The USA and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran starting on February 28th 2026, killed several of their leaders, and Iran have been retaliating with missile and drone strikes against not just Israel, but also Gulf states including The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. Strikes have also reportedly occurred in Iraq, Turkey, Cyprus, and Azerbaijan.

Surprisingly (at least to me), Iran has launched more retaliatory projectiles against the UAE than against any other nation. As a result, it has been a strange week for citizens, residents, and travelers who are in the country.

During times of crisis, there is always a huge amount fear, confusion, and narrative pushing (remember Covid?). Sadly, unlimited information access via traditional and social media doesn’t make it any easier to ascertain the truth. This is especially true when the communication is scattered internationally, emotions are high, and individuals, governments, and corporate media all have their biases and incentives to spin different narratives. Sprinkle in bots and AI and it’s a bad time for anyone seeking the truth.

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I live in Dubai and have been here for the past week as these events have unfolded. I am a resident, not a visitor. I have not been paid by the UAE government or any other to write this post, or anything I’ve ever posted.

I clarify that because many people online are convinced that everybody who says good things about Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or the UAE in general is a ‘paid influencer’, ‘shill’, or otherwise compromised. There are also claims that simply talking about the situation truthfully risks severe punishment, including fines and prison time. Some well-intentioned people suggested that I should not even write this article…

So, let me clarify even further. It’s true that spreading false information and rumors during a crisis can get you into legal trouble in the UAE. People can debate if that’s a good law or not, but I can see the logic behind it given the circumstances and stakes. The sheer amount of fake information I’ve personally seen over past week about what is supposedly happening in the city that I am in is jaw-dropping. From fake AI videos, to mislabeled war footage, to straight up lies. It doesn’t surprise me that outsiders are confused about what’s actually going on.

So, my goal here is to simply give my perspective on what is happening here in Dubai, and how it has been on the ground over the past week. Please keep in mind that this is a city of 4 million+ people. Personal experiences and feelings will vary.

As such, I will split this up into the objective facts (from official sources), and personal observations with my own eyes and ears.

The Objective Facts

• The UAE is being attacked by Iran. There have been airstrikes targeting both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the two biggest cities.

• 1,397 missiles and drones launched at the country have been detected, as of 6th March 2026. [source: UAE Ministry of Defense]

• These consist of 1,184 UAVs (drones), 8 cruise missiles, and 205 ballistic missiles.

• 1,308 were intercepted by air defenses.

• 76 impacted on land.

• 13 impacted in the sea.

• 3 fatalities have been reported (Rest in peace to those who lost their lives).

• 112 injuries have been reported (I wish them a swift recovery).

• Main airports have been shut down for most of the past week. Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports have resumed limited flights but there are still delays and disruptions.

• All public and private schools have closed their physical locations and switched to remote learning.

• Occasional public safety alerts are sent out via text to warn of incoming missile attacks and advise people to shelter in place. The frequency of these varies depending on where you are in the city.

The Subjective Sentiment

The hardest part for most outsiders to believe is that despite all the above, the city is mostly ticking along as usual.

Of course, there is a heightened level of concern. People are not oblivious to what is happening. However, malls, stores, gyms, parks, restaurants, leisure centres, and most businesses remain open. Footfall and traffic are down in some areas, but most people are carrying on with their lives.

Naturally, those who have been close enough to interceptions and impacts to hear or see them are generally more worried. The experience has been more visceral for them. Personally, I have not seen or heard any, but I am aware they have occurred. I have friends in different parts of the city (and Abu Dhabi) and we are staying connected.

Dubai is a big city, so not everything is visible or audible from everywhere. That’s why you may hear varying reports of what people are experiencing on the ground. It’s not because most residents are lying or exaggerating, but because it’s been different in different places.

Reports that everybody is fleeing the city, stores are empty, the city is on lockdown, or it looks like a war zone are nonsensical and not based in reality. Thankfully, the physical damage has been very limited thus far considering the number of projectiles that have been launched.

Most people I have spoken to here are calm but cautious. Partly, because it’s not clear how long this will go on. Indeed, there are some residents who have left the city as a precaution, but most have not. Some people (especially those with families) are considering leaving temporarily to wait it out from a distance. Most are not panicking.

Due to international media reporting and the way social media works, there is a strange phenomenon where people outside the city are more fearful than those of us inside the city. Not because we are ignorant to what is happening, but because our eyes and ears are showing us the bigger picture.

Yes, there is an increased threat. It would be foolish to pretend that isn’t the case. At the same time, this isn’t ‘the end of Dubai’ or whatever other silly story some people are spinning. Sadly, there are people who seem to want the situation to be worse than it really is. And there are individuals who harbour such animosity towards Dubai/UAE that they find some schadenfreude in the fact that it’s being attacked. Such people need to take a look at their hearts… but I will leave that between them and God.

So, what am I doing? For the past week, we’ve been doing our best to live as normally as possible, whilst taking some basic precautions. I will keep options open and do what I think is best for my family. I have a wife and baby son to consider, and my priority is to ensure their safety.

I encourage everybody in the region to do the same. I recognise that everybody has different considerations, risk analysis, and options, so my position isn’t that everybody’s response must be identical. Hopefully, this situation won’t escalate further or be prolonged, but nobody has a crystal ball.

So yeah, that’s where we are as of Friday 6th March 2026. I hope it’s been clarifying.

And thanks for the prayers and concern. I don’t worry about myself too much, so I’m glad to have people who do! 😄

If you haven’t already, you can subscribe for future articles and leave a comment if you have any questions. God bless.

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1,
Zuby

Now that we’re already into the second week of 2026, I hope that you still feel the motivation, inspiration, and optimism that you started the year with. If you can keep that fire burning as the weeks and months progress, then this really will be ‘your year’.

The beginning of a new year is always a reflective time for me. Even though it’s technically just a date change, there is something about the New Year that brings clarity and introspection. I always take some time to consider what’s going well in my life, as well as what’s not. This includes things I have full control over, some control over, and no control over. It’s like taking inventory.

While I won’t detail all of that personal and professional stuff here, I will share one of my main goals for 2026, and that is focusing more on fewer things.

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As someone who makes a living from a wide range of activities (music, writing, podcasting, social media, live events, merchandising, investing, and more), it’s easy to feel like I’m spreading myself too thin. While I’ve managed, and even excelled at, juggling these shifting priorities for many years, it’s true that sometimes they distract from each other.

With the arrival of my first child last year and adjusting to the new demands of family life, my time, energy, and attention are at a greater premium than ever before. If something doesn’t move the needle for me/us in a tangible way, then I can’t afford to dwell on it. Attention must be prioritised because it is limited.

The 24/7 news cycle and endless stream of social media ‘content’ mean that everybody is more distracted all of the time. There is always a ‘current thing’ going on that is capturing the emotions and attention of the online masses.

In the past, I often felt compelled to research these events and add my comments to the fray. These days, I mostly find myself feeling uninterested and unbothered.

Some of this is a natural function of becoming a husband and father. Some of it is an intentional tactic to protect my energy and productivity. But a lot of it is simply fatigue from the non-stop barrage of politics, culture wars, and ego-driven influencer beefs.

If you discovered me within the past seven years (and 99% of my audience did), then there’s a good chance you came to know me due to my outspokenness on various cultural and sociopolitical issues: whether it was transgender mania, Covid craziness, or some other foolishness pertaining to race, gender, or whatever else was permeating the West at the time (and perhaps still is).

Countering bad ideas and disingenuous people on a regular basis is exhausting in itself, but it also pulls my time and attention away from activities that I genuinely enjoy, like making music.

While I’ve always maintained a healthy level of emotional detachment from politics and cultural commentary, I plan to detach from them a little more.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that I’m going to stop talking about things that I believe are relevant, particularly when I can offer a helpful and unique insight. However, I refuse to let things outside my sphere of influence occupy too much headspace. The opportunity cost is unaffordable.

I will still do regular podcasts and occasional TV slots as relevant opportunities arise. But this year, I’m going to finish my third book, release some new music, build my business, and provide for my loved ones as best as I can; not just materially, but with my presence and energy.

