The 6 most classic lines from ‘The Navalmanack,’ each one hits the mark.
Some say that the two biggest anxieties of modern people are one’s bank account balance and worries about health.
The former concerns wealth, while the latter concerns happiness.
These two anxieties can largely make people lose their sense of security and stability.
The vast majority of people toil away their lives not because they can’t make money, but because they can’t find happiness, living their lives in poverty, mediocrity, and suffering.
Is there anything that can enlighten us in making money and give us tips to avoid pitfalls in pursuing happiness?
The answer lies in ‘The Navalmanack’ book.
Silicon Valley investor Naval Ravikant shares his principles and methods for accumulating wealth and living a happy life in the book.
Some say that the previous generation of entrepreneurs used ‘Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger’ to solve problems, while the new generation of young people should use ‘The Navalmanack’ for guidance.
These 6 lines from the book hope to help you get closer to the happiness you desire.”
1
Only by taking a different path can you avoid competition.
Essentially, competition is a form of imitation; it means you’re doing the same thing as others.
If others do something, and you do the same thing but even more, then they see you stepping up, and they’ll also step up.
This naturally leads to an endless cycle where neither side gains an advantage.
However, in this cycle, there are no real winners, only small victories where both sides suffer losses.
To avoid this low-level competition, the best approach is to forge your path.
2
If you find it hard to decide, the answer is no.
Throughout life, everyone has to face many difficult choices, such as: Should I continue dating this person? Should I accept this job?
If you’re struggling to make a decision, the answer is no.
Because if the answer were yes, you wouldn’t be experiencing this kind of indecision and hesitation; you would have already gone ahead and done it.
You should understand that when people face something they truly want to do or someone they genuinely love, they are determined and committed, and nothing can hold them back.
The reason for the indecision and hesitation is that you are still weighing the pros and cons, calculating the gains and losses.
Weighing and calculating imply that neither is truly important and both are replaceable.
This is a manifestation of human greed, always wanting to have it all, and at the same time, it’s influenced by our “loss aversion,” where choosing one thing feels like a sacrifice of another.
So, the next time you’re faced with a choice, remember to remind yourself: It’s very easy to choose something you truly love, sometimes without even needing to make a choice.
Any choice that makes you feel uneasy can be refused or let go, because it means deep down, you don’t want it.
3
If you disdain wealth creation in your heart, wealth will stay away from you.
Many people fall into such a state: they want to make big money, but they also feel superior, deep down they regard money as dirt, unable to let go of their pride, believing that one should live at a spiritual height.
But the universe comes with its magnetic field and energy, the law of attraction tells us: that you attract what you are; you get what you want.
If you want money, but keep saying money isn’t important, money is the root of all evil, rejecting money in your heart, then money won’t actively seek you out.
Plant a phoenix tree and you’ll attract phoenixes, this is a positive attraction.
Block the road in front of your door, but hope for friends and family to come, this is self-blocking, deceiving oneself and others.
Wealth is like a magnet, it only attracts those who truly want to get close to it, while it also avoids those who despise and resist it.
It’s not just wealth, health, happiness, opportunities, luck, and many other things are the same.
When you want something, you must first respect it, face it squarely, and then work hard to improve yourself, so that you have the qualities and abilities that match it, and those things will naturally come to you.”
4
Anger itself is a form of punishment
In life, everyone experiences moments of anger due to certain people or events. Some react with mere glaring eyes and harsh words, while others may slam their fists or even resort to physical violence.
At times, we may perceive expressing anger as a warning or punishment to others. However, in reality, anger primarily serves as a warning and punishment to oneself.
Anger is a sign, it warns us: that you’re starting to lose control, and this is a precursor to violence.
Simultaneously, anger signifies your consent for these negative emotions to enter your body, mind, and soul, allowing them to inflict harm upon you.
Anger is a double-edged sword, as it hurts others, it also wounds oneself.
As the saying goes: ‘An angry person tries to drown you, but in the process, he’s also drowning himself.’
When a person is angry, it indicates they have lost control over the situation or person, leaving them with only anger as a response.
Therefore, whenever possible, seek better solutions instead of resorting to anger to express yourself.
5
‘I don’t have time’ simply means ‘this is not a priority for me.’
You may have had similar experiences:
You want to learn a new skill, but you haven’t taken any action. When asked about it, you say, ‘I’m too busy, I don’t have time’;
Given a task by your boss, you procrastinate for days and when questioned, you say, ‘I don’t have time, things are piling up.’
Being busy and claiming to have no time is indeed the daily reality for many people, but most of the time, it’s more like a feeble excuse.
The meaning of this excuse is: that those things are not my top priorities.
If something is crucial to you, something you absolutely must do at the moment, with serious consequences if left undone, even if you claim to have no time, you will make time for it.
Only things of lesser importance are brushed off with ‘I don’t have time’ as an excuse for delay.
Therefore, be wary of every ‘I don’t have time’ you utter, carefully distinguishing between genuinely not having time and simply not wanting to do something.
For things you truly want to do, there’s no such thing as ‘not having time’; you will find ways to push other tasks aside and prioritize them.
As for things you don’t want to do, just strike them off your to-do list, don’t let them linger there, becoming a tiny thorn that denies yourself and breeds guilt in your heart.
6
Truly intelligent people never take shortcuts.
In life, many fantasize about shortcuts.
Some want to gain without effort, some wish for overnight wealth, and some desire instant fame.
Shortcuts indeed allow us to take quicker routes, saving time and effort, but at the same time, they also make us miss out on the scenery and many valuable opportunities for experience and growth.
There’s a saying: ‘There are no wasted steps in life; every step counts.’
The roads you avoid may temporarily give you a sense of superiority, but ultimately, they cannot contribute significantly to your life.
Debts must be repaid; deficiencies must be filled.
As the writer Stefan Zweig said, ‘All gifts bestowed by fate already have their prices marked in the dark.’
You may think you’re gaining a big advantage by taking shortcuts, but in reality, the hidden losses will need to be repaid bit by bit in your future life.
Just like prematurely ripened fruit, it won’t be sweet; and forcefully elongated seedlings will eventually wither.
Life is about the process, not just the destination. Many shortcuts may seem smooth on the surface, but they often conceal deep pits and traps.
Smart people know that the road must be taken step by step, while only foolish people wish to leap to the summit in a single bound.
