Always take the high road, it’s far less crowded. — Charlie Munger

Always take the high road, it’s far less crowded.

Author: Charlie Munger

Insight: There's something almost practical about this advice that makes it stick. When someone wrongs you, the low road—anger, retaliation, spreading the story—feels immediately satisfying. It's crowded because it's easy, because we're all wired to defend ourselves. But Munger's insight is that taking the high road isn't mainly about being virtuous. It's about being strategic. You're removing yourself from the chaos where everyone else is wrestling and competing to be heard. The less crowded part matters more than it seems at first. When you stay calm after conflict, when you don't add fuel to office drama, when you admit a mistake instead of defending it—you stand out. Not because you're performing nobility, but because you're actually thinking while everyone else is reacting. That clarity and steadiness becomes its own kind of power. People notice who isn't in the mud. The hardest part isn't understanding this. It's remembering it in the moment when you're hurt or embarrassed or feeling wronged. That's when the low road looks like the only path. But recognizing that moment—that crowded intersection where your worse self is tempted—and choosing differently anyway? That's where the real wisdom lives.

Source: Daily Journal annual meeting, 2020