Caroline Casey Joins Us On The Steve Jobs Inspired Join Up Dots Podcast
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Introducing Caroline Casey
Caroline Casey is today’s guest joining us on the Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots podcast.
An astonishing lady who delivers, positivity and inspiration to the world everyday of her life.
Born with ocular albinism – a condition that has made her legally blind, she managed to hide the issues with her vision for years.
Until well into her 20’s from her employers, friends and I guess the world.
More amazingly, is the fact that Caroline Casey had been legally blind since a child.
However it wasn’t until she was 17 that she actually realised it fully too.
Her parents upon finding out their newborn daughter had been born with the condition decided that they wouldn’t tell her.
They believed that it would result in both her and others placing limits on what she could achieve in life.
And so she lived with the condition, for over ten years, as she graduated and joined an international consultancy firm.
How The Dots Joined Up For Caroline
When the time came when her eyes deteriorated so much, that she could no longer hide it anymore.
The time would come to change direction, and with that direction set out to change opinions across the world.
And I love this about her story, but the realisation of what she should do next in her life came on the top of an elephant.
Whilst travelling 1,000 miles across the country raising funds for Sight Savers she found her path.
She decided that she would create the non profit organisation Kanchi, named after that very same elephant,
Kanchi aims to change the attitudes and behaviours towards people with disability.
By working with business leaders, helping them to see these people as assets to be developed.
And now as her star continues to shine brighter and brighter, Caroline Casey blind determination has set her path higher and higher.
She is now a highly sought after as an inspirational speaker the world over.
So how do you manage from the top of an elephant to see a path that is literally life changing?
And also have the courage to tackle it head on?
And where does she feel the most work still needs to be done, as the world accepts and embraces disability in its many forms?
Well let’s bring onto the show to start joining up dots, as we discuss the words of Steve Jobs in todays Free podcast, with the one and only Caroline Casey
Show Highlights
During the show we discussed such weighty topics with Caroline such as:
How she loves the words “Maverick”, “Magnificent” and marvels at the dreams and passions that the magnificent mavericks have in life
Why she believes that the biggest disadvantage that we have in life is the 6 1/2 inches between our heads and a bad attitude!
How she wanted to be just like Mowgli and learn to be an elephant handler in India when quitting her corporate gig!
How even though they knew that she was blind, her Mum and Dad bought her a driving lesson at age 17
And lastly……
How it is so important to ask the question “What would I do in life if there is nothing to be scared off?” and see what you come up with
How To Connect With Caroline Casey
Return To The Top Caroline Casey
If you enjoyed this episode with Caroline Casey why not check out other inspirational chat with Chuck Hester, Jerry Hyde, Roz Savage and the amazing Wesley Chapman
You can also check our extensive podcast archive by clicking here – enjoy
Audio Transcription Of Caroline Casey Interview
Intro [0:00]
When we’re young, we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be. But somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling. join up dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here’s your host live from the back of his garden in the UK, David Ralph.
David Ralph [0:26]
Yes, hello, world and welcome to Episode 187 of join up dots is the first of November we’re into another month only got a couple of more months till 2014 is gone. So hopefully all your dreams and all your goals have been set and achieved by this time and if I haven’t been what you’re doing, get out there and make things happen. Today’s guest is an astonishing lady who delivers positivity and inspiration to the world every day of her life. Born with ocular albinism, a condition that has made her legally blind. She managed to hide the issue She was with her vision until went into her 20s former employers, friends, and I guess the world, but more amazingly is the fact that she had been legally blind since a child but it wasn’t until she was 17. But she actually realized it fully to. Now her parents upon finding out their newborn daughter had been born with a condition decided that I wouldn’t tell her as I believe that it would result in both her and others placing limits on what she could achieve in life. And so she lived with the condition and for over 10 years from finding out she graduated and joined an international consultancy firm. But the time came when her eyes deteriorated so much that she could no longer hide anymore and the time would come to change direction. And with that direction, she set out to change opinions across the world and I love this about her story. But the realization what she should do next in her life came on the top of an elephant was traveling 1000 miles across the country raising funds but sight savers. She decided that she would create the nonprofit organization catchy named after that very Same elephant that aims to change the attitudes and behaviors towards people with disability by working with business leaders, helping them to see these people as assets to be developed. And now as her star continues to shine brighter and brighter she’s highly sought after as an inspirational speaker the world over. So how do you manage from the top of an elephant to see a path that is literally life changing? And more importantly, Van had the courage to tackle it head on, and where does she feel the most work still needs to be done as the world accepts and embraces disability in its many forms? Well, let’s find out as we bring on to the show to start join up dots but one and only Caroline Casey, how are you Caroline?
Caroline Casey [2:38]
I am good. That was some some fantastic intro. Thank you very much. You
Well, thank you. Very good. It is a very wet wet day here in November in Ireland. So I’m cold and I’m thinking about sitting on the back of that elephant and the heat and India. Gosh, I wish I was there again.
David Ralph [2:56]
When I must admit I don’t often have this building but I I felt reaching over and giving you a little hug because before we really sort of really started recording, you said, You’re sitting in a little room all on your own. And I, I felt sorry for you. Is that how life’s got?
Caroline Casey [3:11]
Not at all my gosh, no, no, no, it’s the complete opposite is because I’m surrounded by fantastic people, that the only way to actually have a conversation with somebody is to lock me in a room on my own. No, not at all I have. I’m one of those very lucky people. That everything that we’ve done in the last 14 years has been because of the people around around me, partnering with us, having fun with us, telling us when we can’t do something and when we can do something, so no, I am by no means on my own and nothing I’ve achieved I’ve done on my own
David Ralph [3:43]
Its fascinating that I normally I sort of meander around but there’s so much I want to talk to you about I want to sort of dive into it. But one of those stories is you sit there people telling me what I can’t do and can do. I would think that is like a red rag to a boy isn’t it for you. But you can’t do something I would have thought Caroline Casey In case you would guys know, if you say I can’t do it, I’m going to prove to you that I can.
Caroline Casey [4:05]
Yeah, I mean, I used to say something like when somebody said no to me, I would go, well, that translates into Bring it on. And you’re right, there is a real thing about my personality, and it doesn’t have anything necessary to do with my vision impairment. It’s just that I’m a Casey. And no is just the challenge to try harder. But you know, it’s so interesting, I think, as we grow older, and as we achieve more and maybe have more success, that we’re not maybe as brave as we were when we first started out. And I’ve been doing this for 14 years now. And what I recognize about myself, I just, I think it’s time to reboot that bravery. And you know, I’m 42 years old now. I’m going to be 43 very soon. And I’m thinking yeah, this is good, but now we gotta do better than this. So it’s about not being frightened to step out of that comfort zone. Again.
and really kind of embrace the kind of ridiculous Maverick in me so that I can hopefully go further.
