so I’m gonna start today by asking you a very very simple question what did you
very very simple question what did you
very very simple question what did you or what do you want to be when you grow
or what do you want to be when you grow
or what do you want to be when you grow up bit of a strange question to ask an
up bit of a strange question to ask an
up bit of a strange question to ask an audience what of adults not sure yet
audience what of adults not sure yet
audience what of adults not sure yet well that’s not that long ago guys I
well that’s not that long ago guys I
well that’s not that long ago guys I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I
didn’t know what I wanted to be when I
didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grow up I struggle to figure out what
grow up I struggle to figure out what
grow up I struggle to figure out what way I wanted to go and I had to make a
way I wanted to go and I had to make a
way I wanted to go and I had to make a decision I heard a quote a couple years
decision I heard a quote a couple years
decision I heard a quote a couple years ago from a psychologist in 1920s his
ago from a psychologist in 1920s his
ago from a psychologist in 1920s his name was Abraham a Slav he said in any
name was Abraham a Slav he said in any
name was Abraham a Slav he said in any given moment we have two options we can
given moment we have two options we can
given moment we have two options we can step forward into growth or we can step
step forward into growth or we can step
step forward into growth or we can step back into what is safe or we can step
back into what is safe or we can step
back into what is safe or we can step back into what is easy
back into what is easy
back into what is easy let’s talk that course took me for every
let’s talk that course took me for every
let’s talk that course took me for every single day right up until now so much so
single day right up until now so much so
single day right up until now so much so that I made a decision when I was 17
that I made a decision when I was 17
that I made a decision when I was 17 years old I was always a very very quiet
years old I was always a very very quiet
years old I was always a very very quiet kid I always kept myself I always did my
kid I always kept myself I always did my
kid I always kept myself I always did my own thing I always did what I was told
own thing I always did what I was told
own thing I always did what I was told to do I want to be sure I definitely
to do I want to be sure I definitely
to do I want to be sure I definitely would not have been standing up on this
would not have been standing up on this
would not have been standing up on this stage today last thing happened to me
stage today last thing happened to me
stage today last thing happened to me was I decided to go and study in college
was I decided to go and study in college
was I decided to go and study in college because that’s right that’s right I was
because that’s right that’s right I was
because that’s right that’s right I was told where the quote unquote jobs were
told where the quote unquote jobs were
told where the quote unquote jobs were every single decision of my life
every single decision of my life
every single decision of my life from when I was in my early teens up
from when I was in my early teens up
from when I was in my early teens up until the point I was leaving school
until the point I was leaving school
until the point I was leaving school every decision was being made for me I
every decision was being made for me I
every decision was being made for me I had absolutely no control then I turned
had absolutely no control then I turned
had absolutely no control then I turned 17 I made the biggest decision of my
17 I made the biggest decision of my
17 I made the biggest decision of my life
life
life and it’s not what you think I chose to
and it’s not what you think I chose to
and it’s not what you think I chose to run a marathon now that decision changed
run a marathon now that decision changed
run a marathon now that decision changed my life that might seem a bit extreme or
my life that might seem a bit extreme or
my life that might seem a bit extreme or even a bit strange for some people how
even a bit strange for some people how
even a bit strange for some people how can just just running a couple miles
can just just running a couple miles
can just just running a couple miles change your life well I chose to run my
change your life well I chose to run my
change your life well I chose to run my first marathon on the first weekend of
first marathon on the first weekend of
first marathon on the first weekend of September 2010 in my hometown at Engel
September 2010 in my hometown at Engel
September 2010 in my hometown at Engel County Kerry I also nearly died on the
County Kerry I also nearly died on the
County Kerry I also nearly died on the first weekend of September 2010 in my
first weekend of September 2010 in my
first weekend of September 2010 in my own hometown
own hometown
own hometown but that ignited a fire inside of me
but that ignited a fire inside of me
but that ignited a fire inside of me fired at Silla burns very brightly today
fired at Silla burns very brightly today
fired at Silla burns very brightly today I’m burns every day I also chose to
I’m burns every day I also chose to
I’m burns every day I also chose to raise funds for spina bifida and
raise funds for spina bifida and
raise funds for spina bifida and hydrocephalus Ireland that charity do
hydrocephalus Ireland that charity do
hydrocephalus Ireland that charity do incredible work and my first cousin Mary
incredible work and my first cousin Mary
incredible work and my first cousin Mary suffers with the condition so even at
suffers with the condition so even at
suffers with the condition so even at that early age in my early teens I saw
that early age in my early teens I saw
that early age in my early teens I saw how difficult life was from my cousin
how difficult life was from my cousin
how difficult life was from my cousin Mary I saw how difficult life was for
Mary I saw how difficult life was for
Mary I saw how difficult life was for her family
her family
her family and for those around her and as I grew
and for those around her and as I grew
and for those around her and as I grew up when I continued to run I saw that
up when I continued to run I saw that
