John Paulson Quotes

Powerful John Paulson for Daily Growth

About John Paulson

John Paulson (born February 14, 1955) is an American hedge fund manager, philanthropist, and art collector, best known for his role as the founder of Paulson & Co., a New York-based investment firm. Born in Wilmette, Illinois, Paulson graduated from Carleton College with a degree in economics. He later received an MBA from Harvard Business School. After starting his career at Salomon Brothers, he left to join Bear Stearns and eventually became its co-head of proprietary trading. In 1994, Paulson founded his own hedge fund, Paulson & Co., which has since become one of the most successful hedge funds in history. Paulson is perhaps best known for his successful bet against the U.S. housing market before the financial crisis of 2008. This position, known as the "Greatest Trade Ever," earned him a fortune estimated at $15 billion. His success has made him one of the most influential figures in finance and a major philanthropist. In addition to his financial work, Paulson is also a noted art collector. He and his wife Jenny have amassed an extensive collection of contemporary art, including pieces by artists such as Cy Twombly, Richard Serra, and Brice Marden. Quotes attributed to John Paulson reflect his pragmatic approach to investing: "Invest in what you understand, not in what you don't understand." and "I always tell my students, the best way to predict your investment returns is to own a piece of the S&P 500." These quotes embody Paulson's philosophy of simplifying complex financial concepts and focusing on the fundamentals.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome."

This quote by John Paulson emphasizes that success is not just about reaching a specific goal or destination, but rather it's about the process, the 'doing', that leads to that destination. In other words, the efforts, learning experiences, and personal growth along the way are as important as the end result itself. The implication is that one should focus on putting in consistent effort, adopting a positive mindset, and enjoying the journey towards success rather than solely obsessing over the outcome.


"Investors should remember that excitement and expenses are their enemies. And if they insist on trying to time their participation in equities, they should try to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful."

This quote by John Paulson emphasizes the importance of caution and patience in investing. The statement "Investors should remember that excitement and expenses are their enemies" indicates that emotional exuberance (excitement) and unnecessary costs (expenses) can lead to poor investment decisions. The second part, "And if they insist on trying to time their participation in equities, they should try to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful" suggests that investors should aim to buy stocks when everyone else is selling out of fear (fearful) and sell when everyone else is buying out of greed (greedy). This approach encourages long-term investment strategies based on rational thinking rather than emotional responses. The key takeaway is to invest during market downturns, when the price is low, and sell during market booms, when the price is high.


"I believe the key to investing is not to predict but to protect the downside."

This quote emphasizes the importance of risk management in investment strategies rather than trying to perfectly predict market movements. The focus should be on safeguarding investments from significant losses, or protecting the "downside", rather than solely seeking high returns. This philosophy aims to minimize potential losses during market downturns and preserve capital, which can then be invested more confidently when opportunities arise in the future.


"If you can't understand it, don't invest in it."

This quote emphasizes the importance of understanding what one is investing in. If an investment concept or strategy remains unclear or complex, it's generally best to avoid it. A successful investment requires a solid understanding of the risks, potential returns, and underlying principles involved. Investing blindly without understanding could lead to financial losses or missed opportunities for growth. It underscores the need for education, research, and critical thinking before making any investment decisions.


"The best time to buy is always 'on sale'."

This quote emphasizes the principle of buying assets when their prices are low, often referred to as "buying on sale." In investment terms, it suggests that the optimal time to invest in stocks, bonds, or other financial instruments is during market downturns, when their prices have been reduced. This approach can lead to significant gains over the long term, as the value of the asset appreciates with recovery. Essentially, Paulson's quote advocates for capitalizing on market fluctuations and taking advantage of buying opportunities that arise from temporary price declines.


If you rent, the rent goes up every year. But if you buy a 30-year mortgage, the cost is fixed.

- John Paulson

Mortgage, Year, Cost, Rent

Lower taxes, less regulations, less lawsuits, deals that support U.S. manufacturers is all very positive.

- John Paulson

Taxes, Very, Lower, Manufacturers

Stock market goes up or down, and you can't adjust your portfolio based on the whims of the market, so you have to have a strategy in a position and stay true to that strategy and not pay attention to noise that could surround any particular investment.

- John Paulson

Stock Market, Down, Your, Adjust

As part of our research, we monitor just about every announced deal globally that is in excess of a billion dollars.

