A few months before he died I had dinner with Charlie Munger.

I spent over 3 hours with him.

I got to see his library.

I could ask him any question I wanted.

At 99 he was still *ferociously* intelligent.

The most important lesson I learned from him that night was: Go for great.

In typical Charlie fashion it’s a combination of 4 simple ideas:

1. Charlie looks at everything through the lens of history. Human nature does not change. The same behaviors repeat forever.

2. Charlie has a complete indifference to problems. Troubles from time to time should be expected. This is an inescapable part of life.

3. Wise people do not whine about problems. They prevent them:

"Wisdom is prevention." —Charlie Munger

4. Great businesses are rare. Great people are rare too.

Great people *and* great businesses produce fewer problems.

Your mission in life is to get into a great business (and stay there!)

and build relationships with great people.

Doing so will prevent the majority of problems that are under your control.

All of this can be remembered in the simple maxim: Go for great.