This year, I am going to do more by doing less. It will be a subtle shift to the public, but a significant one in my mindset and day-to-day focus.

Does this resonate with you?

What are you going to do differently in 2026?

Feel free to let me know by leaving a comment! I’ll read all of them.

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God bless you and thanks for your continued support. I’m happy to have you here.

1,
Zuby

Most people don’t travel much for several reasons. Some don’t have the financial means, whilst others lack the time or flexibility due to other priorities and commitments. Some people simply lack the desire to venture beyond what they’re already familiar with.

There are many reasons why a person may not travel, especially internationally. The purpose of this essay is not to admonish, but to challenge, explain, and encourage. My travel experiences have made me a wiser, more competent, and more gracious individual. And I wish for others to experience the same.

The Mark Twain quote below aptly summarises some of the benefits of travel:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

In the internet age, it’s easier to learn about other countries and interact with their inhabitants than ever before. You don’t even need to leave your house to do it. However, there is no true substitute for experiencing a place in person. It is akin to the difference between walking on a treadmill whilst looking at a photo of a beautiful landscape, and actually going for a hike in that same location. In fact, the difference is even more significant because of the human elements that come with travelling and experiencing different cultures, environments, and people.

Travel provides perspective, gratitude, and understanding. If you have never left your home city or country, it is guaranteed that your perspective is more limited than it would be otherwise. How could it not be? If you haven’t personally experienced any other places or ways of life, then you can’t have a solid, first-hand frame of reference. What you are left with is assumptions, ideas, and second-hand knowledge. This can have some value, of course, but the picture will always be incomplete. There are things you learn from travelling that you cannot simply read in a book or comprehend by watching a video.

In my observation, those who most confidently boast about their city or nation being ‘the best’ are usually those who have never left it. While patriotism is typically a virtue, there is a form of blind patriotism that’s rooted in ignorance and naivety.

Many Westerners have heavy biases without realising it. They are keenly aware that propaganda exists in foreign nations, yet they believe their home country is excluded. These biases can manifest as prideful, condescending attitudes towards other countries and their people, rooted in a sense of superiority. On the other end, there are people who do not acknowledge or feel any sense of gratitude for the positive qualities of their home nation. They take these advantages for granted, even if they are not global norms.

Biases, stereotypes, and misconceptions can all be diminished through travel. The people who are most resistant to this message are the ones whom it would benefit the most. This is not only true in the West, but worldwide.

Travel helps you to understand how similar other people around the world are to you, as well as how and why they are different. You learn to better appreciate the things that are universal, as well as key cultural differences. In this way, travel fosters humility, whilst raising awareness and understanding.

Even in our more ‘enlightened’ era, it’s not uncommon to hear people discuss those of other nationalities, ethnicities, or religions as if they were a different species. It’s common to view millions or billions of people with a low-resolution lens – using assumptions, prejudice, and stereotypes to fill in the knowledge gaps. It’s also intellectually lazy. Travel helps to sharpen this focus, making one more likely to see people as individuals, rather than simply as members of a particular group.

We oversimplify the world and the people in it because it makes life easier and faster to navigate. But this also creates many problems – ranging in severity from slightly annoying to outright genocidal.

I have personally interacted with too many people from a range of different backgrounds to ascribe low-resolution heuristics to entire ethnicities, religions, classes, or nationalities. Humans are too complex for that. There are wonderful people, terrible people, and everything in between in every demographic. Fortunately, most people are decent or at least trying to be. If this were not the case, no society would be able to function at all, due to crippling levels of predatory and criminal behaviour.

But beyond self-development, travelling is also fun. The world is a massive place and there is so much interesting stuff to see and experience. You don’t need to visit every country, but if you have never left your homeland, spending even one week abroad will teach you something new.

Learning a foreign language is also worthwhile. It is difficult to achieve full fluency as a non-native speaker, but even learning the basics is valuable. When it comes to languages, knowing some is so much better than knowing none at all. You won’t fully appreciate this until you do it, but being able to communicate with millions of people in a way you previously couldn’t opens up a whole realm of new opportunities. A lot of goodwill can be garnered by speaking to someone in their mother tongue.

Thanks to technology, long-distance travel is much cheaper, faster, and safer than it was for our ancestors. Seeing more of the world doesn’t need to be expensive or arduous. You can even start by seeing more of your own country if you haven’t explored it yet.

If you seek to become a better-rounded individual with a greater understanding of the world and humanity, then travel will serve you well. It expands your mind in ways that are difficult to describe in words.

You must experience it for yourself, and I encourage you to do so.

God bless.

1,
Zuby

It all started with MySpace, then came Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and more.

Through the process of gaining over 2 million followers and billions of impressions, I’ve learned a thing or two — not just about how to build an online following, but how to remain sane, positive, and honest throughout.

Today, I’m going to share some of the things I’ve learned because I think they could help you too.

These are my 7 rules for social media:

1/ Don’t lie

2/ Don’t say anything you wouldn’t say IRL

3/ Don’t target individuals

4/ Don’t be harsher than necessary

5/ Don’t publicly fight with friends

6/ Don’t unfollow or block for mere disagreement

7/ Take at least one day off per week

Let’s go through them one by one, and I’ll explain my rationale for each rule.

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Once again, I had a fantastic time there. It was great to connect with fellow bitcoin enthusiasts and to share a message of hope and inspiration with everybody who attended, which included both locals and visitors from around the world, like myself.

I even had the honour of being invited to a dinner with the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, at the Presidential Palace (their equivalent of The White House).

El Salvador is a beautiful country with lush greenery, pristine beaches, and impressive volcanoes. The locals are friendly and the energy is generally positive.

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The country still has a long way to go in terms of its economy and infrastructure. The GDP per capita is only around $6,000 USD and there is obvious, visible poverty. The average Salvadoran is not living it up, materially.

But with that said, I find this small, understated nation to be one of the most optimistic and inspiring on earth.

There is a lot that can be learned from El Salvador, its recent transformation, and its current trajectory. Here are four lessons that stand out to me:

1. Don’t let 1% of people terrorise the other 99%

El Salvador infamously used to hold the title of the ‘murder capital of the world’.

Through the 1990s to mid-2010s, it topped the global rankings several times for having the highest homicide rate of any country. Some years, it surged above 100 murders per 100,000 people.

As recently as 2016, the capital of San Salvador ranked as the most dangerous city in the world, with a homicide rate of over 130 per 100,000 people. For reference, that’s about 2-3x the homicide rate of Kingston, Jamaica and St. Louis, Missouri and 6x higher than Chicago, Illinois.

Most of this bloodshed was perpetrated by gang members (‘maras’), with the notorious street gangs MS-13 and Barrio 18 being largely responsible.

Fast forward to today, El Salvador ranks as arguably the safest country in the Western hemisphere. The homicide rate in 2024 was only 1.9 per 100,000 people, a figure comparable to Canada. 2025 looks on track to be even lower.

This represents a greater than 98% drop in homicide rate between 2016 and 2024.

How was this ‘impossible’ feat achieved?

Simple. Mostly by imprisoning violent criminals and keeping them locked up, away from polite society.

Naturally, Western media and bleeding-heart foreigners have been quick to scream about ‘human rights’ following the incarceration of thousands of known gang members (most with gang names and symbols tattooed all over their faces and bodies).

Interestingly, these same people were not concerned about ‘human rights’ when dozens of innocent Salvadorans were being brutally murdered every week, for decades on end.

However, despite the luxury beliefs of unaffected foreigners, most of the citizens of El Salvador are pleased with the result. President Nayib Bukele has maintained an approval rating in the 85-92% range since taking power (the highest of any world leader). Every day Salvadorans appreciate being able to walk outside safely at all hours, travel between cities, and send their kids to school without a reasonable fear that they won’t make it home alive.

“He who spares the wolf sacrifices the sheep.”

If any innocent person has been unjustly imprisoned (which is almost certain given the sheer scale of the arrests), then I hope they are freed, quickly. That is a valid concern.

But the general principle remains and the results speak for themselves. The tough-on-crime measures have been a massive win for safety and security of the country. The stage is now set for improvements everywhere else.

