Rule Breaker Investing: How to Pick the Best Stocks of the Future and Build Lasting Wealth – Written By An Investor Who Has Picked Seven 100-Baggers

by David Gardner

Have you always followed the rules? Do you believe that beating the stock market is just luck?
David Gardner, The Motley Fool’s Chief Rule Breaker, turns these ideas on their head. For over 30 years, he's guided millions to outperform market averages through unconventional choices. His investments in companies like Amazon, Netflix, Nvidia, and Tesla have defied traditional investing wisdom. As an entrepreneur, he transformed these principles into creating a billion-dollar business, outsmarting Wall Street’s wisemen by playing the Fool.

Now, David shares his unique rule-breaking framework, providing you the guidance and the gumption to win at investing by finding and owning the best companies of the future.

Genres: Business, Finance, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Self Help

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

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Reviews

[Annabel Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go David!! This book is just as fun to read as it is to listen to him tell a story. It’s infused with his voice all the way through. I had such fun learning about his investing strategy!

[Alexandre Contreras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book about stock market investing presented in a human, clear, simple and engaging way. The CEO of the Motley Fool explains principles and rules for investing that can be followed by individual stock investors. Highly recommend for investing enthusiasts.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book fairly familiar with the Rule Breaker mentality and way of investing, but I also wanted to post a review from both sides (one familiar and one a newbie to this way of thinking).

From the side of one familiar with the process, there was not much new here that hasn’t been espoused before in previous books, interviews, articles, and podcasts to name a few. What it did really well though was bring everything together in one place for quick reference refresher. It serves as a good capstone in that regard and as you read it, if you’re familiar with the author’s tone and delivery, you can hear him speaking in your head if you can read it.

If you’re new to this approach to investing, that’s where there appear some darker clouds that hopefully people can see through. The author does freely admit that this way of investing isn’t for everyone, but does make the point out even if it isn’t for you, there are some aspects of the approach that taken by themselves can improve your returns as an investor, and I agree with this completely. The author does a good job breaking down his various guidelines (to over generalize) into easy to understand analogies. He doesn’t tell you what to do or what stocks to pick, but also states that he isn’t going to. It’s more an exercise in how to think about what you’re investing in. The book is also full of examples of his past successes that at times can come off as sounding like he’s grandstanding (and to his credit, why not, this has been successful for him and others!) to the uninitiated. To his credit, he mentions a fair number of failures as well, something you don’t always see in “investing” books.

Overall, this is an enjoyable book and fairly a quick read. Definitely something any investor can easily go back to and reference certain aspects for refreshers. I do think that even if this is not your style of investing, this does offer food for thought

[Ryan Kenfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a long-time listener of the podcast, I found this book to be a fantastic distillation of David Gardner's investment wisdom. It perfectly captures his optimistic philosophy of using your capital to back your best vision of the future. The advice to 'let your winners run high' has been a game-changer for my portfolio mindset. David shines through as a genuinely good person who wants his readers to succeed, making this a joy to read.

[Eddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reminder to buy excellent companies and hold them forever. No need to become overly fixated on initial valuation when the companies are excellent and you are planning to own them for a very long period - they will grow and perform well with time.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best investing books Ive read. Teaches you how to look for find & hold on to those companies that will 10x or 100x your investment. This isn’t get rich quick advice. It’s get rich forever advice.
For those who want to gamble, Gamble on something you believe in & will let you win…BIG! Excelsior!!! Ever higher.

[Ray Otto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d like to thank David Gardner and The Motley Fool for all they do to follow the markets and educate people.

Whether you agree or disagree with David’s investment strategy, I feel this book provides more advice and mantras that one can learn from.

The book felt as if I was reading a more modern version of Peter Lynch’s “One up on Wall Street”.

The strategy and demeanor is very growth centric and true investing (no trading. It’s trying to hold stocks as if you own the business). The titans of industry may break the normal rules that analysts have on valuations.

[Igor Pejic · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is certainly no shortage of investment books on the bookshelves. Some are a waste of time. Some are helpful. And there are those that define your investment principles forever. David Gardner’s Rule Breaker Investing is such a book. The stories are captivating. The writing style is magnetic. And you will certainly not put it down until the last page. Personally, I hardly ever read books on the screen, but once I opened the advanced reader copy of Rule Breaker Investing, I just couldn’t hit the close button.

