“Desire is a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want.”
— Naval Ravikant
Naval Ravikant (@naval) is the CEO and a co-founder of AngelList. He previously co-founded Epinions, which went public as part of Shopping.com, and Vast.com. He is an active angel investor and has invested in more than 100 companies, including more than a few “unicorn” mega-successes.
His deals include Twitter, Uber, Yammer, Postmates, Wish, Thumbtack, and OpenDNS, which Cisco just bought for $635 million in cash.
BUT, even if you have zero interest in startups or investing, this episode is well worth your time. This is really about the habits and beliefs of a highly successful (and happy) person.
Naval has refined his way of living in very unique ways, and you can borrow what he’s learned, read the books that have changed him, and experiment with the habits he has developed through trial and error.
Enjoy this conversation with a curious character!
UPDATE: This episode was extremely popular (and nominated for “Podcast of the Year”), so we did a round two with Naval. Here it is!
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can find the transcript of this episode here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.
Want to hear another podcast on meditation and “spirituality”? Listen to my conversation with Sam Harris, PhD. In the below episode, we discuss “spirituality,” neuroscience, his meditation practice, and more.
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QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What do you still want to know about investing, whether in startups or elsewhere? Or: What was your favorite takeaway from Naval? Please let me know in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Enjoy!
Selected Links from the Episode
- The Book of Life: Daily Meditations with Krishnamurti by Jiddu Krishnamurti
- Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It by Kamal Ravikant
- Lying by Sam Harris
- Surely You Must Be Joking Mr. Feynman by Richard Feynman
- Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
- Striking Thoughts by Bruce Lee
- The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
- Read the Melting Asphalt blog
- Read the Dilbert blog, specifically, The Day You Became a Better Writer
- Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
- The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
- Go on a meditation retreat with noetic.org
- Don’t Shoot the Dog! by Karen Pryor
- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
- The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley
- Poor Charlie’s Almanac by Charlie Munger
- Illusions by Richard Bach
- The Origins of Virtue by Matt Ridley
- Influence by Robert Cialdini
- Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
- The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
- Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis
- The Secret Life of Salvadore Dali by Salvadore Dali
- “What Do You Care What Other People Think?” by Richard Feynman
- Connect with Naval Ravikant:
AngelList | Startup Boy Blog | Twitter
- Learn more about Tim on AngelList
Show Notes
- On the intensity of Naval Ravikant [6:55]
- On uncompromising honesty [16:54]
- How AngelList and Venture Hacks came to be [20:09]
- What Naval looks for when deciding to invest in a founder [25:24]
- Common “wives tales” in venture capital [32:39]
- What books, outside the startup world, have most improved Naval’s ability to invest? [36:54]
- Greatest investing hits and misses [51:49]
- When you think of the successful people, who is the first that comes to mind? [58:19]
- Meditative practices [1:00:58]
- How to replace bad habits with good habits [1:07:06]
- On setting stakes and awards [1:24:49]
- How to treat your life like a movie [1:34:44]
- Overused words and phrases [1:39:39]
- Early life education and the importance of “loving to read” [1:43:19]
- Advice for his younger self [1:51:09]
- Describing the first 60 minutes of each day [1:52:40]
- If you could have one billboard anywhere, where would it be and what would it say? [2:04:19]
People Mentioned
- Marcus Aurelius
- Sam Harris
- Bruce Lee
- Jiddu Krishnamurti
- Scott Adams
- Steve Jobs
- Marc Andreessen
- Satoshi Nakamoto
- Elon Musk
- Charlie Munger
The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than one billion downloads. It has been selected for "Best of Apple Podcasts" three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it's been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.
Comment Rules: Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. That’s how we’re gonna be — cool. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation! (Thanks to Brian Oberkirch for the inspiration.)
Tim, are there any books on mind hacks or how to train out bad habits that you would recommend. I have been procrastinating on something for awhile out of fear. I know exactly what I am doing and I need to know how to fix it. Thanks for the help.
What Should I Do with My Life by Po Bronson. It gave me the courage to know that it’s ok to change direction in life and to not be afraid of the unknown. Which is what Naval speaks of, challenge yourself and let life happen. Cheers.
