Joseph's "Just My Thoughts"

Moderation. Greed and despair stem from the same root: excessive desire. In investing, profits and losses are unpredictable, and the chance of losing is usually higher than the chance of gaining. It’s natural to want to make big profits with minimal damage, but the truth is that it’s not always possible. Ultimately, a disciplined person stays moderate through both profit and loss. It all requires courage. Temperance fosters consistent investment behavior. Without persistence, achieving great things in any area becomes difficult. It’s not easy, but in investing, only those who can stop and accept gains and losses as they happen are true winners. Greed is simply the seed of downfall. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Entrepreneurship involves starting to invest in the stocks of my own company. However, unlike open-market stock investments, here you invest in your own business, not someone else’s. My company’s performance directly affects my shares. To excel at investing in your own company’s stock, focusing on one key area can significantly boost your chances of success. Conversely, to be good at investing in others’ stocks, it’s better to understand multiple business sectors rather than just one. Since investing in stocks focuses more on minimizing risk than maximizing returns, diversifying resources across several areas makes risk management more effortless. If you master risk aversion, you can reduce losses and increase your chances of surviving in a volatile market. If you are knowledgeable and well-informed, I recommend investing in others’ stocks rather than pursuing entrepreneurship. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

There comes a point when humans can’t earn money from their labor. Whether it’s because we’re old enough to retire or we’re unable to work due to a disability, it’s simply a matter of timing, and the moment we must stop earning from our work has already been determined. That’s why we need to choose to become either investors or unemployed someday. Then, it’s beneficial to understand and actually practice investing while we are able to work. Working hard is good, but how we live our lives is more important. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Only when there is a surplus can new things be created. Surplus means having more than what is necessary. Creating something new requires an initial investment in advance. Whether it’s labor or capital—that is, whether labor is purchased with capital—energy can only be used for new work if there is a surplus. Only with prior investment can something entirely new, never seen before, be made. The existence of something that did not exist before in this world results from someone putting in their surplus first. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Every benefit comes with costs and expenses . There can be no benefit without costs and expenses. Receiving a gift actually incurs costs and expenses. Whether we give our time or spend money to maintain a relationship with the giver, we are paying in some way. Even inheriting a parent’s legacy comes at a cost and expense. Since costs are incurred before gains, it’s more advantageous to learn how to manage spending effectively rather than just earning money to build wealth . Costing the cash is called INVESTMENT . Whether it is a wasteful investment (consumption) or an investment to accumulate value, this decision is ultimately up to you. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Stock investment is categorized into short-term and long-term strategies . As with all investments, the success of an asset is determined at the time of purchase, not when you sell it. Short-term investing involves buying stocks at low prices, while long-term investing focuses on buying based on the overall price trend. These two approaches embody different investment philosophies . The first factor to consider when developing an investment strategy is time—the duration of the investment. Valuation and investment methods vary depending on the length of the investment horizon . - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

We usually think of “investment” as giving effort or money to someone. But investing is more about exchanging what you have for some value, and the object of the investment has some worth rather than just giving something away. Some exchanged values can be monetary or moral. If I swap my cash for moral and social benefits, it becomes a religious or social contribution. However, if the object of exchange is an asset with a specific monetary value or potential for profit, it is an economic investment . The world is designed to facilitate some form of value exchange . The main idea of investing is to trade low volatility for high volatility and then switch back to low volatility over time. The former is called an investment, and the latter is called an exit . Cash tends to be less volatile, while stocks and digital coins are very volatile. By exchanging assets with small volatility , stability is maintained, but wealth is not necessarily increased. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Time Preference Rate . “ The Marshmallow Tale ” by Joachim de Posada and Ellen Singer describes the “ Marshmallow Experiment ” at Stanford University. The experimenter left the child alone in the room and gave the child a marshmallow, instructing the child to eat it immediately. However, if the child did not eat it within 15 minutes, the experimenter would give the child another marshmallow. Some children waited the full 15 minutes, while others stopped waiting early. These two groups were followed for 14 years, and as a result, the more patient children showed better social and mental abilities. Those who cannot tolerate waiting are said to have a high time preference rate, while those who are patient are described as having a low time preference rate. In investment, high and low time preference ratios are not necessarily good or bad because many investments depend on luck. The key is to find and stick to methods and principles that match one’s own tendencies. - Joseph’s “just my th...

Common means relatively few limits. Therefore, the common items should be inexpensive—for example, air. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean it lacks value. It simply signifies a lower price. Just because it’s almost free doesn’t mean it’s without merit. The sector a product belongs to affects the profitable connection between value and price . Daily necessities are inexpensive because they are common, but they hold significant value. If the imbalance between value and price exceeds the risks of an exchange opportunity , a profit is generated. If you capitalize on this opportunity and take a risk to purchase the imbalance, it is referred to as an investment . Opportunities always arise from imbalance . - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Management is the activity of transforming uncertainty into certainty to create predictability . For example, investing in stocks when you don’t know when or how much you’ll make is a gamble , but finding a way to achieve an average return of 15% per month is management. Bank loans have a fixed schedule for when and how much principal and interest must be repaid. It is not the banking business where you can repay or request repayment at any time when you have funds. Nevertheless, we gamble or engage in a ritual for rain , mistakenly believing that it is management. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Time is wiser and smarter than humans. The reason a regular income is necessary for escaping poverty is to fully utilize time’s value . If a person without a regular income invests, they must invest with money they cannot afford to wait for, which forces them to spend the investment funds while waiting for the right opportunity. This may lead to missing a good investment. If the person has already invested, they might not be able to wait to recoup their investment , resulting in debt to others . Individuals who struggle to use their time effectively due to insufficient assets must generate a regular income unconditionally . The reason for having ample assets is to buy time . - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

