Darren Harris
Darren Harris is a dual Paralympian, England’s most capped blind footballer and mindset transformation specialist who inspires and enables people to navigate obstacles like a pro.
Diagnosed aged 15 months with a rare form of eye cancer resulting in him losing his sight, Darren has heard blindness symbolised by dark glasses, white canes and guide dogs; depersonalized as a medical condition or social barrier; and embodied by inferiority and helplessness. With over four decades’ real-life experience in education, sport and business, his radical view is that the eyes are useless if you don’t use what’s between your ears.
Darren is England’s most capped blind footballer playing 157 times for his country. He made his debut in 1996, working as a technologist by day to support himself as an unsponsored self-funded
athlete. He became captain in 2002, leading the team through the Paralympic highs and lows of competing in Beijing after missing out on Athens 4 years earlier. He also worked with a worldrenowned performance psychologist in 2008, turning from skeptic to scholar and graduating with a masters in Psychology 5 years later.
Unblind Your Mind is a mindset transformation programme that blends real-life experience with textbook theory to get bottom-line results for his clients. He facilitates masterclasses for corporate
away days using Football in the Dark to change a group of individuals into a high performing team; he speaks at conferences and events using his no nonsense, all action style that teaches people how to get out of their own way; and coaches underperformers to learn and develop the mental skills to achieve their true potential.
He has worked with companies like the MoD, BAE Systems, Allianz Insurance and HSBC, to name a few, as well as over a hundred schools, colleges and universities.
A corporate governance practitioner, Darren sits on various boards, committees and advisory groups. He’s also recipient of an honorary doctorate for outstanding public service for various
causes.
Comments from members:
- I felt comfortable because he spoke in terms of the heart, not just business.
Useful Blogs:
How Adversity Makes You Stronger
The Secret to Overcoming Life’s Challenges
How Louis Braille Overcame Adversity
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