A very inspiring show. Thanks to Naval for sharing his wisdom and asking listeners to tell about their life changing books. A true treasure trove. The book which had a significant impact on me was The Teachings of Don Juan: a Yaqui Way of Knowledge by Carlos Castaneda. Don Juan’s teaching that death is our eternal companion provided me with a balanced perspective on the inevitable.
Great podcast. Very inspiring stuff.
Naval: My most influential book is the I Ching (The Brian Browne Walker translation and the Carol Anthony translations are great counterpoints to each other)
Can someone post the link to the Richard Fenyman video that Tim recommended as an introduction to him?
I’m clearly late to the party but I had to attempt to return-the-favor after receiving so many excellent recommendations. Tim, you’re doing great work. Naval, thank you very much for all of the insights.
The most influential book I have read to date is “Getting the love you want” by Harville Hendrix. Well-researched and extremely practical, this book helped my fiance and I understand romantic relationships and build intimacy in our own relationship. I recommend it to everyone and have given away several copies. [Moderator: link removed.]
Wow! The best guest you’ve had and you’ve had some great ones. Very inspiring stuff and my Amazon wish list is full now of a ton of new books.
To answer the book question, I would probably say the 4 hour workweek, but that’s not helping anyone here. I will say Enders Game because it was really the book that got me hooked on reading.
the book I dig the most is the first four chapter of Zhuangzi 莊子內篇 an ancient chinese book from 2300 years ago . And my favourite poem is Heavenly Questions by Qu Yuan. Also wrote around that time [Moderator: link removed]
Yes, Tim. Good thinking, good habits, good insights are of the essence for entrepreneurs looking for hacks and toeholds to step up the slippery startup slope. Naval’s handle on ego and balancing it with our potential is so inspiring and validating. The book I would put out there is the simple little book by Thich Nhat Hanh – Peace Is Every Step. Thanks Tim. Keep up the amazing work.
Really impressed with Tim’s podcast process. Have not been a Tim fan but definitely growing on me.
Naval, what can I say, brilliant. Love his push for reading.. Even more than most. Thanks for this podcast.
What an incredibly thought provoking podcast episode! I started listening and literally I couldn’t switch it off for two hours so mesmerising and fascinating it was. Thank you!
Tim,
Love you and your work, mate. Keep Battling Onward! My wife and I pray for you – blessings and rich life. One of my all time favorite books is John Eldredge’s Wild at Heart. All of his stuff is amazing.
[Moderator: link removed]
Thank you for all you do, for your time and your heart and your passion.
Best, John Pughe
The book that changed my life was Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. It made me feel like I wasn’t alone in the world looking for more than what was being presented to me daily. I felt justified in the quest. I was a very reassuring feeling for a guy only half way through high school.
The Phantom Tollbooth – somehow has stuck with me, has accompanied me through training and career as a physician, psychiatrist, and psychoanalyst. Amazing book, amazing drawings by Jules Feiffer – a boys quest to return the Princesses of Rhyme and Reason to the Lands of knowledge, with his companion, Tock the dog.
“Manchild in The Promised Land” by Claude Brown. Autobiography about a black boy who grows up in drug ravaged Harlem to be a successful lawyer and writer.
Loved this episode, thank you @naval and Tim
The book that changed my life (apart from Meditations) was Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It’s about Lincoln and how he dealt with his closest rivals, all of whom had more money, influence, and education than him.
It was my gateway drug to other books 4 years ago. I have read it a dozen times now. It helped an absolutely clueless guy like myself become better at leading and managing at my job, from where I then left to start and grow my own company. We have been growing steadily over the last year and we are still at day one.
Incredible episode. Thank you Tim and Naval.
If someone doesn’t live in an area of abundant sunlight, Id highly recommend this alarm clock: Philips HF3520 Wake-Up Light
Ive used it for almost 10 years, even ordered it from the UK before it was available in the US. I can most certainly notice a difference when I am traveling and have to use my phone as an alarm.
[Moderator: link removed]
Thanks again!
What’s the morning workout? They mention it… It’s about 20minutes and involves dumbbells… But they don’t detail the exact regimen.
