Warren Buffett on Do-Nothing Inheritance
on Tuesday, September 9, 2014Warren Buffett Money Quotation saying to avoid laziness in children expecting to be heirs to a fortune – don’t leave them too much. Warren Buffett said:
“Enough money so that they would feel they could do anything, but not so much that they could do nothing” — Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett is advising that children who inherit large fortunes may feel they don’t need to work if the inheritance is too large. His view is that inheriting wealth should give children opportunities and flexibility, but not make them feel like they don’t need to be productive or find purpose in their lives through work or other activities.
The ideal amount, in his view, is enough that children feel empowered but not so much that they lose motivation. The quote suggests inheriting wealth requires balance – it can provide options but shouldn’t replace the need to find purpose and meaning through one’s own efforts.