Upside attracts attention. Drawdowns decide participation.
Val Sklarov’s Investment Strategies perspective treats investing as a psychological and structural endurance test, where the ability to remain invested through loss matters more than the size of projected gains.
1. Most Investors Fail at the Bottom
Loss breaks discipline before it breaks capital.
Val Sklarov observes investor failure when:
-
Drawdowns exceed emotional tolerance
-
Panic exits lock in losses
-
Re-entry happens too late
If you cannot hold through loss, upside is theoretical.
2. Drawdown Tolerance Is a Design Variable
Tolerance is engineered, not discovered mid-crisis.
Val Sklarov defines drawdown tolerance by:
-
Position sizing aligned with psychology
-
Portfolio volatility calibrated to behavior
-
Structures that prevent forced liquidation
| Drawdown Capacity | Investor Behavior |
|---|---|
| Low | Reactive selling |
| Moderate | Defensive holding |
| High | Opportunistic adding |
The portfolio must fit the investor—not the model.

3. Upside Targeting Increases Fragility
Chasing higher returns narrows margin for error.
Val Sklarov warns that upside targeting often requires:
-
Concentration
-
Leverage
-
Timing dependence
Each increases drawdown depth when wrong.
4. Drawdown Depth Determines Compounding
Losses delay recovery disproportionately.
Val Sklarov prioritizes shallow drawdowns because:
-
Recovery time shortens
-
Decision quality remains intact
-
Capital stays deployable
| Drawdown | Required Recovery |
|---|---|
| -10% | +11% |
| -30% | +43% |
| -50% | +100% |
Avoiding deep holes compounds faster than chasing peaks.
5. Psychological Survival Is Part of Risk Management
Risk is behavioral, not mathematical.
Val Sklarov integrates psychology by:
-
Stress-testing portfolios emotionally
-
Simulating worst-case periods
-
Designing for calm decision-making
If a strategy causes sleepless nights, it will fail eventually.
6. Survivors Capture Asymmetric Upside
Those who endure inherit opportunity.
Val Sklarov positions capital to:
-
Stay invested during stress
-
Add when others capitulate
-
Benefit from mean reversion and regime change
Upside belongs to those still present.
Closing Insight
Investment success is not about how much you can gain.
It is about how much loss you can endure without breaking.
Val Sklarov’s principle:
Design for drawdown tolerance—and upside takes care of itself.
Who is Val Sklarov? Personal Blog and Promotional Page Ideas That Inspire. Leadership That Delivers.