The high priests of investing preach in a strange language, filled with jargon and confusing acronyms. But some of the people who have actually made the most money investing speak in plain language. Nearly anyone can understand Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, for instance.
In a recent Wall Street Journal interview, Munger said “There isn’t one novel thought in all of how Berkshire is run. It’s all about… exploiting unrecognized simplicities.” This elegant idea may be at the heart of the difference between effective investors and those who try to play one in real life, the high priests.
Simple ideas have been central to things that have been good for us. Before we cite examples with which you may be familiar, it is only fair to note that there is a yawning gap between “simple” and “easy.” What we do—what you put up with—is not easy.
Historically, the stock market has tended to gradually rise over time. Simple. But what would they talk about all day on CNBC if they didn’t act like the next sneeze or burp from the Federal Reserve (or whatever) would either doom us or make us rich?
Buy low, sell high. Simple. Many if not most investors end up doing the opposite, following trends, jumping on bandwagons, joining stampedes. We know how doing the opposite works out, buying at high prices and selling at low prices. Not pretty.
Own the orchard for the fruit crop. Simple. Yet only rarely does one hear this wisdom from the high priests. They talk about volatility as if it were risk, when the truth is, if the fruit crop is big enough for you to live on, you do not have to worry what your neighbor would pay for the orchard, or if his offer is higher or lower than the day before.
We’ve always believed that what we do is simple. Sure, there are a lot of fine points and nuances. We invest a lot of time and resources to find and learn the pertinent information. But in the end, we ought to be able to explain it to you. This is our goal. If we have missed, or you would like help interpreting something else you do not yet understand, call or write.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. No strategy assures success or protects against loss.