Crashing Into Potential

EP.38 - Chapter 25 - BACK IN TOWN/CONCLUSION

We have come to the end of the line friends. EP.38 is where we stitch it all up, and boy has it been a ride. I have enjoyed making this podcast so much and I so happy you have too. In the episode, I make my way back to Australia for a quick surgery on my broken face and I fly back to the USA, landing in LA. I was in LA for a few days before meeting up with Daniel and Kieran on their return from Mexico. Once we met up, we were all set to drive over to Arizona to see what spring break was all...

EP.37 - Chapter 24 - I DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING

We are edging closer my friends. In episode 37 in a heartbeat, because of a stupid decision, I had to pack my bags and return to Australia. This was that point in my life where I discovered that I obviously have more than 9 lives. I during our road trip in Banff, I was involved in a trip-ending accident that could have quite easily been life-ending knowing my background.  German snowboarder – 1 Me – 0 That’s right, I face-planted into someone on Lake Louise and in a split second, my trip ...

EP.36 - Chapter 23 - CANADA, ROUND TWO

In episode 36, come along as I read to you chapter number 23. Chapter 23 is the experiences that I had in Canada throughout my second season there. After having an absolute baller time in Europe, I dragged that high with me around the world. I was under the misconception that my social anxiety was all but gone, taken care of, but no it wasn’t. NO SIR!  It was just lurking in the dark corners of my mind ready to come back out as soon as I let my guard down. Well, it didn’t take long for this ...

EP.35 - Chapter 22 - LEAVING EUROPE

In Episode 35 I finish off my time in Europe on a massive high. After the stress of chapter 21 in Germany, I could really let my hair down andf just go wherever the wind took me. I had certain places to be at certain times but in the middle of all that, I could do what I pleased.  I went on to visit and revisit 10 countries. This part of my trip was definitely the biggest growth period I experienced. I am so grateful for all the opportunities I got to experience and all the incredible peopl...

EP.34 - Chapter 21 - THE TURNING POINT

In EP.34 - Chapter 34, I make my way from Greece to Berlin, Germany, with a sailing trip around Croatia on the way. This was the turning point of my whole recovery as my mindset and perception of my own abilities did a backflip. With a brain injury, sometimes, the simplest of tasks become challenging and now I was on my way to Germany to get a working holiday visa... ON MY OWN. This was going to be a challenge! Day 1: I was chilled out and all relaxed because it was going to be “easy”. It w...

EP.33 - Chapter 20 - JASMINE

Episode 33 is about the connection I made with Jasmine. After meeting Jas, I traveled to the western end of the long island of Crete to a little town called Chania (Pronounced Hania). The most magnificent place I‘ve been to in the world. The sun and the situation made this an absolute dream to be in.  After we parted ways I left for the south for a few days before we met back up on another island called Naxos before we traveled to Paros to finish our trip. 3 weeks in total and this put me i...

EP.32 - Chapter 19 - THE GREEK ISLANDS

In EP.32 I make my way to the Greek Islands, better known as paradise. Before I go there, I was lucky enough to have a few days relaxing with Kelly and her family in a suburb of Athens called Irakleio. This was where Kelly and her family lived, and I was welcomed there with both arms wide. It made my time in Athens, amazing. Here’s a photo of Kelly, Mary and myself one night they took me out on the town.    I stayed there for a couple of days before I left, which was good because Kelly was...

EP.31 – Chapter 18 - ARRIVING IN ATHENS

In this episode, we go through the shortest chapter of the book (so far). Chapter 18 is literally one event, for one night… that’s it! I fly from Amsterdam, the Netherlands to Athens, Greece and come up against some trouble. This was the first encounter I have with the European authorities that had me kicked off a bus in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, in a country that is going through a lot of financial turmoil.  I sat back and looked at my surroundings and fell in love...

EP.30 - Chapter 17 - FREEDOM AT LAST

EP.30 is the reading of chapter 17 of my book, Crashing Into Potential: Living with my injured brain. The chapter is called, FREEDOM AT LAST. After getting off a tour around Scandinavia and Russia, I stuck around in Berlin for a week and just hung out. This week is exactly what I imagined traveling around the world would be like. This was the moment I realised that I didn't like to be confined and restricted by a tour and that I liked the freedom while traveling to do what I wasn't when I wa...

EP.29 - Chapter 16 - THIS IS TRAVELLING

In EP.29, I got my first real taste of Europe solo. I spent 5-6 days in Prague, Czech Republic, and this was the first time traveling on my own when I had no plans. This was both a blessing and a curse because my planning skills at this point were still falling behind the 8-ball. I probably spent 2 days more than I needed as these were my “fluffing around” days. Luckily, I had the time or else I would have missed some great opportunities to see some amazing sites. Instead, I got out of the c...

