I couldn't read. I just scraped by. My solution back then was to read classic comic books because I could figure them out from the context of the pictures. Now I listen to books on tape.

I did as much as I could: raising chickens, pushing an ice-cream cart, bagging walnuts, driving a tractor on a beet farm, working on the railroad. I think this eclectic career helped me a lot in life.

Three men were laying brick. The first was asked: What are you doing? He answered: Laying some brick. The second man was asked: What are you working for? He answered: Five dollars a day. The third man was asked: What are you doing? He answered: I am helping to build a great cathedral. Which man are you?

The man who has done less than his best has done nothing.

The way to get things done is to stimulate competition. I do not mean in a sordid, money-getting way, but in the desire to excel.

The word passive does a disservice to investors considering their options. Indexing provides an effective means of owning the market and allows investors to participate in the returns of a basket of stocks. The basket of stocks changes over time as stocks are added or removed based on its rules.

I am like a chief. I like to taste the food. If it tastes bad, I don't serve it. I'm constantly monitoring what we do, and I'm always looking for better ways we can provide financial services, ways that would make me happy if I were a client.

I quickly learned that if I kept at it and plowed right through the rejections I would eventually get somebody to buy my wares.

I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among men the greatest asset I possess. The way to develop the best that is in a man is by appreciation and encouragement.

I was once ask if a big business man ever reached his objective. I replied that if a man ever reached his objective he was not a big business man.

There is nothing else that so kills the ambitions of a person as criticisms from superiors. I never criticize anyone...If I like anything, I am hearty in my approbation and lavish in my praise.

The man who does not work for the love of work but only for money is not likely to make money nor find much fun in life.

It's fun to play around... it's human nature to try to select the right horse... But for the average person, I'm more of an indexer... The predictability is so high... For 10, 15, 20 years you'll be in the 85th percentile of performance. Why would you screw it up?

The best place to succeed is where you are with what you've got.

We are all salesmen every day of our lives. We are selling our ideas, our plans, our enthusiasms to those with whom we come in contact.