Are you special? Or just another wannabe?
It’s funny how a completely unrelated conversation connects to finance.
I was discussing with our man James Hunt the sad decline of the sports car industry, wherein once proud and truly special marques have lost their way and are now but shadows of their former selves. Complacent in mediocrity and slaves to marketing. And then it hit me:
This applies to you guys.
Most of us here were drawn to Wall Street eyes all wide, dreaming to strike it rich and have our names uttered in the same breath as Kravis, Buffett, and Soros.
We studied hard for it, we worked hard for it, and for some reason we actually expect it.
Well, there’s one thing you monkeys should note about those guys; like a proper Ferrari, they have stood the test of time.
Show me the top 30 over 50 and they'll be some impressive track records/bios that are worth reading.
Much like the sports car industry today, today’s Wall Street is littered with the mediocre. They still have all the flash; they still make all the noise, but most are far from what they set out to be in the first place.
Today’s culture of getting rich quick has left most monkeys soft, complacent, and quick to burn out.
Some even think penny stock pimps are cool.
Now what would have happened if Kravis had that mentality? Would KKR be around?
What would have happened if PTJ had “a number”?
What would have happened if Buffett dreamt of “Fuck you money”?
Well they’ll probably still be rich, they’ll probably still be much better than us.
But they’d be generic, just another rich guy on the street, nothing special compared to who they are today.
Keep your eyes on the prize WSO, especially those who set out to be somebody in this world.
Only you can dictate if you’re someone special, or just another wannabe.






Comments
Is it worth is to try be
Is it worth is to try be "somebody in this world," or just sit on a cool $100 liquid? Soros will be forgotten after 10yrs when he dies. Jack Welsh? 5.
Jorge, Wow. Thank you for
Jorge,
Wow. Thank you for saying that. I completely agree with you on this.
There is no such things as a fuck you number or a churn and burn mentality by the top guys in Finance. There's a reason why Drunkenmiller said I may be done running a fund but I'm still managing my own money. Drive and desire do not fall to the wayside when you retire. They are still there, which is why you see these great legends still involved well beyond the age they should have retired.
This is why Joe Paterno still leads the Nittany Lions onto the field and this is why the biggest names are still the most respected. Being somebody is something is not about the cool hundred mil liquid in the bank, but doing what you love doing until you can't do it any more. When we study the markets in the next twenty years, we will be talking about guys like Soros, Druckenmiller, Kovner and PTJ because they stood in there, worked their asses off and loved what they did every step of the way.
The guys that retired have done so because they lost the drive and desire to continue having done so much and wanted to finally relax. Those are the Teddy Forstmann's of the world, who worked their asses off and can retire in peace. We talking about Kravis and Roberts, but Kohlberg is retired, having been forced out of the firm that bears his name and is enjoying retirement.
The point is, it's not about the "What Number", but about when do I finally feel comfortable quitting and leaving the world to those who will inherit their titles. If PTJ had a number, he wouldn't be as respected as he is. If Buffet believed in the fuck you number, he wouldn't be Warren Buffet, he'd be some overzealous rich guy looking to play one up with other billionaires.
Hard work, time, effort and loving what you do definitely influence everything. It's easier to wake up in the morning, loving what you do than view it as a job that you hate. Keep your eyes on the prize and love what you do if you plan to get ahead in life. That's the honest truth and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Nice post. Agreed. @New
Nice post. Agreed.
@New Yorker - I think soros will be around in business school texts for quite some time, but maybe I'm wrong... Buffet will be an everyday household name in 250 years --- like an Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Eh....There's being in it for
Eh....There's being in it for the love of the game, but there's also being in it so much that life passes you by, so that you can't see your wife or tuck your kids in at night because you're writing another goddamn brief for some asshole with money.
I bet Buffet really doesn't give a fuck whether he's famous or not. Fame just means people less important than you bug you all the time.
Think about the reason we
Think about the reason we idolize sports stars. Is it because they're rich? No, it's because they weren't afraid to follow their dreams and to never give up.
Well done my friend,
Well done my friend, combining sports cars and finance into one blog post, well done. A proper thread.
Silver Ferrari and SB for you.
In 1976, James Hunt broke the sound barrier through Eau Rouge only to retire before the event finished... following the race he had sex with three Belgian nurses at the clubhouse near La Source.
International Pymp
Nice post. Agreed.
@New Yorker - I think soros will be around in business school texts for quite some time, but maybe I'm wrong... Buffet will be an everyday household name in 250 years --- like an Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Are you kidding? I'm talking about the population at large not, 10 thousand people out of 350 million in b-school. What percent of the population do you think can write two sentences about Cornelius Vanderbilt? I've said it before and I'll say it again, the only people that get remembered are authors, artists, and kings.
New Yorker
Nice post. Agreed.
@New Yorker - I think soros will be around in business school texts for quite some time, but maybe I'm wrong... Buffet will be an everyday household name in 250 years --- like an Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Are you kidding? I'm talking about the population at large not, 10 thousand people out of 350 million in b-school. What percent of the population do you think can write two sentences about Cornelius Vanderbilt? I've said it before and I'll say it again, the only people that get remembered are authors, artists, and kings.
Vanderbilt had a much larger impact on the economy (as a percentage of GDP) than anyone alive today. Additionally, his lasting contributions to society are much greater than anything the above list of people are likely to leave behind. It is unlikely that even Buffett will have that level of name recognition in 150 years.
The First Tycoon is a great read by the way.
The common man being able to
The common man being able to write a paper on you is not an indication of your impact. Buffet will be improving lives through his charity for a long time in the future.
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What about Fuld, Cayne,
What about Fuld, Cayne, Greenberg, Meriweather?
Sometimes having a # ain't a bad idea.
That said if you are special. Follow the words of Mr. Soros, "go for the jugular".
Self Actualization; that's
Self Actualization; that's what it is all about.
"Climbing a mountain that's only getting steeper"
-Barboon
As a proud sell-out, I just
As a proud sell-out, I just thought I'd chime in here.
Hit your number and GTFO.
Who cares if you're remembered? Make your money and get on with your life.
On a side note, I don't think
On a side note, I don't think I've ever seen a bigger moron than that guy in the accompanying thumbnail. What a wanker.
Nice perspective Jorge. +1
Nice perspective Jorge. +1
I think you can do things
I think you can do things "for the love of the game," but still have a point where you get out. I can't think of any career more interesting than trading but I also have plenty of stuff I'd like to do in "retirement" which aren't real jobs (owning a sports team for instance).
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The problem about being
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And those guys have
Bottom line is that you are
You're right, Bondarb. If
So, it doesn't matter what I
Hey Edmundo, you got any tips
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More is good, all is better
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