David Ralph [5:07]
Oh, yeah, I tell you what, you use the word that is a badge of honor for me Maverick. I went through my corporate life and all the directors and managers used to say David you’re a maverick. And they used to say it to me like it was a bad thing. And it was it was them kind of trying to make me conform somehow. But now I freed myself. I love that word Maverick. It’s good, isn’t it to be a maverick seems to be a free thinker who runs on their own steam and passions to drive things forward.
Caroline Casey [5:37]
Yeah, I mean, I love the word Maverick as well. Actually, I love the word Maverick. And I love the word outlier. And another word I love is magnificent. And I kind of think, you know, magnificent Maverick. Because in some ways, it’s it’s what it’s what I hope that I will live to be all the way through until I die. And I hope I’ll be on the planet for quite some time. Yes. But you’re right. I think, for me, the reason I love that word, it’s because it’s somebody who does not accept fine is good enough. I hate good enough, you know, good enough is not good enough. And I think I’m I’m in a world where, you know, if I was just to accept things as they are, you know, that’s not the world I want. And I don’t want to be somebody sitting back giving things and saying I wish they were different if I wasn’t involved in the solution of us. And I think the people who really make stuff happen are the kind of crazy people. And I always love that Apple add, you know, think differently. You know, it’s like the crazy ones. It’s one of my favorite favorite advertisements, because they’re saying it’s the crazy ones that make things happen. And as we’re in a world where everybody’s trying to be so perfect, you know, and there’s no such thing as perfect. And you know, I to be the same. It’s, you know, I just love when people are different, and who are proud of being different and competent enough to be different, no matter what other people think of them, because they’re the people who really change things. They’re the real change makers. And I am just I can’t help but being in total admiration for them.
David Ralph [7:06]
Did you recognize kind of, because it’s different levels of craziness, isn’t it? I’m doing I’m doing a show on a daily basis. And there’s sometimes I have a conversation with somebody who’s achieved something and I think, yeah, okay, I could have done that, if I’d thought of it if there was like something that was within me. And then there’s other people that say things, and I think I don’t even know how your brains working to actually get back going. It just doesn’t seem to be my level of craziness. Do you recognize that? Because you’re, you’re spot on? It seems that more crazy you are the more you dream big, and then you dream bigger? And ultimately, nobody can stop you achieving that. And it’s like, kind of mad genius, I suppose.
Caroline Casey [7:46]
Yeah, I think it’s really interesting. Because I I come across people who have achieved extraordinary things. And I just have no idea of the subject matter. And I’m astounded at their talent and the way their brain works. But that’s not eat. So you can have these ordinary genius type people, but it’s the people who have the genius and the ideas, and who are just relentless in the pursuit of that, that I love, because there’s plenty of people who have fantastic ideas, great thinking processes, super concepts, but they don’t get off the ground. And it’s the people who have all of that, and who are crazy enough just to go out and try and find it. And if it works fantastic. And if it doesn’t, they will try again. I mean, that to me is just that’s magic. That is just magic. And I remember I did a big trip in 2002 cold around the world in 80 ways with two crazy fabulous gentlemen, that one is miles Hilton barber who is completely blind. And the other is Mike McKenzie, who is paralyzed from just under his chest down, and he’s a double leg amputee. And we went around the world and using 80 modes of transport three people with disabilities, to prove that you live your life to the fullest. And miles used to talk about being a dangerous dreamer. It’s something that I really hold to myself. And if I feel that I’m just getting too soft on myself, I remember this quote, and it’s my favorite quotes. Old Men dream equally. And there are those of us who dream at night in the dusty recesses of my mind awake in the day and think it was just pure fantasy. But there are other of us who dream in our in the day with our eyes wide open. And we are the dangerous Dreamers. And the reason I love that quote is because a dangerous dreamer is somebody who is dreaming and doing at exactly the same time. They’re not daydreaming and wishing and hoping it was. So for me, the crazy but yet craziness is a level of degree. And I think the dangerous rumors are there, the people I want to hang out with all the time. They’re the people that I just love. And I definitely know that it’s in my in my character, I dream. But I hopefully try and do as much as I can with those dreams.
David Ralph [9:51]
I’ve got a big banner in my office that I record and it says dream big, dream bigger, and then dream bigger still. And I think that that’s my my methodology of life now, which it never used to be I was a corporate guy, I would go and do the corporate work. But when you realize that there’s another way of operating it’s a one way street, isn’t it? You can’t go back.
Caroline Casey [10:14]
Yeah, that’s, I mean, somebody was saying to me, you know, why did you choose to do what you do? You know, this, I think it shows me, that’s the absolute. That’s the Absolute Truth. You know, I didn’t sit here and think about, could I do something, it kind of came to me, and it came to me on the back of that elephant. And it came to me over time, and it just won’t let me go. Even if I wanted to walk away from it. Now I couldn’t and, and I don’t want to, I think you know, there’s a there’s a passion and the commitment for me for all time to hopefully deliver on the dream that I have. And that’s only one of many dreams. But the other thing is I don’t think people need to leave their job and go on to elephants are become a social entrepreneur to dream big. You know, I don’t I don’t see it that way. You know, every single one of us has dreams of our own. And you can do those, you can achieve those in different ways. But the biggest problem is, if you don’t have dreams, that’s just awful. I mean, that you don’t have to you don’t have to admit them to anybody. But if you don’t have dreams, you know, when you’re you’re away and holidays, and you’re away from the craziness of life, you kind of have these kind of secret dreams of things that you’d love to do. And you never imagined that you could do them. And at least you have them because they’re the things that make you completely you and make you fascinating and will help very subtly determine the path that you take in life, no matter what that path that is. It just, you know, you talk about children and childhood. And that’s where dreams begin. And I just think we should continue dreaming, right until the day that we die, right until the day we die. It’s the one of the most, I don’t know, it’s just one of the lifeblood of who we really are as people.
