Warren Buffett on Business: Principles from the Sage of Omaha

Chapter 17. Buffett, the Teacher

I believe in going to work for businesses you admire and people you admire. Anytime you are around somebody that you're getting something out of and you feel good about the organization, you just have to have a good result. I advise you never to do anything because you think its miserable now but it's going to be great 10 years from now, or because you think I've got x dollars now, but I'll have 10 x. If you are not enjoying it today, you're probably not going to enjoy it 10 years from now.^[]

—Warren Buffett

Charlie Rose:

You've always, always taken the position that you don't have to make speeches except to students and kids. What's the idea?

Warren Buffett:

The idea is that they listen and you may change some lives. I mean the things I heard when I was 20 from somebody I wanted to listen to changed my behavior. The people I listened to at age 74, I wanted to be entertained, but it's not going to change anything. If I talk to 50–60 year olds, basically they want to be entertained by my predictions and if I talk to 20 year olds or even 25 year olds, they ask me the questions on their minds. They really get what's on their minds and what's on their faces. Then they write me afterwards and it changes some lives. Thinking they would go into this line because it looks good on their resume or they get a little more assurance. I tell them why wait till their 80 to do something you like. It's like saving up sex for your old age. While you want to have ...