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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
It's for the heart and mind. I often find myself coming back to Naval's wisdom.
inspiring
medium-paced
When it comes to self-help books, I'm always cautious about picking one. I choose one only when there is a specific purpose or need to read about the subject it covers. Another reason to pick a self-help book is if I believe it stands out from the rest and doesn’t simply repackage known wisdom in a new wrapper.
The Almanac met both criteria. Another factor that strongly worked in its favor was: Naval Ravikant- the persona. After listening to his podcasts and reading about him, I found his perspectives to be unconventional, which resonated with me.
The Good:
True to his reputation and my expectations, Naval didn’t disappoint in the first part of the book, titled Wealth.
This section is filled with nuggets of wisdom on wealth-building, running businesses, developing a personal brand, and much more—valuable insights for those looking to improve their career and financial outlook.
Some key highlights:
1. Specific Knowledge – Develop a skill set that is unique to you. Someone will hire you to achieve something significant with your expertise, and you’ll be part of something bigger.
2. The Art of Leveraging – Naval explains three types of leverage to build wealth, but the most impactful is through code and media, which allows you to make money even while you sleep. Read on to learn more.
3. Play Long-Term Games – Be part of businesses that focus on long-term value.
4. Reputation is Your Personal Brand – Build accountability, develop good judgment, and get paid for these qualities.
5. What It Really Means to Be Lucky – A fresh perspective on luck and "being lucky".
6. Some Familiar Ideas – Topics like focus and making work feel like play are covered, but these aren’t new to readers familiar with self-help books.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
This mostly lies in the second part of the book, titled Happiness.
Naval Ravikant makes certain recommendations on food and diet. At one point, he advised avoiding everything invented in the last 200 years. I doubt if it's possible for himself to follow this, given where he lives and the privileges he enjoys.
Another instance is when he says something to the effect of: "Remember, I’m just a poor boy from India with humble beginnings... If I can do it, anybody can." I understand the intent to inspire, but this feels like an overused script, doesn’t it? It may resonate well with Western readers who have a limited understanding of poverty in India. However, as an Indian reader, I found it questionable. A child whose parents separate and who moves with their mother to the USA still has certain advantages that many "poor" people here do not. (Of course, we only know a fraction of anyone’s life from the public domain, and I’ll be happy to be proven wrong here. If so, due apologies to Mr. Naval Ravikant.)
In the Wealth section (and parts of Happiness), Naval presents himself as a rationalist. However, he eventually resorts to the cliché: "I’m not religious, but I’m spiritual." Spirituality often leaves room for irrationality. While I agree with his advocacy for yoga and meditation—both of which have proven benefits—I would have preferred if he framed them as tools for mental health and well-being rather than labeling them as “spirituality.”
The Best Takeaway:
The biggest and best part of the book for me was the bonus section, where Naval recommends books to read. These are excellent selections, and I’ve added many of them to my TBR list.
Final Thoughts:
Ultimately, The Almanac served its purpose. I gained valuable insights that I plan to implement in my professional life.
A big thank you to Eric Jorgenson for his painstaking efforts in compiling this wealth of knowledge, and to Mr. Naval Ravikant for his selfless gesture of making this book freely available online.
The Almanac met both criteria. Another factor that strongly worked in its favor was: Naval Ravikant- the persona. After listening to his podcasts and reading about him, I found his perspectives to be unconventional, which resonated with me.
The Good:
True to his reputation and my expectations, Naval didn’t disappoint in the first part of the book, titled Wealth.
This section is filled with nuggets of wisdom on wealth-building, running businesses, developing a personal brand, and much more—valuable insights for those looking to improve their career and financial outlook.
Some key highlights:
1. Specific Knowledge – Develop a skill set that is unique to you. Someone will hire you to achieve something significant with your expertise, and you’ll be part of something bigger.
2. The Art of Leveraging – Naval explains three types of leverage to build wealth, but the most impactful is through code and media, which allows you to make money even while you sleep. Read on to learn more.
3. Play Long-Term Games – Be part of businesses that focus on long-term value.
4. Reputation is Your Personal Brand – Build accountability, develop good judgment, and get paid for these qualities.
5. What It Really Means to Be Lucky – A fresh perspective on luck and "being lucky".
6. Some Familiar Ideas – Topics like focus and making work feel like play are covered, but these aren’t new to readers familiar with self-help books.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
This mostly lies in the second part of the book, titled Happiness.
Naval Ravikant makes certain recommendations on food and diet. At one point, he advised avoiding everything invented in the last 200 years. I doubt if it's possible for himself to follow this, given where he lives and the privileges he enjoys.
Another instance is when he says something to the effect of: "Remember, I’m just a poor boy from India with humble beginnings... If I can do it, anybody can." I understand the intent to inspire, but this feels like an overused script, doesn’t it? It may resonate well with Western readers who have a limited understanding of poverty in India. However, as an Indian reader, I found it questionable. A child whose parents separate and who moves with their mother to the USA still has certain advantages that many "poor" people here do not. (Of course, we only know a fraction of anyone’s life from the public domain, and I’ll be happy to be proven wrong here. If so, due apologies to Mr. Naval Ravikant.)
In the Wealth section (and parts of Happiness), Naval presents himself as a rationalist. However, he eventually resorts to the cliché: "I’m not religious, but I’m spiritual." Spirituality often leaves room for irrationality. While I agree with his advocacy for yoga and meditation—both of which have proven benefits—I would have preferred if he framed them as tools for mental health and well-being rather than labeling them as “spirituality.”
The Best Takeaway:
The biggest and best part of the book for me was the bonus section, where Naval recommends books to read. These are excellent selections, and I’ve added many of them to my TBR list.
Final Thoughts:
Ultimately, The Almanac served its purpose. I gained valuable insights that I plan to implement in my professional life.
A big thank you to Eric Jorgenson for his painstaking efforts in compiling this wealth of knowledge, and to Mr. Naval Ravikant for his selfless gesture of making this book freely available online.
informative
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
It is general advices you hear at your indian household. I asked my bookstore guy to suggest me something psychological/philosophical which i can start reading. Turns out it have some good advice but many times it sounds too much like those small short video on social media which doesn't come with action plans.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
medium-paced
informative
fast-paced
Book is kind of a mess. But that’s okay.
Some people think this is like a bible to live by and I disagree with that, but there’s some good nuggets in here to steal for your own life.
Good read overall.
3.75/5
Some people think this is like a bible to live by and I disagree with that, but there’s some good nuggets in here to steal for your own life.
Good read overall.
3.75/5
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
It was a great read in my opinion. There were a lot of wisdom nuggets relating to wealth creation, happiness and meaning of life.
One quote that personally resonated with me was 'Never skip your habit twice in a row'. It is a pretty good tweet compilation. There are also personal book recommendations from Naval which I am looking forward to read this year.
The book is free to download which is great. All in all, a good book to rewire how you perceive certain things and bring positive changes to your life.
One quote that personally resonated with me was 'Never skip your habit twice in a row'. It is a pretty good tweet compilation. There are also personal book recommendations from Naval which I am looking forward to read this year.
The book is free to download which is great. All in all, a good book to rewire how you perceive certain things and bring positive changes to your life.