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| website = [https://www.navalmanack.com navalmanack.com]
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'''''The Almanack of Naval Ravikant''''' is a 2020 compilation by Eric Jorgenson that curates Naval Ravikant’s tweets, podcasts, and essays into a single volume; the first edition features a foreword by Tim Ferriss, illustrations by Jack Butcher, and a freely available PDF edition. <ref name="NavalSite">{{cite web |title=Almanack of Naval Ravikant |url=https://www.navalmanack.com/ |website=Navalmanack.com |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref><ref name="NavalPDF2020" />
Across short, aphoristic passages, the book lays out frameworks such as “specific knowledge,” leverage, long-term games, accountability, judgment, and clear thinking to build wealth and cultivate happiness. <ref>{{cite web |title=Almanack of Naval Ravikant — topics index |url=https://www.navalmanack.com/almanack-of-naval-ravikant |website=Navalmanack.com |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref>
It is organized into two main parts—Wealth and Happiness—followed by a bonus section of reading and links; Jorgenson frames it explicitly as a guide to consult rather than a step-by-step manual. <ref name="NavalPDF2020" /><ref>{{cite web |title=TABLE OF CONTENTS — Almanack of Naval Ravikant |url=https://www.navalmanack.com/almanack-of-naval-ravikant/table-of-contents |website=Navalmanack.com |date=17 September 2020 |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref>
By 2024–2025, the publisher and author reported over one million copies sold worldwide and more than four million free digital copies distributed; the project has also spawned 30-plus translations hosted and linked from the official site. <ref name="HCI2024PR">{{cite news |title=HarperCollins presents The Anthology of Balaji: A Guide to Technology, Truth, and Building the Future by Eric Jorgenson |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/harpercollins-presents-the-anthology-of-balaji-a-guide-to-technology-truth-and-building-the-future-by-eric-jorgenson-302050300.html |work=PR Newswire |date=1 February 2024 |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref><ref name="ScribeReleases2025">{{cite web |title=Scribe’s Recent Releases: November 2024–March 2025 |url=https://scribemedia.com/scribes-recent-releases-november-2024-march-2025/ |website=Scribe Media |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref><ref name="NavalTranslations">{{cite web |title=Translations of the Almanack of Naval Ravikant |url=https://www.navalmanack.com/translations |website=Navalmanack.com |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref>


== Chapter summary ==
== Chapter summary ==
Line 120: Line 125:


👤 '''44 – About the Author.'''
👤 '''44 – About the Author.'''

== Background & reception ==

🖋️ '''Author & writing'''. Jorgenson describes the book as a curated “almanack” assembled from a decade of Naval Ravikant’s public writing and interviews, with a process that emphasized free digital access, modular reading, and community-driven translations. <ref name="EJ2020" /> He also documented creative choices and constraints while “building the Navalmanack,” reinforcing the project’s collage-like voice and aphoristic register. <ref>{{cite web |title=7 Life Lessons on Creativity from building the Navalmanack |url=https://www.navalmanack.com/blog-posts/creativity |website=Navalmanack.com |date=8 September 2020 |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref> The finished volume explicitly positions itself as a consultable guide rather than a prescriptive program, and credits Tim Ferriss (foreword) and Jack Butcher (illustrations). <ref name="NavalPDF2020" /><ref name="NavalSite" />

📈 '''Commercial reception'''. The publisher and author state that the book has sold more than 1,000,000 copies worldwide and that over 4,000,000 digital copies have been given away for free (2024–2025). <ref name="HCI2024PR" /><ref name="ScribeReleases2025" /> International editions include a German translation from FinanzBuch Verlag (2021) and a Chinese edition from CITIC Publishing (2022), reflecting broad rights uptake. <ref name="FBV2021">{{cite web |title=Der Almanach von Naval Ravikant (German edition, free PDF) |url=https://fbv-shop.de/wp-content/uploads/almanach/Der-Almanach.pdf |website=FinanzBuch Verlag |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref><ref name="PP2025">{{cite news |title=China's January Bestsellers: Managing Business and Education |url=https://publishingperspectives.com/2025/02/china-bestsellers-in-january-managing-business-and-education/ |work=Publishing Perspectives |date=21 February 2025 |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref> A South Asian trade edition from HarperCollins India further signaled commercial reach. <ref>{{cite web |title=The Almanack of Naval Ravikant (paperback) |url=https://harpercollins.co.in/product/the-almanack-of-naval-ravikant-paperback/ |website=HarperCollins India |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref>

