📖John Templeton

Humility in Investing

🌱 Beginner★★★★☆

Humility prevents overconfidence in investing.

💬

An investor who has all the answers doesn't even understand the questions. Humility is the foundation of good judgment in markets.

— Templeton's Way with Money,2012

🏠 Everyday Analogy

A process is like a pilot checklist: discipline prevents simple mistakes when pressure rises and keeps outcomes more repeatable.

📖 Core Interpretation

John Templeton advocates a repeatable process: define criteria, execute consistently, and review decisions against evidence. Process quality drives outcome consistency.
💎 Key Insight:Admitting what you don't know prevents costly mistakes.

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❓ Why It Matters

Without process, there is no reliable feedback loop. Structured execution and review improve decision quality over time.

🎯 How to Practice

Run a decision loop of research, thesis, execution, and post-mortem; document assumptions and update playbooks with evidence, not hindsight bias.

⚠️ Common Pitfalls

Having opinions without execution criteria
Reviewing outcomes but not decisions
Abandoning rules during volatility spikes

📚 Case Studies

1
Tech Bubble Trim (1999)
Templeton reduced exposure to overvalued U.S. tech stocks as valuations became extreme in the late 1990s, selling into market euphoria.
✨ Outcome:Missed final phase of gains but preserved capital when the bubble burst, enabling later purchases at bargain prices.
2
Pre‑Crash Profit Taking (1987)
Ahead of the October 1987 crash, Templeton sold selected U.S. and developed‑market equities that had doubled or more, following his valuation and discipline rules.
✨ Outcome:Losses were limited during the crash, and cash raised was redeployed into high‑quality stocks at distressed prices.

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