Hi Tim, any chance you could post info about the daily strength & flexibility routine that Naval mentioned?
One book that has been a real influence on my life and that I think about often is “The Nine Faces of Christ.” To me it was the story of Jesus Christ’s life as a man. It describes how he developed his powers in life through finding the God from within and then living his life that way. It’s deeper than religion and very profound.
Thanks a lot for this excellent podcast. I am listening to it for the 3rd time now
One of the best episodes! Lots of thought provoking as well as actionable advice from Naval.
I do not have one particular book that had a significant impact on me but there is quote from The Great Gatsby, ‘Reserving judgements is a matter of infinite hope.’, that influenced my everyday thoughts and actions in a big way.
I just got around to this podcast, but I felt the need to respond to the book. I think everyone should read Wendell Berry’s Unsettling of America. Better yet, read everything from Wendell. I think he’s essential reading for anyone who participates in the economy, anyone who eats food, and/or anyone who doesn’t come from an agrarian or rural upbringing.
3 of my favorites books :
– “Discourse on Voluntary Servitude” by Etienne de la Boétie (XVI century)
– “The Conduct of Life” by Ralph Waldo Emerson (XIX)
– “All men are brothers” by Gandhi
Amazing podcast. Tim, you have to release a book that contains all the nuggets you have gathered from all these wonderful people you interview. You can also have a bunch of book recommendations in there as well. “4 Hour Life”.
Richest Man in Babylon. Read it 15 times and it has changed the game for me. The delivery, the context, and the message have meteorically powered me forward in my life.
‘i am that’ by nisargadatta maharaj.
made it clear what jesus was trying to say. and the buddha. and countless numbers of sages, from all traditions.
last spiritual book you will ever need.
Tim and Naval. Thank you for the epic book recommendations. I will download Marcus Aurelias today. I have read so many profound books in my life, but a book that was given to me at the beginning of my career, and set me on a path of continuous learning Steven Covey’s, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. Naval, any chance you you can share your morning training regimen? It sounds like a great hack.
I’m new to your podcasts and have enjoyed each one that I’ve heard until now. I still have a long way to go to finish them all. But this one just blew me away. And I had to stop by here to Thank you both for your generosity in spreading knowledge, hacks and wisdom.
“Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell and “Steve Jobs” bio by W Isaacson have influenced me the most.
The book that changed my life: “The Heart Of Buddha’s Teaching” by Thich Nhat Hanh
Great interview. I listened to the two podcasts in the wrong order, but I will survive 🙂
One book I would recommend is “How I Found Freedom an an Unfree World” by Harry Browne. It is a very radical way to think about freedom and a very easy read.
Thanks for the interview guys, great stuff indeed.
Thanks! Bought it.
Edwin Abbott’s “Flatland” caused an irreversible mind broadening jolt when the three dimensional sphere told the two dimensional square that he must travel “upward, not northward.”
5 books I go back to, and that changed me:
1. If You Want to Write by Barbara Ueland
2. Making Room for Making Art by Sally Warner
(synopsis: there are about 17 common cultural impediments to your bringing your art to life. You will find that you, personally, only have 5 of them. Rejoice, and then work through the 5.)
3. Finding Your Way in a Wild New World by Martha Beck
4. The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron
5. The Renaissance Soul by Margaret Lobenstine
Looks like I’m a little late to the party! 😉
Great discussion and lots of good insights and ideas talked about. Thanks!
I’ve got lots of books that changed my perspective about things. I wrote my brother once that it was books that got me where I was — first in my family to attend University. That came up because instead of sending me all my books as he promised, he put them in his basement which flooded. I was crushed. They were the things that changed my life and continue to.
The one recently that’s messing with my head is Alan Watts’ “The Way of Zen”. Listened to a lot of his talks on Youtube and now working my way through his books. Always the same effect on me: makes me high.
The other one which I’m still in the middle of is “The Physicist and the Philosopher: Einstein, Bergson, and the Debate That Changed Our Understanding of Time” by Jimena Canales. I’ve read a lot about the history of physics, especially in the 20th century but I completely missed this!
