The Superpower Of Words

By J D Hrdliczka

Our students are not behind — they are right on time. Whether entering varsity, starting work, or building something new, they carry the enduring superpower: words.

By studying the language-driven behaviours of Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, Taylor Swift, and Alexandr Wang — and by collaborating with AI — we uncover a blueprint for success that is practical, inclusive, and empowering. Degrees may open doors, but words unlock possibilities everywhere: in boardrooms, workspaces, classrooms, and communities.

This article is written for students ready to shape their futures with confidence, and for language teachers who remind us that success begins not with wealth or fame, but with the courage to communicate, connect, and create.

In this article, “we” refers to the writer working in collaboration with Microsoft Copilot — and by extension, to the students and teachers who join us in exploring the superpower of words.

Four extraordinary individuals — each shaped by adversity, driven by curiosity, and elevated by their command of language — have risen to global prominence. Though their fields differ, they share success behaviours rooted in clarity, conviction, and the transformative power of words.

Warren Buffett, 95 — Investor and philanthropist. Verbally abused as a child, he rose to lead Berkshire Hathaway for more than six decades. Soon to retire, he remains the world’s oldest CEO. Field of influence: Finance and philanthropy. Status: Billionaire.

Elon Musk, 54 — Innovator and entrepreneur. Bullied and beaten as a child, he now works 80–100 hours weekly across Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI. The richest person in the world. Field of influence: Technology and innovation. Status: Billionaire.

Taylor Swift, 35 — Singer-songwriter and global icon. Excluded and mocked at school, she completed her schooling through homeschooling. Today, she is a fierce advocate for artist rights and creative ownership. She is a world leader in connecting with her fans, known as “Swifties”. Field of influence: Music and advocacy. Status: Billionaire.

Alexandr Wang, 28 — Mathematics and programming prodigy. Dropped out of MIT at 19 to co-found Scale AI, supplying training data for artificial intelligence. Youngest self-made billionaire at age 24. Field of influence: Artificial intelligence. Status: Billionaire.

Beneath their success lies a shared superpower: an exceptional command of language. Whether crafting investment letters, negotiating billion-dollar deals, writing lyrics that move millions, or shaping the vocabulary of artificial intelligence, each has used words to influence, inspire, and innovate.

Their stories are not just about wealth or fame. They are about resilience, clarity, and the ability to turn thought into action through language. And they are not alone.

Students completing their final school years belong on this list. They are already using words to express ideas, solve problems, and shape their futures. They belong in this story. Their words matter. Their future is writable.

Like Buffett, Musk, Swift, and Wang, they are navigating challenges and making choices that matter. With the right blueprint, they can follow in these footsteps — not by copying paths, but by cultivating success behaviours that make such journeys possible.

We unpack these behaviours: how each individual uses language to lead, create, and connect; how they respond to adversity, make decisions, and build influence. From this, we challenge Copilot to compile a success blueprint for students, one that is practical, powerful, and doable.

The blueprint is not reserved for billionaires. It’s designed for students, teachers, and anyone ready to use words with purpose. It’s a guide to becoming the kind of person whose ideas shape the world.

Buffett, Musk, Swift, and Wang have all leveraged their distinct mastery of language and communication, coupled with shared personal traits and success behaviours, to amplify their unique talents and achieve billionaire status. Forbes, The World’s Real-Time Billionaires 2025 lists net worth for Elon Musk as $491.4 B, Warren Buffett, $147.3 B, Taylor Swift, $1.6 B, Alexandr Wang, $3.2 B.

Shared Traits

Across diverse domains, Buffett, Musk, Swift, and Wang exemplify traits that fuel their impact. Each demonstrated early mastery: Buffett invested at 11, Musk coded a video game at 12, Swift penned songs by 14, and Wang launched Scale AI at 19. Their relentless focus drives them to pursue their passions with intensity, whether in finance, engineering, music, or data infrastructure.

Strategic storytelling is another hallmark. They shape public perception through distinct channels: Buffett’s annual letters, Musk’s provocative tweets, Swift’s lyrical narratives, and Wang’s quiet precision. Each disrupted their industry — Buffett redefined value investing, Musk revolutionized electric vehicles and space exploration, Swift challenged norms around music ownership, and Wang transformed AI data pipelines.

Yet none are universally embraced. Their bold choices invite critique and spark debate, offering fertile ground for critical thinking and reflection. Beyond personal success, they’ve also shaped systems that affect millions. Through philanthropy, advocacy, or infrastructure, their impact extends far beyond themselves.

