Some amazing notes from an amazing man.

There was a one hour interview on CNBC with Warren Buffet, the second richest man in America, who has donated $31 billion to charity. Here are some very interesting aspects of his life:

• He bought his first share at age 11 and he now regrets that he started too late!
• He bought a small farm at age 14 with savings from delivering newspapers.
• He still lives in the same small 3-bedroom house in mid-town Omaha, that he bought after he got married 50 years ago. He says that he has everything he needs in that house. His house does not have a wall or a fence around it.
• He drives his own car everywhere and does not have a driver or security people around him.
• He never travels by private jet, although, he owns the world’s largest private jet company.
• Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns 63 companies.
• He writes only one letter each year to the CEO’s of these companies, giving them goals for the year. He never holds meetings or calls them on a regular basis.
• He has given his CEO’s only two rules.
  • Rule number 1: Do not lose any of your shareholder’s money.
  • Rule number 2: Do not forget rule number 1.
• He does not socialize with the high society crowd.
• His pastime, after he gets home, is to make himself some pop corn and watch television.
• Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, met him for the first time only 5 years ago. Bill Gates did not think he had anything in common with Warren Buffet. So he had scheduled his meeting only for half hour. But when Gates met him, the meeting lasted for 10 hours, and Bill Gates became a devotee of Warren Buffet.
• Warren Buffet does not carry a cellphone, and he doesn’t have a computer on his desk.
  • A. Money doesn’t create man, but it is the man who created money.
  • B. Live your life as simple as you are.
  • C. Don’t do what others say, just listen to them, but do what you feel is good.
  • D. Don’t go on brand names; just wear those things in which you feel comfortable.
  • E. Don’t waste your money on unnecessary things; rather spend on those people who are really in need
  • F. After all, it’s your life –“ then why give a chance to others to rule your life.”

These guidelines absolutely helped me influence my goals for 2008… have you set yours?

Jim Warren, CEO