#32 How to live a miserable life

According to Charlie Munger

Charlie Munger is the vice-chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and one of the most successful investors in history. But in his 1986 commencement speech at Harvard School, he gives a speech on how to live a miserable life. Instead of talking about how to be successful, Charlie masterfully uses inversion to relay a powerful message. Here are things that will lead to a life of misery, according to Charlie Munger.

Ingesting chemicals to alter mood or perception. Alcohol and drugs are the surest ways for self-destruction. Charlie shares a story of his highly-intelligent friends who ruined their lives with excessive alcohol consumption.

Envy and resentment. Charlie jokes and says "I cannot recommend them highly enough to you if you desire misery."

Being unreliable. If you master this habit, you will not only be a rabbit who is outrun by a turtle, but you will be outrun "even by some mediocre turtles on crutches."

Not learning from other people's mistakes. If you only learn from your own mistakes, you are missing out. Read books and learn from the wisdom of people who came before you. But if you want misery - "become as non-educated as you reasonable can."

Giving up when life throws challenges. Life will hit you hard and knock you down. If you stay down, you will be "permanently mired in misery."

And the last advice is not looking at problems backwards. Many of the hardest problems are solved by inverting. Jacobi said "Invert, always invert". Just as Charlie did in his speech.

YOUR TURN - If you were to add one more item to Charlie Munger's list of things that lead to a life of misery, what would it be? Leave a comment and share the essay with your friends.