Name: Life is what You Make it
ISBN: 9780307464712

Peter Buffett

The award-winning musician son of Warren Buffett shares an uplifting primer on how to achieve life satisfaction by maintaining strong values, describing how his father worked to separate Peter and his siblings from fame and wealth by encouraging them to define their own paths.

Life is what You Make it

From composer, musician, and philanthropist Peter Buffett comes a warm, wise, and inspirational book that asks, Which will you choose: the path of least resistance or the path of potentially greatest satisfaction? You may think that with a last name like his, Buffett has enjoyed a life of endless privilege. But the son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett says that the only real inheritance handed down from his parents was a philosophy: Forge your own path in life. It is a creed that has allowed him to follow his own passions, establish his own identity, and reap his own successes. In Life Is What You Make It, Buffett expounds on the strong set of values given to him by his trusting and broadminded mother, his industrious and talented father, and the many life teachers he has met along the way. Today’s society, Buffett posits, has begun to replace a work ethic, relishing what you do, with a wealth ethic, honoring the payoff instead of the process. We confuse privilege with material accumulation, character with external validation. Yet, by focusing more on substance and less on reward, we can open doors of opportunity and strive toward a greater sense of fulfillment. In clear and concise terms, Buffett reveals a great truth: Life is random, neither fair nor unfair. From there it becomes easy to recognize the equal dignity and value of every human life—our circumstances may vary but our essences do not. We see that our journey in life rarely follows a straight line but is often met with false starts, crises, and blunders. How we push through and persevere in these challenging moments is where we begin to create the life of our dreams—from discovering our vocations to living out our bliss to giving back to others. Personal and revealing, instructive and intuitive, Life Is What You Make It is about transcending your circumstances, taking up the reins of your destiny, and living your life to the fullest.

Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment

Life Is What You Make It

Matt Stein

My review: https://mattstein.com/books/life-is-what-you-make-it

Dana Kraft

There's a lot of wisdom in this book, and I totally buy into the concept that life is what you make it. Buffett also uses some interesting and thought-provoking examples and metaphors to support his ideas. That being said, the writing seemed superficial to me. He makes a lot of sweeping generalizations about how people are chasing wealth instead of a meaningful life. At several points, I felt like I was reading an essay on a college entrance application. Good info, not-so-good writing.

From composer, musician, philanthropist--and son of Warren Buffett--comes a warm, wise, and inspirational book that expounds on the strong set of values given to him by his trusting and broadminded mother, his industrious and talented father, and the many life teachers he has met along the way.

Life is what You Make it

Reviews

Highlights