Yesterday, Buffett bid farewell in his final annual letter and shared an observation that might be a little selfish: I’m happy to say that I feel better about the second half of my life than the first. My advice: Don’t beat yourself up over past mistakes—at least learn something from them, then move forward. It’s never too late to improve. Find the right heroes and emulate them. You can start with Tom Murphy; he’s the best. Remember Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Prize. It’s said that when his brother passed away, the newspaper got it wrong, and he read his own mistaken obituary. He was shocked by what he read and realized he needed to change his ways. Don’t rely on newsroom chaos: decide how you want your obituary to read, then live a life worthy of it. Greatness doesn’t come from amassing huge wealth, widespread publicity, or immense government power. When you help someone in any of the thousands of ways possible, you’re helping the world. Kindness costs nothing, but it’s priceless. Whether you’re religious or not, the Golden Rule is hard to beat as a guide for behavior. I write this as someone who has been thoughtless countless times, made many mistakes, but has also been lucky enough to learn how to be better from some amazing friends (though still far from perfect). Remember, janitors and chairmen are both human. Wishing everyone who reads this a Happy Thanksgiving. Yes, even the jerks; it’s never too late to change. Remember to be grateful that America maximized your opportunities. But when it comes to distributing rewards—it’s inevitably fickle, and sometimes even greedy. Choose your heroes very carefully, then follow their example. You’ll never be perfect, but you can always be better.