Warren Buffett has had a busy week. On Wednesday, his company Berkshire Hathaway hit a market capitalization of $1 trillion, and today he turns 94 years old—with no plans to retire.
The “Oracle of Omaha” has had a career arc that’s nearly unheard of, and his decades working for so long at the top of his field has given him a unique perspective on what kind of occupation he recommends people look for when it comes to their own lives.
“Take the job that you would take if you didn’t need the job—that’s what I’ve got,” Buffett told longtime Coins2Day reporter Carol J. Loomis during a 2015 interview. “You want to be doing something you would do if you didn’t need the money. And most people do need the money. But if you’re in the position where you don’t, you should be doing what you would if you didn’t need the money.”
Buffett added that while he does not need to continue as chairperson of Berkshire Hathaway, he loves it and has fun in the role, so much so that he continues to “tap dance to work” everyday. He also added that he feels lucky he’s in an industry that allows him to keep working.
“I am fortunately in a business where even though my muscles are gone, my balance is gone, my stamina is gone—it doesn’t make any difference in what I do, so I am very lucky in that way,” Buffett said.
Buffett took control of Berkshire Hathaway, a holding company, in 1965, and has since led the company to massive success. It is the first non-tech U.S. Company to pass the $1 trillion mark. Buffett’s hand-picked successor, Greg Abel, will step into his shoes when he eventually does decide to step down, but there is no other indication that Buffett is planning to leave his post.
He did acknowledge at the Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in May of this year, however, that he’s not as energetic as he once was.
