The market will test your portfolio. Life will test everything else. This book is about passing both tests.
[New Book] The Long Game
Investing is sold as a game of numbers. But the real struggle is never the numbers—it’s managing yourself.
The Long Game gives you what most books won’t: honest reflections from investors who’ve survived decades of market cycles. You’ll learn how to tune out the noise that makes you second-guess yourself, handle the fear and greed that hurt your decisions, and stick to principles that actually compound wealth over time.
This isn’t theory. It’s what works when markets and life test you.
The Long Game teaches you how to think, judge, and behave—the real foundations of enduring success in investing.
— Arnold Van Den Berg, Founder and CEO of Century Management Financial Advisors
Timeless Lessons on Patience, Judgment, and the Art of Thinking Long
Most investing books obsess over what to buy. Almost none talk about what actually breaks investors—the panic, the greed, the overthinking, and the inability to just sit there and do nothing when doing nothing is the right answer.
As it turns out, that’s not just an investing problem.
The Long Game is 400 pages of honest wisdom from 30 practitioners who’ve spent decades being tested by markets, by uncertainty, and by themselves. Not theory or platitudes, but real lessons on what it actually takes to think clearly and act wisely, in markets or life.
Step through the gate.
The Contributors
This book is not just my voice. I asked practitioners I deeply respect—fund managers, founders, analysts, and advisors who’ve spent decades in the markets—to write about what they DON’T usually talk about: their fears, mistakes, and hard-won wisdom. What came back were some of the most honest, raw, and useful reflections on investing I’ve ever read. No one is writing to impress here. Everyone is writing to be useful. That’s the spirit of this book.
Barry Ritholtz | Bogumil Baranowski | Chris Mayer | Gaurav Sud | Harkishin Tanwani | Harish Bihani | Ian Cassel | Jigar Shah | Manish Chokhani | Ninad Kunder | Parijat Garg | Prabhakar Kudva | Prashant Patel | Pulak Prasad | Rahul Shah | Ravi Purohit | Renuka Ramnath | Rohit Chauhan | Rohith Potti | Samit Vartak | Sankaran Naren | Saurabh Mukherjea | Shreekkanth Viswanathan | Shyam Sekhar | Swanand Kelkar | Tanushree Banerjee | Utpal Sheth | Vikas Khemani | Vinod Sethi
Combined, these voices represent over 500 years of market experience, billions in capital stewarded, and decades of learning what textbooks don’t teach—how to survive yourself in the long game of investing.
The Architecture of The Long Game Mindset
The Long Game is structured as a six-stage journey to master the craft of investing. Here is a glimpse of the path we will walk together in this book.
I. Rewiring the Mind
Understand the mirror before the market. We explore why intelligence alone can be a trap and how to separate knowing from true understanding.
II. The Art of Judgment
Turn information into insight. Learn the “35-second advantage” and the power of first-principles thinking in a world of copies.
III. Mastering Emotion
Navigate the hero delusion and the paradox of skill. Discover why the most profitable strategy is often the loneliness of independent thinking.
IV. Compounding Wisdom
Investing is a journey of sustainment, not a race. Discover why a “latticework mind” and stillness are the ultimate edges for an investor.
V. The Battle Within
Master the final frontier: the self. Learn to build a system that protects your judgment from the invisible strings that pull at every investor.
VI. Masterclass Interviews
Deep-dive conversations with two veteran practitioners on survival, intention, and the spiritual path of the long-term investor.
Who This Book Is For
- Investors seeking clarity in a noisy world
- Financial analysts seeking judgment, not just models
- Students of decision-making who want to think clearly, not just sound smart
- Mid-career professionals who feel stuck between ambition and meaning
- Teachers, mentors, and parents looking to gift timeless thinking to the next generation
- Anyone playing a long game in their career, business, or life—who wants to think more clearly and act more wisely
Book Highlights
- 29 practitioners, 500+ years of combined experience writing about what they don’t usually talk about
- Honest and deeply human with no one writing to impress and everyone writing to be useful
- Real stories, not frameworks forged in actual market cycles, not constructed in classrooms
- Goes beyond the “what” to the “who” by exploring the thinking styles and inner disciplines that separate investors who last from those who don’t
- A book you’ll return to at every stage of your life
About the Author
Hi, my name is Vishal Khandelwal.
I am the author of The Sketchbook of Wisdom, which has sold across 45+ countries and is called a “masterpiece”, and Boundless. I run an investor education initiative at Safal Niveshak, which is read by 90,000+ people worldwide, and has been ranked among the best value investing sites in the world. I also host a popular podcast titled The One Percent Show.
I write at the intersection of money and life, make art to simplify the world around, and try to be useful.
Read this book not just to become a better investor, but to become a wiser human being.
— Sanjay Bakshi, Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Finance at FLAME University and Managing Partner at ValueQuest Capital
Why I Wrote This Book
I’ve spent 23+ years studying investing. And I’m not really talking about the technical part of learning DCF and reading balance sheets. I wanted to understand why smart people make irrational decisions, why disciplined investors panic, and why independent thinkers follow crowds.
The answer isn’t in finance textbooks. It’s in psychology, philosophy, and the hard-won wisdom of those who’ve survived decades of market cycles.
The Long Game is my attempt to map that inner territory, and to give you a guide for the journey from clever to wise.
If you’re looking for stock tips, close this page.
If you’re looking for a philosophy that will serve you for the next 25 years—welcome.
