WARREN E. BUFFETT
I am an optimist, a very realistic optimist. You can gain a sense of this by reading Berkshire’s annual reports and the op-eds I have written over the years. For one thing, I believe that living standards around the world will continue improving far into the future, as they have done in America since our forefathers discovered the country’s secret sauce.
America has led the way with an innovative market system built upon a rule of law and equality of opportunity. This combination has delivered incredible growth during my lifetime—real GDP per capita has increased sixfold since my birth in 1930. And our economy will continue to benefit from a steady unleashing of human potential.
This is never more evident than when I meet with university students. Every year, groups from forty colleges and universities visit with me in Omaha to talk about the world they will inherit and improve. My message is consistent: Despite the difficulties we face, I am confident that their grandchildren will live in a world with far greater abundance than we have today. After we talk, I always come away feeling even more optimistic about the future.
For students like these, this book will be a helpful resource. It is grounded in a well-researched and tested approach, which will serve as a framework for partnership building. As you learn from the strategies pursued in these stories, you’ll discover just why I’m so hopeful about the future. You will enjoy this book, and I’ll bet you will be inspired, too, by its message of optimism and action.
