Felix Dennis Quotes

Powerful Felix Dennis for Daily Growth

About Felix Dennis

Felix Dennis (1947-2014) was an influential British journalist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, renowned for his flamboyant personality and provocative writing style. Born on January 3, 1947, in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, Dennis dropped out of school at 15 and started his career by selling underground comics. His first major success came with the launch of the counterculture magazine 'International Times' in 1966. The publication became a platform for revolutionary ideas, attracting influential figures such as John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Timothy Leary, and Richard Neville. In 1973, Dennis founded the computer magazine 'PCW', which grew into one of the largest technology publications in Europe. He later sold it for a reported £50 million, and with his profits, he established Maxim Magazine in America, and later published The Week UK. Dennis was not just a media mogul but also a prolific author. His literary works include 'How to Get Rich', an autobiographical exploration of wealth, and 'I'm Felix Dennis: A Memoir', which provides insight into his unconventional life. He was also known for his collections of poetry, such as 'The God of the Paw' and 'Cautionary Verses'. Despite his business success, Dennis led an unorthodox lifestyle. He was a cannabis activist, a frequent user of psychedelics, and was known for his eccentricities. However, in later life, he became a philanthropist, donating large sums to various charities and causes, including cancer research and wildlife conservation. Dennis passed away on October 22, 2014, from leukemia. His legacy continues to inspire with his unique blend of business acumen, literary talent, and outspoken philosophy.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Success is counted sweetest by those who never knew failure."

This quote suggests that the joy of success is most profound for individuals who have not previously experienced failure. The reasoning behind this is that such individuals are unaccustomed to the pain or struggle often associated with failure, making their eventual success feel all the more sweet and meaningful. Conversely, those who are familiar with failure may find their subsequent success less satisfying, as they've already tasted the bitterness of setbacks and understand the effort required to overcome them. In essence, this quote posits that the experience of success is subjective and can be heightened by having known the taste of adversity.


"The only way to do great work is to love what you do."

This quote emphasizes that true greatness in one's work or endeavors stems from a deep, genuine passion for it. By loving what you do, you are more likely to be fully invested, motivated, and dedicated to the task at hand, which often leads to exceptional outcomes. It suggests that finding joy and purpose in your work is essential for achieving greatness and fulfillment in life.


"Business opportunities are like buses; there's always another one coming."

This quote suggests that when one misses an opportunity, whether due to fear, miscalculation, or unforeseen circumstances, it's important not to despair as new chances will inevitably present themselves. Just like buses, opportunities come in a series, and you should be ready to seize the next one when it arrives. It underscores the resilience and determination needed in business, encouraging people to keep looking forward and to remain open-minded to new possibilities.


"Drugs may have destroyed my life, but they have enriched it infinitely more than a life without them ever could have done."

This quote suggests that while drugs may have caused significant destruction in Felix Dennis's life, they also provided him with experiences, insights, or pleasures that greatly outweighed the negative consequences. It implies a complex perspective where the transformative power of substances is acknowledged, but not without recognizing the potential harm and loss associated with their use.


"The first wealth is health."

The quote "The first wealth is health" emphasizes that one's physical well-being should be a priority over material possessions or wealth. It suggests that good health is crucial for enjoying life, achieving personal goals, and having the energy to pursue opportunities, making it more valuable than any amount of wealth or monetary gain. Essentially, this quote encourages us to invest in our health as the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life.


I've always noted with some awe the reading habits of the Australian public. Australians read more newspapers and magazines per head of population than almost any other country in the world.

- Felix Dennis

Country, Some, Always, Australian

America is an empire. I hope you know that now. All empires, by definition, are bumbling, shambolic, bullying, bureaucratic affairs, as certain of the rightness of their cause in infancy, as they are corrupted by power in their dotage.

- Felix Dennis

Hope, Infancy, Cause, Corrupted

You cannot properly bring up children when you are 69 or 70 and they are 12 and at the height of their madness. You can physically do it, but I don't think it's morally justified.

- Felix Dennis

Think, Madness, Bring, Justified

Good ideas are like Nike sports shoes. They may facilitate success for an athlete who possesses them, but on their own they are nothing but an overpriced pair of sneakers. Sports shoes don't win races. Athletes do.

- Felix Dennis

Own, Facilitate, Good Ideas, Athletes

'Great Expectations' has been described as 'Dickens's harshest indictment of society.' Which it is. After all, it's about money. About not having enough money; about the fever of the getting of money; about having too much money; about the taint of money.

- Felix Dennis

Been, Which, Having, Indictment

For me, temptation is life and I have a gargantuan appetite for everything.

- Felix Dennis

Me, Appetite, Everything, Temptation

There are far too many people in university in Britain. If you want to make money, be a plumber.

