Principles (book)

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Principles: Life & Work
Principles (book).jpg
First edition
Author Ray Dalio
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Publication date
September 19, 2017
Media typePrint (hardcover)
Pages592
ISBN 1501124021
OCLC 978287244

Principles: Life & Work is a 2017 book by hedge fund manager and author Ray Dalio based on principles he had developed while leading Bridgewater Associates. The Principles were also made into a short video series by the author. [1] According to The New York Times , staff at Bridgewater were involved in the writing of the book. [2]

Contents

The book was on The New York Times Best Seller List [3] and was the top business book of 2017 on Amazon. [4] Despite the book's commercial success and several notable endorsements, few people actually implement the principles. [5]

Development

After receiving a frank memo from his top lieutenants in 1993 concerning his interpersonal performance as a manager, Bridgewater Associates' Ray Dalio began to develop a unique company culture based on principles and unadorned feedback. He originally published a shorter version of Principles online in 2011, where it received over three million downloads. It was officially released as Principles: Life & Work on September 19, 2017, [6] by Simon & Schuster. [7]

Reception

The book achieved excellent commercial success selling over five million copies worldwide. It quickly became #1 on New York Times bestseller. It was endorsed by numerous prominent figures including Bill Gates and Arianna Huffington. Referring to the book, Gates said it “provided me with invaluable guidance and insights that are now available to you in 'Principles'.” [8]

The New York Times described the book as "instructive and surprisingly moving." [9]

In his book, The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend, Rob Copeland has heavily criticized Dalio's principles and their implementation at Bridgewater Associates. Copeland argued that the company's "radical transparency" has led to various issues including harassment, surveillance, and public shaming of employees. [10] [11]

References

  1. Dalio, Ray. "Principles for Success". www.principles.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  2. Copeland, Rob (November 1, 2023). "How Does the World's Largest Hedge Fund Really Make Its Money?". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331.
  3. Sorkin, Andrew Ross (September 5, 2017). "Bridgewater's Ray Dalio Dives Deeper Into the 'Principles' of Tough Love". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  4. Varadarajan, Tunku (November 19, 2021). "'Principles for Dealing With the Changing World Order' Review: Trouble Ahead, As Usual". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  5. Calvello, Angelo (May 10, 2018). "Ray Dalio's Book Has Sold a Million Copies. But Who's Actually Implementing His Ideas?". Institutional Investor. Archived from the original on December 31, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  6. Sorkin, Andrew Ross (December 22, 2017). "Bridgewater's Ray Dalio Dives Deeper Into the Principles of Tough Love". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331.
  7. Stevenson, Alexandra; Goldstein, Matthew (September 8, 2017). "Bridgewater's Ray Dalio Spreads His Gospel of Radical Transparency". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331.
  8. "Principles". Simon & Schuster . Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  9. "Bridgewater's Ray Dalio Dives Deeper Into the 'Principles' of Tough Love (Published 2017)". September 5, 2017. Archived from the original on September 18, 2025. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  10. Jessica Pressler (November 16, 2023). "A Hedge-Fund Founder's Obsessive Storytelling". The New Yorker. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  11. "Book Review: 'The Fund,' by Rob Copeland". The New York Times. November 6, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2026.

Further reading

See also