“Meditation more than anything in my life was the biggest ingredient of whatever success I’ve had.”

I think meditation has been the single biggest reason for whatever success Ive had.

The main reason I write the daily observations is because I want to know where I’m wrong. So lots of times if somebody points something out it helps me, and I want to have a diversified bet of uncorrelated bets.

Do not feel bad about your mistakes or those of others. Love them! Remember that one: they are to be expected; two: they’re the first and most essential part of the learning process; and three: feeling bad about them will prevent you from getting better.

I think the greatest tragedy of mankind is that people have ideas and opinions in their heads but don’t have a process for properly examining these ideas to find out what’s true. That creates a world of distortions.

Be wary of the arrogant intellectual who comments from the stands without having played on the field.

I’m going to give away a lot more than half my money. I’d be happy to give that to the government if the government put together programs that were like I’m giving away to charity, in which I believe the money is effectively used to help people.

Though how nature works is way beyond man’s ability to comprehend, I have found that observing how nature works offers innumerable lessons that can help us understand the realities that affect us.

Ask yourself whether you have earned the right to have an opinion. Opinions are easy to produce, so bad ones abound. Knowing that you don’t know something is nearly as valuable as knowing it. The worst situation is thinking you know something when you don’t.

Constantly probe the people who report to you, and encourage them to probe you.

Some people who are creative are not reliable and vice versa; some see big pictures while others see details, etc. All of them are important to have on well-orchestrated teams.

I believe that we all get rewarded and punished according to whether we operate in harmony or in conflict with nature’s laws, and that all societies will succeed or fail in the degrees that they operate consistently with these laws.

In the end, what matters most is that the people you work with share your values, so I’ve wanted people who value the meaningful work and meaningful relationships that always motivated me in building Bridgewater.

There is an excellent correlation between giving society what it wants and making money, and almost no correlation between the desire to make money and how much money one makes.

Principles are what allow you to live a life consistent with those values. Principles connect your values to your actions.

Life is like a giant smorgasbord of more delicious alternatives than you can ever hope to taste. So you have to reject having some things you want in order to get other things you want more.

It all comes down to interest rates. As an investor, all you’re doing is putting up a lump-sump payment for a future cash flow.

If your heart was as big as your mouth you’d be real.

The toughest guys have the biggest hearts. The biggest hearts – because they have to be tough to protect it.

I’m a big personality. I walk into a room, big and tall and loud.

Dream Big, Speak Big, Do Big and Get Big. Because big is all we want and big is all we deserve. 

A small change in your mindset can bring a big change to your life.

Don’t let small problems ruined your big goals.

I’m big on what’s in good taste.

Small acts of kindness have such a big impact!