--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fundamental basis of above-average…" description: "\"The fundamental basis of above-average performance in the long run is sustainable competitive advantage.\" — Warren Buffett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/warren-buffett-183_above-average_the-fundamental-basis-of-above-average-p_2883320.png" --- # The fundamental basis of above-average performance in the… ![“The fundamental basis of above-average performance in the long run is sustainable competitive advantage.” quote by Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/warren-buffett-183_above-average_the-fundamental-basis-of-above-average-p_2883320.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/warren-buffett-183_above-average_the-fundamental-basis-of-above-average-p_2883320.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/warren-buffett-183_above-average_the-fundamental-basis-of-above-average-p_2883320.png) > “The fundamental basis of above-average performance in the long run is sustainable competitive advantage.” [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Long‑term superior performance stems from a durable edge over competitors, not temporary tactics. **In simple terms:** Sustainable advantage drives lasting success. Key Takeaway Build lasting competitive strengths. Themes strategy competition performance longevity Mood analytical optimistic Type business motivational When to use this quote - startup planning - market positioning - product development Key Concepts economics business strategy Questions to Reflect On - What unique value can you protect? - How will you defend it over time? A Different Perspective Advantages can erode without continual innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Above average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/above-average/) [Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [Average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average/) [Bases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bases/) [Competitive advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive-advantage/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-run/) [Long runs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-runs/) [Performance Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance-long-4007752/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Run Sustainable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/run-sustainable-4007753/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Sustainable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustainable/) [Sustainable Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustainable-competitive-368462/) ## Related quotes > [“when it came to where to play, the company needed to define which regions, categories, channels, and consumers would give P&G a sustainable competitive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-lafley/when-it-came-to-where-to-play-the-company-needed-to-define-which/) [A.G. Lafley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-lafley/) > [Your ability to learn faster than your competition is your only sustainable competitive advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arie-de-gues/your-ability-to-learn-faster-than-your-competition-is-your-only/) [Arie De Gues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arie-de-gues/) > [Exploiting a sustainable competitive advantage is great... If you can find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-gunther-mcgrath/exploiting-a-sustainable-competitive-advantage-is-great-if-you-can/) [Rita Gunther McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-gunther-mcgrath/) > [Teamwork remains a sustainable competitive advantage that has been largely untapped because it is hard to measure (teamwork impacts the outcome of an organization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/teamwork-remains-a-sustainable-competitive-advantage-that-has-been/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [“The ability to learn faster than your competitors is the only sustainable competitive advantage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-kotler/the-ability-to-learn-faster-than-your-competitors-is-the-only/) [Steven Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-kotler/) > [Marketing strategy is a series of integrated actions leading to a sustainable competitive advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/marketing-strategy-is-a-series-of-integrated-actions-leading-to-a/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [The ability to learn faster than competitors may be the only sustainable competitive advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arie-de-geus/the-ability-to-learn-faster-than-competitors-may-be-the-only/) [Arie de Geus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arie-de-geus/) > [“To test the sub-hypothesis “Client has a strong, sustainable competitive advantage in the market,” you need to understand the differences between the client and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cheng/to-test-the-sub-hypothesis-client-has-a-strong-sustainable/) [Victor Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cheng/) > [The ability to learn faster than your competitors may be only sustainable competitive advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arie-de-geus/the-ability-to-learn-faster-than-your-competitors-may-be-only/) [Arie de Geus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arie-de-geus/) > [“that a corporate strategy represents a plan to effectively allocate scarce resources to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orit-gadiesh/that-a-corporate-strategy-represents-a-plan-to-effectively-allocate/) [Orit Gadiesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orit-gadiesh/) > [“The only sustainable competitive advantage is an organization's ability to learn faster than the competition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/the-only-sustainable-competitive-advantage-is-an-organization-s/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [“In an environment of turbulent change, as de Geus famously wrote: “The ability to learn faster than your competitors is the only sustainable competitive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-kotler/in-an-environment-of-turbulent-change-as-de-geus-famously-wrote-the/) [Steven Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-kotler/) > [Excellence is a high performance over a long period of time. That's what I've tried to focus on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-witten/excellence-is-a-high-performance-over-a-long-period-of-time-that-s/) [Jason Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-witten/) > [ There are three important principles to Graham's approach. \[The first is to look at stocks as fractional shares of a business, which\] gives you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/there-are-three-important-principles-to-graham-s-approach-the-first/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The worst sort of business is one that grows rapidly, requires significant capital to engender the growth, and then earns little or no money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-worst-sort-of-business-is-one-that-grows-rapidly-requires/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) ## More by Warren Buffett > [To invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. What's needed is a sound intellectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/to-invest-successfully-over-a-lifetime-does-not-require-a/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [“Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/be-fearful-when-others-are-greedy-and-be-greedy-when-others-are/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Making money isn't the backbone of our guiding purpose; it is the by-product of our guiding purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/making-money-isn-t-the-backbone-of-our-guiding-purpose-it-is-the-by/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [We set no volume goals in our insurance business generally-and certainly not in reinsurance-as virtually any volume can be achieved if profitability standards are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-set-no-volume-goals-in-our-insurance-business-generally-and/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Everybody's got a different circle of competence. The important thing is not how big the circle is. The important thing is staying inside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/everybody-s-got-a-different-circle-of-competence-the-important-thing/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [It