Success Lessons From Horatio Alger

By: Barry Lenson

When people mention a “Horatio Alger story” today, they are speaking of a rags-to-riches story about someone who “pulls himself up by the bootstraps” and becomes successful.

That’s correct, but do you know who Horatio Alger was, how important he was in American history, or that we can still learn important success lessons from him? Let’s take a closer look.

Who Was the Real Horatio Alger?

Horatio Alger (1832-1899), who was born and died in Massachusetts, was the most widely read American author of the nineteenth century. Between 1849 and the time of his death, he published nearly 150 novels for young readers. After he died, even more of his books were in the pipeline and continued to be published into the early twentieth century.

I would argue that Alger was one of the most influential American writers ever. His novels, which taught success lessons, were the first self-help books ever published here. Without Horatio Alger, there would be no Norman Vincent Peale, no Dale Carnegie, and no Tony Robbins. He created self-help books and a new way of thinking.

What Is a Typical Horatio Alger Plot Like?

The heroes of his novels were almost always poor boys (only a few of his heroines were girls). That boy works hard at a menial profession, like being a newsboy. He is tempted by deceitful people who try to lure him into dishonest activity, but he resists and remains honest. He then does something heroic, like returning something valuable to a rich person who lost it or saving someone from danger, with no expectation of a reward. But he is rewarded anyway with a job or another opportunity to advance himself.

What Lessons Can We Learn from Stories Like Those?

It’s tempting to say that no modern person can learn much from them. Yet the principles that Alger was writing about have become woven into our way of thinking, and into our societal expectations of what good behavior is.

Here are some lessons from Alger’s novels that can still help hardworking people achieve success today:

• Remember that a low-level job is an opportunity, not a burden.
• Do not associate with dishonest people.
• Always do the right thing, without expecting to be noticed or rewarded. Doing the right thing is its own reward.
• Be respectful toward others, even people who are not in a position to help you.
• Remember that the chance to work hard is an opportunity, not an affliction.
• Do not let setbacks defeat you. Continue on the path of hard and diligent work.

To Learn More about Horatio Alger

Many of Alger’s novels are available from Amazon.com, both as printed books and as Kindle editions. They might be old-fashioned, maybe even corny. But if you spend a little time reading them, you just might discover that Horatio Alger was onto something. His success principles still work today.

About Barry Lenson

Barry has held senior editorial positions at the National Institute of Business Management, Boardroom Reports, and other companies. He has written and co-authored more than a dozen books.