2. Teach kids about money

El Salvador is the only country I’m aware of that is teaching young children about money in its public schools through the Mi Nueva Escuela (My New School) reforms. Kids are learning about the history of money, inflation and its impacts, saving and investing, and bitcoin and the future of money. High school students can also earn a ‘Bitcoin diploma’.

In most countries, children don’t learn anything about money in school. Only those lucky enough to have financially-astute parents or mentors reach adulthood with an understanding of the basics.

Understanding money is a crucial skill that most people never gain, even as adults. We all use money in our daily lives, yet few understand it at a fundamental level. It can’t be a mere oversight that it is not taught in schools… but I’ll save that conspiracy for another time.

Teaching young people about money is a massive win for the future of the nation. If other leaders embraced this idea then within a generation or two, they’d have a far more financially-savvy and responsible citizenry, instead of a new wave of debt slaves.

This scheme is a sign to me that El Salvador is genuinely trying to equip its younger generations with the skills and knowledge they’ll need to be more successful than those that came before them. Another win.

3. Invest in the future

The government of El Salvador has been buying 1 bitcoin per day since 2022, and after a recent $100m USD purchase, they currently hold over 7,400 BTC in their national strategic reserve.

If bitcoin goes on to do what I believe it will do, then this could be worth the equivalent of hundreds of billions of dollars in the future. While other countries accumulate enormous debt due to short-term thinking and corruption, El Salvador is focused on accumulating the hardest form of money ever created. That’s visionary. So visionary in fact, that it will take at least a decade for most people to understand how prudent this decision was.

El Salvador was the first country to make bitcoin legal tender in 2021. Although it’s no longer mandatory, many businesses across the nation continue to accept bitcoin transactions. As inflation continues to eat away at the US dollar and every other fiat currency, bitcoin adoption is a long-term bet in a world that encourages short-term thinking from every angle.

Recently, El Salvador has also been investing heavily into healthcare technology and artificial intelligence. I don’t know all of the details and cannot predict how this will play out, but it’s another example of the government being willing to innovate and invest in areas that will make the country and its people more sovereign.

In most countries, people have grown accustomed to the government being apathetic to their needs at best, or actively working against them at worst. From what I can see (and anecdotal reports on the ground), the government of El Salvador is trying to do the opposite.

4. Ignore the outside noise

President Bukele and his administration have come under heavy criticism from foreign media outlets (and left-wingers in general) over the past few years. He has been labeled a ‘dictator’, ‘authoritarian’, ‘tyrant’, and of course, ‘a threat to democracy’.

While it’s prudent to always be vigilant about government overreach and potential human rights abuses, we should also use reason and just scales. As I mentioned before, very few of these vocal critics expressed concerns for the people of El Salvador when they were being terrorised and extorted by gangsters for decades. They didn’t care when one person was being murdered per hour in a country of only 6 million people.

They are not impressed by a 95%+ drop in murders, yet they are extremely concerned about how the murderers are being treated. Unfortunately, no systems or methods are perfect. The more extreme the situation, the more likely that a heavy-handed approach is needed to rectify it. And having the highest murder rate on the planet was certainly an extreme situation.

Having visited the country twice and spoken to locals, the vast majority are pleased with the increased security they now enjoy. And to be frank, I sympathise with them infinitely more than I sympathise with those who made their lives hellish for so many years.

For those of us who have never had to live in the ‘murder capital of the world’, it’s easy to take basic safety for granted. It’s easy to point out imperfections and express liberal concerns from a distance. And to be fair, as time goes on we’ll see just how valid these concerns are. Again, no system is perfect, but that doesn’t mean we should lose sight of the progress.

At a minimum, President Bukele has proven that cities, states, and nations can fix their seemingly ‘impossible’ problems. But it requires courage and an unwillingness to bow to criticism from ‘intellectuals’ and the media class, who have no skin in the game.

Nobody is above criticism. At the same time, people’s utopian visions will never be satisfied. And no nation can fix ALL of its problems in just a few years, no matter how excellent the leadership. The biggest problems should be addressed first.

I’m rooting for the citizens of El Salvador because I’m rooting for humanity. If you are a decent, law-abiding person, anywhere in the world, then I want you to win.

I hope that President Bukele and his administration continue to maintain security and make some serious headway into building out infrastructure and the economy in a sustainable way. It’s difficult, but possible.

I pray that El Salvador and other economically developing countries will come into their full glory in the 21st century. That would be very good for the world.

And I hope that larger, more developed nations aren’t too prideful to recognise that they can also be inspired and learn things from their smaller neighbours.

Viva El Salvador!

1,
Zuby

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‘Dreams’ is my second collaboration with Los Angeles rapper, Reverie. The song encapsulates gratitude, celebration, hope, and good vibes — perfect to give a soundtrack to this weekend!

Stream ‘Dreams’ now on all platforms and add it to your playlist.

Listen to ‘Dreams’ on Spotify

Listen to ‘Dreams’ on Apple Music

Also available on other music platforms

I hope you enjoy the new song.

1,
Zuby

In this era of sedentary lifestyles, fast food, and rising metabolic and mental health disorders, I’m of the opinion that anything ethical that gets people out and moving should be encouraged.

With that said, there is a unique form of exercise that every person must do regularly to optimise their health, athleticism, and longevity. And that is strength training, also known as resistance training.

Strength training isn’t solely the purview of bodybuilders, powerlifters, and athletes. Strength training is for everybody; men and women, young and old.

Training your body to work against resistance has an enormous number of benefits. Whether you use free weights, fixed weights, machines, bodyweight, resistance bands, or some combination, you can reap the benefits of a stronger, healthier body.

Strength training doesn’t just increase the strength and size of your muscles. It improves your nervous system function, bone density, joint function, tendon strength, and ligament strength.

Regular strength training helps to increase your insulin sensitivity, which in turn reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Strength training reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and even certain types of cancer, including kidney cancer and colon cancer.

It also improves body composition by helping you build and retain lean body mass. At the same time, the resulting metabolic improvements make it easier to lose excess body fat and keep it at bay.

There is simply no other form of exercise that boasts all the same benefits as resistance training. Cardiovascular training alone has many benefits, particularly when it comes to endurance, lung capacity, and heart health.

However, if you want to strengthen your entire body and slow down (or reverse) many of the negative effects of aging, such as loss of lean body mass and weakening of bones and joints, then strength training is vital.

Strength training has become more popular over the past few decades amongst both sexes; however, it’s still only practiced by a minority of the population.

Despite spikes in gym memberships and the growing popularity of online fitness content, there are still many misconceptions and myths surrounding this form of training. There remains a pervasive idea that the benefits of ‘lifting weights’ are merely superficial, aesthetic, and driven by vanity. This is not only incorrect but particularly foolish considering the deteriorating health of the general population.

Most economically developed countries also have aging populations. Despite that, it’s still not common knowledge that strength training reduces the risk of many age-related illnesses and conditions. Cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and metabolic illnesses are some of the most common causes of reduced quality of life and life expectancy. All of these can be at least partially mitigated through strength training. However, only a small minority of middle-aged and elderly people regularly set foot inside a gym – whether public, private, or at home.

There are obvious profit incentives to promote pharmaceutical drugs and costly medical interventions over simple lifestyle changes, but it’s unethical when done knowingly. In my opinion, drugs and surgeries should be reserved for specific medical conditions and extreme circumstances, rather than being the first resort for every health concern, as they so often are.

Can you imagine how much healthier, happier, and more productive our nations would be if everybody exercised regularly and incorporated resistance training as part of their regimen? The positive externalities would extend far beyond public health. However, such an outcome would be detrimental to many organisations and individuals whose profits are maximised by maintaining a chronic level of sickness and dependency among large swathes of the population.

Their propaganda has been so effective that many modern people outright reject the notion that they are accountable for most aspects of their health and wellbeing. Instead, they seek the next ‘miracle’ pill, therapy, or procedure before they think about what changes they can make to improve their health outcomes. Individual autonomy and personal responsibility are outsourced at every step.