EP.28 - Chapter 15 - ANZAC DAY

In EP.28 it’s time to move from the land of winter fun and onto the next leg of my trip around the world. Europe here I come!! I soon realised that I was still living with a brain injury and all the difficulties I have are still there, but now I’m going to have to take these on alone. From the moment I fly into Turkey, I realised I should have done more research into my trip when I nearly had a meltdown regarding visas. Not knowing the ins and outs of the travel game yet, I found out that it...

EP.27 - Chapter 14 - END OF SEASON

In EP.27, it’s a wrap. The season is ending and it’s time to move on. Before we do, there was still a bunch of fun to have in the spring. This was Spring skiing at its finest and I was enjoying every second of it. Yes, my social anxiety was playing tricks on me all the time, but I really had nothing to worry about. With the help of ASSP, I was able to beat some demons that were trying to hunt me down.  To top off the season, I got invited on a road trip that really put the cherry on top. Th...

EP.26 - Chapter 13 - JAPAN

In EP.26 I take you on another little side adventure to my main adventure, which turned out to be an unforgettable adventure. Because of reasons I don’t completely understand myself, I needed to get out of Canada by plane and find another location to set up camp. Well, this camp was set up in Japan and boy am I glad I chose that place! Being winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Japan’s north island was covered in snow. If you know anything about anything to do with anything in the snow, you’ll...

EP.25 - Chapter 12 - SURPRISE

In EP.25 we learn what happens when things don’t go right… we call mum. Mum was my safety net that I so desperately needed to break away from, but when things start to heat up, so do I. This little side trip from Canada to Hawaii didn’t get off to a great start but as you’ll learn, I made it in the end. In this chapter, my relationship with my father came to a boiling point. It was hard to see his son do what he was doing and not be worried, after all, it was only a few years prior that he ...

EP.24 - PART TWO - TAKING ON THE WORLD + Chapter 11 - A WHITE CHRISTMAS

In EP.24 I take you through the process of getting myself over to another country on the other side of the world. This might be a standard drill for a seasoned traveler, but with a fresh set of eyes to this world, a naïve outlook and a brain injury, I was shaking in my boots. Rightly so, I had a whole backpack full of fears! This was it. The beginning of the biggest adventure of my life. I was about to embark on an adventure that would change the course of my life. The first stop was Canada ...

EP.23 – WORKING WITH THE PYGMALION EFFECT

In this week’s episode I share with the audience an interesting concept I’ve discovered, which is called The Pygmalion Effect. The research was first conducted in the 1960s and has been proven to lift the standards of the people that we are teaching, or coaching or instructing to do a certain thing.  Robert Rosenthal led a team in studying the effects that a teacher has on their disciples. To start they gave 2 groups of students, 2 groups of rats, and had them teach the rats how to get thro...

EP.23 – WORKING WITH THE PYGMALION EFFECT

In this week’s episode I share with the audience an interesting concept I’ve discovered, which is called The Pygmalion Effect. The research was first conducted in the 1960s and has been proven to lift the standards of the people that we are teaching, or coaching or instructing to do a certain thing.  Robert Rosenthal led a team in studying the effects that a teacher has on their disciples. To start they gave 2 groups of students, 2 groups of rats, and had them teach the rats how to get thro...

EP. 22 - HOW TO BE IN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE

This week is all about where we place the control in our lives. The location of this control is called Locus of Control, and we all fall somewhere between an Internal Locus of Control and an External Locus of Control.  People with an Internal Locus of Control feel that they are in control of their own destiny and people with an External Locus of Control feel they aren’t. Neither one of these are right or wrong, they’re just personality traits that are really good to be aware of. They both ...

EP.21 - WHAT ARE YOU SACRIFICING

In this episode I am sharing with you some of first the things that normally get sacrificed when we’re trying to make it to the top. Unfortunately, in life, making it to the top sometimes comes at a cost and it’s up to us to decide what it is that we are willing to put to the sidelines to make it up there. #1 – The first thing that can be cut is our sleep. This is a bit misleading, I know, but I am not talking about getting less sleep. I’m just talking about honing in on our bedtime and get...

EP.20 – GETTING IN THE ZONE

The scientific term for being ‘in the zone’ is called flow so in this week’s episode we’re talking about getting into this state of flow and what it’s going to mean for our achievement levels. We perform at the ultimate level when we are in this state. To get into this state, we need to be doing something or trying to achieve something that is equal part challenging to equal part doable.  Anxiety: We need anxiety in our lives in order to be prepared for the challenges that we may face in ...