Humans are post-rationalizing beings. We find explanations for everything that has happened. In this hindsight bias, we often wonder about our decisions. For instance, why didn’t we buy Amazon, Starbucks, Nvidia, Netflix, or Tesla ten or twenty years ago? Somebody who did buy them on time is David Gardner. And one of the reasons why he didn’t just see the future earlier than most others but also acted on it, is because of his contrarian creed. As incredible as it sounds, it went against conventional investing wisdom to buy shares of any of those companies when they were still challengers. In fact, many Wall Street mavens are skeptical of those stocks even today. You will hear analysts complain about high P/E ratios or arguing that after every surge, there must be a correction. David Gardner’s success proves them wrong. For over 30 years, the Motley Fool’s Co-Founder and Chief Rule Breaker has led millions of investors worldwide to market-beating returns through unconventional choices. Equally important: He has taught them a contrarian, long-term mindset that is the pre-requisite of any success in investing. Always challenge accepted narratives and “truths.”

In Rule Breaker Investing Gardner teaches three critical skills each investor must know. First, how to form (and stick to) healthy investing habits. Second, how to spot and pick the outperformers of tomorrow (and stay with them when times get tough). And third, how to build and (re)balance your portfolio.

Gardner is not the first to share his stock picking strategy. So why is Rule Breaker Investing different? Because it tells you what the balance sheet does not. Gardner describes six traits of rule breaker stocks. Most of them are never quantified, let alone reported and audited. And therefore they are not completely priced in. Those traits often reveal more than earnings calls and SEC filings. The management, the brand, the competitive edge. And Gardner has many more refreshing thoughts: Look for stocks that are said to be overvalued. Aim for 60% accuracy. Don’t think in cycles. And see investing as a path to learn about new businesses.

Gardner has done a phenomenal job explaining how to find the Amazons and Googles of tomorrow. This is key for every investor, but most of all for those interested in emerging technologies. The number of potential rule breakers is limitless. And despite all those fascinating emerging opportunities, the best investment is to buy a copy of Rule Breaker Investing right away.

This review is originally published within the Money Book Cirlcle in my newsletter. Sign up here for regular reviews of the hottest books on money and technology: https://igorpejic.substack.com/

[Ariel Paz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Made me laugh out loud several times too which is rare. David clearly outlines his strategies for investing and drives them home again and again. Going to put some into practice. One thing though is his #1 rule is "let the winners win" but then later on in the book, talking about retirement, he says it's okay to sell. A bit contradictory. I think he meant if you need money it's okay to take profits, but otherwise let 'em ride.

His ideas remind me of another investing guru, Phil Town, who also recommends studying the company and the management. Recommend reading to understand his rule breaker logic. Instead of "buy low sell high" he says "buy high, sell higher." It's another perspective. We've all made investing mistakes so it is good to read how others have succeeded.

[Priit Rohumaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sure, it's a book with a promotional flavor, but since I've bought stocks through them myself and grown my money as a long-term investor, it was interesting to watch the self-praise. I especially don't want to agree with the part in the book where it says the number of stocks in your portfolio should be equal to or greater than your age—that does reduce the risk of any single stock a little each year, but it's still mostly an advertisement for the Motley Fool platform, where you're supposed to find a few new stocks every year.

[Ben Steward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid book for first time investors. Lots of key lessons and valuable insights in easy to follow terms for the average person looking to start their portfolio. For those with intermediate exposure and beyond it may not push your understanding, but as it’s a short book it’s still worth reading because it reaffirms your knowledge base

[Roy Lunde · Rating 5 out of 5]

On my third read and still finding new insights. The principles in this book are the foundation of my entire investment thesis. Timeless wisdom that separates speculators from serious compounders.

[Jorgen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok read into the investing strategy of picking great companies and holding on. If you buy a new company every month for years and never sell, I suppose you will get some 100 baggers.

[Vickie T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good simple rules for investing. Easy read.

[Parker Samelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Great investing insights.