Generally speaking, investing in yourself is the best thing you can do. Anything that improves your own talents; nobody can tax it or take it away from you. They can run up huge deficits and the dollar can become worth far less. You can have all kinds of things happen. But if you’ve got talent yourself, and you’ve maximized your talent, you’ve got a tremendous asset that can return ten-fold.
Interpretation
Investing in your personal growth and skills is the most valuable choice you can make.
Warren Buffett emphasizes the importance of personal development, arguing that improving one’s talents and abilities is a sustainable investment that cannot be diminished by external economic factors. Unlike material possessions, which can lose value or be taken away, the skills and knowledge you cultivate form an invaluable asset that can yield significant returns in both personal and professional realms.
In practice
Use this quote when giving a motivational speech on personal development.
I have no views as to where it will be, but the one thing I can tell you is it won't do anything between now and then except look at you. Whereas, you know, Coca-Cola (KO) will be making money, and I think Wells Fargo (WFC) will be making a lot of money and there will be a lot - and it's a lot - it's a lot better to have a goose that keeps laying eggs than a goose that just sits there and eats insurance and storage and a few things like that.
If the world couldn't see your results, would you rather be thought of as the world's greatest investor but in reality have the world's worst record? Or be thought of as the world's worst investor when you were actually the best?
Cash never makes us happy, but it's better to have the money burning a hole in Berkshire's pocket than resting comfortably in someone else's.
I think you should read everything you can. In my case, by the age of 10, I'd read every book in the Omaha public library about investing, some twice. _x000D_ You need to fill your mind with various competing thoughts and decide which make sense.
The most common cause of low prices is pessimism - some times pervasive, some times specific to a company or industry. We want to do business in such an environment, not because we like pessimism but because we like the prices it produces. It's optimism that is the enemy of the rational buyer.
One’s objective should be to get it right, get it quick, get it out and get it over. Your problem won’t improve with age.
Focus on building the best possible business. If you are great, people will notice and opportunities will appear.
From nobody to upstart. From upstart to contender. From contender to winner. From winner to champion. From champion to Dynasty.
The disgraces I suffer should be attributed to me, but the praises that I get go to my family and teachers. It is they who decided what I would become.
The only thing that could hurt me is if my success encouraged me to return to my childhood fantasies of omnipotence - but that is not likely to happen as long as I remain engaged in the financial markets, because they constantly remind me of my limitations.
Achievement does not require extraordinary ability. Achievement comes from ordinary abilities applied with extraordinary persistence.
The outside world wants me to have glamour; my fans want me glamorous. I won't let them down.
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