I'm Just a Monkey with a Plan
Hey everyone,
This week I haven't been able to stop thinking about this quote:
"Don't take yourself so seriously, you're just a monkey with a plan" - Naval Ravikant
I got it from a book called The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson. Naval Ravikant is a well known and insanely successful angel investor (someone who gives money to small businesses to get equity in return), and has become a popular figure online through his twitter and various podcasts. An almanack (in this instance) is just a collection of all of the things that he has said or written online, and Eric has collected them into one book, organised into two categories: wealth and happiness.
These are the two things that Naval loves to talk about, and he's incredibly good at talking about them.
The quote above is just one of many examples of his ability to reason from first principles and explain things in a way that is relatable and engaging. I think the reason it particularly resonated with me is because I have had a clear plan that has been on my mind a lot for the past six months. The big vision has been building some kind of online business but mainly right now making at least one video every week. At times, it has dominated both my mind and my life, and this quote humbled me.
It might not always look that time-consuming or effortful from the outside, I'm not sure really it's hard to tell, but I'm often so excited/obsessed about various things that I can't stop thinking about them (I'm not totally sure why tbh, I think I just feel like it's an opportunity to do something cool and I want to capitalise on it).
I sometimes worry that this venture might lead or has already led to an inflated ego and things like that, because I get nice messages online and constantly watch myself lol, so I try to stay pretty on top of it. This quote was a nice reminder of my humanity.
I am just a monkey with a plan. Not everyone sees the world like this, but I do believe we are the products of evolution and I find this first principle approach comforting and grounding. I am nothing more than an animal with desires, and some ideas of how to fulfil them.
Naval has changed my life. It's not too dramatic to say that. A friend recommended a podcast with him back in September 2021, and I have been obsessed with him ever since. I listen to his podcasts a lot and have now got round to reading his book. It's not written by him but it's basically everything that he's ever said in public, he's that awesome that someone else bothered to compile it all in one place.
You can check it out for free here in this PDF.
That PDF has in it the fundamental principles of 'wealth building', as Naval calls it, that made me start making videos on YouTube and quit my job (check out my diary extract at the bottom for more on this). I was influenced by a lot of other people online up to that point in September, and felt close to doing something entrepreneurial, but then Naval came along and was the final key. He explained the fundamental principles of how to 'make money while you sleep' in such a fun way and I got kind of hooked, so I started making videos on the internet and then three months later I quit my job. Make no mistake though, Naval preaches the perils of chasing money, saying:
“Lusting money is bad for you, because it is a bottomless pit. If you love money, and you make it, there is never enough, it is a fallacy to think it turns off at some number,” - Naval
I'm not really motivated by money, I can't do anything for very long unless I enjoy it, but one thing I do like that Naval says is "win the game so you don't have to play the game" i.e. you don't have to do a job you don't like just to earn money.
He's not for everyone, but he is life changing for the people into things like philosophy, happiness, personal development etc, so I encourage you to check him out if you haven't already. I often listen to one of his podcasts or his audiobook in the morning before I start my day and it reminds me of the important things in life and sets me up nicely. Wholesome stuff, I know.
I'll leave you with another of his quotes that I love:
"A calm mind, a fit body, and a house full of love. These things cannot be bought. They must be earned." - Naval
Have a great week! (and Happy Easter to those who celebrate it!)
Tintin
🎬 Videos from the week 🎬
📝 Diary extract from the past 📝
I keep a diary on my phone and this is a screenshot from it. This diary extract was a couple weeks after I was introduced to Naval. You can see on the 14th October I am listening to him (in the office, doing something incredibly boring) and then four days later on the 18th October I decide to start a YouTube channel, with a quote that's not actually from him but is epic nevertheless. This is why it's so awesome to keep a diary!
🎙️Podcast from the week 🎙️
Obviously, it has to be a Naval one this week. This one with Tim Ferris will knock your socks off.