Sometimes Warren Buffett says something so simple, so obvious, that you almost want to roll your eyes. At 95 years young, he has offered plainspoken advice that has shaped one of the most successful careers in history. But when you hear it, you know it’s truth and part of you wonders: Why haven’t I applied this yet?
When we slow down long enough to sit with some of his wisdom—really let it sink in, not just skim it on our phones—his principles can reshape how we lead, how we work, and how we show up in life. The challenge, of course, is in the follow-through. How many of us can read something today and honestly say, “I’m going to start doing this tomorrow”?
If you’re feeling even a little inspired, here are six Buffett classics worth putting into practice.
Break the habits that hold you back
Most of us know exactly what’s holding us back. Buffett doesn’t sugarcoat it. He once told a group of college grads, “I see people with these self-destructive behavior patterns. They really are entrapped by them.” His message was simple: Build better habits early, because the longer you wait, the harder it gets. “The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken,” added Buffett.
This is leadership 101. Your people won’t rise above the behaviors you tolerate in yourself.
Don’t gamble what matters most
Buffett told those same students that he’s watched countless leaders and companies blow up their lives chasing something bigger—usually out of greed or impatience. His filter is straightforward: “If you risk something that is important to you for something that is unimportant to you, it just doesn’t make sense.” Leaders often get in trouble not because they lack intelligence, but because they lose perspective.
Surround yourself with people who do what’s right
Buffett asked students to think of the classmate whose long-term success they’d bet on. The qualities they’d identify? Integrity. Humility. Generosity. “That would be the person who is generous, honest, and who gave credit to other people for their own ideas,” he said.
Integrity in the age of liars and narcissists is your competitive advantage. People follow leaders they trust.
Stay in the lane where you excel
Buffett once quoted Tom Watson Sr., founder of IBM: “I’m no genius. But I’m smart in spots, and I stay around those spots.” Leaders get themselves into trouble when they drift too far from their strengths. Know your lane. Build from it. Delegate what sits outside it. That focus is what creates mastery and a career you can be proud of.
Build a career you actually love
This one feels almost too obvious, but most people ignore it for decades: “In the world of business, the people who are most successful are those who are doing what they love,” said Buffett. Too many leaders stay in roles that drain them simply because the paycheck feels safe. But when you do work that energizes you, everything—creativity, resilience, performance—gets better.
Choose people who raise your standards
At a 2004 Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, Buffett told a 14-year-old: “It’s better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you’ll drift in that direction.” This is one of the most underrated leadership truths. We absorb the standards of the people around us. You want to grow? Surround yourself with leaders who elevate you.
When you strip away the mystique around success, Buffett’s tips leave us with a clear reminder that it doesn’t have to be complicated or grand. Your success is built on small, steady choices—habits, relationships, focus, integrity. All of it is transformative if you take it seriously.
Look back at that list. Now, pick one principle and start practicing it today. That’s how real change happens, for you and for the people you lead.
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—Inc.