👍 '''Praise'''. Business Insider highlighted the book as a freelancing/entrepreneurship pick, calling it a compilation that “helped me put my ambitions into perspective.” <ref name="BI2023">{{cite news |title=These 6 books about freelancing kickstarted my business |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-freelance-books-for-new-entrepreneurs-2023-3 |work=Business Insider |date=26 March 2023 |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref> India’s Mint wrote that “merely reading [the book] may leave you in awe,” noting its blend of investing principles and personal philosophy. <ref name="Mint2024a">{{cite news |last=Ray |first=Abeer |title=Naval Ravikant's 5 investing mantras for achieving long-term success |url=https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/naval-ravikants-5-investing-mantras-for-achieving-long-term-success-principles-stock-market-investments-lessons-11718895752738.html |work=Mint |date=21 June 2024 |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref> The Week described it as “full of thoughtful leadership and life insights,” in a reading feature with a business leader. <ref name="TheWeek2024">{{cite news |title=Devangi Nishar Parekh: 'I love larger-than-life couture' |url=https://www.theweek.in/leisure/lifestyle/2024/08/16/devangi-nishar-parekh-i-love-larger-than-life-couture.html |work=The Week |date=16 August 2024 |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref>

👎 '''Criticism'''. The Power Moves’ review praised the ideas but argued the book mixes “strong insights” with “less impressive takes and pop self-optimization fads.” <ref name="PowerMoves">{{cite web |last=Buffalmano |first=Lucio |title=The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: Summary & Review |url=https://thepowermoves.com/the-almanack-of-naval-ravikant-book-summary-review/ |website=The Power Moves |date=2022 |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref> Another review noted that, as a curated compilation, it can feel repetitive and fragmented relative to a conventional narrative. <ref name="ScalableHuman">{{cite web |title=The Almanack of Naval Ravikant Review — Wealth and Happiness Guide |url=https://scalablehuman.com/2025/03/12/the-almanack-of-naval-ravikant-review-wealth-and-happiness-guide/ |website=Scalable Human |date=12 March 2025 |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref> A physician-reviewer cautioned that readers seeking a step-by-step “recipe” may be disappointed by its aphoristic format. <ref name="Lantz2025">{{cite web |last=Lantz |first=Len |title=Book Review – The Almanack of Naval Ravikant |url=https://psychiatryresource.com/bookreviews/the-almanack-of-naval-ravikant-review |website=Psychiatry Resource |date=25 July 2025 |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref>

🌍 '''Impact & adoption'''. Beyond trade sales, the team curates an official translations hub with completed versions across dozens of languages, supporting open access and community uptake. <ref name="NavalTranslations" /> Business publications in India have repeatedly referenced the book in profiles and advice columns, reflecting ongoing influence in entrepreneurial culture. <ref name="Mint2024a" /><ref>{{cite news |title=How to set financial objectives to progress towards your financial goals |url=https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/how-to-set-financial-objectives-to-progress-towards-your-financial-goals-here-are-4-key-ways-savings-investments-11718993280597.html |work=Mint |date=24 June 2024 |access-date=9 November 2025 |last=Ray |first=Abeer}}</ref> Alumni groups and reading lists have also recommended the free edition to their communities, underscoring its broad accessibility. <ref>{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://alumcommunity.mit.edu/topics/29889/page/about-us |website=MIT Club of Singapore |access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref>


== Related content & more ==
== Related content & more ==

Revision as of 13:54, 9 November 2025

"“Clear thinker” is a better compliment than “smart.”"

