A few days ago, Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates (the world’s largest hedge fund) was interviewed by Charlie Rose on, “CBS This Morning”. In September 2013, Dalio put out his video entitled, “How the Economic Machine Works,” narrating and explaining how he thinks the economy works. Dalio is personally worth over $10 billion; so to say he understands the economy is a gross understatement. When asked by Rose to summarize the video, Dalio said: “It’s in 30 minutes a description of how I believe the economic machine works, in other words I believe the economy works like a machine.  I believe most things work like a machine. I’m a market participant.  I’m a global macro-economic investor.  And so it’s from–I think—a very practical perspective.”

Stunned, Rose went on to ask Dalio, “Some would say the following. ‘If I had made billions of dollars, because I had a unique understanding of the way the economy works, I’m going to keep it to myself’.” To that Dalio replied, “Well, that’s why I say when I’m 64 years old.  I’m going to — you know, in the stage of my life where I think this is valuable. I think that people take 30 minutes, watch it, and understand it.” 

Over the years, I have watched, and been a follower of Dalio’s work. He runs his renowned firm on a distinct set of transferable principles, which encourage extreme transparency, and at it’s core, requires one to challenge their beliefs. I learned of his operating doctrines a while back after reading his 123-page treatise he put out in 2011 simply called, “Principles by Ray Dalio”. Is it a little ego driven? Sure, of course, would do you expect? But make no mistake about it, Dalio’s views are well-respected for good reason. Aside from running the world’s largest hedge fund, he has a tremendous track record. And like E. F. Hutton in the 1970s and 80s, today, “When Dalio talks, people listen”.