Chapter Content
Okay, so, this is kind of like, my notes, about this book, right? Basically, Naval, he's been, like, super generous sharing his wisdom forever, you know? And, like, millions of people around the world are actually following his advice on how to, uh, build wealth and, you know, live a happier life.
He's a total icon, especially in Silicon Valley, but really in the whole global startup scene. He's, like, built company after company, like, even during the dot-com bust, he started Epinions, and then AngelList later on. And, he's an angel investor too, like, super early on, betting on companies like Uber, Twitter, Postmates, you know, tons of them, hundreds actually.
But, what's really cool is it's not just about the money with Naval, right? He's also really, really open about sharing his whole life philosophy, his path to happiness, and that's what draws in readers and listeners from all over the world, I mean, literally. I think the reason he's so popular is because he's got both, you know? He's successful *and* happy. And that's, like, a super rare combination, you know? He’s spent his whole life, pretty much, researching and applying philosophy, economics, and the whole wealth creation thing. And he’s actually proven that his principles work.
And, to this day, he’s still got his own unique, almost, like, casual style of starting and investing in companies. But, at the same time, he’s healthy, he’s peaceful, and he’s living a really good life, you know? So, this book is basically a collection of all the wisdom that he’s shared. It's showing people how to achieve the same kind of thing that Naval has, you know?
Naval is, like, a really reflective founder, and a self-taught investor. He's also an engineer, and his life story is actually pretty inspiring and educational, if you ask me.
He always thinks from first principles, you know, like, stripping things down to the core, and he's not afraid to say what he really thinks. His ideas are usually really original, they make you think. He's got this ability to see past the surface, you know, and get to the heart of things. And honestly, it's totally changed the way I see the world, it really has.
I’ve learned so much from Naval, I mean, seriously. I've been studying his principles, you know, about wealth and happiness, through his writing and his audio stuff, and applying them to my own life, and honestly, I’ve gained a lot of peace, a lot of confidence. And I've learned to enjoy the journey, you know? I’ve studied his career, seeing the slow and steady perseverance, and seeing how consistency can lead to great things. I’ve really come to understand that one person *can* make a difference, a big one.
I'm always thinking about his ideas, and I recommend them to my friends, all the time, really. Conversations with friends have inspired me to put together this book, to help, you know, both people who are familiar with Naval and new readers learn from his wisdom.
This book is actually a collection of Naval’s best thoughts from the last ten years, from his tweets, his blog posts, and his podcast appearances. And it’s all in his own words, you know, so you're getting it straight from the source. With this book, you can, like, learn ideas that can change your life in just a few hours, seriously.
The whole reason I wanted to write this book is to help people out, basically. Tweets, podcasts, and interviews, they kind of disappear over time, they get buried, you know? But Naval’s valuable insights, they deserve to be preserved, in a more, like, lasting and accessible format. That was my mission, basically.
I'm hoping this book will serve as an intro to Naval’s way of thinking. I've gathered his most powerful and useful ideas. Again, it’s all in his own words, and I’ve put them into a logical order, you know, with chapters and everything, so people can easily find what they're looking for.
Before I make an investment, I always go back to the sections on investing. And whenever I’m feeling down, I read the chapters on happiness, you know? The process of writing this book has actually changed *me*, too, you know? I feel clearer, more confident, and more at peace in pretty much every area of my life. And I'm really hoping this book can do the same for you.
So, the book's set up so you can, like, pick a specific topic and read the relevant chapters. You can kind of choose your own adventure, you know? And, if Naval hasn’t replied to your email, well, hopefully this book will be your second best option and give you some really helpful advice.
So, this book is an introduction to Naval, and it focuses on the two topics he's written and spoken the most about: wealth and happiness. If you want to learn more about Naval and his other ideas, check out the “Further Learning About Naval” section at the end of the book. I've included chapters I ended up cutting and some other good resources there.
All the best.