Haven’t been listening to Tim’s podcast for too long and this is the first time I’ve entered a comment. But in scrolling through the comments here, I realized that I just found my tribe! These people on this list,who listen to this podcast, are my people — reading inspirational, thought provoking books; acting to improve yourself and the world; hacking your life. In general trying to be better. I’ve always felt like a bit of an outsider. Not anymore. 🙂
Clem
This podcast absolutely blew me away in so many different ways. I’ve been dying to learn the morning mobility workout that Naval and Tim mention in this podcast – are there any resources on this workout? Thank you
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner shattered what I thought was possible from the printed form. It is so difficult to get through the first time that you might want to quit – don’t! Slog through it, try to grasp what you can; then use some online resources to help fill in the gaps. Now, read it a second time, right away. This is where the magic happens. If you put in the effort, everything you thought was drivel now has turned to an engrossing, heart-wrenching experience.
You’ve got to read it twice like that or else it won’t work.
“It is dearness only which gives everything its value”
Thank You Naval! First of all, Applause!!! Simply because I noticed that you have automated your ‘System 2’ type of thinking and probably over a period of time has become your ‘System 1’ type. Your ability to hold so many thoughts at any given point of time…Kudos! Quite a few takeaways for me… BTW, System 1 and 2 is the central theme of Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking Fast and Slow – a good read in Behavioral Economics. This one really changed the way I looked at Heuristics.
Apart from that, Small Is Beautiful: A Study of Economics As If People Mattered is a collection of essays by British economist E. F. Schumacher and I personally like the essay on Education here
Health and Eating – Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight by Rujuta Diwekar is a short read but well researched. Close on the heels of realizing, “why do I need an external validation of ‘myself’? and to achieve this – understanding the importance of trying to be in touch with myself (by increasing awareness), I tumbled upon this book…Food is One of the ways an individual can connect with his/her inner self (rather is an imp process to move inward) – “Anna he purnabrahma” (here Brahma can mean god/our inner or spiritual self).Rujutha connects the dots well – Ayurveda, Yoga and Nutrition science. She literally shouts ‘dont kill yourself by starving’. Eat nutrient rich meal close to your ‘genes’ at the right time, right quantity, and calorie intake will fall in place if we follow 4 principles (the cornerstone of her book). Practicing some of her recommendations has given me meditative moments thru the act of eating!
The book I like on Happiness – Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt – The central metaphor developed in that chapter is that our minds are like a rider on an elephant. The rider is our conscious, linguistic self. It is what social psychologists call controlled processing. The elephant is everything else – the 99% of mental processes about which we simply can’t be aware. It is automatic mental processes. The rider may think he’s in control, but whenever the elephant really wants to do something, it’s going to do it. Real change and growth can only come from training the elephant.
The book on Evolution of Risk – Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk by Peter L. Bernstein. A good read especially when one is trying to understand every walk of life through the lens of evolution.
If you are still reading… Thank you!
Bairavi
Good book reco’s thanks
Book i really found life changing for me are
1. Serve to win -Novak djokovic
2. Spark Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
You should guys check Witold Gombrowicz Diaries (three volumes)
The book that changed my life is The Meaning of Life by Bradley Trevor Greive. This book reads like a picture book but has so much beauty in every direction it takes you. Truly uplifting, definitely amazing to check out.
“How To Make One Hell Of A Profit and Still Get In To Heaven” by John Demartini. It put me on the path to wealth in 2009 and now in 2016 I am very happy with my savings, my job and I have started a business too which I would never have dreamt of 7 years ago (or ever to be honest with the conditioning I received at school).
Book I read every year: Blue like Jazz- Donald Miller. Must have read it 10 times at least. Brilliantly written.
Faust by Johann Wolfgang v. Goethe. One of our greatest thinkers of all time.
Is there any chance that you will publish transcripts of your podcasts? For busy people, fast readers, and like me with english as a second language this would be perfect option.
Great podcast
A Thousand Hills by Stephen Kinzer. The story of Rwanda’s current president Paul Kagame. Incomprehensible struggle.
This is one great podcast episode!