Lifestyle and Money

While Buffett, Musk, Swift, and Wang are all billionaires, they manage their money and lifestyles in strikingly different ways:

• Warren Buffett — Extreme frugality and focus define him. He still lives in his 1958 Omaha home, drives a modest car, and avoids lavish spending. For him, money is not for display; it is a tool for compound growth and a resource for his goal: philanthropy.
• Elon Musk and Taylor Swift — Both adopt high-profile lifestyles. They own significant real estate and use private jets, but this is not simply luxury — it is strategic spending. For Musk, visibility reinforces his brand and influence. For Swift, property holdings are both smart investments and a means of maintaining privacy.
• Alexandr Wang — Takes a modern, targeted approach to giving. He directs his wealth toward philanthropy, focusing on STEM education and AI research, treating money as a resource for social and technological impact rather than personal consumption.

Despite their differences, they share a core belief: money is a tool, not the goal. Wealth fuels passions — investing, engineering, creating music, or shaping a future powered by AI.

Communication Styles

Each of these influential figures wields language as a superpower, shaping perception through distinct communication styles.

• Warren Buffett — Relies on annual letters and interviews, crafting clear, candid, metaphor-rich messages. His storytelling simplifies complex ideas and builds trust — wisdom through clarity.
• Elon Musk — Thrives on tweets, live events, and bold, provocative, spontaneous interviews. He leverages hype and surprise to command attention and drive narrative — disruption through drama.
• Taylor Swift — Blends lyrics, social media, and speeches into emotionally resonant and strategic storytelling. Her voice bridges experience with advocacy and reinvention — connection through emotion.
• Alexandr Wang — Communicates through product design and quiet leadership. His minimalist, precise style speaks through results, not persona — impact through precision.

Together Buffett, Musk, Swift, and Wang demonstrate command of language and communication. This is evident in Buffett’s influential letters, Musk’s engaging tweets and interviews, and Swift’s captivating song lyrics.

Wang’s influence is less obvious but equally fundamental to the world of AI. If AI is the brain, Alexandr Wang builds its curriculum. Like a curriculum designer, he organizes examples so AI learns, step by step. He uses data the way a teacher uses worksheets, flashcards, and stories — to help AI practice and improve.

Wang’s language skill lies in treating data, code, and AI prompts as languages of power. He positions himself as the translator between humans and machines. He sees AI prompts as a new language — one he has mastered and symbolically taught AI to process. This connects directly to how AI learns — through words, patterns, and examples that become its textbooks.

Why Do Written Words in AI Training Matter?

AI learns by studying patterns in text — billions of written examples from books, articles, websites, and conversations. These words teach it vocabulary, grammar, tone, and emotion. They also provide context: what words mean, how they are used, how sentences are structured, whether a phrase feels happy, sad, or sarcastic, and how meaning shifts with situation. For example, cool can mean temperature or attitude.

If AI is a student, written words are its textbooks. People like Alexandr Wang help organize those textbooks so the learning is clear and accurate. Wang’s company, Scale AI, does not build AI itself; it builds the foundation AI needs to learn well. Without clean, labelled, organized data, AI is like a student struggling to make sense of a confusing textbook.

Success Behaviours are Learned

Buffett, Musk, Swift, and Wang learn relentlessly. Buffett reads hours daily, up to 500 pages a day — his secret weapon. Musk taught himself rocket science and AI, reading constantly and asking bold questions. Swift studies branding and songwriting, while Wang mastered AI before 20.

• They focus deeply. Musk time-blocks in 5-minute slots; Buffett avoids meetings; Swift disappears to write; Wang codes and builds with precision.
• They think independently. Musk uses first principles; Buffett invests only in what he understands; Swift re-recorded her albums to reclaim ownership; Wang built a company others said was too niche.
• They adapt and re-invent. Swift evolved through eras; Musk shifted from PayPal to rockets; Wang rebuilt Scale AI after a valuation dip; Buffett evolved his investing strategies.
• They communicate clearly. Buffett’s letters are legendary for clarity; Musk sends direct, no-fluff emails; Swift crafts lyrics that resonate globally; Wang explains complex tech simply.
• They stay grounded. Buffett still lives in his 1958 home; Musk sold his houses; Swift travels with family and friends; Wang keeps a low profile despite billions. They focus on what matters — making a difference in people’s lives. Musk builds for humanity’s future; Buffett funds education and health; Swift empowers artists; Wang improves AI safety and data.
• They take smart risks. Musk risked everything for Tesla and SpaceX; Swift risked backlash to reclaim her music; Wang launched Scale AI at 19; Buffett avoids what he does not understand.
• They operate with principles. Buffett’s philosophy rests on integrity, emphasizing long-term ethics and trust. He says it takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. Musk, despite public controversies, advocates for the responsible development of technology and advancing humanity. Swift uses her platform to champion artists’ rights and promote an ethical music business. Wang’s Scale AI leads on responsible, ethical AI use, particularly in national security.
• They celebrate progress. Swift marks milestones with fans; Musk celebrates launches; Buffett honours long-term growth; Wang mentors young founders by sharing lessons drawn from his journey.