It’s worth repeating that I am very much in favour of cardiovascular training. I am not telling anybody not to walk, run, cycle, or swim. I am not suggesting that you stop playing football, basketball, tennis, or whatever your preferred sport may be. What I am saying is that if you don’t already do some form of resistance training, then you should start. In fact, it will probably improve your performance in all other athletic endeavours.

Another problem is that when many people hear the words ‘strength training’ or ‘lifting weights’, their brains automatically conjure up images of massive, steroid-enhanced bodybuilders. Media programming over several decades has created and reinforced stereotypes about strength training and the people who engage in it. This is a primary source of the idea that people who lift weights are ‘meatheads’, ‘dumb jocks’, or otherwise deficient in intelligence or character.

I recall a young man once telling me, with a straight face, that he doesn’t lift weights because ‘he’d rather read books’. This is the type of statement that reveals a person is not as clever as he thinks he is.

To be painfully clear, you can engage in various forms of intellectual, physical, spiritual, social, vocational, and familial pursuits, and strength train as well. There is nothing mutually exclusive about these activities.

Incredibly, it’s possible to read books and lift weights. I’ve personally managed this feat for over two decades, and many have for even longer. Rest assured, there are no side effects from resistance training that impair your intelligence or ability to read. Conversely, the resulting improvement in focus, mental fortitude, and nervous system connection may enhance your overall cognition.

It’s smart to lift weights, and lifting weights makes you smarter.

Regarding the fear of ‘becoming too bulky’ or ‘getting too jacked’, you can sleep soundly knowing these outcomes don’t occur by accident. No mere mortal has ever stumbled into a gym, lifted a few weights, and accidentally walked out looking like Mr. Olympia.

This concern is akin to refusing to read books because you don’t want to become too smart, or being afraid of running because you might end up as fast as Usain Bolt. Not only is it silly and unrealistic, but it’s incredibly arrogant to believe you may accidentally become elite in a discipline that other people have dedicated their entire lives to mastering. The typical person who does strength training is not a hardcore bodybuilder, pro athlete, or strongman – they are your average gym-goer.

Finally, lifting your own bodyweight is still ‘lifting weights’. I say this because I occasionally hear people who prefer calisthenics boast about how they “don’t lift weights.” However, doing push-ups, pull-ups, and other forms of bodyweight exercises is still a form of strength training. You are still lifting weights, self-evidently… Your own bodyweight is the object of resistance.

The bottom line is that strength training is massively beneficial. I strongly recommend it for optimising your health, physique, and performance, regardless of your age. If you are an adult who cares about your health (and you should), then you should incorporate strength training into your lifestyle.

If you’re not sure where to start, you can check out my eBook Strong Advice: Zuby’s Guide To Fitness For Everybody. It’s helped thousands of people to build muscle, lose fat, and achieve their fitness goals. It can help you too.

1,
Zuby

I can’t tell you how to succeed at everything, but I can tell you how to never fail.

Are you ready for this insight?

The secret is this:

Don’t even try.

That’s it. If you want to be certain that you won’t fail, then remove the option of failure by not taking the risk in the first place.

Don’t try to learn anything new, meet anyone new, or do anything new at all. Just don’t do anything that may involve any risk of failure and you will never fail. Presto.

Well… at least you won’t fail in the micro, short-term sense. The major downside of this strategy is that it also makes success unattainable. It guarantees macro, long-term failure. But at least you don’t have to deal with any immediate rejection, criticism, or setbacks! You can stay in your comfort zone indefinitely, until your lack of progress inevitably turns it into a discomfort zone.

My framing here is facetious, but the greater point is relevant to how so many people approach the adventure of life. The fear of failure has killed more dreams and caused more long-term failure than anything else. So many people never take a proverbial shot at the goal because they’re terrified of what may happen if they miss.

As a result, millions of books and songs remain unwritten, businesses never started, and relationships never established - all because of the fear of acute failure.

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The more you practice the habit of courage, the more courageous you become over time. Similarly, the more you practice the habit of cowardice, the more cowardly you will inevitably become, as it becomes your default mode of operation.

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Despite ongoing economic, political, and cultural concerns, basic human survival has never been easier than it is now. Across the Western world, threats of war, famine, and pestilence no longer rank highly on the list of most people’s daily concerns.

In such a society, most people trend towards the path of least resistance in all aspects of life. This includes their diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits, career and finances, personal relationships, as well as how they approach social and cultural issues.

“Go along to get along” has merit and prudence in many situations. After all, few of us (beyond terminally online keyboard jockeys) would find it enjoyable to spend all day fighting and arguing with people.

However, there are times when you need to stand up for your beliefs and principles, or even for the truth itself. But if you haven’t trained your ‘courage muscles’ for an extended period, you may find that when the time comes to use them, they are flabby, weak, and barely functional. You no longer remember how to be courageous.

Instead, you allow yourself and others to be pushed around, physically or figuratively. Rather than saying what is right, you stay silent or even worse, repeat the lie. Instead of standing against the mob, you join it.

Implicit self-censorship is more common than censorship imposed by the state. Even in ‘free’ countries, the average man or woman is afraid to speak their mind unless they are reassured their opinion is ‘approved’.

In such a climate where people are afraid to speak courageously, why would we expect them to act courageously? After all, the consequences of action tend to be greater than the consequences of speech.

So, how do we address this collective cowardice?

The first step is to recognise that none of us are as courageous as we could be, and perhaps should be.

Next, you need to train your ‘courage muscles’ regularly. Instead of always taking the easy road and avoiding all potential conflict, you need to train yourself to speak up when you have something important to say, and to act when you know you should act.

Imaginary consequences tend to be far worse than real ones. Exceptions exist, but it wouldn’t be considered ‘courage’ if there was no risk whatsoever. Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s doing what must be done, despite the threat.

When we look at situations long-term rather than just focusing on the present, it also changes the risk calculation. When facing a challenging situation, consider not only the potential consequences of your action, but the potential consequences of your inaction – not just for yourself, but for your children and future generations. It could be that apathy or inaction now will lead to greater risks in the future.

None of us have the capacity or desire to fight every battle under the sun. But in our respective domains, we can all certainly be bolder and more courageous.

Courage and cowardice are more than personality traits. They are habits that become ingrained through repetition. So, I encourage you to train your courage muscles. Keep them in fighting shape, ready to be used when necessary.

1,
Zuby

If ‘social media experts’ exist, then perhaps I am one. Not because of degrees or qualifications, but because experience is the best teacher, provided you pay attention.

And in a world where more entities than ever are vying for your attention, remembering how to pay attention is important.

Given my social media presence, people often ask me how I ‘stay sane’, so today I’m going to share some tips to help you survive and thrive in 2025 and beyond, without losing your capacity to think, focus, and simply be happy. Let’s go.

1/ Curate Your Feed

Too many people blame ‘the algorithm’ for their own decisions. On all major social media platforms, you choose who to follow and subscribe to. Therefore, you have a lot of control over what you see.

To improve your social media experience, unfollow accounts that consistently post infuriating, negative, or otherwise annoying content. Follow accounts that consistently post interesting, positive, and useful content. Use the ‘mute’ and ‘block’ functions if you need to. They work.

At least 80% of your social media experience is based on who and what you choose to follow and interact with. So, be discerning and choose wisely (or don’t complain about the result).

2/ Fix Your Diet

Don’t just curate your media diet, but your nutritional diet as well. It’s impossible for your brain to function optimally when you’re feeding it rubbish multiple times per day. Be kind to your body. Give it what it needs to run well.

The typical modern diet is truly awful and mostly consists of highly-processed junk food. It’s not just about physical appearance and athletic performance; don’t underestimate how much your nutrition impacts your mood and mental clarity as well.

3/ Exercise Daily

Your body craves movement. Daily walks are great and I recommend them highly, but you should also be doing resistance training and more intense cardio several times per week. Being sedentary can drive people crazy, especially when combined with a poor diet and other unhealthy habits.

4/ Stop Doomscrolling

Spending dozens of hours every week scrolling through random, aggravating, and outrageous ‘content’ on a small screen is common. It’s also really bad for you, obviously.

Stop. If you’re going to be on social media, do your best to be intentional and social, rather than anti-social. Your online feeds should inspire, intrigue, and teach you, not consistently make you feel worse about yourself, other people, and the world in general. Use these tools to connect with great people, learn, and share great ideas, not to make your life worse.

