man behind the global expansion of McDonald’s, is remembered as one of the most influential entrepreneurs in modern history. From persistence and leadership to salesmanship and vision, his words continue to inspire business leaders, entrepreneurs, and dreamers worldwide.
- “Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.”
- “If you work just for money, you’ll never make it, but if you love what you’re doing, success will be yours.”
- “The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.”
- “Perseverance is everything. If you’ve got a sound idea, stick to it. Don’t let anyone knock you out of the box.”
- “You’re only as good as the people you hire.”
- “Work is the meat of life, pleasure the dessert.”
- “The two most important requirements for major success are: first, being in the right place at the right time, and second, doing something about it.”
- “When you’re green, you’re growing. When you’re ripe, you rot.”
- “None of us is as good as all of us.”
- “Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.”
- “The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.”
- “I believe in God, family, and McDonald’s. And in the office, that order is reversed.”
- “While formal schooling is an important advantage, it is not a guarantee of success nor is its absence a fatal handicap.”
- “The definition of salesmanship is the gentle art of letting the customer have it your way.”
- “Creativity is a highfalutin word for the work I have to do between now and Tuesday.”
- “If you’re not a risk taker, you should get the hell out of business.”
- “There’s almost nothing you can’t accomplish if you set your mind to it.”
- “Competition can try to copy us, but they can never take away our people.”
- “It’s easy to have principles when you’re rich. The important thing is to have principles when you’re poor.”
- “As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.”
- “Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.”
- “I didn’t invent the hamburger. I just took it more seriously than anyone else.”
- “There are times when you have to take risks.”
- “The thing that made McDonald’s a success was the system.”
- “I have always believed that each man makes his own happiness and is responsible for his own problems.”
- “If you’ve got time to lean, you’ve got time to clean.”
- “Take calculated risks. Act boldly and thoughtfully.”
- “A leader’s job is not to do all the work but to see that it gets done right.”
- “None of my dreams have ever come true, but I keep dreaming just the same.”
- “If you don’t like what you’re doing, you’ll fail.”
- “The best is never good enough.”
- “I was an overnight success alright, but 30 years is a long, long night.”
- “Look after the customer and the business will take care of itself.”
- “If you’re not ahead of the times, you’re behind them.”
- “It’s easy to be independent when you’ve got money. But to be independent when you haven’t got a nickel—that’s the Lord’s test.”
- “The key to success is being in the right place at the right time and realizing it.”
- “Happiness is not in mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement.”
- “If you have a dream, you have to protect it.”
- “When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.”
- “You’ll never make it if you’re afraid of losing.”
- “The more I help others to succeed, the more I succeed.”
- “I was relentless, even in the face of failure.”
- “Business is like war—you must be prepared to fight every day.”
- “Take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.”
- “When you believe in something, you’ve got to be in it with your whole heart.”
- “The thing I remember best about successful people is their persistence.”
- “To be successful, you must be willing to work harder than anyone else.”
- “I believe that if you hire people whose sole passion is money, they’ll fail.”
- “Opportunities are abundant, but only those prepared can seize them.”
- “Vision is the ability to see the invisible.”
Ray Kroc’s journey from a struggling salesman to the man who built McDonald’s into a worldwide empire is a true example of persistence, vision, and hard work. His words remain timeless lessons for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone chasing success.
Success is built on persistence, vision, and the courage to act.