David Ralph [11:51]
I agree with you. And I want to get back into your history. But this is fascinating as well, because this was really sort of inspirational content for the listeners out there. But I believe I’m a very open minded guy. And over the last few weeks, I have interviewed a few people that aren’t able bodied. And one of them was a lady called Jessica Cox. And I don’t know if you know, Jessica, but she was born with no arms at all. And she, in my head, I was thinking, How can she do this? How can she do that. And she made this video on our website, where she with her feet, she’s brushing her teeth, she’s playing the piano, she’s using her mouse, and she learned to fly an airplane and she can drive with just her feet. And it made me realize that in many ways, the disability was her finding her unique self, her path. And the people that have got quote unquote, a disability I don’t like to use that word seem to be the ones are more content with themselves and more ability to play to their strengths. When the able bodied people that are kind of lost somehow did you do find that because it strikes me more and more when I speak to these people, I think to myself now actually, who who is disabled me by sitting here and not doing everything I can possibly do? Or somebody like Jessica, who’s really not taking no for an answer and going for every single thing.
Caroline Casey [13:16]
What do you see, I don’t see, I don’t see it says people with disabilities and people who don’t have disabilities. Like I know, we use the term and the language and and, and that’s fair enough. I think we’re all people. You know, I think the seven point whatever billion of us on the planet, I see disability as simply difference and differences part of humanity. And, and I think Jessica, to prove to she, she absolutely proves in everything she does, that she’s just a person living to her best. And every one of us has that choice and chance to live to our best with you whether you have a disability or not. What’s different is the people around you agree will help you you know, and help you believe that you can, because the greatest thing gradient for success is having the expectation, having the desire, having the ambition, and what strikes me so much, particularly if somebody has a physical, visible disability, it’s, you know, traditionally the people around those people have determined because they look at the thing about that person, that doesn’t work. And they decides that that person can’t do things. Whereas every single individual on this planet has potential of their own ability, value, a personality, you know, to contribute. the disability community has a you know, overachievers and as any other community in the world, the disability community is part of the broader community of our humanity. And so what I think when you see Jessica is she just pushes the limits of who she is not whether she’s a disabled person or not, she’s just pushing it because she wants to do these things she wants to be to have the life and she wants to fly a plane go first. And she’s just been not willing to take no for an answer. And there are so many other people who do not have a disability who live life like that as well. And we can’t all be the same. And we can’t all have that, you know, maybe crazy ambition. But what we should do is, you know, you, we it’s so extraordinary, we have so much more potential in us, then we realize we really do and there’s nothing, you know, it’s kind of like why not use that potential, that hidden potential? Because it’s such a waste if we don’t, and we often find our potential when we’re between a rock and a hard place. When we’ve been really, really pushed and strapped, we realized where hundred percent more capable than we actually ever gave ourselves credit for. And so I always think like hidden potential is like, the lottery ticket you won when you died? Like what a waste of time?
David Ralph [15:45]
Yeah, no, but the kind of point I was making is, and I totally, I’m on the same sheet as you, but it was like, it is my mindset, I like to say that I’m very open. But in my head, I was thinking, How can she do this? How can she do that? How’s that possible. But then when you see the video, you realize that everything’s possible, and it’s that individual deciding to do it. And that’s what this show is about. It’s saying to the people out there, it doesn’t matter what your situation is, what your monetary situation is, if you want something hard enough and good enough, then you can go for it. And it may not be achieved overnight. But ultimately, you can make differences in your life. And that is why your story is so powerful. That’s why Jessica’s story so powerful. That’s why every single guest that’s been on the show is so powerful, because at the end of the day babe made the choice to go for something, and they’re living to their unique self, they’re playing to their strengths.
Caroline Casey [16:38]
Well, you know, one of the things that I think anybody listening to you is the idea that you left the corporate world to do what you do, because you love us. In other people’s minds, that is completely impossible. And that is no different, by the way to you know, somebody, you know, like Jessica or i doing what we do. It’s like, you took that big step, you know, you took it unto other people that’s like, I can’t believe David would leave a really well paid job to do this. Like, let’s be honest. So you’re absolutely right, the thing that you know, the thing that stops us getting what we want, is our head, okay, you know, we’ve got these brilliant, good instincts, and then these crazy brains of ours get in the way. And they tell us all the reasons why we can’t do what we want, we really want. And I often have said this, and I really believe us, you know, the greatest disadvantage in life? Is the six inches between our ears, and a badass attitude. Do you know what I mean? It’s like, you know, if you the greatest empowerment tool is when we shut down our brain of ours and actually give our Gosh, and our will and our determination, the best chance in the world. And I don’t think anybody you know, we don’t realize how much we stop ourselves by merely talking ourselves out of it. But your story is, as you know, it is as inspirational as anybody else. Because so many people would love to do what you do, right? They do. I mean, they’d love to do that kind of sitting there in their office. I’d love to do, I’d love to be a singer, I’d love to be a writer, I’d love to set up a bakery, but I can’t. And the fear is because I know I can’t do it like money fear, or what would I lose? And would I fail and all those things, but you did it too. And that’s because you wanted it enough because he dreamed of it enough. And because he just said okay, I’m going to give this a go and fail fail. So what? Well, let’s
David Ralph [18:23]
play our motivational speech. And I’m going to delve back in time because this is what the words of Jim Carrey and I love this, I start playing this on the show pretty much every single show. This is Jim Carrey,
Jim Carrey [18:32]
my father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him. And so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant. And when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job. And our family had to do whatever we could to survive. I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance on doing what you love,
David Ralph [18:59]
isn’t the message we should be getting out to the world.
Caroline Casey [19:02]
I know this particular quote, and I am a massive fan of that particular speech. I so agree with you. Seriously, to fail at something that you never loved in the first place is just dreadful. But you might as well go off and fail at something that you really, really want more than anything. And I think I’m fat, I’m fascinated by failure, right? Because I have probably failed more dramatically than I would have achieved. And thankfully, my parents instilled that sort of not to be frightened of failing. But what they did instead is they would they frightened me not to try Do you know what I mean? The biggest it was it was particularly My dad is like, the worst thing that you can do is not trying to be the best of yourself. So I think failing is part of that, you know, because you know, life is painful. It’s full of failures and disappointments. But we’re so obsessed with, you know, I mean, what we will look like when we fail. But failure is just part of trying and I’m an entrepreneur, and any entrepreneur out there will tell you, well, there’s no point in you being an entrepreneur if you think you’re not going to fail. And I love the fact that in America, particularly, the more you fail as an entrepreneur, the more credits you’re given, because it just shows how hard you’re pushing. And I love that. And for me failure, though it’s painful, because it is it don’t don’t get me wrong. If you’re willing to get over it, and get on with it, and not let it define you. It’s actually the best lesson you’re ever going to get. Because hope you’re not going to do the same stupid thing twice.
