He’s very-often the richest man in the world (depending on the day of the week). He’s got nothing left to prove. He’s already said he’s giving away almost all of his money.
So why does Warren Buffett still work?
It’s a great question, and one that I got asked over on Quora …
Why are Warren Buffett (and other already rich people) still interested in making so much money?
Here’s why.
Why does Warren Buffett continue to work?
Let’s ask a few different questions.
- Why does Tom Brady, who already has 5 Super Bowl rings, want to play football into his mid-forties?
- Why did Hillary Clinton, who has served as First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State, run for president?
- Why did Steve Jobs, who revolutionized technology with the Mac, iPod, iPhone and iPad continue to work at Apple until his death?
The answer to all of these is incredibly simple.
Each of these people thinks they have something of value to give through their work.
It’s clear that Buffett, Brady etc. love what they do, and they are the best at it.
Why wouldn’t they continue working until they no longer can?
Buffett built Berkshire Hathaway into the business goliath that it is, and he’s still pretty damn good at running it.
If you’ve read anything about Buffett and his philosophy, it’s clear it’s not really about the money. Like you’ve pointed out, he’s got plenty of it.
Here’s the thing about Buffett’s money.
He’s not giving it to his kids. He’s giving 99% of it away, as part of the Giving Pledge.
He knows that his money can have a huge impact on the world after he’s gone.
Let’s recap.
- He’s the best at what he does.
- He loves working.
- He’s giving away 99% of his money.
Why wouldn’t he continue working?
