“Suppose one day, I face entrepreneurial failure, left penniless, and am randomly placed on the streets of any English-speaking country. I firmly believe I would regain wealth within five or ten years because I have mastered the skill of ‘making money,’ a skill everyone can learn. ”
When I first saw this statement in “The Almanack of Naval Ravikant,” I almost mistook it for a book promoting success indoctrination. However, it is far from that. This book encapsulates the life lessons and financial wisdom of Naval, a renowned angel investor from Silicon Valley, who climbed the ladder from scratch to financial freedom.
Born into a humble immigrant family, Naval moved to the United States with his parents at the age of nine. Following his parents’ divorce, he lived with his mother. Due to their financial struggles, young Naval found solace and friendship amongst books in a library, as he couldn’t afford to make friends. To ease his mother’s burden, he balanced school with a part-time job. The turning point came with academic advancement; Naval secured a place in a reputable high school, followed by an Ivy League university, propelling him into the tech industry and laying a foundation for his achievements in investment and business.
“The Almanack of Naval Ravikant” gathers Naval’s precious life experiences. Having digested this mogul’s wisdom, I now understand the bedrock of Naval’s confidence and success lies in three fundamental strengths – professional competency, abundant physical energy, and robust mental power.
1. Unearth Talent, Accumulate Professional Competence
At fifteen or sixteen, Naval told friends he wanted to become an astrophysicist. His mother, hearing this, remarked, “No, you’ll go into business.” She was the first to pinpoint his natural knack. Reflecting on his past, Naval realized he had always been engaged in money-centric activities like interacting with people, selling technical concepts, or marketing products.
He identified his forte in sales and analytical skills, relishing the study of money-making which felt as enjoyable and effortless as playing. Identifying his forte led to earning his first and second fortune quickly. However, his first fortune vanished in the stock market, and the second was swindled by a business partner. Despite setbacks, the allure of investment risk became an obsession. Naval thus focused on honing his expertise, identifying the most wealth-creating leverage, and eventually attained financial independence.
In his book, he emphasizes:
“To cultivate and expand one’s expertise, it’s imperative to harness one’s natural talents, explore genuine curiosities, and pursue where passion lies, rather than chasing currently trending professions. ”
Naval mentions, “If society can train you, it can train someone to replace you with code.” In this advancing tech era, lacking the capability to compete with Artificial Intelligence could risk replacement. Human talents and expertise are irreplaceable by AI. Hence, diligent in unearthing talents, accumulating expertise, honing professional skills, and being uniquely indispensable is the road to an invincible stance.
2. Stick to Fitness, Maintain Abundant Physical Energy
Naval mentions in the book how morning workouts utterly transformed his life, placing physical health as his top priority in life. As he hustled towards his life goals, he realized, looking back, that what mattered most wasn’t working to earn money, but health. Hence, he never excuses himself from exercising due to “lack of time” anymore.
There’s a piercing saying, “If you don’t find time for fitness, you will have to find time for illness.”
Essentially, at the end of the day, life becomes a test of physical stamina. It resembles a marathon where the initial phase is about burst of speed, but the lengthy journey that follows tests endurance, and only those who persevere till the end emerge as real winners. Only by maintaining good health and storing energy can one turn dreams into reality. Thus, sticking to a fitness regime and preserving abundant physical energy is foundational to a person’s success.
3. Adjust Attitude, Build Strong Mental Power
In his book, Naval remarks, “The attitude of entanglement and avoidance are the main sources of most miseries in life.” Facing various situations in life, the word he most often tells himself are: Accept.
He elaborates in his book: Acceptance is about being at ease with any outcome, maintaining a balanced mindset, and keeping focus. It’s about stepping back to embrace a broader perspective, considering the overall situation, and planning for the long term.
Often, we find ourselves anxious, discontented, and pained when we long for something, someone, or some event that eludes us. However, when we relinquish greed, accept the present, and concentrate on the now, we tend to gain more. Hence, adjusting one’s attitude and forging a strong mental strength is crucial to achieving success in one’s endeavors.
In Conclusion
The strength given by others won’t last, only the strength sourced from within serves us lifelong. In the journey of life, our abilities determine how fast we can go; our physical stamina decides how long we can endure, and our mental strength dictates how far we can venture.
Let’s take action together, presenting our lives in the best state possible.
