Don McMinn

“A man can wear out a particular part of his mind by continually using it and tiring it, just in the same way as he can wear out the elbows of his coat…to be really happy and really safe, one ought to have at least two or three hobbies, and they must all be real.” Winston Churchill, Pall Mall, 1925

I just read Daniel Smith’s book How to Think Like Churchill. I recommend it. Smith has written 26 short chapters about Churchill’s life in a blend of biography and life lessons. We’re all familiar with Churchill’s incredible life and legacy, but before reading the book, I was unaware that he was a huge advocate of hobbies and had many himself. Smith devotes an entire chapter to discussing this topic. Churchill:  

• Was a keen fan of music, particularly military marches and classics from the music hall.
• Enjoyed cinema, particularly the works of the Marx Brothers and Walt Disney.
• Was a connoisseur of fine wine, food, and cigars.
• Was a keen hunter, riding with hounds even in his seventies, as well as enjoying big game hunting.
• As a boy he had an interest in stamp collecting and card games. 
• Enjoyed landscaping and especially, somewhat unexpectedly, bricklaying, to the extent that he became a member of the Guild of Bricklayers. 
• The pastime he enjoyed most was painting. He took up painting in his forties and in his lifetime produced 500 works. He insisted that all his unwieldy artist’s paraphernalia—including stools, easels, canvases and paint boxes—be taken on his exotic travels. In 1948 he published a volume entitled Painting as a Pastime. He was quite good at it; Pablo Picasso said, “If Churchill were a painter by profession, he’d have no trouble making a living.”

A hobby should not be just an extension of your profession. If you’re a CPA working for an accounting firm, reading the latest journal articles about the tax code does not qualify as a hobby. A real hobby might be pursuing scuba diving or ballroom dancing. Escape from your bubble and become a novice in a different area.

A good hobby should initially put you in unfamiliar territory. You’ll start as a neophyte, feel uncomfortable, and fail often. But ultimately you’ll get better and the journey will be invigorating. 

I have several major hobbies. I create pedagogical art (art that teaches a lesson) and I am a wine expert (I have three advanced certifications in wine studies and maintain a small vineyard). I enjoy these hobbies so much I often get into the “flow” when engaging in them; I lose track of time and enter a different mental state.

It’s beneficial for couples to share a hobby. My wife and I love to travel. We want to visit 60 countries before we die; we’ve been to 48. We enjoy visiting museums; we’ve been to most of the great art museums in the world. We enjoy cooking together; sometimes we’ll spend three hours preparing and savoring a meal.  

Hobbies are extremely beneficial. They:

1. Help reduce or eradicate boredom. 
2. Give you something to do when you have extra time. 
3. Give you an activity you can look forward to and get excited about.
4. Help you develop new skills.
5. Enhance your life. 
6. Relieve stress.
7. Promote better health and may lower the risk of high blood pressure. 
8. May reduce the risk of depression and dementia.
9. Some hobbies are good for you physically; they keep you active.
10. Improve creativity.
11. Get you out of your mental and physical ruts.
12. Can strengthen relationships.
13. Provide a good transition to retirement.

It’s never too late to start a hobby. The old saying—When is the best time to plant a tree? The best time is twenty years ago; the next best time is today.—applies to starting hobbies. 

Please click the respond button and tell your fellow readers—What are your hobbies?

Travel is one of life’s greatest opportunities. I enjoy helping other people experience the thrill of the journey. That’s why I sponsor international Travel With Friends excursions.

For the past 12 years I’ve led groups of friends on annual, international trips. We’ve been to Paris, London, Europe, the Mediterranean, Baltic States, Russia, Israel, Peru, and North Africa. We’ve never had a malfunction or bad experience; just memorable, life-enhancing moments.

Please join me this fall 2022, on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the cradle of Western civilization. We’ll visit Rome, the eternal city; Athens, the birthplace of democracy; Istanbul, where East meets West, Ephesus, where we’ll visit the famous Celsus Library; three Greek isles (There are 6,000 islands in Greece; we’ll visit two of the best: Santorini, Messina, and Mykonos.); and Naples, Italy, where we’ll visit the ruins of Pompeii and the beautiful Amalfi Coast.

It’s been said that one of the joys of traveling is not only where you go but who you go with and who you meet along the way. This tour group will be limited to 40 interesting ladies and gentlemen who travel well—friends of mine who enjoy exploring great places. 

Travel takes time and money, but it’s worth the investment. You’ll be stretched and challenged, and you’ll learn more about the world in which you live and the life you live in the world. 

I hope you’ll join me on this memorable trip to southern Europe. 

Here’s a brochure with all the details.  Travel with Friends – 2022-Brochure

Questions? Email me at [email protected]

In ancient Roman religion, Fortuna was the goddess of fortune and the personification of luck. Her name was used in various proverbs including, fortis Fortuna adiuvat—Fortune favors the brave. 

The phrase was used in Terence’s 151 BC comedy play Phomio, line 203. Ovid further parodies the phrase at I.608 of his didactic work, Are Amatoria, writing “audentem Forsque Venusque iuvat” or “Venus, like Fortune, favors the bold.”