5/ Have Hobbies

Many people nowadays don’t have any hobbies beyond eating, spending money, and staring at screens. This is a recipe for mediocrity as well as physical and cognitive obesity. Men and women need hobbies to be healthy and well-rounded. So, create, build, play, read, write, travel, exercise… Just do something. Keep the body moving and stay creative.

6/ Take Days Off

I take every Sunday off social media and have done this for many years. It’s great to have a reset and I recommend it to everybody. You don’t need to be online every single day, even if it’s part of your business. Don’t fool yourself. I recommend at least one day off every week. If that sounds hard, then I recommend two days off.

7/ Go Outside

Humans aren’t designed to be indoors all the time. It’s important to spend some time outdoors daily. Enjoy nature — touch sand, grass, water… heck, even touching a concrete sidewalk is better than only touching the inside of your house or apartment.

8/ Spend Time With Family & Friends

Community keeps you sane, balanced, and grounded. Spending time with your loved ones is a fundamental part of that. Digital tools can help us to maintain these connections from a distance, but they shouldn’t replace real-world socialising.

When it comes to human connection, nothing will ever beat in-person interaction. You’ll also find that people are generally kinder and more ‘normal’ in person than they are online.

9/ Connect With God

Pray, go to church, read your Bible, and count your blessings. Disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with the spiritual one. It’s vital. The human world is jacked up and we all need to re-calibrate, lest we lose sight of the bigger picture.

10/ Just Turn It Off

You don’t need to be online all the time. I understand FOMO (fear of missing out) and am not immune to it either, but beyond my immediate family, I don’t feel obliged to give everybody 24/7 access to me. And I don’t need 24/7 access to everybody else.

If it’s all just getting too distracting, upsetting, or overwhelming, there is no shame in simply logging out, or switching off your phone. Own your devices and never let them own you. You’re the one with the power.

I hope you’ve found this valuable. Any more that you’d add? Feel free to reply with a comment!

Have an excellent day.

1,
Zuby

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If you’re dealing with impostor syndrome or are particularly socially awkward, then this could be useful short-term advice to help you get started on a new endeavour. However, faking anything for an extended period is neither sustainable nor good for your mental wellbeing. It means you are being dishonest to yourself and others, and this incongruity takes a toll.

Mimicking confident body language and speech is one way to learn these skills, but true confidence is derived from genuine competence.

When I first started writing, recording, and performing music, I didn’t have the confidence that I do now. I experienced a similar lack of confidence when I first started doing in-person merchandise sales, public speaking, and recording interviews for my own podcast and others. Everything that now makes up a significant portion of my career is something I was initially uncomfortable doing.

What was the reason for this early lack of confidence? The answer is straightforward. I hadn’t yet attained the experience and competence required to earn the confidence that I desired. With each successive performance, speech, or interview, I have grown more competent in that skill. As my ability increases, naturally, so does my confidence level.

The more I write, the more competent I become in my ability to transfer my ideas in a clear, natural, and compelling way. As a result, my confidence also grows. You get better at communicating by communicating.

Often, people don’t try to learn new skills or pursue novel interests because they don’t feel confident, but this is self-defeating. How can you feel confident enough to start if you never do? The logic is backwards.

To learn any new skill, you must be willing to venture outside of your comfort zone. This will feel uncomfortable, by definition, but going through this period of fear and frequent error is the only way to reach a level of competence that eventually translates to true confidence. It’s the price of admission.

Confidence can only be faked for so long. If you’re not genuinely competent in a domain where you’re faking confidence, you will eventually be exposed. Mimicking the body language and attitude of a pilot won’t help you to fly a plane once you’re in the cockpit.

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Charlie Kirk was a Christian, patriot, husband, and father of two. His life on earth was cut short after 31 years, because somebody couldn’t tolerate a difference in opinion.

On 10th September, Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking with students on a university campus, something he’d done countless times before as a well-known conservative activist and speaker.

I never met Charlie in person. We followed each other online, and had several mutual friends and acquaintances. I first became aware of him in 2019, and from a distance, I perceived him to be smart, hard-working, and intellectually honest. I respect people who engage in debates in good faith without resorting to insults, particularly when it comes to difficult topics. It’s far rarer than it should be.

Everyone I’m aware of who had met Charlie said that he was a good man. And I’ve heard that from people across the political and religious spectrum. He was devout in his Christian faith, dedicated to his wife and children, and passionate about his beliefs. But importantly, he was willing to discuss his ideas with everyone, whether they agreed or not.

Charlie was not an extremist in the eyes of any reasonable person. He was a socially conservative Christian who held beliefs shared by billions of people around the world. The fact that his views were even considered ‘controversial’ is an indictment on how far the West has drifted from its roots. He explicitly denounced political violence and actively chose to engage in discussion and debate. He sought to change people’s minds, but remained open to having his own mind changed.

Nonetheless, this was deemed intolerable to a segment of the population. So much so that they wanted him dead.

I’m not going to waste paragraphs denouncing the reprobates who are dancing on his grave. I’d rather dedicate my words and attention to those he inspired, as well as everyone with a shred of moral decency, who believe it’s wrong to murder a peaceful person over their political beliefs.

Indeed, the last week has been particularly heavy for millions of people - not just in the USA but worldwide.

Around 160,000 people die every single day. And many in horrific circumstances.

So, why is it that certain deaths impact us so much?

It’s not because one innocent human life is inherently worth more than another, but simply because some people are better known to us and impact our lives more than others. The more we relate to the person, the more we feel the loss.

Losing your own friend or family member impacts you more than a stranger losing theirs. That is normal. And if somebody is known to and appreciated by millions, then it’s only natural that his or her death will impact more people.

Charlie and the circumstances of his death represent something bigger than himself. He was killed while exercising his right to freedom of speech, on an American university campus, with thousands of people watching in person.

On 5th September 2025, I published an article called Why Politics is Making Everyone Stupider. In it, I expressed my concern for the aggressive rise in political polarisation.

Just five days later, Charlie Kirk was killed for expressing his beliefs. His murder was an affront and injustice to any person of moral character.

When one enters the upper echelons of politics, assassination attempts are not completely outside of the realm of possibility. That’s why all Presidents, Prime Ministers, and other high-ranking officials all over the world are assigned a security detail. While attacks on politicians in the West are thankfully rare, we all know that they’re not completely unprecedented.

However, the public murder of a young activist, public speaker, author, and podcast host is particularly egregious. Especially Charlie, who chose to engage, and often show kindness, towards people who were hostile towards him.

To put it simply, in the USA, people should be free to share their thoughts and opinions without fear of being imprisoned or killed. The fact that this is no longer guaranteed is rightfully chilling.

I don’t want to speculate on any conspiracies or place the blame on individuals who have nothing to do with this heinous act.

I do want to honour Charlie’s memory, express my sincere condolences to his family and friends, and encourage anybody who is grieving.

As a fellow Christian, I believe the end of our lives on this Earth means a transition to a better, more peaceful one. May we live by our beliefs, and never become as hateful as our enemies.

It would have been exciting to see what Charlie would have accomplished in the future, but what he achieved in his short life was incredible.

I was particularly inspired by how bold he was in discussing his Christian faith. I know that he helped many people on their journeys towards Jesus Christ, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he inspires many more with his passing.

And that’s a wonderful legacy in itself.

May we all be as bold and courageous in the face of worldly adversity.

Rest in peace, Charlie. God bless you and your family.

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Regardless of political leaning, everybody with a hint of perception has noticed an uptick in politically-fueled division and hostility in recent years. And it’s not just in one country, but many.

Mainstream media pundits, independent media pundits, and politicians themselves lament the polarisation that they’re largely responsible for. Those on the right blame the left, those on the left blame the right, and the far-right and the far-left blame their preferred scapegoats.

Nobody blames themselves, of course. Convenient.

If this phenomenon was limited to the halls of power or just the internet, then it would still be an issue, but excessive fragmentation has real-world consequences. Millions of families have been divided, friends lost, and careers destroyed, all because somebody had the ‘wrong’ politics in the eyes of another.

