Let’s talk life formulas.
While subjective, research suggests the three key ingredients of happiness are: health, wealth, and good relationships. Entrepreneur and investor Naval Ravikant first published his formulas for life success on his site years ago.
He said they were notes to himself.
Life is not an equation, but these formulas provide a practical framework for your best life. It’s not a guaranteed formula, but a good algorithm for all areas of your life. I’ve been applying a combination of these life equations for years.
Happiness = Health + Wealth + Good Relationships
Health = Exercise + Diet + Sleep
Exercise = High Intensity Resistance Training + Sports + Rest
Diet = Natural Foods + Intermittent Fasting + Plants
Sleep = No alarms + 8-9 hours + Circadian Rhythms
Wealth = Income + Wealth * (Return on Investment)
Income = Accountability + Leverage + Specific Knowledge
Accountability = Personal Branding + Personal Platform + Taking Risk?
Leverage = Capital + People + Intellectual Property
Specific Knowledge = Knowing how to do something that society cannot yet easily train other people to do
RoI = Buy-and-Hold + Valuation + Margin of Safety
Let’s dig deeper into each formula.
1. Happiness = Health + Wealth + Good Relationships
Take care of your body — it’s where you permanently live. Move it, nourish it, rest it. Security? Wealth helps. Money buys freedom, not happiness.
But worry steals your joy. Find your balance. Prioritise love, laughter and connection. They fuel your soul. Health, wealth and relationships. Tend to all three. Watch happiness bloom.
2. Health = Exercise + Diet + Sleep
Health is a formula you control. Move your body. Feed it right. Rest your mind. Simple equation, powerful results.
Recharge — mind, body and soul. It’s all connected. Invest in the only place you take with you wherever you go. It’s the best return you’ll ever get. They all win for your own good. You got this.
3. Exercise = High Intensity Resistance Training + Sports + Rest
Want muscle growth? Push yourself with intense resistance training. Want to unleash your inner athlete? Find your sport, and feel the flow.
But remember, rest is your secret weapon. It rebuilds, recharges, and lets you conquer again tomorrow. Train hard, play hard, rest smart.
This equation is a cycle. You push, you play, you recover. Repeat. It’s the rhythm of transformation. That’s the formula for a stronger, fitter, unstoppable you.
4. Diet = Natural Foods + Intermittent Fasting + Plants
Diet is a power move. Forget ultra-processed diets. Invest in real food — fresh and vibrant options, plants bursting with life. Intermittent fasting is giving your body a break — a chance to reset and recharge.
Listen to your hunger. Nourish, don’t deprive. This isn’t just a diet; it’s a lifestyle — a commitment to feeling your best. Nourish your body, empower your spirit.
5. Sleep = No alarms + 8–9 hours + Circadian Rhythms
Naval recommends mornings without the snooze button. Ditch the seven-hour cycle. Listen to your body. Go to deep, restorative sleep — eight or nine hours.
No fight, just flow. Blissful unconsciousness. Right? Respect your circadian rhythm. You’ll rise energised, ready to conquer the day. You’ll thank yourself later.
6. Wealth = Income + Wealth * (Return on Investment)
Wealth is not just what you earn — it’s what you earn and then grow. Your income fuels your life, but smart investments turn your wealth into a self-made machine, spitting out more wealth.
The more you feed it, the faster it grows. Wealth is not a finish line. It’s a seed. You plant it, nurture it, and watch it accumulate. Make money work for you, not the other way around. That’s real wealth.
7. Income = Accountability + Leverage + Specific Knowledge
Here’s the formula for more income. Own your results. No excuses, just results. People pay for reliability. Play to your strengths. What are you naturally good at? Leverage your talents; don’t bury them.
Learn what works, not just what’s easy. Specific knowledge is your superpower. Stay hungry, keep growing. Specific knowledge is your edge.
8. Accountability = Personal Branding + Personal Platform + Taking Risk?
Your brand is you. It’s the values you live by and the experiences that shape you. Own it. Don’t just have beliefs; broadcast them. Find your platform, your voice. A blog, a cause, a movement — make it heard.
Talk is cheap. Accountability is putting yourself on the line. Taking risks shows you believe in yourself. Step up. Show the world.
Accountability = Owning your truth
9. Leverage = Capital + People + Intellectual Property
Capital fuels the fire. People are the flames. But intellectual property? That’s your secret weapon. It’s an unfair advantage. It’s the magic that makes you, you. Leverage it. Refine it. Weaponise it. Win. Don’t just build a business; build an arsenal of ideas that set you apart. That’s leverage.
10. Specific Knowledge = Knowing how to do something that society cannot yet easily train other people to do
Specific knowledge is your superpower. It sets you apart. It’s the skill you honed, the problem you cracked. It’s not magic but wielding a skill. It’s experience honed to an edge. It’s your unfair advantage. So guard it. Refine it. Let it be the thing that makes you irreplaceable. Use it wisely.
11. RoI = Buy-and-Hold + Valuation + Margin of Safety
Want solid returns? First, buy and hold. Patience is your friend. Warren Buffett says, “Our favourite holding period is forever.” Uncover a stock’s true worth through valuation. Buy low, hold smart, profit deep. That’s the ROI trinity. Master it.
Win the investment game.
ROI = Smart buying + Knowing the value + Getting a bargain. Simple but powerful. I’ve found my winning formula in index funds.
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