Billionaire Ray Dalio: Meditation is ‘the single most important reason' for my success

[ChrisV]

Hedge fund billionaire Ray Dalio: Meditation is ‘the single most important reason' for my success

While that's a lofty, seemingly hyperbolic claim... he's right. If you'd like the science behind why, I would be happy to provide it. It changes the brain in way that improves certain skills necessary for success.

 

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[MitchC]

I was going to ask what type of meditation but that’s what the whole article is about.

Have you done any research on different types and which is best Chris?

I have the calm app on my phone which I love, I had a look at all the other apps but I preferred calm. Still need to make it a more regular habit, this thread is a good reminder of how important it is.

 

[Olimac21]

For those starting in the meditation world, I recommend: Joseph Goldstein videos (especially on craving or non self) and the meditation apps Insight Timer/Headspace.

 

[ChrisV]

I was going to ask what type of meditation but that’s what the whole article is about.

Have you done any research on different types and which is best Chris?

I have the calm app on my phone which I love, I had a look at all the other apps but I preferred calm. Still need to make it a more regular habit, this thread is a good reminder of how important it is.

TM (Transcendental Meditation) is the most widely researched. Mindfulness is catching up, but that’s stuff you do as you go about your day. Kind of like “portable meditation”


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[Madame Peccato]

I 100% would love to know the science behind this, I've always been fascinated by the powers of our mind. Also I really need to start meditating myself, I'm going to start this evening in fact.

 

[The Abundant Man]

I meditate when I sleep. Does this count?

 

[SteveO]

I feel that meditation is simpler than we all try to make it out to be. Not easier, just less complicated. It is simply connecting with our inner-selves. No science needed. No change in the brain. Just a connection...

I do agree that meditation helps tremendously. But, we are still going to accomplish without it. It reduces the churn and stresses. It also provides clarity.

I meditate 10-30 minutes a day. Usually 2 sessions. It is necessary to take myself into a lower consciousness first. I try again later if there is difficulty relaxing into the proper state.

 

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[luniac]

Zhan Zhuang

 

[ChrisV]

I feel that meditation is simpler than we all try to make it out to be. Not easier, just less complicated. It is simply connecting with our inner-selves. No science needed. No change in the brain. Just a connection...

I do agree that meditation helps tremendously. But, we are still going to accomplish without it. It reduces the churn and stresses. It also provides clarity.

I meditate 10-30 minutes a day. Usually 2 sessions. It is necessary to take myself into a lower consciousness first. I try again later if there is difficulty relaxing into the proper state.

Yes but knowing the science shows people the benefits and can help them stay on track.


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[ChrisV]

I 100% would love to know the science behind this, I've always been fascinated by the powers of our mind. Also I really need to start meditating myself, I'm going to start this evening in fact.

Okay so... meditation helps with a mental facet called Executive Function.

Executive Function is “higher order thinking.” It’s planning, response inhibition, goal directed behavior, Self Control. Read through the answers and you’ll notice a lot of the difference between the wealthy responders and non wealthy responders had to do with many of those things, most notably Self Control.

Executive functions (EFs) make possible mentally playing with ideas; taking the time to think before acting; meeting novel, unanticipated challenges; resisting temptations; and staying focused. Core EFs are inhibition [response inhibition (self-control--resisting temptations and resisting acting impulsively) and interference control (selective attention and cognitive inhibition)], working memory, and cognitive flexibility (including creatively thinking "outside the box," seeing anything from different perspectives, and quickly and flexibly adapting to changed circumstances).​

If you look at my thread about the differences between Millionaires and non-millionaires, the differences become obvious.

FEATURED! - Author spent 5 years interviewing 177 selfmade millionaires to find their secrets. Findings inside.


Meditation helps Excutive Function, Self Control and boosts willpower. It makes it easier to do the things you know you need to do, but don’t feel like doing.

We all know what we need to do to succeed, just like people generally know what they need to do to lose weight. It’s usually just a disconnect between knowing and doing. It's not usually"i don't know what to do" it's usually more like "i don't feel like doing that."

Here are a couple of other things that help executive function.

"Various activities appear to improve children’s EFs. The best evidence exists for computer-based training, traditional martial arts, and two school curricula. Weaker evidence, though strong enough to pass peer review, exists for aerobics, yoga, mindfulness, and other school curricula."

