A List of 25 Great Self-Made Men

Where they find the time we haven’t a clue, but The Art of Manliness has done it again. They have just posted an excellent article entitled 25 of the Greatest Self-Made Men in American History. Now, we have long been avid readers and supporters of The Art of Manliness because they continue to produce some of the best mancentric content around. But, this particular article really pulled at our heart strings because it is at this time of year that we all begin reflecting on what we have accomplished throughout the current year and begin contemplating what we will strive for in the next. This article does a great service to us by providing 25 examples of men who created their own legacy through hard work, diligence, and vision.

Some men are born into greatness by the actions of their forefathers and some men create their own greatness despite the adverse conditions that surround them. It is these men and their stories that truly inspire us to reach for our own greatness.

These stories prove that it doesn’t matter who your parents are, where you’re born, or how much education you acquire; the difference is in your character and willingness to do whatever it takes to be the best and achieve your dreams. As we honor these self-made men, we hope to inspire you to join their ranks.

We also appreciate that the author points out the fact that many of these men were in no way perfect.

All had flaws and made mistakes.

But, it is up to us to sift through the good and the bad to find the takeaways we will strive to implore in our own lives.

Take a read through the list of these self-made men and think about what you would like to apply in 2009. What steps will you take to improve upon your own manhood?

We were surprised not to see three of the greatest philanthropists of our time on the list:

Warren Buffett

Truett Cathy

Ted Turner

If you enjoy this article we would recommend checking out the book They Made America. It goes into great detail about the lives of some great American inventors and visioneers… a few of which made this list.

Thanks Art of Manliness for all the inspiration and virtuous words of wisdom you provide us with on a consistent basis!