is better to point out your own mistakes than have somebody else do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/it-is-better-to-point-out-your-own-mistakes-than-have-somebody-else/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I've read about all the sales today. If you're an auto dealer, you're feeling it. If you're a furniture retailer like we are, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-ve-read-about-all-the-sales-today-if-you-re-an-auto-dealer-you-re/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I was lucky enough to be born in a time and place where society values my talent, and gave me a good education to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-was-lucky-enough-to-be-born-in-a-time-and-place-where-society/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The most common cause of low prices is pessimism - some times pervasive, some times specific to a company or industry. We want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-common-cause-of-low-prices-is-pessimism-some-times-pervasive/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The reaction of weak management to weak operations is often weak accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-reaction-of-weak-management-to-weak-operations-is-often-weak/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [What you really want to do in investments is figure out what's important and knowable. If it's unimportant or unknowable you forget about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/what-you-really-want-to-do-in-investments-is-figure-out-what-s/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I don't measure my life by the money I've made. Other people might, but certainly don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-don-t-measure-my-life-by-the-money-i-ve-made-other-people-might-but/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I mean the truth is, I've never had it so good in terms of taxes. I am paying the lowest tax rate that I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-mean-the-truth-is-i-ve-never-had-it-so-good-in-terms-of-taxes-i-am/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-important-quality-for-an-investor-is-temperament-not/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Investors, of course, can, by their own behavior make stock ownership highly risky. And many do. Active trading, attempts to "time" market movements, inadequate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/investors-of-course-can-by-their-own-behavior-make-stock-ownership/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) [Explore all 984 Warren Buffett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) ## More Above average quotes > [Hay fever suffers tend to be above average in intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-tobias/hay-fever-suffers-tend-to-be-above-average-in-intelligence/) [Andrew Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-tobias/) > [Holidays are in no sense an alternative to the congestion and bustle of the cities and work. Quite the contrary. People look to escape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/holidays-are-in-no-sense-an-alternative-to-the-congestion-and-bustle/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [I asked many friends if Australian anti-intellectualism was still a living force and they all told me it was. If you are above average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/i-asked-many-friends-if-australian-anti-intellectualism-was-still-a/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [I didn't have a very starry school career, I was medium to above average, nothing special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-didn-t-have-a-very-starry-school-career-i-was-medium-to-above/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [While the other guy's sleeping? I'm working. While the other guy's eatin'? I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/while-the-other-guy-s-sleeping-i-m-working-while-the-other-guy-s/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [The average estimate themselves by what they do, the above average by what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-average-estimate-themselves-by-what-they-do-the-above-average-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If a man's got talent and guts to buck society, he's obviously above average. You want to hold on to him. You straighten him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/if-a-man-s-got-talent-and-guts-to-buck-society-he-s-obviously-above/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [Most of us form estimates of our intelligence, wisdom, and moral fiber that are considerably higher than an objective estimate would warrant; no doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-plantinga/most-of-us-form-estimates-of-our-intelligence-wisdom-and-moral-fiber/) [Alvin Plantinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-plantinga/) > [Everybody thinks their website is above average.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cutts/everybody-thinks-their-website-is-above-average/) [Matt Cutts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cutts/) > [I've never really viewed myself as particularly talented. I've viewed myself as slightly above average in talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/i-ve-never-really-viewed-myself-as-particularly-talented-i-ve-viewed/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I loved nuns when I was growing up. I thought they were beautiful. For several years I wanted to be a nun. I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-loved-nuns-when-i-was-growing-up-i-thought-they-were-beautiful-for/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [You know, my boy, he said, it's impossible to love men such as they are. And yet we must. So try to do good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-my-boy-he-said-it-s-impossible-to-love-men-such-as-they-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The average detective story is probably no worse than the average novel, but you never see the average novel. It doesn't get published. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/the-average-detective-story-is-probably-no-worse-than-the-average/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [It just seems logical that sticking to investing in only a small number of companies that you understand well, rather than moving down the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-greenblatt/it-just-seems-logical-that-sticking-to-investing-in-only-a-small/) [Joel Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-greenblatt/) > [Above average intelligence has always run in my family. Ambition, however, has always walked with a limp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-macnelly/above-average-intelligence-has-always-run-in-my-family-ambition/) [Jeff MacNelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-macnelly/) [Browse all 41 Above average quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/above-average/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fundamental basis of above-average performance in the long run is sustainable competitive advantage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Warren Buffett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-fundamental-basis-of-above-average-performance-in-the-long-run-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Above average" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-fundamental-basis-of-above-average-performance-in-the-long-run-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/warren-buffett-183_above-average_the-fundamental-basis-of-above-average-p_2883320.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/warren-buffett-183_above-average_the-fundamental-basis-of-above-average-p_2883320.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/warren-buffett-183_above-average_the-fundamental-basis-of-above-average-p_2883320.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fundamental basis of above-average performance in the long run is sustainable competitive advantage.” — Warren Buffett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Warren Buffett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The fundamental basis of above-average performance...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-fundamental-basis-of-above-average-performance-in-the-long-run-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-fundamental-basis-of-above-average-performance-in-the-long-run-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```