The Tim Ferriss Show

#97: The Evolutionary Angel, Naval Ravikant

Aug 18, 2015

Naval Ravikant, CEO of AngelList and a prominent angel investor, shares his insights on the world of startups and personal growth. He dives into what he looks for in founders, the significance of replacing bad habits with good ones, and how success should align with personal happiness. The conversation touches on transformative health changes, the role of reading in self-awareness, and the importance of community to combat loneliness. Ravikant emphasizes a balanced approach to success, combining introspection and positive routines for personal fulfillment.

02:11:50

Episode guests

Naval Ravikant

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Quick takeaways

When investing in founders, look for intelligence, energy, and integrity.

Conventional wisdom in investing can be dangerous and misleading.

Source books and curated blogs offer valuable insights and knowledge.

Explore complex topics without necessarily providing definitive conclusions.

Habits shape behavior and self-awareness is crucial for personal growth.

Deep dives

Key Point 1: The importance of intelligence, energy, and integrity in founders

When investing in founders, it is important to look for intelligence, energy, and integrity. Founders need to have a deep understanding of their industry, the perseverance to overcome challenges, and a strong ethical compass. These qualities are crucial for long-term success.

Talking with written vocabulary

00:31

Developing skills instead of self development

00:34

Honesty - foundational value

02:13

Ridding your mind of fear through meditatjon

01:13

Intro

2min

Exploring Networking and Insights Through Five Bullet Friday

5min

Exploring Entrepreneurship and the Nature of Work

2min

Balancing Success and Happiness

32min

Navigating the New Landscape of Learning and Investing

18min

Navigating Success and Self-Awareness

14min

The Culinary Benefits of Direct Cooking

2min

Health Transformations and Behavioral Change

19min

Navigating Life's Script: Reflections on Awareness and Growth

12min

10.

The Transformative Power of Reading and Routine

15min

11.

Nurturing Connections: Combatting Loneliness

11min

12.

Engaging Conversations and Expanding Horizons

3min

Naval Ravikant (@naval) is the CEO and a co-founder of AngelList. He previously co-founded Epinions, which went public as part of Shopping.com, and Vast.com. He is an active angel investor and has invested in more than 100 companies, including more than a few “unicorn” mega-successes. His deals include Twitter, Uber, Yammer, Postmates, Wish, Thumbtack, and OpenDNS, which Cisco just bought for $635 million in cash. You can find many more examples here, but suffice to say — he’s really, REALLY good at start-up investing. In this episodes you'll discover: How AngelList and Venture Hacks came to be What Naval looks for when deciding to invest in a founder Common "wives tales" in venture capital How to replace bad habits with good habits How to set stakes and awards And much, much more... Links, resources, and show notes from this episode can be found at http://fourhourworkweek.com/podcast This episode is sponsored by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. Did you know I used 99Designs to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body? Here are some of the impressive results. Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade. Give it a test run... This podcast is also brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is, inevitably, Athletic Greens. It is my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body and did not get paid to do so. Get 50% off your order at Athletic Greens.com/Tim Enjoy!

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Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.