If you like free books, you might want to pick up What You Can Learn from Warren Buffett while it is still available for free on Amazon Kindle. Buffett is known as a savvy investor and is consistently among the world’s richest men. He recently made a huge splash when he encouraged other billionaires to invest their money in foundations and other things that would outlive them…then took the dramatic step of giving away almost 80% of his income to lead the way. There are definitely some things in Buffett’s character that are not worth emulating, but his thoughts on business can be helpful. This book is a quick read. There isn’t anything super revolutionary, but there are a few interesting ideas to review.
- Start early, and know your goal.
- Be patient.
- Beware of losing other people’s money.
- Work hard and save your money.
- Invest only with a “margin of safety.”
- Profit from other people’s money.
- Adjust your life to suit your work.
- Stick to what you know.
- Own up to your mistakes.
- Whenever he makes a mistake, he is the first to admit it and claim the blame.
- Look for great businesses.
- Invest in what you believe in – but only when it’s cheap.
- Become your own margin of safety. Then ignore lesson 12.
- When your investments get in trouble, don’t just stand there. Do something.
- Swim against the stream. Ignore your critics.
- If you can’t stand the heat, step away.
- As Warren Buffett’s story shows, successful investing requires a talent and strength of character that very few of us can claim. It also demands a vast amount of study and hard work, the foundation for understanding the markets in every imaginable crisis.