"Children devote time and effort to activities they love; therefore, EF interventions might use children’s motivation to advantage. Focusing narrowly on EFs or aerobic activity alone appears not to be as efficacious in improving EFs as also addressing children’s emotional, social, and character development (as do martial arts, yoga, and curricula shown to improve EFs). Children with poorer EFs benefit more from training; hence, training might provide them an opportunity to “catch up” with their peers and not be left behind. Remaining questions include how long benefits of EF training last and who benefits most from which activities."​

Activities and Programs That Improve Children’s Executive Functions

Also:

"The importance of social, emotional, and physical health for cognitive health is discussed because stress, lack of sleep, loneliness, or lack of exercise each impair EFs [exec functions]. That EFs are trainable and can be improved with practice is addressed, including diverse methods tried thus far."​

Executive functions. - PubMed - NCBI

Adele Diamond is one of the leading researchers when it comes to Executive fuction.

 

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[ChrisV]

I was going to ask what type of meditation but that’s what the whole article is about.

Have you done any research on different types and which is best Chris?

I have the calm app on my phone which I love, I had a look at all the other apps but I preferred calm. Still need to make it a more regular habit, this thread is a good reminder of how important it is.

Well if calm is the one you like, then calm is the best

In my opinion if it keeps you coming back, that's one of the most important things.

I meditate when I sleep. Does this count?

Sleep is important, but unfortunately it doesn't count as meditation lol. Meditation teaches you to calm your mind, which sleep doesn't.

 

[SteveO]

Yes but knowing the science shows people the benefits and can help them stay on track.

I'm very likely one of the very few people on earth that doesn't think science is the tell all of our existence. Science tells us what we witness and piece together. Science is not going to explain our spiritual selves.

 

[ChrisV]

I'm not, lol.

No... I'm half kidding... i don't think science will ever explain 'life' or what it means to be alive. But everything else it's got a monopoly on, imo. Including meditation benefits.

 

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[Daniel.N9098]

I 100% would love to know the science behind this, I've always been fascinated by the powers of our mind. Also I really need to start meditating myself, I'm going to start this evening in fact.

Best way to start is to sit down tonight and get started. All it takes is 5 minutes in silence and focus on your breathing. Good luck!

 

[MetalGear]

1. I use a free app called Insight Timer for my practice
2. I'm interested in transcendental meditation
3. Anyone know any good resources?

 

[socaldude]

I'm very likely one of the very few people on earth that doesn't think science is the tell all of our existence. Science tells us what we witness and piece together. Science is not going to explain our spiritual selves.

I think that science and spirituality is totally compatible. Actually, the most successful scientists were spiritualists.

It's just that a lot of academics and scientist quickly dismiss any evidence and are intellectually arrogant. Despite the fact that there is NO evidence to say that we can't connect to higher mental dimensions.

I just find it funny that the most intelligent people in our society quickly dismiss these kinds of things without evidence to the contrary and existence of evidence to support it. They will say "prove it" but a proof only exists in mathematics and logic. You can't prove the Big Bang or evolution. There is only evidence to support the theory that makes it "more likely than not to be true".

Scientist think they are the smartest persons in existence but the error of thinking there is that non-human "things" have intelligence as well. And nature as a whole is has an intelligence as a whole. And one far superior and mysterious to anything we can grasp with our fragile minds.

"Everyone who is seriously interested in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe – a spirit vastly superior to man, and one in the face of which our modest powers must seem humble" - Einstein

 

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[Madame Peccato]

Thanks @ChrisV for your explanation.

 

[daru]

I found the book Waking Up by Sam Harris and was hooked on the idea of meditation. Built 10 minutes of Vipassana into a habit on workdays.

 

[Olimac21]

I found the book Waking Up by Sam Harris and was hooked on the idea of meditation. Built 10 minutes of Vipassana into a habit on workdays.

Any recommendation of Vipassana meditation sources?

 

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[Olimac21]

For those getting started, a very good book to read is "10% Happier" by Dan Harris, he explains his journey throughout spirituality and meditation. It is excellent because he is a great story teller and at the beginning he was very skeptical about these two topics.

 

[ChrisV]

Okay, a few people asked where to start...

@MJ DeMarco recommends The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and I do too.

I actually recommend Practicing The Power of Now as it’s the abridged version with just the essentials.

