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Last year I spent a lot of time working on a business plan involving ebooks. I can’t say that the plan is completely shelved, but it is definitely on hold. Inspired by Timothy Ferriss’s book The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich to contact a famous person, I did. Around Christmas time I wrote Warren Buffett a simple letter. I also included a stamped postcard with my address on it.
Dear Mr. Buffett,
My name is Josh Whitford, and I live in Fargo, ND. I am looking for a bit of advice. There are few things I know better than the fact that I truly do not know much. I do not seek knowledge but rather wisdom. I admire the foresight you have that has led to your success as a person. I would like to know what single piece of wisdom you would offer to someone you have never met.
Sincerely,
Josh Whitford
seasons greetings
A couple weeks later I received my postcard in the mail. The response was “Read, read, read” and nothing more. I do
enjoy reading compared to the majority of Americans who only read 1 book a year. I guess you could say that I read 1200% more than the average American. If you haven’t read lately, feel free to pick up a book, cozy up on your recliner, crack the spine (of the book that is) and enjoy.
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Tags: Books, Development, Personal, Reading, Warren Buffett
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Postcard from Warren Buffett http://tinyurl.com/9ptmd6 from: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/therealjosh">@therealjosh
RT: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/therealjosh">@therealjosh Postcard from Warren Buffett http://tinyurl.com/9ptmd6 from: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/therealjosh">@therealjosh
Postcard from Warren Buffett http://tinyurl.com/9ptmd6 from: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/therealjosh">@therealjosh
If you are looking for wisdom, I think it is a great answer. I wonder what he would have you read.
CindyS's last blog post..Is Frugality Becoming Fashionable?
I am not sure. I guess it would all depend on what I type of wisdom I would be seeking.
Great Post, with excellent advice. I love to read "4 hour work week is a must for someone seeking to achieve their goals, free up time, and living life, loads of hints.. Lets face it you have to walk the talk.
Josh,
This is seriously an awesome post. I linked to it from reading Tim Ferriss's blog. It just goes to show that Tim's right. These people are not out of our reach.
I think that Buffett gave excellent advice too. I know from personal experience. I probably read more in a year than some small towns. In the past couple years I have read several hundred self improvement and business books. I have really changed the person that I am through reading, studying and using this knowledge to become more aware of myself and other people. It's been a wild ride.
It's a great start, and most people never start. But after that, I think you need to get out there and try stuff and make mistakes. Making as many mistakes as possible as quickly as possible is the key to success as long as you learn from each mistake along the way. Or at least not being afraid of totally screwing up.
Zopito DiGiovanni's last blog post..All About LEGOs
Elevator speech such as "I've created a network of money making websites". Searching your site came up empty. Also consider these needed elements:
Mission
Vision
Principles
Goals
Budget
Process for evaluating
Robert MacEwan's last blog post..Funds when you need them.
[...] you need an old boy network to contact famous CEOs? Think again. Here is how one reader contacted the richest man in the world, Warren Buffett. digg_url = [...]
He's right, you know.
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Good for you, Josh. I'm glad that you sent the postcard, and I'm glad that he replied to you in his no-nonsense way.
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Hi Josh,
I had a similar experience with an author. I was interested in studying ethnobotany (long story)and got the opportunity to hear him speak. After his lecture I met and gave him a self addressed envelope(pre-email days) with some burning questions I had.
About a week later, I received my letter back with his answers and encouragement.
Little things like that, really make a big impact.
Best,
Coop
I believe that the biggest step is to just take action. Once you can get yourself up off the couch and to actually do it makes all the difference in the world. For me it is so exciting just waiting for the outcome. I have no idea what is going to happen which makes it that much more fun. I am doing an interview for this blog in a couple days with the CEO of a very large capital investment group. It really isn't very hard to get in touch with big name people once you try it a few times.
I remember reading many years ago that if you spend 15 minutes a day reading about your profession, you'd be in the top 10% of that profession within 5 years. I can personally attest to that.
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[...] Recent Comments tony dee on Sunday’s Random Rants 5-4Josh on Sunday’s Random Rants 5-4Robert MacEwan on Sunday’s Random Rants 5-4tazdog on Sunday’s Random Rants 5-4Jon Christensen on Postcard from Warren Buffett [...]
Nice!
Thank you for sharing Josh and thanks for the inspiration.
Hi Josh,
Thank you for sharing what's possible, it is very inspiring for me.
I been having trouble to find Warren's real contact details , would you be able to help me out please.
Thanks heaps,
Amy
[...] Postcard from Warren Buffett, by Josh from Unconventional Marketing [...]
Thanks for the post Josh,
It’s great to see that WB replied to you, I am a fan of “celebrities” who both to take the time to give back.
I echo the sentiments and temper with the read what is relevant to what you are trying to achieve in the moment. So that you can use your knowledge while it’s fresh.
Kind Regards,
Shane
[...] about lifestyle design and how to live the life you want or how to contact someone famous like Warren Buffett. RSS Blog BloggingEnjoyed this post? Help Josh buy an ergonomic desk chair, any donation [...]
Well done, Josh. That was an excellent idea. And excellent advice too.
I found out about your endeavours from Tim Ferriss' website.
I collect postcards, btw. A postcard from WB beats any of my cards
Good for you!
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[...] contacting billionaires [here’s how one reader did it] to rubbing elbows with celebrities—the second group of students did both—it’s as easy as [...]
Thanks for sharing the postcard. It's great to know that you can reach out to a mega-millionaire and get a serious response.
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@Neil Thanks, I had fun with the project and felt it was original enough to get a response.
@ Tyler Yeah I was surprised that I did get a response and have continued to contact more and more CEO's since.
ditto, ditto, ditto
Read, think critically, read opposing viewpoints, remember the useful bits and flush the rest.
