Sometimes, mentors can take the form of people you’ll likely never get the chance to meet face to face. For me and millions of others, one of those people is the great Warren Buffett.
The “Oracle from Omaha” is long revered as one of the world’s wealthiest and most brilliant business men. He’s also the most humble and giving. In 2009, he partnered with Bill Gates to form The Giving Pledge, a campaign to implore the world’s wealthiest to give away the majority of their wealth and devote it to projects that help those less fortunate.
For as successful as Buffett is today, he had to overcome some big missteps and obstacles in order to get there.
- His family moved at a young age from Omaha to Washington, D.C. leaving his friends behind
- His grades took a dip and he started racking up Bs and Cs
- He ran away with a couple friends and was picked up by the local sheriff
- He was turned down by Harvard for his MBA
As he shares in a this recent documentary, every obstacle provided him with a fork in the road that lead him on his path to greatness.
If he would have gotten into Harvard, he would have missed his chance at Columbia, where he was taught by his greatest mentors that guided his investment philosophy for the rest of his life.
His advice for high school students in the movie:
“Follow your passion and look for a job you’d would take even if you didn’t need to work.” There wasn’t a day he didn’t wake up excited about how he was going to spend his time.
In addition: Be Patient. Like a baseball player up at bat, waiting and watching for the right pitch, trust your gut until you have the edge and then give it everything you have.
Every high performer has their moments of doubt.
How do you turn yours into the tools you need to get you onto the right path?
The kick in the pants you need. Sign-up for a better start to your work day.