Walt Disney gained worldwide fame with the animated film ‘Steamboat Willie,’ but Disney’s first studio went bankrupt. By the mid-1930s, he had produced over 400 animations, most of which suffered heavy losses. In 1938, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs made $8 million in just the first half—more than ten times the earnings of other films. Meanwhile, with this animation, the company paid overdue wages to its employees and recovered the losses it had sustained. An unusual event that changes everything is called a “tail event.” 40% of publicly listed companies in the U.S. stock market lose nearly all their market capitalization 10 years after going public. Business and investing, after all, are based on probabilities. No one knows what the “tail event” will be. Therefore, to succeed, you need to try small, steady, many times with little impact, even if you fail. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Feeling fear often can lead someone with a strong will to try to compensate for their weaknesses or prevent dangers. However, if that person is also smart, they may easily overcompensate. In worldly affairs, change and wealth arise from taking action, not merely from thought. If people experience a lot of fear and are both strong-willed and intelligent, they are more likely to become poor. This happens because they might believe they can achieve their goals through only thinking instead of taking further action. What these individuals often overlook is the value of time, which money cannot buy. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”