David Ralph [20:35]
Oh, I agree with you. And I just call failures, stepping stones towards success. I know people have used that phrase before. But I think it’s absolutely true. Even my show, I look back on it. And I can’t believe where we are now compared to where we are where we were at the beginning. And Have I made failures. Yeah, I’m sure I have. Somebody asked me this actually the other day. And I said to me, you know, how many failures have you had? And I couldn’t really answer because I don’t see them as failures. I just see them as me doing the best I possibly could at that time with the knowledge that I had. And later on, I look back on them and go, Oh, I could have done it so much better. It’s just because you’ve moved on a bit. Did you find that in what you’re doing with Khannouchi?
Caroline Casey [21:15]
Yeah, you know, that’s I, I that thing about doing the best that I could at the time with the information I had the time Yeah, that sometimes takes the sting out of the failure. And I have had some moments where it No, I can honestly say I’ve failed. Like, just, obviously I have failed. Just I made the wrong decisions, did the wrong things. And you know, the first instinct is to beat yourself up, and like to hang your head and just go, Oh, my God, I’m useless. And your confidence takes a knock. And you think, what am I doing? What am I doing? And and then it’s just to start remembering, you’re just trying, you’re just trying, and particularly in the work that we’re doing here, you know, trying to changing global mindset and disability, and trying to create a movement around inclusive business. You know, it is really hard, it is really hard. And if it was so easy, somebody else would have done it before. And I have to remind myself of that when we don’t get what we want. When a deal doesn’t work out. When the funds don’t come in. When somebody looks at music, I’ve got 10 heads and tells me this isn’t our game. You know, there are many disappointments along the way. But it’s just, you know, it’s to remember to pick yourself up and go. Well, this is tough, and therefore there’s going to be failures along the way. And it doesn’t stop me. It just makes me trying to think about you know, what way can i neck skin this cat. But you do need to recognize when you fail, there is a moment of wounded and wounded hurting. And you know, sit with it for a while and and move on, you know, move on, you gotta let it go.
David Ralph [22:50]
So if we went back in time, your your mom and dad really gave you a gift didn’t me when I was looking at your story. And I’ve done a lot of reading about you over the last week. But it’s a seems to be the defining point, but by didn’t tell you that you had a condition with your eyesight. And they didn’t want to put those limitations on you. Has that really carried you through to where you are now do you sort of say mom and dad, thank you so much. That was the best thing you ever did? Or do you have an opposing view to that?
Caroline Casey [23:18]
legacy? I only live my life the way that I know it. You know, it’s a funny thing. I’m asked it all the time. And I still can’t come up with a decent answer. But what I do believe is I was Caroline, you know, I’m Caroline, I’m not, I wasn’t defined at a young age for Caroline with the bad eyes. I was Caroline. And I really fundamentally believe that we’re also obsessed in what we do and, and and the labels that are surrounding us. It’s not about what you do, that is who you are, you are who you are, I could give you a list of things to describe what I do, and but they’re not me. And similarly with my son. It’s not me, it’s part of me. And so by not making it the foremost thing in my life, I was allowed be myself. And I was allowed to grow into the person that I hope that I think they hoped I would grow into without limitations of what she’s visually impaired, or she has a disability. And I often come across the greatest achieving people with disabilities or parents very like my own, which is not putting a doobie around their child, and over protecting them, but really pushing them out there into the world because the world is hard. And I think what they they gifted me was resilience, and the gifted me, you know, you will have to survive, regardless of what you do. You have to survive. And it gives me resilience and I hope, you know and courage tenacity and problem solving. And, you know, courage, I think they’re the things that they gave me. Whereas, maybe if I had been labeled a, you know, a disabled child or a visually impaired child, we could make excuses for me. I think that’s maybe where they came from. And we have a very big belief in our family, you know that labels are jam jars and packages are not people, you know, and they’re so limiting, right, you know, whether we say somebody is a boy or girl or a management consultant, gay, straight disabled, you know, we can go on with all these labels all the time. But they’re only aspects of ourselves. They don’t define us nothing, not one part of ourselves should define us. It’s just part of who we are.
David Ralph [25:26]
Yeah, but that’s for the label. And I accept that. But I know people personally that have had children, that they from an early age, they have done things for them all the time. And I got I don’t know, where do that because it’s not easy for you. And but the kid has grown up, just knowing that they can’t do that it’s kind of ingrained into them that I will never be able to do that. And that’s the thing that I think your parents gave you. They didn’t seem to mollycoddle you, it was just, you know, you are who you are, get on with it. And
Caroline Casey [25:54]
I’ve noticed now and there was no mollycoddling actually, when I used to fall, or crush my head against the wall, you know, that’s response, we used to be hilarious. It’s like, well, like get up. You know, if you could, like, I remember them, I got countless stories, you know, of all the times that you that you failed because of your size, like Legos. I mean, can you imagine going to school and not knowing that you had a vision problem? And you’re there trying to play hockey, tennis, jump over hurdles? I mean, honestly, it was a disaster.
David Ralph [26:25]
But I can’t imagine that at all. Oh, well, you do? Well, it’s clumsy is gilded people go Oh, don’t throw it to her. She’s always going to drop it.
Caroline Casey [26:36]
into, you know, the world come to a sports person. Yes. But I’m not actually a clumsy sports person. I just can’t see what I’m doing. And, you know, the thing is that I was the last person to be probably picked on the team, because it’s a fairly useless, right. But it’s, you know, I have, I have a reason that to explain to myself, and so I was so clumsy. But yeah, you’re right. I mean, my parents, there was no mollycoddling going on there was none of that it was getting Get up, get out and get on with it, you know what I mean, and that prepared me for life, because you don’t have it. You know, I understand so much when a parent, you know, has a child with a disability, and because they love them, and they don’t want their child to harsh or be in pain, they don’t. And that’s, you can’t judge that. And you can, you know, I would, I can imagine, that’s the most natural thing in the world to do. But however, we’re not children, for always, and every one of us gets into life. And life ain’t fun at times, and it’s fabulous and other ways, but we can’t, you can’t protect yourself from like Broadway’s because it’s just out there. And it’s full of all those things. So I don’t judge any parent for doing that. But I do think our parents, and actually many more, many, many more parents, like our parents have, you know, tough love. And I don’t think you have to have a disability to have tough love from parents. And that’s where you see a lot of people really, you know, striving and achieving.
David Ralph [27:57]
When I think I have soft, tough love with me and my wife, we have different ways of doing it. If my kids are at home with me on a Saturday, by you pretty much fend for themselves, and they can make their own breakfast, and they can do everything. And when they come home at the end, as long as they’re alive. I think I’ve done my job. But my wife will kind of go, Oh, she’s only nine. She can’t make a sandwich and all that kind of stuff. And it is a smart kind of how do you balance it? How do you protect your kids, but also give them enough strength and life lessons to be able to grow up because at the end of the day, all you’re doing is parents is getting to the point when you throw them out the nest, and hopefully they can fly and away they go.
