# @made.by.james on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DUGRgy3klrY
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/71072758-madebyjames-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/380754553e.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-01-29T14:31:14.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** James Martin | Brand Designer (@made.by.james) — https://gondola.cc/made.by.james

## Caption

I’ve got a question for you.⁠
⁠
Would you bet on you?⁠
⁠
Not your ideas.⁠
Not your skills.⁠
Just… you.⁠
⁠
Back in 2001, Warren Buffett asked a bunch of students a simple question:⁠
⁠
If you could invest in a friend and take 10% of their income for life, who would you choose?⁠
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Then he flipped it.⁠
⁠
If you could short (bet against) a friend’s earnings, who would you choose?⁠
⁠
I don’t think this was about money.⁠
It felt more like a subtle personality test.⁠
⁠
Because what are you really betting on? ⁠
• Consistency⁠
• Judgment⁠
• Follow-through⁠
• How they handle pressure⁠
• Whether they do what they say they will⁠
⁠
In other words, their reputation and their character.⁠
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The exercise reframes reputation not as image or perception, but as a pattern of behaviour that either reduces risk or quietly increases it over time.⁠
⁠
And it forces us to confront which behaviours we already believe lead to a better life… and whether our own actions line up with that belief.⁠
⁠
I unpack this properly in this week's Substack → comment "ACTION" and I'll send you the link. ⁠
⁠
James⁠
The People’s Branding Mentor⁠
 ✖️ ⚡ ✖️⁠
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#branddesigners #brandreputation #creativehumans #creativebusiness #branding

## Stats

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- **Likes:** 532
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- **Comments:** 14

## Tags

branddesigners, creativehumans, branding, brandreputation, creativebusiness

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