— Naval Ravikant, The Almanack of Naval Ravikant (2020)

Introduction

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant
Full titleThe Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness
AuthorEric Jorgenson
LanguageEnglish
SubjectWealth; Happiness; Personal development
GenreNonfiction; Self-help
PublisherMagrathea Publishing
Publication date
15 September 2020
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardcover, paperback); e-book; audiobook
Pages242
ISBN978-1-5445-1421-5
Goodreads rating4.4/5  (as of 8 November 2025)
Websitenavalmanack.com

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant is a 2020 compilation by Eric Jorgenson that curates Naval Ravikant’s tweets, podcasts, and essays into a single volume; the first edition features a foreword by Tim Ferriss, illustrations by Jack Butcher, and a freely available PDF edition. [1][2] Across short, aphoristic passages, the book lays out frameworks such as “specific knowledge,” leverage, long-term games, accountability, judgment, and clear thinking to build wealth and cultivate happiness. [3] It is organized into two main parts—Wealth and Happiness—followed by a bonus section of reading and links; Jorgenson frames it explicitly as a guide to consult rather than a step-by-step manual. [2][4] By 2024–2025, the publisher and author reported over one million copies sold worldwide and more than four million free digital copies distributed; the project has also spawned 30-plus translations hosted and linked from the official site. [5][6][7]

Chapter summary

This outline follows the Magrathea Publishing paperback edition (2020; ISBN 978-1-5445-1421-5).[2] Publication announcement (September 2020).[8] Catalog record: National Library Board, Singapore (2020).[9]

I – Wealth

💡 1 – Understand How Wealth Is Created.

🔬 2 – Find and Build Specific Knowledge.

♟️ 3 – Play Long-Term Games with Long-Term People.

🛡️ 4 – Take on Accountability.

📈 5 – Build or Buy Equity in a Business.

🏗️ 6 – Find a Position of Leverage.

⚖️ 7 – Get Paid for Your Judgment.

🎯 8 – Prioritize and Focus.

🎮 9 – Find Work That Feels Like Play.

🍀 10 – How to Get Lucky.

⏳ 11 – Be Patient.

🧑‍⚖️ 12 – Judgment.

🧠 13 – How to Think Clearly.

🪞 14 – Shed Your Identity to See Reality.

🧮 15 – Learn the Skills of Decision-Making.

🧩 16 – Collect Mental Models.

📚 17 – Learn to Love to Read.

II – Happiness

🏫 18 – Happiness Is Learned.

✅ 19 – Happiness Is a Choice.

🌅 20 – Happiness Requires Presence.

☮️ 21 – Happiness Requires Peace.

🎭 22 – Every Desire Is a Chosen Unhappiness.

🏆 23 – Success Does Not Earn Happiness.

😒 24 – Envy Is the Enemy of Happiness.

🧱 25 – Happiness Is Built by Habits.

🤲 26 – Find Happiness in Acceptance.

🧍 27 – Choosing to Be Yourself.

🫶 28 – Choosing to Care for Yourself.

🧘 29 – Meditation + Mental Strength.

🛠️ 30 – Choosing to Build Yourself.

🌱 31 – Choosing to Grow Yourself.

🕊️ 32 – Choosing to Free Yourself.

❓ 33 – The Meanings of Life.

🧭 34 – Live by Your Values.

🪷 35 – Rational Buddhism.

🕰️ 36 – The Present Is All We Have.

III – Bonus

📖 37 – Naval’s Recommended Reading.

📘 38 – Books.

🔗 39 – Other Recommendations.

✍️ 40 – Naval’s Writing.

⏭️ 41 – Next on Naval.

🙏 42 – Appreciation.

📎 43 – Sources.

👤 44 – About the Author.

