Sir John Marks Templeton is a visionary in philanthropic activities and a legend in the world of fund management. He pioneered global investments with the mission of promoting spiritual wealth and knowledge. He devoted his time and his fortune to encouraging open-mindedness especially when it comes to human purpose and new spiritual information. His many charitable works earned him a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II.

He saw the great depression as the turning point in his life.

Being born in a poor family did not hinder his rise to becoming one of the most highly regarded people in the world. His parents disciplined him well, as he was raised up to be prudent and self-sufficient. The values that were instilled in him at a young age helped him in his many of his endeavors as he launched himself with nothing but the shirt on his back and with the great depression in front of him.

He excelled in his studies and was even the first person in his town to attend college back then. He followed his brother’s footsteps as he set his sight on Yale University – one of the most prominent and challenging academic institution in the country. Unfortunately, the depression affected his family greatly, and on his second year at Yale, his father told him that he couldn’t give him even one dollar to go back to college. At first he felt it was a tragedy, but he realized soon enough that it was a blessing. Because this struggle forced him to become a man- to look out for his own needs. He tapped his entrepreneurial spirit, and set out to provide for his own needs. The struggle forced him to become a man, he said. He even got three jobs to support himself and complete his college education. His focus and determination despite the hardships of being a working student didn’t fail him, because he graduated first in his class and was named a Rhodes scholar to Balliol College at Oxford, where he graduated with a M.A. degree in law.

He began his Wall Street career with nothing in his pocket.

Just when a war broke out in Europe, he calculated it would kick America out of depression. And so, he borrowed money to afford to buy 100 shares each in 104 companies selling at a cheap price of one dollar per share or less. Some of the companies he purchased were even in the verge of bankruptcy. But luckily, only a few of them turned out to be worthless, and he was able to get all of his money back as he made huge profits on the others that did great.

He created his formula for investing.

He took the simple strategy of “buy low, sell high” to another level. He looked for bargains- picking troubled industries and companies, what he referred to as “points of maximum pessimism.” He looks at shares which are selling way below their asset values, perhaps because of circumstance that are only temporary, and will hold on to them until he feels that they’ve reached their true worth. His strategy certainly required thorough research and it can only be achieved when determination are not easily influenced by the current trends.

He welcomed growth.

Sir John entered the mutual-fund industry when he launched the flagship of Templeton Growth Fund. For each $10,000 that one person would have invested in the Templeton Growth Fund Class A in its foundation, the investment would have grown to $2 million by 38 years after. The Templeton Growth Fund grew at an amazing rate of almost 16 per cent a year until he sold it to the Franklin Group. Today, this fund is the longest running global fund in the U.S.

He took the road less travelled.

When Sir,John Templeton established his fund, he showed Americans the path to investing globally through it. He was THE pioneer of global investing because most Americans were hesitant in investing in foreign markets. Many other American moguls created their fortunes by buying American stocks.

Templeton, however, looked for more opportunities being offered by emerging markets in different nations-around the world. In fact, he was one of the first investors in post-war Japan, also one of the first to sell Japanese stocks before the market got better.

For the reason that Americans were not investing outside the United States, he was quoted as saying, “That is very egotistical. Why be so short-sighted or near-sighted as to focus only on America?” He then went on to create some more of the world’s biggest and most successful international investment funds.

He had a famously diligent work ethic and attention to detail.

The family values that Sir John learned as a child greatly influenced his work ethics and character. He was able to focus, and act according to his beliefs, particularly with his investment decisions, despite the racket around him. He continued to work 60-hour every week until he was well into his eighties.

A deeply spiritual man his entire life, he was known for beginning business meetings with a prayer. He had this belief that if a business wasn’t ethical, it will fail eventually. From the 1970s onwards he devoted most of his time and fortune to improving the world’s spiritual wealth.

Krisca C. Te is part of the team that manages Australian Credit Cards, a complimentary credit card comparison service and personal finance blog based in Sydney, Australia. Before she joined ACC,  she was an Associate in Deutsche Bank Group under Market and Instruments Control Services