Acres of Diamonds
by Russell H. Conwell
A famous lecture from the late 1800s whose core story is about a man who sold his farm to search for diamonds that were under the land he sold. The moral, that opportunity is usually where you already stand, is still useful. The rest is Victorian sermonizing about wealth and virtue that modern readers will find quaint.
Read it if…
you are tempted to chase a new venture before fully mining the one you have.
Skip it if…
you want practical steps; this is a parable and a period piece.
Three things you will actually use
- Look at what you already have before buying something new.
- Serve the people near you first.
- Treat your current field as the richest ground available.
Do this first
List three opportunities within your current job, skills or neighborhood you have not yet worked.
Our verdict
One durable lesson in a dated wrapper; read the story, skim the sermon.
Compare with other Motivation books
Tribe of Mentors
Timothy Ferriss · Motivation
A grab bag with real gems; dip in rather than read through.
CLICK TO SEE
The Art of Impossible
Steven Kotler · Motivation
Intense and systematic; useful for high performers, heavy for everyone else.
CLICK TO SEE
The Book of Five Rings
Miyamoto Musashi, translated by Thomas Cleary · Motivation
Austere and compelling.
CLICK TO SEEBrowse all Motivation book reviews or get the free Reality Code Cheat Sheet.
As an Amazon Associate, WisdomDeck earns from qualifying purchases. Links marked “Click to see” go to Amazon. We are not paid for opinions, prices and availability are not shown here and change on Amazon, and we never see your purchase details. Nothing here is medical, legal or financial advice.