As December arrives, I hope this year has been as productive and fulfilling for you as it has been for me. Whether you’re celebrating with loved ones, traveling, or simply enjoying a break, may your holiday season be filled with joy, rest, and good company. Here’s to a well-deserved pause and a wonderful start to the New Year. Stay safe, enjoy, and make the most of this special time!
Lets dive straight into this months review. To end the year on a happy note, I think its only fitting that we look at, “The Almanack of Naval Ravikant, A Guide to Wealth and Happiness, by Erick Jorgensen.
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant is a modern classic on wealth and happiness, compiling wisdom from the renowned entrepreneur and angel investor, Naval Ravikant. The book draws from Naval’s tweets, podcasts, and interviews, presenting practical insights on how to navigate both financial success and personal fulfillment. Honestly some of his takes on happiness, where he applies effort and where he doesn’t always makes me question some of the things i’m doing with my life.
Don’t get me wrong—this book is packed with insights to help you become a better investor and grow your wealth. But for me, the real gems are the lessons on happiness and enhancing life quality. So in this issue, I’m focusing on the top four takeaways to boost your happiness and make you a better, more fulfilled person.
1. Prioritise Health and Well-Being
Physical well-being is the foundation for happiness and mental clarity. Naval highlights that regular movement, good sleep, and mindful nutrition boost not only physical health but also mood and energy levels. Exercise releases endorphins, while proper rest and nutrition help reduce stress and increase overall vitality.
Action Step: Create a daily routine with movement, whether it’s a workout, a walk, or stretching. If you can take a walk in nature or in a park, get after that. Focus on improving sleep quality and nourish your body with healthy foods. Small, consistent changes will make a noticeable difference to both your mental and physical well-being.
2. Happiness is a Skill
Naval teaches that happiness is a skill we can actively cultivate. By practicing gratitude and mindfulness, we train our minds to stay content and resilient, regardless of life’s ups and downs. Rather than waiting for happiness to arrive, we create it by focusing on the positive and staying present.
Action Step: Start a simple gratitude practice. Keep a journal to note what you’re grateful for each day, or share one thing you appreciate with your partner daily. If journaling isn’t for you, I try thinking of three positive moments from my day while brushing my teeth each night. How you practice gratitude is less important than making it a habit—it’s the consistency that brings real power.
3. Self-Awareness Brings Peace
Understanding yourself—your values, passions, and boundaries—empowers you to make choices that align with what truly matters. Naval suggests that self-awareness fosters peace by reducing stress and helping you make decisions and build relationships that feel meaningful, rather than driven by societal expectations.
Action Step: Dedicate time each week for self-reflection or journaling. Identify which activities and people bring you joy and fulfillment. As you gain clarity on your priorities, it becomes easier to say no to things that don’t resonate with you.
For instance:
- “Hey, do you want to come over to cousin Awkward’s birthday party?” “No, thank you.”
- “There’s a work Christmas trivia on tonight at 5:30. Can I count you in?” “Absolutely not.”
4. Choose Freedom Over Control
True happiness stems from freedom—the freedom to live in line with your values rather than societal expectations. Letting go of the need to control outcomes or seek external validation allows you to pursue what genuinely fulfills you. Naval describes how he shifted from finding freedom in the ability to do or buy things, to finding it in the freedom not to do things that didn’t align with his happiness. This blew my mind!
Action Step: Look for areas in your life that cause stress or don’t bring joy. For instance, if you’re working long hours for the status, set a hard stop to your workday. This boundary can give you extra time for family, exercise, or other activities that genuinely make you happy and enhance your well-being. Cutting out obligations that don’t align with your values frees up time and energy to focus on what matters most to you.
And because it’s Xmas, here’s another gem for you.
5. Navals Formulae for Life
I absolutely love this!
So What?
By prioritising health, practicing happiness, fostering self-awareness, and embracing freedom, you can build a strong foundation for a healthier, more fulfilling life. These principles help you create a balanced life rooted in authenticity and resilience, leading to greater overall happiness.
Should You Read This Book?
1000% yes. This book is on my annual reread list for a reason. It forces me to reassess habits that aren’t adding to my happiness or growth and challenges me to make better choices. It also emphasises the importance of prioritising my mental and physical health. We often fall into routines out of obligation or societal pressures, but reading this book each year reminds me that I don’t have to do anything that doesn’t make me happier or helps me to grow.
Finally, thanks for reading 60 Seconds to FIRE! If you’re enjoying the newsletter, please subscribe and share it with like-minded friends and family. Join our Geo-Arbitrage FIRE Community here on Facebook to connect with others focused on financial independence and early retirement abroad.
Cheers to the journey!
Andy
Europe somewhere
This image contains 80% of everything I own.