Some Early Praise
A beautiful collection of honest, deeply personal, and timeless reflections on what it takes to learn and grow as an investor.
Navneet Munot
MD & CEO, HDFC AMCTeaches you how to think, judge, and behave—the real foundations of enduring success in investing.
Arnold Van Den Berg
Founder, Century Mgt Financial AdvisorsThe Long Game is a reflection on judgment, curiosity, and the timeless principles that shape clarity in investing.
Kenneth Andrade
CIO, Old Bridge AMCRead Vishal’s book to avoid the pitfalls that cause us years of confusion, self-doubt, and needless mistakes in investing.
Rajeev Thakkar
CIO, PPFAS Mutual FundDeeply thoughtful exploration of patience, humility, and the inner discipline required to survive and thrive across market cycles.
Sanjay Bakshi
Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Finance, FLAME UniversityVishal masterfully distills the essence of what it takes to thrive in the uncertain and ambiguous world of investing.
Kalpen Parekh
MD & CEO, DSP MFWisdom for the Next 25 Years
The Long Game is a one-time investment in a philosophy that will serve you for the rest of your investing life.
What You Get: A premium 400-page hardcover distilling timeless investing wisdom from 30 practitioners + illustrated art card
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Alternative Payment Mechanism (India – NEFT/UPI)
Please do NEFT / UPI / QR code payment of ₹1999/copy –
- Account Name: Skylab Media and Research
- Bank: HDFC Bank, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai
- Account No.: 08302020001357 (Current Account)
- IFSC Code: HDFC0000830
- UPI ID: safalniveshak@okhdfcbank (For Google Pay)
Important – Once you make the payment using netbanking, UPI, or QR code, please click here to fill up a form to send me your fund transfer details, name, email, mobile number and postal address. Please mention your name in the fund transfer description for me to recognize you.
Please Note
- In case you face any issues making the payment, please write to me at vishal@safalniveshak.com.
- All books within a single order will be dispatched to one address only. If you want deliveries at multiple addresses, please place a new order for each unique address that you want the books to be delivered to.
Bonus: A Hand-Illustrated Card
Every order comes with a hand-illustrated art card featuring Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, paired with a timeless quote on choosing your heroes wisely. The same size as the book. You can frame it to sit on your desk or bookshelf as a reminder of what playing the long game really looks like.
Bulk Pricing – India
Use these options to order 5-25 copies to be shipped within India. For special pricing for more than 25 copies, please email me at – vishal@safalniveshak.com
Bulk Pricing – International
Use these options to order 5-25 copies to be shipped outside India. For special pricing for more than 25 copies, please email me at – vishal@safalniveshak.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Reach out to me at vishal@safalniveshak.com.
I’m new to investing. Is this too advanced?
If you’re asking, “Should I buy Stock A or B?”, you’re not ready. If you’re asking, “How do I think about risk? How do I manage fear?”, this book is FOR you. It’s not about formulas, but about frameworks for thinking.
Will this help me pick stocks?
No. And that’s the point. This book won’t give you stock tips. It’ll teach you how to think independently, manage emotions, and avoid mistakes that destroy capital. If you want tips, this isn’t your book. If you want wisdom, you’re in the right place.
When will I receive my book?
Around 5-7 days from order date when shipping within India, and 10-15 days for international orders. In case you face any issues placing your order, please write to me at vishal@safalniveshak.com.
Is there a digital/Kindle version?
As of now, I am focusing exclusively on the physical hardcover version.
Do you ship to my country?
I ship worldwide. If your country is not listed at checkout, please contact vishal@safalniveshak.com.
Can I place a bulk order for my team/friends?
Yes, for orders over 25 copies, please email vishal@safalniveshak.com for special pricing. However, all books within a single order will be dispatched to one address only. If you want deliveries at multiple addresses, please place a new order for each unique address that you want the books to be delivered to.
Still not sure? Download a free sample and decide later.
Some Praise from Pre-Orders
Here are some kind words of appreciation for The Long Game from readers who pre-ordered.
The Long Game has captured how serious investors really think. The 29 practitioners Vishal has brought together at a single place to show us the light is a commendable job.
— Rajesh V.
I’ve been investing for twelve years and thought I understood patience. Vishal’s work has shown me I understood the word, but not the practice. It’s now one of the first books I would recommend to anyone who asks me how to invest well.
—Anonymous
Vishal’s book is for people who want to learn from other people’s mistakes instead of making all themselves. The range of experienced investors and the depth of their lessons makes it feel less like a book and more like having so many mentors in one room.
—Ananya K.
What a lovely book! I found myself underlining more philosophy than finance.
—Vikrant D.
Vishal has assembled a roadmap of how long-term thinking gets built, tested, and sustained. Far harder to write, and far more useful to read.
—Sanjay B.
The Long Game is the missing chapter in most investment education. Thank you Vishal for writing it.
—Vinay N.
That rare investing book that respects my intelligence without losing me in jargon.
—Rohit D.
The practitioners in this book don’t sound like they’re selling anything. That alone makes it worth reading.
—Anonymous
The Long Game is as powerful as the investing philosophy it describes.
—Martin B.
I’ve recommended Vishal’s book to four people since reading just a few pages. That’s my review.
—Eduardo S.
The chapter on the beginning of understanding alone is worth much more than the price of the book. And it’s just the first chapter.
—Pallavi K.
I came for the investing wisdom. I stayed for the life wisdom.
—Vishal M.