74 Profound Warren Buffett Quotes for Success

In the dynamic and ever-changing world of finance and investment, few names hold as much reverence and admiration as Warren Buffett. Often hailed as the “Oracle of Omaha,” Buffett’s unparalleled success as arguably the greatest investor to have ever lived has not only made him one of the wealthiest individuals in the world but also a beacon of inspiration for aspiring investors and entrepreneurs alike. However, beyond his vast fortune lies a treasure trove of wisdom encapsulated in the form of Warren Buffett quotes, which continue to resonate and guide individuals across various domains.

In this article, we embark on a captivating journey through the profound insights and timeless wisdom distilled within Mr Buffett’s quotes. Delving deep into the Berkshire Hathaway founder’s thoughts on investing, business, life, and success, we aim to uncover the essence of his principles and unravel the secrets that have driven his extraordinary accomplishments.

Warren Buffett’s quotes are not merely snippets of financial advice; they are profound reflections of a mindset that has been honed through decades of experience, learning, and relentless curiosity. Embodying simplicity and clarity, his words offer a glimpse into the brilliance of a man who revolutionized the world of investing by adhering to fundamental principles.

As we traverse through the carefully chosen collection of Warren Buffett’s quotes, we discover how he approaches risk, value, opportunity, and what it takes to become a successful investor. His emphasis on long-term thinking, patience, and diligence forms the bedrock of his investment philosophy, challenging conventional wisdom and offering a unique perspective on wealth creation and preservation.

Beyond the realm of finance, Buffett’s quotes have transcended their original context to become guiding beacons in diverse spheres of life. From leadership and decision-making to the pursuit of knowledge and personal growth, his timeless wisdom imparts valuable life lessons that have the potential to transform one’s outlook on success and happiness. We can glean a deeper understanding of the man behind the quotes and draw inspiration from the resilience and adaptability he has demonstrated throughout his illustrious career. He might not be the richest man in the world but Buffett has amassed a fortune that is almost unequaled.

Join us as we dive into the world of Warren Buffett’s quotes, analyzing their meanings, implications, and applications. Whether you are a seasoned investor, a business leader, a real estate mogul, or an individual seeking profound wisdom, this exploration promises to offer invaluable insights that stand the test of time. So, buckle up, as we embark on an enlightening journey through the mind of one of the most extraordinary visionaries the world has ever known.

