There is something to look forward to – Next week, Warren Buffett is going to stump for Hillary Clinton. There will most likely be Nebraska Democrats that come out for a Cherry Coke and maybe even a Dairy Queen Blizzard to hear Clinton speak about closing the income gap and accelerating job growth. How much does it cost to attend? The price tag is $500 and for $2,700 you could even get close enough for a picture with Clinton and Buffett.
Buffett’s climb to his fortune is a legend for more than just investors (he is worth an estimated $67 billion) – that is why he can draw so much attention. You know what makes Buffett great, is that he doesn’t think that money changes you or makes you bad. His outlook is that money can make you more of who you are. If you are a kind and generous person, then with more money, you will be even more kind and generous.
“The only way to get love is to be lovable. It’s very irritating if you have a lot of money. You’d like to think you could write a check: ‘I’ll buy a million dollars’ worth of love.’ But it doesn’t work that way. The more you give love away, the more you get.” – Warren Buffett
Even better, he is always surprised people in ways that no one would suspect and I believe that it has helped lead him to his incredible success and fortune. Just earlier this year, Buffett got into shoulder pads and a Dolphins Jersey. Can you guess why? No, he wasn’t going to play. He was rooting for his mentee, Ndamukong Suh. Buffett can show up to a football game in costume, play a ukelele at an annual meeting and even talk to his team about how he got an investment idea by sitting in his bathtub. He is not like anyone else that you know and that is what enlarges his persona.
Other successful people do this too. Elon Musk came out with the Hyperloop idea. Donald Trump buries the Republican presidential candidate competition. Trevor Burgess, the chief executive of a Florida bank gave away a new Mercedes Benz to wealthy clients who opened up a bank account. They will surprise you in more ways than imagined.
The lesson that you should learn from this is to create your own path. Be yourself rather than trying to fit into expectations of other people. Do things not because you want to surprise people, but because they are in line with your goals. Raise your hand when no one else has, drop out or quit your job, take a new, challenging assignment. Don’t be afraid to do something different and break the mold.
Advisor Abbate 