Warren Buffett Reveals He Owes His Success to a $100 College Class: "I Was That Terrified"
It's well known that Warren Buffett, the iconic investor, spends hours each year answering questions at Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B) annual shareholder meeting. However, few know this wouldn’t have been possible in Buffett’s early years.
Buffett, famously dubbed the “Oracle of Omaha,” nearly stifled his own future success due to a fear of public speaking—a fear he only overcame thanks to a $100 college course he took at age 20.
Buffett had an intense fear of public speaking in his youth. He admitted to author Gillian Zoe Segal that, “Just the thought of it made me physically ill. I would literally throw up.”
In college, Buffett even chose classes to avoid speaking in front of others and arranged his schedule to steer clear of public scenarios. He struggled to introduce himself when required to speak in front of a crowd.
Buffett first attempted to enroll in a Dale Carnegie public speaking course at Columbia Business School, even writing a check to cover the fee. But his nerves got the best of him, and he backed out.
After graduating, however, he saw the same ad again. This time, he handed the instructor $100 in cash, thinking that if he paid upfront, he’d be compelled to attend.
He did—and found himself among 30 others with the same fear. “We all had trouble saying our own names,” he recalled.
The 12-week course transformed him. He immediately applied for a teaching role at the University of Omaha, determined to keep building his skills. “I just kept doing it, and now you can’t stop me from talking,” Buffett told Segal with a laugh.
Buffett credits much of his success to that course—a significant endorsement from the “Oracle” himself. According to Bloomberg, Buffett is the world’s eighth-richest person, with a net worth of $145 billion. Since he took control of Berkshire in 1965, his fund has consistently outperformed the S&P 500, achieving nearly 20% compounded annual returns.
Buffett, famously dubbed the “Oracle of Omaha,” nearly stifled his own future success due to a fear of public speaking—a fear he only overcame thanks to a $100 college course he took at age 20.
Buffett had an intense fear of public speaking in his youth. He admitted to author Gillian Zoe Segal that, “Just the thought of it made me physically ill. I would literally throw up.”
In college, Buffett even chose classes to avoid speaking in front of others and arranged his schedule to steer clear of public scenarios. He struggled to introduce himself when required to speak in front of a crowd.
Buffett first attempted to enroll in a Dale Carnegie public speaking course at Columbia Business School, even writing a check to cover the fee. But his nerves got the best of him, and he backed out.
After graduating, however, he saw the same ad again. This time, he handed the instructor $100 in cash, thinking that if he paid upfront, he’d be compelled to attend.
He did—and found himself among 30 others with the same fear. “We all had trouble saying our own names,” he recalled.
The 12-week course transformed him. He immediately applied for a teaching role at the University of Omaha, determined to keep building his skills. “I just kept doing it, and now you can’t stop me from talking,” Buffett told Segal with a laugh.
Buffett credits much of his success to that course—a significant endorsement from the “Oracle” himself. According to Bloomberg, Buffett is the world’s eighth-richest person, with a net worth of $145 billion. Since he took control of Berkshire in 1965, his fund has consistently outperformed the S&P 500, achieving nearly 20% compounded annual returns.