Hey, I’m Den
On this website I share ideas that help
successful people get more value from life.
Ideas that can help you be stronger,
healthier, live longer.
Ideas that can empower you to discover
your calling, pursue your passions, and
live life on your terms.
Ideas on forming fulfilling relationships, becoming financially independent, traversing the globe, and generally doing whatever the f*ck you want with your days, while leaving the world a better place.
In other words, ideas that can help you
unlock your potential.
So you’re what? Some type of Guru?
Far from it.
I’m just a guy, and I’m certainly no expert on life. Like most people out there, I’m doing my best to figure it all out.
But I do have a rather large appetite for living and a strong desire to help others, which is why I share transformational ideas here on the site.
If something I say intrigues you, try it. If not, dismiss it.
But to give you some background…
I was born in a bizarre country that no longer exists. When I was 7, I moved to America, which is where I grew up. In 2002, I went to college, studied Psychology and Economics, and then went to work as a business consultant.
In this role, I became good at collecting multiple pieces of information and putting them together into meaningful form.
A number of years later, I found myself wondering whether there was more to life than trading my time for money. Helping large companies get even larger was certainly a respectable job, but I felt there was something more meaningful out there for me.
What I really wanted to do was to help people live better lives.
I started thinking of ways I could apply my consulting skills outside the world of business. I read, studied, and attended seminars. Then I quit my job, and spent the next two and a half years researching and writing my first book. And that’s how this website was born.
What’s are some of your guiding principles and/or beliefs?
I believe that life is a banquet of good things, and that it’s better to be an honored guest than a hungry bystander.
Definiteness of purpose and persistence are two of the most important qualities to achieving success. It’s also much easier to succeed at something once you’ve figured out how to enjoy the process.
Discipline weighs a few pounds, while regret weights a ton. When we do ‘the hard but necessary’ today we are building an easier and brighter Tomorrow.
We are either growing or dying. Often, we must often give up the good things we have to make room for the better things to come.
Self-development is better than self-sacrifice. By working on ourselves, we become more valuable to ourselves and to everyone else around us.
Everything can be studied and put into practice. If you want to be fit, study fitness. If you want to make money, work on your skills. And if you want better relationships, learn how they work and adjust your behaviors.
What is Your mission here?
Why do you write about fitness?
Are you a trainer?
I believe that fitness is the very first fundamental of a good life. Many people don’t do well because they don’t feel well. Their bodies don’t work as they should, and they can’t handle the demands of everyday life.
It’s hard to focus on higher values like leadership, parenthood, and generosity when your health isn’t in order. It’s hard to envision yourself kiteboarding, heli-skiing, or scuba diving when you’re struggling to carry your groceries.
Fitness also happens to be one of the few things we have total control over. The same can’t be said about our relationships, our careers, or financial independence. There are many outside factors involved in each of those other areas.
But with fitness, it’s just you and your discipline. By developing persistence, self-control, and the ability to gather and apply knowledge in the area of fitness, you can not only build a strong, healthy body, but also develop powerful skills that will serve you in other parts of your life.
Where do you get your Intel?
First, and foremost, I have an obsession with learning.
Through the years I’ve developed mental filters that allow me to separate the worthy stuff from the garbage. It’s mix of intuition, understanding study design (from taking courses in psychology and statistics), and my experience in the business world.
I dive deep into studies that would put most people to sleep in a few minutes, read (or at least scan through) several books a week, and listen to audio recordings whenever I have a free minute.
Second, I welcome all experiences, even those that many would find terrifying or borderline stupid, like sleeping in derelict buildings in Cuba or crossing international borders without a passport. Reading only gets you so far. Real learning comes from an an abundance of fuck-ups (a.k.a. depth of experience.)
Finally, I consult various experts around the world. People with big brains and many letters after their names. Many of the concepts I write about are backed by scientific research and when they’re not, I make it clear that I’m expressing my own opinions.
What’s with the Comrade – isn’t that Communist?
Are you a Communist?
No… and no.
The word ‘comrade’ is often attributed to Soviet times, but it actually comes from the French word camarade, meaning ‘a close companion.’
Why did you start this site?
Years ago, I came across several books that had a profound effect on the course of my life.
But as time passed, I started to forget about some of the concepts I learned.
I realized I needed a space to organize the valuable life lessons I’ve come across into a useable, accessible format.
The deeper I got into the project, the more I started to recognize that my work has the potential to help others as well. So I started the site to share these ideas.
You’re hating on some of the other stuff out there.
What’s up with that?
Unfortunately, the majority of information out in the marketplace is deceitful and designed with the sole purpose of selling you shit you don’t need. Much of it is cleverly disguised, and the average person would have a hard time telling it apart from the truth.
What this does is it causes many people to waste their money and their time on things that are utterly worthless. Now, I’m not too concerned about money – in our world of abundance, you can always get more money. But you can’t get more time. And when I see greedy businesses wasting other people’s time, I get pretty furious.
That’s because I used to be one of those people. I used to buy into all the hype and the bullshit. And when I finally gave all that up, my life exploded into change.
In the words of Oscar Wilde: “Everything popular is wrong.” The popular words in today’s marketplace are quick, cheap and easy, but I’ve yet to see someone build a magnificent life with that doctrine.
Do you make money from this site?
How does that work?
Great question! Most websites out there operate on one of two models. They’re either geared towards selling you stuff, which basically turns them into one giant fucking infomercial, or they bombard you with ads at every possible opportunity.
As you probably noticed, I do neither of those things. And while my business professors shake their heads in disbelief, I can’t help but do what I love, which is research, process, and share practical advice in hopes of helping you fine-tune your life.
So how do I pay for my rent, coffee, and the occasional bear claw? Through the support of those people who value my work enough to contribute a few dollars to the website. To become one of these superstar-citizens or to learn more, click here.
Can I get notified when you write more stuff?
And you can unsubscribe at any time.
Read my book.
Change your life.
Nearly 3 years ago, I set out to collect everything I could find about building a lean, strong, and healthy body that lasts a lifetime. The result of this effort – my 285 page course book on health and fitness, aptly named Fit As F*ck.
The book covers everything you’ve ever wanted to know about getting fit on your own terms, eating the foods you love and doing exercises that make sense. You’ll discover many of the secrets the fitness industry doesn’t want you to know – information that will save you untold amounts of time, money, and wasted effort. It will save you from bullshit and it will save you from yourself.
This shit’s so good, I just got me copy! But hey, don’t take my word for it. Check it out for yourself.
Are you on social media?
Can we be friends?