Living by the Inner Scorecard

            Back in 1999, one of the world's richest men, Warren Buffett, appeared to be losing his touch. Numerous newspapers and business magazines were asking, “What's wrong with Warren Buffett?”

            His mutual fund was trending downward; meanwhile, technology stocks were soaring upwards. He received much pressure to surrender and purchase technology stocks, which he considered to be poor buys for the future.

            Warren Buffett did not surrender. He chose instead to follow what he called his “Inner Scorecard.” (See my post of 6/13/12.)

            Buffett said he was the type of person who, were he painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, would have ignored advice from passerby’s. It was HIS painting, and he would work on it for the rest of his life because, in his mind, it would never be finished. That would be living life by the Inner Scorecard.

            Buffett would ultimately look like a genius. The technology boom turned to bust, but Buffett’s trust fund grew in value. Buffett was spared loss and humiliation because he followed his Inner Scorecard.

            The Bible is full of people who followed their Inner Scorecard. Here is how the writer of Hebrews chapter eleven puts into his own words the concept of the Inner Scorecard: But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Heb. 11:16.) NLT

Source: THE SNOWBALL WARREN BUFFETT AND THE BUSINESS OF LIFE by Alice Schroeder

The Inner Scorecard

            The world's richest man, Warren Buffett, says there are two types of people in this world: those who follow their Inner Scorecard, and those who follow their Outer Scorecard.

            Buffett himself follows his Inner Scorecard. He explains his reasoning with the question, “If the world could not see your results, would you rather be thought of as the world's greatest investor but in reality have the world's worst record? Or thought of as the world's worst investor when you were actually the best?”

            Buffett would prefer to be known as the worst… and in reality be the best.

            Buffett applies this to parenting. He says that parents, when their children are at a very early age, emphasize one of the two. Those who emphasize concern for what the world thinks will cultivate an Outer Scorecard in their children—and vice-versa.

            I believe we parents should cultivate an Inner Scorecard within our children. It should be a scorecard directed toward God, and not bound by what anyone in the world thinks.

            I believe this concept lies behind these words in Deuteronomy 6: 6 Memorize his laws 7 and tell them to your children over and over again. Talk about them all the time, whether you’re at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning. 8 Write down copies and tie them to your wrists and foreheads to help you obey them. 9 Write these laws on the door frames of your homes and on your town gates. CEV

            

Source: THE SNOWBALL WARREN BUFFETT AND THE BUSINESS OF LIFE by Alice Schroeder

Oilmen in Heaven

            There is a joke that Warren Buffett tells of an oilman who died and went to heaven. St. Peter met him at the Pearly Gates and said, “Well, I checked you out, and you meet all the qualifications. But there's one problem. We have some tough zoning laws up here, and we keep all of the oil prospectors over behind that fence. And, as you can see, it is absolutely full. There is no room for you.”

            “Do you mind if I do say four words?” the oilman asked.

            Peter replied, “I see no harm in that.”

            So the prospector cupped his hands and yelled out, “Oil discovered in hell!”

            The gate to the fence was unlocked and all of the oilmen rush out and headed due south.

            Peter told the oilman, “That's a pretty slick trick. Go on in and make yourself at home. You have all of the room in the world.”

            The oilman paused for a moment, and then he told Peter, “No, I think I'll go along with the rest of boys. There might be some truth to that rumor after all.”

            The Bible says that, like the oilman, people have an enormous ability to deceive themselves. As the book of Jeremiah says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9.)