[app_audio src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/smartpeoplepodcast/Episode_168_-_Peter_Buffett.mp3″]

Peter Buffett – What’s it like to be the son of the richest man on Earth? This week we interview Peter Buffett, youngest son of the “Oracle of Omaha” and once dubbed “richest man on Earth”, Warren Buffett.  In this interview we ask Peter what it was like to have a household name as a father, what advice did his dad pass along to him, how did the shadow of his last name affect his childhood, and what went on behind the scenes at the Buffett family dinners. This unique upbringing and lessons learned are the foundation for his New York Times Bestselling book, Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment. Additionally, we discuss his esteemed music career which includes winning an Emmy Award and composing the most famous scene in the film Dances with Wolves.

Peter Buffett has an acclaimed career that spans more than 30 years as an Emmy Award winning musician, composer, philanthropist and author. He began his career as the musical mind behind many of the early MTV bumpers of the ’80s, and the climactic crescendo in the memorable “Fire Dance” scene in 1990’s Oscar winning film Dances with Wolves.

Peter is the co-president of the NoVo Foundation and co-chair of its Board of Directors. In partnership with his wife, Jennifer, he helps to guide NoVo’s vision, strategic mission, and program development.

Buffett’s inspiring book, Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment, has been translated into over 15 languages and has sold nearly half a million copies worldwide. Described by former President Bill Clinton as “a wise and inspiring book that should be required reading for every young person seeking to find his or her place in the world” Life Is What You Make It is about following one’s passions over conventions, taking up the reins of your destiny, and living life to the fullest.

“The secret to my dads success is his ability to be dispassionate or unemotional. He is incredibly rational – he doesn’t allow his emotions to play any role in his decision making.”

-Peter Buffet

Quotes from Peter: 

[shadowbox]”The defining characteristic of my childhood was that my dad loved going to work everyday and he came home at the same time every night to sit at the dinner table.”

“My dad was always happy.  He wasn’t happy because he was making tons of money, he was happy because he loved what he did – and the scorecard for loving what he did happened to be money.”

“My dad wasn’t trying to prove his worth by making money to buy things to show people he was somebody.”

“There is nothing in nature that knows where it’s going – it just knows it needs to pay attention to the fundamental principles of its being.”[/shadowbox]

What we learn in this episode:

• Is Warren Buffett a ruthless businessman? 
• When did Peter know his home life was abnormal? 
• How do you find your path to fulfillment?
• How did Peter end up writing the score for the “Fire Scene” in Dances With Wolves?

Resources:

Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment

http://www.peterbuffett.com/

http://novofoundation.org/