Ben is the founder of New Age Primal with Dr Greg Emerson. They're both by chance former elite and professional athletes and passionate preventative care preachers. Their facilitate performance and survival courses for corporates, teams, individuals and even professional athletes, helping them thrive and rather than just survive.  By chance/instagram I think, I was lucky enough to get in touch with Ben and stay with his partner Bel and their husky dog Maska last winter on a ski trip with the Organic Mechanic boys. On this trip Ben took us river surfing, cold water swimming off his river jetty and made us an epic fire and cooking pit in the back yard for a primal organic feast after an afternoons skiing. We didn't have time for a podcast whilst I was there so it was a real treat to catch Ben on skype, despite some loss in audio.  I loved Ben's mission, focus and determination, particularly with his work in creating awareness for epilepsy which he lives and with. He doesn't just walk the talk, he runs, swims, forages, and pushes the boundaries of it what is possible mentally and physically. He also has a a beautiful new child Zahara and plenty of New Age Primal work on the go.  This talk has inspired me to learn survival skills and see what I'm really capable when you're life's on the line. It reminds me of a lesson Wu De, the Tea Master and Zen monk, shared with me in the car recently, that all successful people in business, life, sport and even spiritual practices are hungry for challenges. They don't just overcome them they seek them out. I hope to seek some with Ben shortly and I hope you do to.  Think less, experience more and don't just survive, thrive!  Yours happily,  :Doug

Show notes, like christmas, to come :)

"Be stubborn about your goals and flexible about your methods". I was writing down a list of of people I wanted to interview on my podcast for the year, Jake Millar was one of them. I then saw a photo of Jake with Sebby Woodhouse at his new favourite restaurant Amano. So I looked Jake up on facebook, saw he was friends with a mutual friend Ryan Everton who's previously been on the podcast. I gave Ryan an email, got an into then snap, crackle and pop in the inbox I had a reply and a meeting 3 days later. I was excited to meet Jake and even more so after this interview. The guy dressed sharp as Ricky Martin and was hungry as a starving labrador looking at sausages to achieve his goals. The day we met he had just interviewed Geoff Ross, was about to sky dive out of plane and then have dinner with friends. I loved his energy and excitement for life and his own story and also his passion that I share for questioning the norms and education system, as he said, "it's fucked". And not only is he asking questions he's also proving answers including the two game changing business he's founded, Oomper which he's now sold, Unfiltered which provides a business education platform, and he also has a scholarship in the pipeline similar to that of Peter Thiels fellowship. I hope to be able to achieve and ounce of Jake's business success, perform a one arm handstand, have an outdoor bath with the girl of my dreams, buy my first home and help increase the health and happiness of NZ this year. I hope Jake's story and this podcast helps you to do the same, metaphorically speaking, I wouldn't want anyone else in the tub with my girl :P Think less experience more, Yours happily, :Doug

Hola Hombres & Chicas! It was a real treat to be back behind the podcast mics and a cup of tea with Sam Gibbs from Global Tea Hut after a few months off on my own global travels. I recently biked from Vancouver BC to Los Angeles before flying to Mexico and Sam had recently returned from his work at Global Tea Hut in Taiwan and by fortuitous timing we were both in Mangawhai, NZ before Sam flew back and able to share a cuppa, or 10... I was really captivated by the art of Tea after listening to Sam's teacher, Tea master and Zen monk Wu De, on the Rich Roll podcast. I even went so far as to do an exhibit of art work inspired the philosophy and practice of drinking tea. So I was super excited when our mutual friend and yogi, Nick Robson, put Sam and I in touch. Sam was generous enough to take me through a tea ceremony which was beyond words but involved Sam creating a beautiful Chashitsu/tea table setting, 10 cups or so of tea steeped and poured to perfection (or an attempt of), an hour or so of silent meditation with only nature and eastern music playing which combined in a transformative experience which I goes beyond words but I will try to describe as a deep hypnotic and meditative experience that seemed to reveal the mysteries of the world and deep inner peace. My first thoughts were that everyone must experience this and there's no way I can drink this much tea without needing to take a piss mid ceremony. I hope you DOUG the podcast as much as I did and get to experience the teachings of tea and ceremony with Sam and Wu De this summer at Wanderlust on the 2nd-5th of Feb or on their tour of NZ in March. And make sure to sign up to the Global Tea Hut magazine for what Sam guarantees me as the best mail you will receive every month full of insights on tea, zen and your own samples of the finest teas which support Global Tea Hut in building their new tea centre and supplying tea around the world which is tea-riffic. Think less, experience more tea/zen, Yours happily, :Doug