Background & reception

🖋️ Author & writing. Jorgenson describes the book as a curated “almanack” assembled from a decade of Naval Ravikant’s public writing and interviews, with a process that emphasized free digital access, modular reading, and community-driven translations. [8] He also documented creative choices and constraints while “building the Navalmanack,” reinforcing the project’s collage-like voice and aphoristic register. [10] The finished volume explicitly positions itself as a consultable guide rather than a prescriptive program, and credits Tim Ferriss (foreword) and Jack Butcher (illustrations). [2][1]

📈 Commercial reception. The publisher and author state that the book has sold more than 1,000,000 copies worldwide and that over 4,000,000 digital copies have been given away for free (2024–2025). [5][6] International editions include a German translation from FinanzBuch Verlag (2021) and a Chinese edition from CITIC Publishing (2022), reflecting broad rights uptake. [11][12] A South Asian trade edition from HarperCollins India further signaled commercial reach. [13]

👍 Praise. Business Insider highlighted the book as a freelancing/entrepreneurship pick, calling it a compilation that “helped me put my ambitions into perspective.” [14] India’s Mint wrote that “merely reading [the book] may leave you in awe,” noting its blend of investing principles and personal philosophy. [15] The Week described it as “full of thoughtful leadership and life insights,” in a reading feature with a business leader. [16]

👎 Criticism. The Power Moves’ review praised the ideas but argued the book mixes “strong insights” with “less impressive takes and pop self-optimization fads.” [17] Another review noted that, as a curated compilation, it can feel repetitive and fragmented relative to a conventional narrative. [18] A physician-reviewer cautioned that readers seeking a step-by-step “recipe” may be disappointed by its aphoristic format. [19]

🌍 Impact & adoption. Beyond trade sales, the team curates an official translations hub with completed versions across dozens of languages, supporting open access and community uptake. [7] Business publications in India have repeatedly referenced the book in profiles and advice columns, reflecting ongoing influence in entrepreneurial culture. [15][20] Alumni groups and reading lists have also recommended the free edition to their communities, underscoring its broad accessibility. [21]

Related content & more

YouTube videos

Load video
YouTube
Animated summary by Four Minute Books (7 min)
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Joe Rogan Experience #1309 — Naval on wealth & happiness (153 min)

CapSach articles

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Four Thousand Weeks

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Make Your Bed

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The Compound Effect

Cover of books

CS/Self-improvement book summaries


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Almanack of Naval Ravikant". Navalmanack.com. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Jorgenson, Eric (2020). "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant (full PDF)" (PDF). Navalmanack.com. Magrathea Publishing. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  3. ↑ "Almanack of Naval Ravikant — topics index". Navalmanack.com. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  4. ↑ "TABLE OF CONTENTS — Almanack of Naval Ravikant". Navalmanack.com. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "HarperCollins presents The Anthology of Balaji: A Guide to Technology, Truth, and Building the Future by Eric Jorgenson". PR Newswire. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Scribe's Recent Releases: November 2024–March 2025". Scribe Media. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Translations of the Almanack of Naval Ravikant". Navalmanack.com. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jorgenson, Eric (15 September 2020). "Six Innovations on the idea of a Book from the Navalmanack". Eric Jorgenson. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  9. ↑ "The almanack of Naval Ravikant : a guide to wealth and happiness". National Library Board Catalogue. National Library Board Singapore. 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  10. ↑ "7 Life Lessons on Creativity from building the Navalmanack". Navalmanack.com. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "Der Almanach von Naval Ravikant (German edition, free PDF)" (PDF). FinanzBuch Verlag. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  12. ↑ "China's January Bestsellers: Managing Business and Education". Publishing Perspectives. 21 February 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  13. ↑ "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant (paperback)". HarperCollins India. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  14. ↑ "These 6 books about freelancing kickstarted my business". Business Insider. 26 March 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Ray, Abeer (21 June 2024). "Naval Ravikant's 5 investing mantras for achieving long-term success". Mint. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  16. ↑ "Devangi Nishar Parekh: 'I love larger-than-life couture'". The Week. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  17. ↑ Buffalmano, Lucio (2022). "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: Summary & Review". The Power Moves. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  18. ↑ "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant Review — Wealth and Happiness Guide". Scalable Human. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  19. ↑ Lantz, Len (25 July 2025). "Book Review – The Almanack of Naval Ravikant". Psychiatry Resource. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  20. ↑ Ray, Abeer (24 June 2024). "How to set financial objectives to progress towards your financial goals". Mint. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  21. ↑ "About Us". MIT Club of Singapore. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
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