Caroline Casey [28:33]
Yeah, you know, the balance is so important. And I want to be very clear that yes, we had tough love, but we had love as well. And there was never a moment where any of the three of us because I have a sister and a brother, we really did feel loved. And you know what, it’s an amazing thing, Mom and Dad never told us to be what we were to be when we grew up. We were given that freedom, you know, whatever it was that we were going to choose to do. Just do the best that you can. We were loved. You know, there was never, you never doubted being loved. Never never doubted it. But what they I mean, my mom is just, she still remains the great Mom, you know, when you walk in the kitchen door, she has food on the table for you seriously. You know, the hug is always there. She’s always there when you cry. And I remember when I finally came to terms with my vision, you know, a time in March of 2000. And I knew I had to come out of the closet evaders, you know, the first person I wanted to go to with my mom, I just, I just wanted to be with my mom. She was the one person I wanted to just go and have a cry with and have her put her arms around me and give me one of those hugs, you know. So it’s a very fine balance I can imagine. But I think in our case, we probably were very lucky.
David Ralph [29:48]
I think that’s true about moms, because I read something back in like Vietnam and war scenarios when the soldiers unfortunately get, you know, really badly wounded. The person they cry out is their mom, even though they’re soldiers, and they’re protecting their country, and they’re in real rough and tumble. It’s their mom that you’ve got that connection with. And I feel the same way with myself. If something and my wife, funnily enough, when I got married, my wife actually had to tell me off the base. When something big was happening in my life, I would tell my mom before I told her, and then she would phone. And my mom already knew about it. And she said, Look, we’re married now it should go the opposite way around. Yeah. All right, fair enough. And I saw raised my hand and said, you know, slap it. And I’ve learned from that lesson. But yeah, the mom connection, it’s always going to be there, isn’t it?
Caroline Casey [30:35]
Yeah, but I think there’s a really strong expression here, Irish mothers and their sons. I don’t know if that’s the same in the UK. But there is something very much between a son and a mom. And yeah, I don’t know, it’s family, you know, at the end of the day, family is so important. And I need my dad for, you know, a myriad of different reasons he was an entrepreneur, I certainly have my entrepreneurial entrepreneurial spirit from him. He was the one who taught me about business, he was the one that pushed me probably harder than anybody else. He’s the one that I go to for advice from business. He’s the one that kind of tells me you know, do A, B, and C or what do you think about this. And then on the other side, my mom was the one who, you know, we used to dance around the kitchen, like, I grew up with, you know, music, and I always remember her just, you know, dancing with us around the kitchen. And when my marriage broke up a few years ago, and it was really dark time of my life, you know, really very, very hard periods to go through. Because these are things you don’t want to go through. But you know, one of the things that reverted back to was dancing in the kitchen and singing in a duel wooden spoon, to you know, to give you that kind of sense of possibility before we went off to work. And that came from my mom. And she, you know, she always taught us how to make the most out of nothing, because we didn’t have a lot of money when when I was growing up. And so she was like, what always make something look good, you know. So, you know, even if we she was always great for having candles, because candles made a room look better want to be setting a table with something colorful. So it’s just she had that grace, you know, you want to leave and that great creativity. So they’re both very important influences in my life.
David Ralph [32:13]
Absolutely. And so they should be. And that phrase you said about when you came out of the closet, and you ran the to your mom. Yeah, your mom was in the closet with you anyway, it wasn’t she because she she kind of knew what was going on. And she’d known it all the way they must have known it was going to come to a point when that was going to happen. So she was there with you.
Caroline Casey [32:32]
Yeah, absolutely. When when I found out at 17, first of all, because they had given me a driving lesson for my 17th birthday. Which is extraordinary. We think about it. And obviously, I found out that I wasn’t going to be driving and probably shouldn’t have been cycling as low going on roller breaks around the place. You know, I
David Ralph [32:48]
don’t know whether I should laugh at that present. I feel like it should laugh, but it feels moved to do it as well.
Caroline Casey [32:54]
Oh, no, no, please don’t. It’s nothing. I mean, is my life. Hey, you know, it’s funny, it is quite funny. So, you know, the the first, the first moment of really understanding that was at 17. And then, you know, I had no intention, as you said in your introduction of, you know, accepting this. And so they would, you know, dance, they were kind of standing in the sidelines just watching me and I guess, ready to pick me up when I was going to fall. And that all happens at 28. And, and I remember so distinctly that day, because I had been to an eye specialist and I you know, and he told me, you know, he hadn’t even examined my eyes. He was just like, What is it with you and you’re still stubbornness to accept your vision impairment, you know, you have to take responsibility for this. And I always remember him saying to me, you know, are you happy? Like, is this what you wanted to be when you were little? And I’m sitting in a nice specialist office and going, is this therapy? or What is this, you know, and feeling you know, when you feel the crying coming up from inside your belly, and just going, Hi, this isn’t what it wants to be. This is not who I want to be. Because I was scared at that time. You know, I was scared and I felt lonely. Do I have loads of friends around me? Don’t, don’t get me wrong. I just was lonely in my in my own thinking. And just, you know, and he said, I just think you need to think about doing something different with your life. And I’m like, What you mean to something different my life. I am successful. This is my life. And just running home to mom and just breaking down crying in front of her going Mom, mom, like, what is this? Who am I like, why am I so important? You know, and I kept saying to her is like mom, I know there’s something more I can do. And like I know it, I can feel it inside me feel I have something else to do. And I always remember her just talking my hair behind my ear. And as I’m looking at her crying away, and she goes, I know you can do more. I know you can do more. And it was that day after hide laughter when I went for a run was the day that actually was one of those big days that changed my life. So yeah, she was part of that day.
David Ralph [35:02]
I actually I’ll be honest with you, Caroline actually felt choked up when you said that because it’s that’s such a small little gesture, isn’t it? just brushing your hair. But there’s, there’s a calm, there’s a comfort. And she told you exactly what you wanted to hear. And you should have heard at that moment. She did. She provided another gift for you.
Caroline Casey [35:21]
Me, but she it was she believed it. And, and one of the things about our family. And I also think because we’re visually impaired, we have a very, very strong intuition and gut instinct. So I would have known if she was lying. And I but I felt it in myself David I can’t explain to you I really, really felt something was coming. And I really felt I had to do something. And I think her just looking back at me, you know as as now because we’re both adults at that stage. You know, I was 28. And she was you know, 25 years older than me. She was I know, I believe you. And it basically she gave him permission to go find us. And I always I think that was a just a really important moment in my life. Because it could it could have been very different. It could have been a very different moment.
