This episode is about Ray Dalio—the man who built Bridgewater Associates from a two-bedroom apartment into a $150 billion machine by learning to embrace his own ignorance.

Most people know him as a billionaire "philosopher," but the real story is about a man who was so dead wrong in 1982 that he lost everything and had to borrow $4,000 from his father just to pay his family's bills. This is the story of how that "Abyss" forced him to change his life’s operating system.

What to expect in this episode:

• The "Dumb Shit" Mindset: Why Dalio’s greatest edge wasn't his IQ, but his willingness to admit he knew nothing.
• The 1971 Gold Standard Devaluation: The moment a young Ray realized that the future rarely looks like the past.
• The 1982 Abyss: A clinical look at the trade that almost ended his career and the public humiliation that followed.
• The "Economic Doctor" Strategy: How he dissected the debt crises of the 80s to find the patterns everyone else missed.
• The Holy Grail of Investing: His discovery of "15 to 20 uncorrelated return streams" and why it’s the only way to survive.
• GPS for the Human Brain: Why he stopped trusting his own gut and started building algorithms to override his ego.
• Hyper-Realism: Moving from "I wish the market would do this" to "What is the market actually doing?"
• The Power of Pain: Why Dalio views his greatest failures as the most valuable data points he ever received.
• Radical Open-Mindedness: The tactical advantage of seeking out the smartest people who disagree with you.
• The Timeless Truth: You don't win by being "smart"—you win by building a machine that is smarter than you are.

Books & Resources Mentioned:

• Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio
• How To Build A Company Where The Best Ideas Win (YouTube)
• The Bridgewater Newsletter
• How The Economic Machine Works (YouTube)

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→ Website: moneymen.fm

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• (00:00) - Introduction