Hey Tim, this was an interesting read for the day and the one with specific and practically helpful knowledge. Thanks for putting efforts behind this and sharing it with all. Those links are going to help a lot of newbies in the sector. 🙂
Thanks very much for this: awesome podcast. 🙂 To give back, my two (100% bonus!) books to recommend are “Mindfulness Bliss and Beyond” [Moderator: link removed], which has been the most transformative meditation book I’ve ever read, and Fooled by Randomness.
I might be overlooking it, but he references his morning workout routine. Any idea where to find it?
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life…”
– Proverbs 13:12
Tim
I just started listening to your podcasts. I have been a traditional audio CD’s and stream, but am now hooked on your podcast. I commute about 1000 miles a week so I am captive and like a sponge for the info shared. I love your show style and the casual interview process. It always feels like you guys are siting on the couch and discussing cool shit, never like a staged, rehearsed or over orchestrated interview. Love, love, love the value you and your guests add to the show. I always wonder what it would be like to have one of these conversations over a hike or stroll on some alpine trail! Naval nailed this podcast with an enlightening interpretation on life! Look forward to diving in to many of the books he recommended. Many kudos for your give back to all of us!
It’s true. Most Buddhist mantras have no real meaning. It is a tool to achieve an experience of meditation.
Creativity, Inc is a book I’m reading right now. Edwin Catmull, president of Pixar and the man behind the 3D technology of animation we have today, and his story and lessons learnt while working with steve jobs setting up pixar, the core values and culture of pixar, the process of creative thinking, what it took to make the company what it is today. Covers a wide range of topics from leadership, problem solving, working relationship dynamics, the history of one of the best creative company in the world. Very insightful in the thought process of a man building a company. Struggles, achievements, reflections, etc. Definitely shaping my perspective on things as i am reading it. Cheers!
Absolutely loved this podcast. I feel like Naval is an older me lol. I would love to have more people with this mindset to surround myself with.
As far as favorite book, it just depends on space I’m in at that moment. Sidhartha should be read by everyone, The Power of Habits was great (although I never finished it), The Five Levels of Attachment really helped me to understand what causes a lot of suffering in life, and one that I never have heard anyone talk about is Man’s Search for Himself (one of the only few books I’ve read twice).
Definitely get Naval on again!
Some of the most enjoyed and influential books in my life have been “Flatland” by Edwin Abbott and “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach. They are both easy to read, entertaining stories about open-mindedness and the pursuit of improvement and perfection.
The book is called The Defining Statements Of Existence by The Wonders and it’s one of those books people will be reading 2 thousand years from now. Enjoy!
This is random, but what was the name of the Teppanyaki grill he recommended?
The books that have most changed my life are 1984 and Shantaram
Just listened to this and figured out who Victor was in real life after hearing the statement of doing a program in 20 minutes just using dumbbells. It all clicked for me then. Excited to hear him on the show, but won’t spoil it for everyone. V = IJ.
Most influential book = The Hobbit.
The Prophet by Khalil Gibran!
Hi Tim and Naval.
Thank you for the amazing interview. I found so many thoughts that where so much better articulated by the intelligence of this.
Surely you’re joking mr Feynman was a gift that I received from a wise old man that really changed me on my teenager years, and sapiens was an amazing recommendation by naval/Tim guests. If you feel these 2 books talked deeply into you one book that is worth reading (or maybe revisiting to many) is THE REPUBLIC , by Plato . Follows the rule of a very old knowledge that can answer most of our most old and common questions. Many people talk about it but few actually read it . All the best!
As usual another Tim Ferriss podcast and another winner. This was a great one. Very soothing since I have been listening to very heavy finance and productivity podcasts and this one was more about ‘take a chill pill dude’. Be good and good things will happen eventually.
I would give my two cents worth about the two books that changed my life. First is “The Game-Neil Straus” and the other is “Tuesdays with Moorie-Mitch Albom”
Way late to the party but the book that most influenced me was Henry Miller’s Rosy Crucifixion trilogy (Sexus, Plexus & Nexus). First read it when I was a college freshman 38 years ago and have re-read it several times since.
p.s., Tremendously enjoyable and educational podcast. Thanks, Naval and Tim.