David Ralph [36:07]
Is that the kind of mad genius that we were talking about at the very beginning of the show. Because I know that feeling I know exactly what you’re saying. And when I left my corporate job for probably about six months beforehand, I just built this, there’s got to be more of a nest. There’s something I should be doing with my life. And now I’m doing this, I feel it every day. But yes, this is where it is at the moment. But God, where’s this going to go? This is going to get bigger and bigger and bigger. And I just feel it. It’s like a sort of geezer inside me, that is just going to explode. And you think that is when these people do these kind of mad things, these Maverick things magnificent Mavericks, and they go off and they achieve stuff that you kind of go, How the hell did that happen? Do you think that’s exactly how they feel as well?
Caroline Casey [36:53]
Yeah, you know, it, look, you can hear it in your voice, you can hear, you can hear your passion, you can hear that you will our contents that you’re excited. And that’s because you’re doing what you’re supposed to do. And I guess you like me like anybody else who’s taken a massive life changing step, or just done something that you really wanted to do. I think the precursor to making that decision is an ache. It’s like an ache. Like I don’t know how to give you the right words, but I could just feel inside me this sense of just wants to be more I just wants to do more I know that I’m capable of I don’t know how I don’t know what I’m going to do. But I just knew that there was something that was so restlessly inside me. Just kind of bursting out. I mean, I used to describe it as a hole in the heart. I used to feel that I don’t actually have a hole in my heart. But I used to feel this emptiness right inside, inside inside my chest cavity. And it was painful. And you know, the we were thing is, I remember when I decided Did you know that day that I had had cried with mom, that I would make that big decision to do something different that the doctor told me to do and become Mowgli from the jungle book and go cross into the elephants. You know what, within 24 hours, that hole in my heart had gone and it had been with me now for maybe 18 months prior to that date. And that hold has never come back. It’s like I don’t it’s like it was a yearning. And then when I made the decision, the yearning stopped.
David Ralph [38:32]
When when you were Mowgli, did you wear like a red nappy and bvp? naked? Did you go to four hole? Caroline?
Caroline Casey [38:40]
No, I mean, look, the thing is, so I made this decision in March of, you know, 2000 and a wet Wednesday, you know, after having a crisis with my mom, and then running along the beach and going, I’m not going to land I just I want my life to be better. And I thought when we’re let’s do something different and how I decided I would manifest as Mowgli from the jungle book was to go across India on the back of an elephant and train as an elephant handler and do it on my own. And so it took now I mean, that’s a pretty big life change where management consultant, Sue and elephant handler. So it took nine months to set up. And I found myself in January of 2001, on the 13th of January, and head to head or forehead to forehead with visit loud from Cole County. And you know, his most extraordinary thing, this is my story. I look, I this is not a film, I did this, I still am amazed. This is my story. And only the beginning of a myriad of stories afterwards. But when I went there, I had no understanding that a female trying to do what I was trying to do. And a female, a Western female who has incredibly fair skin, and very blond hair sitting on top of, you know, the physical embodiment of Ganesh, this Hindu god, which is the elephants. You know how extraordinary the Indians would think this was and I did I learned to ride bareback. There was no house, there was no luxury I slept, you know, night in night out beside the elephant on top of the van amongst snakes and monkeys. I had a bucket to to Washington. But the one thing is I had to be covered up because, you know, it would it’s totally inappropriate and certainly was then for any woman to you know, be showing lots of skin and particularly on an elephant. So I was dressed in what they in pajamas, which was good because it covered my skin. And I was probably the most unattractive, unattractive looking Mowgli that you could ever imagine, sitting on top of that elephant and I went to pink as the way it was 44 degrees most the time and incredible humidity. So
David Ralph [40:49]
I’ll be honest.
Caroline Casey [40:51]
It wasn’t it was, you know, it was I can’t explain it was most, it was the most amazing thing. But just imagine sitting
David Ralph [40:57]
on an elephant must be painful for 1000 miles, you know, no,
Caroline Casey [41:01]
it wasn’t painful. None of it wasn’t painful. It was. It was extraordinary. I mean, look, I guess this was my passion. Not everybody has a dream to do this. It was my dream. So I guess I wanted every part of it. And I tell you what was I mean, the heat was hard. And you know, the fascination of everybody around me, I had very little privacy on the trip, I realized on the trip that my eyes were the least of my problems. And that’s really when I got over myself. And the thing is because my eyes actually had afforded me the opportunity to get there and achieve the dream. But most importantly, the thing that was against me out there was I didn’t speak the same language as the six Indian men who worked with me and I owe a huge amount to Hong Kong, New York, but Kenya, who ran the trip with me. But we didn’t speak the same language. And I was a woman, they were all men. And I had this very, very first skin in the sun. So like my eyes were of no concern was just a moment. It was just this amazing. It was just an amazing adventure. And I often dream and in quiet times the day of can you imagine seeing India on the back of an elephant when you just when you’re sitting there on the top of this extraordinary beautiful creature. And you know, you see the top of their head and their trunk comes up to touch you every now and again. I mean, that’s just pure magic. It’s just magic
David Ralph [42:22]
is but I think I’d like to be in a car with the air conditioning on. We may be radio to playing as I’m driving through India that that would that would be utopia for me.
Caroline Casey [42:34]
Yeah, well, you see, I guess we all have that’s, that’s what was great about being human. We don’t all want the same thing. Right? And that’s fantastic. But mine was this. And, you know, it’s it remains and I still have a million adventures inside me. And I did adventures after. Like I probably if you were to give me a choice right now. You know, I’d love to hop off into a desert and, you know, get out get out laugh and a horse like a cowboy and commanding the more discipline mock, the more mess I’m happier. And I mean, people who know me, like I look like a cowgirl. I look like a cowgirl even going into meetings. I just think there’s an inner cowgirl in there or an inner adventure. And yeah, I just love was an archaeologist as well. So you know, I like hanging out
David Ralph [43:16]
your Jones on you.
Caroline Casey [43:19]
When I tell you what choosing to do archaeology is a visually impaired person was probably one of the most stupid. But I did
David Ralph [43:28]
another use a lots of phrases when you’re talking with such passion and enthusiasm. There’s certain phrases that really jump out on me. And the one there was you had to get over yourself, you had to actually because that that that scene that struck me once again, as slightly strange. But you got to the point that you were on an elephant going through India, which you would have thought by that time you’ve got over yourself, and then you are still finding parts of your character that kind of almost needed to be thrown away to move on to the next stage is fascinating. Hobbies can happen, isn’t it?