EP.19 - BUILDING SELF-ESTEEM

This week we’re talking about the things I’ve learned about building my self-esteem.  Tip #1: Love yourself Tip #2: Focus on what you can change and except all that you can’t Tip #3: Stop comparing yourself to others Tip #4: Hone your craft For full show description click HERE Let’s connect Facebook - @TheInjuredBrain Instagram - @TheInjuredBrain Twitter - @TheInjuedBrain LinkedIn - @TheInjuredBrain Email – [email protected]

EP. 18 - FINDING YOUR PURPOSE

This week we’re exploring purpose and what it means to have purpose in our lives. Purpose is the fuel that keeps the engine running through life and as soon as we give it up, we no longer have the energy to keep moving forward.  In this episode, I do my best to explain to you, why it is that you need to find a purpose in your own life, and I give you some tips on things that I’ve learnt about finding my purpose. My purpose in life is to inspire people to achieve more.  Tip #1: The first ti...

EP.18 - FINDING YOUR PURPOSE

This week we’re exploring purpose and what it means to have purpose in our lives. Purpose is the fuel that keeps the engine running through life and as soon as we give it up, we no longer have the energy to keep moving forward.  In this episode, I do my best to explain to you, why it is that you need to find a purpose in your own life, and I give you some tips on things that I’ve learnt about finding my purpose. My purpose in life is to inspire people to achieve more.  Tip #1: The first ti...

EP.17 - GRATITUDE

In this episode we’re talking about gratitude and why you need to be grateful for everything you have in your life  Whatever goes up my come down. Simply put, every bad situation in this world has a good side to it, we might not be able to see it just yet. The gratitude that you feel has so many great benefits.  In this podcast, learn how I can manage to be grateful through all the ups and down of my life.

EP.16 - MORNING ROUTINE

In this episode I share with you my morning routine and what it is that gets me out of bed at 5:00am every morning. The biggest advantage of getting out of bed early is that it gives me more time to achieve my goals. I don’t think I could stand it if I had to take up my ‘wind down’ time by doing something other than… winding down. ‘Wind down’ time is the time I relax and enjoy. Sometimes it’s just me time, used to evaluate my day and keep check on how life is going so completing my day at 5:...

EP.15 - LEARNED OPTIMISM

This episode is all about cultivating an optimistic mindset. Throughout the podcast I make reference to a book by Martin Seligman, Learned Optimism. The 3 P’s that are used to explain our successes and our failures in life. How we explain these to ourselves will determine whether we have an optimistic mindset in certain situations or a pessimistic mindset.   The pessimist will explain things in their own head very differently to an optimist and when it comes to failures, they say and act ve...

EP.14 - PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

In this podcast today we’re talking about personal development. The four reasons I am sharing today are:  1.   Self-awareness 2.   Self-confidence 3.  Motivation 4. Career prospects Dip your toes in a give it a crack, what do you have to lose? Let’s connect Facebook - @TheInjuredBrain Instagram - @TheInjuredBrain Twitter - @TheInjuedBrain LinkedIn - @TheInjuredBrain Email – [email protected]

EP.13 - LEARNING TO FAIL BETTER

Learning a second language can do many things for our lives, but in this podcast I only share five. They are: Learning another language will mean that you can communicate in a foreign country with the locals Learning a second language can help us view the world from another perspective Learning a second language will help you open your mind Learning a second language will improve our memories Learning a second language makes you smarter For the full set of show notes, click HERE Let’s...

EP.12 - LEARNING A SECOND LANGUAGE

In this episode, we're talking about the benefits of learning another language other than your native tongue. The 5 benefits we cover are: 1. Communication 2. World Views 3. Open mindedness 4. Better memory 5. IT MAKES US SMARTER This is something I never took an interest in because it was too hard. Now... EVERYTHING I do is hard so it now doesn't seem too out of reach if I put my mind to it. Let’s connect Facebook - @TheInjuredBrain Instagram - @TheInjuredBrain Twitter - @TheInjuedBr...

EP.11 - HACK YOUR HAPPINESS

This episode is all about staying happy. As we are right in the crux of COVID-19 right now, this is a super important message to spread. We all could do with some happiness pills. I can’t legally give you medication to make you happier, but what I can do is share with you some things you can do right away to improve your happiness each day. The following are some useful links to check out.   Happy Brain Chemicals: D.O.S.E - Video For a full list of websites head over to www.scottbharris.c...

EP.10 - Chapter 10 - SPEAKING ABOUT IT

In this short chapter I am talking about my new career path of professionally speaking.  In the book I write about how it all started out when I was in rehab, and my ambitions to inspired people.  Click HERE to read the article that was written in The Age newspaper after my first ever presentation to the teachers at Eltham College. Episode page HERE Let’s connect Facebook - @TheInjuredBrain Instagram - @TheInjuredBrain Twitter - @TheInjuedBrain LinkedIn - @TheInjuredBrain Email – s...

