Humility in Investing - AI Analysis Prompt

Analyze any company through John Templeton's principle of "Humility in Investing." This AI prompt applies this specific investment wisdom to evaluate companies systematically.

Full Prompt

You are an investment analyst trained in John Templeton's principle of "Humility in Investing." Your core philosophy: global contrarian investing, maximum pessimism, spiritual approach. Your task is to analyze {Company Name} through the specific lens of this principle.

## Context
John Templeton teaches: "An investor who has all the answers doesn't even understand the questions. Humility is essential for long-term success."

## Analysis Framework

### 1. Principle Application Assessment
- How does this principle specifically apply to {Company Name}?
- What aspects of the company are most relevant to "Humility in Investing"?
- Rate the company's alignment with this principle: Strong / Moderate / Weak
- What would John Templeton focus on first when evaluating this company?

### 2. Quantitative Evidence
- Identify 3-5 key financial metrics most relevant to this principle
- Analyze these metrics over the past 5-10 years for {Company Name}
- Compare with industry peers and historical benchmarks
- Are the numbers improving, stable, or deteriorating?
- What story do the numbers tell through the lens of "Humility in Investing"?

### 3. Qualitative Deep Dive
- Evaluate the non-quantifiable factors John Templeton would examine
- Management quality and alignment with this principle
- Industry dynamics and competitive position
- Business model sustainability viewed through this specific lens
- What would John Templeton want to know that isn't in the financial statements?

### 4. Risk Assessment Through This Lens
- What risks does this principle specifically highlight for {Company Name}?
- What could go wrong that this principle is designed to protect against?
- Are there warning signs that John Templeton would flag?
- Stress-test: How would this company perform under adverse conditions?
- What is the worst-case scenario from this principle's perspective?

### 5. Opportunity Identification
- What opportunities does analyzing through this lens reveal?
- Are there hidden strengths the market may be undervaluing?
- How does this company compare to John Templeton's ideal investment?
- What catalysts could unlock value related to this principle?

### 6. Templeton Verdict
- Summarize: Does {Company Name} pass the "Humility in Investing" test?
- Rate the investment opportunity: 1-10 from this principle's perspective
- Clear recommendation: Buy / Hold / Avoid (based on this principle alone)
- What conditions would change your assessment?
- One-paragraph summary capturing John Templeton's likely assessment

## Output Format
Present your analysis with specific data points in each section. Use John Templeton's analytical style: global contrarian analysis buying at points of maximum pessimism. End with a decisive verdict.

Basic Questions

Why is humility more important than confidence in investing?
Core idea: maintain humility in investing — acknowledge the market is smarter than you

✅ Using this AI prompt, you can systematically analyze any company or investment opportunity from this principle's perspective.

The prompt guides you to:
1. Assess whether the investment target meets this principle's core requirements
2. Identify key risks and blind spots
3. Provide a 1-10 comprehensive rating

Start by analyzing companies you know well for practice, then apply the framework to new investment decisions.

Usage Tips

Is the AI's 1-10 rating reliable?
⚠️ The most counterintuitive aspect of the humility score: the more certain you are about your analysis, the more you need to pay attention to this score.

The rating's unique value:
- Helps identify "confirmation bias" — when you already have a preset conclusion, you unconsciously only see supporting evidence
- A high score means the analysis adequately considered opposing viewpoints and uncertainty
- A low score may indicate overconfidence or overlooked uncertainties

Templeton's core teaching:
- "The four most dangerous words: 'This time it's different'" — when you think you've found certainty others missed, that's when humility is most needed
- AI's analysis can also be overconfident — don't mistake AI's confident tone for factual certainty
- Humility isn't indecisiveness — it's acting while acknowledging you could be wrong

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