The Almanack of Naval Ravikant
"All the returns in life, whether in wealth, relationships, or knowledge, come from compound interest."
— Naval Ravikant, The Almanack of Naval Ravikant (2020)
Introduction
| The Almanack of Naval Ravikant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Full title | The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness |
| Author | Eric Jorgenson |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Wealth; Happiness; Personal development |
| Genre | Nonfiction; Self-help |
| Publisher | Magrathea Publishing |
Publication date | 15 September 2020 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover, paperback); e-book; audiobook |
| Pages | 242 |
| ISBN | 978-1-5445-1421-5 |
| Goodreads rating | 4.4/5 (as of 8 November 2025) |
| Website | navalmanack.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
CapSach articles
References
- ↑ "Almanack of Naval Ravikant — topics index". Navalmanack.com. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ "TABLE OF CONTENTS — Almanack of Naval Ravikant". Navalmanack.com. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Scribe's Recent Releases: November 2024–March 2025". Scribe Media. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "The almanack of Naval Ravikant : a guide to wealth and happiness". National Library Board Catalogue. National Library Board Singapore. 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ↑ "7 Life Lessons on Creativity from building the Navalmanack". Navalmanack.com. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ "Der Almanach von Naval Ravikant (German edition, free PDF)" (PDF). FinanzBuch Verlag. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ "China's January Bestsellers: Managing Business and Education". Publishing Perspectives. 21 February 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant (paperback)". HarperCollins India. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ "These 6 books about freelancing kickstarted my business". Business Insider. 26 March 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "Devangi Nishar Parekh: 'I love larger-than-life couture'". The Week. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ Buffalmano, Lucio (2022). "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: Summary & Review". The Power Moves. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant Review — Wealth and Happiness Guide". Scalable Human. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ Lantz, Len (25 July 2025). "Book Review – The Almanack of Naval Ravikant". Psychiatry Resource. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ Ray, Abeer (24 June 2024). "How to set financial objectives to progress towards your financial goals". Mint. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ↑ "About Us". MIT Club of Singapore. Retrieved 9 November 2025.