The reason is that, unlike Buffett and Tisch, they didn't stick to core principles.

FORBES: Four Aging Samurai

So the point here, and this is crucial for startup entrepreneurs of all kind, is that in the face of success, be yourself, stick to the principles that got you there.

FORBES: Startup Lessons from Gotye: Don't Become Somebody That You Used To Know

Leeds are now 10 points off the automatic promotion places, but McAllister insists he will stick to his footballing principles.

BBC: No crisis at Leeds - McAllister

"You stick to your conservative principles but you focus on results and not just on rhetoric, " McDonnell said of the snub.

NPR: Can Hard-Right Ideology Win In A 50/50 State?

Yet despite that impressive record, Roberts, who scored a penalty in Tottenham's shootout victory over Anderlecht in the 1984 Uefa Cup final, expects Redknapp to stick to his attacking principles in Berne.

BBC: Spurs target Euro elite

But it does get at the heart of what makes Buffett Buffett: an ability to hone in on a small core of fundamental principles and stick with them even when they are unpopular.

FORBES: 3 Key Takeaways from Buffett's Latest Letter

Whereas most investors are urged to adopt a plan and stick to it, Mr. Buffett showed that different times and different circumstances mean that core principles should be examined and adapted as necessary.

WSJ: The Experts: Warren Buffett's Strategy