Simon Drew: Living The Good Life

I do many things for a living and so, as a result, I usually avoid this question at all costs, but for the purposes of this interview I think that I would say my ultimate goal with any career that I’m involved in is to build meaningful connections with people and then to help them to reach new heights in their lives. Maybe the name of my website is a good guide – I help people to “rise to the good life”. But for a more practical answer, I am a musician, a podcast host (The Practical Stoic Podcast), a “Stoic Mindset Coach”, and a personal trainer.

I was recently sent a pre-launch copy of a book called The Practicing Stoic by Ward Farnsworth. He sent it to me so that I could read it and interview him on my podcast and I’ve been extremely impressed by how valuable this book will be for anyone who wants to use Stoicism practically in their life.

The Tears of the Dragon by Hirosuke Hamada. This book was given to my mother as a gift from her father, who I never knew. Mum would read this to me when I was younger and for some reason, this book has always meant a lot to me. Its illustrations are amazing, and the story is one that never gets old. I still read it from time to time when I’m at my parents’ home, and even though it’s in a rough condition I have made it clear that this book is the only thing that I want to be left to me in my parents’ will.

Like the first question, I wanted to be many things, and all those things have manifested themselves in one way or another. I guess my biggest passion was music, and that’s what I wanted to do. I feel very fortunate that I’ve been able to achieve that goal.

I think my school-aged self would be very proud. I’m more disciplined, I’ve done some cool things, I’ve met some amazing people and I’ve been to some incredible places. I’m also about 18kg lighter than my grade 12 self, and I’m married to an amazing woman who I love, so that’s two things to be very proud of.

Before my 20th birthday, I had only read a couple of books all the way through. Yes, that’s right, two books over the first 20 years of my life. After going to a seminar on my 20th birthday I was inspired by the words “information changes situations”, and in the following year, I read over 80 books. I think I was trying to catch up! Anyway, the point of that story is to say that the book I choose to gift myself would have to be a book that would inspire me to learn more, and that honour needs to go to Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. This book has provided me with endless inspiration, and it’s one of those books that I can go back to multiple times in a year and still learn something new every time.

I don’t really have a routine, but I do make sure that I highlight every passage that inspires me or teaches me something valuable. This actually becomes a problem in books like Meditations by Marcus Aurelius where I am basically highlighting every sentence, but it usually helps me when I come back to the book a second or third time.

By far the biggest impact has come from Letters from a Stoic by Seneca the Younger. The course of my life has been completely changed because of Stoic philosophy (the philosophy that Seneca followed and taught), and I now have a podcast where I help people all around the world to find joy and fulfilment by aligning their lives with Stoicism.

I would have to say The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho, and I associate this book with my wife, Jennifer. When we were first dating I was reading this book, and one quote from this book became the official quote of our relationship because of how closely aligned with how we felt about each other. I actually read the quote at our wedding, and it goes: “It was the pure Language of the World. It required no explanation, just as the universe needs none as it travels through endless time. What the boy felt at that moment was that he was in the presence of the only woman in his life, and that, with no need for words, she recognized the same thing. He was more certain of it than of anything in the world. He had been told by his parents and grandparents that he must fall in love and really know a person before becoming committed. But maybe people who felt that way had never learned the universal language. Because, when you know that language, it’s easy to understand that someone in the world awaits you, whether it’s in the middle of the desert or in some great city. And when two such people encounter each other, and their eyes meet, the past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written by one hand only. It is the hand that evokes love, and creates a twin soul for every person in the world. Without such love, one’s dreams would have no meaning.” I know it sounds cheesy, but I’m from Australia and my wife is from Texas, USA, and we met on a cruise ship while I was doing a music contract with my band. The chances of us meeting and falling in love were slim, but somehow it happened and we’ve never looked back.

I would have said The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho, but for the purpose of variety, the close second would be Outwitting the Devil by Napoleon Hill. This is one of the most insightful books I’ve ever read, and it will make you question everything you thought you knew about what you believe and why you believe it. Highly recommended!

I am a non-fiction addict. I know that they both have their place, but personally, I feel like there’s too much to learn and not enough time to learn it, so I try to read as much non-fiction as possible.

When I was 19 years old I had only read one or two books all the way through in my entire life. I didn’t like reading, and I never did it. Then, on my 20th birthday, my best friend convinced me to go to a seminar by Eric Thomas, a motivational speaker. I now consider my life to be broken into two parts: before that seminar, and after that seminar. Three words spoken completely changed the direction of my life: “information changes situations”. After that day I spent the next year reading over 80 books, and I completely turned my life around. I have since made self-education one of my top priorities, and I think that one of the most important things that a person can do in their life is to start the process of seeking wisdom and information, whether found in books, podcasts, audiobooks, blogs, documentaries, or courses. So yes, I believe that reading is incredibly important.

The Art of Living by Epictetus, translated by Sharon Lebell. Sharon is a good friend of mine who I’ve come to know through my podcast – The Practical Stoic Podcast. She was one of the first people to popularise the works of the Stoic philosophers by taking selected writings from Epictetus and modernising the language. This book is very easy to read and will provide you with some of the greatest pieces of ancient wisdom available, in a format that is easy to access.

Real books! I have often considered swapping to a kindle, especially since I travel often, but something about the feel of a book has me hooked. I just can’t make the switch!

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. My brother gave me this book when I was young, and I didn’t read it until later in my life, but if more people understood the principles in this book the world would be a much better place. Positive human communication and interaction is a skill that you can develop, and in an age where we’re so consumed with our phones and devices, I think that the people who are still skilled in communication will be the ones who stand out in the crowd.

I feel like this is equivalent to picking a favourite child. I just can’t pick one book because they’ve all had such a massive impact on my life! But when I look at my bookshelf I have to say that the book which stands out is my deluxe edition of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. This book has supplied me with endless inspiration and motivation, and every time I go back to it I learn something new. I know that my life definitely wouldn’t be the same without this book, and I’ll be re-reading it until I die.

There are so many great books that I’d recommend! Too many to mention here, so maybe I’ll send readers to my actual reading list. If you want to be inspired by Stoic philosophy you can go here, and if you want to see all (or most) of the books that have changed my life you can go here.

I have about 30 books lined up that I would like to read by the end of the year, and the subject matter includes health, fitness, strength, mindset, human evolution, running science, human potential, philosophy and history. Lots to learn!

Maybe something like “Simon Drew – Finding the Good Life”. I’m very interested in what it takes to live a good life, and I feel like my entire life will be spent looking for wisdom and advice about what it is that makes a good life. Maybe I’ll find every answer, or maybe not, but for now I think I’m on the right track.