Jim Rogers, the legendary investor wrote this small book of insights, in form of an open letter to his daughters.
1. Question everything, never follow the crowd, and beware of boys!
2. No-one ever became a standout success by imitating others.'
3. If you bail out every investment bank that gets in trouble, that’s not capitalism, that’s socialism for the rich
4. If you were smart in 1807 you moved to London, if you were smart in 1907 you moved to New York City, and if you are smart in 2007 you move to Asia.
5. (On how to be a better investor): Do your own homework
6. Study history: Human nature has not changed, and studying the past often opens a window into likely future outcomes and events, which can be understood to make more profitable and sound investments.
7. Those who can not adjust to change will be swept aside by it. Those who recognize change and react accordingly will benefit.
8. If anybody laughs at your idea, view it as a sign of potential success!
9. Not one country in existence today has had the same borders and government for as long as two hundred years. The world will continue changing.
10. Never act upon wishful thinking. Act without checking the facts, and chances are that you will be swept away along with the mob.
11. Beware of all politicians everywhere. They excelled at recess when they were in school but have excelled at little since.
12. If everyone saw himself as a citizen of the world rather than of his town, city or country, the world would be a more peaceful, better place where success in all forms is abundant and available to all.
13. Common sense? Not so common. Most perceived wisdom is a misconception.
14. Acknowledge the complexity of the world and resist the impression that you easily understand it. People are too quick to accept conventional wisdom, because it sounds basically true and it tends to be reinforced by both their peers and opinion leaders, many of whome have never looked at whether the facts support the received wisdom. It's a basic fact of life that many things "everybody knows" turn out to be wrong.
[From the Great Books Series. Also see The Success Manual - Encyclopedia of Advice, which contains summaries of 100+ Most useful books.]
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