When we are in competition with ourselves, and match our todays against our yesterdays, we derive encouragement from past misfortunes read more

When we are in competition with ourselves, and match our todays against our yesterdays, we derive encouragement from past misfortunes and blemishes. Moreover, the competition with ourselves leaves unimpaired our benevolence toward our fellow men.

The boss must first distinguish between action information and status information. He must discipline himself not to act on problems read more

The boss must first distinguish between action information and status information. He must discipline himself not to act on problems his managers can solve, and never to act on problems when he is explicitly reviewing status. I once knew a boss who invariably picked up the phone to give orders before the end of the first paragraph in a status report. That response is guaranteed to squelch full disclosure.

Some great men owe most of their greatness to the ability of detecting in those they destine for their tools read more

Some great men owe most of their greatness to the ability of detecting in those they destine for their tools the exact quality of strength that matters for their work.

Whales only get harpooned when they come to the surface, and turtles can only move forward when they stick their read more

Whales only get harpooned when they come to the surface, and turtles can only move forward when they stick their neck out, but investors face risk no matter what they do.

Commerce is the cure for the most destructive prejudices.

Commerce is the cure for the most destructive prejudices.

Stressing output is the key to improving productivity, while looking to increase activity can result in just the opposite.

Stressing output is the key to improving productivity, while looking to increase activity can result in just the opposite.

It is only when the rich are sick that they fully feel the impotence of wealth.

It is only when the rich are sick that they fully feel the impotence of wealth.

Competition on the market aims at assigning to every individual that function in the social system in which he can read more

Competition on the market aims at assigning to every individual that function in the social system in which he can render to all his fellow men the most valuable of the services he is able to perform.

Our supplies of natural resources are not finite in any economic sense. Nor does past experience give reason to expect read more

Our supplies of natural resources are not finite in any economic sense. Nor does past experience give reason to expect natural resources to become more scarce. Rather, if history is any guide, natural resources will progressively become less costly, hence less scarce, and will constitute a smaller proportion of our expenses in future years.