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Incredibly, some people celebrate and encourage this. After all, falling out with your ‘communist libtard’ sister or your ‘MAGA Nazi’ father is understandable. Isn’t it?

After all, if they don’t share your exact worldview or voted for a different candidate to you, then the only reason must be that they’re evil, hateful, and bigoted. Who cares if their day-to-day lives and how they actually treat people suggests otherwise?

I’m being facetious.

While I know that genuine extremists exist (usually radicalised by the aforementioned media and political influences), how likely is it that your beloved family member or childhood friend suddenly became a hateful person who ‘literally wants people to die’?

How likely is it that ~50% of your fellow civilians and neighbours are raging bigots, and became so just in the past few years?

Does that seem plausible?

If it does, then perhaps it’s you who has become the extreme, intolerant one.

After all, let’s remember what the word ‘bigot’ actually means:

“A person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices.”

The definition is not:

“A person who votes Republican”

“A person who votes Democrat”

“A person who voted for Brexit”

“A person who voted Remain (in the EU)”

…or anything like it.

There is no mention of any particular political or religious orientation. A bigot is simply someone who is incredibly zealous about their own beliefs and biases, and intolerant of other people’s ways of life and viewpoints.

Unless you’ve managed to lock yourself tightly into an echo chamber, you’ll know that this trait is not unique to any particular ‘side’ of the political aisle.

Critical thinking, civility, honesty, and morality itself are in peril as people increasingly shift toward political obsession and partisanship.

Making politics the focus of your life and the lens through which you view the world leads to a loss of personal accountability and kindness. It causes people to develop victim mentalities, where they seek to blame other people for everything that goes wrong in their lives.

I see different versions of this every day online.

“It’s the left.”

“It’s the right.”

“It’s white people’s fault.”

“It’s the black people’s fault.”

“It’s the Jews’ fault.”

“It’s the immigrants’ fault.”

“It’s men’s fault.”

“It’s women’s fault.”

Even people who manage to avoid gross identity politics and hyper-partisanship may blame ‘the elites’, ‘the globalists’, or ‘the rich’ for everything bad in the world.

While all of this makes for a lucrative business of grievance politics and its downstream economy (commentary, activism, advertising, books, merch, etc.), it doesn’t make for happier people, stronger families, or better nations.

Obsessing over politics makes people worse, not better.

It’s rare to come across someone who is obsessed with politics (not merely interested), and mentally and spiritually better off as a result. It’s soul-destroying.

For too many people, politics has become entertainment, a team sport, and an ultra-low resolution filter to separate ‘good’ from ‘bad’.

At its worst, some people’s ‘thinking’ boils down to this:

“Everyone and everything that furthers my political agenda is good and must be supported, and everyone and everything that impedes my political agenda is bad and must be destroyed.”

Nuance be damned. Ethics be damned. Individuality be damned.

This is the mentality of an extremist, not a reasonable person.

Personally, I’ve been experiencing a heavy political fatigue over the past year, and I know I’m not alone in that regard. The past decade in particular has been a non-stop barrage of divisive nonsense. The 24/7 modern news cycle and access to infinite opinions via social media haven’t made things any better.

What is the end result of all this? Everybody ends up dumber, angrier, and more stressed. And very little gets accomplished which makes our daily lives better.

So, with all that said, don’t be afraid to detach yourself from this matrix and practice what I call ‘tactical aloofness’.

It’s not your responsibility to care about, let alone try to fix, every problem in your country, and the wider world.

If you have a particularly strong calling and the power to enact change, then do so. You don’t need to be apathetic. But make sure your own house is in order first.

I understand that politics is unavoidable to some degree, but becoming more focused on it is unlikely to make your life better.

Control what you can. That’s the true power you have.

1,
Zuby

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I’ll share my own journey as a musician and creative entrpreneur.

I released my first music album, Commercial Underground, in 2006 when I was in my second year at Oxford University, studying Computer Science.

After graduating in 2007 and taking a year off to release and promote my second album, The Unknown Celebrity, I moved to London and started a job as a management consultant.

Three years later, in 2011, I quit my corporate job to become a full-time rapper. I’ve been self-employed ever since then.

Here’s a fun fact:

The first year that I made more money as a musician and entrepreneur than I used to make in my corporate job was 2019. It took eight years just to get back to my previous income level. Considering all the hours worked and expenses, my average hourly income was below minimum wage for several years.

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Most people who have discovered me recently don’t know that I spent many years selling my CDs on the streets of various cities in the UK. As an independent musician, it was the best way I knew to get my music heard, make new fans, and earn an income without any support from the music industry.

In 2015, I started running pop-up shops with my friend Shao Dow in shopping malls around the country. For weeks at a time, with no days off, I was there for up to 12 hours a day – selling my CDs, T-shirts, hats, and other merchandise. The hours were long but at least I wasn’t outside in the cold anymore.

Over the years, I spoke to over 500,000 people and sold over 25,000 CDs hand-to-hand.

By the beginning of 2019 (thirteen years after releasing my first album), I had amassed 50,000 followers across all of my social media platforms. I’d reached the financial status of “Not rich, but at least I ain’t broke” as per the lyrics of my song Perseverance.

As I write this, I have over 2 million followers across my social media platforms. I share these numbers not because I think follower counts are a great measure of success – but because they’re an easily understandable metric to demonstrate the growth of my reach. Thankfully, I’m now in a comfortable financial position, and have expanded my career beyond music and merchandise, to also include writing, podcasting, public speaking, and coaching.

Long story short, it has taken nineteen years since releasing my first project to achieve the modest level of success that I have so far. That’s half of my entire life.

Over the years, I’ve experienced countless ups and downs. Very few people have experienced being rejected by hundreds of thousands of people (in real life, not just online) and being admired by hundreds of thousands. It’s quite the juxtaposition.

I don’t share my story to court sympathy nor boast. I want you to understand the sheer amount of time, dedication, and perseverance it can take before you see results that justify your efforts.

This isn’t only true of entrepreneurship. It can apply to any personal or career goal.

There are millions of successful people who have experienced more hardship than I have. But I’m not interested in competing in the Victim Olympics or Privilege World Series. Everybody has their own ‘hero’s journey’ that’s open to them, should they choose to take it on.

There will be times when the payoff for your work isn’t commensurate with the effort you are putting in. This can persist for years, or even decades. This is normal.

Not seeing progress immediately doesn’t mean that you’re not making it.

Don’t get discouraged.

Don’t be defeatist.

Don’t expect success to come quickly.

Stay the course and learn to embrace and enjoy the process.

Most people don’t achieve their goals simply because they give up too soon. But if you’re running a marathon, you’ll complete the race as long as you continue to put one foot in front of the other.

Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. You are your own competition.

Just keep going.

1,
Zuby

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Learn about bitcoin.

Today, I’m going to explain why you can’t afford to ignore bitcoin.

I won’t go into all of the intricacies of our current money system or the technical aspects of bitcoin, but bear with me and I’ll present a case that should be understandable and compelling, even if you’re starting from zero.

I won’t tell you how to spend or invest your money. That’s up to you. However, I can offer some valuable insights after 8 years of personal experience with this ‘magic internet money’.

I will trust the intelligence and initiative of my readers to do their own research and fill in any major gaps in your monetary knowledge.

The main points you need to understand are the following:

1. Your money (fiat) is losing value every day.

2. Everything gets more expensive in fiat over time.

3. Bitcoin is limited and cannot be debased.

4. Everything gets cheaper in bitcoin over time.

5. It’s smart to own money that gets stronger over time, not weaker.

I could end the article here, but let’s go through these points individually. By the end of it, you’ll understand why I believe bitcoin is the ultimate life raft in this economy.

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This is understandable because there are many situations where newer does mean better. When it comes to electronic technologies like computers, TVs, cameras, and smartphones, the newer ones typically are better than their older counterparts. New medical and scientific knowledge is better than the older information that it supersedes, provided the research is conducted honestly and accurately.

However, the idea that ‘newer is better’ can get us into trouble when it comes to other areas of life. In fact, this assumption is currently wreaking havoc upon the sanity, cohesion, and prosperity of our societies.

