“The average result has to be the average result. By definition, everybody can’t beat the market. As I always say, the iron rule of life is that only 20% of the people can be in the top fifth. That’s just the way it is.”

The best thing a human being can do is to help another human being know more.

The more hard lessons you can learn vicariously rather than through your own hard experience, the better.

I’m not entitled to have an opinion unless I can state the arguments against my position better than the people who are in opposition. I think that I am qualified to speak only when I’ve reached that state.

Acknowledging what you don’t know is the dawning of wisdom.

A foreign correspondent, after talking to me for a while, once said: “You don’t seem smart enough to be so good at what you’re doing. Do you have an explanation?”

There is bound to be a regression toward the mean.

You must force yourself to consider opposing arguments. Especially when they challenge your best loved ideas.

I believe in the discipline of mastering the best that other people have ever figured out. I don’t believe in just sitting down and trying to dream it all up yourself. Nobody’s that smart.

If you don’t allow for self-serving bias in the conduct of others, you are, again, a fool.

If you can buy the best companies, over time the pricing takes care of itself.

Just avoid things like racing trains to the crossing, doing cocaine, etc. Develop good mental habits.

A lot of success in life and business comes from knowing what you want to avoid: early death, a bad marriage, etc.

There has never been a master plan. Anyone who wanted to do it, we fired because it takes on a life of its own and doesn’t cover new reality. We want people taking into account new information.

I think that, every time you saw the word EBITDA, you should substitute the word “bullshit” earnings.

We have found in a long life that one competitor is frequently enough to ruin a business.

I never allow myself to have an opinion on anything that I don’t know the other side’s argument better than they do.

Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity.

You don’t have to have perfect wisdom to get very rich – just a bit better than average over a long period of time.

Discipline helps you finish a job, and finishing is what separates excellent work from average work.

A jostling scrum of office buildings so mediocre that the only way you ever remember them is by the frustration they induce – like a basketball team standing shoulder to shoulder between you and the Mona Lisa.

My mom was a teacher – I have the greatest respect for the profession – we need great teachers – not poor or mediocre ones.

Be neither too remote nor too familiar.

The average millionaire can’t tell you who got thrown off the island last night.

The average woman sees only the weak points in a strong man, and the good points in a weak one.