The Almanack of Naval Ravikant

Compiled by Eric Jorgenson
A distilled collection of Naval’s wisdom on wealth, health, and happiness—based on his tweets, podcasts, and interviews.

🌱 Core Philosophy

“A calm mind, a fit body, and a house full of love. These things can’t be bought. Everything else is training.”

Naval doesn’t just teach how to get rich, but how to be free.

🧠 Section 1: Wealth

“You’re not going to get rich renting out your time.”

🔑 Core Ideas:

1. Build Wealth, Not Just Money

• Wealth = assets that earn while you sleep.

• Income = what you earn trading time.
  
  

2. Leverage is Key

• Labor: Hiring others

• Capital: Using money

• Code & Media: Infinite reach (best forms of leverage)
  
  

3. Specific Knowledge

• Learn things you can't be trained for.

• It’s often found at the intersection of your curiosity, play, and obsession.

“Escape competition through authenticity.”

4. Learn to Sell & Learn to Build

• If you can do both, you’ll be unstoppable.
  
  

🧘 Section 2: Happiness

“Happiness is a choice you make and a skill you develop.”

🔑 Core Ideas:

1. Desire Is a Contract You Make With Yourself to Be Unhappy Until You Get What You Want

• Reduce unnecessary desires. Unfollow the mental craving loop.
  
  

2. Happiness = Peace From the Mind

• It’s not in achievement—it’s in awareness and acceptance.

• Meditation is a tool to observe thoughts without becoming them.
  
  

3. Happiness Habits:

• Sleep, sunlight, walking, reading, solitude.

• Clear calendar = clear mind.
  
  

💬 Section 3: Decision-Making & Life Strategy

“Play long-term games with long-term people.”

🔑 Key Life Practices:

• Choose accountability: Build a reputation and own your outcomes.

• Read a lot. Think clearly. Avoid status games.

• Be impatient with actions, patient with results.

• Say no to almost everything.
  
  

🛤 Naval’s Rule of Life Alignment

1. Be Healthy → Fit body, calm mind.

2. Be Wealthy → Build assets with leverage and play long games.

3. Be Happy → Want less, accept more, observe thoughts, live in peace.
   
   

🧩 One-Liner Gems to Live By

• “Escape competition through authenticity.”

• “The greatest superpower is the ability to change your mind.”

• “You will get rich by giving society what it wants but does not yet know how to get.”

• “All the real benefits in life come from compound interest.”
  
  

✅ Key Takeaway:

“Life is a single-player game.”
Optimize your life, your values, and your time. Most noise is a distraction.