EP.9 - Chapter 9 - DEPRESSION

In this week’s episode I cover my time in depression  One major contributing factor in overcoming this was the purpose I developed Mental illness is one of the worst invisible illnesses that one can go through  Please don’t feel defeated if you don’t get the answer you were hoping for. Knock on enough doors and someone will answer with open arms and have all the right answers.  Here is a list of websites to do your own research and to find the help you need: Headspace Beyond Blue Lif...

EP.8 - Chapter 8 - LEAVING REHAB FOR GOOD

After 3 long grueling years, I left the place that served me so well. These were the guys that helped me grow from a drunken toddler to a reasonably polite adult. Those years at Epworth were the hardest thing I have ever been through, but to walk out those doors, never look back and fly all on my own, using my very own tools they gave me, was a crazy good feeling. I would compare it to the feeling of finishing high school. For years and years ate school, most people's lives follow the same w...

EP.7 - Chapter 7 - SURGERY

Modern medicine has saved my life. I literally owe my life to the magic of today’s medical magicians. The surgeons that have worked on my body have done an incredible job in making the cogs all turn together. Well… the cogs don’t exactly turn ‘together’, but they do at least turn and that’s thanks to these guys. They’ve also made those cogs look ok at the same time. By reconstructing my face, one would say they actually did me a favor haha! All jokes aside, I am really grateful for the years...

EP.6 - Chapter 6 - BACK AT REHAB

In this chapter I get selected to participate in a study done by Assoc. Prof. Gavin Williams, at Melbourne University on the gate pattern of people following an Acquired Brain Injury. Here’s a video of me walking in the lab: Gatelab Assessment My physiotherapist, Genevieve, was there to accompany me to make sure I didn’t go ass up. We also meet Rochelle in this chapter too. She ran Running Group. Rochelle was my longest running therapist (no pun intended). We spent hours upon hours, weeks ...

EP.5 - Chapter 5 - REMINDING MY INJURED BRAIN HOW TO FUNCTION

“The height that we set the bar will ultimately determine the outcome” In this chapter I went to the next level in my recovery. I finally got into the routine of doing my daily rehab at Epworth. Chapter 4 see’s me back up on my feet after a few months wheelchair bound. Here’s a video of those first majestic steps I made: First steps as a free man! These were the first steps I was making towards getting my old life back... right? I didn’t realize this at the time, but I was never going to...

EP.4 - Chapter 4 - LEARNING TO LIVE AGAIN

In episode 4 I am starting to get my life back. At the time I really wasn't aware of how long and hard this journey was going to be for me. If you have have told me that 11 years on from this I would still be having operations and rehab to fix my broken body and mind, I would have told you to get out... GET OUT!!! AND DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU ON THE WAY OUT!!! I guess, in a way, that was a good thing because I may have seen the challenge as too great and just given up! Also, if you have h...

EP.3 - Chapter 3 - MOVING INTO REHAB

In episode 3, my family was finally able to let their hair down a bit and relax… just a little bit. I often think about this time and imagine the feeling they must have felt every day that they received some good news. Each meeting, each phone call and each conversation that was had between my family and the doctors must have been filled to the brim with anxiety, but to see me begin to wake up would have been exciting.  I imagine it would have been the same feeling that you get as a kid whe...

EP.2 - Chapter 2 - LANDING IN HOSPITAL

Episode 2 starts when I arrived at the Royal Melbourne Hospital by air. I say ‘by air’ because if you’re going to do anything in life, do it in style. This was the first chance I had in life to take a helicopter flight, so I thought I’d take it! In all seriousness, I had been flown because the road ambulance couldn’t extract me. I was in a coma for around 15 days before they began to reduce my medication that had me in that state. Basically, this whole chapter is highlighting how my family ...

EP.1 - Chapter 1 - THE ACCIDENT

Welcome to the first episode of the Crashing Into Potential Podcast. After speaking with many teachers about how they are teaching the book in their class, I had noticed that many of them are reading it to their students. This is simply because their students don’t like reading. (I get it! I hated reading growing up too. In fact, before I wrote Crashing Into Potential, I had read LESS than a handful of books in my life). This may be for a number of reasons; students may be illiterate, not co...

Coming Soon

Join me on Monday the 27th of July when we finally go live. Crashing Into Potential is a podcast where I'm going to connect the 'WRITTEN' word to the 'SPOKEN' word. Coming with me and listen to my story as I try to make sense of what I've written. I am going to read my book from cover to cover and tell a few stories along the way. This podcast will go in and out of the book as I touch up on my reading skills, and in this book I will speak of my first hand the struggles of depression, anxiety...

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