Why a Number of Executives Are Turning to Meditation

Billionaires like Paul Tudor Jones, Ray Dalio, and Daniel Loeb start their days by sitting on a meditation cushion. In fact, a number of the most successful executives on Wall Street and beyond have embraced meditation. Ray Dalio, who has practiced meditation for more than 40 years, attributes much of his success to the discipline. Just as exercise trains his body, he explains, meditation trains his mind and prepares him to make the best business decisions possible.

Bloomberg reports that meditation classes at Goldman Sachs have waiting lists with hundreds of names. Today, many budding business professionals see meditation as a competitive edge that is integral to their future success.

Much of meditation’s popularity derives from recent studies published on how meditation actually affects the brain and body. A study from the International College in Thailand released this year showed that people who meditate better cope with job-related stress and experience lower rates of burnout. Similarly, a study from the University of Amsterdam connected meditation practice to improved creative performance and greater attention to detail.