Naval Ravikant and Tim Ferriss: Life-Changing Philosophies
Posted by Tim Denning on June 6, 2025
Naval Ravikant and Tim Ferriss changed my life. I watched 100s of their videos over the last 5 years. Here are the 12 best philosophies I learned that will change your life: Read more
1. The Real Test of Intelligence
"The only real test of intelligence is if you get what you want out of life." Makes a lot of smart people look stupid. If you're not getting what you want or settling for second best, it's time to change.
2. Find Your Niche
"Focus on an obsession that makes you a bit weird. Then tie it to something that interests more people." (Tim's suggestion for what to write about) "What's my niche?" is the question everyone has. This is how to solve it.
3. Own a Business
"If you don't own a piece of a business – you don't have a path towards financial freedom." Naval nailed it. It's why I started a business. If you're not an owner, you're a renter. Better to build your dream instead of someone else's.
4. Luxury is Time
"My definition of luxury has changed over time. Now, it’s not about owning a lot of stuff. Luxury, to me, is feeling unrushed." Now you know why busy people are so poor. They're playing status games that no longer work. If you never have free time, you're failing.
5. Work as Flow
"Work becomes flow at the limits of ability." Push yourself beyond your limits. Feel discomfort. Treat life like a gym. The muscle grows when it's painful. A day spent in an 8-hour flow state is bliss.
6. Insecurity is Universal
"If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is, too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think." No one has it figured out. We're all pretending.
7. Assets Over Labor
"If your income is coming from labor rather than assets, you’re being decimated by hidden inflation." This is the most important financial lesson in history. It made me a millionaire. You'll never be rich with just a salary.
8. Certainty vs. Dreams
"Most people will choose unhappiness over uncertainty." This explains the cubicle job phenomenon. The drug of certainty is so strong people will give up their dreams for it.
9. Share Your Solutions
"The success formula: solve your own problems and freely share the solutions." This is why the build-in-public trend is so strong. It's humble, helpful, and interesting. Try it.
10. Face Your Fears
“What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do” For most of us it's doing the hard things that make us healthy, wealthy, and fulfilled. Fear is a compass. Follow it.
11. Build and Sell
"Learn to sell. Learn to build. If you can do both, you will be unstoppable." Every great entrepreneur does this. Normal people can do it too & beat 99% of society. Less talking, more building. Less planning, more selling.
12. Aim High
“90% of people in the world are convinced they are incapable of achieving great things, so they aim for the mediocre. The level of competition is thus fiercest for ‘realistic’ goals, paradoxically making them the most time- and energy-consuming.”
Naval & Tim Ferriss got wealthy through business. I tried to build a digital business online for 5 years and made $0. Then, I figured out how to make $100K like clockwork. Here’s how: Learn more