- Always maintain a large cash balance (in his case $10M in the 1890s, early 1900s). Market downturns always come, and one must have the ability to take advantage of these situations
- Buy and hold - don't be afraid of concentrating your investments (Rockefeller would not allow his Standard Oil shares to be sold under any circumstances), and even in retirement continued to buy them from his siblings / colleagues
- Buy only when the markets are falling. Sell only when the markets are rising
- Do not speculate. Focus on low risk + reliable returns rather than high risk + high returns
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