On August 5, 1914, the Panama Canal officially opened for international traffic.

After more than a decade of engineering feats, deadly setbacks, and diplomatic maneuvering, the canal created a waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans—a shortcut that slashed sea travel times by weeks and thousands of miles. Its first crossing—a U.S. cargo ship moving from New York to San Francisco—marked the dawn of a new era in trade, military strategy, and international cooperation. The canal’s construction had begun decades earlier under French leadership, but the initial attempt ended in financial disaster, rampant disease, and thousands of worker deaths from malaria and yellow fever. When the United States took over in 1904, it dramatically improved both the engineering plan—pivoting from a sea-level design to the now-iconic lock system—and public health measures, eradicating most mosquitoes and dramatically reducing disease. The canal’s completion not only demonstrated the power of international collaboration and medical innovation, but it also established Panama as a geopolitical crossroads and highlighted the ways infrastructure can change the course of history well beyond its original economic aims.Here are four Lessons for Moden Investors from the digging of the ditch:🚢 Infrastructure: Pay Attention to the “Hidden” EnablersThe Panama Canal didn’t manufacture goods or invent new products, but its impact on global trade was revolutionary. Many of the best investments—and most durable sources of value—are built on boring, overlooked infrastructure: systems, networks, and platforms that enable commerce. In your own portfolio or business, don’t ignore the “pipes,” logistics, or foundational technologies powering new growth. The most lucrative opportunities often come from supporting what everyone else relies on but takes for granted.🚢 Success Demands Flexibility and IterationThe canal wasn’t built according to the original French vision—and it wasn’t a straight-line project for the Americans, either. Success came from the willingness to change course midstream: changing the design from a sea-level canal to one using locks, tackling yellow fever through medical innovation, and scaling back or ramping up work when obstacles arose. In markets and life, the biggest breakthroughs rarely follow the first plan. Responding to new information, embracing course corrections, and being open to entirely different solutions is often what separates success from costly failure.🚢 Beware Sunk Cost FallacyThe French invested billions (in today’s dollars) before abandoning their failed canal attempt—falling for the “sunk cost fallacy” by throwing good money after bad, unable to cut losses early. Successful American managers learned from this: they restructured operations, killed ineffective practices, and pivoted when conditions changed. In investing, beware of feeling tied to a bad position or strategy simply because you’re already “too invested.” Sometimes, the wisest decision is to reroute when evidence demands it.🚢 Global Change Comes With Political, Not Just Economic, RiskThe canal’s opening coincided almost exactly with the outbreak of World War I—reminding everyone that breakthroughs can be overshadowed by political and geopolitical shocks. The canal’s operation and control would dominate diplomacy for a century. Investors and business leaders, too, must remember: innovations and big bets must be stress-tested against not just market cycles, but the unpredictable tides of regulation, war, and international policy.A Final ThoughtThe Panama Canal was a literal breakthrough—turning an impossible journey into a well-traveled path, bridging oceans, economies, and decades of ambition. For today’s investors, it’s a reminder that transformational opportunities are often messy, sometimes slow, and fraught with unexpected twists and turns.

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🎯Patrick Huey is a small business owner and the author of three books on history and finance as well as the highly-rated recently-released fictional work Hell: A Novel. As owner of Victory Independent Planning, LLC, Patrick works with families and non-profit organizations. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® and an Accredited Tax Preparer. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University. Patrick previously served as a Naval Flight Officer from 1996-2005, earning the Strike Fighter Air Medal during combat operations and two Navy Achievement Medals. 👉🏻 Reach him at 877-234-8957 or schedule a time to talk using this link:

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