Up tp you which one you pick though.

I also recommend the work of Alan Watts... he’s one of the best.

Also Sam Harris’s Waking Up



How to Meditate | Sam Harris

 

[Ninjakid]

I'm very likely one of the very few people on earth that doesn't think science is the tell all of our existence. Science tells us what we witness and piece together. Science is not going to explain our spiritual selves.

Science can't explain the nature of our consciousness.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

@MJ DeMarco recommends The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and I do too.

I actually like his newer book better, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose.

 

[ChrisV]

1. I use a free app called Insight Timer for my practice
2. I'm interested in transcendental meditation
3. Anyone know any good resources?

He explains how to do it briefly here:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX9vX7YzfSo

PS, this is exactly why I hate Gary Vee.

 

[ChrisV]

A unique perspective on mindfulness. What he is describing is not meditation at all though. It’s closer to mindfulness, and it’s not even that really.
But mindfulness is somewhat of a meditation you can do as you go about your day:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzuazdarDHE

re mindfulness: these are good (quickish) videos about the duality.... there are the thoughts.. then there is this consciousness that is aware that you’re thinking... but it’s not the thoughts itself. Understand? Because thoughts can’t think about themselves... there’s something else there that knows youre thinking. And aligning with that consciousness is part of meditation. I love how Jordan explains it especially.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIaY0l5qV0c

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6F-jyrSBgg

 

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[Lionhearted]

When a billionaire and super successful person tells you ‘the single most important reason' for my success you best listen to what that is! BTW you can buy the book on Amazon for $12! You know I am buying (edit) bought the book. BTW I don't "read" books I STUDY them. This is AWESOME! Thank you so much ChrisV. All the best.

 

[The Abundant Man]

I'm confused on meditation. is it just closing your eyes and not thinking about anything?

 

[MetalGear]

I'm confused on meditation. is it just closing your eyes and not thinking about anything?

1. From the tradition that I learned, it is focusing on your breath and letting thoughts go
2. Inhaling refreshing air while letting go of the bad air through your breath
3. Some mentally envision breathing refreshing energy in "chi", and letting negative energy out
4. Accessing that higher brain order executive function described in story format

• Tons of people were inspired by the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
• The following books share a similar tone
• More towards the meditation, mindfulness, and spirituality genre

1. Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart
   1. https://www.amazon.com/Into-Magic-Shop-Neurosurgeons-Mysteries/&tag=tff-amazonparser-20
   2. Growing up in the high desert of California, Jim Doty was poor, living with an alcoholic father and a mother chronically depressed and paralyzed by a stroke. Today he is the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, of which the Dalai Lama is a founding benefactor. But back then his life was at a dead end - until at the age of 12, when he wandered into a magic shop looking for a plastic thumb. There he met Ruth, a woman who taught him a series of exercises to ease his own suffering and manifest his greatest desires. Her final mandate was that he keep his heart open and teach these techniques to others.
   3. Also an entrepreneur
2. Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives
   1. https://www.amazon.com/Way-Peaceful-Warrior-Changes-Lives/&tag=tff-amazonparser-20
   2. During his junior year at the University of California, while training to become a world-champion gymnast, Dan Millman stumbled on a 94-year-old mentor nicknamed Socrates, a powerful, unpredictable, and elusive character. He taught a way to maximize performance using a unique blend of Eastern philosophy and Western fitness to cultivate the true essence of a champion - the "way of the peaceful warrior." Millman's first-person account of his odyssey into realms of light, darkness, mind, body, and spirit has since become an international bestseller about the universal quest for happiness.

 

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[JM35]

TM (Transcendental Meditation) is the most widely researched. Mindfulness is catching up, but that’s stuff you do as you go about your day. Kind of like “portable meditation”


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One of my favorite books, called the Art of Power by Thich Nhat Hanh, is about mindfulness. His big thing is "mindful walking" which is essentially being aware of every footstep you take and focusing on being in the present. So many people running around nowadays thinking about where they are going or where they need to be that they don't stop to enjoy the life they live.

Never really bought into the whole mindful walking thing, but the whole book is about internal power instead of external power. Being in control of your mind, your desires, temptations, etc. Being in control of your happiness and not letting any external factors affect your internal happiness. The author just prefers to utilize mindful walking to achieve this.

 

[ChrisV]

Just come across this for those who were asking: