When Warren Buffett was just 11 years old, he predicted that he’d become a billionaire. (He was certainly right!) Everyone assumes that he became one of the richest men in the world by making investments. But a key factor in his success was also not making investments.
Buffett chooses the companies he invests in very, very carefully. He believes that most businesses simply aren’t worth his time. To be a good investment, a company must be simple, easy to understand, and above all, predictable. In our era of meme stocks, that advice has gone somewhat out of fashion—but it’s still very good.
One of Buffett’s most dearly held rules is that if you’re not prepared to hold a stock, don’t even consider it. For more on how Buffett achieved and has maintained his incredible success, check out our Instaread on The Warren Buffett Philosophy of Investment.
