From http://www.gurufocus.com/news.php?id=5816
Buffett’s answers were like always, straight to the point, simple and stunningly brilliant.
In business schools, students are taught complicated is smart and simple is not. Students adept at solving equations with Greek letters are more highly sought after. As Buffet says:“If calculus or algebra were required to be a great investor, I’d have to go back to delivering newspapers.”
Buffett is successful by being simple.
Munger reportedly wears mostly Brooks Brothers clothing, a line known for its proper and classic look, for a fair price. Likewise, up until recently, Buffett wore whatever he could find. He still buys his Zegna suits off the rack. They'd be less successful if :
1) They both sat at computers all day, they would stop thinking nearly as much as they do now. A computer would give them a temptation to listen to others and they would lose logic and rational thought.
2) They lived in New York and worked on Wall Street. The “buzz” would likely interfere with their thoughts. Both men have said again and again that isolated rational thought is the key to successful investing.
3) They spent time shopping for the newest fashionable clothing, they would lose focus on what they are doing. When asked in a recent CNBC interview what one word would describe his success, Buffett answered, “focus”. Spending time on frivolous accessories would make his extreme focus much harder.
The annual meeting made me wonder: why does our society appear to be increasingly embracing the complex way of life, when “the simple life” clearly can lead to happiness?