When it comes to new ideas, most are not good, let alone better. As a species, we have gone through thousands of years of experimentation, with trillions of collective iterations before reaching our current state. Whatever ‘new’ idea you have for humanity has probably been thought of already, attempted on some scale, and either been found to be untenable, unhelpful, or unsustainable.

In any relatively functional society, we could consider the enduring customs, traditions, and social norms to be a collection of ideas and behaviours that have been proven to work for most people in most cases. To be clear, I use the word ‘work’ here rather loosely because things can operate in a state of dysfunction, tyranny, or immorality for long periods. For an obvious example, consider that slavery was practised all around the world for millennia. An institution that normalised the ownership and oppression of other people was considered acceptable (or at least permissible) by millions of people across different continents. Bad ideas can undoubtedly persist for a long time.

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But on balance, old ideas tend to be better than new ideas. That’s because they have been tried and tested, and have survived the trials of time. If an idea or behaviour is widespread and encouraged across generations, nations, and cultures, it’s reasonable to assume that it serves a valuable societal function. Two popular examples of this would be marriage and the formation of nuclear families.

People have been getting married for thousands of years, across different geographies, cultures, and religions. There have always been communities of people that eschewed this structure, but it appears they rarely stuck around to pass on their ways of life across generations. Therefore, common sense suggests that marriage exists for good reasons and is advantageous to society.

It is worth pointing out an important difference between the examples above. Whilst slavery was a widespread practice for millennia, and sadly still exists illegally, people did not voluntarily choose to be slaves. For the institution to exist and persist, it required force, coercion, and violence. People did not desire to be slaves, and those who were enslaved desired to be free.

This is different to marriage, which most people choose to enter voluntarily. Yes, I am aware of forced marriages and other coercive practices. But I trust my readers are wise enough to discern the differences between these institutions.

One of my major concerns about the modern world is that we are too often sacrificing good and tested ideas at the altar of new and untested ones. Instead of thinking about whether an idea is ‘good’ and acting with prudence, it is often assumed the ‘new’ idea is better and should thus be adopted. There is an assumption that all change is ‘progress’, regardless of its impact.

As a result, the foundational ideas and institutions that serve as the glue and compass for our societies are constantly under attack. This includes religion, tradition, patriotism, the family unit, free speech, free markets, rule of law, and even the belief in objective truth.

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Ed and I go way back. He was one of my first guests on the Real Talk with Zuby podcast when it was just getting started. It’s no surprise that he went on to do some incredible things. He’s a man who has walked through fire and come out stronger by constantly challenging himself, learning from his experiences, and being willing to put in the work. All traits that I respect.

Ed’s life has been far from easy. He grew up in the harsh realities of Pittsburgh’s public housing projects. He was raised by a single mother and was surrounded by violence, addiction, and the kind of challenges most people would let define them forever. But instead of letting those circumstances trap him, Ed chose a different path by pursuing self-discipline, boxing, and reinvention.

I know many of you resonate with my own story of perseverance and resilience, but I want to highlight something powerful here, because it’s important to learn from a range of different people. Ed’s story isn’t just about boxing or overcoming addiction, it’s about taking responsibility for your life, no matter where you start. It’s about realising that the only thing you can control is your response to life’s challenges.

Hard Lessons From The Hurt Business is a powerful reminder that you can choose to fight, choose to grow, and choose to win. And that starts with taking full ownership of your life. I believe this book will resonate with anyone looking to take that next step in their own personal journey, so I encourage you to check it out.

You can grab your copy now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever books are sold.

You can also check out our latest conversation on the Real Talk with Zuby podcast.

If you’re looking for a no-nonsense, real story about resilience, identity, and discipline, this is the one.

I believe in Ed, and I believe in this book.

Take a look, and let it inspire you the way it’s inspired me.

1,
Zuby

“It’s a dog-eat-dog world.”

“You have to be a jerk to be successful.”

I’m sure you’ve heard these maxims at some point in your life. Perhaps you’ve even espoused them yourself?

Such sayings are often repeated and rarely questioned. But are they even true?

If you view the world as a zero-sum competition, where there are simply ‘winners’ and ‘losers’, and ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ in every human endeavour, then I understand how these sayings may ring true. After all, if this perspective is true then in order to ‘win’ you must be selfish and ruthless, willing to crush anything that gets in the way of your success. If that includes your fellow human beings, so be it.

Let’s consider these sayings more carefully. Like many memetic ideas, they persist and are propagated despite their lack of precision. Perhaps their popularity and stickiness are due to their simplicity and low-resolution.

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As a teenage rapper starting out in the mid-2000s, my primary audience was boys and men aged 14-25. But as I’ve gotten older and my creative output has expanded beyond rap music to include podcasts, books, and social commentary, my audience has also aged with me. These days, my work is just as likely to be enjoyed by a 60-year-old as by a 25-year-old.

In public, I‘m occasionally stopped by people who recognise me and like my work, whether they discovered me through YouTube, X, Instagram, a podcast, or somewhere else. 80% of the time, it’s a young man telling me that I’ve inspired him in some way. It’s a humbling experience.

We Millennials are hyper aware of the challenges Gen Z is facing because my generation mostly shares them. From runaway house prices, to the ‘battle of the sexes’, to the enormous impact of technology; including smartphones, social media, and now, AI. But instead of writing yet another article lamenting the struggles, I want to share some practical advice based on my almost 39 years of life thus far.

Today, I offer 12 pieces of advice for Gen Z men. Most are not exclusively valuable to this demographic but the reader in mind is a typical 18-25 year old guy living in a Western country, who is feeling a bit lost and unsure about how to get ahead in this thing called ‘life’.

Some of these tips are orthodox and others may be controversial. All are my personal opinions. You’re free to live life however you want.

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So, without further ado, here is my honest advice:

1/ Master something useful

As a man, the world will value you based on what you create and provide. You will be compensated according to your competence and usefulness. If you want to earn the respect of other men and the adoration of women, then you must be useful. You can get angry or offended by this, but this is the way of the world.

So, become proficient at something valuable. Hone your talents. Learn constantly and always be improving. Whether it’s construction, songwriting, plumbing, medicine, law, or any other vocation, become excellent at something. Whether you pursue a traditional job or self-employment, this will be a core pillar of your life.

Over time, you’ll want to build a complementary skill stack by building competence in multiple areas. If you’re not sure where to start, communication and sales are always valuable skills to have.

2/ Get in excellent physical shape

Barring any ailment or injury, you are currently experiencing the easiest time of your life to get into excellent physical shape. You have the time, energy, recovery capacity, and hopefully, the motivation to get it done.

Strength train 3-5 times per week and take it seriously. Make your muscles stronger. Build your physical and mental endurance. As an able-bodied young man, there is no excuse to be a fat slob or too weak to lift your own bodyweight.

It’s not wrong to be weak but it’s wrong to voluntarily remain weak.

Most of your peers won’t do this because it’s hard. So if you develop positive habits early, you’ll have a lifelong advantage. Start now and get ahead of the curve.

3/ Live by God’s law

The older I get, the more I realise that The Bible is right about everything. I don’t know your personal religious beliefs, but I can tell you that if you strive to live according to God’s commandments then you’ll avoid a lot of unnecessary pain. You’ll also experience a sense of meaning, purpose, and joy that many of your peers lack.

It’s hard to explain just how relevant this ‘old’ advice still is because it’s not always obvious. But in my observation, the most content and purposeful people are those who live according to God’s commands, even if they’re not explicitly religious people. Those who are miserable, dissatisfied, or constantly in conflict are those who reject and rebel against this timeless wisdom.

Most avoidable mistakes I’ve made throughout my life stemmed from rejecting God’s commands and following the way of the world instead. None of us are perfect and temptation is a constant battle. That said, I implore you not to gloss over this one. It may be the least ‘trendy’ but it’s the most important on the list.

4/ Go on an adventure

As a young man, you need to get some adventures under your belt. Modern society has no widely acknowledged rites of passage for young men. You have to create your own.

If you’ve never left your country, take a trip abroad. If you can’t for some reason, then take a road trip around your own country. If you already have your own family, then you’ve embarked on life’s greatest adventure, but you can still add to it.

