--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The secret to success is to own nothing…" description: "\"The secret to success is to own nothing, but control everything\" — Nelson Rockefeller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/nelson-rockefeller-26512_control_the-secret-to-success-is-to-own-nothing_399346.jpg" --- # The secret to success is to own nothing, but control… ![“The secret to success is to own nothing, but control everything” quote by Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/nelson-rockefeller-26512_control_the-secret-to-success-is-to-own-nothing_399346.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/nelson-rockefeller-26512_control_the-secret-to-success-is-to-own-nothing_399346.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/nelson-rockefeller-26512_control_the-secret-to-success-is-to-own-nothing_399346.jpg) > “The secret to success is to own nothing, but control everything” [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success involves relinquishing direct ownership while maintaining strategic influence over assets and outcomes. **In simple terms:** Own nothing, control everything for success. Key Takeaway Focus on influence, not possession. Themes power control strategy Mood analytical cautious Type philosophical strategic When to use this quote - corporate governance - investment management - entrepreneurship - political influence Key Concepts economics leadership Questions to Reflect On - What controls can ensure responsible influence? - How does ownership affect responsibility? A Different Perspective Risk of loss of accountability and ethical concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [What I've learned, above all, is to keep marching forward because the best news is that since chance does play a role, one important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/what-i-ve-learned-above-all-is-to-keep-marching-forward-because-the/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) > [“Self-control is a key factor in achieving success. We can't control everything in life, but we can definitely control ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-mckingley-hilado/self-control-is-a-key-factor-in-achieving-success-we-can-t-control/) [Jan Mckingley Hilado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-mckingley-hilado/) > [My definition of success is control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-branagh/my-definition-of-success-is-control/) [Kenneth Branagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-branagh/) > [A desire to be in charge of our own lives, a need for control, is born in each of us. It is essential to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-foster-bennett/a-desire-to-be-in-charge-of-our-own-lives-a-need-for-control-is-born/) [Robert Foster Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-foster-bennett/) > [My secret for success? I don't know what the hell success means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-lewis/my-secret-for-success-i-don-t-know-what-the-hell-success-means/) [Al Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-lewis/) > [The secret to success can be found in people's daily agendas. If they do something intentional to grow every day, they move closer to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/the-secret-to-success-can-be-found-in-people-s-daily-agendas-if-they/) [John C. 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Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) ## More by Nelson Rockefeller > [The chief problem of the low-income farmers is poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/the-chief-problem-of-the-low-income-farmers-is-poverty/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [Politics, of course, requires sweat, work, combat, and organization. But these should not be ugly words for and free people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/politics-of-course-requires-sweat-work-combat-and-organization-but/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [It is essential that we enable young people to see themselves as participants in one of the most exciting eras in history, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/it-is-essential-that-we-enable-young-people-to-see-themselves-as/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [No man can hope to be elected in his state without being photographed eating a hot dog at Nathan's Famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/no-man-can-hope-to-be-elected-in-his-state-without-being-photographed/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [You have a challenge; never quit!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/you-have-a-challenge-never-quit/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [As President, I would work toward international creation of a new world order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/as-president-i-would-work-toward-international-creation-of-a-new/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [There are many other possibilities more enlightening than the struggle to become the local doctor's most affluent ulcer case.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/there-are-many-other-possibilities-more-enlightening-than-the/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [There are three periods in life: youth, middle age and "how well you look".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/there-are-three-periods-in-life-youth-middle-age-and-how-well-you-look/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [The United Nations, he told an audience at Harvard University, 'has not been able-nor can it be able-to shape a new world order which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/the-united-nations-he-told-an-audience-at-harvard-university-has-not/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [Never forget that the most powerful force on earth is love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/never-forget-that-the-most-powerful-force-on-earth-is-love/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [A man should make all he can, and give all he can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/a-man-should-make-all-he-can-and-give-all-he-can/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [I am a great believer in planning- economic, social, political, military, total world planning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/i-am-a-great-believer-in-planning-economic-social-political-military/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [You can't leave footprints in the sands of time while sitting down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/you-can-t-leave-footprints-in-the-sands-of-time-while-sitting-down/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [There is no doubt that many expensive national projects may add to our prestige or serve science. But none of them must take precedence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/there-is-no-doubt-that-many-expensive-national-projects-may-add-to/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) > [Maybe this Watergate is like the Old Testament. It was visited upon us and maybe were going to benefit from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/maybe-this-watergate-is-like-the-old-testament-it-was-visited-upon-us/) [Nelson Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) [Explore all 21 Nelson Rockefeller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) Thomas Miller > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The secret to success is to own nothing, but control everything", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nelson Rockefeller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/the-secret-to-success-is-to-own-nothing-but-control-everything/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Control" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/the-secret-to-success-is-to-own-nothing-but-control-everything/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/nelson-rockefeller-26512_control_the-secret-to-success-is-to-own-nothing_399346.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/nelson-rockefeller-26512_control_the-secret-to-success-is-to-own-nothing_399346.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/nelson-rockefeller-26512_control_the-secret-to-success-is-to-own-nothing_399346.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The secret to success is to own nothing, but control everything” — Nelson Rockefeller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nelson Rockefeller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rockefeller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The secret to success is to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/the-secret-to-success-is-to-own-nothing-but-control-everything/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rockefeller/the-secret-to-success-is-to-own-nothing-but-control-everything/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```