The basis of any investment is time considerations. The same applies to stock investing . Which stocks to buy depends on whether you are holding short-term or long-term positions . The most significant mistake beginners make in stock investing is buying and selling stocks without following fundamental investment principles . When choosing stocks, they select them based on long-term potential, and when they sell, they do so based on short-term trading because they cannot overcome their impatience and fear that the stock price will decline. Such individuals should refrain from investing in stocks. Even after losing money, they remain unaware of the reasons for their losses, becoming individuals who harm themselves and others. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Stocks should be bought cheaply and sold at a high price to make a profit. Therefore, it is said that timing—specifically, the timing of buying low and the timing of selling high—is a key factor. However, the issue is that I can’t predict the timing. It’s similar to how we can’t know what the weather will be like a year from now in our area. It’s wise to assume that the best approach is to acknowledge our uncertainty about timing. Attempting to time the market is a common trap for stock investors. Consider this: if you could know the timing, you would be the wealthiest person in the world. The advantage of long-term investing is developing the ability to identify stocks that are likely to appreciate over time, despite the fluctuations in stock prices, and investing in their value. The choice is yours. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

It’s not that there is no money, but rather that people can’t find a worthwhile entity to invest in. The businessman misunderstands that he can’t do what he wants simply because he lacks money. However, just as water flows to a low place, money naturally gravitates toward where it’s valued, even if you have no cents. In other words, it’s not that they don’t have money; it’s that they don’t instill the kind of trust in investors that encourages spending it. No matter how dire the situation in the country may be, money doesn’t simply evaporate. You miss opportunities because the conditions aren’t right for investment. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

The concept of “seed money” is crucial in business and investment; it is a notion that cannot be overemphasized. This “seed money” is termed “capital money” in accounting. If a person who is 50% profitable loses 40% simultaneously and continuously finds himself in this situation, will he become wealthy? No! Due to the 40% loss, the seed money will gradually diminish; as investments are repeated, profits will decline, leading to financial hardship. In any business or investment, it is essential to know how to preserve your seed money, and when you face losses, you must act decisively, understanding how to swiftly extricate yourself from the situation. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Warren Buffett’s assets were once estimated at $82 billion. 90% of these assets have been earned by Warren Buffett since he turned 65. The way to make money over time without labor is through finance; it’s an interest. One of the most economically effective methods is ‘compounding.’ This involves deriving interest from the principal and then earning interest again on the total of the interest and principal, continually repeating this process, making compounding the most efficient money-making method discovered by humanity. The same applies to stock investments; to achieve this compounding effect, you need to earn at least a 4% annual return. However, this is only valid for long-term investments like those of Warren Buffett. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Receiving an investment signifies that you are receiving a prepayment for future costs and expenses. To generate revenue, you must cover these costs upfront. If you lack the funds necessary to manage current expenses while aiming to raise revenue, you might need to borrow money or attract investments. However, as a recipient of these funds, you cannot use them freely; this money does not belong to you. Legally, your options for utilizing this money are limited: you can either receive it as a salary from your expense account, as a dividend from profits after deductions as a shareholder, or pursue official management incentives. This underscores that the invested funds are not your own. When funds are invested, it implies that profits will be derived from someone else’s money, which you will share with the investor. Although investment alleviates the immediate pressure of expenses, it simultaneously heightens your obligation to generate profits promptly. Being fully funded does not equat...

The concept of “going concern” in accounting emphasizes that a business must persist into the future to retain its value. This principle signifies that present value already incorporates expectations of future value; thus, a business facing uncertainty about its future will inevitably diminish in present value. It highlights the interconnectedness of present and future values, suggesting that they cannot be regarded in isolation. All stocks traded on the stock market are priced based on their anticipated future value. In essence, we trade on a future that has yet to materialize. Consequently, determining how far into the future to evaluate is a critical factor in making investment decisions. Since individuals have varying skills and perspectives on forecasting the future, selecting an investment strategy must align with one’s attitude toward time. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Regardless of your earnings, spending is inevitable. Therefore, spending holds more significance than merely earning, and wealthy individuals emphasize teaching their children how to allocate money toward education. This highlights that human emotions and desires are central to economic theories. Spending can be categorized into two main types: “consumption” and “investment.” “Consumption” refers to expenditures on necessities or perishable goods, whereas “investment” involves acquiring assets aimed at production. Without grasping these distinctions, money spent may be seen as a “waste.” - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Price and value are different things. Value is relative and subjective, but price makes those numbers tangible and helps us empathize with others. The result of that empathy is a deal, an exchange. Only when value is assetized does wealth arise. The way to assetize values is to price them. In other words, pricing is the process of valuing assets. Determining whether the value assigned to an asset is appropriate is called investment. From an investor’s point of view, investment begins by questioning the objective price of an asset. Consumption is the exchange of goods and services at a price agreed upon by all parties. Consumption and investment are two distinct concepts. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”