Why I was wrong on Ray Dahlios book

April 29, 2025
Posted by Stefan Zanetti

I thought Ray Dalio’s book “Principles of Life and Work” was not for me. I was wrong.

In 2019, right after we closed our Series A at Allthings, one of our new investors handed me a copy of Ray Dalios bestseller.

I smiled, thanked him, and slid the book under my monitor to use as a stand. Not even kidding.

It was the perfect height.

My first thought was “I’m never going to read this book” (Sorry, but I did think so)

In my mind, Dalio was the prototype of a greedy hedge fund guy. Not my lane. Not my style.

But the book stayed there, just below my line of sight. Staring at me, week after week.

One day, I picked it up. Out of boredom, or maybe curiosity. I read a few pages. Then a few more. And I got hooked.

Dalio talks about extracting “principles” from wins and losses. Using data not to prove you’re right, but to figure out what’s actually true. His approach to facing reality with radical honesty and viewing setbacks as the “bridge” to growth, they all hit home.

And suddenly, I started seeing my own journey differently.

→ Defining MY principles of life and work. Not because it’s cool, but because without any, decisions turn into guesswork.

→ Getting brutally honest about what’s not working + backing it with data, not assumption (still working every day on it…)

→ Questioning any curve that goes cleanly upwards and to the right.

Funny how wisdom can come from the places you least expected. Even from a book you swore you’d never read.

P.S. Ever had a book you initially thought wasn’t for you, but then turned out to be exactly the nudge you needed?

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Why I was wrong on Ray Dahlios book

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