On this episode of the World Game-Changers podcast, Paul is joined for the second part of a conversation by returning guest Keith Amoss to interview Paul and his friend Gary Clarke (aka Boatsy) about who they are.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Paul and Gary had similar paths growing up in poor families in inner-city Nottingham with mixed fortunes and adventures in their youths. Now they’re writing a book about changing their lives round from growing up in the wrong side of the tracks to coming out the other side. They decided to name the book Angels With Dirty Faces after the iconic James Cagney film of the same name because when you go back to that iconic film that is a tale of morality underpinning it. Gary and Paul have had loads of chats over the past few years around ‘the good old days’, how they’d found themselves in certain circumstances, and how they’re in a different part of the game of life and how much of a different ball game it is.
• Football was a big part of my life, I’ve been football mad for as long as I can remember. I played football for the primary school team and that was it, all I was bothered about was football – and cricket. I got into fashion in my fourth or fifth year at school and started going to football games on my own and I noticed the fashion at the matches, it intrigued me. Then came the music and going to away games on my own, visiting different cities. Football grounds in those days were violent places and I was intrigued by it, it fascinated me, I wasn’t scared of it. I got beaten up and a couple of football games so I got in with a gang and that’s where I think I fell off the rails a little bit. Half the time you’d have to fight your way back to the train station after the away match. You got the feeling you belonged to something, and women were attracted to it as well.
• For me, hard men don’t exist, they’re a fabrication. A man’s hands might be quicker than another man’s hands, it might take him longer to cry than another man and the rule of the jungle necessitates we give people labels, that there’s a pecking order, and that dictates that he is a hard man. Even in the midst of being in that goldfish bowl, I always thought; if you lose a loved one, you cry, if you get cut you bleed. My image was a mask of stern faced, don’t come near me, don’t mess with me, I’m not letting you inside. But, what I was really saying was please don’t hurt me anymore, I’m so emotionally hurt, vulnerable and I’m dying inside. It was a façade to keep people away, get in first, kill or be killed, big boys don’t cry. It’s all a front.
• As many parallels as there are between our paths, our mindset, our hearts, I often look upon Gary as a kindred spirit, the contradiction on that is that we have ended up in the same place after all these years when our paths crossed, but the paths that we took have been very different. Yes, there is a commonality with words like violence, Nottingham Forest, drink, but my patterns in all those were completely different to Gary’s. I needed drink, it was an addiction that was formed through my win/survive at all costs mentality, which was galvanised out of my childhood. If you had a black cat mine had to be blacker, if yours was actually blacker I had two cats. That addictive personality, win at all costs… I was living a total lie and did for decades. It’s not been until recent years that I’ve bottomed it all out, I’m 13 years dry and see things so much more clearly, but I needed alcohol to get by.

BEST MOMENTS

‘It’s often the way with gangsters, or naughty boys and girls, they build up a cult following with hero worship, promoting the dark side of life as glamorous. Actually, it’s not. But there’s that perception.’

‘No matter what the first half of your life was like, or whatever has gone off in the past, there’s always room to change it in the second half.’

‘You’ve always had [violence] in Britain in the 50s, 60s and 70s going back to the mods and rockers and the teddy boys, people have always defended their areas.

‘The damage that was done in my formative years has taken me most of my life to unravel.’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

• Paul’s Story: Emerging From The Forest (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emerging-Forest-Pain-Purpose-Mastering/dp/1719373272

• Paul’s Story: Emerging From The Forest (USA): https://www.amazon.com/Emerging-Forest-Pain-Purpose-Mastering/dp/1719373272

• Mastering The Game Of Life Book (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mastering-Game-Life-Paul-Lowe/dp/1782227679

• Mastering The Game Of Life Book (USA): https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Game-Life-Paul-Lowe/dp/1782227679

• Speaking From Our Hearts Books: Volumes 1-3 (Available on Amazon)
• World Game-Changers Group

ABOUT THE GUEST

After some years working for the UK Government in London’s Whitehall, Keith Amoss moved overseas and into the world of international organisations. He spent some 25 years doing the full range of Human Resources activities and held positions as Head of HRM and Head of Talent Management. Keith has lived and worked in five different countries in multinational and multicultural environments. In his spare time he has enjoyed lecturing for the UK Open University. Keith’s passion is helping others to develop and seeing them achieve their true potential.

https://www.keithamoss.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul has made a remarkable transformation from existing for many years in dark, desperate despair; to now living a really healthy, happy and fulfilling life.

From an early age, he was in the vice-like clutches of the demon drink and constantly embroiled within a dark cocktail of toxic beliefs, self-hate and destructive violence.

Along with his empathetic and dedicated team of world-class coaches and mentors, Paul’s purpose is both aspirational, and deeply transformational:

Developing World Game-Changers…

He is extremely passionate about helping others to find their purpose, have a voice and ultimately, make a real difference.  

This has been built on a long and distinguished history of heart-centred coaching and mentoring.  He has also been responsible for raising significant amounts of funds for many charities and good causes around the world; positively impacting and inspiring thousands of children – mainly from challenging backgrounds – within the UK & worldwide.

Through this World Game-Changers podcast and books, he has been involved in – including being a best-selling co-author – Paul also helps others to get their own inspirational messages and stories out into the world; as well as offering support to many charitable organisations, in their development & fund-raising.

CONTACT METHODS

Tel: +44 (0) 7958 042 155

E-mail: Paul@Paul-Lowe.com

Web: https://www.Paul-Lowe.com

Web: https://www.worldgamechangers.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IamPaulLowe/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-d-lowe-7a78332a/