When I finished last month’s article, I thought that the focus and discussion of paradigms from the past couple months was over, and we would be moving back to mostly real estate and economic specific topics this month. And then I came across a view things that I think do a great job of driving the point home.
The first two links are to YouTube videos of talks given at a TEDx event held inside San Quentin Federal Prison. Both presenters are currently prisoners at San Quentin and this event was completely planned, produced and taped by other prisoners. Please take the time to watch these videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdiF1f_GfyM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUGOa-ux6pU
The last reference for this article is the following link.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/believe_clean
I have had the good fortune of spending several hours, over a few different occasions, inside the walls of San Quentin this year. I had no idea what to expect my first time through the gates. Even without expectations, I was still surprised by the intensity and inspiration of the experience.
In many aspects of life our paradigms and assumptions make us more efficient and more effective. However, if we become tied to those paradigms (which we all do, as is evident when we go through the process on theoatmeal.com link), those same paradigms that increase our efficiency and effectiveness can instead blind us to damaging realities. I don’t have an answer as to how we handle this in everyday life, but in investing blind spots are highly concerning to me. There are the things I know I know (but always need to question to make sure nothing has changed), the things that I know I don’t know (which is great, because I can find answers), and the things I don’t know I don’t know (which is where the great danger lies). I don’t necessarily need to know more, but I do need to move as much as I can from a lack of awareness to lack of knowledge. This is investing, where no one goes unscathed by losses forever, but investing also allows for returns commensurate with knowledge and awareness. Ignorance may be bliss, but in investing, the results of that blissful ignorance may not be quite so blissful.
Happy Investing.
About the Author: Forrest Jinks is CEO of Altus Equity Group Inc and a licensed real estate broker. Forrest has decades of experience as principal in a variety of alternative investment segments including real estate (residential rehab, in-fill development, multi-family, office and retail), debt, and small business start-up (online marketing and site retail). He can be reached at fjinks@altusequity.com.