It is well-known by many investors that Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) tap-dances to work every day. I believe that his remarks about enjoying what and where we work at are slightly deeper than that. During his famous 1998 speech at the University of Florida, he provided an expansion of his famous idea.
"I get to work in a job that I love, but I have always worked at a job that I loved. I loved it just as much when I thought it was a big deal to make $1,000. I urge you to work in jobs that you love. I think you are out of your mind if you keep taking jobs that you don't like because you think it will look good in your resume. I was with a fellow at Harvard the other day who was taking me over to talk. He was 28 and he was telling me all that he had done in life, which was terrific. And then I said, "What will you do next?", "Well,", he said, "Maybe after I get my MBA I will go to work for a consulting firm because it will look good on my resume." I said, "Look, you are 28 and you have been doing all these things, you have a resume 10 times than anybody I have ever seen. Isn't that a little like saving up sex for your old age?"
"There comes a time when you ought to start doing what you want. Take a job that you love. You will jump out of bed in the morning. When I first got out of Columbia Business School, I want to go to work for Graham immediately for nothing. He thought I was over-priced. But I kept pestering him. I sold securities for three years and I kept writing him and finally I went to work for him for a couple of years. It was a great experience. But I always worked in a job that I loved doing. You really should take a job that if you were independently wealthy that would be the job you would take. You will learn something, you will be excited about, and you will jump out of bed. You can't miss. You may try something else later on, but you will get way more out of it and I don't care what the starting salary is."
The importance of Buffett's quote is not only about enjoying the activity, but also on seizing our time and investing it in ourselves. Acquiring knowledge and becoming an expert is a task that requires time and energy, so taking the first steps is critical. Investing time and resources into the task of our preference will require courage and sacrifices, including the monetary aspect at some points. Regardless of that, it is very likely that the payoff in the future will overcompensate those requirements.
Buffett's remarks are more than just words, they are actions that serve as an example of the importance of lifelong dedication, passion and learning. Whenever we hear the calling, we should remember that it is never too late to start dedicating ourselves not only for our benefit, but also for the benefit of others, as we never know where our passion will take us and how many lives can it touch.
What do you think?
