Books & Projects
A curated collection of Dan’s work — published books, current projects, and selected media. Scroll through to explore the body of work and the chapters created along the way.
What Now
What happens when you achieve every dream you've ever had… and still feel lost?
Dan Stains spent a lifetime chasing success.
From a barefoot childhood on a struggling dairy farm in country Queensland, he rose to play Rugby League at the highest level, representing Queensland in State of Origin and Australia on the international stage. He played under legendary coaches like Jack Gibson and Arthur Beetson, built successful businesses, travelled the world, and achieved many of the goals he once believed would bring lasting fulfilment.
Yet after the crowds disappeared and the achievements piled up, one question remained:
What now?
In this honest and deeply personal memoir, Dan shares the lessons, failures, victories, heartbreaks, and unexpected insights that shaped his search for meaning beyond success.
Part sporting memoir, part life philosophy, and part journey of self-discovery, What Now? explores purpose, ego, love, fatherhood, resilience, and the quiet power of learning to be fully present.
This is not just a story about football.
It's a story about being human.
Getting High
Dan’s upcoming book, currently in development, challenges the way we think about what it means to feel “high.”
Rather than something to chase through achievement, substances, or external success, Getting High explores the idea that this elevated state is already within us — something that naturally emerges when pressure, noise, and limiting beliefs are removed.
Drawing on neuroscience, pain science, and lived experience, the book presents a grounded, evidence-based perspective on personal growth — not as something we need to force, but something we uncover by stripping things back.
This isn’t a self-help shortcut or motivational fix. It’s a deeper look at how clarity, presence, and progress come from committing to the process rather than escaping it.
Set to be released soon, Getting High offers a different way of understanding growth — simple, honest, and rooted in real experience.
My Way
My Way is the story of John Hills — a man who built a halfbilliondollar empire from nothing, lived on instinct, backed himself without hesitation, and refused to compromise on anything that mattered.
Told in Hillsy’s own voice — alongside the voices of the people who knew him best — the book captures a life driven by appetite, loyalty, risk, and the sheer momentum of a bloke who did everything his way. He didn’t talk about presence or selfreflection; he lived, decided, moved, and kept moving. Compromise was a dirty word.
From having the ear of the Prime Minister at lunch to drinking with backpackers in The Rocks that same night, from hosting family and friends in his Formula One corporate box to guzzling beers with his soccer mates in the gutter at Grays Point, his life ran in every direction at once — big, loud, loyal, and unapologetically his.
More than a biography, My Way is a portrait built from the inside out — a story told by the man himself and by those who stood closest to him. A raw, unfiltered record of a life lived at full tilt.
The Footy Scientist Kid & The Impossible Experiment
Daisy has a theory — a wild, brilliant, slightly unbelievable theory. She reckons the fastestway for Reuben to make the NRL… and eventually the NFL… is to train his kindness muscles as hard as his footy muscles.
Reuben isn’t convinced. He’s a footy kid. He believes in speed, strength, toughness, andsmashing tackles. Kindness? That’s for people who don’t make rep teams.
But when Daisy challenges him to test her idea, Reuben begins The Impossible Experiment — a series of hilarious, chaotic, unexpected tests that flip his world upside down.
Some experiments he plans. Most he stumbles into. All of them teach him something real. He blows up the backyard during the Calmness Test. He forgives someone who destroys his favourite footy. He cheers for Gonzo after a perfect pass smacks him right on the nose. He comforts a kid no one likes. He even tries to impress Jack Gibson — the greatest coach in NRL history — who’s secretly watching from behind the fence.
With Daisy as his guide, Reuben discovers that kindness isn’t soft. It isn’t boring. It isn’t “being nice.” It’s a force that builds confidence, courage, resilience, friendship, teamwork, trust, and leadership — the exact things he needs to chase his dream.
This is a story for kids aged 8–14 who love footy, love to laugh, and love a good mystery. A story about mateship, courage, embarrassment, experiments gone wrong, and the surprising power of kindness.
A story that shows young readers that the strongest muscle they’ll ever train… might not be the one they expect.
Media & Features
ABC News Interview
Dan spoke with ABC News about the process of writing What Now and how storytelling helped him make sense of early loss, identity, and the transitions that shaped his life.
The Legends Series – Dan Stains
A two-part conversation exploring Dan’s early life, rugby league career, and the experiences that forged his path on and off the field.
FOGS Queenslander Podcast
Dan shares insights into his playing career, life after football, and the stories behind the moments that defined him.
The Great Whites Interview Series
A detailed conversation covering Dan’s career, major transitions, and the journey of writing his autobiography.
If you’ve been thinking about capturing your story, this is a simple place to begin. You can reach out with any questions, or we can start with a conversation — a straightforward way to talk things through and see what direction makes sense for you.