How self-correction works?

There was once a very greedy businessman. He once got the news that there is an island that has pots of gold. He took his biggest ship, and sailed for the island. Once he reached there, he asked his workers to fill all the ship with gold. Every time he wanted one more pot of gold.

After some time, the ship got so heavy  that it started tilting in the sea, and started sinking. The businessman thought that he could carry on anyway, and sailed off with pots of gold in a tilting and shaking ship. But he had moved only a little further when the ship started to wobble and sink more in the water. The businessman got worried that he might loose all gold and his life as well.

He then asked his workers to slowly throw away gold pots one by one in water till the ship stabilized and was able to sail. The businessman saved his life, and got quite a few tonnes of gold by making a small correction.

This is how self-correction often works, and is applicable from the level of an individual, to a society, to a nation, to this entire world. People when they either have taken too much pain, or are really frightened that something may go wrong, often make the right corrections.