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
Get to know your blind spots.
When you are closed-minded and form an opinion in an area where you have a blind spot, it can be deadly. So take some time to record the circumstances in which you've consistently made bad decisions because you failed to see what others saw. Ask others--especially those who've seen what you've missed-- to help you with this. Write a list, tack it up on the wall, and stare at it. If ever you find yourself about to make a decision (especially a big decision) in one of these areas without consulting others, understand that you're taking a big risk and that it would be illogical to expect that you'll get the results you think you will.
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How can you uncover your blind spots if you're blind to them?
Showing a person who has blind spots to see what they can’t see is like teaching a blind person to see with the help of others. First, make sure that they see the pain of bumping into those items that they didn’t say and then show them how they can rely on others who can see well what they are unable to see.
There are no blind spots in thinking—only gaps in experience.
I disagree. There are blindspots — I.e., there are types of thinking or types of thinking that people are naturally good and bad at.
What and how we say things shapes how others speak to us. When our communication attitude is poor, people either fall silent or resort to flattery. When we communicate positively, people are far more willing to share their real opinions.
That’s good advice.
Life Principle
- Be Radically Open-Minded
- Understand how you can become radically open-minded.
- Get to know your blind spots.
- Understand how you can become radically open-minded.
Any person or organization can adopt Principles to better achieve their goals.
Learn what Principles are and how they are applied at Principles.com