Elon Musk (who was Time magazine’s 2021 Person of the Year) is the personification of this proverb. He has impacted the world and made a fortune through courageous and brave acts. Here’s part of his story.

When Musk was 28 years old he sold his first company (Zip2) for $22 million. Instead of coasting on his success, he invested his money in two incredibly risky startups in industries with high costs, long development timelines, and massive barriers to entry: the automobile and space industries. His car company, Tesla, is now worth over a trillion dollars and produces two thirds of all electric cars. His company SpaceX is the global leader in building and flying rockets and crews. It was recently chosen by NASA to build the ship that will put astronauts back on the moon. Musk predicts that his company will land a person on Mars within five years. He recently became the world’s richest person with a net worth above $300 billion.

The term fortune should not be limited to financial prosperity. Financial reward is not what drives Musk; vision and the challenge-of-the-hunt does. Sometimes fortune describes the accomplishment of a high ideal. In the same week that Musk was announced as Time’s Person of the Year, the great Desmond Tutu died. His brave and courageous life led to the abolition of apartheid in South Africa. His fortune was freedom for his people.

But how might this proverb apply to us mere mortals? Elon Musk is an extreme example of this proverb. And for every Musk, Tutu, Jobs, and Gates, there are millions of people who acted bravely and ended up fortune-less. What is the fine line between bravery and stupidity? Quite frankly, if I suddenly had $22 million I would simply invest it and live off the growth.

In my own life, the few times that I have been brave and stepped into unfamiliar territory have ended well. Some financial risks I took have been beneficial and some risky professional moves paid off. 

Sometimes, it doesn’t take giant leaps of faith and risky decisions for life to proceed well. Do you remember Aesop’s fable about the tortoise and the hare? The moral lesson of the story is that you can be more successful by doing things slowly and steadily than by acting quickly and carelessly.

So should we all be brave? Are we lacking if we’re not? Perhaps the key is knowing yourself and living an authentic life. Some people have an abundance of the “brave gene” and others don’t.

Or perhaps we should reinterpret what fortune means. If you are shy and bashful and feel uncomfortable in social settings, an act of bravery might be attending a party or initiating a meal with someone. If you’re reluctant to get out of your comfort zone, an act of bravery might be pursuing a new hobby in which you feel out of control and intimidated.  

What do you think about this topic?

Here’s an insightful article, Hope Is Not Optimism, by David Feldman.

We can’t control most things in life. We can’t control the weather, other people, our DNA, our family of origin, etc. But in most situations, there are things we can control that lead to health and happiness. We need to embrace and do those things.

I am impatient with people who are unhappy and think there are no solutions to their problems so they become passive; they do nothing. They refuse to do even simple things that could improve their life.

I saw this poster (above) in the psychiatric ward of a hospital. It was for the benefit of patients who are suffering from depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other psychological disorders. My heart goes out to those who suffer from these debilitating ailments. I have struggled with depression so I emphasize with these types of challenges.

I like this poster because it implies an encouraging message: “You may feel trapped in a mire of mental dissonance. Our physicians will do all they can do to help you. But here are 10 things you can start doing immediately that will help. You can do these, so do them.”

My main point is: Don’t use circumstances that are ostensibly out of your control as an excuse for inactivity. Take responsibility for discovering and doing things you can do—regardless of how small or insignificant they may seem—that will contribute to a desired outcome. I’m advocating initiative, engagement, and action; not acquiescence, passivity, or capitulation.

In life, don’t focus on things you cannot control; concentrate on things you can do and do them.

The image of the poster is small so the words may be hard to read. Here’s what it says.

Manage your time — Flexible little routines lower stress by increasing daily predictability. Remember that your schedule doesn’t need to be rigid. Create short lists for today and not beyond the weekend. Say out loud what you are grateful for each day.

Prepare for the day — Take 10 minutes each evening to prepare for the next day. Write down meal plans and pack lunches ahead of time. Pick out clothing, set out shoes and put items you need in one place. Call or arrange meetings of your everyday activities.

Enjoy little things — Slow down and enjoy the moment you’re in. Focus on the details of your everyday activities.

Move often —  Regular exercise reduces stress and improves health. Small spurts of activity work well even if you can’t schedule a workout. A 10-minute walk can be just as effective as a 45-minute workout to relieve anxiety.

Laugh often — Laughter releases endorphins that improve mood and immune health; lowers levels of stress hormones, cortisol, and epinephrin; and improves management of physical pain.

Enjoy nature and creativity — Spending time outdoors is a natural antidepressant. Natural scents and sights have a calming effect. Take time to enjoy art, music, and dance.

Breathe deeply — Take 5 minutes to breathe slowly and deeply when you feel anxious. Slow breaths reduce stress hormones in the body and lower heart rate and blood pressure. 

Meditate daily — Meditation is about finding inner peace. Find simple ways to calm your mind, like taking a bath or listening to soft music.

Keep a joy journal — Journaling promotes reflection and organization of thoughts. Entries can be long or short. Journal positive situations, achievements, and the little things of life. Record what you are grateful for.

Sleep well.