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Naval Ravikant on Reading, Happiness, Decision Making, Habits [audio] (farnamstreetblog.com)
192 points by lxm on March 19, 2017 | hide | past | favorite | 24 comments



I think the more you learn the more you basic your thinking becomes. I felt the same way listening to this podcast also, i.e. "my biggest priority is to workout in the morning" because health comes first.

It's like so many things in life are really simple but because of too much information and our nature to keep finding better, faster solutions, we keep getting lost. Consider for example, weight loss, there are a bazillion things on the internet about "Keto diet", "Paleo diet", this diet, that workout, but at the end of the day the formula is still as simple as calories in - calories out = weight loss.

Same goes for making money, there is an often cited pdf here about making money[1] written in 1880 which still beats most of the contemporary "cool" advice. The rules are simple and don't really change that much over time but we like to add layers and layers of our own stuff over it and then think to ourselves, gee look I've found the answers and my answer is the best answer.

[1] https://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/www/barnum/moneygetting/


> the formula is still as simple as calories in - calories out = weight loss.

That is only simple in theory. To make that actually work for yourself it helps to have an approach like a high-fat, low-carb diet (which suppresses hunger e.g.).


You know I kind of lost 8 kgs (17 lb) in a span of 3 months and I didn't follow any diets or fitness plans. I did started exercising but nothing vigorous.

The only thing I started doing religiously was to install the MyFitnessPal app on my Android home screen and then track each and every food item I ate in it. I did for 90 days meticulously, not missing to log a single food item.

And like a freaking program my weight started dropping every alternate day. It was I could predict I'd lost another 0.1 every morning. I think the app keeps adjusting the calories you're allowed everyday but I kinda of kept a 200 calorie buffer every day just in case. If you're interested in details you can see my reply to @xupydb in this thread[1]. I just want to mention that I had maintained my previous weight for at least last 5 years and it didn't move one decimal point before and boom started checking calories and it started dropping everyday.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13708768


If you're looking for more, Naval was also on the Tim Ferriss podcast a couple of times:

1. http://tim.blog/2015/08/18/the-evolutionary-angel-naval-ravi...

2. http://fourhourworkweek.com/2016/01/30/naval-ravikant-on-hap...



Twitter is worth joining if only to follow Naval's timeline (@naval). Many thought provoking insights and questions on a wide range of issues including philosophy and technology. He appears to be a true visionary to me. Thanks Naval!


He does offer some keen insights, but like everyone there is a mix of odd things in there. For example, he was a Benghazi truther and somewhat of a conspiracy theorist a few years ago.


Shaq believes the world is flat[0], I would still take his advice on how to play basketball. I think its necessary to compartmentalize peoples believes away from advice in the area there experts in. This only goes so far, if Richard Spencer wanted to teach me how to hit a hole in one in golf I'm good, he is a bad person and those views are too abhorrent to consider his other opinions.

[0] http://sports.yahoo.com/news/so-apparently-shaquille-oneal-i...


> he is a bad person those views are too abhorrent to consider his other opinions

Provided someone is well grounded in their our own core values, there should be no danger in simply listening to a person like Richard Spencer. I went out of my way to check him out after hearing about all the hate he was getting. While I disagree vehemently on the white nationalist stuff, I found he had a very refreshing take on a number of other topics. I wouldn't call him a 'bad' person either. Misguided, yes. The sort of misguided that, I suspect, comes from not exposing himself enough to the 'other'.


Really? I think he knows exactly what he's doing. He realized he could make a name (in infamy) for himself by co-opting the abomination that is the alt-right. And no, I don't really give a sh*t if he actually believes what he preaches. The damage is the same nonetheless.


True. Naval himself contradicted this towards the end of this podcast though, when he takes an example of a person who said a lot of interesting things, and then said that thermodynamics is not true, and then Naval says he has to discard everything this person said.


Shaq is one of maybe two people ever wbo could play badketball at a high level in his style. I would love to see him and wilt go head to head.


Ok. I listened to a _lot_ of podcasts. This one is probably one of the most interesting I ever heard.

I'm sharing you my personal notes of it: https://gist.github.com/BenderV/44901bac756ff3b8279d018eb1e2...


Thank you!


Even Tim Ferriss in his book has stated Naval's perspective are far above the rest.


Naval is one of the top spiritual and investing thought-leaders in silicon valley


It's a nice episode, but not profound like the way the comments suggest.

The comments feel like they're from either shills or those currying favor.


I'd say it's in the eye of the beholder.

You may not think it's profound, but I'm sure you know several people in your life who would. I believe we all do.

What is inspiring - to me - about Naval's podcasts is they're an encapsulation of - and blueprint for - a person's quest for knowledge and self understanding.

He is not passing himself off as a guru, or a know-it-all. He's just reading, learning, synthesizing and practicing and that's a formula that anyone can follow.

There are better ways to "curry favor" with someone than to post a comment on the Internet. :)


Overcast link for those interested (It's not linked on the farnam street blog): https://overcast.fm/+Ei1BFuA1Y


I heard this episode last month and this was such a fantastic interview. Naval is a gem, one of the best genuinely independent thinkers out there!


In case somebody's interested, Naval mentions a cool book that is not listed in the accompanying blog post : Thinking Physics, by Lewis Carroll Epstein.


Do you know which one in particular? I see two books by that author "Thinking Physics: Understandable Practical Reality" and "Thinking Physics: Practical Lessons in Critical Thinking" ?


It looks to me like they're the same book, only different editions.


His has been more like a great mentor to most of us. His thoughts/philosophy about life and recommendations has been great. Thanks Naval.




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