Principles are ways of successfully dealing with reality to get what you want out of life.
Ray Dalio, one of the world’s most successful investors and entrepreneurs, cites principles as his key to success.
In 1975, Ray Dalio founded Bridgewater Associates, out of his two-bedroom apartment in New York City. Over forty years later, Bridgewater has grown into the largest hedge fund in the world and the fifth most important private company in the United States (according to Fortune magazine), and Dalio himself has been named to TIME’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Along the way Dalio discovered unique principles that have led to his and Bridgewater’s unique success. It is these principles, and not anything special about Dalio, that he believes are the reason behind whatever success he has had. He is now at a stage in his life that he wants to pass these principles along to others for them to judge for themselves and to do whatever they want with them.
Life Principle
Don't confuse goals with desires.
A proper goal is something that you really need to achieve. Desires are things that you want that can prevent you from reaching your goals. Typically, desires are first-order consequences. For example, your goal might be physical fitness, while your desire is to eat good-tasting but unhealthy food. Don't get me wrong, if you want to be a couch potato, that's fine with me. You can pursue whatever goals you want. But if you don't want to be a couch potato, then you better not open that bag of chips.
RECENT USER EXCHANGES
What is your current goal?
My current goal is to transition well from my second stage in my life to the third stage in my life well. To me, life exists in three very distinct stages. In the first, one is dependent on others and one learns. This typically takes the form of being raised by one's parents and going to school. In the second phase of one's life, you work and others become dependent on you and try to be successful at both (e.g. successfully handle the work-life balance challenge). In the third and last phase, one is free of all of obligations. I’m in the transition stage from the second to the third phase in my life so the thing I want most is to pass along what I have learned to others and for them to be good without me. What I’m most eager to pass along is what I learned about how the world works and principles for dealing with it well - my life, work, economic and investment principles.
Life Principle
- Use the 5-Step Process to Get What You Want Out of Life
- Have clear goals.
- Don't confuse goals with desires.
- Have clear goals.
Any person or organization can adopt Principles to better achieve their goals.
Learn what Principles are and how they are applied at Principles.com