Reading without thinking will not make one wise.
@Brian that is absolutely correct, reading without processing or thinking is pretty feudal.
Your opening sentence mentions that you were working on a business plan about ebooks, but I don't understand why it is on hold and what that has to do with the rest of the post?
As I'm also working on a business plan involving ebooks, I'm just curious.
@Brennan I had intentionally started to create an ebook business help unpublished authors get published and recognition. After about a year of planning and more research I put the plan on the shelf. At the time I wrote this post I was still focusing on that ebook idea. Once Amazon, lulu.com and others started really getting involved in ebooks I personally feel the writing is on the wall for the ebook small business. Not that I don't think ebooks are here to stay because they are, just that the competition has very deep pockets.
Hi josh , I came accross your blog via mind power news blogs. The phenominal power of the human brain is my focus.
Through the power of focus, the aim is to condition ones-self towards happiness. Happiness does not need to be ephemeral, it needs to be a state of mind and my dream is to promote as many ways as possible to share the ways to be happy.
Can you please help me by letting me know, how to attract traffic to a blogsite and how to make a blog attractive.
many thanks and regards.
@Shveitta: If you really want to bring traffic to your blogsite blog and make sure you get your point across there is no greater authority that I know other than Griz Bears here is his link http://makemoneyforbeginners.blogspot.com
Josh,
Just found this now and a bit late but thank you for the vote of confidence. Much appreciated and all the best.
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Its kinda strange that how you 're'-discover wisdom that you've always known or heard for years. I mean 'Reading' is something encouraged in school. And very few even stick to it. Some to score and very few for personal pleasure and profit.
And, no doubt, Warren Buffet made this apparent by shaking our memories once again. And, it takes thinking to understand this. I am an avid reader and vouch for what @Brian Crouch mentioned.
To the best within us! (Our mind)
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hi josh, i'll would say nice try and a wonderful result, i believe the only thing worse than given up is not trying at all. but i'll still like to ask did you get his contact from a directory, or you just googled it.
thanks man.
@Kayode I actually just got all of his contact info from Google and Google maps.
[...] He wrote a letter to Buffett asking him for “his single piece of wisdom” and sent it along with a self-addressed, stamped postcard. To Josh’s surprise, the Oracle of Omaha responded a couple of weeks later. Buffett simply said, “Read, read, read.” [...]
What’s on Your List?…
I just got back from our Beach Retreat and working through my latest stack of summer reading, most of which I got from recommendations from people a lot smarter than me. Then I just saw Rita Keller’s daily quote on…
[...] Josh Whitford写过一å°ä¿¡ç»™å·´è²ç‰¹ï¼Œå¹¶é™„上回邮明信片，内容如下： Dear Mr. Buffett, [...]
[...] of the most popular posts on this blog is one where I describe contacting Warren Buffett using a postcard. I got the idea originally from Tim Ferriss’s book The Four Hour Work Week. Tim describes [...]
Does reading on the Internet count? I do a lot of that and I don't read newspapers or books anymore at all. But I am reading all day on the Internet!
Inspiring indeed – goes alongside the best piece of advice I had recently on getting started in anything (following from the development methodology) – "Fail early, fail often". Maybe if people added "read, read, read" to this, they would fail a bit less often!
MarketingHoodies last blog post..Get to the bleedin' obvious
[...] contacting billionaires [here's how one reader did it] to rubbing elbows with celebrities—the second group of students did both—it’s as easy as [...]
"The response was “Read, read, read†and nothing more."
Wow, that is short and to the point. I'm one of those who like to read a lot.
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Mr. Warren,
You have not response to my mail, please inform me if you are willing to help me or not rather being quite.
Prabal Rai
Kathmandu
@Prabal Rai, I am not sure if you know this but I highly doubt that Warren Buffett visits this blog. In order to contact him you must send things directly to him. How I contacted him is not a for sure way to contact him but it did seem easy and logical at the time. I wish you luck in your endeavors.
Great Post. 4 hour work week is a great book for anyone that thrives to be successful. I recommend it to all.
Dear Warren Buffett,
Complement of the season to you , i have a question to ask … Being a successful man in Life is it by the virtue of fortune of by hard work or is by knowing the right people ? I'm confused as i really want to be
Successful
[...] When a total strange asked Warren Buffett for a single piece of wisdom, his advice was “Read, Read, Read”. [...]
This article is a little old but after reading it I'm falling in love with whoever wrote it.
Love it read read read….
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[...] A college student once wrote a postcard to Warren Buffet asking for a piece of wisdom. Buffet responded personally to the postcard with the note, “Read, Read, Read” Full Story [...]
[...] A college student once wrote a postcard to Warren Buffet asking for a piece of wisdom. Buffet responded personally to the postcard with the note, “Read, Read, Read” Full Story [...]
Josh -
I hope that you're writing a book about all the postcards you've received from CEOs, their advice to you, and your personal journey of insight along the way. What a great read that will be!Expect to see you on the best-seller list. Good fortune to you!
Hi im Kiboi Reuben from Nairobi,Kenya and i would like to become a multimillionaire although i do consulting which depends if i get a client.A country like Kenya has high unemployment rate& i am unemployed.Consulting gives me a bit of cash&my dream is to own business ventures that will earn me millions.Which business can i start that are low costs&will fulfill my dream of becoming a multimillionaire?
Thanks for sharing! The 4 hour work week is a great book!
My Dear Josh, I enjoyed your article about the postcard. There is a postcard website at canyousendmeapostcard.com with a postcard I read for Christian on it check it out. Warren Buffet must be listenting to me read Playboy magazines. Many thanks, Telepathy Corporation founder G.F.Caula Jr.*