- John Paulson

Deal, Part, Globally, Billion Dollars

An administration that supports growth supports everyone.

- John Paulson

Everyone, Administration, Supports

I am in awe of the brand, and there is nothing I would do or contemplate doing that would any way impact the unique pedestal that Steinway occupies in the industry, 160 years, uncompromising reputation for excellence, and it's my goal to safeguard that reputation and continue that pursuit of perfection.

- John Paulson

Excellence, Doing, Pedestal, Perfection

Mortgage insurance stocks remained depressed through the end of 2012 amid lingering uncertainty as to whether they had sufficient capital to absorb losses on delinquent loans originated before the crisis. However, as house prices began to recover, losses started to decline.

- John Paulson

Insurance, Through, However, Lingering

Historically, gold has always been a safe haven against inflation and a safe haven in times of political instability.

- John Paulson

Gold, Always, Haven, Safe Haven

I still think, from an individual perspective, the best deal investment you can make is to buy a primary residence that you're the owner-occupier of.

- John Paulson

Think, Deal, Still, Primary

When I purchased my home, it was very strict underwriting standards. I had to provide two pay stubs, two years' tax returns, three months of bank statements, all sorts of credit card information.

- John Paulson

Very, Had, Statements, Strict

The strategic plan to transform Valeant smartly focuses on rebuilding the company's core franchises in ophthalmology, dermatology, and gastroenterology while simultaneously using the proceeds from the sale of non-core assets and operating cash flow to de-lever the company.

- John Paulson

Rebuilding, Strategic, While, Flow

Please, if you go to Palm Springs, stay at the La Quinta.

- John Paulson

Palm, Go, Springs, La

The important thing in investing is to be true to your compass.

- John Paulson

Be True, Compass, Important, Investing

Well, the most important thing in investing is to know what you're investing in, and if you're confident in the outcome, it's important to stay true to your position.

- John Paulson

The Most Important, Your, Investing

We believe the size is almost irrelevant to investment success. Our size has certainly not diminished our enthusiasm for investing in our funds, our ability to find or create opportunities, or our performance outlook.

- John Paulson

Irrelevant, Certainly, Investing

The financial crisis was linked to the fact that banks had excessive leverage and too many risky assets. The solution is not to try to dictate to banks what they can do or not do, but to require them to strengthen their capital to absorb potential losses and hold less risky assets.

- John Paulson

Leverage, Financial Crisis, Risky

In many situations today, you can make far more than the spread by holding onto the acquirer's stock after the transaction is completed.

- John Paulson

More, Many, Onto, Completed

I am fully supportive of the strategy and leadership team at Valeant.

- John Paulson

Leadership, I Am, Supportive, Fully

I could use a little extra cash.

- John Paulson

Cash, Could, Use, Extra

Many investors make the mistake of buying high and selling low while the exact opposite is the right strategy.

- John Paulson

Mistake, Exact Opposite, Exact

Harvard was very important to me and has been very important to so many people for so many years.

- John Paulson

Important, Been, Very, Harvard

We think the most important criteria for selecting an investment firm are the manager, team, and track record.

- John Paulson

Think, The Most Important, Track Record

When you have something that is perfect, that occupies a position and sector unrivaled by anyone else, that's one thing we do not want to tamper with.

- John Paulson

Want, Perfect, One Thing, Occupies

There is a disconnect between the performance in stock market and the performance in many companies.

- John Paulson

Market, Disconnect, Stock

There have been many very successful acquirers, where they've bought up companies, and they've grown their earnings very rapidly, and the stock has appreciated tremendously.

- John Paulson

Been, Very, Bought, Stock

In these times of uncertainty for paper-based currency, I feel more secure in holding gold.

- John Paulson

Gold, Holding, Times, Currency

While we are disappointed in performance in 2016, we believe we have a path to a recovery.

- John Paulson

Path, Performance, Believe, Disappointed

Don't focus on weekly or monthly returns.

- John Paulson

Focus, Weekly, Monthly, Returns

If you are looking for a hedge for potential inflation for the future and have a longer term view, then gold is still a good bet.

- John Paulson

Still, Then, Hedge, Potential

It is the manager and the team that affect performance, not the size of the fund or firm.

- John Paulson

Performance, Manager, Firm, Fund

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