Most impacting book : How to Stop Worrying and Start Living By Dale Carnegie and a close second, What Happy People Know by Dan Miller
I’m not sure if this is my #1, but the first one that comes to mind. Super-simple prime on economics, which as it turns out is basically how the world works, how it should work, incentives, etc. It’s awesome. #1 takeaway for me: It should be required reading for all world leaders.
http://timharford.com/books/undercovereconomist/
I have created”The NEXT Billion Dollar App” I know you have heard that many times but let me prove it to you. A application for small small children say ages from 4-10. A Demographics everyone would love to capture. I have 28 Apps in my Portfolio. I can send you a Prototype for your inspection? Thanks Again
Thanks for your podcast. The book I recommend for life changing brain chemistry hacks is Nutrient Power by William J Walsh. [Moderator: link removed]
It turns out so much personality and personal difficulties can be explained and managed by vitamin/minerals over abundance/deficiencies. Each person is unique based on our particular DNA, DNA markers and changes to them. I’m sure I butchered the synopsis but I’m not a scientist and that explanation makes sense to me.
cant make up what he say from (1:40:36) if i can find evolutionary reason either _____ or genetic (1:40:41) for why someone is behaving the way they are … can someone help fill in the blanks cant make up what he said.
This is one of my favorite episodes (and you have many, many great episodes, Tim)! A wonderful episode to listen to over and over for continued absorption and with so many wonderful book suggestions. Thank you, Tim and Naval, for sharing with the world. You are both tremendous blessings. ♥
Thank You for this podcast. I think this might be my favorite so far. Naval wanted a book to read. I like Napoleon Hill’s “Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success”. It’s definitely different and one of my favorite’s
Walking the Nile, by Levison Wood
Where is the number of the podcast? I cannot find this on my podcast app
#97 i guess
I’m a little late to the party but god this podcast is literally mindblowing. I would like to recommend one of the first books i’ve ever read in my tiny history of reading, and that is the very old book called The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli. It is absolutely brilliant.
The book that has influenced me the most is Sapiens. Actually, I picked up the book after Naval’s recommendation in this podcast. The book opened me up to the fundamental questions of my being, and the society and culture I live in. Earlier, I used to take things for granted and didn’t appreciate them enough. For example, the governments who run the nation states, the idea of nation-states, why don’t we currently have empires of old. It made me realise how far we have come in our journey and most importantly, I have matured up a little bit to have an understanding of what lies ahead and how can I help make the future better.
I’m extremely grateful that I discovered your show this week and landed on this podcast! The first book that came to mind is The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship. Thank you both for all of your suggestions!
Tim, I am curious what your thoughts are on reading. How much do you read on a weekly or monthly basis? How do you proritize what you read? How do you quantify how much you read if it is newspaper articles, blogs etc?
Wings of Fire: An Autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam – Great book , was the first book i read – given me the light of reading habit
Dear Naval,
I was truly inspired with your learning, experience and open mindedness. Since the podcast asked for a book recommendation – for me it’s Tulsidas Ramayan. Book on consistent one way love, explaining acceptance in adversity, finding Rama and Ravaana (10 head our senses) within us, loss of our peace Sita to sensuary pleasure , life of faith and not measurements ( rat race ) and so on. I think that it’s a true legacy of Tulsidas, an ordinary person leaving extraordinary impact through a revolutionary book, which pundits didn’t accept easily, written 500 years back, has shaped my life. Thanks for sharing your insights. I am new to podcast and this is my first comment ever written.
Regards,
Gagan Chaturvedi
Managing Partner of Chaturvedi and Shah, a leading accounting firm of India
A bit late to the party as I am listening to all podcast episodes from the beginning. An author that made my live way more fun, especially when I was having a rough patch is the late Sir Terry Pratchett. My all time most impactful with great deep thoughts is Small Gods.
The book I recommend is Liao Fan’s Four Lessons. It is almost 500 years old, and it was (and still is) instrumental in the development of my morality principles. Whether we are conscious of it or not, we make morality decisions every day in our internal dialogue and interactions with others. This book taught me to make better morality decisions, giving me more peace of mind afterwards.
