Author: Dave

The Philosophy of: IllyThe Philosophy of: Illy

Illy

Illy’s a rapper (is he though?) but you’ll never hear an Illy song about bangin’ bitches, pimpin’ rides or makin’ it rain. He also doesn’t crap on about fame, fortune, status, success

How to deal with anger (and getting boxed in the ear by a random)How to deal with anger (and getting boxed in the ear by a random)

boxed

What do you consider ‘successful’? Being rich? Famous? Attractive? Running a company that sells millions of dollars worth of some shit people don’t need? Sure, those are types of achievement, but

What lights up your eyes? Life’s less about the ‘Meh’s and more about the ‘Fuck yeah!’sWhat lights up your eyes? Life’s less about the ‘Meh’s and more about the ‘Fuck yeah!’s

life

I have a friend who used to volunteer at an old folks home. And sometimes she’d ask the residents: ‘What’s something you wished you had’ve done more of in your

The Philosophy of: Bill S. Preston Esq. & Ted Theodore LoganThe Philosophy of: Bill S. Preston Esq. & Ted Theodore Logan

excellent

There’s so much first-rate philosophy fanned out across both Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Bogus Journey, but theirs comes down to this: The first part… just. Works. Be excellent

Crank the cold for the easiest exercise in gratitudeCrank the cold for the easiest exercise in gratitude

cold

I’ve written about gratitude on this blog more than I have my love for Snufkin or my hate for Murphy’s Law – Here, here, here, here, here, here, oh and also here. Reason is that

It’s not a question of ‘Can you do it?’, it’s ‘Do you want to?’ (and why?)It’s not a question of ‘Can you do it?’, it’s ‘Do you want to?’ (and why?)

want

If you’ve ever had to do something hard, what doesn’t matter is how long it’ll take to learn or how hard it is. What does though is asking yourself if

A great lesson I learned from one of the greats (Tzwika)A great lesson I learned from one of the greats (Tzwika)

The people we meet all make and shape the person who we are. And the most inspirational and virtuous ones are ideally the ones we try to live like. I’ve

Winning isn’t important. Learning is.Winning isn’t important. Learning is.

winning

Even possibly the greatest thinker in history, Socrates, never thought he was right. And neither did he care about  convincing others he was, or about winning the argument. His was

Are you invincible? If you think it, you are.Are you invincible? If you think it, you are.

invincible

If you think to yourself ‘I’m invincible’, what’s to say it’s not true? Whatever you think about yourself, it’s true. But I’m not saying in terms of the physical you. Because

It took this bloke over 65 years to work out his ‘thing’It took this bloke over 65 years to work out his ‘thing’

If you ever think ‘I’m too old’, ‘It’s too late to start’ or ‘I’m not good at anything’: The Only time it’s too late is when you’re dead Homeboy Colonel

This blog is called ‘Why You Do It’, not ‘Why You Did It’ or ‘Why You’re Going to Do It’This blog is called ‘Why You Do It’, not ‘Why You Did It’ or ‘Why You’re Going to Do It’

The present simple grammar form is actually crucial here. You and I are constantly changing so what you did yesterday or even an hour ago (and most importantly, why) can

You’re not one thing or one person but a collection of so much and so manyYou’re not one thing or one person but a collection of so much and so many

collection

This is Xavier from the movie, The Spanish Apartment (or its original French title, L’Auberge espagnole): But Xavier isn’t just Xavier. Just like you aren’t just you: Everything you do, have done, or will

Time Travel – Probably the hardest thing to do.Time Travel – Probably the hardest thing to do.

time travel

Going back in time is really, really hard. Even Cher couldn’t work out how to do it. These guys (the two up the front) did it: But it’s not the same.

Exercise in Gratitude #3 – Being able to use your eyeballs to look at stuffExercise in Gratitude #3 – Being able to use your eyeballs to look at stuff

If you can read this, you are fortunate to have something that millions of people don’t have around the world – eyesight. And you’re breathing. And that’s something billions can

When you change…When you change…

This applies for pretty much anything you want to get better at: By changing your thinking, You change your beliefs, When you change your beliefs, You change your expectations When

The stars have seen it allThe stars have seen it all

In the good times or bad, go out at night and just look up. The stars have seen everything –all the problems, failures, milestones and successes of everyone ever on

Even the worst things in life can get spun positively…Even the worst things in life can get spun positively…

…depending on how strong you are. Yesterday I randomly had a chat with a dude I met while teaching a class at the library. He’s an ex-SAS soldier and he’d

Practise Stoicism when things are calm and you don’t need it so you’re ready when they’re not and you doPractise Stoicism when things are calm and you don’t need it so you’re ready when they’re not and you do

The principles of Stoicism are easy to put into practice when stuff’s going well. To express gratitude for what you have, to aim for tranquility to be your core emotion, and