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Warren Buffett's Hobby Journey
b. 1930
CEO of Berkshire Hathaway; one of the most successful investors in history; the Oracle of OmahaHobby Timeline
Childhood / Teens
Entrepreneurial hobbies from age 6 (selling Coca-Cola, newspapers, golf balls)Obsessive financial reading
College
Ukulele (learned to impress a young woman — it worked)
Peak Career (CEO decades)
Bridge (~12 hours per week, often with Bill Gates)Ukulele (plays at Berkshire shareholder meetings, charity events)Reading (80% of his work day)
Surprising hobbies
- ✦Learned ukulele to impress a girl in college and still plays it 70+ years later
- ✦Has performed ukulele duets with Bon Jovi on video
- ✦Plays bridge 12 hours per week — more than most people spend on any single hobby
How hobbies shaped their career
Bridge trains exactly the skills Buffett uses as an investor: probabilistic thinking, reading opponents, making decisions with incomplete information, and long-term strategic planning. His reading habit (5–6 hours daily) is what he credits most for his investment success. The ukulele keeps him playful and approachable, which is central to his folksy, trust-building brand.
"Bridge is such a sensational game that I wouldn't mind being in jail if I had three cellmates who were decent players."
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