The Time I Met My Intellectual Hero
Great Morning Y'all!
Today, I want to share a fun story about the time I met a man who has made a large impact on how I see the world.
MEETING NAVAL
A year ago in Bali, Indonesia, I spent most afternoons at a spa that overlooked the ocean.
(I know, I was really slumming it out there).
The place is called The Istana, and to this day it may still be the most beautiful place I've ever seen.
Imagine an infinity pool, followed by a large field of grass, right on the edge of a cliff.
This cliff has the best view of the entire island, overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Myself and many others would often frequent there because of the amazing views,
along with the incredible sauna, cold plunge, and hot tub that overlooked the ocean.
This was a hotspot for tourists, and a place that many residents make part of their daily routine.
This is where it started to feel like a movie...
Anyone who has ever been to Bali would tell you that it's home to some of the most beautiful people on the planet.
Models, influencers, and celebrities choose Bali to be one of their home bases,
making every time you leave the house to get groceries,
feel like you just walked past a photoshoot for a Victoria’s Secret catalog.
So there I was, on a Wednesday afternoon, chilling in the sauna,
Having my head down while trying to test my limits and stay in the sauna for about 20 minutes.
About 17 minutes in, sweating enough liquids to fill up a small pool,
I quickly glanced at the clock on the other side of the small wooden room.
As I glanced, noticing that the sauna was now packed,
I saw about 9 or 10, what looked to have been Russian models,
followed by one pasty white dude,
and then some middle-aged, slightly chubby, Indian dude sitting right next to me.
I didn't think anything of it, just a normal Wednesday.
Until I realized who I was sitting next to...
I did the quickest, most obvious double-take in human history.
This Indian man was Naval Ravikant, a man who had dramatically shifted the way I look at the world,
partially responsible for giving me the confidence to move to Bali in the first place.
The same man who is never seen in public.
The Taylor Swift of philosophy and tech nerds.
I was already sweating buckets,
probably flicked some sweat onto him considering how fast I did a double take to confirm it was him.
Now, my heart was beating out of my chest...
I need to say something.
This dude helped change my life.
Despite having reached my max when it comes to how much time I should be in the sauna,
I was not going to leave without talking to this man...
I said, "Excuse me, sir. By chance, are you Naval Ravikant?"
(His pasty white friend sitting next to him began to chuckle)
Naval:
"Haha, yes, that would be me."
Me:
"Well, I just want to say that you've made a significant impact on my life.
You've redefined what's worth striving for, and are a huge reason why I've had the courage to become an entrepreneur and move across the world.
I hope one day, you'll be able to see and feel how great your impact has truly been on the millions that you've taught."
Naval quickly grabs my hand, shakes it, and then says,
"Great. Now that'll be 10%."
(Referring that I owe him 10 percent of what I've earned, because of his advice)
The whole sauna, especially the Russian models, begin to laugh.
I decided to ignore the fact that I was getting lightheaded, and stayed as we continued to talk for a few minutes.
He explained to me the most nerdy Naval thing ever,
on how the sauna manufacturers need to start building saunas with two separate doors,
because this one-door sauna allows for too much heat to leave every time someone enters or exits.
He also shared how stupid it was to pour water on the hot coals, because it would actually make the sauna colder.
At this point, recognizing that Naval had to have been someone important after overhearing my conversation with him,
a few of the Russian women began to flirt with him.
Let's just say, Naval can not only walk the walk in business,
he can talk the talk with women.
He's multifaceted.
Game recognize Game.
WHO IS NAVAL RAVIKANT?
I know this is a name that very few of you would know...
He is incredibly selective for how and when he decides to be seen in the public eye.
But he's considered a Yoda-type figure in the tech business world.
Naval has started and/or invested in companies that are the backbone of Silicon Valley,
many of which the average person utilizes on a daily basis,
like Uber and Twitter.
Despite having made hundreds of millions of dollars with his unique investment strategies,
he's most known for his worldview.
He's single-handedly redefined the way millions of young, nerdy kids see the world.
He's created a new way to look at freedom, which goes against what many of us have been taught to believe.
He once tweeted a simple, yet powerful life goal...
"A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love."
That simple.
He's taken a more holistic approach to life and business, teaching many young and ambitious people what is worth striving for.
His main points emphasize creating a life focused on fun and freedom.
One that promotes time freedom, location freedom, and most importantly "freedom from the mind."
He's the original creator of intentionally seeking solitude for 60 minutes a day,
which is what I'm actively trying to brand and popularize through my mindfulness challenge, Solitude 60.
CONCLUSION
I hesitate to ever put others on a pedestal, but Naval is someone who I deeply respect.
I couldn't have asked for a better, more hilariously memorable experience of meeting him.
If you are interested in learning more,
I'll link his Twitter, here.
and his appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast, here.
That's it for today.
I have many similar fun stories from the past few years and look forward to sharing them with you.
I hope you know that you are loved and enough.
See you tomorrow,
I unconditionally love you all.
-Cameron Hogan