The real sting here lies in the *invisibility* of the problem—most of us notice our worst habits only after they've calcified into our identity, which is precisely why willpower alone rarely works. Buffett isn't simply warning against bad habits; he's identifying why we so persistently fail to catch them young: a single cigarette feels weightless, a daily pastry seems inconsequential, and checking your phone "just once more" before sleep appears harmless. By the time the habit announces itself—through wheezing lungs, a tighter waistband, or eyes that won't close until midnight—the neural pathways have already been worn smooth by repetition. The sobering implication is that your greatest obstacles won't announce themselves; they'll arrive disguised as trifles.