For a start, the salary begins to have an attraction and addictiveness all of its own. A regular paycheck and crack cocaine have that in common. In addition, and more to the point, working too long for other people can blunt your desire to take risks. This last factor is crucial, because the ability to live with and embrace risk is what sets apart the financial winners and losers in the world.

I think having a great idea is vastly overrated. I know it sounds kind of crazy and counterintuitive. I don't think it matters what the idea is, almost. You need great execution.

Most of the worst errors I made in my life came from forgetting to act small.

I have one talent, and that's figuring out what people want about two minutes before they know it themselves.

I only buy a computer when it's two years old, after the glitches have been worked out.

The beginnings of a forest is one of the ugliest things on the planet. It's bleak and your neighbours hate you.

Great Expectations [book by Charles Dickens] has been described as "Dickens's harshest indictment of society." Which it is. After all, it's about money. About not having enough money; about the fever of the getting of money; about having too much money; about the taint of money.