Arnold Van Den Berg is a special investor and a special person. He was born in Amsterdam in 1939, several blocks from the historic Anne Frank House. Arnold's family, being Jewish, also had to hide from the Nazi occupiers. Fearful of being discovered and executed, Arnold's parents arranged to smuggle him to an orphanage as a toddler. His childhood and young adulthood were filled with difficult circumstances. Still, Arnold overcame the anger, resentment, and self-doubt to become one of the most successful investors of our time.

We don't talk a whole lot about investing or money. Instead, we focus on things that have made Arnold Van Den Berg the person he is: the subconscious mind, overcoming adversity, universal knowledge, self-worth, seeking truth, and more.

[02:02] – Introducing Arnold Van Den Berg

[04:40] – Studying the Subconscious Mind – "there's something about the mind that we don't understand, but when you focus the mind so closely, so intensely, you get some energy out of it…that you didn't think you had."

[29:30] – Using the Subconscious to Solve Problems – "only a deep commitment of burning desire and a sacrificial attitude towards that goal will be deep enough to make an impression on the subconscious mind. If that is accomplished along with the faith that it will be achieved you will never lack drive or motivation, you will be pulled by a force that will drive you relentlessly towards that goal."

[40:00] – Positive Thinking – "80% of people's thoughts are negative, so you can see why people have problems…remember, the subconscious does not think; it acts. Every thought you put in there goes into a file, and the more dominant it is in there, the subconscious makes sure that it gets activated. So, if you are thinking negative thoughts, you are going to attract a blizzard of negative things in your life."

[1:13:00] – Faith - "The way you get faith is to repeat your goal and visualize it over and over and over."

[1:16:50] – Short-Selling – "I believe that anyone who is long and short the market understood how the subconscious worked, he would never do it."

"What happens is, when you go long and short, you're dividing your mind.

[1:30:00] – Self-Image - "When you were in the orphanage, and the Nazi's were out hunting the jews, and people were being cautious with you because they thought maybe it'd be discovered that you were Jewish and give the whole orphanage away, you get to feeling like you're not really wanted… you're rejected" – but - "the image of the future is the way you treat people."

[1:42:00] – On Wealth: "it wasn't that I was out to make millions, but it happened. As your image goes up, your success goes up…I made more money than I ever dreamed of."

"The more worthy I felt, the better it got."

[1:42:00] –On Love: "Love is the highest achievement a person can achieve. Love gets rid of fear and anger. There is nothing you can do in your profession that would be a higher achievement than Love. And the truth is the doorway to love."

Links:

Arnold Van Den Berg

Bulls, Bears, and Bourbon Podcast

Vermillion Private Wealth

**The information in this podcast is educational and general in nature and does not take into consideration the listener's personal circumstances. Therefore, it is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized financial, legal, or tax advice. To determine which strategies or investments may be suitable for you, consult the appropriate qualified professional before making a final decision. Thanks for listening.