up when I continued to run I saw that it’s not just my cousin Mary who suffers
it’s not just my cousin Mary who suffers
it’s not just my cousin Mary who suffers every day and who has to live with a
every day and who has to live with a
every day and who has to live with a disability it’s many many more people
disability it’s many many more people
disability it’s many many more people throughout the country well remember
throughout the country well remember
throughout the country well remember when I said that ignited a fire inside
when I said that ignited a fire inside
when I said that ignited a fire inside me doing that first marathon even tho I
me doing that first marathon even tho I
me doing that first marathon even tho I nearly died things escalated very very
nearly died things escalated very very
nearly died things escalated very very quickly after – so much older I recently
quickly after – so much older I recently
quickly after – so much older I recently just finished running 24 back to back
just finished running 24 back to back
just finished running 24 back to back Martin’s in 24 days around Arland from
Martin’s in 24 days around Arland from
Martin’s in 24 days around Arland from Donegal to every single County in
Donegal to every single County in
Donegal to every single County in Ireland finishing my hometown at Dingle
Ireland finishing my hometown at Dingle
Ireland finishing my hometown at Dingle that was a big change for a young 17
that was a big change for a young 17
that was a big change for a young 17 year old who was supposed to be studying
year old who was supposed to be studying
year old who was supposed to be studying environmental science in college and
environmental science in college and
environmental science in college and literally I last the run of myself
literally I last the run of myself
literally I last the run of myself pardon the pun
pardon the pun
pardon the pun well that decision you know I just I’ve
well that decision you know I just I’ve
well that decision you know I just I’ve been very very looking out I be able to
been very very looking out I be able to
been very very looking out I be able to step back and I speak in schools quite a
step back and I speak in schools quite a
step back and I speak in schools quite a lot to students and in universities and
lot to students and in universities and
lot to students and in universities and I see a younger version of myself in
I see a younger version of myself in
I see a younger version of myself in front of me every single time I’m just
front of me every single time I’m just
front of me every single time I’m just blessed now that I get to step out and I
blessed now that I get to step out and I
blessed now that I get to step out and I see it happening to every peeping to
see it happening to every peeping to
see it happening to every peeping to people every single day male female
people every single day male female
people every single day male female young and old
young and old
young and old nobody gets makes decisions for
nobody gets makes decisions for
nobody gets makes decisions for themselves anymore when you take this
themselves anymore when you take this
themselves anymore when you take this down to a micro level I was talking
down to a micro level I was talking
down to a micro level I was talking about life decisions when you take it to
about life decisions when you take it to
about life decisions when you take it to a micro level you look at what we do
a micro level you look at what we do
a micro level you look at what we do every day right out now here in front me
every day right out now here in front me
every day right out now here in front me I don’t know anybody here I do know one
I don’t know anybody here I do know one
I don’t know anybody here I do know one thing you all made a decision to be here
thing you all made a decision to be here
thing you all made a decision to be here today for some reason or another our
today for some reason or another our
today for some reason or another our whole days our whole weeks or months
whole days our whole weeks or months
whole days our whole weeks or months everything that happens to us is made up
everything that happens to us is made up
everything that happens to us is made up with a series of choices some we have
with a series of choices some we have
with a series of choices some we have control over
control over
control over some we don’t you see when you look at
some we don’t you see when you look at
some we don’t you see when you look at it an even deeper level again you’ve got
it an even deeper level again you’ve got
it an even deeper level again you’ve got the choice to build people up you’ve
the choice to build people up you’ve
the choice to build people up you’ve also got the choice knock them down
also got the choice knock them down
also got the choice knock them down you’ve got the choice to compliment
you’ve got the choice to compliment
you’ve got the choice to compliment people but you’ve also got the power and
people but you’ve also got the power and
people but you’ve also got the power and the choice to criticize people you’ve
the choice to criticize people you’ve
the choice to criticize people you’ve got the power to step forward into
got the power to step forward into
got the power to step forward into growth are you have the power to step
growth are you have the power to step
growth are you have the power to step back and to step back one who what is
back and to step back one who what is
back and to step back one who what is safe just like what Abraham a staff told
safe just like what Abraham a staff told
safe just like what Abraham a staff told us back in the 1920s so I guess the
us back in the 1920s so I guess the
us back in the 1920s so I guess the point I’m trying to make today is your
point I’m trying to make today is your
point I’m trying to make today is your choices of a massive bearing on you and
choices of a massive bearing on you and
choices of a massive bearing on you and your life not only that when you look
your life not only that when you look
your life not only that when you look outside they could have a massive effect
outside they could have a massive effect
outside they could have a massive effect and the people around you too I know the
and the people around you too I know the
and the people around you too I know the TEDx events are all about ideas worth