Caroline Casey [44:03]
Yeah, I mean, I don’t know about you. But I mean, I’m finding every month every year, so many things, you learn about yourself things that you don’t want to know about yourself. It was certain things about my character. I just really wish I didn’t have
Unknown Speaker [44:20]
an outline, but
David Ralph [44:21]
what’s something you still think yourself on on progress David
Caroline Casey [44:28]
I’m gonna be working progress until I finish, you know, I’m deeply impatient. I’m really, really impatient person that I can’t bear that about myself. And the other thing that I am finding that really annoys me about myself, is I have this amazing gut instinct, right? I’ve amazing gut instinct. And I’ve made some really big mistakes over the last seven years. And I don’t blame other people. for them. They’re mine, you know, I’m not going to be a victim to other situations. The mistakes that have happened in my life are down to me. And the thing is, I knew the answer all of those decisions. They were in my gut. But I let other people talk me out of my gut instinct. Or I doubted myself. Because I was trying to please people and make them happy. And I just like, Caroline Casey, like, when do you ever learned that, you know, your greatest gift is in your gosh, you know. And I can guess the other thing that I think is really difficult about me, I speak very quickly, I interrupt people a lot, I hate that part of my personality, I tried to do too much. And I can become unfocused very quickly. And I’m very hard on myself. And that’s not a good thing. Being hard in yourself puts you in stupid situations, it doesn’t allow you to take credit, or at least enjoy the good stuff, you know, because you’re rushing on to the next up and you’re trying to do everything. And and yeah, I don’t think that’s a good part of myself. I sometimes think I also live in my head too much. As I was saying earlier on, I analyzed too much rather than to feel them. I’m always trying to think through a solution. Whereas you’re never going to think a solution. You’re going to feel a solution. And yeah, I mean, I think I mean, I could go on I’ve plenty of things. Great about me.
David Ralph [46:14]
Yeah. But now you’re like you You don’t know.
Caroline Casey [46:17]
They do. And, you know, one of the greatest gifts I think we can give ourselves as we go through life is to be as self aware as possible. And not frightened of the things that aren’t good about us. And, and I have a I have a habit, because I’m a very emotional person. And you talked about this about Maverick about conforming people try to make you conform. When somebody says you’re emotional. You know, I don’t think they say that in a good way. They going to be very emotional, Caroline. And unlike me, I am emotional. But I’m really glad in ways I am emotional, because that’s passion. That’s passion to make things happen. And I hope it’s that passion that has maybe been part of making good things happen. But I do myself very quickly. And as I was saying to you early on, you know, when you choose to do something like this, do not think that I am, you know, Miss Pollyanna jazz hands, fabulous, positive all the time. I’m not, you know, life is not easy. And, you know, I’ve just had to work around how to handle the tough, but there’s times of profound sadness I have gone through in the last while or deep, deep sort of self doubt, real deep self doubt. And, you know, I just I have to find those survival tools or mechanisms, and really not hold on to the negativity because there’s a lot of negativity around and you just have to find ways of getting around it and, and moving on, and being okay with that. Because, yeah, I, they’re all part of me. And I hope we have really good parts of me. Because I was saying, I’m not a not a management consultant, or an a social entrepreneur or an archaeologist. What I am is Caroline, and which is a sum of all my goodness, my bad habits and all my dreams and aspirations and all my successes and failures. And the fact that I love doing snow angels, you know, I mean, that’s who I am. That’s not what to do.
David Ralph [48:10]
Who doesn’t love doing snow angel? Yes, you can’t be a snow angel Can you
Caroline Casey [48:16]
know, or sound Angel and if you can’t find Sandra snow, go and do the grass. And I swear to God, let me do that about three, four weeks ago, I just went out into the park and just did a bit of a grass Angel as I was trying to think of a solution for something and I was looking at the blue sky. And I was like, This is great. I’ve created a life where I can go out and just do a grass Angel and not really care what anybody thinks of me, it’s pretty good.
David Ralph [48:35]
And that’s what life is all about. I’m going to play the words of Steve Jobs which is the theme of the show. But he quite eloquently said back in 2005, that we aren’t a sum of all our parts and no experience is wasted in it’s how we we actually meander through life that actually gets us to where we want to be. This is Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs [48:53]
Of course, it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leaves you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference.
David Ralph [49:28]
So you said that you trust your gut. And when you haven’t trusted your gut you’ve gone badly wrong, is interesting that somebody like Steve Jobs actually says those same words as well, because we’ve all got a gut, we’ve all got that kind of compass inside us back and direct us to where we should go. But for most of us, we we ignore it.
Caroline Casey [49:48]
Yeah, I, you know, he says it better than anybody, I think that is just a really profound way of saying is I’m far more articulate way than I would have said it. You know, following your heart is led to extraordinary places. And, and that is your gut, your heart and your gut and your instincts. Because our wisdom of who we really are, we have all the answers for who we are and what we’re going to be already inside us. We already know. And as I said earlier on, it’s when our brain and the analyzing and the doubting and the voice inside our heads keep telling us but you can’t. Because you can’t because you can’t because you can’t because you have a good job. You can’t because when I’m in the marriage, and I can’t get out, you can’t because I’ve got children, I can’t because you know, I can’t see and we will, our brains will give us a million reasons why we can’t do things, but your heart and your gut and your faith and your destiny and your instinct. It already has the answers. And yes, I fully stand up and say the greatest mistakes in my life. Or when I didn’t listen to my heart and my God. And I, I have to continue to really challenge myself. When my gut says one thing, my head says another. And the thing to know is you will only really hear your ghosts, or your harsh when you’re not running around madly trying to fix things or run away from things. You know, it’s when you’re when you give yourself the time to be a little bit still, every now and again. You know, you hear what it is that you really should do want to do what your heart’s yearning for. And that’s not just me, it’s we all have us. Every single one of us has that inside us.
David Ralph [51:29]
The amount of people that I’ve spoken to who have said that the biggest game changer that they had was when they gave themselves maybe half hour an hour each day just to sit there thinking and when they thought of everything that was going in their life, and something scared them. That was the thing that they realized they had to do. But they only managed to get that that fear compass going when they actually sat there and let everything disappear around them.
