On this week’s episode I am joined by the hugely inspiring Zach Washington-Young who was involved in a horrific crash in 2012 and was left paralysed from his hips down and told that he’d never walk again. Fast forward to April 2018 and he completed the full 26-mile London Marathon on foot, making medical history as the first person to suffer from a severance of the spinal cord to do so.

In this chat, we talk through Zach’s journey and the work he has done with Prime Physio to get through his rehabilitation, what went into training for the marathon, the exact moment he regained feeling in his thigh and why keeping a crowd of positive people around him is key to his recovery.

Honestly, I think you guys are going to love this episode as it’s so powerful! Zach and his team are currently working on a documentary to show his journey from hospital bed to marathon finishing line and I can’t wait to see the finished product.

To contribute to Zach’s fundraising campaign, go here: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ZachWashingtonYoung 

If you enjoy the episode, please leave a review or comment!
 
thedreamersdisease.co.uk
Follow Zach:
IG: @zach_wy
 
Follow Dreamer’s Disease
IG: @the_dreamersdisease / @iamalexmanzi
Twitter: @dreamerspod / @iamalexmanzi
Soundcloud: @thedreamersdisease
 
Some topics we discuss:
- The feelings and emotions he went through during and after the crash
- Being a spinal injury ambassador
- What his life was like before the injury 
- The moment his mindset changed and realised he might walk again
- Detailing his first steps during rehabilitation
- What went into training for the London Marathon
- His need to thrive and see each challenge as an adventure
- The toughest moment he experienced during the marathon
- Successes he’s seen in swimming 
- Absorbing himself with positive people
- Why his ultimate goal is to be satisfied and content 
- Wanting to give back and to benefit a greater cause

Zach Washington-Young: Making Impossible Possible - Episode 46

“When setting goals, focus on your personal performance, not the outcome”

In this week’s In Focus session, I discuss goal-setting. Recently I’ve been trying to be better at setting goals for myself, to push my performance in both my work and life so I wanted to explore the benefits of doing so and share some of the experiences I’ve had so far.

If you enjoy the episode, please leave a review or comment. And be sure to share it with a friend who needs to hear this!

thedreamersdisease.co.uk

Follow Dreamer’s Disease:
IG: @the_dreamersdisease / @iamalexmanzi
Twitter: @dreamerspod / @iamalexmanzi
Soundcloud: @thedreamersdisease

In Focus: Goal-Setting - Episode 47

On this week’s episode I sit down with Annika Allen who has been hugely influential in helping to promote and inspire young black females and creatives in setting up both the Colour Network and The Black Magic Awards.


As someone who has lived life both within a corporate environment and working for herself, Annika has a huge amount of knowledge and wisdom to share; from creating her own platforms, to growing up and dealing with Sickle Cell, to being shaped and supported by her close group of friends.


There’s so many gems in this one! Hope you guys enjoy.


If you enjoy the episode, please leave a review or comment!


thedreamersdisease.co.uk


Follow Annika:

IG: @annikaallen

Twitter: @annikaallen

Follow Dreamer’s Disease

IG: @the_dreamersdisease / @iamalexmanzi

Twitter: @dreamerspod / @iamalexmanzi

Soundcloud: @thedreamersdisease


Some topics we discuss:

- Growing up not seeing many black people working in creative industries

- Building up her own platforms

- Hurdles she faced in her 20s

- Facing Sickle Cell crises 

- Having affirmations written out on her wall

- Being fed up of looking to America for inspiration

- Why your vibe attracts your tribe

- Recognising energy suckers

- Why your friendship group defines you

- Importance of Networking 

- Being Fearless

Annika Allen: Your Network Is Your Net Worth - Episode 48

"Self-Discipline is about finding reasons to do something and committing to see the task through to the end"

In this week's In Focus session I discuss Self-Discipline. This is something that I have really worked on over the past year or so as I have found that the more discipline I have, the more productive and creative I become. So in this episode I share some of my thoughts and experiences, with a few tips on how you can improve your own self-discipline.

If you enjoy the episode, please leave a review or comment. And be sure to share it with a friend who needs to hear this!

thedreamersdisease.co.uk

Follow Dreamer’s Disease:

IG: @the_dreamersdisease / @iamalexmanzi

Twitter: @dreamerspod / @iamalexmanzi

Soundcloud: @thedreamersdisease

In Focus: Self-Discipline - Episode 49

Dreamer's Disease is a podcast hosted by Alex Manzi. Taking a look into the stories of inspirational guests; finding out what they do, why they do it and their motivations behind what they do. Each episode will provide fresh knowledge and wisdom from people who are doing the things they love, with an aim to draw some inspiration and learnings from each guest.