Nic Lucas, BSc, MHSc, MPainMed, GDipClinEpid
The ‘bio’ page is where I’m supposed to put a professional CV or something. For those interested in that stuff, you can scroll down and read it all below. Or if you’re after my Research CV, then you’ll want to read that here.
For the rest of you, what I’d really like you to know about me is this:
- I’m a little intense. I go at things about 110%. If we ever meet, I’ll probably be looking you straight in the eyes while I listen to your story.
- I like to hang out at the beach or in a cafe – and most of the actions and projects I take on are geared toward me being able to do more of these two things.
- I don’t watch ‘traditional’ TV – the internet is way more fun (although I hear that the new TV’s can stream Web TV – cool)
- For over a decade I worked in a professional setting – I traded time for money. I obediently turned up everyday. I had created a ‘success prison’ that I had to bust out from – and so I busted out – and this website is a result of that escape.
- As a result of having the guts to change lanes – to leave the old for the new – to quit my job and sell my business – I now have more autonomy, more fun, more travel, more family time – basically, more of the things that I want. And, of course, if I’d just kept doing what I was doing, then I’d still be doing it.
- I do things a little differently. When most people are sleeping, I’ll be powering on into the night to get something done. And then – funnily enough - it’ll be done. I often see the risk of not doing something instead of the risk of doing it, which means I get to experience opportunities that other people don’t. I find what I call ‘opportunity voyeurism’ a very boring activity.
- Somehow I seem to be able to get access to cool people. And to be honest, this makes a huge difference to the opportunities you get in life. I choose to hang out with people who are going to pull me up, not people who are going to pull me down – and I am fiercely decisive about this.
They say, “you are who you are because of how you came to be”, so I’ll finish this section off with a succinct time line.
Born in Sydney >> moved around a lot >> 9 schools in 11 years >> high school drop out >> musician >> mature age Uni student >> 4 degrees later and a PhD on the way >> editor for 12 years >> health professional and researcher for 10 years >> lecturer for 10 years >> climbed the ladder and found it was leaning against the wrong wall >> had to bust out >> discovered that internet marketing brought together all the skills I had developed in my “portfolio career” >> the internet is the space I now occupy – and the internet is a pretty large space >> author, educator, speaker, and cool internet suff.
So, what led me into this internet ‘wizardry’ thing?
There were four key reasons:
- I’d started an online publishing company with a mate and I was used to the idea of distributing content in a digital format online.
- I’d been using online education technologies since around 1999 in my work as a University lecturer.
- I’d written a book and I wanted to publish it online – so I had to find out how.
- I’d worked with thousands of people who were NOT doing what they wanted to do. After learning how to leverage the internet for my life, it made perfect sense to promote this opportunity to others. In fact, I became compelled to promote it and have ended up teaching it and speaking about it internationally. I can’t shut-up about it really.
The more formal version.
A high school drop out – and musician in the making – I went back to complete my higher school certificate as an adult, and then continued to University and graduated with a Bachelors and a Masters degree. As you might imagine, this whole process taught me a lot of very good life lessons. Many prior beliefs and assumptions were smashed and new ones built.
I continued to study while I established my first health care practice and completed a Master of Pain Medicine and Graduate Diploma in Clinical Epidemiology.
I have studied at 5 Universities, lectured at 4, and am currently based at the University of Sydney where I am undertaking research for my PhD.
Scientific Publishing
In 1997, I started a scientific publication, and with my good friend Rob Moran – and a host of writers and reviewers – developed this into an international publication that now has subscribers in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe, the UK and the USA. In 2005, we received an approach from Elsevier, the worlds largest medical publisher, who offered to take on the publication of the journal. Rob and I continue to work with Elsevier as editors of the journal, which is now known as the International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine.
In my role as a health professional, I consulted people who primarily presented with physical pain. Over the last 10 years I developed effective strategies for identifying those factors in my patients lives that were the major contributors to their pain, and then designed strategies to modify those factors. I have helped thousands of people to actively overcome persistent pain problems, and reduce their reliance on continuous, passive treatment.
I have lectured in pain neurobiology and musculoskeletal medicine and I am also involved in providing continuing professional education for health professionals.
After being immersed in the fascinating study of pain for over 10 years, I emerged with a broader health education focus – where health education targets not only illness prevention and health recovery, but also promotes skills that support the actualization of long-term goals, the development of a positive self-concept, and the ability to enjoy life.
I take technical concepts from public health, neuroscience, pain medicine, behavioral medicine, critical reasoning and logic, and apply them to everyday life, business and fun. I am fascinated by the fields of behavioral economics and behavior change, and I use knowledge from these fields to understand human problems and human ambition and the strategies for positive change.
Since 1997, I have been an active user of online technologies for education, professional and social communication. I am representative of a growing group of professionals who are leveraging their knowledge and expertise online using ethical Web 2.0 marketing strategies.
I have published my own books online and have also partnered with other professionals in the development of online businesses. I have presented online publishing models and internet marketing strategies to business and entrepreneurial groups in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
I spend my spare time with family – I love the beach, playing music, bashing tennis balls around, sipping lattes and watching movies. I am physically based in Sydney, but am virtually online 
