“If you wish to be great at all, you must begin where you are and with what you are.” — Russell Conwell Although it was published in 1890, the book “Acres of Diamonds,” by Russell Conwell, outlines timeless principles that help people see and appreciate the opportunities below their own feet. In this episode, Brian Buffini shares excerpts from this work that have had a profound influence on his life, as well as his most important takeaways. What do the stories of a farmer in the Middle East, a rancher in California, a man in Pennsylvania, and a college professor in Massachusetts have in common? They all sold their homes in search of riches elsewhere, only to find the riches they sought were right there all along. If you learn to see and seize the opportunities in front of you and adopt these enduring lessons, you’ll be well on your way to finding your acres of diamonds.   Inspirational quotes from today’s interview: “Ultimately, these timeless principles are just as true today as when Mr. Conwell first presented them.” — Brian Buffini “A diamond is a congealed drop of sunlight.” — Russell Conwell “A diamond is the last and highest of God’s creations.” — Russell Conwell “There is nothing more foolish than a man who leaves one job before he has obtained another.” — Russell Conwell “There are some things more valuable than money…the man of common sense also knows there is not any one of these things that is not greatly enhanced by the use of money.” — Russell Conwell “Money is power; money has powers.” — Russell Conwell “We ought to get rich if we can by honorable and Christian methods.” — Russell Conwell “The love of money is the root of all evil. It is the worship of the means instead of the end, though you cannot reach the end without the means.” — Russell Conwell “When a person makes an idol of the money instead of the purposes for which it may be used; when he squeezes the dollar until the eagle squeals, then it is the root of all evil.” — Russell Conwell “We must know what the world needs first, then invest ourselves to supply that need, and success is almost certain.” — Russell Conwell “Find out what the people need and then apply yourself to that need and this leads to invention on the part of people who would not dream of before.” — Russell Conwell “Greatness consists not in the holding of some future office, but really consists of doing great deeds with little means, and the accomplishment of vast purposes from the private ranks of life.” — Russell Conwell “To be great at all, one must be great right here, right now.” — Russell Conwell “If you wish to be great at all, you must begin where you are and with what you are.” — Russell Conwell   Mentioned in the episode: Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell   Connect with Brian Buffini http://www.brianbuffini.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianbuffini Twitter: https://twitter.com/brianbuffini Buffini Show Insiders: http://www.thebrianbuffinishow.com/insiders Love what you heard? Share it with your friends! http://bit.ly/BrianBuffiniShow Click here to buy our Podcast theme music, “The Cliffs of Moher” by Brogue Wave. http://www.broguewave.com http://www.facebook.com/broguewave