Bangalore: If He-Man is the master of the universe, Warren Buffett is the He-Man of the investing world. The only student to get an 'A' from his teacher and the father of value investing Ben Graham, Buffett is the most followed and revered investor the world has ever seen. And we are fortunate to have him living in our times. I'd continue this introduction on Buffett, but as his business partner Charlie Munger might bluntly say, "Nobody would listen." So without further ado, here are 5 Buffett quotes you should study before making your next investment decision. If a business does well, the stock eventually follows The biggest differentiating trait of Buffett's own investing philosophy is the clear understanding that stocks are representative of businesses, and not just pieces of paper. The idea of buying a stock without understanding the company's business. what it sells, how it sells, how has it grown, how can it grow, is it profitable, how can it improve its profitability, who are its competitors, etc. is unacceptable. This mentality reflects the attitude of a business owner as opposed to a stock owner, and is the only mentality an investor should have. Owners of stocks who perceive that they merely own a piece of paper are far removed from the company's financial statements. They behave as if the stock market's ever-changing price is a more accurate reflection of their stock's value than the business's balance sheet, income statement, and cash flows. For Buffett and all other successful investors, the activities of a stock owner and a business owner are closely connected. Both should look at ownership of a business in the same way. So if the business grows, the stock will eventually follow.