"You can be invincible if you enter no contest in which it is not in your power to conquer."
Warren Buffett is one of the wealthiest men in history. He could live in a palace in Paris or a penthouse in New York. He could drive a Bugatti and wear a new Rolex every day.
Instead, he still lives in the same stucco house in Omaha, Nebraska that he bought in 1958 for $31,500. He drives a modest Cadillac. He eats breakfast at McDonald's.
Buffett explains his lifestyle with a concept he calls the "Inner Scorecard" versus the "Outer Scorecard." The Outer Scorecard is how the world measures you. It's based on your net worth, your fame, your awards, and your status. If you live by the Outer Scorecard, you're constantly anxious because you have to keep proving to strangers that you're successful. The Inner Scorecard is how you measure yourself. It asks simple questions. Did I do what I said I would do? Did I treat people fairly? Did I make rational decisions based on my own analysis?
Buffett refuses to enter the contest of "Who looks the richest?" He knows that game has no end and no winner. He only enters the contest of, "Did I stick to my principles?"
Because he plays by the Inner Scorecard, Buffett is invincible. The market crashes? He doesn't panic because his strategy was sound. Critics say he's lost his touch? He doesn't care because he knows his math is right. He can't be defeated by external events because he isn't competing with external events.
Epictetus warns us that if we desire things that aren't up to us (like reputation or victory), we hand the victory to others. If I need you to applaud me to feel like a winner, then you're my master. If I only need to know that I did my best, I'm the master.
The invincible person isn't the one who always wins the trophy. It's the one who realizes the trophy is just a piece of metal and refuses to play for it. They play for the game itself.
Errors & Corrections
- Don't play games you can't win. You can't win the game of "being liked by everyone." There are too many variables. If you try, you'll lose your dignity. Play the game of "being kind." You can win that every single time.
- Don't let the scoreboard dictate the effort. Teams often slack off when they're winning big or give up when they're losing big. This is "Outer Scorecard" thinking. The standard of excellence should be the same regardless of the score.
- Don't envy the cheat. You see someone get rich by scamming people. On the Outer Scorecard, they're winning. On the Inner Scorecard, they're bankrupt. Don't trade your integrity for their optical illusion.
Applications to Modern Life
Work
You're in sales. You miss your quota for the quarter because a major client went bust. The common error is to feel like a failure. The Stoic reframe is to look at your "Inner Scorecard." Did you make the calls? Did you pitch correctly? Did you follow up? If yes, you succeeded in your contest. The client's bankruptcy was not in your power to conquer. Analyze your process, not just the result.
Leadership
A leader often feels pressure to appear the smartest in the room. This is the contest of "Ego." It leads to bad decisions because you won't listen to others. Enter the contest of "Truth." If a junior employee has a better idea, and you adopt it, you win the contest of Truth. You're invincible because you don't care who gets the credit, only that the right answer is found.
Athleticism & Sport
You're a runner. You enter a race hoping to win gold. But a Kenyan Olympian shows up. You can't conquer him. If your goal was gold, you lose before the gun fires. If your goal is a Personal Best time, you're in a contest you can win. Run your race. Let the Olympian run his. You're invincible within your own lane.
Politics
We treat politics as a team sport where our side must destroy the other. We get angry when "they" win. We enter the contest of "Control the Nation." But you can't control the nation. You can only control your own citizenship. Enter the contest of "Be a responsible neighbor." Vote, volunteer, and speak the truth. You can win that contest every day, regardless of who is President.
Social Media
You post a photo and check it every five minutes for likes. You've entered the contest of "Approval." You're now a slave to the algorithm. Reframe the contest. Enter the contest of "Expression." Did I capture something beautiful or true? If yes, the post is a success even with zero likes.
Interpersonal Relationships
You try to change your partner. You want them to be more ambitious or cleaner. You're entering a contest you'll lose. You can't conquer another person's will. Enter the contest of "Example." Be the ambitious, clean person you want to see. You can sustain that standard forever.
Maxims
- Play by the Inner Scorecard.
- Win the game of character.
- If it's not up to me, I don't compete.
In-depth Concepts
Aniketos (Invincible)
Epictetus uses this word to describe the ideal Stoic sage. It doesn't mean "physically unhurt." It means "spiritually unconquerable." You can put the sage in chains, but you can't make him miserable. He's invincible because he has positioned his happiness in a fortress that fortune cannot reach.
Eudaimonia (Flourishing)
This is the ultimate goal of the Inner Scorecard. It isn't a fleeting emotion like joy. It's the deep, sustained satisfaction of knowing you're living in accordance with virtue. Buffett's quiet confidence is a modern example of Eudaimonia. He's flourishing because he's true to himself.