Life Is What You Make It

by Buffett, Peter

• ISBN13: 9780307464729
• ISBN10: 0307464725
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2011-05-03
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press

Summary

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. From the Hardcover edition.

Author Biography

Peter Buffett is a well-established composer, producer, and philanthropist, and is cochairman with his wife, Jennifer, of the NoVo Foundation, which seeks to empower women and girls on a global scale. He lives in New York.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Normal is what you're used to	p. 7
No one deserves anything	p. 25
The myth of the level playing field	p. 43
The (mixed) blessing of choice	p. 59
The mystery of vocation	p. 79
Buying time	p. 103
Don't just find your bliss-do your bliss	p. 125
Portals of discovery	p. 141
Be careful what you wish for…	p. 157
What we mean when we say ôsuccessö	p. 179
The perils of prosperity	p. 199
The gentle art of giving back	p. 221
Epilogue: Begin it now	p. 245
Acknowledgments	p. 257
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