A few years ago my Dad was WOF-ing (working on organic farms) up on Quadra Island, Canada. On a local bike ride he ran/biked into Sam and his wife Andrew. Dad discovered Sam was a custom bike builder and that he and Andrea were the fastest in the world (now former) man and woman on a bike! Dad loved Sam's work and was equally as fast to order a custom bike off Sam. However Sam thought dad was most likely low budget traveler and so he was trying to tell him to buy something second hands that he could afford. Dad said money wasn't an issue and ordered the bike to Sam's surprise/humour. The bike was to be a commuter, however after dad found the Bicycling The Pacific Coast Highway book he called Sam up and asked for a tour bike. A year later he picked the bike up and rode it from Quadra Island to Mexico. A couple of years later i've come back to follow in his footsteps/bike tracks on his custom NAKED bike. Before I departed on my trip I was fortunate to fly up to Quadra to meet Sam and Andrea. I was pleasantly greeted by Sam, Andrea and friend playing music, eating lentil soup and drinking craft beer and tea in front of the wood burner. I instantly felt at home and hungry and ate the soup. The next day I was lucky enough to check out Sam's workshop and have a quick chat to himself and Andrea on bikes/life. I loved Sam and Andreas work and attitude to life as much as I love pumpkin pie, alot! I hope you dougit too and make sure to check out Sam's beeauitful bike work at NAKED bicycles. Think less, experience & bike more, ::Doug Show Notes: Dario Pegoretti - custom bike builder FireFly bikes - custom bike builders

Shaka bra, hah, from laguna beach with Tim Senasi and yours happily. Tim is a local yoga teacher, surfer, standup guy and potential standup comedian with his own yoga youtube channel who I met on my travels and yoga mat in Laguna. He was nice enough to take me surfing, give me some yoga assists, buy me a burrito, introduce me to his family and give me some home grown fejoas which i'll forever been in fruity dept for. I really resonated with Tim's style of teaching, his outlook on life and energy. You know sometimes you just get the right feeling with someone, Malcolm Gladwell wrote about it in his book blink and i'm writing about it now so what up Malcolm! Unfortunately I did a Trump/was an idiot and rookied my mic set up for this interview so the audio is not the best however, soon I will get all Tina Turner on it and make it better than all the rest. But for now I hope you can resonate with Tim's insights into the life of a yogi, changing your mindset from a getter to a giver and much more. Think less, experience and give more, Yours happily, :Doug

I was lucky enough to have Blair in one of my Yoga classes at Studio Red. He was a friend of a friend, looked like a bit of an athlete and top bloke #bromance. When I asked what he was up to he modestly said he was off to Rio. I didn't realise it was to compete in the Olympics! After returning from Rio I thought it would be great to catch him and get some insights on what it was like to compete at the games, win gold, and then come back to reality. In particular how he stays happy, motivated and keeps the sails full after reaching the peak of sport. I love Blair's down to earth attitude, passion for following your heart and sustainability of the sea and I hope you do too. He's a man of the ocean and the people and I look forward to seeing him compete with Team NZ next year and hopefully get under/on/in the water with him somewhere soon. As always, hope you DOUGIT! Please share, comment if you do. And for mental health week share a hug, your story or support someone in need. Yours happily, :Doug

Show notes, like the end death & christmas, to come... :)

Namaste! And welcome to episode 26 of DOUGIT the podcast with Franko Heke. Tune into some whispers and wisdom from Franko as well as a sample of his new mantra album "ENCHANT" from his band The Gaya Tree. It's a beautiful album of Ancient & New Mantra using Maori, Hindi, Sanskrit and English done with a futuristic twist. Let music be thy medicine and gather yourself a copy on iTunes or listen on Spotify. Franko's had a fascinating life from the drug, sex, rock n' roll and depression days to playing mantra music, having a child, training to teach yoga and playing at festivals around the world, on stage with the likes of Xzavier Rudd and playing to 3+ million people at the World Culture Festival in India. I even discovered he had a song, We Are One, that went viral supporting the All Blacks in the World Cup which i'm not sure if he will want me sharing but, hah. It's amazing to see how far he's come since then and what joy he now brings to his life and others with his musical gift and openness. It's fascinating to look back on our lives, and to even recognise going forward how we're often only a few millimetres or way decision away from breaking through to an extraordinary life. I think Franko is well on his way there. Hope you DOUG this episode with Franko and check out his album and his concert dates below. And if you feel like giving back share on social, with a friend or leave a review below. Think less, experience more, Yours happily, :Doug

Show notes to come... :)