主题： Life Lessons

Do what you would do if you were in my position, where the money means nothing to you. At 79 … I work every day. And it’s what I want to do more than anything else in the world. The closer you can come to that early on in your life, you know the more fun you’re going to have in life and really the better you’re going to do.

I was lucky enough to get the right foundation very early on. And then basically I didn’t listen to anybody else. I just look in the mirror every morning and the mirror always agrees with me. The big question about how people behave is whether they’ve got an Inner Scorecard or an Outer Scorecard. It helps if you can be satisfied with an Inner Scorecard. I always pose it this way. I say: “Lookit. Would you rather be the world’s greatest lover, but have everyone think you’re the world’s worst lover? Or would you rather be the world’s worst lover but have everyone think you’re the world’s greatest lover?”

Your best investment is yourself. There is nothing that compares to it. Address whatever you feel your weaknesses are, and do it now. I was terrified of public speaking when I was young. I couldn’t do it. It cost me $100 to take a Dale Carnegie course, and it changed my life. I got so confident about my new ability, I proposed to my wife during the middle of the course. It also helped me sell stocks in Omaha, despite being 21 and looking even younger. Nobody can take away what you’ve got in yourself—and everybody has potential they haven’t used yet.

Not everybody’s going to be an entrepreneur, but everybody should be financially literate. Financial literacy is a base requirement like spelling or reading or something of the sort that everybody should acquire at any early age. The financial habits you develop when you are young are going to go with you into your adulthood.

I don’t believe in making life plans. Jay-zhad been out here about a year ago. And what I did was I admired his tie about six times. I said, “Boy, that is a good-looking tie, Jay.” And finally he said, “OK, you win, Warren.” And he took it off and he gave it to me. [Later] I went to this opening. I wore the tie he gave me. And then, when I saw him, I started looking at his tie. And I said, “You know, Jay, that is one good-looking tie.” And he said, “Warren … forget it, you only get one.”

I spend an inordinate amount of time reading. I probably read at least six hours a day, maybe more. And I spend an hour or two on the telephone. And I think. That’s about it.

[Capital cities/abc CEO] Tom Murphy, 40 years ago, said to me one day, “You know, Warren, you can tell a guy to go to hell tomorrow. You don’t give up the right. So just keep your mouth shut today, and see if you feel the same way tomorrow.” That’s terrific advice. I don’t know how many problems that’s saved me.

I feel like I’m on my back and there’s the Sistine Chapel, and I’m painting away. I like it when people say, “Gee, that’s a pretty good-looking painting.” But it’s my painting, and when somebody says, “Why don’t you use more red instead of blue?” Goodbye. It’s my painting. And I don’t care what they sell it for. The painting itself will never be finished. That’s one of the great things about it.

I do not believe in taking baby steps when you see something that you really understand. I never want to do anything on a small scale because, what’s the reason? If I’m doing it on a small scale because I’m not that sure of my opinion, I’ll forget it entirely and go on to something I’m sure about.

My own dad had given me a terrific gift: he told me, both verbally and by his behavior, that he cared only about the values I had, not the particular path I chose. He simply said that he had unlimited confidence in me and that I should follow my dreams. I was thereby freed of all expectations except to do my best.