“Envy is the only one of the 7 deadly sins that is no fun to commit”, says one of the world’s greatest investors.1
Mr. Warren Buffett may not have that exactly right (the disordered desire for something someone else has can still stroke a diabolical pleasure within), but making decisions in life and in the investment world based on envy will not ultimately satisfy anyone. Instead, it will make you feel empty and discontent no matter how much you accumulate.
Envy is insatiable. It never has enough even if it gets what it may have initially desired.
Gratitude, on the other hand, is satisfying.
It not only calms internal restlessness, but it can also be infectious.
If you make financial decisions out of envy, the legacy you leave—even if it is of high dollar value—will be tainted.
Resentment is a contagious cancer.
If you make financial decisions out of gratitude, the legacy you leave—no matter what the dollar value—will inspire.
Gratitude is a contagious gift.
At our firm, we don’t just want you to leave something monetary for your heirs, we want you to live the kind of life that leaves something fulfilling for your heirs.
Financial planning is not simply about money. It is about the impact of your life upon the lives of others around you.
Even though Thanksgiving Day is now over, don’t let the holiday pace crowd out being thankful.
Uproot envy by practicing gratitude.
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Sources:
- Quoted from Morningstar’s “10 Things We Can Learn From Warren Buffett That Have Nothing to Do With Money” (November 19, 2025). Accessed online: https://www.morningstar.com/portfolios/10-things-we-can-learn-warren-buffett-that-have-nothing-do-with-money