Don't expect to glean any market tips or trading secrets from James Simons, who steadfastly refuses to disclose the method behind his remarkable record in investing. Instead, listen to this mathematician, hedge fund manager and philanthropist sum up a remarkably varied and rich career, and offer some "guiding principles" distilled along the way.

Simons drew a bead on studying math at MIT from an early age, which some acquaintances found surprising. As a 14-year-old, he was demoted in a temporary job from stockroom worker to floor-sweeper, because he "couldn't remember where in hell everything went." This switch suited him fine, since he had "lots of time to think." When he told his employers he hoped to attend MIT, "they thought it was the funniest thing." Ultimately, Simons had no choice about it: After Wesleyan recruited, then rejected him, there was only MIT. "I was destined for this place," he says...

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