“Should you be so unfortunate as to suppose you are a genius, and that 'things will come to you,' it would be well to undeceive yourself as soon as possible. Make up your mind that industry must be the price of all you obtain, and at once begin to pay down.”

Orison Swett Marden was an American writer and editor of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He founded *Self-Culture*, a magazine promoting personal development and success principles, and became a leading voice in the self-help movement of his era. His work emphasized willpower, optimism, and the power of positive thinking as tools for overcoming adversity.