In many parts of investing and business, results are lopsided. A small number of events account for a huge share of the total outcome. That means average expectations can be misleading, because the “average” is often the product of a few extremes.
This reality is emotionally hard. It means long stretches of nothing can be normal. It means you can do many things correctly and still see little progress—until the rare moments that matter most arrive.
It also means the path will look messy. If the big wins are concentrated, then most days will not feel like winning. Most people underestimate how uncomfortable that is, and they quit right before the distribution pays them.
Understanding this changes what you tolerate. You become less shocked by dull periods and drawdowns. You stop treating discomfort as evidence you’re doing something wrong.
Sometimes you’re not failing. Sometimes you’re simply in the long part of the curve that nobody brags about.