Warren Buffett, often called the “Oracle of Omaha,” is one of the most successful investors of all time. His wisdom transcends the world of finance, offering timeless advice on life, business, and investing. Known for his clear, straightforward communication, Buffett’s sayings capture profound insights in simple words. This article presents 102 of Warren Buffett’s most famous quotes, providing a comprehensive glimpse into the mindset that has made him a legendary figure. Without additional commentary or citations, these quotes are shared as a pure reflection of his philosophy, allowing you to absorb and interpret their power for yourself.
102 Warren Buffett Quotes That Inspire Success
1. “Rule No.1: Never lose money. Rule No.2: Never forget rule No.1.”
2. “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”
3. “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”
4. “It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.”
5. “The stock market is designed to transfer money from the active to the patient.”
6. “Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for ten years.”
7. “Our favorite holding period is forever.”
8. “Opportunities come infrequently. When it rains gold, put out the bucket, not the thimble.”
9. “Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.”
10. “In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.”
11. “Investing is laying out money now to get more money back in the future.”
12. “You only have to do a few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong.”
13. “Diversification is protection against ignorance. It makes little sense if you know what you are doing.”
14. “The best chance to deploy capital is when things are going down.”
15. “Look for three things in a person: intelligence, energy, and integrity.”
16. “When you combine ignorance and leverage, you get some pretty interesting results.”
17. “Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls Royce to get advice from those who take the subway.”
18. “The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect.”
19. “Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre.”
20. “Never invest in a business you cannot understand.”
21. “If you aren’t willing to own a stock for ten years, don’t even think about owning it for ten minutes.”
22. “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”
23. “Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.”
24. “The best investment you can make is in yourself.”
25. “Forecasts may tell you a great deal about the forecaster; they tell you nothing about the future.”
26. “If a business does well, the stock eventually follows.”
27. “Look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy.”
28. “In the short term, the market is a voting machine; in the long term, it is a weighing machine.”
29. “You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.”
30. “The business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.”
31. “It’s better to do a few things right than many things wrong.”
32. “The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.”
33. “What we learn from history is that people don’t learn from history.”
34. “You don’t have to be smarter than the rest. You have to be more disciplined than the rest.”
35. “The investor of today does not profit from yesterday’s growth.”
36. “Success in investing doesn’t correlate with IQ.”
37. “If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians.”
38. “Be greedy when others are fearful, and fearful when others are greedy.”
39. “Most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is.”
40. “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”
41. “It’s better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.”
42. “The goal of the non-professional should not be to pick winners but to own a cross-section of businesses that in aggregate are bound to do well.”
43. “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”
44. “In the world of business, the people who are most successful are those who are doing what they love.”
45. “You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong.”
46. “Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.”
47. “When you combine ignorance and leverage, you get some pretty interesting results.”
48. “Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.”
49. “The business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.”
50. “The best thing I did was to choose the right heroes.”
51. “Honesty is a very expensive gift. Don’t expect it from cheap people.”
52. “In the business world, everyone is paid in two coins: cash and experience. Take the experience first; the cash will come later.”
53. “I always knew I was going to be rich. I don’t think I ever doubted it for a minute.”
54. “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
55. “You can’t make a good deal with a bad person.”
56. “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”
57. “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”
58. “The greatest investment you can make is in yourself.”
59. “The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend time feeling sorry for themselves.”
60. “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
61. “You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.”
62. “The best investment is in the tools of one’s own trade.”
63. “The price you pay is what determines your return.”
64. “In investing, what is comfortable is rarely profitable.”
65. “The best chance to deploy capital is when things are going down.”
66. “The best way to teach your kids about money is to not have any.”
67. “Money is not everything, but it ranks right up there with oxygen.”
68. “Wealth is the transfer of money from the impatient to the patient.”
69. “Don’t save what is left after spending; spend what is left after saving.”
70. “The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.”
71. “The rich invest in time, the poor invest in money.”
72. “Price is what you pay; value is what you get.”
73. “The more you learn, the more you earn.”
74. “Do not take yearly results too seriously.”
75. “The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect.”
76. “If you get to my age in life and nobody thinks well of you, I don’t care how big your bank account is, your life is a disaster.”
77. “The best investment you can make is in your own abilities.”
78. “The stock market is filled with individuals who know the price of everything, but the value of nothing.”
79. “To invest successfully, you need to have a big appetite for rational thought.”
80. “If you’re not willing to own a stock for ten years, don’t even think about owning it for ten minutes.”
81. “Price is what you pay, value is what you get.”
82. “The more you learn, the more you earn.”
83. “The key to investing is not assessing how much an industry is going to affect society, or how much it will grow, but rather determining the competitive advantage of any given company and, above all, the durability of that advantage.”
84. “Look for economic castles protected by unbreachable moats.”
85. “The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.”
86. “Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre.”
87. “The best thing a human being can do is to help another human being know more.”
88. “You can’t make a good deal with a bad person.”
89. “It’s better to hang out with people better than you.”
90. “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”
91. “The best thing I did was to choose the right heroes.”
92. “The best investment you can make is in yourself.”
93. “We enjoy the process far more than the proceeds.”
94. “The best chance to deploy capital is when things are going down.”
95. “You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong.”
96. “The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend time feeling sorry for themselves.”
97. “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”
98. “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”
99. “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
100. “Honesty is a very expensive gift. Don’t expect it from cheap people.”
101. “In the world of business, the people who are most successful are those who are doing what they love.”
102. “Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.”
Conclusion
Warren Buffett’s words offer a rare blend of practical wisdom e powerful guidance for investors, business leaders, and individuals seeking a meaningful approach to life and wealth. This compilation of 102 unique quotes captures the essence of Buffett’s mindset—disciplined, patient, and ethical. Whether you are new to investing or a seasoned professional, these sayings are a valuable resource to reflect upon, motivate, and apply. In the end, Buffett reminds us that success is less about fleeting trends and more about steadfast principles practiced consistently over time.
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