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35 Quotes From Warren Buffett On Success And Finance

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By In The Doghouse


Warren Buffett top billionaire for 2008.

Warren Buffett, 72 year old, self made billionaire with a net worth of over $62.0 billion and climbing, was announced by Forbes as the richest man in the world for 2008. The king of investments, Warren Buffett is the principle share holder of Berkshire Hathaway, a textile firm he took over in 1965.


What does Warren Buffett have to say?

  • "Risk is a part of God's game, alike for men and nations."
  • "If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians."

  • "Diversification is a protection against ignorance. It makes little sense for those who know what they're doing."

  • "Investing is simple, but not easy."

  • "Rule No.1: Never lose money. Rule No.2: Never forget rule No.1."

  • "In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield."

  • "Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing."

  • "Our favorite holding period is forever."

  • "Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago."

  • "Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls Royce to get advice from those who take the subway."


Warren Speaking at a Berkshire Hathaway board meeting
Warren Speaking at a Berkshire Hathaway board meeting

  • "Success in investing doesn't correlate with I.Q. once you're above the level of 25. Once you have ordinary intelligence, what you need is the temperament to control the urges that get other people into trouble in investing."
  • "We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy, and to be greedy only when others are fearful."

  • "Wide diversification is only required when investors do not understand what they are doing."

  • "I buy expensive suits. They just look cheap on me."

  • "I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years."


Warren and Bill just chillin'
Warren and Bill just chillin'
  • "I don't look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over."

  • "If a business does well, the stock eventually follows."

  • "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently."

  • "It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price."

  • "It's better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you'll drift in that direction."


  • "Look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy; profit from folly rather than participate in it."

  • "Of the billionaires I have known, money just brings out the basic traits in them. If they were jerks before they had money, they are simply jerks with a billion dollars."

  • "Only buy something that you'd be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years."

  • "Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks."

  • "Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre."


  • "We believe that according the name 'investors' to institutions that trade actively is like calling someone who repeatedly engages in one-night stands a 'romantic.'"

  • "When a management team with a reputation for brilliance tackles a business with a reputation for bad economics, it is the reputation of the business that remains intact."

  • "We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful."

  • "Why not invest your assets in the companies you really like? As Mae West said, 'Too much of a good thing can be wonderful'."

  • "Your premium brand had better be delivering something special, or it's not going to get the business."


  • "You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don't do too many things wrong."

  • "Look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy; profit from folly rather than participate in it."

  • "I am quite serious when I say that I do not believe there are, on the whole earth besides, so many intensified bores as in these United States. No man can form an adequate idea of the real meaning of the word, without coming here."

  • "The business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective."

  • "When a management team with a reputation for brilliance tackles a business with a reputation for bad economics, it is the reputation of the business that remains intact."


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Mormon Soprano  says:
14 months ago

Very cool! One of my personal favorites was:

"You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don't do too many things wrong."

So fitting, on so many levels

robie2 profile image

robie2  says:
14 months ago

I love Warren Buffet--he may be rich but he has his priorities on straight:-) This was good reading for the day of the Wall Street melt-down. Thanks

solarshingles profile image

solarshingles  says:
14 months ago

Diana, I really like Warren Buffet - known to the world also as the "The Sage from Omaha", especially because despite his incredible wealth he is a very simple man! A few years ago I had a great luck to get opportunity to study his personal life much closer and deeper. I would be delighted to share that knowledge with you and maybe, you could write many more hubs about his financial phenomenon, which is amazingly simple in its very core. Your bubbly and positive creativity and writing skills are far greater than mine and I also think most people could learn so much from his amazing yet simple life message.

pjdscott profile image

pjdscott  says:
14 months ago

Very apposite advice and a super hub, considering the present financial climate! Well done.

Amanda Severn profile image

Amanda Severn  says:
14 months ago

What down to earth, practical quotes. I can see why he's made such a success of his life. Thanks for the interesting hub

funride profile image

funride  says:
14 months ago

Great hub! If I had to choose just one quote it would be very difficult for me, they are all good and instructive thoughts. Thanks for sharing ;)

Uninvited Writer profile image

Uninvited Writer  says:
14 months ago

He is one of the big business tycoons that I actually trust. Excellent hub.

In The Doghouse profile image

In The Doghouse  says:
14 months ago

Mormon soprano,

Warren Buffett certainly does things right on a lot of levels as well. His advice seems to be practical and sound. Perhaps more of us should follow it. lol

In The Doghouse profile image

In The Doghouse  says:
14 months ago

Robie,

I too thought it was very appropriate right now! His tips on finance can be used by people of any economic level. Thanks.

In The Doghouse profile image

In The Doghouse  says:
14 months ago

Solarshingles,

I can tell you really admire Warren Buffett and for good reasons. Yes, he does seem to be a simple man with a lot of common sense. His financial tips are very sound. I can tell he is not afraid of hard work, and it has paid off in the end for him financially.

In The Doghouse profile image

In The Doghouse  says:
14 months ago

@pjdscott- Thanks for your compliments... Warren Buffetts advice does seem very timely right now doesn't it.

@Amanda- His financial life is certainly successful that is for sure. He has some great practical advice for anyone to follow.

In The Doghouse profile image

In The Doghouse  says:
14 months ago

@funride- I am with you, Warren Buffett has said so many insightful things it was hard to even limit it to these few.

@Uninvited Writer- Thanks for your compliments on the Hub. As for Warren Buffet his tips seem to be trustworthy as well.

The How To Hub profile image

The How To Hub  says:
14 months ago

What a wonderful idea for a hubpage. I enjoyed reading this : ) If I had to pick just one quote, I think I'd go with..."Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago."

Teddi14 profile image

Teddi14  says:
14 months ago

Love this! I added it to my Stumbleupon favs and wrote a review.

In The Doghouse profile image

In The Doghouse  says:
14 months ago

@ Shaye I would have to agree that is one of my Warren Buffett favorites as well.

@Teddi14 Thanks for the support and review.

Credit Card Offers  says:
12 months ago

Here is another favorite Warren Buffett quotation. He is a man of high integrity.

Two rules:1. Preserve the principal2. When in doubt see Rule #1”

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