The book is short and freely distributed. I like to listen to the audio version, which is only 2.5 hours long.
[Moderator: PDF and YouTube links removed.]
Note: The book does talk about supernatural and religious things. If that kind of thing turns you off, I recommend ignoring those parts and focusing on the teachings, which I think are very logical.
The Fortress by Meša Selimović. It’s a cultural masterpiece that should be read over the course of weeks in order to fully absorb the power of the message(s).
Late to the party, but the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho!
One of the BEST episode, guest and interview! I’m grateful I found this podcast and learned an out Naval! He is highly influential and a superb teacher! I can listen to him all day, so much necessary wisdom!
An Intimate Note to the Sincere Seeker by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
[Moderator: link removed.]
Hello
This podcast made me so happy for mainly one reason. Naval s love for books shines through and it made me just so happy to listen to him. This is the way I feel about books. You never have to be afraid. Or lonely. Or unhappy. The right book in your hand saves your life.your sanity. your creativity. I loved books and just like naval I read anything I got my hands on..and then when I was 17..one day I told myself..I want to be better. I want life to have more meaning and I went in search of a book and what I ended up with was The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky. and as an impressionable young girl I remember reading that book late into the night and I remember vividly it was like I had escaped my mundane teenage life and for the first time in my life I realised what a huge gift it was to be alive and to you know, in a way, to meet a russian writer who lived several years ago.
Don’t let us forget that the causes of human actions are usually immeasurably more complex and varied than our subsequent explanations of them.”
― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot
And then I read crime and punishment and then read Leo Tolstoy s Anna Karenina and I really wish I had the skill to describe what it did to me but I was never the same again.
If I could recommend just one short story it would be The Bet by Anton chekov and it has more between its lines than many big fat books that I have seen
and I dont think anything has broken my heart like ‘Vanka’ another short story by chekov.
Listening to your podcast just made me wish so much that I could just chill out with the both of you talking about books all dayyy.
I am a doctor by profession and my financial knowledge is close to zero but I have realized my deficiency in several areas and it helps me to listen to your wide and varied podcasts.
I have two boys aged 5 and 2 and I just fill their lives with books. under the bed, in the toy box, everywhere.
I know if they love books, they have nothing to fear:-)
Thank you so much Tim, for the podcast, and for this opportunity to just say all this.
The most influential book for me is sand count almanac by Aldo Leopold. He was the father of the field of wildlife ecology. Sand county almanac was assembled from his writings posthumously in 1949. I reread the book at least once per year.
Thanks for this episode and the rest of your catalogue Tim.
“Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, the 1937 unabridged version.
Tim: This podcast is one of my favorites in your show. Lots of wisdom in ~2 hrs. I’ll definitely re-listen to this podcast multiple times.
With respect to one book that had huge impact on my life, it is ‘Compound Effect by Darren Hardy’. This is one of the first books I’ve read and I love it. It’s an easy read but lots of actionable items.
Keep doing podcasts Tim!
Amazing interview!
The book that had the most impact on me is The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
Loved this podcast and every other interview of Naval. Always a pleasure listening to him.
The one book recommendation that I have is: Sometimes Brilliant by Larry Brilliant. The complete title is : “Sometimes Brilliant: The Impossible Adventure of a Spiritual Seeker and Visionary Physician Who Helped Conquer the Worst Disease in History”
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
hi so i am five years late but felt obliged to answer the question in the end although pretty sure its past its time. The book i revisited many times in my life is ” Aghora the left hand of god” by robert svoboda, it is very layered and well crafted.
truly enjoyed the conversation you guys had.
If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him by Sheldon Kopp. It‘s the Eschatological Loundry List in the back of the book that I keep at hand since I read the book. It begins with: 1. This is it. There are no hidden meanings… Sorry, it’s not 500 years old. Thanks you for this inspiring conversation.
This podcast changed my life. Naval and Tim, thank you!
Book that changed my life. zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance.
1. It introduced me to philosophy outside my own mind.
2. It made me aware of importance of perspective. Be that classical vs romantic or due to the sub divition of datasets.
3. Made me think about value and of course, quality.