… I have never read about Buffet but from the little I know his life was imbalanced in so many other areas, his life focus so messed up, to the point where his own family came a distant second to a company report, that I’d rather learn from someone less successful but more normal.

Perhaps consequentially, Susie his first wife eventually moved out (though they remained married), and for leisure he enjoyed Bridge and occassionally met up with a select group (admittedly to discuss investing). So the question is: Was/Is Buffett unbalanced? On the one hand his record speaks for itself. On the other his every waking hour is consumed with investing – the time he seems at his best.

As for ‘How Much is Enough?’ I think Skidelsky would definitely put Buffett’s $47.0 bil in this category – till you learn Buffett pays himself about $100K annually, drives a Caddy DTS from GM (I think), lives in the modest house he bought 30 years ago and has committed the lionshae of his wealth to Gates’ charity.

So is he excessive/unbalanced or modest/balanced?

What I’m suggesting is that when we keep our need for balance in the forefront of our minds we are more likely to do the things that are good for us along the way. Those good things refuel us and make us more productive. When we’re rejuvenated we can better focus on our work. We will not only attain our goals faster, but also have created a lifestyle of having that goal AND balance. Not just the goal and then try to attain balance.

Again, we’re rarely fully balanced anyway, so it is really keeping a constant awareness and presence in our lives that allows us to stay conscious in our decision making. Rather than blindly pursuing wealth and never realizing everything we lost along the way.

Firstly the original guy, the Rachman doud, is innacurate, in the last 3 decades people have changed the way they do business, we no longer live in a little house on the prairy (ps i hated that show) where if you opened up a barber shop and apart from the odd bierd trimming that was interrupted by a gun fight you pretty much had the business of the town to yourself, we are now globalised, people are willing to travel by car to shop or go online and buy, we are now in total competition with everyone and its dog eat dog out there, if you dont build on wealth then you aren’t gonna eat, simple!

In trading as in any business, balance is attainable, my only question would be, is it attainable now ? can a young trader or a young businessman sit at a relaxed pace and expect things to work ? there is a steep learning curve in the business world and in trading, and it isn’t until you go up that steep climb that you eventually find that balance. How many of you have had a period of extreme exercise craziness until you eventually find a balanced routine that doesn’t have the Rocky theme music in it … I am not talking about extreme imbalance, but i do believe there needs to be that bit extra effort in a learning curve to find what works.

Mr Imbalance !!!!