The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness (compiled by Eric Jorgenson from Naval’s talks, tweets, and podcasts)

 

PART I – WEALTH

Chapter 1: Building Wealth

• Wealth means having assets that earn while you sleep.

• Avoid confusing wealth with money or status.

• Focus on creating value for society that doesn’t depend on your direct effort.

• Get rich ethically — by building or owning, not renting your time.

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Chapter 2: Building Judgment

• Judgment is the rare skill of making good decisions with limited data.

• Learn to think independently; ignore the crowd.

• Read, reflect, and compound wisdom over time.

• Judgment + leverage = extraordinary outcomes.

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Chapter 3: Learn to Build and Sell

• To get rich, learn how to build (create) and sell (communicate).

• Builders create value; sellers move value into the world.

• The best entrepreneurs master both.

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Chapter 4: Find and Apply Specific Knowledge

• Specific knowledge is deeply personal — skills gained through curiosity and passion.

• It can’t be easily replicated or taught in schools.

• Example: a unique combination of skills like coding + storytelling + marketing.

• You’ll get paid for being you, once you figure out what that is.

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Chapter 5: Leverage

• Leverage multiplies effort.

• Three kinds of leverage:

  1. Labor (people working for you)

  2. Capital (money working for you)

  3. Code and Media (products that scale without cost).

• Modern leverage (code/media) lets individuals reach millions cheaply.

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Chapter 6: Accountability

• Embrace accountability; take ownership of outcomes.

• Reputation becomes your most valuable asset.

• Avoid hiding behind teams or systems — people trust those who stand by their work.

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Chapter 7: The Long Game

• Compounding applies to wealth, relationships, and knowledge.

• Choose careers and partners with long-term alignment.

• Be patient — exponential results come from consistent effort over time.

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Chapter 8: Learn to Learn

• Be a perpetual learner.

• Read widely and deeply — books are the best-leveraged learning tools.

• Learn foundational concepts, not just facts.

• “Learn to love to learn.”

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PART II – HAPPINESS

Chapter 9: Happiness

• Happiness is a choice and a skill, not a goal.

• It’s about peace of mind, not excitement or success.

• Reduce desires; want less, appreciate more.

• External achievements rarely bring lasting happiness.

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Chapter 10: Desire and Freedom

• Desire causes suffering; freedom comes from reducing desire.

• You can’t be free if you’re constantly chasing what’s next.

• Practice contentment and gratitude for what you have.

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Chapter 11: Self-Awareness and Mindfulness

• Observe your thoughts; don’t identify with them.

• Meditation quiets the mind and reveals clarity.

• Happiness comes from the absence of desire, not the fulfillment of it.

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Chapter 12: Health and Mind

• Physical health supports mental peace.

• Sleep, exercise, and diet are foundational.

• Avoid mental junk (gossip, negativity, comparison).

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Chapter 13: The Meaning of Life

• Life has no fixed meaning — you create it.

• Be present, creative, and kind.

• True purpose emerges from curiosity and service, not ambition.

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PART III – REFLECTIONS

• Naval’s closing thoughts: combine wealth and peace.

• Build freedom through ownership, then pursue wisdom and happiness.

• “Seek wealth to gain freedom, not to impress others. Seek peace to live well.”