TEDx events are all about ideas worth
TEDx events are all about ideas worth spreading but I truly believe if you
spreading but I truly believe if you
spreading but I truly believe if you think about your choices and with whom a
think about your choices and with whom a
think about your choices and with whom a conscious and better choices we can
conscious and better choices we can
conscious and better choices we can change the world moving on from that I
change the world moving on from that I
change the world moving on from that I realize that when you give people the
realize that when you give people the
realize that when you give people the power a choice and empowers that person
power a choice and empowers that person
power a choice and empowers that person individually to make better choices for
individually to make better choices for
individually to make better choices for themselves all those years ago when I
themselves all those years ago when I
themselves all those years ago when I was a quiet 17 year old kids down in
was a quiet 17 year old kids down in
was a quiet 17 year old kids down in tingle
tingle
tingle I realized that I realized one thing
I realized that I realized one thing
I realized that I realized one thing that I had to stop letting people make
that I had to stop letting people make
that I had to stop letting people make choices for me and I’d say allow myself
choices for me and I’d say allow myself
choices for me and I’d say allow myself to make choices for myself growing up
to make choices for myself growing up
to make choices for myself growing up when I saw my cousin Mary
when I saw my cousin Mary
when I saw my cousin Mary I saw how lucky I was and how grateful I
I saw how lucky I was and how grateful I
I saw how lucky I was and how grateful I am to be able to do what I do every day
am to be able to do what I do every day
am to be able to do what I do every day I have choices that she doesn’t have
I have choices that she doesn’t have
I have choices that she doesn’t have that was incredibly powerful moment for
that was incredibly powerful moment for
that was incredibly powerful moment for me and I know continue to try to do that
me and I know continue to try to do that
me and I know continue to try to do that every single day and in my work as I
every single day and in my work as I
every single day and in my work as I move forward I quickly realized and as I
move forward I quickly realized and as I
move forward I quickly realized and as I move forward for the rest of my life I
move forward for the rest of my life I
move forward for the rest of my life I understand that again this 17 year old
understand that again this 17 year old
understand that again this 17 year old that made a choice to run a single
that made a choice to run a single
that made a choice to run a single marathon I have the power to change so
marathon I have the power to change so
marathon I have the power to change so many people’s lives making that one
many people’s lives making that one
many people’s lives making that one decision as a seventeen year olds
decision as a seventeen year olds
decision as a seventeen year olds changed my life if I change a lot of
changed my life if I change a lot of
changed my life if I change a lot of other people’s lives as well that one
other people’s lives as well that one
other people’s lives as well that one decision I made as a 17 year old has led
decision I made as a 17 year old has led
decision I made as a 17 year old has led me on to opening up my own business
me on to opening up my own business
me on to opening up my own business dropping on the college when I quickly
dropping on the college when I quickly
dropping on the college when I quickly realized after seven weeks I was not cut
realized after seven weeks I was not cut
realized after seven weeks I was not cut out to be a scientist and it’s led me on
out to be a scientist and it’s led me on
out to be a scientist and it’s led me on to running 24 miles in 24 days run
to running 24 miles in 24 days run
to running 24 miles in 24 days run Erland and it’s going to lead me on to
Erland and it’s going to lead me on to
Erland and it’s going to lead me on to ultra marathon ultra cycling across
ultra marathon ultra cycling across
ultra marathon ultra cycling across America and only couple months time so
America and only couple months time so
America and only couple months time so the point I’m trying to make is that the
the point I’m trying to make is that the
the point I’m trying to make is that the choices you make on a daily basis
choices you make on a daily basis
choices you make on a daily basis however small they are however big they
however small they are however big they
however small they are however big they are they can your change your life they
are they can your change your life they
are they can your change your life they can change other lives no matter what
can change other lives no matter what
can change other lives no matter what life situations what situations might
life situations what situations might
life situations what situations might arise in life what difficulties you may
arise in life what difficulties you may
arise in life what difficulties you may incur for problems you may encounter I
incur for problems you may encounter I
incur for problems you may encounter I understand that we all have issues and
understand that we all have issues and
understand that we all have issues and difficulties that’s inevitable part of
difficulties that’s inevitable part of
difficulties that’s inevitable part of life but you have the power to choose
life but you have the power to choose
life but you have the power to choose your response to those difficulties
your response to those difficulties
your response to those difficulties you’ve got the power choice so just
you’ve got the power choice so just
you’ve got the power choice so just remember the next time you’re faced with
remember the next time you’re faced with
remember the next time you’re faced with a difficult circumstance it’s completely
a difficult circumstance it’s completely
a difficult circumstance it’s completely up to you how you respond you’ve always
up to you how you respond you’ve always
up to you how you respond you’ve always got the power choice
got the power choice
got the power choice thank you
”
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