This book is absolutely remarkable.
If you’re interested in finance, investing, macroeconomics, how to be a good person, how to be a productive individual or how to herald good company culture, this book is a MUST read. It has easily entered into my list of top 10 favorite books of all-time, and I see myself referencing it on a periodic basis throughout the rest of my life.
The first half of the book is awe-inspiring as Ray Dalio shares his life story and principles. It reminded me of the need to take risk, in both life and the markets. It ignited a latent fire in me that has been cast aside. It motivated me to take on the world. Then, Dalio flipped everything upside down and showed how easily everything can come crashing down, making me fear the worst of the unknown. It was an emotional rollercoaster and I was very drawn by every word he said. His summary was very well put: you’re never going to achieve anything unless you take sufficient risk, but you might also lose everything if you take on too much. Calculated risk was the key takeaway. Reading about his life was fascinating, learning about his principles was a spiritual journey, and I will gladly do so again.
The second half of the book was full profound knowledge, but definitely not as exciting as the first. It acts as more of a handbook which is worth reading through once, and referencing whenever a particular situation arises. I would occasionally lose interest in the sections that I hadn’t personally experienced, but be invigorated as he explained his solutions to problems I’ve faced myself. I’m really looking forward to the apps/tools he’s going to make available in the near future. I will definitely implement them myself when I start my own company.
Ray, thank you so much for sharing this with the world. I’m really looking forward to reading your next book on Economic Principles!