David F. Swensen Quotes

#1. My attitude about teaching has always been the same. From early on, I wanted to make yoga accessible so that anyone, regardless of ability, could experience its wonder, joy, and power. I encourage students to question, learn, and develop their own personal practice.

David F. Swensen

#2. A yogi is one who leaves a place a little nicer than when they arrived.

David F. Swensen

#3. I think regular Iowans are cynical of this whole idea of corporate welfare, with the biggest awards going to the most profitable companies. It doesn't make sense.

David F. Swensen

#4. Never underestimate the gullibility of large pools of money.

David F. Swensen

#5. Don't let what other people say disturb your mind. Be happy.

David F. Swensen

#6. I've tried many other styles of yoga, but nothing has ever given me the same centeredness, energy, and internal balance that I feel when practicing Ashtanga Yoga.

David F. Swensen

#7. The real riches of yoga cannot be seen; they are felt and experienced from the inside out.

David F. Swensen

#8. When you look at the results on an after-fee, after-tax basis over reasonably long periods of time, there's almost no chance that you end up beating the index fund.

David F. Swensen

#9. I encourage students to check out different styles of yoga and different teachers even within one system. Seek the teacher that inspires you, and practice the yoga that makes you feel the best. You'll then find the authentic practice for your life and path.

David F. Swensen

#10. The true depth of understanding and maturity as a practitioner is how we apply what we've learned to our lives.

David F. Swensen

#11. A minuscule 4 percent of funds produce market-beating after-tax results with a scant 0.6 percent (annual) margin of gain. The 96 percent of funds that fail to meet or beat the Vanguard 500 Index Fund lose by a wealth-destroying margin of 4.8 percent per annum.

David F. Swensen

#12. I've always viewed high-frequency trading as a tax on the rest of us.

David F. Swensen

#13. Practicing yoga is a constant evolution. The Ashtanga system can appear very rigid, with its predetermined sequences, but actually there's great freedom within its structure. From the repetition, we learn to find depth in the minutiae of the actions and the wonder of breath and prana.

David F. Swensen

#14. I believe that the greatest teachers create thinking students.

David F. Swensen

#15. Unless an investor has access to 'incredibly high-qualified professionals,' they should be 100 percent passive - that includes almost all individual investors and most institutional investors.

David F. Swensen

#16. That which works is authentic. It's a practical truth. What really matters is that we find benefit, regardless of whether it's an ancient traditional approach or some new version, popular or obscure.

David F. Swensen

#17. Most active mutual funds are more interested in collecting fees than in boosting returns for investors.

David F. Swensen

#18. I think nobody is in a position to react to these big macro-issues. Where is the dollar going to be or what is G.D.P. growth going to be in China? For every smart person on one side of the question, there is another smart person on the other side.

David F. Swensen

#19. I've worked many jobs throughout my life, which has ultimately enhanced my appreciation for the opportunity to teach yoga and share something so positive.

David F. Swensen