Warren Buffett, the American billionaire and arguably the most successful maverick trader/investor at Wall Street, turns 94 on August 30.
The nonagenarian, even at this advanced age, continues to the face of Berkshire Hathaway, a company he pioneered in changing the face of.
The man from Omaha continues to be the chairperson of Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire Hathaway, a holding company, has its influence in every walk of life, from Apple to Dairy Queen.
He has always been regarded and celebrated for his acumen and wisdom. In a look into some of those thoughts, here are some of the most consequential quotes from the billionaire.
"There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult." - Warren Buffett | (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) ORG XMIT: NEAH107
"The business schools reward difficult, complex behaviour more than simple behaviour, but simple behaviour is more effective."
Starting off with a more business-related quote that is also applicable elsewhere. Through this quote, we get a look at Buffett's liking for simplicity and the need to be able to make simple decisions, even in the most complicated moments. It is about finding the simplest of means to get to the other side, may it be the business of life; a simple lens to understand the complexity is essential.
"There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult."
Another thought emphasises the human tendency to deploy difficult means to achieve the easiest tasks: Buffett's comments look at the ways of seeing the world and the people who are a part of it. Sometimes it is essential to look at the road ahead, not think about the curves that may or may not appear as time passes.
"You don't need to be a rocket scientist. Investing is not a game where the guy with the 160 IQ beats the guy with the 130 IQ." - Warren Buffet |
"The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the crowd nor against the crowd."
If there is anything more important for Buffett that making the right call, then it is doing or making that right call with the right mind and right intention. Integrity or rectitude, is a quintessential tenet of the Buffett world. This also laid emphasis on the temperament of the person, to just be able to 'think', rather than think big or out of the box.
"You don't need to be a rocket scientist. Investing is not a game where the guy with the 160 IQ beats the guy with the 130 IQ."
Another quote from Buffett gives us a different reflection, a derivative of what intelligence could mean, in different contexts. Here, with the reference to rocket science, which is often deemed to be one of the hardest to master, Buffett looks upon the need to know what you are doing rather than what you can or could. It has less to do with you and more to do with what is around you. Intelligence is only a marker of intelligence, not existence.
"Opportunities come infrequently. When it rains gold, put out the bucket, not the thimble." - Warren Buffett |
"Opportunities come infrequently. When it rains gold, put out the bucket, not the thimble."
Once again, we close the curtains on this session with following basic instincts at the right time and the right moment. When you are handed with an option or an opportunity, do not wait around for something different, better, or better; just move forward and grab it. Because you just never know whether you will get a second chance or not. Every opportunity is simply a golden opportunity, waiting to be encashed.