1. “Rule No. 1 is never lose money. Rule No. 2 is never forget Rule No. 1.”
2. “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”
3. “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
4. “American magic has always prevailed, and it will do so again.”
5. “Fear is the most contagious disease you can imagine. It makes the virus look like a piker.”
6. “If you aren’t willing to own a stock for ten years, don’t even think about owning it for ten minutes.”
7. “You’ve got to understand accounting. You’ve got to. That’s got to be like a language to you,”
8. “It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.”
9. “[Our] favorite holding period is forever. We are just the opposite of those who hurry to sell and book profits when companies perform well but who tenaciously hang on to businesses that disappoint. [American investor] Peter Lynch aptly likens such behavior to cutting the flowers and watering the weeds.”
10. “The most important investment you can make is in yourself.”
11. “A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”
12. “The worst sort of business is one that grows rapidly, requires significant capital to engender the growth, and then earns little or no money.”
13. “Lose money for the firm, and I will be understanding; lose a shred of reputation for the firm, and I will be ruthless.”
14. “You cannot make a good deal with a bad person.”
15. “It’s never paid to bet against America. We come through things, but it’s not always a smooth ride.”
16. “The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect.”
17. “Remember that the stock market is a manic depressive.”
18. “Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.”
19. “The important thing is to know what you know and know what you don’t know.”
20. “Whether we’re talking about socks or stocks, I like buying quality merchandise when it is marked down.”
21. “Never invest in a business you cannot understand.”
22. “Risk comes from not knowing what you are doing.”
23. “The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging.”
24. “Uncertainty actually is the friend of the buyer of long-term values.”
25. “As in the case with marriage, business acquisitions often deliver surprise after the “I do’s.'”
26. “The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the crowd or against the crowd.”
27. “Never depend on a single income. Make an investment to create a second source.”
28. “Beware the investment activity that produces applause; the great moves are usually greeted by yawns.”
29. “I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.”
30. “If returns are going to be 7 or 8 percent and you’re paying 1 percent for fees, that makes an enormous difference in how much money you’re going to have in retirement.”
31. “No matter how great the talent or efforts, some things just take time. You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.”
32. “Today people who hold cash equivalents feel comfortable. They shouldn’t. They have opted for a terrible long-term asset, one that pays virtually nothing and is certain to depreciate in value.”
33. “In my view, for most people, the best thing is to do is owning the S&P 500 index fund. There are huge amounts of money people pay for advice they really don’t need.”
34. “Every decade or so, dark clouds will fill the economic skies, and they will briefly rain gold.”
35. “We never want to count on the kindness of strangers in order to meet tomorrow’s obligations. When forced to choose, I will not trade even a night’s sleep for the chance of extra profits.”
36. “In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.”
37. “Don’t pass up something that’s attractive today because you think you will find something better tomorrow.”
38. “The sillier the market’s behavior, the greater the opportunity for the businesslike investor.”
39. “Forecasts may tell you a great deal about the forecaster; they tell you nothing about the future.”
40. “You only learn who has been swimming naked when the tide goes out.”
41. “When trillions of dollars are managed by Wall Streeters charging high fees, it will usually be the managers who reap outsized profits, not the clients.”
42. “Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre.”
43. “When seeking directors, CEOs don’t look for pit bulls. It’s the cocker spaniel that gets taken home.”
44. “The best chance to deploy capital is when things are going down.”
45. “I have every possession I want. I have a lot of friends who have a lot more possessions. But in some cases, I feel the possession possesses them, rather than the other way around.”
46. “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.”
47. “On the margin of safety, which means, don’t try and drive a 9,800-pound truck over a bridge that says it’s, you know, capacity: 10,000 pounds. But go down the road a little bit and find one that says, capacity: 15,000 pounds.”
48. “The best way to think about investments is to be in a room with no one else and to just think. If that doesn’t work, nothing else is going to work.”
49. “Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls Royce to get advice from those who take the subway.”
50. “The three most important words in investing are margin of safety.”
51. “What we do is not beyond anyone else’s competence. I feel the same way about managing that I do about investing: It’s just not necessary to do extraordinary things to get extraordinary results.”
52. “All there is to investing is picking good stocks at good times and staying with them as long as they remain good companies.”
53. “There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult.”
54. “I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years.”
55. “Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre.”
56. “Calling someone who trades actively in the market an investor is like calling someone who repeatedly engages in one-night stands a romantic.”
57. “Market fluctuations are your friend, not enemy”
58. “The investor of today does not profit from yesterday’s growth” 
59. “Do not take yearly results too seriously. Instead, focus on four or five-year averages.”
60. “Why not invest your assets in the companies you really like? As Mae West said, ‘Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.'”
61. “Over the long term, the stock market news will be good. In the 20th century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a fly epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497.”
62. “Success in investing doesn’t correlate with IQ … what you need is the temperament to control the urges that get other people into trouble in investing.”
63. “I call investing the greatest business in the world … because you never have to swing. You stand at the plate, the pitcher throws you General Motors at 47! U.S. Steel at 39! and nobody calls a strike on you. There’s no penalty except opportunity lost. All day you wait for the pitch you like; then when the fielders are asleep, you step up and hit it.”
64. “There is nothing wrong with a ‘know nothing’ investor who realizes it. The problem is when you are a ‘know nothing’ investor but you think you know something.”
65. “Opportunities come infrequently. When it rains gold, put out the bucket, not the thimble.”
66. “Most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is. The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can’t buy what is popular and do well.”
67. “You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong.”
68. “Keep things simple and don’t swing for the fences. When promised quick profits, respond with a quick ‘no.'”
69. “You don’t need to be a rocket scientist. Investing is not a game where the guy with the 160 IQ beats the guy with 130 IQ.”
70. “Half of all coin-flippers will win their first toss; none of those winners has an expectation of profit if he continues to play the game.”
71. “A horse that can count to ten is a remarkable horse—not a remarkable mathematician.”
72. “If past history was all that is needed to play the game of money, the richest people would be librarians.”
73. “Long ago, Ben Graham taught me that ‘Price is what you pay; value is what you get.’ Whether we’re talking about socks or stocks, I like buying quality merchandise when it is marked down.”
74. “Money is not everything. Make sure you earn a lot before speaking such nonsense.”