Work & the Rat RaceAmbition

The Bobbin Boy

Andrew Carnegie started at $1.20 a week in a cotton mill, built a steel empire, and gave most of it away

A 13-year-old changed spools in a cotton mill for $1.20 a week. How did he end up giving away hundreds of millions?

You'll find out

  • What a bobbin boy earned
  • The library that changed his life
  • Why he called dying rich a disgrace

Why it matters

Almost everyone starts at the bottom of some ladder. His shows how far one can climb, and what he did at the top.

About 4 min7 interactive slides · 5 questionsLesson 162 · Zone 18

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  2. 155Retirement PlansThe Employer MatchMoney your employer adds when you save
  3. 156CareersA Dozen Jobs in a LifetimeThe average American career has many chapters
  4. 157TaxesW-2 or 1099Employee or contractor changes your taxes
  5. 158Labor LawEvery Hour Over 40 Pays ExtraMany salaried workers get no overtime at all
  6. 159NegotiationNegotiating Your PayThe first number on the table shapes the result
  7. 160EarningsWhat a Raise Is WorthA small raise compounds across a career
  8. 161Decision MakingThe Sunk Cost TrapYears already spent shouldn't decide the next ones