7 Ways To Use Warren Buffett’s 20-Slot Rule To Build Wealth (And Happiness)

You know life is full of choices. Sometimes, it can feel overwhelming.

Warren Buffett has talked extensively about cutting out the noise by using a so-called “20-slot rule,” with a core concept of making fewer, more thoughtful decisions to avoid spreading yourself too thin. You can think of having a card with 20 slots so that you only have 20 punches or investments to make in your lifetime. Once you punched through the card, you couldn’t make any more investments.

While Buffett’s rule may be used to build wealth, the principle extends beyond investing. It offers practical benefits for achieving a balanced, fulfilling life.

Here’s how to maximize the investing wizard’s principle.

You may notice that focus is a consistent theme of Buffett’s 20-slot rule, including how you prioritize your investments. Focusing on a few high-quality investments rather than diversifying too widely allows you to better manage risk and optimize returns.

The idea isn’t to completely abandon diversification in your investment strategies but to diversify yourself and your investments in a smarter and more strategic way.

It may be time to do a better job of focusing when you meet with your investment advisors or other money professionals you rely on for guidance.

If you often become distracted during these meetings, you can work on making it a goal to focus more on the discussion and come prepared with questions. This may help you build wealth by investing more attention in this area of your life.

Apply the rule to personal choices, such as career shifts or large purchases, ensuring you invest time and energy only in the most meaningful opportunities. According to Buffett’s 20-slot rule, you may see much better outcomes if you limit major life decisions.

You can take more time considering options such as a new career or a big purchase. If you focus on making good decisions, you may find yourself wealthier and happier with your choices.

You’ll likely see this advice in more places than just the 20-slot rule. By reducing distractions and commitments, you can focus on what truly matters to your long-term goals and happiness.

Since it requires you to focus on things that are important to you, it also allows you to potentially get rid of things, activities, and maybe even people on the way to a more joyful, stress-free life. On the investment and wealth-building side, you can learn to pass on opportunities that don’t align with your goals.

Invest your time and resources in becoming highly skilled in a few areas instead of spreading yourself too thin with multiple pursuits. That’s one of the ideas behind the 20-slot rule: You can focus on something until you feel you’ve truly mastered it.

This may be related to your investments, career, or personal life, like dieting. You may be able to use the skills you master to build wealth and find more joy in life.

Were you one of those teens who thought you’d be happier by having more friends than anyone else your age? That thinking can follow you into adulthood but goes against the 20-slot rule.

Instead of building a vast network, cultivate a few meaningful, long-lasting relationships that bring genuine value to your life. This may be true of friendships, mentors, and money professionals who you trust.

You may have trouble focusing at work or when doing things around the house. Our society often emphasizes the need to multitask and do several things simultaneously, which can be overwhelming and is not the best way to accomplish many things.

Perhaps the 20-slot rule's emphasis on focus can help you slow down, try to successfully finish one task, and then move on to another. You may find greater joy and benefits in doing things this way.

It can be easy to lose focus and take actions that don’t lead to your goals, resulting in surprising financial mistakes.

But Buffett’s 20-slot rule advises using focus to help narrow in on decisions and avoid spreading yourself too thin. If you want to start applying this principle to your life, one way to begin is to look at and list your goals regarding finances and joy.