- Felix Dennis

Want, University, Britain, Plumber

As with the onset of sudden celebrity, for the newly rich, the world often becomes a darker, narrower, less generous place; a paradox that elicits scant sympathy, but is nonetheless true.

- Felix Dennis

Celebrity, Rich, Narrower, Newly

Poetry is one of the oldest of all art forms, and one of its powers for shamans and tribal leaders was the mnemonic.

- Felix Dennis

Art, Leaders, Oldest, Art Forms

With a poetry book I can send 100 copies out to reviewers and other people, and even do it in advance and get their response. It's difficult with iPad: how do you send it out for free, and how do you even disseminate it before it goes into their store?

- Felix Dennis

Book, Other, Before, Disseminate

Overhead will eat you alive if not constantly viewed as a parasite to be exterminated. Never mind the bleating of those you employ. Hold out until mutiny is imminent before employing even a single additional member of staff. More startups are wrecked by overstaffing than by any other cause, bar failure to monitor cash flow.

- Felix Dennis

Alive, Other, Employ, Parasite

The beginnings of a forest is one of the ugliest things on the planet. It's bleak and your neighbours hate you.

- Felix Dennis

Forest, Planet, Ugliest, Bleak

People who get trapped in the tunnel vision of making money think that is all there is to life.

- Felix Dennis

Think, Trapped, Making, Tunnel Vision

Money is power. Power is an aphrodisiac.

- Felix Dennis

Money, Power, Aphrodisiac

I write about whatever turns up. Every single day, I'm sitting down for three to five hours in the evenings wrestling away and producing far too much verse.

- Felix Dennis

Away, I Write, About, Every Single Day

The richer you are and the more financial advisers you employ, the less likelihood there is that you can ever discover what you are really worth.

- Felix Dennis

Discover, More, Employ, Richer

I cannot abide being bored.

- Felix Dennis

Bored, Cannot, Being, Abide

I think having a great idea is vastly overrated. I know it sounds kind of crazy and counterintuitive. I don't think it matters what the idea is, almost. You need great execution.

- Felix Dennis

Think, Execution, I Think, Vastly

No woman or girl is going to want to spend time looking at pretty dresses on the Internet. Vogue is going to be around for a long time to come.

- Felix Dennis

Woman, Pretty, Going, Vogue

I want to prove that if you write in strict meter and rhyme about subjects people care about, they will buy poetry.

- Felix Dennis

Want, Will, Prove, Meter

You can collect all the plastic bottle caps you want as long as you give me the money so we can get off this death trap, find somewhere else and have tremendous fun screwing that up as well.

- Felix Dennis

Death, Somewhere, Bottle, Caps

The rich are not a contented tribe. The demands from others to share their wealth become so tiresome, so insistent, they often decide they must insulate themselves. Insulation eventually breeds a mild form of paranoia.

- Felix Dennis

Decide, Breeds, Eventually, Paranoia

Computers are wasteful of paper and time. Once, we'd get documents with a few errors. Now, people make hundreds of copies until each sheet is flawless and memos are duplicated endlessly. Managers get swamped with emails.

- Felix Dennis

Documents, Endlessly, Duplicated

Nobody could like Donald Trump, surely, except his mother. No one really likes The Donald. But how can you not have respect for a guy who's been down on the floor and just keeps coming back? Nothing will keep Donald Trump down until they drive a wooden stake in his heart and a silver bullet in his brain.

- Felix Dennis

Trump, Surely, Donald, Wooden

I should have liked to get married, but over many decades I have lived essentially alone. I go to sleep when I'm tired, get up when I wake up, have my food prepared when I'm hungry. I can't bear the thought that I'd have to coincide, make an effort.

- Felix Dennis

Wake Up, Thought, Prepared, Get Married

I don't take investment advice from wealth managers. I have grown several businesses from scratch and amassed many millions from my publishing empire - why would I take advice from someone who has never experienced that?

- Felix Dennis

Wealth, Advice, Several, Businesses

The vast majority of free verse is ghastly. Utterly ghastly. No one reads it. No one listens to it.

- Felix Dennis

Utterly, Listens, Free Verse

America, ladies and gentlemen, has done more for me financially than Britain ever has, or ever could have done.

- Felix Dennis

More, Ever, Britain, Financially

I am a born-again atheist, so there isn't going to be a funeral. I will be buried in a linen wrap in a cardboard coffin in my forest with an oak tree planted on my head.

- Felix Dennis

Forest, Will, Going, Oak

There is never a time in a company's history when cost control can be relegated to the back burner, but for a startup company, keeping costs low is a vital necessity.

- Felix Dennis

Cost, Costs, Keeping, Startup

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