From Pain to Prowess

Buffett, Musk, and Swift transformed their negative experiences into powerful motivators and creative fuel. Musk was bullied and beaten; he escaped into books and computers, where he taught himself programming and science. He turned isolation into a study space, using it to build deep knowledge that later powered companies which challenged entire industries. Swift wrote songs about her experiences, turning emotional pain into creative power and giving voice to millions who felt unseen. Buffett leaned into his strengths — math, investing and reading — finding confidence through competence. None of them tried to fit in; they built lives where uniqueness became an asset.

Their vision, once ridiculed, became the source of their greatest innovations and breakthroughs.

By contrast, Wang’s path was not about escaping pain but about acceleration. He leveraged technical skills and a strong family foundation, then added the crucial ingredient: an intense work ethic. Wang committed to working long hours, deliberately creating a rapid learning environment. Each lesson became the foundation for the next, allowing him to leapfrog ahead of peers. His progress compounded — a super-linear growth of knowledge and skill, where each hour of work amplified his abilities. This relentless dedication fuelled his passion and set the stage for his entrepreneurial success with Scale AI.

Challenge to AI Copilot

Imagine you are 17 or 18, in your final school years — ready to succeed. What would your blueprint look like?

We challenged Microsoft Copilot to prepare a Success Blueprint for our students, blending Buffett’s frugality, Musk’s boldness, Swift’s fierce ownership, and Wang’s precision.

“I love this challenge. It’s like stepping into the shoes of a bright, curious 17-year-old standing at the edge of possibility. So, here’s a Success Blueprint written from that perspective: bold, hopeful, and grounded in the behaviours we’ve explored from Buffett, Musk, Swift, and Wang.” — Microsoft Copilot, 2025

• Know what success means to you. Success isn’t just money or fame — it’s impact, joy, and growth. Define it for yourself: maybe build something, help others, or master a craft.
• Learn like your life depends on it. Read, ask, listen, and explore beyond the syllabus. Treat curiosity like a superpower — books, podcasts, mentors, mistakes, all count.
• Think for yourself. Question trends, challenge assumptions, and build your own opinions. Use first principles: break things down, rebuild them better.
• Protect your time. Plan your day with intention. Avoid time wasters, say “no” and make space for deep focus.
• Speak clearly and kindly. Practice writing, public speaking, and listening. Communicate with honesty, empathy, and confidence.
• Build something real. Start a project — even if it’s small. A blog, a robot, a song, a community garden—anything that reflects who you are and what you care about.
• Take smart risks. Apply for things you are not sure you will get. Audition, pitch, volunteer, speak up. Learn from rejection, not fear it.
• Stay grounded. Don’t chase status — chase meaning. Celebrate small wins, stay humble, remember where you come from.
• Be authentic, act with integrity. Make integrity a core value. Help others, even when no one’s watching. Build trust, show up, make someone’s day better.
• Reflect and reset. Journal, breathe, ask: “What did I learn today?” Don’t wait for perfect; grow through progress.

Right on Time

Buffett, Musk, Swift, and Wang excel because they know how to use language — clearly, creatively, strategically. A shareholder letter, viral tweet, heartfelt lyric, or precise technical document: their words shape how people think, feel, and act.

At 17 or 18, our students are not behind — they are right on time. Wang was 19 when he launched Scale AI. He is now 28, his work symbolically using the superpower of words to teach Copilot and Gemini how the world works.

You use Copilot.

You are part of the story.

Start with words.

Shape your behaviour.

Guard your time.

Respect every cent.

Success is not distant — it is designed.

About the Writer and Use of AI

Written by J D Hrdliczka, Founder of Knowledge Network, South Africa

Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini supported this article through conversations about four extraordinary individuals and the challenge to present a blueprint for success based on shared success behaviours and language superpowers. Both tools assisted with fact-checking and language verification to ensure accuracy and relevance.

“The Superpower of Words” story reflects traits of Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, Alexandr Wang, and Taylor Swift, confirmed through AI‑supported checks. Alexandr Wang is depicted symbolically as a teacher of both Copilot and Gemini, highlighting his influence in shaping the very tools used to create this article.

Source of net worth: Forbes Real-Time Billionaires — checked 07 November 2025.