Principles
Life and Work
by Ray Dalio · first published 2017
56% recommend34% neutral10% critical
Why HN recommends it
Lays out how to get what you want by facing reality, codifying decisions, and building a meritocratic culture of radical truth and transparency; useful for founders, managers, and anyone systematizing work and life.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Bridgewater Associates founder, Ray Dalio, offers a five-step process to getting what you want out of life, which involves systemizing everything to run like a machine — which can then be fine-tuned.
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…Martin Don't Make Me Think - Steve Krug Functional Design Patterns for Express.js - Jonathan Lee Martin The Surrender Experiment - Michael A. Singer The best books I've ever read: Principles - Ray Dalio The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle The Effective Executive - Peter F. Drucker Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill Extreme Ownership - Jocko Willink, Leif Babin Influence…
on “Ask HN: Books you plan to read in 2020?” ↗“The slow one now will later be fast / for the times they are a Changin’” -Bob Dylan Loved reading “Principles” by Dalio. Great read. I find it apparent that the U.S. is declining while China is in a prime position to reach new heights. The U.S. greatest competitive advantage has been culture which is quickly…
on “The Changing World Order” ↗Principles by Ray Dalio changed my life and really helped me better understand that inwardly looking at and analyzing my emotional responses to problems at work and home set me up for failure and since reading…
on “Ask HN: Best books you read in the past decade?” ↗These are my 10 favourites: - Total Freedom by J Krishnamurti - Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard’s Almanack: Benjamin Franklin - Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio - The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius by Marcus Aurelius - 10% Human: How Your Body’s Microbes Hold the Key to Health and Happiness by Alanna Collen - Zen and the Art of…
on “Ask HN: What are some interesting books you read in 2017?” ↗…them to be in the future. As the title suggests, a pragmatic take on building code-driven systems. — Design of Everyday Things By Don Norman The OG design-thinking before IDEO corporatized it. — Principles By Ray Dalio "Principles are ways of successfully dealing with reality to get what you want out of life." This book influenced me to distill how we take action and prioritize and how we decide as a…
on “Ask HN: Which books do you consider real gems in your field of work/study?” ↗…https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Matter-Novel-Blake-Crouch/dp/110... Principle: Life and Work, Ray Dalio (Business & Decision- Making) - Very interesting and thoughtful book around building a meritocracy. https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Life-Work-Ray-Dalio/dp/150...
on “Ask HN: What is the best book you read on 2017?” ↗1. Principles by Ray Dalio https://www.principles.com/ 2. Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
on “Ask HN: Any recommended books on developing mental models?” ↗I am really glad to see Mans Search for Meaning on here for another year in a row. It is a short read with a very powerful message. A few others I would really like to see on this list would be: - Principles by Ray Dalio - Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday - Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
on “YC’s 2018 Summer Reading List” ↗…have tried to build a business and failed then read “The Anatomy of Peace” or “Leadership and Self Deception” same writer, same message. If you have build a business and want to do it even better, then “Principles” by Ray Dalio Both are about mindset and worldview - something I am learning now is much more important in tools and marketing hacks and knowing what to do in every situation.
on “Ask HN: As a technical founder what is the best business book you've read?” ↗Principles by Ray Dalio, completely changed the way I think. Currently in the middle of thinking fast and slow, and I think it may be happening again :p
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗Anything about leverage. Here are the ones I read that were helpful. The second two are engineering-specific, but Principles is domain agnostic. * Principles: https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Life-Work-Ray-Dalio/dp/150... * The Effective Engineer: https://www.amazon.com/Effective-Engineer-Engineering-Dispro... * High Output…
on “Ask HN: What are the best books for professional effectiveness?” ↗Principles by Ray Dalio
on “Ask HN: Best books for dealing with workplace politics and dishonesty?” ↗Principles by Ray Dalio. My interpretation is that this book shows 'how to get what you want'. That sounds so far up the chain of abstraction and generality, that it’s easy to dismiss the book. Don’t! The book…
on “Ask HN: Book Recommendations?” ↗Principles by Ray Dalio This is a good start for crafting better mental models and thought frameworks before engaging others in meetings.
on “Ask HN: What are the books you wish your colleagues had read?” ↗- Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio - Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss - Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman ~10 SQL Server/DW/BI books (not just on the desk but scattered everywhere)
on “Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?” ↗