Caroline Casey [51:56]
I loved so i, i everybody keeps telling me I should don’t have to meditation, do yoga, you know, and I’m terrified of doing meditation because I can’t do to shut my brain down. But my version of meditation, by the way, I am starting meditation, but my version of it is running. And I run and running is I get into a very sort of, I don’t know, it’s kind of like a meditation stage, particularly when I’m finished. Okay, so when I’m finished, I’m just running and I’m just letting things be. And it’s an OH MY GOD, the things that come through my mind when I’m running. And it’s like, it’s like saying hello to pictures in front of me, because it’s my it’s my time. And now I run with the site at guide am obviously. So the great news is sometimes I talked to my cider guide, sometimes I don’t. But it’s a great, I just love it. But the one thing I’ve been thinking about recently a lot is this very simple question. What would you do if you’re not scared? Like, what would you? What would you do? If you really did not have to worry about the consequences? What would you do if you weren’t scared? And the more I asked myself that question, the more I can see the picture of where I’d like us to go in the next 20 years. When I’m not being I’m not worried about what people think. And I’m not worried about investors, and I’m not worried about screwing up and I’m not worried about money. You know, that’s a really good question for all of us to ask ourselves, every now and again, if I wasn’t scared, what would I do? And you’d be really surprised the answer.
David Ralph [53:27]
I’m terrified every day. And I share that message with all the listeners out there because I don’t want them to hear me as kind of Uber competent podcast, man. But I am every single day, I’m terrified. And I was terrified of getting it going. I was terrified of the success is suddenly building up. I was terrified. I just seemed to be terrified on different levels. But now I just kind of I’m embracing that fear somehow and it’s not scary. And you go past it, and you look over your shoulder and you actually go, actually that wasn’t that scary, scary coming up to it. But once you actually in it, it’s the one that
Caroline Casey [54:04]
but I think you’re absolutely right, if you want if you want frightened, if you want feeling scared. I mean that fear drives you a bit doesn’t it that that that being scared kind of drives you to get over us, you know, you’re you push yourself a bit harder. You know, one of the things that’s way worse than fear, like way worse than fear or failure or anything is apathy. Like honestly, if I could give the greatest human crime is apathy. So gave me fear any day, that helped me be terrified any day, I would rather feel something, then not feel anything. apathy is just no, no horrible. You know, I often think about if I could be king for a day, you know, I go into the schools and you know, just say, you know, fabulous failure or dangerous dream or just so that you could get you know, that next generation just to be brave and to feel and not to, to be coming stand what’s what’s coming, but to be apathetic. No, I think that’s awful. Awful.
David Ralph [55:06]
I love your brain. Caroline, I love the things that you think about. You could be king for a day. This is like, this is big, folks, isn’t it?
Caroline Casey [55:16]
Well, yeah, because I do like, I do think if I could be, you know, I am so fascinated by, you know, somebody was asking date, I was called a disability advocate recently. And I think it’s really weird. I don’t see the myself, I’m an activist for disability, or a purely an advocate for it. I am for intrusive business, because I believe inclusive business will create inclusive societies, it’s what our work does, we’re going around the world doing that. But you know, what I really feel that I am an advocate for is just to create a world where every single one of us is included and belong and can be the person they want to be, you know, to determine that, like, they want to be where their individuality is fantastic. Where is it celebrated when we’re not all being corralled into the same type of stereotypes? There is not one, there’s not one version of success is not one version to lead their life. I just would love if the world could be tolerant, and not even just tolerant, but just totally embracing of the individuality that exists. And not be frightened of difference. But really look at us as just one of the most extraordinary advantages of humanity difference is just, this is where the innovation comes from. So yeah, I guess if I was king per day, I think that’s what I waved the magic one for. But for me is like I’d love to see, I’d love us to teach in school for kids is to dream big, as you say is to to be dangerous in our thinking to not be frightened of failure and those things because that’s what builds that sort of tolerance and open mindedness. And the other thing is, if you could give every single kid at 18 a ticket around the world, like seriously, that would be fantastic. It would be fantastic travel opens your mind seeing different things tasting different things being challenged being lost. You know, I tell you what, that that adds that adds so much. So many layers, your life experience.
David Ralph [57:01]
Well, we are kindred spirits, I tell you and if you do become king, can I be your queen? Is that right?
Caroline Casey [57:08]
Yes, you got it. There’s not a hope that was gonna happen. But no problem.
David Ralph [57:11]
I’d look good in a dress just for a day, I think I could pull that off, that’d be fine. Well, this is the end of the show. And I don’t really want it to end. But this is the part when we send you back in time to have a one on one with your younger self. And if I could send you back to have a one on one with the younger Caroline, what age would you choose? And what advice would you give her we’re going to find out because we’re going to play the tune. And when it fades, Europe, this is the Sermon on the mic.
Unknown Speaker [57:38]
Here we go with the best of the show.
Caroline Casey [57:57]
Hello, 15 euro Caroline, this is 42 year old Caroline speaking to, and you have absolutely no idea, the journey that you’re about to go on. And I know right now you are so scared because you don’t fit in. And I know that you can’t understand why it doesn’t feel right. And I know that you’re confused. And like you think you’re the only one that doesn’t know what it is that they’re going to do. But you have no idea. The journey that lies ahead of you is going to be so much more extraordinary different than you ever imagined. And what you’re going to find out in your journey through life, that the things that you thought were your greatest failures, your greatest weaknesses, the things that scared you most are your greatest, greatest opportunity. And I want you to think about something little Caroline. Right now, when you’re 15 years old, I want you to put on that dress that though is different than what everybody else is wearing. I want you to put it on, put your shoulders back and know that it’s okay to be different and to be you. I want you to kiss by many more boys than you ever kiss. I want you to stop pleasing the world and try and please yourself. I want you to do more than you ever hoped and imagined. And I don’t want you to think you’re the only one that’s scared. Because everybody around you is just a scared. Mostly, I want you to continue that extraordinary dream that’s inside you. Because the dreams that you had when you were little they will come true. And just don’t allow anybody tell you otherwise.
David Ralph [59:34]
Caroline, how can our audience connect with you?
Caroline Casey [59:38]
Well, the best way to connect with me is you can get me through my email or through our website, www county.org. I’m on Twitter, which is at Caroline, underscore Casey. And I have Facebook with Caroline. And I think that’s the best way. Probably the best way to get me
David Ralph [59:57]
we will have all the links on the show notes. Caroline Casey, thank you so much for spending time with us today joining those dots. And please come back again when you have more dots to join up. Because I do believe that by joining up those dots and connecting our past is the best way to build our futures. Caroline Casey thank you so much
Outro [1:00:14]
David doesn’t want you to become a faded version of the brilliant self you are wants to become so he’s put together an amazing guide for you called the eight pieces of advice that every successful entrepreneur practices, including the two that changed his life. Head over to join up dots.com to download this amazing guide for free and we’ll see you tomorrow on join up dots.
