Eyes in a Thousand Places
Investing can become treacherous when conducted from a distant comfort zone through a single lens. One solution: regular journeys to see how the world actually works, closing the gap between map and territory.
Though I can't be everywhere, I've cultivated eyes in a thousand places. My calendar includes deliberate trips that bring me closer to reality, complemented by regular calls with fellow professionals and friends around the globe. I value perspectives that harmonize with mine but prize those that challenge my assumptions—that's where blind spots hide and opportunities emerge.
This habit began during business school when I ventured beyond my campus to attend lectures at other institutions. I befriended law and engineering students, curious about their distinct frameworks for understanding the world. While many investment firms confine discussions to committee members reviewing pre-approved ideas behind closed doors, I chose a different path.
From my early career, I'd politely invite myself to any meeting where they'd have me. I signed up for outside events, absorbing opposing views to identify what I could be missing. I wandered New York City from one high-rise to another, spending considerable working hours away from my desk—a practice that proved not just inspiring but profoundly productive.
The philosopher Alfred Korzybski's insight that "the map is not the territory" guides my approach. In investment, we risk making assumptions without walking the actual streets. Recently, during a heated discussion about a controversial product that isn’t yet available in the U.S., I wasn't satisfied with hypotheticals. Within days, I'd spoken with a few users of this product and shortly after, saw it firsthand during my travels.
Interacting with a carefully selected yet vast network of thoughtful observers of the world (the label ‘ investor' alone wouldn’t do them justice) addresses one of today's greatest challenges: information overload. When countless opposing opinions effectively cancel each other out, we risk ending more confused than when we started. It's the thoughtful curation conducted by those we trust—individuals with proven judgment and integrity—that can bring us closer to a true north. These relationships, cultivated over the years, function as both filters and amplifiers, helping separate signal from noise in an increasingly chaotic information landscape.
My understanding remains far from perfect or complete—a humbling reality I've come to embrace. What matters is not the illusion of certainty but the consistent aspiration to have my assumptions challenged and beliefs questioned. This deliberate exposure to contradiction has proven more valuable than any confirmation of existing views.
I regularly encounter investors with strong opinions about markets they've never visited or businesses they understand only through reading material. The most valuable insights come at the intersection of diverse viewpoints—where the map meets the territory.
When you discover how the world truly functions, you can have it work for you. The undercurrents that lift businesses become visible not through conference room debates, but through engagement with different domains and geographies. Confirming biases provides comfort, but having beliefs challenged creates growth.
By stepping outside familiar environments and embracing diverse perspectives, investing becomes less abstract—a practice informed by a thousand eyes and the willingness to see the world as it truly is, rather than how we imagine it to be.
Disclosure:
Blue Infinitas Capital, LLC is a registered investment adviser. The information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.