Warren Buffett: A Taoist Mind Builds His Success

By Yingpei Zhang

In good times, every investor makes money--some a lot. But that doesn't mean much. Sooner or later, the market will unleash a massive purge, stripping every penny from the undeserving and casting them into mental hell. Success in investing depends not on gains in good times but on what remains after the massive purge. In ancient China, kings were often dethroned. They believed a ruthless Heaven determined their fate. They first offered lavish sacrifices to appease this power, but that failed. Then they used divination, reading cracks on scorched turtle shells and animal bones to discern Heaven's will. That failed too. Eventually, they realized Heaven judged their morality and behavior. The Tao Te Ching is a treatise on the moral and behavioral code kings must follow to survive Heaven's purge. In this book, I reveal that Warren Buffett possesses a Taoist mind. I argue that his Taoist mind is the indispensable foundation of his success. Zhuangzi, a Taoist sage, told a story: An archer showed off his skill to a Taoist. He placed a cup of water on his left elbow, drew his bow with his right hand, and fired several arrows in succession. The cup didn't spill a drop, and he stood still as a wooden statue. The Taoist said, "Your shooting stems from an ego-filled mind, not an ego-free one. Climb a high mountain with me, step onto a perilous rock, back to a ten-thousand-foot abyss--and then try to shoot." They ascended the mountain. The Taoist stepped onto a treacherous rock, two-thirds of his feet hanging off the edge, back to a ten-thousand-foot abyss, and beckoned the archer to take his place. The archer, terrified, collapsed to the ground, sweat soaking his heels. He couldn't take a single step forward. Now, if you were given the choice--who would you want as your teacher? The archer or the Taoist?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F5XBX5PT
• ISBN13: 9798280666535
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 192 Pages
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.4" x 6.0"