In short, don’t be ‘bored’. Bored people are boring.

Do interesting things. Explore. Learn a craft. Write a book. Learn a language. Start a business.

Just do something.

Don’t be that guy who spends all day online complaining about how “life sucks”. No, your life currently sucks, but it sucks because you’ve chosen that through your own action or inaction. I encourage you to choose differently.

5/ Don’t make a serious life-changing mistake

We all make mistakes but there are some that will make your life far more difficult than it needs to be, forever. I’ll speak plainly.

Don’t get a woman pregnant who isn’t your wife. (see point 3 again)

Don’t get a criminal record.

Don’t get addicted to drugs or alcohol.

Don’t get into massive debt.

If this advice is coming too late for you, then take heart, there is still hope. Your life is not ‘over’ and I know successful men who stumbled at all of these hurdles. But they’ll be the first to tell you it would have been easier for them if they didn’t.

Live clean. Stay out of trouble. Life is already hard enough without the extra chaos. Control what you can for your own sake.

6/ Learn about bitcoin

Every generation has a unique, asymmetric investment opportunity. A rare chance to make life-changing money, reach escape velocity, and even create generational wealth if you’re savvy enough.

Baby boomers had real estate, Gen X had the internet boom, but what about Millennials and Gen Z? We have the greatest opportunity of them all. It’s called bitcoin.

Not ‘crypto’… Bitcoin specifically.

Ignoring bitcoin in the 2010s and 2020s is like ignoring the internet in the 1990s and 2000s. A decision you’ll regret for the rest of your life.

I’ll write a dedicated post in the future, but I’ll tell you now that you can’t afford to ignore bitcoin. You’re not smart enough or rich enough.

Take the time to learn about bitcoin and do it properly. Few investments will have a higher reward.

7/ Take yourself seriously

I like to say that you should take life seriously enough to become successful, but not so seriously that you become depressed.

This applies to yourself too. How you present yourself to the world will impact how others treat you.

What does this mean practically? It means that you should look after your body, be disciplined, dress well, be well-groomed, speak confidently, be polite, convey good body language, and be a man of your word.

If you act like a clown, you’ll be treated like one. But if you show up with self-respect, people will reflect it back to you.

Competence breeds confidence too. So if you lack confidence, work on those areas.

Remember, none of this stuff happens overnight. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s a lifelong journey.

8/ Work hard and smart

Some people work hard.

Some people work smart.

Do both and you’ll excel, no matter the field.

9/ Use social media for good

Social media gets a bad rap because most people like to blame tools instead of blaming themselves for their poor use of them.

The average young adult spends 3-5 hours per day on social media. Most are using it to fry their brains with propaganda, TikTok slop, and other braincell killing ‘content’.

Be different. Use social media to master communication, connect with influential people, build a valuable audience, learn useful things (health, wealth, mindset), and market yourself, your skills, and your business if you have one.

Social media is an incredibly powerful tool that has helped to mint countless millionaires. Just don’t use it like the average person.

10/ Avoid losers and degenerates

This will offend some people because it’s true. But winners surround themselves with winners and losers surround themselves with losers.

When I say ‘losers’, I’m talking about mindset rather than professional achievement, material success, or social status. I’m not saying you should ditch your childhood friends if they haven’t become millionaires by age 25.

Stay away from people who have a persistently negative outlook on the world, those who are overly critical or mean-spirited, and those who always see themselves as the victim whilst refusing to take any accountability for their life. They will poison you with their toxicity.

Also, avoid people who engage in degenerate or dangerous behaviour, especially if they’re proud of it. This includes drug addicts, drunks, and criminals. Trying to help is one thing, but be careful of how you go about it.

Many decent men have ruined their lives by surrounding themselves with irresponsible people. Good friends won’t put you at risk or impede your attempts to live a better life.

11/ Live within your means

Knowing how to make money is a different skill from knowing how to keep it.

While it’s true that taxation robs earnings and inflation robs savings, it’s also true that millions of people have a spending problem.

In many Western countries, spending more than you make has become ‘normalised’ but that doesn’t mean it’s good or healthy. It’s an unsustainable way of life.

If you are a young, single man, then your expenses should be low. Instead of spending money you don’t have trying to impress random people, learn how to save and invest your income. As you increase your earnings, don’t allow your lifestyle and expenses to inflate at the same rate.

If you can earn a moderate to high income and live well below your means for several years, then you can put yourself years or even decades ahead. Learn how to sacrifice short-term pleasure for long-term gain. Your future self will thank you.

12/ Be adaptable

I don’t know what the world is going to look like twenty years from now, let alone thirty, forty, or fifty. But I know there will be world-changing technologies and major shifts in the global economy, demographics, and culture.

It’s likely that by the time my baby son is an adult, he will work in a field that doesn’t currently exist. It’s unpredictable.

In light of that, learn to be comfortable with change and be willing to adapt. Once you have this mindset and expectation, you’ll be better equipped to deal with whatever comes down the pipeline.

If you are competent, reliable, and excellent at communicating, you’ll always be able to find a way in this world.

If you’re a young man, I sincerely hope you’ve found this valuable.

If you’re not but have any young men close to you, please forward it to them if you think it could help them. We all need to invest in the younger generations.

The future will go to those who show up for it. So please, show up and do your best. I’m rooting for you.

God bless.

1,
Zuby

Due to the algorithmic nature of both our brains and social media, we are more likely to see, hear, and share negative stories than positive ones. If something makes us feel outraged or upset, we are more likely to react to it.

This phenomenon is not new. It has been exploited by the media and marketers for centuries. However, with endless information at our fingertips and 24/7 global communication, its effects are amplified exponentially.

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Beyond modern technology, we also have the age-old concept of ‘righteous anger’.

We live in a fallen world, and with that come billions of sins and millions of crimes committed daily. At any given moment, there is something terrible happening somewhere.

Hypothetically, you could spend all day finding awful things that are happening around the world. Even if you had the emotional fortitude to do this, you wouldn’t have the time, such is the level of chaos.

Given all the tragedy in the world, isn’t it rational to live in a constant state of ‘righteous anger’? Most of us don’t even need to look beyond the borders of our own cities or nations to find the problems. And if you are a moral person, then you should be outraged by injustice and unnecessary suffering.

Have you heard this line of thinking? Perhaps you’ve even expressed it yourself:

“How can you be happy when (insert bad thing) is happening in the world?!”

Well, today I’ll try to answer that question.

There is no time in recorded human history when there haven’t been bad things happening in the world. So, if the existence of suffering prevents the presence of joy, then nobody should ever be happy.

Clearly, this is an untenable mode of existence. By this logic, we should all be permanently upset, from the time our conscience comes online as children until our final breath.

Increasingly, I hear people in my generation and younger say they don’t want to have children because:

“Who would want to raise children in a world like this?”

It is said without a hint of irony, as if the world now is objectively worse than it was in previous centuries. (The opposite is true).

Happiness is not a zero-sum game, nor is it dependent on perfect internal or external conditions.

You being happy isn’t the reason why others are suffering. And their misfortune should not permanently impede your ability to feel joy. Naturally, we feel compassion for those who are experiencing pain, and this hits harder the closer they are to us. That emotion is normal, healthy, and a good sign that you’re not a sociopath.

One of the popular recent slogans when it comes to mental health awareness is:

“It’s OK not to be OK.”

There is a time and place for that message. We are not emotionless automatons.

But today, I want to tell you:

“It’s OK to be OK.”

It’s good in fact. It’s better than the opposite and something we should all strive for.

Being terminally angry, offended, or sad doesn’t make you a better person. Whilst there may be valid reasons for feeling that way, it doesn’t imply that you are better informed or more compassionate than those who are happier day-to-day. If anything, it usually leads to the opposite because we’re not our best selves when we’re upset.

Savour every breath and cherish every beautiful sight. Be grateful for the roof over your head, food in your belly, and loved ones around you. None of these things are guaranteed.

Life can be dark, but it is also full of light. Choose to walk in the light instead of wallowing in the darkness.

Have a blessed day.

1,
Zuby