25. Giving his money away was a lifelong habit
When John D. Rockefeller began his first job as a bookkeeper for a produce brokerage, he established the habit of giving a portion of his salary to charity, a practice he continued for the rest of his long life. His charitable donations were often substantial (see below) but he also gave away money personally, carrying nickels and dimes in his pocket, which he would pass out to strangers and friends when meeting them on the street or in social situations. He carried a pocketful of dimes for the purpose, and was known to give them to his fellow wealthy business moguls, often gleefully giving the small coins to men like Henry Ford or Harvey Firestone, both exceedingly wealthy men in their own right.