"Read what you love until you love to read. Then, read what you need." — Naval Ravikant
Welcome to Post #100!
We have reached a major milestone today. Over the last 99 posts, we have discussed money, mindset, habits, and productivity. But all of that knowledge came from one single source: Reading.
In Part 8 of our Almanack of Naval Ravikant series, we unlock the ultimate superpower. How does Naval know so much? Is he a genius? No. He is just a relentless reader. If you can read, you can download the brain of the smartest people in history for $10.
1. The Golden Rule: Read What You Love
Most people hate reading because school ruined it. They were forced to read boring textbooks.
Naval's advice is revolutionary: "Read what you love until you love to read."
If you like comic books, read comic books. If you like romance novels, read them. If you like sci-fi, devour it.
The Goal: Build the habit of reading. Once reading becomes as natural as brushing your teeth, you will automatically get bored of simple books and move to complex ones (Philosophy, Science, History).
2. The Math of Being in the Top 0.1%
People say "I don't have time." Let's look at the math.
• An average reader reads 20 pages an hour.
• If you read 1 hour a day, that’s 20 pages.
• 20 pages x 365 days = 7,300 pages.
• An average book is 250 pages.
• Result: You will read ~30 books a year.
In 5 years, that is 150 books. If you read 150 books on any topic (e.g., Marketing, Coding, Investing), you will be in the top 0.1% of experts in the world. All it takes is 1 hour a day.
3. The Lindy Effect: Read Old Books
Stop reading the "New York Times Bestsellers" of this month. Most of them will be forgotten in 5 years.
The Lindy Effect: The life expectancy of a non-perishable thing (like a book) is equal to its current age.
• If a book has been relevant for 50 years, it will likely be relevant for another 50.
• If a book was published last week, it might vanish next week.
Read Darwin, Adam Smith, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. They solved the fundamental problems of humanity. The "News" is noise; "History" is signal.
4. The Foundations: Master the Basics
Naval says: "I don't want to be an expert in the current trend. I want to be an expert in the foundations."
If you understand the basics, you can predict the future. Focus on:
- Microeconomics: How people react to incentives (Supply/Demand).
- Game Theory: How people cooperate and compete.
- Psychology: Why people do what they do (Biases).
- Physics/Math: The laws of the universe (First Principles).
- Evolution: How we got here.
5. Real-Life Examples (Indian Context)
The "Course Book" Mentality
In India, we read to pass exams. Once the exam is over, we throw the book away. This is Learning for Status.
The Self-Taught Billionaire: Look at Zerodha's Nithin Kamath. He didn't learn trading in college. He read every book on the stock market out of curiosity. He read "Technical Analysis" manuals when others were reading novels. That "Permissionless Education" built a billion-dollar empire.
Treat Books Like Blogs
You don't have to finish a book. If Chapter 1 is boring, skip to Chapter 3. If the book is bad, throw it away.
Your goal is Wisdom, not a trophy for "Finishing Books." In the age of reels, the person who can read a 500-page book has a competitive advantage that no degree can give.
Key Takeaways
- It's an Investment: A $10 book can give you a $10 Million idea. The ROI is infinite.
- Re-Read: It is better to read the 10 best books 100 times than to read 1000 books once. Absorb the mindset.
- Quit Often: Most books should be skimmed. A few should be read. Only the best should be re-read.
- Audiobooks Count: Don't be a snob. Information is information. Listen while you commute.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: I fall asleep when I read. What to do?
A: You are reading boring books. Switch genres. Or, read in the morning when you are fresh, not at night in bed.
Q2: Kindle or Physical Books?
A: Whatever reduces friction. Naval prefers Kindle/iPad because he can carry 1000 books. Physical books are great for focus (no notifications).
Q3: How do I remember what I read?
A: Don't try to memorize. Try to understand. If you understand the logic, you don't need to memorize the facts. Also, take notes or teach it to someone (Feynman Technique).
Up next: Part 9 – The Naval Ravikant Summary (The Ultimate Checklist).
📚 Credit & Disclaimer:
This post is a summary based on the bestseller "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant" by Eric Jorgenson. Content is for educational purposes only.
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