Every family has that one uncle, who is a lot like Charlie Munger. The uncle who gives dead pan blunt replies, which one knows are right, but at times does not want to hear. The one uncle who everyone turns to for the best advice and finally the one uncle whose witty one liners crack the whole room up.
Much like Charlie.
My first initiation with Charlie was when a few decades ago, my brother imported a box full of “ Poor Charlie Almanac’s“ to give to his friends and while at that time I questioned the logic of that, the more I read, the bigger I became a fan. A slight backstory to it, upon knowing it’s not for commercial sale, Charlie did not take a single penny for all those books !
Charlie Munger was in Warren’s own words, his better half and as one reads more about him, his life, his thoughts, one understands why.
We all owe a lot to Uncle Charlie, his quotes adorn our walls and our research reports, his thoughts are imprinted on our investment hypothesis, his mantras are peppered in our decks on things we do and the things we don’t & his way of living and investing are bejewelled in our aspiration goals.
He famously said “ All I want to know is where I am going to die, so I will never go there “ , unfortunately as life would have it, we all go there and we all have to.
There are numerous investing lessons Charlie has left us with, but the ones that stay with me the most are not only investing lessons, but principles & frameworks of life.
Being life long learners, to be helpful to others, conquering envy and finally being an eternal optimist.
If Charlie could be optimistic at 99, I am sure we can be as well.
RIP Charlie – Travel Well